Hong Kong: Online task force meeting held

Chief Secretary John Lee hosted an anti-epidemic task force meeting online with Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Deputy Director Huang Liuquan on February 18.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government promptly followed up on the consensus and achievements from the second Mainland-Hong Kong thematic meeting on COVID-19 epidemic.

Joining the meeting were the National Health Commission Vice-minister Wang Hesheng, as well as relevant officials and experts of the central government and Guangdong Province.

Hong Kong SAR Government officials attending the meeting were leaders of the Hong Kong SAR five task forces - Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan, Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang, Secretary for Development Michael Wong, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau and Secretary for Transport & Housing Frank Chan.

At the meeting, Mr Lee expressed gratitude towards President Xi Jinping for his important instruction on the Hong Kong SARs anti-epidemic work.

He added that the Hong Kong SAR Government would assume the main responsibility in accordance with the instruction, make every effort with staunch determination to achieve the target of dynamic zero infection and fulfill the three "all-s" and two "guarantees" as instructed by President Xi.

Mr Lee said that the requests for assistance made by Hong Kong to the central government at the thematic meeting held on February 12 received quick and positive response.

Four epidemiology experts, along with testing personnel and mobile nucleic acid testing vehicles, were assigned to arrive in Hong Kong on February 17, just five days after the thematic meeting, to support the anti-epidemic work.

He expressed his gratitude to the Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the State Council, the National Health Commission (NHC) and the Guangdong Provincial Government for providing full support and attaching great importance to Hong Kong.

During the meeting, Mr Wang shared his experience in the anti-epidemic work in Wuhan, Hubei in 2020 and gave suggestions on the tackling of the fifth wave in Hong Kong.

The leaders of the five task forces from the Mainland and Hong Kong SAR reported their respective progress of work and the way forward.

They conducted in-depth discussions and planned for follow-up and implementation of the most imminent tasks, including enhancement of the capacity of nucleic acid testing, enhancement of hospitals' capacity of admitting and treating patients, construction of community isolation and treatment facilities, ensuring of medical supplies and stabilising of supplies of food and other daily necessities from the Mainland.

Mr Lee said the Hong Kong SAR Government will spare no effort and leverage the central government's experience and guidance in fighting the epidemic and fully utilise the central government's support in manpower and resources, with a view to enhancing Hong Kong's capability of early identification, early isolation and early treatment of the infected.

The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to mobilise all available manpower and resources from the community and take all necessary measures to stabilise the epidemic situation and make this the most imminent mission, he added.

This story has been published on: 2022-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
China opposes U.S. releasing irresponsible IPR report: commerce ministry

Xinhua) 09:26, February 19, 2022

BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States labeling some Chinese enterprises and markets as so-called "notorious markets" in its recent report is neither responsible nor objective, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Friday.

China does not accept the conclusion of the report and firmly opposes the irresponsible action of the U.S. side, said a spokesperson with the MOC.

The spokesperson made the remarks in response to a recent report released by the United States on the "notorious markets" for counterfeiting and piracy, which identified some Chinese firms and markets as "notorious markets."

The report used ambiguous terms such as "allegedly" or "reportedly" to describe relevant Chinese companies, said the spokesperson, noting that there is neither conclusive evidence nor sufficient proof.

China's achievement in the protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) is obvious to all, the spokesperson said, adding that China has stepped up law enforcement to crack down on copyright infringement and piracy in recent years to enhance IPR protection.

The U.S. side should fully and objectively reflect the efforts and progress made by the Chinese government and enterprises in the IPR protection, and reach a fair evaluation so as to avoid undue negative impact on the enterprises, the spokesperson said.

Piracy and counterfeiting were and still are problems existing in the United States, said the spokesperson, adding that the U.S. side frequently criticized other countries but never mentioned its own problems in this regard.

"Such double standards are regrettable," the spokesperson said.

With the rapid development of economic globalization and internet and other new technologies, the fight against counterfeiting and IPR infringement needs the cooperation of all countries, the spokesperson said.

China is ready to strengthen cooperation with other countries in IPR protection and create a level playing field for global businesses, the spokesperson added.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
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.
The messages on church signs can be everything from inspiring to interrogating, but, in some way, they articulate the spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This month, Fellowship Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Tulsa, put up this message: Black history is American history. The appropriateness is obvious with it being Black History Month, but what does that message have to do with Christianity?

In his second letter to the church at Corinth, Paul writes, God  reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. For those who follow Jesus, the work of reconciling the estranged fragments of fellowship God designed to be in harmonious relationship, one unto the other, is always upon us. As an author and theology professor at Duke Divinity School, Norman Wirzba, writes, Jesus shows us that the primary task of discipleship is for people to be a healing, nurturing and reconciling presence in the world.

Given our history of racism and the still-lingering effects of white supremacy whispering the lie that Black people contributed nothing to the culmination of America, there is a blatant necessity to reconcile Black history with American history. As the church sign in Oklahoma suggests, those histories are one and the same.

Reconciliation sounds good. Especially in these divisive days in America, the thought of reconciliation is refreshingly happy. But reconciliation isnt all puppy dogs and rainbows. It requires truth. Just as we cannot be reconciled, one unto the other, without being truthful with one another, Black history and American history cannot be reconciled without the full truth being told about those histories.

One thing Ive come to learn about Jesus saying, You shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free, is that living truthfully has the power to heal. The healthiest, strongest relationships I have and that I witness between others leave no stone unturned.

This is the faithful reasoning I see behind the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) instituted by Nelson Mandela and chaired by Desmond Tutu. That massive exploration into South Africas human rights abuses between 1960 and 1994, sought to restore broken relationships with healing, harmony and reconciliation, and its method for achieving those ends was telling the truth about what happened: what exactly the apartheid atrocities were, who lorded those abuses over whom, and what were their effects. While results of the TRC were not perfect, they finally told the truth, enabling people of different races to bear with one another and forgive each other (Colossians 3:13). Thats the tangible healing work of reconciliation.

When it comes to reconciling history, we can look to the examples of truth-telling in Black history that resonate with Jesus promise of knowing the truth and being liberated by it. We can look to Isabella Baumfree, born into slavery in 1797, who escaped to freedom with her infant daughter after the man who owned her reneged on his promise to emancipate her. She became Sojourner Truth, a national figure advancing the rights of women and Black people. The Lord gave me the name Sojourner, she said, because I was to travel up and down the land showing people their sins and being a sign unto them. Afterward I told the Lord I wanted another name because everybody had two names; and the Lord gave me Truth, because I was to declare truth to the people. When you know the truth, you will be free.

We can look to Ida B. Wells, the journalist who saw white southerners lynching innocent Black people and wrote, O my God! Can such things be and no justice for it? American Christianity heard of this awful affair and read of its details and neither press nor pulpit gave the matter more than passing comment. Giving speeches across America and Europe and publishing investigative pieces, Wells mission was to make the world listen. When you know the truth, reconciliation is possible.

A couple of summers ago, when the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery elevated cries for racial justice in America, the communal message was both inspiring and interrogating. It needed to be. Feeling some of that necessary discomfort as a white-passing person who yearns for reconciliation, I wrote a song called Before We Get to Harmony. The song speaks to my Black neighbors but is directed to the ears of those, myself included, who need to know more truth. Heres part of it: I can wash my hands of all that youve been through, but what Im not responsible for I am still responsible to. The pieces didnt fall by happenstance, where I keep passing Go and you arent given half the chance. Its evident that weve been telling lies, more than just a few, and innocence must die before we get to harmony.

In our present days of history-making, when a few loud voices call for the banning of certain books for fear that their contents might cause us discomfort at reading the truth they tell about Black History, American history, our history, we would do well to lean into the words of Jesus that invite us to know truth and find freedom in it. That is the God-dreamed liberation that can deliver us into reconciled harmony.
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As cold weather sets in, it can be more challenging to get outside and get moving! Staying active during the colder months is critical for your overall health and wellness, so dont let the cool temperatures interfere with your wellness goals.

One of the best ways to stay fit while having fun is to follow YouTube channels dedicated to senior fitness. With options for every fitness level and desired workout style, youll find enough variety to get you through until spring! (Note: Be sure to talk with your doctor before embarking on any new fitness plan.)

Here are seven of the best channels to jumpstart your at-home fitness journey today.

This husband-and-wife team brings energy, excitement, and compassion with more than 600 free videos. While they fill their videos with plenty of enthusiasm, they also understand that everyones fitness journey moves at a different pace. Curated playlists include a low-impact series for beginners and all you really need is a yoga mat. You can also search by video length, with plenty that are 10 minutes or less! The team releases a new video every week or two, as well as nutrition plans and suggestions for those who would like to pair their workouts with healthy meals.

If variety helps you stick with a fitness routine, the BeFit channel might be for you! BeFit makes it easy to maximize at-home use of a medicine ball, yoga ball, yoga mat, and light weight dumbbells. BeFit has something for everyone with a collection of classic videos from fitness legends like Jane Fonda alongside newer trainers like Jillian Michaels and Billy Blanks. Its easy to search through the collection for keywords such as standing or low-impact if youre looking for a place to begin your fitness journey.

With over 1,000 free videos and an energetic duo of trainers leading the way, the HASfit channel will keep you on track at every stage of your fitness journey. The team focuses on easy workouts with light weights and exercise bands, curated wellness plans for any fitness level, complete with meal ideas and motivational mantras. Start with the Exercises for Seniors playlist if youre just beginning your fitness journey or need to stick with low-impact or seated workouts.

Created by a certified senior fitness expert, Senior Shape is dedicated to active aging at all stages. Youll find various workouts here that range from low-impact, seated, 10-minute videos to full-body high-intensity cardio classes. There are several categories for pain relief or stretches that target specific areas, so you can find a video to follow even on the days when you have less energy or an injury to overcome.

If youd like a wide variety of workouts to choose from, and all geared towards seniors, Merediths channel is a great place to start. With workouts that use only bodyweight all the way to classes featuring resistance bands and hand weights, these videos are easy to follow and can support any fitness level. Frequent live-stream workouts are a great way to make fitness part of your regular routine. Set an alarm to join in when Meredith guides a live (virtual) audience through a new routine, and youll feel as if youre in the class with other motivated peers.

This diverse channel is great to share with the whole family, including the grandkids! Featuring many trainers and series, The Body Coach produces videos that help get kids excited about working out alongside their peers, parents, and communities. Other series, including a 7-Day Seniors Workout Challenge, help take the guesswork out of planning a consistent fitness routine. As an added bonus, many of the videos feature trainers working out around the world, so you can go on a virtual vacation as you exercise!

Walking is a great low-impact cardio workout thats accessible almost anywhere! If its easier to stay home while you exercise, get some virtual company with these walk-at-home videos. Featuring different lengths and goals (like a heart-healthy walk or a happy walk), these videos make it easy to slip on your sneakers and get closer to your 10,000 daily steps.

Whether youre just beginning your fitness journey or youre looking for new and exciting activities to try at home, these fitness channels offer an almost endless variety to keep you fit and engaged every step of the way!
The lack of housing in Grand Island and rural Nebraska predates the COVID-19 pandemic. But as the states economy improves, the lacking of housing, the housing problem only manifests itself even more.

A recent story in the Omaha World-Herald reported that the housing crunch is preventing businesses from filling jobs they need to help grow their businesses and the states rural economy.

The same is true in Grand Island.

Statewide, according to the World-Herald story, From 2010 to 2019, only 46,096 homes were built in the state  less than half the number build in decade prior.

Some of the drawbacks facing building new houses in Grand Island and elsewhere across the state have been the lack of available contractors, subcontractors and laborers, along with the high cost and availability of building supplies.

The Grand Island Chamber of Commerce recently reported that in December 2021, eight single family dwellings, valued at $2.195 million and 90 multi-family dwelling, valued at $16.2 million were under construction. For 2021, 251 single family and multi-family dwellings were constructed in Grand Island for a value of $45.765 million.

When it comes to commercial construction, in December 2021, there was one project under construction valued at $407,200. In 2021, 20 commercial construction were underway for a value of $41.047 million.

In 2000, during the height of the pandemic, there were 197 single family and multi-family dwellings constructed for a value of $30.699 million. There were eight commercial construction projects, valued at $36.033 million.

While Grand Island is making progress in building new houses, the cost of those houses has skyrocketed, but were heavily in demand.

The Grand Island Chamber of Commerce reported recently that new home listings during 2021 was 950 compared to 948 in 2020. The average sold price was $216,913 last year compared to $186,380 in 2020. The median sold prices was $192,500 in 2021 compared to $169,900 in 2020.

Those listed houses sold fast, according to the data. In 2021, average days on the market was 28 compared to 48 in 2020.

Total home sales sold dollar volume was $184.809 million in 2021 compared to $156 million in 2020.

While residential and commercial construction picked up last, it still is behind goals set by the community to meet its future housing needs.

The Grand Island Independent reported last year that the Grand Island Economic Development Corporation said Grand Island is behind its goal to have 1,361 houses built by 2024. As of July 3, of last year, GIAEDC reported only 398 homes have been built.

A recent story in the Omaha World-Herald reported that Gov. Pete Ricketts recently proposed putting $50 million of the states American Rescue Plan Act toward housing in rural communities.

The story said that since 2017, the states Rural Workforce Housing Fund has given grants to build new housing units to local development corporations, such as the GIAEDC, so they are able to provide a funding match.

On March 1, Ricketts will be in Grand Island to help the GIAEDC announce its inaugural housing project. The project uses Rural Workforce Housing Funds.

The goal of GIAEDCs Build Grand Island program is to leverage Rural Workforce Housing Funds from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to assist area housing developers to revitalize, rehabilitate and add to the housing stock in the Grand Island area.

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STEM Learning

VHS Learning To Provide Free AP STEM Courses in Select Schools Through Massachusetts Initiative

Online learning nonprofit VHS Learning will provide free online Advanced Placement courses in STEM subjects to up to 1,500 Massachusetts high school students students during the 2022-23 school year in a partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with funding from the U.S. Department of Education.

The new initiative, dubbed the STEM Advanced Placement Access Expansion Opportunity, aims to provide greater access to AP STEM courses in AP Deserts, schools where the number of students enrolling in AP courses is lower than the statewide average, even when students are demonstrating skills and achievements appropriate for such advanced courses, according to a news release from VHS Learning.

The statewide program will provide high schools in designated AP Desert areas with access to up to eight AP STEM courses free of charge; enrollment will also be provided to other schools based on availability, VHS Learning said.

VHS Learning also will train local site coordinators at participating schools to review course requirements and prerequisites, enroll and support students, and monitor their progress in their online coursework. In addition, local site coordinators will ensure any accommodations for students are implemented, in coordination with special education staff, according to the announcement.

The following courses are included in the initiative:

AP Biology

AP Calculus AB

AP Chemistry

AP Computer Science Principles

AP Environmental Science

AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based

AP Physics C

AP Statistics

Registration for the free courses opens on March 2 and closes on June 30. Interested parties can schedule a meeting with Massachusetts DESEs Jennifer Gwatkin to find out more about the program, VHS Learning said.

The initiative is funded by a 5-year, $9 million grant from the U.S. Education Departments Expanding Access to Well-Rounded Courses Demonstration Grants Program.

Research shows that students who take AP courses are more likely to enroll in college: 86% of students who take one AP course continue their education at the postsecondary level and 92% of students who take two or more go on to college. The figure for high schoolers who do not take AP classes is 63%, the DESE said.

According to Forbes, 10 of the top 14 fastest-growing industries require STEM training, but there are students in Massachusetts who dont have access to AP STEM courses, said VHS Learning President and CEO Carol DeFuria. The MA DESE has found that some subgroups of students within the state have extremely low percentages of AP course takers. Together with the MA DESE, we want to help ensure these students have the chance to realize their potential, pursue postsecondary education, and, if they choose, participate in STEM professions that are vital to the Massachusetts economy.

For more information, visit the STEM Advanced Placement Access Expansion Opportunity website.
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Artists are familiar with the term mixed media. In a visual sense, the term describes artwork where two or more different materials have been used to complete a finished piece.

In Du Quoin, mixed media also might be a great way of describing Wander Community Art Studio  a place where resident artists mix with others working on their own projects, resulting in something beneficial and better.

Wander Community Art Studio is a dual-purpose facility. First, it is a working studio space for Nicki Rathert, a fiber artist and professional weaver, and Meg Smith, a former art teacher and watercolorist. Second, it is a place for others to explore and experience art through project spaces and classes.

Rathert said the facility came about because she outgrew her home studio. Smith shared an interest in Ratherts plans.

The more we talked about it, the more we realized that if we combined the things that we love, we could really expand this space to a community studio, instead of using it just as a private studio, Rathert explained.

Open since August, the Wander Community Art Studio gives Smith and Rathert the space they need as well as spaces for a variety of other arts.

We have a lot of room in the studio for people to come in and bring their own projects, Rathert explains. Maybe they need somewhere away from home where it is quieter or they need more space.

The studio is also a space perfect for younger artists-to-be.

We have a dedicated kids area where they can come in and use our art supplies in sort of a free-form way. A lot of parents can be a bit cautious or uncomfortable about kids using art supplies in their own home; theyre worried about all of the mess, explained Rathert. Kids can come here and feel free to just be as creative and messy as they want because thats the whole point of being in a studio.

To encourage creativity, Wander offers a variety of classes for both children and adults. Upcoming events include workshops on crochet and knitting, tie dye and a number of classes for kids. There are classes planned in macrame, hand lettering and other topics. Rathert and Smith also will teach private lessons.

We teach a workshop every Saturday for adults and older kids and we also have a free kids art activity in the morning, she added. Its really important to us to keep that kids time free because we want to be able to really cater to our community and let kids come and experience a story time and a craft to go with it  something that their parents dont have to feel obligated to sign up for.

In just a few months, Wander Community Art Studio has become a popular place for birthday parties.

Parents can have an art-themed birthday for their child and some of their friends in our space. It gives them a cool experience, she said.

The studio also serves as a retail space.

Youll find the things we make personally as artists for sale, so we have a lot of gift-type items in the front of the studio, she added.

Rathert said the studio builds creativity by giving artists the opportunity to collaborate and be around like-minded individuals.

We welcome people to come and use the space, she said. We have open studio hours where you can bring your own supplies and own project and you can use our space for free. Having others in the studio with us really gets the creative juices flowing. It motivates and we all can play off of each other for ideas, plus it is really nice to be able to work with other artists.

She said the reaction to the new art center has been phenomenal.

People have been so supportive, she explained. We have a great group of kids that come regularly every weekend and we have adults who regularly take our classes and lots of new people coming in all of the time.

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MONCKS CORNER  Santee Coopers Jefferies Hydroelectric Station has been generating electricity for 80 years.

On Feb. 17, 1942, the station first generated electricity and continues today to provide clean, renewable energy to South Carolinians.

Santee Cooper hydropower has a strong connection to wartime efforts and rural electrification. In April 1934, Gov. Blackwood signed a bill to create the South Carolina Public Service Authority, known as Santee Cooper, to construct two reservoirs (Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie) and a hydroelectric plant to serve the rural South Carolina population, which in turn would spark prosperity in the Depression-ravaged state.

Construction began in 1939. Just two years later, President Roosevelt named Santee Coopers Pinopolis Power Plant, now Jefferies Hydroelectric Station, a national defense project and accelerated its construction as America joined World War II.

When Jefferies began generating electricity in 1942, its first customer was Pittsburgh Metallurgical Co., a defense contractor in North Charleston that made ferrochromium, a key defense metal used to harden steel for ships and tanks. Santee Cooper later served the Charleston Naval Shipyard and the Charleston Naval Base and today still serves Joint Base Charleston.

Along with the war effort, Santee Cooper supported the people of South Carolina.

Santee Cooper was started along with a lot of other projects to pick up jobs for this country and, in particular, for South Carolina, to improve the quality of life for the residents overall. That is still the mission today, said Jody Perry, a 39-year Santee Cooper employee who retired in 2018 as superintendent of operations at Jefferies.

Jefferies is named for Richard M. Jefferies, South Carolina governor from March 1942 to January 1943 and Santee Coopers general manager for 21 years.

The Santee Cooper project became the nations biggest land-clearing effort and the largest federal Works Progress Administration project east of the Mississippi River during the New Deal. More than 12,500 workers toiled for 27 months, clearing swamps and woodlands, building dams and dikes, and constructing a powerhouse and navigation lock. The navigation lock at the Pinopolis Dam was itself a monumental construction. A 75-foot drop from Lake Moultrie to the Tailrace Canal, it was the highest single-lift lock in the world at the time.

With its giant gears and mammoth gates, the lock system would allow boats to travel from Columbia through the Santee Cooper Lake system and lock to the Cooper River and on to Charleston. Miles of dams and dikes were built to hold back the water for release through the turbines at the Pinopolis Power Plant.

The remarkable effort of constructing the massive Santee Cooper project was considered an engineering feat in its day, and more than 65,000 people from all over the country visited the site to marvel at its construction. From start to finish, it took a mere two years, two months and 22 days. What was created was one of South Carolinas most resource-laden assets, an important source of energy, jobs and industrial development.

The hydro units can be brought online in about five minutes, making it an important source of reserve power and important in integrating intermittent renewables. Eighty years after it came online, Jefferies Hydro remains Santee Coopers most economical energy source.

One of the reasons I think Jefferies has been around for 80 years is the people. We have an employee whose grandfather worked on the land clearing as a young teenager. When you have people like that, its personal to them. When they come to work every day, they understand the mission. They understand why this site is here. You see that in the work they provide, said Carey Salisbury, renewable generation manager.

Santee Cooper is now South Carolinas largest power provider and the ultimate source of electricity for 2 million people across the state. Through its low-cost, reliable and environmentally responsible electricity and water services, and through innovative partnerships and initiatives that attract and retain industry and jobs, Santee Cooper helps power South Carolina. To learn more, visit www.santeecooper.com and follow #PoweringSC on social media.

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Throughout the rich history of the black people of our great county of Orangeburg, South Carolina, there have been many who have posted their mark of success and honor. For a number of years, I have known the name of Attorney Jacob Moorer as being an outstanding lawyer who has defended many Blacks in their legal matters in Orangeburg and across South Carolina.

Recently, I decided to continue my research on the life and times of Jacob Moorer. So far, Moorer has proven very highly why his name and life should be written about and shared with the people living in our county today. He was truly a remarkable person who loved this great county, his works and its people.

Being a lawyer and a civil rights activist, Moorer fought many court cases in Orangeburg and throughout the state. Also, throughout his career, he played a vital role in championing the electoral and civil rights of Blacks in South Carolina.

Jacob Moorer enjoyed a very active role in his life and in the lives of many others in our state. He is what we call a born leader.

One of his most notable cases was that of a black sharecropper of this county named Pink Franklin. This case made its way from the Orangeburg County Court, to the South Carolina State Supreme Court and then on to the United States Supreme Court for a decision.

In my view, as I continue to research the history of Black Orangeburg, Moorer ranks as the best Black lawyer the county has ever produced at this point.

Moorer was born in Orangeburg County in April 1863 as the Civil War was ending, a son of Wilson and Hazel Moorer. By the age of 8, he had learned to read and write while working on his fathers farm.

In 1887, Moorer had worked his way up to becoming a teacher in the Orangeburg School District. On July 6, 1887, The T&D wrote an article Shaking Up The Teachers. In that article, he received his certificate to teach in the Sterling School for the Blacks.

Moorer worked very hard on his school work at Claflin. The T&D reported on May 30, 1888, that, he was one of the class Salutatorians giving a speech on Some Elements of Success.

In The T&D on March 26, 1890, they wrote the County Treasurer Report of School and County claims for 1888 and 1889. It reported that Jacob Moorer received $20.70 for the work that he had conducted as a teacher for Orangeburg County.

Moorer attended the Normal School at Claflin University, and in 1892, he completed his requirements and graduated. Soon thereafter, he obtained a position as the principal of LaGrange Academy in Georgia.

In the Dec. 2, 1896 issue of The T&D, the paper printed, The Colored Fair  It is announced that the fourth annual colored Fair for Orangeburg County will be held in this city, commencing December 8 and continuing until the 11th, inclusive. The address to the colored race is signed by H.B. Thomas, as president, and Jacob Moorer, as secretary.

"We are to be more thankful for this years success, in that our fields have brought forth an abundance of corn, cotton, peas and potatoes, all of which can find a ready market in this our growing city.

Moorer played a vital role in the Black community of Orangeburg as he nudged his career forward in the legal world that he encountered.

In The T&D on Jan. 6, 1897, they printed, Items Of Local Interest  In the last law class that was examined by the Supreme Court, there were three colored men, but only one of whom, Jacob Moorer, of this county, passed and was admitted to practice law.

Also in 1898, Moorer started his role as championing electoral and civil rights for Blacks in the state. That year, he argued on behalf of James H. Weston against J. William Stokes in the election for a seat in the U. S. Congress. He objected to the election and said registration laws were unconstitutional.

Moorer argued and represented the Republican candidate for this district at the end of the national election in 1898. It must be noted that all of the election battles taken by Attorney Moorer would end up in the U.S. Congress being contested, which resulted in a loss and a payment of $2,000 to the looser. Back then, that was the policy of federal elections.

Then in 1899, Moorer decided to marry his lover Lizelia Augusta Jenkins. She was born in September 1868 to Warren D. Jenkins and Mattie Miller from Pickens, South Carolina. Lizelia also taught at the Normal and Grammar Schools at Claflin University from 1895 to 1899.

By the time that they got married, Lizelia had become a renowned Black poet in America. She became a very strong activist. Also, beyond her poetry, she was very active with the Womans Christian Temperance Union in 1910.

In the year of 1899, Attorney Moorer became a member and joined the first board of trustees for the Denmark Industrial School For Colored Youth in Denmark. It consisted of seven whites and four Blacks. This school was very unique in that it was founded by Elizabeth Evelyn Wright, a Black woman of great vision and insight.

Moorer honorably served in that position for a number of years in developing what is now Voorhees College. And for him to be selected by Miss Wright, he must have impressed her mighty much to become a member of the first school board.

In 1900, Moorer was a member of the County Convention of the Union Republican Party in the state. He was elected as the secretary and J.H. Fordham was re-elected the chairman.

He was appointed census enumerator for Orangeburg County on May 16, 1900.

With the race issue being a part of Black life in our nation, The T&D printed an article that Jacob Moorer signed on Sept. 2, 1903. Issues An Address  What the Negroes Have to Say to the White People  Want Lynching Stopped  But Has Very Little to Say About the Crime that Causes It and Condemns it Mildly -- We the colored citizens of South Carolina in convention assembled, desire to direct the attention of the law-abiding white citizens of the State to the alarming amount of lawlessness that is being practiced in the State which is disturbing the peace and good order of society, generally, creating much bad feeling and antagonism between the races and endangering the lives of many citizens by mob violence.

At the time in March 1904, the Republican Party of our state was composed primarily of Black men. Back then, the lynching of Black men and women had become a vital matter for those who were charged with criminal conduct.

The T&D printed on March 2, 1904, Capers On Deck  He Is Sustained by the Republicans of South Carolina  The Principal Feature of the Republican State Convention Was the Attack by Brayton on Jno. G. Capers  The Republican State Convention met in Columbia on Wednesday, transacted its business and adjourned.

"The complexion was mostly dark, with a faint sprinkling of whites, those who hold office or hope to hold office. Representing Orangeburg were: John H. Fordham, Jacob Moorer, A. D. Webster, Christian W. Caldwell, and Alexander D. Dantzler.

SPECIAL NOTE: The history of Black involvement in political parties began in Orangeburg County with the Republican Party in 1868. This trend continued until the 1940s when the majority of the blacks began to align with the Democratic Party.

By 1905, he was one of only a few Black lawyers in this area. Also at that time, Moorer was the only Black lawyer at the Orangeburg Bar.

In 1906, Moorer went to Washington, D.C., and spoke before the House Committee on Elections in support of Isaac Meyers' contest of the election of J. O. Patterson. The New York Times reported that the house committee noted that if they had granted Moorers claim, they would have to unseat every member in the House from a Southern state.

In 1907, The T&D posted a notice on July 18, Notice  The Trustees of Trinity M.E. Church hereby offer for sale to the highest bidder for cash, one wooden building situated in rear of said church in this city, fronting on Sunny Side Street, numbers 12 and 14. Persons desiring to purchase said building will file sealed bids with the undersigned secretary or chairman. The lot is not for sale. The building is for sale. R.W. Jewett, Chairman Board of Trustees. Jacob Moorer, Secretary.

Then, in The T&D on Aug. 1, 1907, the situation that hurled Moorer to the highest case of his career that carried his name from the local court to the state court and then on to the United States Supreme Court. That case involved the name of Pink Franklin.

The headline read, Dastardly Affair -- Constable Valentine Shot and Killed by a Negro  Who He Had Gone to Arrest on the Charge of Larceny  The Murderer Made His Escape  About five oclock Monday morning Magistrate I. Valentine of Cope sent his constable, H.E. Valentine to arrest Pink Franklin, alias Pink Porter, colored, on a charge of larceny. Franklin lives on Mr. E.S. Spires place about four miles from Norway.

"Constable Valentine pressed into service to assist him. Mr. W.N. Carter and both went to Franklins house to arrest him. On arriving at the house Valentine went to the front door and was admitted. Just as he got in the house the negro drew his pistol and fired at him. The ball entered his left side and penetrated the stomach.

"Mr. Valentine is about 27 years of age and single. He is a graduate of the Osborne Business college of Augusta, Ga. Mr. Valentine died at 7 oclock Monday night.

"The negro Franklin is at large and is being chased by a posse of men who think they have him located in a swamp near the place of the shooting.

"His wife was arrested and carried to Norway Monday afternoon. It is stated that she started toward the wounded man with an axe to kill him while he was on the ground.

"Two negroes who accompanied Franklin to the swamp have been caught and both are in the Norway guard house. One was severely whipped to get information, but this failed.

Then on Aug. 8, 1907, The T&D reported that Pink Franklin was caught. Got Him Safe  Murderer of Constable Valentine Caught Near Denmark  Carried to the Penitentiary for Safe Keeping  Claims He Shot in Self Defense  The State says Pink Franklin, alias 'Porter' Franklin, the negro who shot and killed Constable H.E. Valentine, near Norway, Orangeburg county, Monday morning while the officer was attempting to serve a warrant, was brought to Columbia Thursday on the morning train from Denmark and lodged in the State penitentiary for safe keeping, in accordance with the instructions of Gov. Ansel.

"The Negros side of the affair

"A reporter of The State saw Franklin at the penitentiary soon after his arrival there Thursday and his statement about the killing, the things that led up to the affair and subsequent events follows:

"Just before day Monday morning somebody knocked at my house. I asked who was there and the man replied, A friend. I asked him what he wanted, but he threw his weight against the door and came on in. I was sleeping with my wife on a pallet on the floor and when the man came in I was putting on my pants to go to the door to see what he wanted.

"I had one leg in my pants when he rushed in and yelled to me to throw up my hands. Before I could get my hands up he shot and the ball struck me in the shoulder.

"I didnt know who the man was or what he wanted and I thought he was going to kill me right there and I grabbed up my pistol, which was under my pillow, and began firing.

I shot three times, right quick. In my excitement, I think I shot my wife, though I dont know. Another man rushed in and I got out the door and ran off in the dark. I didnt know whether I killed the man or not. I was frightened and ran away just as fast as I could go.

After the death of Constable Valentine, a resolution on his death was posted in The T&D on Aug. 15, 1907.

On Sept. 12, 1907, The T&D reported on the trial of Pink Franklin. He Will Hang-Pink Franklin, Who Murdered Mr. Henry Valentine, convicted  Of Murder and Sentenced to be Hanged on Friday, the Twenty-fifth Day of October  The court was occupied Monday with the trial of Pink Franklin, the negro who shot and killed Mr. Henry Valentine, who went to arrest him as the special constable of his brother, who is a magistrate at Cope. Franklin was given a fair trial and defended, by two colored lawyers Jacob Moorer of this city, and Jno. Adams of Columbia, but he was convicted of murder and was sentenced to be hanged on Friday, October 25. Sad Franklin, who was placed on trial with him as an accessory to the killing was acquitted.

Apparently, lawyer Moorer and Adams had collected a great amount of valuable information in the Franklin case. With their legal knowledge, the two of them were able to find some faults by the prosecution that they could use to defend the case. Generally, in such a case, a Black man would have gone to the gallows by this time.

Then, The T&D printed on Sept. 19, 1907, The Franklin Case  Has Been Appealed to the State Supreme Court  Adams and Moorer raised three constitutional objections  two based on the federal constitution and one on the state constitution  and also moved to quash the indictment, on the ground of irregularity in keeping the coroners records."

It was discovered during the trial that the testimony given at the inquest had not been kept in a public office at the courthouse, although the law requires, specifically, the original record must be filed with the clerk of court within 10 days and must be copied into a book, called the book of inquests, which is required to be kept in the coroners office at the courthouse.

At that time, Moorer and Adams had figured out that they had collected enough information to properly defend the Franklin case. The question the attorneys for the defense are by implication asking is, will the Supreme Court decide the matter upon the constitution, or will they be guided wholly by expediency?

Attorney Moorer and Adams continued their work with other cases. The T&D wrote on March 24, 1908, After the Money  A.D. Dantzler, the negro who is contesting Congressman Levers seat went to Washington on Saturday for the hearing in the case. He was accompanied by Jacob Moorer, colored. Neither of them have any idea of ousting Mr. Lever, but they are contesting only for the money there is in the case.

Several days later on March 27, 1908, The T & D reported, Trying To Save Franklin  But Sooner or Later He Will Pay the Penalty  Efforts are being made to stave off the hanging of Pink Franklin, the murderer of Constable Valentine.

The Newberry Observer says: Jacob Moorer, a colored lawyer of Orangeburg, was in Newberry on Friday and appeared before Chief Justice Pope asking for an order to stay the remittitur in the case of Pink Franklin.

"The case went to the supreme court and the lower court was sustained. The chief justice granted his motion and gave him further time for a hearing.

Moorer continued the other legal matters that he was involved with. As to elections, he would represent the Republican Party loser in Orangeburg County. By 1908, some in the U. S. Congress became fed up over the $2,000 that was granted to the loser of the elections.

Then on May 19, 1908, The T&D printed, Pink Franklin Case  An Appeal Taken to the United States Court  The State says the case of Pink Franklin, the negro tried and convicted of murder, will be taken to the United States Court. Tuesday Moorer and Adams, the negro attorneys representing the defendant, obtained from Col. U.R. Brooks, the clerk of the supreme court, the certified copies in the case and the hearing means the suffrage laws of South Carolina will be tested.

"It is claimed by the attorneys for the defendant that Franklin was not granted a fair trial and that the selection of jurors was in violation of the constitution of the United States.

"The papers in the case were Thursday transmitted to the court in Washington.

In The T&D on Nov. 27, 1908, it was reported, Jacob Moorer appeared before the Board of State Canvassers on Monday and claimed that his client, Richardson, should be given the seat now occupied by Lever in Congress. Had the board agreed with Jacob, he would have fainted on the spot, as he was after the $2,000 allowance for his client and not a seat in Congress.

On May 11, 1909, The T&D reported that, Mr. Harry Valentine had been shot by a negro named Middleton while at work in his field near Cope.

"Mr. Valentine is a brother of Mr. Henry Valentine, who was shot by a negro named Pink Franklin about two years ago.

While the situation on the election was going on, the case against Pink Franklin continued all the way to the United States Supreme Court. The T&D reported on March 3, 1910, The Franklin Case -- Will Be Decided By Supreme Court in March  It is More Than Likely the Lower Courts Will Be Sustained and that Franklin will Hang  It is expected that the case of Pink Franklin against the state of South Carolina will be reached in the United States supreme court during the latter part of March. Attorney General Lyons received a letter Tuesday from the clerk of the supreme court saying that the case would in all probability be called at the above-mentioned time.

Then on April 9, 1910, The T&D said, Not In The Case  Negro Lawyers Object To Bonapartes-Interference in the Matter of Pink Franklins Appeal to the Supreme Court  In a statement issued Wednesday from Manning by John Adams, one of the negro attorneys in the Pink Franklin case, it is denied the Ex-Attorney General Bonaparte of the United States has aided in the preparation of the case. The statement has not been signed or approved by Jacob Moorer of Orangeburg, Adams associate counsel.

"The only lawyers of authority in this case are John Adams and Jacob Moorer and absolutely all the work done in the case up to this time has been accomplished by them.

"The premature announcement and employment of Mr. Bonaparte is the work of a few over hot-headed negroes of Philadelphia who have absolutely no authority to take any step in the work.

On June 2, 1910, The T&D reported, Last Hope Gone  Pink Franklin Loses His Case and Will Hang  Former Attorney General Bonaparte became interested in the case and after the negro lawyers for the condemned man had appealed the case to the supreme court of the United States, Mr. Bonaparte filed a brief in Franklins behalf. He contended that Franklin had a right to resist arrest, which was sought to be made on a warrant issued under an unconstitutional law.

"Jacob Moorer, one of Franklins lawyers, said that Mr. Bonaparte had been employed by rich negroes in Philadelphia, without any knowledge of the two who had taken the case up to the supreme court of the United States.

At the time of the Pink Franklin trial, the NAACP undertook this venture and it became the first major legal case by this organization in 1910. The NAACP appealed to South Carolina Governor Martin F. Ansel and Pink Franklins sentence was commuted to life in prison.

The T&D reported on Jan. 17, 1911, Pink Franklin Case  What The Augusta Chronicle Has To Say About It  Speaks of Some of the Influences That Were Brought to Bear on Gov. Ansel  There has been a great deal said in the newspapers about Pink Franklin, the brutal murderer of Constable Valentine, who was shot down in cold blood while in the discharge of his duty as an officer of the law.

"Through the National Association and ex-Attorney General Bonaparte, President Taft was interested in this case, and personally wrote to the governor asking him to commute the sentence if possible. The case has attracted great attention in the South, where white and colored lawyers employed by the Association have argued the facts before Governor Ansel.

"The results of Pink Franklins death penalty case was commuted in 1910. His prison sentence was paroled after serving nine years. He was set free on parole in January 1919.

When Franklin was released, he changed his name to Mack Rockingham and moved to Blackville. He and his wife had two sons living with them. Mack Rockingham died in January of 1949.

The name of Attorney Jacob Moorer had become well known in the legal world for Blacks in South Carolina by this time. On Oct. 21, 1911, The T&D reported that, he was hired to represent Clinton Glover for attempt to commit an assault on a highly respected white lady at St. George. Moorer asked that the court direct a verdict of not guilty.

In November 1920, Jacob Moorers name was mentioned as a Republican of Orangeburg to take on a federal position in the government. He was a precinct chairman in the local organization.

Then in 1924, Moorers wife delivered a dynamic speech to the Methodist Episcopal Church General Conference. She argued that, women should be allowed to be ordained within the Methodist Church.

On February 27, 1926, The T&D printed in its News Of Colored Folks by W. W. Wilkins-Jacob Moorer Esq., who has been very ill at his home on Treadwell Street for several weeks is reported to improving.

From that point, Jacob Moorers time as an attorney was gradually spiraling down due to health problems.

On Feb. 28, 1935, The T&D reported on the death of Jacob Moorer. Jacob Moorer Died Yesterday  Jacob Moorer, local Negro attorney, died at his home here yesterday morning. Funeral services will be conducted Friday afternoon at 3 oclock from Trinity M.E. church. He practiced law here for a number of years, but for some years past had been confined to his home.

Moorer was noted for his formal way of dressing, especially during the summer months.

The T&D reported on March 5, 1935. Card Of Thanks  I take this method of thanking my many friends for their deeds of kindness, for their expressions of sympathy during the illness and death of my beloved husband, Jacob Moorer, Esq., and for the floral offerings. Wife.

On May 24, 1936, just a little over a year later, Jacob Moorers wife Lizelia passed not long after the death of her husband.

Throughout the lifetime of Attorney Moorer, he was always affiliated with and looked upon as a staunch member of the Republican Party of South Carolina. He served in a number of roles representing the citizens of Orangeburg County and the Republican Party. During his time, the party in our state was mostly Black.

Moorer made his mark as a servant mostly for the Black people of Orangeburg County and that was the way that he modeled his life.

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South Carolina State University has joined with Urban Institute to launch a new degree-based apprenticeship program in cybersecurity.

The registered apprenticeship program is in collaboration with ISHPI Information Technologies Inc., Integer Technologies LLC, and a consortium of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in South Carolina that also includes Voorhees and Benedict colleges.

The apprenticeship program brings together Urban Institute researchers, HBCU faculty, and South Carolina employers to address the cybersecurity skills shortage in South Carolina.

Nikunja Swain, chair of SC States Computer Science and Mathematics Department, said the competency-based degree apprenticeship program will enhance the theoretical knowledge and skills of HBCU computing graduates. He said apprentices will receive much-needed practical experience working with employers and getting financial help while continuing with their programs of study.

The program also will and increase the students possibility of getting hired after completing their degrees.

This project will help us to produce a robust pipeline of skilled professionals to address the information technology/systems and cybersecurity requirements of employers, including federal agencies, Swain said.

SC State is designated as an Academic Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense Education for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency.

Students of color face systemic barriers to entering the cybersecurity field, said Diana Elliott, principal research associate at the Urban Institute. This innovative degree-based registered apprenticeship program at HBCUs will help develop highly skilled workers and launch successful, well-paying careers in a field with great demand for talent.

The consortiums apprenticeship program -- supported with technical assistance from Urbans Apprenticeship Modernization and Expansion Fund contract from the US Department of Labor -- will create a pathway to high-quality and rewarding careers in cybersecurity and IT for HBCU students and help meet employer demand for positions in these fields in South Carolina and nationally.

"Integer is thrilled to collaborate with the Urban Institute, SCSU, Benedict and other SC-based HBCUs on this innovative effort, said Duke Hartman, chief executive officer and cofounder at Integer Technologies, a South Carolina-based defense research company and the first employer in the country to sign up for the program. We believe that America's science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce should look like America. We hope this program inspires more students of color to pursue STEM degrees and join us in the national security workforce."

ISHPI has its origins in Mount Pleasant, SC, with a track record of providing cybersecurity services to federal employers in the low country, said Earl Bowers, president and chief strategy officer of ISHPI. It is an honor to collaborate with the Urban Institute; South Carolina State University, the premier public HBCU in the state; Integer Technologies LLC; and the SC HBCU consortium to address the cybersecurity skills shortage in South Carolina statewide by launching an employer-led cybersecurity degree apprenticeship cohort.

Urban Institute is a nonprofit research organization dedicated to developing evidence-based insights to improve peoples lives and strengthen communities.

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Thanks to South Carolina State Universitys Student Government Association President Javonni D. Ayers, every third Tuesday in February will now be known as HBCU Day in the state of South Carolina.

As a member of Leadership Brainery, an organization that recognizes and presents opportunities for underrepresented talent and minorities, Ayers, 22, was tasked with creating various academic projects that would help impact her career and future.

Last year for her final project, she came up with the idea of a bill that would uplift students who attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

This is a way for HBCU students to be more vocal with their elected officials and to voice their concerns and what they would like to see improved on campus or in their communities, Ayers said. I sat on the idea for a little bit because I didnt think I was going to be able to pull it off.

I was like, I dont think this is going to happen. Were in South Carolina  theyre not going to acknowledge our HBCUs, but surprisingly, they did, she said.

In June 2021, Ayers reached out to former SC State Board of Trustees member Hamilton Grant who connected her with an SC State alumnus and state representative Deon Tedder. With their help, she was able to put her ideas into motion.

After the bill passed through South Carolinas House of Representatives, both Tedder and Ayers lobbied for senators to pass the bill, as well. Once they were able to get in contact and work with Sen. John Scott, another SC State alum, the bill was then passed in the Senate.

On Tuesday, Feb. 15, shortly after the bill was passed, Ayers took a visit to the State House where Gov. Henry McMaster signed the bill, making that the first official HBCU day.

Even though Ayers was excited about the accomplishment, she said being acknowledged is only part of her mission. She wants the state to take more action.

We want to see more scholarships and internships coming to the students. Rep. Tedder also mentioned that in his press conference. So, there are definitely opportunities that we are expecting to come out of this, she said. Hopefully, this is just a steppingstone for things to come. Yes, we finally have the state acknowledging all of the HBCUs, but whats next  funding.

As an advocate and student leader for her university, Ayers said she was proud to be used as a willing vessel to help create awareness and exposure for her peers. For her, it was important to have other people come and be a part of something so historical.

I am grateful to be in a position where I was able to get this idea and actually put legwork behind it. I have to give glory to God because he was the one who gave me the idea, she said. You can get an idea, but actually putting legwork behind it and executing it is different. Faith without works is dead.

Ayers believes that this opportunity helped groom her as a young professional and helped her gain resourceful connections. She was able to network with state representatives, senators and SGA presidents from other HBCUs.

Once she graduates from SC State in May, Ayers plans to go to law school. As an aspiring attorney, she hopes that the connections shes made from the visit to the State House and work she has put in over the years pays off in her future.

She also hopes that prospective students coming up can benefit from this bill and that it opens doors for what HBCUs across the state can achieve.

I think its awesome when you can see your students go out there, make a difference and advocate for their peers, said Franklin Pressley, SC States director of Student Life and Leadership. I love the fact that HBCUs are going to be recognized from now on in the state of South Carolina. I think this is going to help us tell our story and hopefully gain more exposure and more funding.

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The white pelican is commonly found out west toward the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean.

Recently though, theyve made their way to the waters of Lake Marion in the Santee area and Ballards Point.

It has been an experience for many of the local residents to have them there.

They are so beautiful, resident Janice Roberts said. Three days Im hearing about white pelicans, and I didnt believe them.

I had my day off and my goal was to find these pelicans and Im sitting at my desk where I can see the lake and Im like What the heck? They are so majestic and beautiful. Everybody is loving them. They are overjoyed and super excited to see them.

Residents arent so happy with the bird poop on the boats, though, she said.

What were so amazed with is that weve never seen pelicans on the lake here, Roberts said.

The white pelicans usually migrate in the hundreds and will move around the coast, so many people who live near the ocean get to see them regularly.

Recently, they have started to move inland. They feed mainly on fish and catch them in a multitude of ways.

Just a natural beauty. Theyre something that people on the coast see, but on the inland, this is such a rare opportunity, resident Pamela Myers said.

Myers estimates there are 100 to 200 pelicans and its just unbelievable.

I lived in Louisiana, and Ive never seen pelicans do what I saw them do this morning. They had a group of them herding a school of fish and some of them from the back came up and then landed on top of the fish. It was so cool to see, local homeowner Ed Livaudais said.

Some even see the pelicans presence on the lake as a deeper sign of something or someone greater.

Theyre just so beautiful and we enjoyed them so much and I see it as just a gift from God that he sent us such beautiful creatures for us to enjoy in such difficult times. Its so hard to find beauty, joy and peace, but they are so beautiful and so I consider them a gift from God for him to send them this way, Myers said.

Theyre so peaceful, thats the only word that comes to my mind. They just give such an inner peace to just sit and watch them, Myers said.

The white pelicans usually range from 62 inches in length with a wingspan around 100 inches. They have long, orange beaks and black feathers at the ends of their wings.

In South Carolina, the eastern brown pelican is commonly found throughout the coast, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

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Today

Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. Low 61F. WSW winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 40%.

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. Low 61F. WSW winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 40%.

Tomorrow

A mix of clouds and sun with the chance of an isolated thunderstorm in the afternoon. High 82F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Family selfies, nature photos, an unanswered text and several calls that were never connected detail the final hours of a California couple and their child before they died on a hiking trail near Yosemite last August.

Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung and their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, died from hyperthermia, the condition of having a high body temperature, with possible dehydration due to environmental exposure.

After several months of investigating with the FBI, Mariposa County Sheriff's Office pulled data from Gerrish's cell phone, allowing it to retrace the family's last steps.

Authorities were able to pull a text message from Gerrish's phone at 11:56 a.m. asking for help. It was never received due to lack of cell service in the area.

"Can you help us," the text read. "On savage lundy trail heading back to Hites cove trail. No water or ver (over) heating with baby."

About 13 minutes following the unsuccessful text, Gerrish's phone showed that he tried calling multiple numbers, not including 911, but again, due to lack of service, the calls never connected, authorities said.

The first call was made at 12:09 p.m. following four subsequent calls at 12:35 p.m. within one minute of each other.

In addition to texts and phone calls, authorities chronicled almost 16 photos from Gerrish's camera roll.

The first photo was a picture taken just a few yards from the trail head around 7:44 the morning of the family's hike, followed by 16 other photos including family selfies, photos of the river and creek, and concluding with a screen shot of their location from a trail app at 12:25 p.m.

The family set out on a hike on Sunday, August 15, after Gerrish, a frequent hiker, plotted the route for the Hite Cove hike, about 8 miles from Yosemite National Park, the night before, according to the sherrif's office.

Around 7:45 a.m., a witness walking in the area saw the family truck heading in the direction of the Hite Cove Trail Head, authorities said. At 8 a.m., the witness saw the truck parked at the trailhead and no family around.

The approximate temperature was 74 to 76 degrees, at elevation 3,880 feet.

The family was reported missing the following day, after the family babysitter arrived for her normal shift but was unable to locate Gerrish, Chung or their daughter, authorities said.

On August 17, search-and-rescue teams found the family dead 1.6 miles from their car on the Savage Lundy Trail. An empty 85-ounce water pack was with them.

At the Savage Lundy Trail intersection, the elevation is approximately 1,800 feet, and the temperature throughout the trail ranged between 107 and 109 degrees, cooling slightly in the evening. That section of the trail is a south/southeast facing slope, so it's exposed to constant sunlight.

The family dog, Oski, was also with them and authorities believe it suffered from heat-related issues, too.

"The cell phone data results were the last thing both the family and detectives were waiting on," Sheriff Jeremy Briese wrote in a Facebook post. "The extracted information confirms our initial findings."

***

CNN's Sarah Moon contributed to this report. The-CNN-Wire  &  2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

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Theres a plan B in the works.

The Wyoming Legislature failed to expand Medicaid this past week after the bill was not put up for an introductory vote. But some lawmakers who support the measure are working to extend health coverage to 18,000 to 25,000 Wyomingites regardless.

Instead of pushing through a bill, theyre examining different types of budget amendments to either expand Medicaid or give Gov. Mark Gordon the ability to negotiate with the federal government over how much the feds might pay to support growing the program. If the latter is successful, the Legislature would still need to pass an expansion bill in the future.

Theres an upside to the budget amendment approach. Its a budget session, which means unrelated bills must receive two-thirds support simply to be introduced. But budget amendments only need a majority vote  a much easier bar to reach. In fact, supporters of expansion said earlier they have 32-36 votes in the 60-member House.

Theres also a downside to the approach. Successful budget amendments are only guaranteed to last two years and then are re-upped at the start of the next budget cycle. That means if a Medicaid budget amendment succeeds, the program would likely be taken away from tens of thousands of Wyomingites if the governor and Legislature fail to act in the future.

Advocates prefer a bill to a budget amendment, but plan to support the amendment if it comes up next week.

In 2013, the Legislature passed a non-codified law that barred the governor from expanding Medicaid without prior approval from the Legislature. A budget amendment to expand Medicaid that successfully makes it through would count as approval from the Legislature, Medicaid expansion proponent Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, argues. He was in the Legislature when the non-codified law passed during a time when Gov. Matt Mead, a Republican, was pushing the Legislature to support expansion.

The expanded program would likely not remain in the budget beyond the two years, said Tim Stubson, a Casper attorney and a former member of the Wyoming House.

If you get it in the two-year budget, it doesnt mean youre given the green light as long as you want it, he said.

That said, while frowned upon, it is not illegal to change Wyoming law via budget amendments. There is a world in which a budget amendment could repeal that non-codified provision that blocks the governor  with the hope that Medicaid would be available to Wyomingites beyond the two-year time frame of the budget.

All options are on the table, said Rep. Tom Walters, R-Casper, a member of the committee responsible for drafting the budget bills.

Jan Cartwright is deputy director of Healthy Wyoming, a coalition of groups backing Medicaid expansion. She says even if the health insurance is confined to two years, the coalition backs the budge amendment approach.

We obviously support a budget amendment, she said. Even having health care for two years is better than not having health insurance at all.

Proponents also believe providing more Wyomingites health care for two years would make it harder to later rescind the program, not because they couldnt, but because people would realize the improvement in their quality of life and bank account.

If we give people health care, they wont be able to take it away, said Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander.

This idea has precedent. In 2006, a budget amendment was added that repealed Wyomings sales tax on food. The following year, a bill was passed that put the measure into law indefinitely.

As it stands, Medicaid covers pregnant women and low-income children in the state. Expansion would open it up to adults who earn less than 138% of the Federal Poverty Level, which for a family of four is roughly $28,000. Advocates for the program say it would help the working poor and the states hospitals, which provide care to those who cannot pay for it. Some of those costs are passed along to those with insurance, meaning employers and people with coverage also feel the effect.

A successful budget amendment is not the only hurdle. The governor has the ability to veto a bill or any lines from the budget he pleases. Rothfuss said he would be surprised if Gordon vetoed attempts at Medicaid expansion. It would be a big decision for the governor, as he is up for reelection this year and doesnt typically legislate through the budget.

Opponents of expanding Medicaid question its cost and sustainability. They worry, among other things, that the federal government will eventually not be able to live up to its commitments for the program, leaving Wyoming on the hook.

The Equality State is one of only 12 states that have not yet expanded the program, which dates to the passage of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Some polls have shown that the majority of Wyomingites support expanding Medicaid, including a majority of Republicans. But at the end of the day, even if residents are in favor of expansion, theyre not voting on the bill. Lawmakers are.

Expanding Medicaid could create almost 2,000 Wyoming jobs and grow the states overall economic output by $1.5 billion in five years, according to a report published by the Commonwealth Fund, a national foundation that works on health care issues. The report analyzed how a special federal bonus being offered to non-Medicaid expansion states through the American Rescue Plan Act relief program could support those states economies.

Mead believe Medicaid expansion would increase the states revenue by about $10 million annually. That was in 2015.

As of mid-week, advocates and lawmakers estimated the number of likely votes in the House was around 36, four short of what was needed to clear an introductory vote. Speaker Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, who has voted in favor of expansion in the past, said he would introduce it if the advocates could tell him there were 40. Two advocates, Cartwright and Richard Garrett, a lobbyist from the pro-expansion American Heart Association, went back and forth on whether they wanted the bill to be put up for a vote regardless of the outcome.

Barlow said he was never told that.

Last year, the Wyoming House voted to pass a Medicaid expansion bill. The vote was narrow  32 to 28  and the measure eventually died in the Senate.

This year is different from years past. Not only is there polling showing a majority of Wyoming residents support expanding the program, the federal government is having a sale on Medicaid.

The Biden administration is hoping to entice the holdouts by offering a two-year bonus in the federal money those states receive to pay Medicaid costs. Wyoming policy analysts estimate that bonus would save the state $34 million over the next two years after subtracting the $20 million Wyoming would have to contribute.

Theres little indication on what Gordon thinks of the health care program this time around. Multiple lawmakers have also said theyre not sure where he stands.

He will treat it like any other bill that comes across his desk, said Michael Pearlman, director of communications for the the governor.

Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis

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A legislative proposal to spend federal relief money on expanding the operations of Wyomings two suicide prevention hotlines succeeded Friday in the Senate after two previous attempts were rejected by lawmakers.

The new budget amendment passed Friday would devote $2.1 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for this purpose.

Wyoming had the highest rate of suicide in the U.S. in 2019, according to CDC data.

The state didnt get its first two suicide hotlines until 2020. Neither runs 24-hours-a-day. Those who call after hours are transferred to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

Advocates say expanding the hotlines services is needed to help connect people in crisis with local resources.

In December, Gov. Mark Gordon recommended giving the hotlines $7 million of ARPA money over 2022 and 2023. The state is set to receive more than $1 billion in ARPA funds.

That $7 million was meant to allow the call centers to run 24/7, as well as help them build up their infrastructure.

The Joint Appropriations Committee struck that request from the ARPA budget in January, however.

Since then, a group of lawmakers and advocates have been trying to bring at least some of that money back.

The governor himself called for the Legislature to make room for suicide prevention funding in his State of the State address Monday.

In committee meetings and Senate sessions, some legislators were skeptical that the funding would be effective.

Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, said appropriations committee members may have voted against the proposal because they thought the hotlines already had enough funding.

We didnt say no to suicide prevention, Gireau said on the Senate floor Wednesday. What we said was, We thought wed already funded it in another form two years ago.

So supporters floated the proposal again, asking for less money.

In a Senate committee of the whole session Wednesday, Sen. Fred Baldwin, R-Kemmerer, introduced an amendment to the ARPA budget draft that would set aside $3 million in relief money for the hotlines. That measure failed by a vote of 13-15.

On Friday, Baldwin introduced another amendment  this time during the bills third reading  to give the hotlines $2.1 million in relief money. That amendment passed 16-13.

That $2.1 million will be combined with an additional $400,000 set aside in the state budget for the hotlines over 2022 and 2023 fiscal years.

Andi Summerville, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers, said that the combined $2.5 million will be enough to make sure at least one of the two hotlines is running at all hours.

However, the House of Representatives must also weigh in on the spending.

Were gonna work hard to keep it in the House, Summerville said in a text message to the Star-Tribune.

But that amount wont cover everything, Summerville said.

This year, suicide prevention call centers across the country are making infrastructure changes in anticipation of the new 9-8-8 dial shortcut. In 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a law making 988 the new dial code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which can now be reached at 1 (800) 273-TALK (8255).

More money is needed to help Wyomings hotlines make that transition, Summerville said.

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GREEN RIVER  Who the heck is burning their trash at 4:00 in the morning?

Ryan Pasborg muttered this question to himself when he first saw the flames.

Pasborg was driving along Highway 374 near Jamestown on his way to work Tuesday, Feb. 1. He was running a little late. It had been a late night, and hed let himself sleep in more than usual  getting up closer to 3:50 a.m. instead of his usual 3:15 since he didnt have to drop his daughter off with the babysitter that day.

Looking at the smoke and flames as he drove, Pasborg realized a garbage fire didnt make sense. Then the reality hit him. He was looking at a house.

The truck went from probably about 45 to 75, Pasborg said, remembering racing into the driveway where a house was engulfed in flames and emergency responders were nowhere in sight.

As he got out of his truck, Pasborg saw three young children coming out of the garage door. He quickly asked them if anyone else was in the house. The children answered they couldnt find their mom or little brother.

For a brief moment, Pasborg was awestruck by the situation, trying to process the fact he wasnt dreaming and what was happening was real. But with the faces of three little kids looking up at him, Pasborg  himself a father of three  realized he was this familys only hope. With the situation getting worse by the second, he knew it was time to act now, think later.

I didnt even think twice, Pasborg said. As soon as they said that, my mom and my little brother, within five seconds I said you get behind that truck and you do not follow me, and I went through that damn door like the Kool-Aid man.

Smoke hit him as soon as he entered the garage, and he could hear fire alarms blaring from inside. It wasnt the first time Pasborg had been in a burning house, having been a volunteer firefighter in Superior, but it was the first time hed gone in without any gear or equipment. Once he entered the home, Pasborg dropped to his knees.

Extreme heat and darkness closed in around him as he crawled forward. He isnt sure how far he crawled.

Its all a blur, really, he admitted.

As he made his way across the floor, Pasborg bumped into a four-year-old boy who was on his hands and knees in the kitchen. Scooping the boy up by the waist, Pasborg scooted across the floor to keep them both as low as possible until they could get out of the house. Once outside, he put the boy in his work truck and told the other children to get in so they could stay warm. With the children taken care of, Pasborg hurried back inside.

As he crawled even further than he had before, Pasborg heard a strange noise. After a moment he realized the sound was someone struggling to breathe. Thats when he found the childrens mother.

As soon as I got to her she took her last breath of air, Pasborg remembers.

He grabbed the woman under the arms and dragged her out of the house, using his knees to push himself across the floor in an attempt to stay under the smoke.

Once he got them both outside and over to his truck, Pasborg checked the woman for a pulse, a breath, or any signs of life.

There was nothing, he recalled.

Pasborg immediately began CPR. Meanwhile, the daughter of the family got out of the truck, having called 911. Pasborg talked to dispatch as he performed CPR, starting with compressions and breaths. After more compressions, he was about to start on a second set of breaths when the woman suddenly sat up and gasped for air.

A lot of weight was lifted off my shoulders at that time, Pasborg said. We still had a lot going on, but I was very thankful that she took that breath of air.

Getting the woman into the truck, Pasborg drove the whole family away from the burning house, going down their driveway until he reached the highway again. About five minutes later, the first sheriffs vehicle showed up, followed by the fire department and an ambulance.

While EMS staff worked to get the woman stable in Pasborgs truck, they took the young boy to the ambulance and asked Pasborg to sit with him. Looking at the boys burns and seeing how shook up he was, Pasborg did his best to provide a distraction.

I just talked to him like he was my own kid, Pasborg explained.

He asked questions like the boys favorite color and when his birthday was until the child had started to calm down.

Once the mother and son were loaded into the ambulance it rushed them to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. The woman was later flown to Salt Lake City due to her injuries.

As 25 firefighters from Green River Fire Department and Fire District No. 1 worked to get the blaze under control, Pasborg met with the childrens grandmother, who had walked from her home behind the familys house.

Pasborg drove the grandmother and the children to her house, after which he returned to his own home.

He wasnt there long, however, before the grandma contacted him, asking if he had any clothes to spare for the children whod just lost everything. Once again, Pasborg didnt hesitate.

I dug through my kids personal clothes and my clothes and my fiances clothes, he said.

After delivering his familys clothes to the grandmothers home, Pasborg still wanted to do more. He got together with his fiance, Alexandria Price, and her sister, Miranda Martinez. They put together some money then headed to Walmart where they bought clothing for the family. The trio ended up spending a few hundred dollars getting anything they could think of.

When Pasborg delivered the new clothing to the family, they were extremely thankful and wanted to repay him, but he assured them repayment wasnt necessary.

When I walked in with all them clothes and I sat down on the couch across from them kids, and all three of them kids got off the couch and come and sat next to me and just held on to me  Pasborgs voice broke slightly as he recalled the moment. It felt really good. That family will forever have a special place in my heart.

The man who saved their mom and little brother will also have a special place in the childrens hearts forever, and in the heart of the husband and father of the family, who has been out of town but has spoken to Pasborg several times on the phone  conversations which have been full of emotion.

He told me he loved me, Pasborg said. He said that they have a really long road to recovery, but if it wasnt for me that road wouldnt even be there. And he expects me over for Thanksgiving next year.

In addition to the gratitude of the family he saved, Pasborg has felt the gratitude and praise of complete strangers in the week since the fire.

Its been mind blowing, he admitted, explaining he never expected the amount of recognition hes received.

As his story began to be shared, Pasborg started getting hundreds of Facebook notifications and messages, from people calling him a hero to people offering to buy him dinner. The story has only continued to spread, with news broadcasters from places like Salt Lake City and Canada reaching out to him.

When it comes to being a hero, Pasborg realizes his choice to enter the house was the difference between life and death for the mom and little boy he rescued. But he couldnt tell you what was going through his mind at the time. He just realized something had to happen.

The only thing that I knew is there was innocent people in that house burning, he said.

While a house fire is a whole different ball game according to Pasborg, this wasnt the first time hes stepped in to help when he saw a need.

Recently he stopped traffic to help a woman in a wheelchair cross the street. Once he found a man trapped under his four wheeler in the Wind River Mountains, got him out, performed CPR, took the tailgate off his uncles truck to serve as a backboard and transported the man until he could reach service to call EMS.

Its kind of how I was raised, he said. I was raised to care about others.

Pasborg is determined to continue to care about others and help out however he can.

If I were to leave this house tomorrow and come across the same thing, I would do it again in a heartbeat, he said. And its not because of the recognition and stuff like that. Its  were all human. And the world is a crazy enough place without people hating people. So if I can do my part to make this world just a little better, Ill do it.

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Sage grouse conservation is a charged issue in Wyoming. An especially divisive approach thats scheduled to sunset at the end of the year could instead become a permanent part of the states management strategy.

Lawmakers have twice attempted to extend the authorization of sage grouse farming  first to 2032, then to 2029, neither successfully  since enacting a temporary program five years ago. It took several years for Diamond Wings Upland Game Birds, Wyomings only permitted sage grouse farm, to collect and hatch wild eggs. Breeding those birds in captivity could pose a new set of challenges.

Theyre getting very, very close, Sen. Drew Perkins, R-Natrona County and sponsor of Senate File 61, told the House of Representatives on Friday. I believe theyre on the verge of having success. But they need a little bit more time to prove out this concept.

The bill, which would do away with the expiration altogether, passed its introductory vote by a margin of 27 to 2.

It was my opinion that if we couldnt get it done in five years, we might as well do away with the legislation, said Diemer True, president of the Western States Sage Grouse Recovery Foundation, the group privately funding the Diamond Wings initiative. That opinion hasnt changed.

The farm, he said, has already proven its worth and is on the verge of a breakthrough: Biologists dont view captive breeding of sage grouse as a viable conservation tool. True believes the Wyoming farm is about to prove them wrong.

To keep the greater sage grouse off the Endangered Species List in 2015, Wyoming developed an extensive recovery plan. Sage grouse farming isnt part of that plan, but if Diamond Wings prevails, True hopes it can provide a model for future sage grouse farming and ease the burden of conservation on the state.

True pointed to critically endangered species such as the black-footed ferret, California condor and peregrine falcon as examples of the benefit of captive breeding.

But Sen. Cale Case, R-Fremont County, sees sage grouse farming as an unnecessary step. He voted against sage grouse farming in 2017 and did so again on Friday.

For species on the brink of extinction, Case said, Captive breeding was a last ditch effort. It was a Hail Mary. And, thankfully, its worked for those species. Im not sure that it is a good idea to do it when theres more of a robust gene pool.

Greater sage grouse populations have fallen by 80% across the West since the 1960s. The scientific consensus is that their decline has been driven by habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation  a problem captive breeding doesnt solve.

The momentum around sage grouse farming has incensed conservation groups. They argue that loss of genetic diversity and introduction of disease could cause further harm to surviving populations, while diverting attention away from preservation and restoration of the birds habitat.

We have perfectly healthy sage grouse populations in places where their habitat is intact, said Alan Rogers, communications director for the Wyoming Outdoor Council. Either we could release them into good habitat, where thats not necessary, or we could release them into disturbed habitat, where theyre not currently able to survive to begin with.

Alison Holloran, executive director of Audubon Rockies, summed up the stance shared by many of the regions conservation groups: Bad idea. Terrible idea.

Its a program, she said, in contempt of science.

We know an awful lot about sage grouse, Holloran said. And one thing that we do know is this isnt really an effective method on having viable populations or trying to keep viable populations on the landscape.

Rogers noted, too, that sage grouse conservation isnt just about the birds.

The bigger picture, from a conservation standpoint, is theyre kind of the barometer for how healthy the sagebrush ecosystem is, he said  a measure for the 350 other species of plants and wildlife that call that same habitat home.

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Three bills that would tighten abortion restrictions are advancing through the Wyoming Legislature.

All three met the two-thirds introductory vote required during a budget session, and are now scheduled for hearings in the states labor, health and social services committees.

Senate File 83

Senate File 83 would outlaw abortion pills in Wyoming.

It was successfully introduced during a Senate floor session Friday morning by Sen. Tim Salazar, R-Riverton. Salazar is one in a cohort of 13 conservative lawmakers backing the bill.

The bill didnt spark much discussion, going straight to a vote after a debrief by Salazar.

You know where you stand on this issue, he said Friday.

Twenty-five senators voted in favor of the bill, and four against. (One lawmaker was excused from voting.)

In its current form, the bill would make it illegal to manufacture, distribute, prescribe, dispense, sell, transfer or use any chemical abortion drug.

Anyone who does would face up to six months in prison and a $9,000 fine, the bill states. The vast majority of abortions in Wyoming have used the medication since at least 2019, when the state started tracking the data. The legislation singles out five drugs  RU486, mifepristone, misoprostol, mifeprex and mifegyne  but says any substantially similar medication would fall under the ban, too.

Salazar introduced a similar bill last year, but that legislation died after passing the Senate.

The bill would let the pills be used for contraceptive purposes, as well as to treat miscarriages. The pills could only be used for abortions when necessary to save the life of the mother.

House Bill 149

House Bill 149 would ban abortions based on selective reasons, including race, sex or suspected disabilities.

The bill cleared an introductory vote Friday on the House floor 46-14. Its sponsored by Rep. John Romero-Martinez, R-Cheyenne, and 14 other conservative legislators.

Legislation like House Bill 149 already exists in a handful of other states. At the beginning of 2022, 11 states had laws on the books banning abortions based on sex, four outlawed abortions based on race and six banned abortions based on fetal disabilities or abnormalities.

This bill rolls all of those into one. Notably, the ban on abortions due to disabilities would include fatal birth defects. It also includes language outlawing abortions based on national origin or ancestry.

If passed, the legislation would bring felony charges against anyone who knowingly causes, attempts, carries out abortions for those reasons.

Anyone who does could spend up to 14 years in prison. Theyd also open themselves up to a wrongful death lawsuit, the bill states.

Health care providers who perform such abortions would also face disciplinary action from Wyomings medical boards  meaning they could have their licenses suspended or revoked.

Supporters frame the legislation as a discrimination issue.

The bill doesnt say exactly how health care providers would know someones seeking an abortion for selective reasons. In some states that have passed similar laws, doctors are required to ask patients why they want the procedure done.

Laws limiting abortions have found some support among disability rights advocates, who say the practice is immoral. One 2012 study found about 67% of fetuses that test positive for Down syndrome are aborted in the U.S.

But a ban on aborting life-threatening conditions could prolong suffering fetuses or newborns, said House Minority Leader Cathy Connolly, D-Laramie.

This bill seriously interferes with a doctors ability to have a meaningful conversation with a patient when there are decisions to be made about her care when an abnormality in fetal development is detected, she said on the House floor Friday.

There isnt much data on whether people in the United States are getting abortions on the basis of race or gender.

One study published in 2014 by the University of Chicago looked at 15 years of birth statistics in Illinois and Pennsylvania, which both introduced bans on sex-based abortions in the 80s. Those laws didnt have an effect on how many male versus female children were born over that time, the study found.

A 2020 study from The Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit research group that supports abortion rights, found no evidence that race or ethnicity-selective abortions were happening in the U.S.

House Bill 92

A third abortion bill passed an introductory vote in a House floor session on Thursday.

House Bill 92 is a trigger bill that would automatically ban abortion in Wyoming if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Court observers think that possibility has become more likely as the Supreme Court has moved to the right.

A trigger bill is an abortion ban in waiting, Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, said on the House floor Thursday. Rodriguez is among 13 lawmakers sponsoring the bill this legislative session.

On Thursday, 42 representatives voted to support the measure, and 17 against. One lawmaker was excused from the vote.

At the moment, 12 other states have passed trigger bills.

The legislation would ban abortions except in cases where the pregnancies are life-threatening or could cause the mother irreversible physical impairment, according to the bill.

Speaking in support of the bill Thursday, Rodriguez said a vast majority of Wyomingites support life from conception to natural death.

A study published by University of Wyoming in 2015 found that about 45% of people in the Equality State opposed abortion and 55% supported it.

As of 2019, Wyoming law restricts abortions after fetal viability  the point at which a fetus could survive outside the womb.

Star-Tribune staff writer Ellen Gerst contributed to this story.

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CHEYENNE  The House vote last week on the residency of Republican Rep. Dan Zwonitzer of Cheyenne was the third such ballot in memory.

The first two were politically partisan. They dealt with the complaints of Democrats against Republican candidates.

The Democrats lost both scraps.

With Zwonitzer it was different. The challenge to his residency came from his very own Republican Party. But it wasnt from his local Laramie County chapter members who know him.

It came from on high  the august Republican state central committee.

In this brief skirmish, the small House bloc of Democrats voted for the Republican who was under attack by his own party.

Zwonitzer, a moderate, clearly has inflamed the GOPs extreme right wing.

That segment of the GOP labels him as a reprehensible Republican in name only, a RINO.

A member of the Wyoming House for 17 years, Zwoniter is the current chairman of the House Committee on Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions. In that capacity he has been deeply involved in work on the legislative redistricting plan that will come before this session.

Simply put, the complaint maintained that Zwonitzer had bought a farm east of Cheyenne and no longer lived in House District 43. He explained that he still lives in HD43 in a rented apartment and also spends time at the farm.

During a hearing in the House on day two of the session last week Rep. Tim Hallinan, a Gillette Republican, made a motion to establish a special committee to investigate the complaint.

That seemed innocent enough, although unnecessary, until he added that all of the committees work would be in executive session meaning everything would be confidential, including files.

Secret sessions always raise my curiosity if not downright suspicion particularly in a politically-tinged case like this one.

After a few comments the roll call vote came down at 24-36.

The motion failed with the top House leaders Speaker Eric Barlow of Gillette and Majority Floor Leader Albert Sommers of Pinedale voting no along with all seven House Democrats.

Barlow declared the matter resolved and that was that.

If youre counting, this was another failure on the part of the far right state GOP central committees mission to control the Legislature.

All that remains is a lawsuit brought by a handful of Cheyenne residents who accuse Zwonitzer of voting fraud. Given the House vote, that that one should die quickly.

Harking back to the most prominent residency battle in the Legislature, the 1970 squabble over Republican Rancher Dean Prosser wasnt dispatched so quickly.

It was pretty lively with the Democrats putting on a great show of indignation at having a guy from the Green state in the Wyoming Legislature. The whole question was whether Prosser was a bonafide Wyoming resident considering he lived in a ranch house on his Chalk Bluffs Ranch in northern Colorado.

He maintained he was a Wyoming resident because Cheyenne was where he shopped, banked and received his mail.

The House voted Prosser in as a legal member.

The case went to the Wyoming Supreme Court which agreed with the House verdict.

Forty years later in 2010 The House voted supported Republican Rep. Matt Greene against charges he hadnt lived long enough in the district in Laramie he had been elected to serve.

That claim came from Seth Carson a Democrat who had lost the election for House District 45 to Greene by about 300 votes.and four other residents of the district.

Greene was a major in the Wyoming National Guard and was called on to serve in Afghanistan.

Greene maintained that he had always planned to move to House District 45 upon his return, and he pointed to the states election code, which states that no one can lose his or her residency  or gain it  by being sent away on military duty.

He served two terms in the House but did not file for a third.

Meanwhile, Zwonitzer survived the right wing attack but doubtless will face yet another chosen GOP primary opponent if he runs again.

At 43 years old Zwonitzer, an openly gay man with a family, is part of the younger set of legislators.

As the late Joe Meyer used to say, The Republican eat their young.

Joan Barron is a former capitol bureau reporter. Contact her at 307-632-2534 or jmbarron @bresnan.net

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Redistricting is a difficult topic to tackle in normal circumstances. But the data from the U.S. Census Bureau were delayed. What we normally would receive during the Easter Season came closer to Halloween instead.

Every 10 years, the Legislature is constitutionally required to undertake the redistricting process to match population shifts. The outcome of this process means the state senator or representative you call or email could stay the same or change depending on where the lines are drawn.

Redistricting is dictated by the U.S. and state Constitutions. Wyoming is required to use the numbers the federal government has provided us, even if there are disagreements about the information. The process can be relatively painless when the population stays status quo, but that is not what the Census data show. Wyomings population grew by roughly 2.5% but that growth didnt distribute equally across the state. We saw rural areas get more rural and urban populations rise.

Equitable representation matters. In fact, that is the guiding principle of redistricting  one person, one vote. But district lines go beyond the numbers. The redistricting effort must consider both quantitative and qualitative data. We worked to keep like-minded neighborhoods together and avoid the need to trek over mountain passes  a task made trickier when you consider the committee chose the path of fitting two house districts within the borders of one senate district. We are grateful to our County Clerks whose hard work and expertise were integral to our work.

That is why as soon as the Joint Corporations Committee received the Census data, we havent stopped working to get this right. We worked around the clock to ensure the voice of Wyoming people is heard.

In Wyoming we do government with the people. This process has been no exception. Our citizen representatives and senators held over 40 meetings in all corners of the state and the people of Wyoming showed up. We saw 70 to 100 people pack meeting rooms and join online to learn about the process and share their thoughts. We are incredibly grateful for their participation and critical help in crafting the maps.

The Legislature made an online map-making portal available to the public. Anyone that took the opportunity to be a cartographer for a day realized drawing lines is like squeezing a balloon: when you compress one side, air moves to another part of the balloon. The same is true with district lines  one rewrite affects another, changing the number of people represented in a district.

The final committee plan introduced in the House Wednesday has been an effort of rewrite after rewrite. Its the art of finding a balance between all the competing factors that pushed the committee to recommend the final plan include two additional representatives and one additional senator, making the final recommendation 62 representatives and 31 senators, an increase of three total seats. Again, because its not just about a number, its about equitable representation preserving Wyomings rural voice.

As we stand in the middle of the debate, here is what we know now: over the next two weeks the bill will move between both houses, and many different perspectives will be weighed. The debate may get tense  after all, your senators and representatives are fighting for the people of their district. But we guarantee that we will do everything we can to do good by our Wyoming.

Senator Ogden Driskill is the Senate Majority Floor Leader and Chairman of Senate Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Chairman. Representative Dan Zwonitzer is the Chairman of the House Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Committee.

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In a recent column, Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis argued for the continuing operation of the coal fired Jim Bridger power plant. Her arguments were not helpful to me in understanding either the issues around reducing pollution from the plant or the current arguments concerning its continued operation.

Sen. Lummis made three main points. The first was that the impending closures are based on bad faith actions of the Biden administration seeking to undo what she termed nonpartisan actions of the Trump administration. The second point was that the plants should continue operation without change because they provide jobs. The third was that the coal burned at the Bridger site is among the cleanest available. None of these points clarifies the history of pollution issues around the plants operation or suggests ways in which we can protect both our environment and the livelihoods of individuals, families, and communities in a time of economic transition.

In 2014, the state of Wyoming, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Berkshire Hathaway-owned PacifiCorp, serving Wyoming as Rocky Mountain Power, agreed to guidelines to limit pollution that degrades air quality and visibility in national parks and wilderness areas. These guidelines were part of Wyomings State Implementation Plan (SIP) in compliance with the Regional Haze Program of the Clean Air Act. The agreement included the installation of Selective Catalytic Reduction technology that would cut nitrous oxide emissions by 80-90% at the four units of the Jim Bridger plant. SCR was installed at units 3 and 4 but not at units 1 and 2. The end of 2022 was set as the deadline for SCR technology at unit 1, and the end of 2021 for unit 2. PacifiCorp has now stated that because of increased costs and its intention to convert the Bridger plant to natural gas by 2024, it will not install SCR at units 1 and 2. In 2020 Governor Mark Gordons administration submitted a revised State Implementation Plan that would undo the 2014 agreement by removing the requirement to install SCR technology. The EPA has issued a formal notification of its intent to deny Wyomings revised plan. To avoid the required closure of unit 2 Governor Mark Gordon has issued an emergency order allowing the unit to operate until April 30, 2022.

Heres my point: in 2014, in response to the Regional Haze Program standards of the Clean Air Act, Wyoming and PacifiCorp agreed to install Selective Catalytic Reduction technology that is highly effective for reducing pollutant emissions from coal fired electric plants. Eight years later, having not installed this technology, both wish to back out of the agreement.

The second point Sen. Lummis made involved jobs  the power plant provides jobs. But this ignores the continuing decline in the number of jobs at the plant, the national decline of coal and subsequent loss of jobs, and the negative effect on job numbers caused by air pollution and haze. In Wyoming these problems come to a head because we are a major coal producer with mines and power plants close to national parks and wilderness areas.

A lot of people in Wyoming have jobs because of the parks and wilderness areas which fuel tourism economies dependent on a pristine environment. Increased air pollution means fewer visitors and fewer jobs. Defending jobs in one sector at the expense of those in another serves none of us. Wyomings elected officials would be well advised to implement policies and programs to create new jobs by embracing cleaner fossil fuel technologies, investing in renewable energy sources, and developing sustainable economic models.

The final point Sen. Lummis made was that Wyoming coal is cleaner than other coal. But cleaner isnt clean. According to a National Parks Conservation Association 2020 analysis, the Jim Bridger plant is the largest single industrial source of regional haze-contributing pollutants  sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter  in Wyoming, and the third largest in the nation. Wyomings industrial activity  primarily coal mines and coal-fired power plants  is a major contributor to regional haze. If the state and PacifiCorp wont install the technology that would allow us to burn coal in a cleaner way, then given the long-term agreements in place, Jim Bridger unit 2 will be taken offline.

In her column Sen. Lummis stated that the Biden administration has continuously shown hostility to the Wyoming way of life without telling us what she believed the Wyoming way of life to be or what the hostile acts were. As a resident of Wyoming, my way of life is driven by love of open spaces, by compassion for my human and nonhuman neighbors, by a desire to protect the air and water upon which life is dependent, and by a sense of responsibility in the use of finite resources. Thats my Wyoming way of life. I see no evidence that the administration is hostile to it.

David Romtvedt is a writer and musician from Buffalo, a Rocky Mountain Power customer, and he serves as a board member of the Powder River Basin Resource Council.

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As we wind down Black History Month, something has been resting uneasy in the back of my mind for several months Id like to address. On Aug. 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King spoke to 250,000 people on the National Mall as a key speaker in what was billed as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Mahalia Jackson read a draft of Dr. Kings speech and told him he should tell them about the dream, Martin, so he improvised portions of his speech including the iconic line 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.

It is a beautiful line. For many Americans it is the only thing they know Dr. King said. Fifty-nine years later, the line has been turned on its head, used to criticize everything from affirmative action programs to school curricula that discuss how 246 years of legally enforced slavery and another century of legally enforced discrimination against Black people has repercussions today.

Weve forgotten that when Dr. King was assassinated in 1968, he was one of the most reviled men in America. White northerners loved him when he was exposing the ugly, cruel bigotry of backwater counties in Mississippi and Alabama, making Birmingham Police Commissioner Bull Connor the poster child for southern bigotry. They loved him less when he turned his attention northward, and Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago became the face of bigotry and injustice.

His popularity waned more following a meeting with Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk who died recently, in 1966. Dr. King had become increasingly uneasy about the morality of the war in Vietnam. Thich Nhat Hanh met with him to explain that the Buddhist monks who immolated themselves in the streets of Saigon were not suicidal but were drawing attention to the injustices of the war in the only way that would garner attention. As Dr. King became more vocal with his concerns about the war, even his strongest civil rights allies cautioned him that he was diluting his racial injustice message and would lose supporters.

In a speech delivered at the Riverside Presbyterian Church in New York on April 4, 1967, Dr. King clearly outlined his belief that the war was merely a symptom of the systemic racism that existed in American institutions and even guided our war efforts. We were taking the black young men who had been crippled by our society and sending them eight thousand miles away to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in southwest Georgia and East Harlem, he roared. And so we have been repeatedly faced with the cruel irony of watching Negro and white boys on TV screens as they kill and die together for a nation that has been unable to seat them together in the same schools.

Speaking as a pastor to all Gods children, he drew a bright line linking injustice in America to the destruction being wrought in Vietnam. So they go, primarily women and children and the aged... they see the children degraded by our soldiers as they beg for food. They see the children selling their sisters to our soldiers, soliciting for their mothers... we have destroyed their two most cherished institutions: the family and the village... we have corrupted their women and children and killed their men.

It is a powerful, fiery speech that made it clear Dr. King recognized the horrible racial injustices in America were systemic, baked into our laws, institutions, traditions, and customs. The same systems that dehumanized Blacks in America, first as enslaved people then as lesser citizens legally prohibited from engaging freely and fully in our country, were replicated in our policies in Vietnam, Guatemala, Peru, and elsewhere. The war in Vietnam is but a symptom of a far deeper malady within the American spirit, he shouted.

People who intone the content of their character line, claiming to be colorblind yet critical of continuing efforts to rectify racial injustice, may find comfort in such sanctimoniousness, but there will be no peace until we genuinely address the maladies that Dr. King died to expose that exist yet today.

And if Dr. Kings aspirational line is the only thing our children learn about him, we will have missed another opportunity to teach them how to think fearlessly.

Dave Throgmorton has a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, was an academic dean for over 30 years and recently retired as the director of the Carbon County Higher Education Center in Rawlins.

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In a news release, the company said the issuance of any letters of award or contracts relating to the Toco Port project is fraudulent and not authorised by Nidco.
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Many people are struggling during this Covid-19 pandemic as prices increase, while many are 
David Bradley, a former Arizona Senate minority leader from Tucson known for his advocacy of children, died Saturday.

He was 69 years old and died in California surrounded by his family, said state Rep. Domingo DeGrazia, a fellow Tucson Democrat. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer, said family friend Ricky Hernandez.

Bradley, a U.S. Navy veteran, was first elected to the state House in 2002. He made an unsuccessful bid for Arizona Corporation Commission in 2010 before returning to the Capitol as a state senator after defeating Republican incumbent Frank Antenori in the 2012 election.

He became the minority leader in 2018 and retired in 2020.

A licensed professional counselor, a social worker and a health-care administrator, Bradley was most prominently known at the Capitol for his work on issues of child welfare.

For him, it was about the whole kid, whether it was them in school, getting fed at home, or getting proper medical care, it was making sure that we had healthy children, said Hernandez, an assistant vice president at the University of Arizona. It was always important for him, like, if I can send a kid who is healthy to school, then at least Ive done my job.

DeGrazia said Bradley worked tirelessly to find help for kids and families through years of tough budget decisions. An example Hernandez remembers involved preventing severe funding cuts to health care coverage for children of low-income families through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System: He was one of the saviors of providing AHCCCS to kids.

Bradley used a very personal story to help shepherd through 2019 legislation that gave victims of child sexual abuse more time to sue their perpetrators. Bradley told of going to Catholic seminary at age 13 and being abused by an older seminarian who would later become one of the most notorious child sex abusers in Arizona history.

I kept the ship afloat, I found a way, Bradley told his legislative colleagues.

As a therapist, he said he knew firsthand others were not so fortunate. I attended their funerals, visited them in prisons, witnessed their destruction personally and the many lives that they have touched and were adversely affected, Bradley said. The abused sometimes became the abuser.

He discussed his philosophy in a column for the Arizona Daily Star when he was leaving the Legislature.

I believed that government had the duty to increase childrens access to health care, enhance their educational resources, provide support to their families and protect the increasingly fragile environment they will inherit, Bradley wrote.

Unfortunately, it became necessary during my 16 years in the legislature to spend a great deal of that time shielding children from those who incessantly sought to weaken their protections, short change their opportunities and drain the resources they needed for support based on the callous premise that government had little or no role to play in their lives.

On the environmental front he spoke of, Bradley was a key player in the deal to approve the 2019 drought contingency plan, a compromise measure to respond to the fact that the Colorado River isnt providing as much water for Arizona and other states as it did in the past.

He fought perennial efforts to restrict the right of women to terminate a pregnancy. That included his opposition to a 2018 measure to require women who want an abortion to explain the reason to state health officials.

The reasoning behind this is evident to a fifth grader, Bradley said. Its an attempt to shame people into changing their mind and to put such a burden on the providers that the providers will be reluctant to provide the services.

He said it would be far preferable to make preventing unplanned pregnancies the goal of the state.

He also was a foe of measures that continue today to expand who can get vouchers of state funds to attend private and parochial schools.

Bradley argued, unsuccessfully, that if the state was going to send money to private schools, those schools should have to comply with the same regulations that apply to all public schools. Those include rules about testing and accounting, as well as the mandate to accept all students, including those with special needs, that private and parochial schools can turn away.

He was the author of 2015 legislation to mandate daily physical activity for all children from kindergarten through fifth grade. But he could not get a final vote on the measure even after it was downgraded to simply a recommendation.

Bradley fought 2010 legislation to to make couples who have decided their marriage isnt working to wait four months longer to divorce.

He said the Republicans pushing the bill were the same ones who sponsor legislation to keep the government out of personal decisions.

But now we want the government to tell people  and assume that they are incapable of knowing when their marriage has gotten to the point where its now irretrievable  were going to tell them they have to extend it for longer periods of time because they are unable to make that decision for themselves, he said. The measure eventually died.

David was one of the kindest, loving persons I have ever known, said Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, who had to deal with him as the ranking Democrat. He was funny, charming and had a heart of gold with the sole purpose of helping others. His laugh and smile will be forever in my thoughts.

Republican Gov. Doug Ducey said he had the utmost respect for him.

During his time in the Senate, he lived as an example that working across the aisle, for the common good, benefits all Arizonans, Ducey said in a prepared statement Saturday. Whether by expanding educational opportunities for foster kids, addressing the opioid epidemic, or passing the drought contingency plan, he made a lasting impact on our state.

Bradley is survived by his wife, Debbie, four children, and six grandchildren.

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Arizona Dail y Star reporter Jamie Donnelly contributed to this report.

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Arizonas COVID-19 case counts are still plummeting, but this promising shift hasnt relieved the states hospitals.

In fact, families and patients are finding they have to advocate more forcefully for those who need care.

The states emergency rooms in particular continue to be swamped not just due to COVID-19 but also to people coming in who were reluctant to seek care earlier in the pandemic, health officials are reporting.

COVID-19 patients occupied only 21% of inpatient beds Thursday, state Health Department data shows, down from 41% in late January, but hospital beds overall still remain close to full, with non-COVID patients taking up nearly all the rest. Only 6% of Arizonas inpatient beds were available as of Thursday.

The data also shows emergency room usage continues to be consistently higher over the last two months than during the entire pandemic, jumping from being between 25-40% full in March and April 2020 to 65-75% full over the last two months.

Our emergency rooms have been so busy and so overwhelmed that they have had to come up with creative ways to get people the care they need, said Dr. Monica Vandivort, a geriatrician who works in Cochise and Pima counties, providing both in-home care and telehealth visits over the phone or computer.

People are presenting with advanced cases of just about everything, said Vandivort, who is also an associate professor at the University of Arizona's College of Medicine.

Tucson Medical Center, which has one of the busiest emergency rooms in the state, reported that non-COVID patients are coming in sicker, requiring more care and are staying for longer than the hospital typically sees.

Many staff members at TMC have also been absent due to illness and positive COVID-19 tests, with about 15% of our nurses calling out on any given shift. Nurses with Tucsons Carondelet, St. Marys and St. Josephs hospitals, picketed recently, calling their working conditions unsafe because staffing levels are so low.

TMC is dedicated to all of the patients who come to us for care, hospital spokeswoman Angela Pittenger said in an email. We do this by carefully allocating staff to the area of most need, bringing in travel nurses and other critical staff, and offering incentives to retain core staff.

The care thats provided normally is much different when the hospital is not under the severe constraints we are currently facing.

Several families shared stories with the Arizona Daily Star about their experiences with health care and hospitals during these last weeks and months, including ways they tried to advocate for themselves and their loved ones. Theres been frustration, heartbreak, and also gratitude for the health workers who continue to provide care under very taxing conditions.

Very frustrating

Roger and Neli Sprunt got sick with COVID-19 in late January but they werent worried until their 30-year-old son started showing symptoms, too.

Mathew Sprunt had asthma  and struggled with pneumonia when he was younger  so his lungs are especially vulnerable to respiratory viruses, his parents said.

Days before Mathew was admitted to Banner-University Medical Center South, the Sprunts had contacted the provider, desperate to get him antibody treatment, but they were told Mathew, who also has Down syndrome, did not qualify.

Banner spokeswoman Rebecca Ruiz Hudman said she could not comment on their specific case, but said patients have to reach certain risk factors to be considered for the treatment.

While his parents got better, Mathews fevers got worse and his blood-oxygen level became dangerously low. Thats when he was taken to Banner and started on oxygen.

It was hard for Mathew to have tubes in his nose, his parents said, and they were grateful one of them could be in the room to help Mathew and advocate for him. Their three other children came in from out of town to cover shifts, as Mathews oxygen needs increased.

The nurses were very busy and could not provide the close attention Mathew received from family members, Roger Sprunt said, adding that he thinks the family being there was crucial for Mathews quick recovery. He said they were also happy to help relieve the workload of the nurses.

As the illness continued, Roger Sprunt became anxious about his son needing to eventually be intubated and asked again about antibody treatment. He said he was told that it was too late for that, now that Mathew was hospitalized and receiving oxygen.

It was very frustrating, he said.

Eventually, Mathew was receiving 40 liters of oxygen per minute and that high flow through the tubes really bothered him. Thats when his parents started trying to help with the nasal congestion, hoping Mucinex and nasal spray would help. It did, and they were able to switch from nose tubes to an oxygen mask.

Mathew is home again. He was released from the hospital after nine days, a much shorter stay than expected.

Knew what it was I should be looking for

Michelle Marenfeld was playing a board game with her husband and son when the nausea and discomfort started.

She initially took an antacid that evening, almost two weeks back, thinking it might be indigestion, but then the pain started. Marenfelds husband immediately drove her to TMCs emergency room.

Heart problems run on both sides of Marenfelds family and the 44-year-old mother of two, who developed high blood pressure in her 20s, knows what to watch for.

The heart attack symptoms were obvious to her when she arrived around 9:45 p.m., breathless and bent over with pain, to find the ER standing room only.

She was immediately triaged, or assessed, and an electrocardiogram (EKG) test was given to see how the electrical signals in her heart were doing. Her blood pressure was high. Then she returned to wait in the lobby.

There wasnt even a chair for me to sit in so I kind of crouched down, she said. Then a really nice man gave up his chair and let me sit.

During this time, she said, the pain in her chest was severe. Around 11, she said, a technician told her the EKG test came back normal. At 11:30, she had blood drawn and briefly saw a physician.

The first thing she asked me? How many days have you been in pain?  Marenfeld recalled. I said, Days? 

Back to the waiting room again. The pain had now dulled a bit and moved to her jaw and upper back, she said, and the nausea was coming and going. Marenfeld took notes about how she was feeling so she could later share what she had been experiencing. She said she was afraid the fear and fatigue would cause her to forget a critical detail.

At 4:45 a.m., she asked how many people were still ahead of her  there were two  and said she was told they didnt know how much longer it would be. She was freezing, she said, and desperately wanted to sleep for just a couple of hours. She told the ER attendant she was going home and would return.

She slept for a few hours and woke up around 9 a.m., still in considerable discomfort. There were messages on her MyChart patient app that had come in a couple of hours earlier, at 7 a.m., showing her blood test results were in and had been completed since 12:34 a.m.

She scanned for the word she knew could mean trouble: troponin.

Troponin is a protein thats found in the muscles of the heart, and its presence in the blood was a sign Marenfeld knew to look for, a warning that her heart could be headed toward serious trouble, or already there. There was also a new comment logged on her EKG that morning that she didnt notice until later: consider left atrial enlargement.

I was in the ER for four hours and was not called or seen, she said. Luckily, I knew what it was I should be looking for.

When her husband brought her back that morning, she showed them her test results. They took her in immediately.

From there, she was put in a bed, started on an IV with blood thinners, given nitroglycerin and, she said, had a wonderful nurse assigned to her.

By this time, her troponin level had risen dangerously high, but she was finally getting the care she needed  and is grateful to the nurses and doctors who helped her.

Not just two old people

William Hewes knows the heartbreak of fighting for a loved one but not getting help in time.

His wife died in November after she developed a blockage in her bile duct and there were no hospital transfers available from Sierra Vistas Canyon Vista Medical Center to Tucson or Phoenix for more than a week.

Without a doubt, thats what caused her to go downhill, he said of the prolonged wait in early September. She had all the things you get from long-term hospitalization. She went from (being) a person who could take care of herself to a person who needed to be in a wheelchair.

Hewes said the transfer was supposed to be to St. Josephs Hospital in Tucson, but that never materialized. Instead, a nurse started making calls, he said. After several hours, she found a spot in a Phoenix hospital.

Hewes was shocked there wasnt a better system for finding available beds during a pandemic, and angered unvaccinated COVID-19 patients were prioritized through the states COVID-19 transfer line.

By the time Maureen Mo Hewes was moved to Phoenix, her husband said her health had deteriorated considerably. The day before her surgery, Sept. 12, was their 57th wedding anniversary.

Hewes said he brought in a wedding photo of them standing in a chapel at the Royal Air Force Base in Bentwaters, England, where he had been stationed in 1964. Theyd met a year earlier, he said, at the officers club in London.

Along with that, he also brought in a more recent photo of them, in their early 80s now but still enjoying life very much. Hewes, a retired attorney, said they loved to travel in their RV and belonged to the Escapees RV Club.

I think by doing that, by showing them the picture, I could show them we werent just two old people who probably should die anyway, he said. We had a great life.

During the first surgery, it was determined that they also needed to take out her gallbladder, a procedure that took place a few days later.

Finally, after about three weeks, Hewes and his wife returned to Sierra Vista to start rehabilitation, but Hewes said Mo had lost her vigor. She began to have falls.

After she finally returned to her home from the rehab center, he said, her breathing became labored and she grew extremely weak. She was taken to Banner-University Medical Center in Tucson this time, and diagnosed with sepsis and a severe bacterial infection in her digestive tract.

She died Nov. 10.

Pursuing every avenue

Anne Audrain isnt sure where her husband Nate Cooper got exposed to the COVID-19 virus, but she thinks it might have been the mid-January day hed gone out to run some errands. Within a few days, she said, the coughing started.

The couple live in Cochise County and, luckily, not very far from Dr. Vandivort, a friend of Audrains from the community.

As Coopers coughing got worse, Vandivort recommended a visit to the emergency room at Bisbees Copper Queen Community Hospital. She wanted Cooper to get a COVID-19 test and to see about antibody treatment. But Audrain soon learned the hospital in Bisbee did not have antibodies or even tests available at that time.

So, instead, she drove to Vandivorts house and picked up a test. No surprise, he was positive.

What Audrain knows after nearly 30 years with Cooper is that hes a very determined person, so she was not surprised when he told her he wanted to fight the infection at home. There would be no hospital stays, she said.

He wasnt going no matter what I said, she said. I was certainly pursuing every avenue.

From there, they started doing telehealth meetings, using a pulse oximeter and a blood pressure device they had at home.

With the support of his wife and telehealth, Cooper was monitored as he rested at home.

Hes now completely recovered, Audrain said.

He will turn 94 next month.

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Pima County officials hope  but arent certain  the federal government will continue to fund programs that provide services to asylum seekers, which are now costing about $1.3 million per month here.

The funds are good through February, and we have a real reason to believe they may continue to March, said acting County Administrator Jan Lesher. I dont know what happens after that.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has awarded the county $7.9 million since the beginning of 2021 from its Emergency Food and Shelter Program, which Congress funded primarily through the American Rescue Plan COVID relief package, passed last year.

The county used more than $5.56 million last year in federal funds on humanitarian aid to migrants. The city of Tucson spent $1.5 million on food, shelter and transportation, and was also reimbursed through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

FEMA awarded $110 million to the program in March of 2021 for humanitarian assistance to migrants. When Congress passed a continuing resolution, in December, to fund federal programs, that humanitarian assistance was not renewed, leaving grantees of the program wondering whether theyll be able to continue support to this vulnerable population.

Stakeholders hope to see more funding in the anticipated 2022 omnibus spending bill. Earlier this month, both of Arizonas U.S. senators signed onto a letter asking congressional leaders to ensure that funding is included.

Arizonas border communities and nonprofits serve on the front lines of the migrant crisis, and the federal government must step up and secure the border, keep Arizona communities secure, and treat migrants fairly and humanely, said Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who is chair of the Senate Government Operations and Border Management Subcommittee, in a prepared statement Wednesday.

Why this time is different

For the last year, Pima County has had larger numbers of asylum seekers released to the county, currently at an average of 140 people a day.

This isnt the first time the county has seen such spikes, but this time is different because of the pandemic and there is no end in sight to increased numbers of people needing assistance.

We have not seen any indication that the Department of Homeland Security plans to stop bringing people to our community, Lesher said. So hopefully the funding will continue.

The Border Patrol releases some migrants seeking asylum who just crossed the border to nonprofits, which provide food, shelter, transportation and other services for a short time until the individuals and families head to their sponsors all across the country.

From March 2021 through this January, there were about 24,240 people seeking asylum released to the Casa Alitas Welcome Center, which is run by Catholic Community Services and contracted by the county to provide humanitarian aid to migrants.

The ongoing pandemic means the center has a smaller capacity and migrants who test positive for COVID require a longer stay and a place to isolate. About 3% of the migrants test positive, which was nearly 500 people since last July, but their families who have been exposed need to isolate as well.

The county contracts with hotels for rooms for people who need to isolate, as well as for families and individuals to stay in when Casa Alitas is beyond capacity. The hotel rooms are the most expensive part of the operation, making up nearly 63% of expenses.

Other expenses include food, transportation, medical care, COVID testing and COVID vaccinations.

We have been very diligent about reaching out to federal programs to see what funding is available to pay for these programs so that its not borne by the Pima County taxpayers, Lesher said. To the extent that the individuals here are also federal taxpayers, that may be the case, but its not their Pima County tax dollars that are funding the program.

Another increasing challenge over the past six months has been the large variation in the number of individuals arriving daily, which ranged from three to 344 per day in December alone.

The varying numbers of people makes it logistically hard to plan things like how many hotel rooms the county needs to purchase, how many meals to purchase, how many vehicles are needed for transportation. As well, they dont know the size of the families that will arrive, which factors into what type of accommodations they need to secure.

We have to provide food whether were serving 500 people three meals a day plus snacks and outbound travel food supplies, or whether we have 80 people, said Teresa Cavendish, director of operations for Catholic Community Services. And so trying to ramp up fast enough to accommodate folks if theres a sudden shift in the dynamics of folks that are coming, that can be a challenge.

In December the weekly numbers increased from 472 up to 1,252 on New Years Day. This had a ripple effect in transportation, COVID testing, medical support for those who were COVID-positive, COVID vaccinations and non-congregate sheltering. The last few weeks the numbers have dropped back to about 140 a day.

Its common that Pima County receives asylum seekers from Yuma, and one of the reasons numbers spiked is because the Yuma Sector became a hot spot for border crossers for a short time in December.

Also, there were a couple of weeks recently when migrants were being sent to Tucson from the Border Patrols El Paso Sector, which can happen when one region is overwhelmed with more people than it can process and provide services to.

During that time, there were fewer migrants coming through the Yuma region, so Casa Alitas had the capacity to take in asylum seekers from El Paso, Cavendish said.

Sometimes when that occurs, (Customs and Border Protection) in Tucson is called upon to do what its required to do, and theres not always a consideration for what the shelter capacity in that community is going to be, she said. In this case everything balanced out really well.

The capacity at the Welcome Center is a little over 100, but with the other locations Catholic Community Services and the county are operating, theyve provided overnight shelter for more than 500 people in the recent past.

The county block rents hotel rooms for a discounted rate at specific hotels. One of the hotels where asylum seekers who are COVID-negative stay is the Comfort Suites where the county also houses recently evicted families who need temporary housing.

This is the county being placed in a position of having to respond to a federal problem, Lesher said. And really, while were picking things up in the community, it is the federal government that really is responsible for the program.

Preparing for the worst

County officials have begun discussions with Catholic Community Services about when they will need to start making changes in the way they provide services. While the county officials have a good relationship with FEMA, even they dont know if theyll get the money in time, Lesher said.

We need to start figuring out those next steps because we do not have at this point general fund allocation to provide these services, and we dont need Catholic Community Services to be caught flat-footed with all of the services that they provide, she said.

FEMA did not respond to a request for comment.

Catholic Community Services is looking for other funding options, but prior to the federal funding source, the organization was extremely limited in the services it could provide, Cavendish said.

Another COVID complication is that Catholic Community Services has fewer volunteers and must use more paid staffers. Pima County has also rented out an entire hotel with 80 rooms for those who are COVID-positive, which is expensive. It would be very unlikely it could continue this level of services with only money the nonprofit could raise, Cavendish said.

I think its a concern for all of the border shelters that FEMA is not going to get the appropriations that they need in order to provide the continued funding, she said. I think everyones concerned, including FEMA, that theyre not going to be able to do this. So were all trying to figure out what we do if theres even a gap in funding.

Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223 . On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara

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A controversial plan by Tucson Electric Power to run high-voltage overhead transmission lines through much of central Tucson has been put on hold to allow more time for negotiations with the city and other stakeholders.

But so far, there has been no new plan to address concerns over the Kino to DeMoss-Petrie transmission line project, much of which would run up the east edge of the University of Arizona campus along North Campbell Avenue and through or adjacent to several historic Tucson neighborhoods.

At TEPs request, the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee postponed a scheduled Feb. 7 meeting on the new power line and allowed the utility to withdraw its application and resubmit a new one by late May, ahead of a line-siting committee meeting on the matter now set for July 25.

If the line-siting committee approves the plan, it will issue a certificate of environmental compatibility that will be forwarded to the Arizona Corporation Commission for final consideration.

In its request to withdraw its original August 2021 filing, TEP says it has been engaged in productive conversations on the power line with the city of Tucson and other stakeholders and will likely be filing a modified application based on those discussions.

TEP spokesman Joe Barrios said those talks are ongoing as TEP planning staff meet with city officials, neighborhood groups and commercial customers, and senior TEP leaders meet regularly with city officials.

City Councilman Steve Kozachik said to install overhead lines, TEP will have to apply to the council for special exception land-use permits to exempt the project from the citys Gateway Corridor and Scenic Corridor ordinances, which require underground utilities in areas including North Campbell Avenue.

In May 2021, a city zoning examiner denied TEPs request for a permit for the Vine Substation on the UA campus, citing a lack of information on the proposed lines compliance with area development plans.

Barrios said TEP is exploring possible use of the special-exception process to allow for overhead construction along gateway corridors in certain circumstances.

That process requires early public notice, a neighborhood meeting prior to application submittal, a public comment period, review and recommendation by the citys Planning and Zoning Director and a public hearing before final consideration and approval by the citys zoning examiner.

TEP says it expects to schedule a public meeting in March, when it plans to provide an update on the location of the preferred route and outline possible special exceptions to the city ordinances.

TEPs preferred route for the 138,000-volt transmission line would from a substation at South Kino Parkway and East 36th Street and run along the east side of the University of Arizona campus and north up North Campbell Avenue to reach a planned new substation on the northwest side of Banner-University Medical Center Tucson, before zigzagging north to West Grant Road.

Intrusive poles, lines

The project will feature power poles roughly every 650 feet, generally ranging from rom 75 feet to 93 feet tall, with a few poles as tall as 120 feet, the utility says.

TEP says the power line and substation project is needed to boost power capacity and improve reliability, and to tie into the UA and Banner-UMC to meet growing demand and serve 100% renewable energy to the campus.

But the plan has drawn stiff opposition from residents of Sam Hughes and other historic neighborhoods.

TEPs preferred route along North Campbell would run along the edges of the Sam Hughes and Blenman Elm neighborhoods, and the route leading west from the planned Vine Substation would cut through the Jefferson Park neighborhood.

We feel very strongly that these line and poles are very intrusive, they have no business running them through the city, and we are in favor of undergrounding them, said Colleen Nichols, executive vice president of the Jefferson Park Neighborhood Association.

She said neighborhoods not directly in the path of the transmission line should be concerned about overriding the Gateway and Scenic Corridor ordinances.

Most neighborhoods do not want huge power poles running through their neighborhood. Our goal is to have all the neighborhoods working together to support undergrounding, said Nichols, who sits on a steering committee for a coalition of about a dozen neighborhoods that support that goal.

Neighborhood leaders say properties along the line could suffer devaluation of $5 million to $10 million per mile if the overhead lines go in.

TEP says it has buried lower-voltage power distribution lines when property owners have paid for it but has never undergrounded high-voltage transmission lines because of the high cost of installation and maintenance.

It simply costs more to build and maintain a transmission line underground than overhead, Barrios said. Although we recognize stakeholders concerns and are working toward a mutually beneficial resolution, we remain concerned that underground construction would increase the costs passed along to customers.

Meanwhile, about a dozen Tucson neighborhood associations including Jefferson Park, Sam Hughes, West University and Rincon Heights have formed a group called the Underground Coalition to urge TEP to bury the new power lines to protect the neighborhoods.

But TEP says burying the high-voltage lines would be too expensive, estimating the extra cost of undergrounding the entire line at up to $63 million.

TEP says it is willing to install the lines underground to address the citys and neighborhoods concerns, but it opposes passing those costs along to ratepayers and has suggested instead that the city back a special tax district to pay for the excess costs.

Who pays?

Kozachik said the next step is to nail down the cost of undergrounding the transmission line, noting that some opponents have questioned TEPs cost estimate as unreasonably high.

Kozachik said undergrounding only parts of the line could significantly cut the cost, but that still leaves the question of funding for the extra costs.

I think irrespective of what that final number winds up being, there has to be a conversation about the elephant in the room  who pays? Kozachik said.

Kozachik says forming a special taxing district to pay for undergrounding the line isnt feasible and that TEP essentially ignored the city ordinances as it moved forward with its plans and launched public meetings in 2019.

Whether city taxpayers or TEP ratepayers, or both, cover the cost of undergrounding, the line may become a contentious legal issue, he said, noting that the city has clear zoning authority while the Corporation Commission has authority over utility rates.

Were exploring various mechanisms to fund the additional costs for undergrounding, TEPs Barrios said.

Retired UA political-science professor John Schwarz, a member of the Underground Tucson steering committee, said there well may be diverse sources of funding but TEP can easily absorb the cost through rates.

Thats the irony of it  if they put it overhead, it may be that Tucsonans end up paying the cost in terms of property devaluations that is as much as it costs to underground it, said Schwarz, who lives several miles from the proposed transmission line route but considers it a citywide issue.

Any special exceptions to the scenic and gateway corridor ordinance should be considered carefully to preserve the spirit of the ordinances, Schwarz said.

There are probably places where agreement could be reached, for example places that have industrial buildings already, but our view is the routes should remain scenic, he said.

Schwarz noted that that the cost of undergrounding the line would be amortized over decades and even at a price tag of $60 million would cost each TEP customer about 20 cents per month.

Asked about the prospect of assembling different funding sources to pay for the extra cost of undergrounding the line, Kozachik said funding could come from TEP ratepayers along with other sources, like federal infrastructure grants, and stakeholders including the UA.

The problem requires an all hands on deck solution by all stakeholders, he said.

Its probably reasonable to have a conversation about multiple, different funding sources in this case, because it will be a big (cost) number, Kozachik said, adding that TEPs cost for undergrounding would be negligible as it is spread across its entire rate base.

But as major beneficiaries of the new transmission line, the UA and hospital partner Banner Health should consider paying a share of the undergrounding costs, he added.

Banner is a private, for-profit company, the university has access to significant funds, and they are the real driver of this, so both of them ought to be willing to open their checkbooks and say, you know, were going to part of the solution as well, Kozachik said, adding that the city for its part could seek available federal infrastructure funding.

The UAs top facilities manager said the new transmission line is badly needed to replace aging equipment and increase capacity not only for the campus, but for the surrounding community.

Chris Kopach noted that the planned new 138kv line would replace a 1960s-era, 46kv substation at the north end of the campus that serves the entire north campus area as well as nearby homes.

The UA north campus and surrounding neighborhoods have been subject to about a half-dozen major blackouts, as recently as last summers monsoons in July and August, he noted.

The UA has been supportive of TEPs project and involved in planning discussion for the new line from the start and plans to be part of that process as it moves forward, Kopach said.

At this juncture, the UA wants to see TEPs updated plans and consider TEPs funding options, Kopach said, noting that the UA is still trying to catch up on its own deferred maintenance on its power systems and the pandemic only exacerbated a shortage of funds.

Theres just a lot of planning, a lot of details that need to be worked out, Kopach said. At the U of A, we want to be good partners, but who covers the cost? The U of As financial challenges have been well-noted during the pandemic here.

Contact senior reporter David Wichner at dwichner@tucson.com or 520-573-4181. On Twitter: @dwichner. On Facebook: Facebook.com/DailyStarBiz

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He was no angel.

Thats the stereotypical story we often hear after a young man is shot and killed by police. First there is outrage over the shooting, then it turns out the deceased had a criminal record, or at least a troubling background. The implication: Maybe the shooting was justified after all.

In an infamous 2014 example, the New York Times actually published a story about a notorious police killing in Missouri that said Michael Brown, 18, due to be buried on Monday, was no angel.

That was a pretty sickening juxtaposition  due to be buried, and no angel.

Video-recorded incidents of violence by police lead naturally to these stories, because we in the news business dont usually know anything about the individuals involved, at first. So the follow-up stories cover what weve learned about their backgrounds, often emphasizing the negative stuff available in court records.

When the alleged perpetrator is a cop, it turns out, a similar dynamic holds, but it may be a more circuitous path to the no angel story, since you cant have much of a record and remain an officer.

Ive been thinking of this as weve learned more about the case of Tucson police Officer Robert Szelewski, and as other videotaped police incidents have come up in Tucson and elsewhere.

The videos we first see often leave a firm impression of wrongdoing or of righteousness. But then the story gains nuance or is even contradicted by other videos and accounts. Whats left then is for documents and other background material to explain the people or the incident at a depth that gives us a more complete picture.

Thats whats happening with the story of the Szelewski incident, which I broke on Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. The conflict in the parking lot of the Culinary Dropout restaurant had happened on Nov. 14. About noon, three women  62-year-old Michelle Aloisi and her adult daughters Nicole Whitted and Brittany Aloisi-Wiles  left the restaurant at 2543 E. Grant Road and crossed the parking lot.

The women said that Szelewski, off-duty with his family and out of uniform, drove into the parking lot fast, stopped short and gestured at them in apparent frustration as they walked past, delayed by a physical impediment Aloisi has. Szelewski parked and got out of his car, and the two daughters exchanged words with him, one of the daughters getting in Szelewskis space as she confronted him.

Its unclear who touched who first  a key, disputed detail  but Szelewski quickly took Aloisi-Wiles to the ground, holding her down. Then her mother tried to pull Szelewski off, and he pulled her down too. Eventually a bystander intervened, the sides separated and, incredibly to me, the only person cited for a misdemeanor was Aloisi-Wiles, for disorderly conduct.

It still strikes me that any civilian who had pulled those two women down, however the conflict started, would have received at least one misdemeanor criminal charge, meaning Szelewski likely got a benefit of the doubt thanks to his position.

I hadnt been able to read the police reports on the incident or watch the grainy surveillance video before that first column came out, because a cyber-snafu prevented TPDs emails from arriving till the department resent them the following week.

Some people argued I had rushed to judgment against Szelewski. The parking-lot video shows Whitted walking toward Szelewski across the pavement, apparently exchanging words with him, before Aloisi-Wiles cuts between them and gets in Szelewskis face.

A strong KOLD Channel 13 story in January suggested that the parking-lot video supported the position ultimately taken by police, that Aloisi-Wiles was at fault because she rushed toward Szelewski.

But since then, Tucson police have released Szelewskis personnel records in response to requests by me and by other news outlets. These swing the pendulum back the other direction, reinforcing the first impressions and telling a no-angel story of the officers career.

Hired in June 2004, Szelewski served two suspensions  of 40 and 10 hours  during his first three years on the job.

The longest was for misusing his firearm  when a fellow officer shined a flashlight at him, Szelewski pointed his gun at the colleague and lit him up with the guns light. The other was for wrongly detaining a juvenile in a closed room.

Szelewski hasnt had any suspensions since then, but people have complained repeatedly of him being rude and unnecessarily aggressive.

In 2015, a man whom Szelewski pulled over for a traffic violation told TPD internal investigators that the first words the officer said were Are you an idiot? He went on to be loud and needlessly confrontational, the driver said.

In 2018, a man came in to the Office of Professional Standards and said he hated to complain, but he thought Szelewskis supervisors should know he was unnecessarily condescending and aggressive from the very beginning of a traffic stop.

Also in 2018, a woman from California told TPD she asked Szelewski how she should deal with the speeding ticket he had given her, since she would be going back home out of state. She said his response was youll have to figure that out, wont you?

None of these was a huge deal on its own, but together they suggest a pattern of rudeness and aggression, consistent with what happened Nov. 14.

Videos such as the one Whitted took of Szelewski often cause an instant reaction in us, either of outrage or thankfulness. Attorney Mike Storie, who represents Szelewski and other officers facing possible accusations, told me he doesnt like videos because they almost always give an incomplete picture.

Still, sometimes the videos benefit police. TPD released one Feb. 11 of a shooting that took place Feb. 5 on West Fort Lowell Road. Officer Benjamin Boschee, responding to a report of a man pointing a gun at several people, found the man, told him to drop the gun, warned him you will be shot, then fired three shots, striking him.

The man with the weapon that turned out to be a replica gun, Kevin Angelo Lyons, survived. It turns out Lyons has his own no angel story. A couple of years ago, on Dec. 26, 2019, he attacked a detention officer in Chandler, trying to choke him with handcuffed hands. He was convicted of aggravated assaulted, sentenced to 18 months in prison and got out in April 2021.

Between the witness reports, the video and that background, it doesnt feel like a police-violence case to protest  the opposite, in fact.

Of course, Boschee didnt know Lyons background when he fired, and it would be wrong for prosecutors to consider that in weighing whether the shooting was righteous. The facts of the incident will have to stand on their own.

And the same rule should probably apply to Szelewski, who is on administrative assignment in the department. The Pima County Attorneys Office is reevaluating the Nov. 14 incident to be sure he didnt merit a criminal citation, and theres plenty of information available.

His troubling pattern of complaints probably shouldnt play into their charging decision, but it can fairly influence how you and I see the case, and how the department responds in its administrative review. Whether for an officer or someone shot by an officer, the background is part of the bigger story.

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PHOENIX  As a school administrator and teacher for years, Elizabeth Morgan long advocated for students with developmental disabilities.

Then when her son, Eli, was diagnosed with autism at age 2, she sought out research about families like hers  specifically, Black families who had children on the autism spectrum  but she came up short.

The available studies focused on patients who were largely white, largely affluent, Morgan said. And then when we talk about the families  our voices were erased from that, too.

The experience inspired her to obtain a doctorate in early childhood intervention with a focus on underrepresented groups. Today, she works to raise awareness about disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of children with developmental disabilities, championing kids like Eli.

If we really want to support the inclusion of all children and all families, then we need to work to take those barriers down, said Morgan, program coordinator for the Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the University of California-Davis.

This month, Morgan joined Benita Shaw, another mother of a son who is Black and autistic, at the African American Conference on Disability, hosted by the Arizona Center for Disability Law and the Arizona Center for African American Resources. The two spoke about their experiences and offered guidance to other families of color about getting the support and services they need.

About 1 in 6 children ages 3 to 17 in the U.S., or 17%, have one or more developmental disabilities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those include autism (which affects 1 in 44 children), cerebral palsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and others.

Although past studies showed that white children were more likely to get a diagnosis of autism than Black or Hispanic children, that gap has narrowed, according to a 2021 report funded by the CDC. But other research shows that children of color and those from low-income families still have less access to care and services for autism, and families of color report a lower quality of care.

David Mandell, associate director of the Center for Autism Research at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, blames several factors, including the unconscious racism of the clinicians who are seeing these kids.

One of the things we saw for decades is that Black kids who are autistic and have an intellectual disability, that intellectual disability would be identified but not the autism, he said. I think for a long time, we thought of autism as a white and upper-class condition.

Even today, Black children often are diagnosed later than other kids. Although autism can be diagnosed at 18 months or younger, a 2020 study by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found the average Black child does not receive a diagnosis until age 5, despite parents raising concerns with doctors.

That later diagnosis may prevent children from getting the resources they need, as a diagnosis is the key to unlocking accommodations and services, said Elizabeth Drame, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee who trains special education teachers.

Like Mandell, Drame said the root of the issue is clinicians and pediatricians who dont perceive of autism being present in Black families and instead diagnose a speech disorder or behavior problem.

I think a major barrier for Black families and Black parents, in particular, is the negative perceptions that people have of them, she said. Its such a non-concrete barrier, and its very easy for people not to see it.

The experience can be confusing for parents who dont know how to navigate the system and are struggling to find someone who will listen, Drame added.

Morgan has seen that confusion firsthand in her work at the Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.

The center is one of 67 federally funded facilities at universities nationwide that serve as a resource for those with developmental disabilities. The UC-Davis center provides multilingual training for parents, clinical services and other programs.

Families come in and they have had concerns, and theyre being told either wait and see from their pediatrician or theyre being told that theyre being hysterical and dramatic, Morgan said.

Racial bias and discrimination in health care is well-documented. One commonly cited study found that in 400 hospitals, Black patients with heart disease were given older and cheaper treatments than white patients.

These biases may be unconscious, but the consequences are just as negative, Morgan said.

When people are silenced and theyre put off and theres a history of that, they can recognize  when they are being treated in a certain way, specifically because it has something to do with their identity, she said. Whether or not their provider is intending that, its still being conveyed.

In the Black community, such disparities have led to a hesitancy to seek medical attention, which can account for delayed diagnoses for a variety of conditions, including autism.

Support networks can help. At UC-Davis, a group called Sankofa holds monthly support group meetings and training sessions for parents of Black children with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Drame said such groups have been a saving grace for many families.

We found that they werent just emotional support networks. They were resource sharing networks, they were information sharing networks that families really benefited from, she said. Theyre kind of like, I dont want to see another family struggle the way I had to struggle.

Morgan knows that her family was luckier than most. Financial stability allowed her to quit her job after Elis diagnosis and focus on him, while her experience as an educator gave her the know-how to navigate the school system to ensure he received the necessary support.

Eli is 13 now and, Morgan said, has taught me so much about self-acceptance, about understanding and just really being comfortable in your own skin.

My son has an amazing sense of humor, she continued. Hes so funny  and he doesnt even know it. Hes just naturally funny. So I try to make sure that were thinking about that when were planning his intervention and making sure that no matter what, he can keep his joy.

Her advice to other parents going through what shes been through: Remember that youre the expert of your child.

It really is very overwhelming, and its easy to kind of lose yourself, Morgan said. But with the right support and community, youre going to make it through.

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A silent purge of the elderly

The pandemic death purge of Americas elderly has become settled public policy by now. Those of retirement age far and away fill up the toll of the dead, and we turn our heads.

I think pandemic administration on the state level, and especially in Republican states, has dictated this, notwithstanding it goes against the commandments of religion (honor thy father and thy mother), the dictates of conscience (care for those who cared for you), the honor of ancestors and even the code of Scouts.

A saving older lives policy has not been deemed sufficient cause to counterbalance the cause of Republican liberty. I think American Republicans have once again answered the clarion call of Give me liberty or give me death. But the policies they have championed have never in the history of the world been included in a real bill of rights. And the death they have championed is not for themselves, but for others unable to defend themselves.

Kimball Shinkoskey

Downtown

Admission ticket to our hospitals

I think I might have come up with a simple way to resolve the mask mandate issue: End all such mandates immediately.

The caveat is that anyone over the age of 18 who cannot show proof of complete and current COVID vaccinations will not be admitted to any emergency room or hospital in the country because of being infected with COVID-19 or any of its variants. Period. No exceptions. If that unvaccinated person wants to risk his life, thats his business, but we cant allow him to take up a much needed hospital bed, staff and supplies while hes dying. People are being forced to wait for desperately needed operations and procedures because of these idiots. I think its a neat solution that will lighten the load on our ERs and hospitals.

Jill Davis

Southwest side

Not just COVID thats killing us

Re: the Feb. 15 letter Facts over nonsense.

I am replying to this letter which termed my letter nonsense. The author is entitled to her facts, which I dont dispute, but I believe Im entitled to my opinions.

In my opinion, the U.S. will have tens of millions carrying the coronavirus for years to come. This means that just about everybody is going to come into contact with it. If you are going to come into contact with it, better to do so soon than live in a bubble and come out later when you will be more vulnerable.

It is also my opinion that our mental health is showing danger signs, e.g., murders are at an all-time high in Tucson, and violence is erupting on airplanes and in stores, school board meetings and our nations capital. I believe the constraints put on by the virus and the government are stressing us. It must be stopped or society will suffer.

Walter Mann

Marana

Simple steps for moving ahead

Look, we are all sick of the pandemic, its disruption to normal life. Yet, I dont think any of us are comfortable with about 2,000 COVID-19 deaths per day. I certainly am not! So where to now? We need to take seriously a community responsibility: When you are inside and in close proximity  wear a mask (they do help), if you are feeling sick, stay home! If you come in contact with someone who has COVID-19, alert your friends and close associates so they can be aware and alert. Most importantly, get vaccinated and boosted! I have given up believing that more can be demanded, especially of that percentage that focuses more on me than we. Please just do the minimum above and lets move forward together.

Norman Patten

Midtown

Policing changes work in Dallas

The FBI reports that murder rates in the U.S. increased by 30% in 2020. In Tucson, this past year, murder rates were significantly higher than the national average. In Dallas this past year the murder rate decreased by 13% and arrests decreased by 11%. A new police chief was hired and worked with researchers to use data to identify the primary neighborhoods where most crime occurred. With citizen input, he upped the presence of psychologically well-suited police, and increased lighting, illuminating areas where crime was rampant. Rather than defunding police, he improved police morale with better pay and benefits, effectively screened out rogue cops, and professionalized the force. It turned out that by doing that and focusing on getting repeat offenders with outstanding warrants off the streets, crime went down and so did arrests. If were already on track in Tucson, great! If not, its time to get cracking!

Ronna James

East side

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The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

In 1901, a weather vane, a magnificent statue of Winged Victory, was placed on top of our copper-domed Capitol in Phoenix. Old-timers claim she was often shot at by drunk, trigger-happy cowboys hankering to see her spin.

Today the iconic dame wears a MAGA hat, the wreath she holds aloft has been replaced by the letter Q and shes spinning like a top, thanks to the drunk-on-Trump gasbags bloviating gale-force methane daily in our Legislature.

Donald Trump said he loves the uneducated, and with our Legislature he struck the mother lode, the biggest bustling corral of bovine bullies, blowhards and Bible-milking hypocrites west of reality.

Arizona turned 110 last Valentines Day. Could that explain why our state suffers dementia when it comes to education?

For decades our public schools have been underfunded, understaffed and overwhelmed thanks to these bellowing bovids dedicated to ensuring Arizonas public schools are last in the nation in every category and that we continue to bleed quality educators like a gored stallion in a bullring.

On spending were behind Madagascar. Madagascar has a box of chalk and a pencil sharpener.

To add to our pride, Arizonas schools are shy about 2,000 educators who worked here briefly, learned their lesson and skedaddled as fast as they could to greener pastures named Anyplace but this Godforsaken Wasteland leaving our schools struggling to wrangle new teachers, or should we say suckers, willing to be a political pinata every budget cycle.

And to take a vow of poverty.

And to be yoked like beasts of burden by their culture-war-crazed overseers with mind-boggling regulations and endless runs at muzzling speech in their classrooms.

And now the herd famed for daily dropping their odoriferous bills onto the floor of our statehouse has some bad news and some good news for yall.

The bad: As of Friday they were itching to cut the $1.2 billion dollars owed public ed with every single R in the House voting to slash public eds lifeline. Its a cliffhanger in the Senate. Thatd mean more layoffs, more programs butchered, more school closings and celebratory hootenannies at state Republican Party Headquarters.

They stripped the meat off public educations bones years ago. Now they want to suck out the marrow.

The good news? What do our schools desperately need? Guns. In our classrooms. Guns. Their solution to all our problems. If their brains were bullets theyd be firing blanks.

When Arizona became a state, our founders decided little old Tucson would get the state university. In return, Phoenix, home to the Legislature, would get the state asylum, thus giving our capital two wholly indistinguishable institutions. Today the State Hospitals gone, but our statehouse continues to serve as our premier asylum for lunatics, kooks and cultists.

Behold.

Rep. Steve Trump for King Kaiser wants educators to stop teaching subjects that cause our poor sensitive Caucasian kiddies to feel bad. Such snowflakey victims of facts deserve special protection from reality. Instead, teach our pale-faced punkins revisionist history so they dont feel blue about historic racism. Teach lies. Well call them white lies.

Sen. Nancy No one but Trump-o Barto, inspired by the old East German Stasi, vants all teachers to post everything zat zey are teaching on zeir websites so zey can make sure no one is teaching critical race theory. Make White America Feel Great Again. Or else.

Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, a Sarah Palin poodle from Snottsdale, wants a magic wand granting all school board meeting protesters immunity from arrest. Its just harmless legitimate political discourse. (Darn those freedom-hating fascists who want us to wear masks!)

Shes also calling for our nonpartisan school board races to become partisan. This is so the the good people of the Legitimate Political Discourse Party will know which candidates belong to the sinister Godless-America-Hating-Socialistical-Party.

Their agenda is clear.

Keep expanding vouchers. They love robbing public education to fund white flight to unregulated and unaccountable private and elite schools.

Keep pushing guns in our schools. And be damned sure theres a portrait of President Donald Trump and a Dont Tread On Me flag in every classroom for the coroners to salute when theyre called to the next frontier justice schoolhouse crime scene.

Keep serving the rich donors who keep their feedbags full of campaign cash by hammering Arizonas Supreme Court to kill Prop. 208, the desperate initiative passed by Arizonas disgusted voters calling on that partys wealthy enablers to pay their fair share to fund our schools as if we were living in a 21st century civilization.

Keep at it and take a bow, Arizona lawmakers. Your decadeslong crusade to dismantle and decimate public education has been a crushing success.

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The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer. Moreillon is a former school librarian:

The nature of many of the bills currently moving through the Arizona Legislature should be a cause for great concern for all Arizonans who care about education.

Proposed laws target students access to factual historical and current events information and limit student access to literature that includes the lived experiences of all people. Further legislation decreases students opportunities to discuss this information and literature with peers and educators. None of this legislation helps prepare our youth to live and participate as informed citizens in a pluralistic democratic country.

The nature of the information and literature being targeted sends a clear message  marginalized groups, their histories, and their experiences are not welcome in our schools. This is diametrically opposed to our countrys founding principles, principles we strive to enact.

Literacy and learning are nurtured through relevant curricula and students independent reading. Students will thrive in environments that provide equitable access to reading materials that are accurate, diverse and inclusive of the widest range of human experience. All students who walk through schoolhouse doors deserve to see themselves, their families, their communities and their histories represented in books and other reading materials. They deserve access to resources that help them navigate challenging times in their own lives as well as help them develop empathy for the experiences of others.

Banning books and censoring discussion creates, rather than solves, problems. We learned this in the past but seem to have forgotten it in the present.

These bills spotlight the critical role of state-certified school librarians. Classroom teachers and students alike deserve an advocate in the person of a certified school librarian whose role is to provide equitable access to diverse and inclusive materials and to protect students right to read and preserve their intellectual freedom to express opinions.

Today, as these threats loom large, far too many Arizona schools are not prepared to meet the challenges these bills pose. For lack of funding, far too many schools lack certified school librarians on their staff. In 2019-2020, Arizona ranked 45th out of 50 states and D.C. in the ratio of students to school librarians, and 42nd in the ratio of classroom teachers to librarians, according to the School Librarian Investigation  Decline or Evolution research project.

All Arizona students deserve a high-quality education and certified school librarians who are trained as equity, diversity, inclusion, and intellectual freedom warriors. We cannot claim to be for literacy and learning if we ignore district public schools needs for full funding, including eliminating the outdated Aggregate Expenditure Limit, which would rob TUSD of $58 million already allocated and budgeted funds.

We cannot say we are for equity and democracy until full school staffing includes professional librarians serving their schools in fully stocked school libraries.

Judi Moreillon is a public education advocate, former school librarian and retired librarian educator. She lives in Tucson.

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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 
How John Clomans heart must have leapt.

There, in his hand, was a letter from a personal hero, the face of the civil rights movement himself, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Cloman, president of Tulsas Colored Voters of America chapter, had been hoping for a reply from King ever since hed first written to him, inviting him to come to Tulsa.

Initially, as noted in his response, King didnt think he could make it.

But soon enough, the invitation from Cloman would bring the hoped-for result, creating a memory for many Tulsans that has endured for over 60 years.

Kings reply letter, which preceded his one and only visit to Tulsa in 1960, is currently on display at the Greenwood Rising history center in conjunction with Black History Month.

Donated recently by Clomans daughter, Princetta Newman, it will become part of the museums permanent collection.

Newman, of Tulsa, said shes happy for the prized item to be in a place where people can see it.

It was among the personal items of her fathers that she acquired after his death.

I knew he had kept it, she said. So I put it in a frame to protect it. It became a conversation piece, something I could talk about and show to people.

Newman said the letter might have ended up in the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History in Washington, D.C. She donated some family items to the institution, and the curator wanted the letter, too, she said.

But I just didnt think it would be best, Newman said. I didnt think that was what Daddy would have wanted.

The letter is a single typewritten page on Kings letterhead, with his signature at the bottom in blue ink.

In it, King expresses his regrets to Cloman, because at the time he didnt believe a planned trip would allow for a stop in Tulsa.

But, clearly, his plans changed. Newman remembers well Kings visit of July 28, 1960.

He spoke at First Baptist Church North Tulsa, where an overflow crowd of more than 1,500 was on hand for a Freedom Rally, as it was billed.

The then-31-year-old pastor delivered a heartfelt message, calling for unity: We must learn to live together as brothers or well die together as fools, King told the audience.

At the same time, he affirmed the effectiveness of nonviolent protest while urging black Tulsans to exercise their right to vote.

While in Tulsa, King attended a reception held for him by local members of his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha.

Cloman was a fellow Alpha, and Newman, 16 at the time, got to attend the reception as a hostess.

In addition to the Smithsonian, Newman has had other collectors express interest in her fathers letter from King, she said.

But again, it would mean the letter would leave Tulsa.

My father loved Tulsa, and I just think he would want it to stay here, she said.

Thats her preference, too, she added.

Its a part of Tulsa history that ties us to a larger, broader history.'

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From the first time I heard it described by those whod been there, it sounded like no place anyone would ever go willingly.

Certainly no place somebody, if given a choice, would go to die.

A barren and rocky landscape bordered by beaches of black sand, the scene was downright otherworldly, as if lifted straight from one of those 1940s sci-fi space serials.

Caves were everywhere, each leading into some dark tunnel that went on forever.

Those who came back would describe all of this in detail, then typically sum the place up this way: a chunk of rock.

A chunk of rock surrounded on all sides by sea  the sea so big it just made the rock feel that much smaller.

In other words, a place of no possible significance.

But as small and valueless as Iwo Jima had to seem, it would loom large in their minds ever afterward.

The events that began on Feb. 19, 1945, ensured that.

The anniversary of the invasion of Iwo Jima is one of a handful from World War II that we continue to remember and commemorate every year.

Why? Well, one reason, at least, is its reputation as one of the wars fiercest and bloodiest engagements.

Five weeks of fighting on the 8-square-mile island, while leading to victory, resulted in over 6,800 American dead and some 26,000 total American casualties.

Then theres the famous photo.

Joe Rosenthals shot of the Marines raising the flag on Iwo has become one of the most recognizable photos of all time.

Countless movies and television shows have also made sure we never forget.

But my image of Iwo Jima has been shaped more by the Tulsans who were there, whom Ive been lucky enough to interview.

The late Lee, who later served as Tulsa County sheriff, summed it up as well as anyone.

By the end of his first day on Iwo Jima, the 19-year-old Marine had just accepted that I probably wasnt going to make it, he said. But what could you do about it? You were there. So you went ahead and did the best you could.

Accepting his fate up front, he added, allowed him to do his job.

For those who survived Iwo, there was at least one good thing about having been there: They wouldnt have to go to Okinawa.

That battle began a few days later and would rival Iwo for brutality and bloodshed.

Still, Iwo stands alone, holder of a grim distinction: In all of the Pacific campaign, it was the only battle where American casualties outnumbered Japans.

Was it worth it? The strategic value would be questioned afterward.

One thing, though, is certain.

Iwo Jima illustrates one of the unfortunate truths of warfare.

And thats how, so often, the fight for even the smallest, unworthiest patch of earth exacts a cost that seems completely out of proportion to it.

Lets give Lee, who witnessed that cost firsthand, the final word.

We just did what we thought we had to do, he said, adding that in the end, he was surprised to have survived.

Every day of my life since has been a bonus.

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MOSCOW (AP)  Pro-Russia separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilization Saturday while Western leaders made increasingly dire warnings that a Russia invasion of its neighbor appeared imminent.

In new signs of fears that a war could start within days, Germany and Austria told their citizens to leave Ukraine. German air carrier Lufthansa canceled flights to the capital, Kyiv, and to Odessa, a Black Sea port that could be a key target in an invasion.

NATO's liaison office in Kyiv said it was relocating staff to Brussels and to the western Ukraine city of Lviv.

Meanwhile, top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the nearly eight-year separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The officials fled to a bomb shelter before hustling from the area, according to a journalist from The Associated Press who was on the tour.

Violence in eastern Ukraine has spiked in recent days as Ukraine and the two regions held by the rebels each accused the other of escalation. Russia on Saturday said at least two shells fired from a government-held part of eastern Ukraine landed across the border, but Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed claim as "a fake statement."

Sporadic violence has broken out for years along the line separating Ukrainian forces from the Russia-backed rebels, but the recent shelling and bombing spike could set off a full-scale war.

The United States and many European countries have alleged for months that Russia, which has moved about 150,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, is trying to create pretexts to invade.

"They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike," U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Saturday during a visit to Lithuania.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, opening the meeting by saying the world was at "a decisive moment in history." Full story here:
A number of American investors have proposed building world-famous theme parks in Vietnam, including a Disneyland in Ho Chi Minh City, Johnathan Hanh Nguyen, business tycoon and chairman of Imex Pan Pacific Group (IPPG), told a discussion held in the southern city on Thursday.

The event, organized by Nguoi Lao Dong (Laborers) newspaper, focused on creating a breakthrough for the economic development of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City.

Construction of two other theme parks, Universal Studio in Hanoi and SeaWorld in south-central Khanh Hoa Province, has been also proposed by the U.S. investors, according to Nguyen, whose IPPG is well known as one of the biggest multi-business corporates in Vietnam operating in different fields, including fashion, F&B, real estate, and non-aviation services.

The three projects are part of a master plan to establish a financial center in Vietnam that the Vietnamese tycoon and his U.S. partners have been working on since 2016 and have come up with a timeline for implementation.

A U.S. consulting unit is taking responsibility for the research and construction of this plan, Nguyen said.

American consultants have initially appraised the plan for its feasibility, according to him.

Competent Vietnamese ministries and agencies are also expected to give suggestions to the project.

Once the plan is approved, according to the U.S. investors initial commitment, they will first pour about US$10 billion into Vietnam, of which $4 billion will be allocated to Da Nang and $6 billion to Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen said.

In addition to the written commitment worth $10 billion by the U.S. investors, we have more than 68 documents and letters exchanged with the U.S. Congress and leaders of the two countries [regarding the proposal].

The U.S. investors estimate that the Disneyland in Ho Chi Minh City will attract 25 million tourists a year while the Universal Studio in Hanoi will also draw 25 million visitors, and the SeaWorld in Khanh Hoa Province will bring in 20 million holidaymakers.

The Ho Chi Minh City administration has assigned the Ho Chi Minh City Finance and Investment state-owned Company (HFIC) to collect opinions from experts in preparation for a report to submit to the government, the State and the Party for consideration.

HFIC chairman Nguyen Ngoc Hoa said the firm has completed the consulting with experts and created an outline of the master plan.

It is expected that the report will be available on the authorities' table in April.

Hoa also emphasized the importance of streamlining public administrative procedures to facilitate the implementation of the master plan.

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Vietnams Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has urged every effort to complete a total of 361 kilometers as part of the North-South Expressway within this year, while the Transport Minister has warned that project management units failing to meet the scheduled progress will be replaced.

Deputy PM Thanh made his request on Friday when he chaired a meeting with agencies concerned in 13 provinces and cities regarding the construction of the eastern route of the expressway in the 2017 - 20 period.

This project consists of 11 components with a total length of 652.86 kilometers, of which seven have met their scheduled progress while the remaining four need to be accelerated, Ministry of Transport Nguyen Van The reported.

There is a shortage of about 12.59 million cubic meters of filling soil for six component projects and relevant agencies are striving to make the material available in March.

This is a national key project that has been allocated with sufficient capital, while its site clearance step has been basically completed and the shortage of construction materials has been partially addressed, the deputy PM told the meeting.

After reviewing all the component projects, deputy PM Thanh directed that the following four with a total length of over 361 kilometers must be completed and put into operation this year, including the 63.37-kilometer Mai Son (in Ninh Binh Province) - National Highway 45 (Thanh Hoa), 98.3-kilometer Cam Lo (Quang Tri) - La Son (Thua Thien - Hue), and 199.8-kilometer Vinh Hao (Binh Thuan) to Dau Giay (Dong Nai).

At the same time, preparations should be made for the completion of other component projects totaling 142 kilometers of thruway in 2023, including the sections of National Highway 45 - Nghi Son (43.28 kilometer), Nghi Son - Dien Chau (50 kilometer) and Nha Trang - Cam Lam (49.1 kilometers), along with the completion of the 6.6-km My Thuan 2 Bridge.

Expenditure for the overall project has been set aside and will be disbursed according to the progress of each component project, Thanh said.

Progress of each project must be reported every month, and the government and the Prime Minister will regularly inspect and strictly handle any violations, the official added.

The transport ministry must ensure timely disbursement and coordinate with the Ministry of Construction to conduct regular inspections at construction sites to ensure their quality standards, the Vietnamese Government Portal cited deputy PM Thanh as saying.

Minister The committed to grant enough funding for this national project and requested all contractors to meet their construction progress.

Key leaders of all project management units who fail to do so will be replaced.

The minister also warned that any contractors failing to meet deadlines will become disqualified for other large bidding packages.

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The Hanoi administration has delayed the sending of grade 1 to 6 students back to school next week as most parents have yet to approve their attendance at in-person classes amid increasing COVID-19 cases among students in Vietnams capital city.

Accordingly, around 400,000 students of grades 1 to 6 in 12 inner city districts will not return to their schools next Monday as planned and they will continue to study online until further notice, the Hanoi Peoples Committee said on Friday.

The delay was issued based on a proposal of the local Department of Education and Training, which had conducted a survey among parents at many elementary schools on whether they allowed their children to return to school on February 21 as scheduled.

Most of the respondents did not agree at the planned school returning date, as COVID-19 cases have recently increased among students since the city welcomed students of grades 7 to 12 across the city and grade 1 - 6 students in 18 suburban districts and towns back to school on February 8.

At many schools, only 50 percent of parents gave a nod to the resumption of in-person classes, and particularly for parents of grade 1-2 students, the approval ratio was under 30 percent.

Vu Thi Nhung, vice principal of Marie Curie Hanoi School in Nam Tu Liem District, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Wednesday that the school recorded four more positive cases on the same day, after seven cases were confirmed the day before.

We have recorded a few COVID-19 cases every day since receiving students back to school, Nhung said.

After more than a week of organizing physical classes, Marie Curie School has recorded a total of 50 infections among students, the vice principal said, adding that the school has taken necessary measures to avoid the interruption of in-person learning.

As none of these infected students are in severe conditions, they have been arranged to take virtual classes at home while being under treatment," Nhung said.

The same situation was seen at Phan Huy Chu High School, in Dong Da District, where a number of students have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to Ngo Thi Thanh, vice rector of the school.

To ensure the safety for students, we strictly apply epidemic prevention measures upon their entry. They are also requested to wear masks during class time and minimize interactions with students from other classes, Thanh said.

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For decades, scientists have struggled to find certain rare and endangered mammals in the vast Truong Son Mountain Range, which stretches from Vietnams northern provinces to Lam Dong Province in the Central Highlands. Now, a group of scientists has come up with a creative way to track the even the rarest of animals.

Though humans have conquered most of our planets dry land, scientists estimate that there are still millions of animal species yet to be discovered.

In Vietnam, however, scientists are more concerned with hunting down species that have already been discovered but are often difficult to find in the countrys dense tropical forests.

Conserving these secretive, often endangered animals, is a top priority for Vietnams environmentalists, but the success of that mission depends on how much they are able to learn about the animals. So, the question remains: How can scientists study creatures they cant even find?

The Annamite striped rabbit, or Nesolagus timminsi, is one of these secretive creatures.

Native to the Truong Son Mountain Range near the Laos-Vietnam border, the Annamite striped rabbit is known for the dark tiger-like stripes that run between its tawny-brown fur.

A test tube with leeches preserved in buffer solution is seen in this file photo. Photo: Andrew Tilker / Tuoi Tre

They are nocturnal, solitary creatures so as the use of conventional research methods, such as temporary capture to collect blood samples, is extremely difficult.

Because of this, little has been discovered about the Annamite striped rabbit since its discovery in Vietnam 20 years ago.

However, in recent years, thanks to blood-sucking terrestrial leeches, scientists have been able to indirectly obtain blood samples from the striped rabbits and use these samples to study their genes without having to find them.

This technique is called "invertebrate-derived DNA" (iDNA) and can also be done using ticks, mosquitoes, carrion, and blow flies.

DNA can be extracted and sequenced from the blood sucked by these creatures, allowing scientists to identify which species have been present in certain areas.

Though these samples are degraded, iDNA shows promise as a way to fill existing sampling gaps, according to a study by a group of Vietnamese and international scientists published in the September 2021 edition of Environmental DNA.

Earlier that year, the same scientists published results from their use of terrestrial leeches to assess the genetic diversity of the striped rabbit.

Nguyen Van Thanh, a biologist from the Germany-based Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, and a researcher involved in the two studies mentioned above, told Tuoi Tre Weekly magazine about a typical day in the life of a leech collector.

Around 6:00 or 7:00 in the morning, the research team leaves their campsite and walks about two kilometers through the forest. Not every leech they come across on their hike is used for research.

Typically, the team only collects leeches found near camera traps or other pre-determined locations. After seven to ten days, the team leaves the forest for a few days to rest and restock their food supplies.

"Our biggest obstacle is our lack of human resources. There is a big shortage of people willing to spend years doing this. Also, the machines and equipment we use are relatively expensive, but somehow, we manage to support each other, Thanh said.

The leeches collected by the group are sent to Germany for further study.

Such studies using iDNA are the stepping stones to the bigger ambition of developing a molecular database of rare animals in Vietnam. The hope is that everyone will be able to easily access genetic codes, like an online dictionary that can aid in wildlife conservation.

Such samples, such as blood taken from leeches or even bushmeat, may not tell researchers much about an animal at first glance, but the DNA those samples contain can!

"When we detect a pangolin being sold in Vietnam, thanks to its genetic code, we can discover if it was caught in a different country, like Malaysia", Thanh explained.

This kind of information is extremely important when it comes to ending the illegal wildlife trade.

Moreover, the Vietnamese animal gene database can aid in research. When an animal is ready to be released back into the wild, for example, its genetic code can help determine its original habitat.

Such a dictionary is already under development at the Vietnam National Universitys Central Institute for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, where Thanh started his career in science.

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UK drama The Teacher screens next month on ABC.

The 4 part drama surrounds a schoolteacher (Sheridan Smith) accused of sexual impropriety with one of her pupils (Samuel Bottomley).

It screened in Britain earlier this month.

Jenna Garvey (Sheridan Smith), a popular teacher with a chaotic private life, is accused of sleeping with her young pupil, Kyle (Samuel Bottomley), after a night out celebrating a promotion. Formally charged and with no memory of the night, Jenna pleads guilty and receives a suspended sentence. Beneath the veneer of professional respectability, Jenna is emotionally troubled, seeking to numb her pain with alcohol and promiscuity. Jenna reassesses her life and starts to suspect Kyle may have lied, but why would he do this?

Friday March 11 8:30pm on ABC.
Season 2 of Luxe Listings Sydney begins in April on Amazon Prime Video.

Gavin Rubinstein, DLeanne Lewis and Simon Cohen are joined by Black Diamondz Property Founder and Director Monika Tu.

The Sydney real estate market is hotter than ever, with demand for exclusive properties far outweighing the supply. Luxe Listings Sydney follows four elite agents as they negotiate multi-million-dollar deals in one of the most competitive and cutthroat markets in the world; Sydney, Australia. Money never sleeps, and these agents will stop at nothing to deliver the best results for their clients.

Luxe Listings Sydney Season Two returns with leading Sydney real estate agents Gavin Rubinstein and DLeanne Lewis, along with esteemed buyers agent Simon Cohen, who will be joined for by Black Diamondz Property Founder and Director Monika Tu. A sales and buying agent, Monika is a Chinese-Australian executive renowned for leading the revolution of global buyers into the Australian property market.

The six-part second season of Luxe Listings Sydney will follow the agents intense professional careers and their extraordinary personal lives, as they continue to grow their operations, opportunities and, of course their profits.

Luxe Listings Sydney is executive produced by Eureka Productions Chris Culvenor, Paul Franklin, Rikkie Proost, Evan Wilkes, Jake Hargreaves and Anastassia Gerakas, along with series creators and executive producers Benjamin Scott and James Kennedy through Kentel.

Friday April 1 on Amazon Prime Video.
Tyler, TX (75702)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds ENE 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 67F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
Full PokerStars EPT Prague Schedule; Includes EPT Main Event and 50K SHR

February 19 2022 Calum Grant

The European Poker Tour (EPT) finally returns to Prague next month, after nearly three years since its last visit to the Czech Republic capital. Running from March 5-16, poker players from all over the world will flock to the King's Casino Prague, Hilton Prague Hotel to take part in the first instalment of the EPT 2022 season.

Originally set to run December 8-19 at Kings Casino at the Hilton Prague. PokerStars were forced to make the tough decision to postpone the event following the Czech Republic entering a State of Emergency on November 25 because of the pandemic. The new dates for the event were announced last December, with the live poker festival featuring tournaments with buy ins ranging from 330 all the way up to 50,000.

Thankfully, EPT Prague has had the green light and will run as currently scheduled as the first major PokerStars live event of 2022. However, there are some measures from the Czech Republic government that players must take to ensure they're able to take their seat at the table.

The current situation is as follows: Players DO NOT need a covid-certificate like proof of vaccination or a test to attend the EPT Prague event. However, please keep an eye on the most up to date travel to the Czech Republic conditions.

need a covid-certificate like proof of vaccination or a test to attend the EPT Prague event. However, please keep an eye on the most up to date travel to the Czech Republic conditions. All persons entering the Hilton Prague casino must undergo a temperature scan .

. A respirator face mask (e.g. KN95) wearing is compulsory when in the casino and when playing at the tables. For players who have specific questions, they are advised to contact either [email protected] or [email protected].

Qualify for EPT Prague Online

PokerStars Ambassador Parker \"tonkaaaa\" Talbot

PokerStars is making sure as many people qualify for EPT Prague as possible. They're doing this by running a plethora of online poker satellite tournaments to the European Poker Tour Main Event and EPT National.

Over 90 players have already secured their place in the Main Event for a fraction of the price. Some of the notable names on that shortlist include PokerStars ambassador Parker "tonkaaaa" Talbot, Conor "1_conor_b_1" Beresford and the newly crowned World No. 1 Online MTT Player Patrick "pads1161" Leonard.

Direct satellites to the 5,300 Main Event take place every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday on PokerStars and all begin at 8:10 p.m. GMT (3:10 p.m. ET; 9:10 p.m. CET). Entry costs 530 and each EPT package won is worth 7,200.

Players with modest bankrolls can work their way up to get their hands on their EPT Main Event ticket by qualifying through a series of sub-satellite tournaments. There are freerolls from which you can pilot your way to the 22 qualifier. Those who get over this hurdle then find themselves in the 530 qualifier which is where you are playing for your EPT package.

The EPT National Main Event is another event online poker players can satellite into from the comfort of their own homes. This tournament comes with a buy-in of 1,100 and is often the most attended event.

Direct satellites for this event have a 162 buy-in with the prize being a 2,500 EPT Package. These tournaments also take place every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday and have a slightly earlier start time of 7:35 p.m. GMT (2:35 p.m. ET; 8:35 p.m. CET). Like the Main Event, players can get to this qualifier by navigating through a series of sub-satellite events.

There will undoubtedly be live poker satellites for several events at the Hilton Prague during the European Poker Tour Prague festival.

To find all available satellites: Go to the main PokerStars client and click the following tabs: Events > Live > Europe > EPT Prague > All satellites

EPT National Main Event Schedule

Date Time (CET) Buy-In Event Sun, March 6 12:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Day 1/A Sun, March 6 19:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Day 1/B Mon, March 7 12:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Day 1/C Mon, March 7 19:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Day 1/D Tue, March 8 12:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Day 2 Wed, March 9 12:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Day 3 Thu, March 10 12:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Final

EPT Prague Main Event Schedule

Date Time (CET) Buy-In Event Thu, March 10 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Day 1/A Fri, March 11 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Day 1/B Sat, March 12 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Day 2 Sun, March 13 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Day 3 Mon, March 14 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Day 4 Tue, March 15 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Day 5 Wed, March 16 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Final

Mystery Bounty Tournament Makes EPT Debut

To help make EPT Prague an occasion to remember, PokerStars has scheduled a Mystery Bounty tournament to take place at the Hilton Prague during the festival.

Mystery Bounty tournaments have taken the MTT world by storm since its inception at the Wynn Summer Classic, but the Czech Republic will see the first event of its kind on the European Poker Tour.

The EPT Prague Mystery Bounty tournament has a 2,700 buy-in, with 1,925 going into the regular prize pool and 500 being allocated for the Mystery Bounty pool. The Mystery Bounty gimmick comes into play on Day 2, where each remaining player is given a bounty token.

If a player knocks an opponent out, they win their bounty token. The player will then hand in their newly won token to the cash desk where they will then randomly select an envelope containing a cash prize. The minimum a player can win is 500 but it could be much more than that. There is also the potential that one envelope will contain a 50,000 prize!

In October 2021, Donald Nimneh, a truck driver based in Omaha, Nebraska won 250,000 from the $2,200 Mystery Bounty at the 2021 Wynn Fall Classic.

The $250k top bounty has already been claimed! https://t.co/Y0uFDg53J8  PokerNews (@PokerNews)

Mystery Bounty Tournament Schedule

Date Time (CET) Buy-In Event Sat, March 12 12:30 2,700 #32 NL Hold'em - Mystery Bounty - Day 1 Sun, March 13 12:30 2,700 #32 NL Hold'em - Mystery Bounty - Day 2 Mon, March 14 12:30 2,700 #32 NL Hold'em - Mystery Bounty - Final

PokerStars Enters Partnership With Red Bull Racing

PokerNews at EPT Prague

The PokerNews live reporting team will also be making their way to EPT Prague, providing live updates from 11 different events. Some of the marquee events on our schedule include the 1,100 EPT National, 5,300 EPT Main Event and 50,000 EPT Super High Roller

EPT Prague Live Reporting Hub The PokerNews live reporting team are on the ground for the latest stop on the European Poker Tour. Be sure to check out the action as it happens. Click Here

EPT Prague History

Mikalai Pobal wins the 2019 EPT Prague Main Event

Mikalai Pobal Makes History; Becomes Second EPT Two-Time Champion

Enjoy EPT Prague With a $600 Bonus

New depositing PokerStars customers can claim a welcome bonus worth up to $600. Download PokerStars via PokerNews, create your free online poker account, and decide how much you want to deposit. Your deposit is matched 100% up to $600 in the form of a bonus. Your first three deposits in the first 60-days after making your first deposit are matched up to a combined total of $600.

The bonus releases into your playable balance in $10 increments each time you generate 180 redemption points, which in turn are earned at a rate of five per $1 contributed to the cash game rake or spent on tournament fees (6.5 points per 1, 5.5 points per 1, and four points per CAD$).

EPT Prague Full Schedule

Date Time (CET) Buy-In Event Sat, March 5 19:00 10,200 #1 NL Holdem - Knockout (5,000 Bounty) - Single Re-Entry Day 1 Sat, March 5 19:00 1,100 #2 NL Hold'em - Freezeout Day 1 Sat, March 5 19:00 125 #3 NL Hold'em - 1,100 Qualifier - 'Win Your Seat @ 100,000 chips' - Unlimited Re-Entry Sat, March 5 22:00 550 #4 NL Hold'em - Hyper Turbo - Freezeout Sun, March 6 12:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Single Re-Entry Per Flight Day 1/A Sun, March 6 12:00 240 #6 NL Hold'em - 1,100 Qualifier (100 Bounty) - 'Win Your Seat @ 100,000 chips' - Unlimited Re-Entry Sun, March 6 12:30 10,200 #1 NL Holdem - Knockout (5,000 Bounty) - Single Re-Entry Final Sun, March 6 12:30 1,100 #2 NL Hold'em - Freezeout Final Sun, March 6 16:00 250 #7 NL Hold'em - 1,100 Qualifier - 'Win Your Seat @ 50,000 chips' - Freezeout Sun, March 6 19:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Single Re-Entry Per Flight Day 1/B Sun, March 6 22:00 1,100 #8 NL Hold'em - Hyper Turbo - Freezeout Mon, March 7 12:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Single Re-Entry Per Flight Day 1/C Mon, March 7 12:30 10,200 #9 NL Hold'em - Single Re-Entry Mon, March 7 19:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Single Re-Entry Per Flight Day 1/D Mon, March 7 21:00 1,200 #10 EPT Main Event Qualifier - 'Win Your Seat @ 50,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY - Freezeout Tue, March 8 12:00 330 #12 NL Hold'em - National Cup - Single Re-Entry Per Flight - Play to 5% Day 1/A Tue, March 8 12:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Single Re-Entry Per Flight Day 2 Tue, March 8 12:30 25,000 #11 NL Hold'em - Unlimited Re-Entry Tue, March 8 15:00 1,150 #13 EPT Main Event Qualifier (500 Bounty) - 'Win Your Seat @ 100,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY - Unlimited Re-Entry Tue, March 8 18:00 330 #12 NL Hold'em - National Cup - Single Re-Entry Per Flight - Play to 5% Day 1/B Tue, March 8 22:00 2,150 #14 NL Hold'em - Hyper Turbo Knockout (1,000) - Freezeout Wed, March 9 12:00 250 #15 NL Hold'em - Qualifier to #16 - 'Win your seat @ 100,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY - Unlimited Re-Entry Wed, March 9 12:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Single Re-Entry Per Flight Day 3 Wed, March 9 12:30 2,200 #16 NL Hold'em - National High Roller - Single Re-Entry Day 1 Wed, March 9 12:30 50,000 #17 NL Hold'em - EPT Super High Roller - Unlimited Re-Entry Day 1 Wed, March 9 12:30 330 #12 NL Hold'em - National Cup - Single Re-Entry Per Flight - Play to 5% Final Wed, March 9 18:00 2,300 #18 EPT Main Event Qualifier (1,000 Bounty) - 'Win Your Seat @ 50,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY - Freezeout Wed, March 9 21:00 600 #19 EPT Main Event Qualifier - 'Win Your Seat @ 100,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY- Unlimited Re-Entry Thu, March 10 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Single Re-Entry Day 1/A Thu, March 10 12:00 550 #21 8-Game - Single Re-Entry Thu, March 10 12:00 1,100 #5 NL Hold'em - EPT National Main Event - Single Re-Entry Per Flight Final Thu, March 10 12:30 2,200 #16 NL Hold'em - National High Roller - Single Re-Entry Final Thu, March 10 12:30 50,000 #17 NL Hold'em - EPT Super High Roller - Unlimited Re-Entry Day 2 Thu, March 10 14:00 1,200 #22 EPT Main Event Qualifier - 'Win Your Seat @ 50,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY - Freezeout Thu, March 10 17:00 600 #23 EPT Main Event Qualifier - 'Win Your Seat @ 100,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY - Unlimited Re-Entry Thu, March 10 22:00 2,650 #24 NL Hold'em - Qualifier to #26, #37 or #52 (any 25,000) - SEAT ONLY - Unlimited Re-Entry Thu, March 10 22:00 1,100 #25 NL Hold'em - Hyper Turbo - Freezeout Fri, March 11 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Single Re-Entry Day 1/B Fri, March 11 12:30 25,000 #26 NL Hold'em - Unlimited Re-Entry Fri, March 11 12:30 1,100 #27 PL Omaha - Single Re-Entry Day 1 Fri, March 11 12:30 50,000 #17 NL Hold'em - EPT Super High Roller - Unlimited Re-Entry Final Fri, March 11 20:00 2,150 #28 NL Hold'em - Single Re-Entry Fri, March 11 22:00 550 #29 NL Hold'em - Hyper Turbo - Freezeout Sat, March 12 10:00 300 #30 NL Hold'em - Qualifier to #32 (Mystery Bounty) - 'Win Your Seat @ 100,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY - Unlimited Re-Entry Sat, March 12 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Single Re-Entry Day 2 Sat, March 12 12:30 25,000 #31 NL Hold'em - Unlimited Re-Entry Sat, March 12 12:30 2,700 #32 NL Hold'em - Second Chance - Mystery Bounty (500 Mystery Bounty) - Unlimited Re-Entry Day 1 Sat, March 12 12:30 1,100 #27 PL Omaha - Single Re-Entry Final Sat, March 12 13:00 5,200 #33 PL Omaha - Single Re-Entry Sat, March 12 20:00 1,100 #34 NL Hold'em - Hyper Turbo - Freezeout Sat, March 12 22:00 2,650 #35 NL Hold'em - Qualifier to #37 or #52 (any 25,000) - SEAT ONLY - Unlimited Re-Entry Sun, March 13 12:00 2,150 #36 NL Hold'em - Hyper Turbo Knockout (1,000) - Freezeout Sun, March 13 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Single Re-Entry Day 3 Sun, March 13 12:30 25,000 #37 NL Hold'em - Unlimited Re-Entry Sun, March 13 12:30 2,700 #32 NL Hold'em - Second Chance - Mystery Bounty (500 Mystery Bounty) - Unlimited Re-Entry Day 2 Sun, March 13 14:00 1,100 #38 NL Hold'em - Single Re-Entry Day 1 Sun, March 13 16:00 1,150 #39 EPT High Roller Qualifier #46, - 'Win Your Seat @ 100,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY - Unlimited Re-Entry Sun, March 13 18:00 1,100 #40 NL Hold'em - Short Deck 6+ Unlimited Re-Entry Day 1 Sun, March 13 20:00 1,150 #41 EPT High Roller Qualifier #46, - 'Win Your Seat @ 100,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY - Unlimited Re-Entry Sun, March 13 22:00 1,100 #42 NL NL Hold'em - Hyper Turbo Knockout (500) - Freezeout Mon, March 14 12:00 1,150 #43 EPT High Roller Qualifier #46, - 'Win Your Seat @ 100,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY - Unlimited Re-Entry Mon, March 14 12:00 550 #44 H-O-R-S-E - Single Re-Entry Mon, March 14 12:00 250 #45 NL Hold'em - Qualifier to #47 - 'Win Your Seat @ 50,000 chips' - Freezeout Mon, March 14 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Single Re-Entry Day 4 Mon, March 14 12:30 10,300 #46 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague High Roller - Single Re-Entry Day 1 Mon, March 14 12:30 1,100 #38 NL Hold'em - Single Re-Entry Final Mon, March 14 12:30 2,700 #32 NL Hold'em - Second Chance - Mystery Bounty (500 Mystery Bounty) - Unlimited Re-Entry Final Mon, March 14 14:00 1,100 #47 NL Hold'em - Freezeout Day 1 Mon, March 14 14:00 1,100 #40 NL Hold'em - Short Deck 6+ Unlimited Re-Entry Final Mon, March 14 18:00 330 #48 NL Hold'em - Deep Stack - Unlimited Re-Entry - Play to 5% Day 1/A Mon, March 14 22:00 2,150 #49 NL Hold'em - Hyper Turbo Knockout (1,000) - Freezeout Tue, March 15 12:00 250 #50 NL Hold'em - Qualifier to #51 - 'Win Your Seat @ 100,000 chips' - SEAT ONLY - Unlimited Re-Entry Tue, March 15 12:00 330 #48 NL Hold'em - Deep Stack - Unlimited Re-Entry - Play to 5% Day 1/B Tue, March 15 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Single Re-Entry Day 5 Tue, March 15 12:30 1,100 #47 NL Hold'em - Freezeout Final Tue, March 15 12:30 10,300 #46 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague High Roller - Single Re-Entry Day 2 Tue, March 15 14:00 2,200 #51 NL Hold'em - Deep Stack - Single Re-Entry Day 1 Tue, March 15 17:00 330 #48 NL Hold'em - Deep Stack - Unlimited Re-Entry - Play to 5% Day 1/C Tue, March 15 20:00 25,000 #52 NL Hold'em - Unlimited Re-Entry Day 1 Tue, March 15 22:00 1,100 #53 NL Hold'em - Hyper Turbo - Freezeout Wed, March 16 12:00 2,200 #51 NL Hold'em - Deep Stack - Single Re-Entry Final Wed, March 16 12:00 330 #48 NL Hold'em - Deep Stack - Unlimited Re-Entry - Play to 5% Final Wed, March 16 12:00 5,300 #20 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague Main Event - Single Re-Entry Final Wed, March 16 12:30 220 #54 NL Hold'em - Unlimited Re-Entry Wed, March 16 12:30 10,300 #46 NL Hold'em - EPT Prague High Roller - Single Re-Entry Final Wed, March 16 13:00 25,000 #52 NL Hold'em - Unlimited Re-Entry Final Wed, March 16 14:00 2,150 #55 NL Hold'em - 6 Handed - Unlimited Re-Entry Wed, March 16 16:00 5,200 #56 NL Hold'em - 6 Handed - Unlimited Re-Entry Wed, March 16 18:00 1,100 #57 NL Hold'em - Super Hyper Turbo - Freezeout
In her first collegiate start after having made 17 relief appearances over the last two seasons sophomoreheld her own against the fourth-ranked team in the country and gave up just two earned runs over six innings as Villanova (3-6) fell to No. 4 Florida (8-0) by a score of 4-0 at Katie Seasholes Pressly Stadium on Saturday afternoon. It was the second game of the day for the Wildcats at the T-Mobile Tournament, as Villanova defeated Florida A&M in a 6-2 win early on Saturday morning.Seniorand junioreach had singles for the Wildcats, who had two runners on base in the top of the first inning but were retired in order in each of the final five frames by Natalie Lugo (2-0, 0.00 ERA) who pitched a two-hitter for the undefeated Gators. The only other base runner for Villanova was graduatewo drew a first-inning walk.Florida scored two runs in each of the first two innings, including a pair of unearned runs that scored on a two-out error in the bottom of the second. Pellicano (0-1, 1.14) went the distance in the circle, generated 13 of her 18 outs on the ground and yielded just three hits without a walk or a run scored over her final four innings pitched. Her previous longest career outing was a four-inning relief stint against Connecticut in last year's regular season finale.The best scoring chance for the Wildcats came in the top of the first inning when Giampolo walked on six pitches and Kern hit the next offering for a single to left field. Juniorwas up next and battled Lugo through an eight-pitch at-bat before reaching on a fielder's choice with the lead runner being forced out at third base. Lugo got a strikeout to end the first inning and then  after a one-out single by Sebastian in the second  retired the final 17 batters she faced.In the bottom of the first inning Gators leadoff batter Kendra Falby drew a leadoff walked, stole second and moved to third on Hannah Adams' bunt single. Florida put on a double steal with Skylar Wallace at the plate and Falby scored as Adams was caught stealing as the trail runner going to second. Wallace eventually singled and stole second herself ahead of an RBI single by Charla Echols which forged an early 2-0 lead.Pellicano got a fielder's choice grounder for the second out of the first inning but still had a bigger jam to get out of after Cheyenne Lindsey walked and Sarah Longley reached on an infield hit to load the bases. The eighth batter of the inning was Sam Roe, who bounced out to first for the final out of the inning.In the bottom of the second Avery Goelz was thrown out trying to bunt for a leadoff single and Pellicano struck out Falby on four pitches for the second out of the inning. Adams beat out an infield single though, and Wallace was hit by a pitch to extend the inning for Echols who reached on an error that allowed both base runners to score.Neither team generated much in the way of offense the rest of the way, with the best hit ball by Villanova over the last five innings a well-struck fly by Sebastian to deep right field leading off the fifth inning. In the home half of the third Lindsey bunted for a leadoff single but was erased one batter later when Pellicano got Longley to hit into a 6-6-3 double play which averted a big inning. Roe grounded out to second three pitchers later to end a quick frame. Pellicano retired the side in order on just six pitches in the bottom of the fourth as she settled in.One game remains for the Wildcats at this weekend's T-Mobile Tournament and it should be a good one when Villanova faces Louisville on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. The former BIG EAST foes played on Friday morning and the Wildcats overcame deficits of 4-0, 6-2 and 7-6 before eventually falling by a 10-7 final count in a nine-inning affair.
When Midway Independent School District opens its new $37.5 million elementary school this August at 700 Ritchie Road, it will anchor of one of the hottest growth spots in McLennan County, right on the border of Waco and Hewitt.

But a half mile away, some residents of new subdivisions say there is a missing ingredient in the plans: a sidewalk system that can safely connect families with the shiny new Park Hill Elementary School. The school, about $1 million under budget compared to initial estimates, is set to open with about 450 students this fall, with an ultimate capacity of 750 as the area builds out.

The city of Waco has recently built about a mile of sidewalks on each side of Ritchie Road from Panther Way to Warren Street, and Midway ISD is building a sidewalk on Ritchie Road in front of the school. But between those segments is a gap of about 1,600 feet, between a quarter and third of a mile, with nothing but overgrown grass.

Residents of the new Park Meadows development in Waco and of other nearby subdivisions have been voicing their concerns to officials with the cities of Waco and Hewitt as well as Midway ISD.

Officials with those three entities said they are trying to find a solution, perhaps through federal grant funding, but it likely will not come before the school opens in August.

Its a complicated issue that requires everybody siting around the table figuring out how its going to happen, said Jim Reed, city of Waco public works capital program manager. We do realize theres a need. Were getting plenty of phone calls about it.

Among the concerned residents are Kali and Steven Hays, who have lived at Park Meadows for three years. Their fast-growing subdivision has an expected build-out of 1,500 lots, with a related subdivision, Legacy at Park Meadows, expected to add 500 more.

The Hayses have a first grader who now takes the bus to Castleman Creek Elementary School and another child who will enter kindergarten next year. But under the new attendance zones that take effect in August, the Hayses will no longer be far enough away from their new elementary school to qualify for busing.

We live on the side of the neighborhood thats closest to the school, Kali Hays said. In fact I can see the school from my backyard, but theres not a way to get there. I know a lot of parents who say they dont have a choice.

Kali Hays is a hospital medical technologist and her husband is an industrial distribution manager. Both have early shifts that require them to depend on child care in the morning and school bus transportation in the afternoon, which gives them an extra half hour to get home.

She said Midway should have anticipated the pedestrian access issue when making siting decisions for the school during the 2019 bond election.

This area was already being developed, she said. Its not like they didnt know that.

Midway spokesperson Traci Marlin said school officials are taking the concern seriously and have discussed it with Hewitt city officials.

We were working actively to find a solution, but right now I dont know what the solution is, she said.

In the meantime, Marlin said Midway provides options for working parents who cannot drop off or pick up their children at regular hours, opening the campus 40 minutes early and providing extremely affordable after-school care.

She said Park Hills pedestrian access challenges are not unique. For example, River Valley Intermediate School fronts on busy Speegleville Road, which does not have safe access to nearby neighborhoods.

One challenge on Ritchie Road is the multitude of entities involved. North of Warren Street, both sides of Ritchie Road are in the Waco city limits.

South of Warren Street, where the sidewalk is lacking, the eastern side of Ritchie is in Hewitt, including the new school.

The city of Wacos subdivision ordinances require sidewalks in new residential developments, particularly along highly traveled streets. That means that sidewalks will likely be built in coming years as land on the Waco side of Ritchie develops.

Hewitt has no such sidewalk requirements, so there is no guarantee that future developers of the private land on the east side of Ritchie Road will ever build sidewalks. In addition, the city of Hewitt does not typically build sidewalks, Hewitt City Manager Bo Thomas said.

We do have sidewalk specifications if sidewalks are built, but in terms of having funds for those or a budget for sidewalk construction, the city of Hewitt has never done that, Thomas said.

He said the only sidewalks the city has built are on Hewitt Drive, and were added as part of a Texas Department of Transportation-funded project to improve pedestrian safety around Midway Middle School in 2019.

He said the city could apply for similar funds for the Ritchie Road sidewalk, which he said might cost $300,000 to $350,000, but such funds are not immediately available.

I dont know the answer, Thomas said. I know the city of Hewitt doesnt have the funds necessary or the budget to build that sidewalk.

The Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization will be working in the future to identify possible new schools and work with school districts and cities to anticipate traffic and pedestrian needs, said Mukesh Kumar, the regional agencys director. He said the Park Hill issue is on our radar as part of a larger discussion.

As we think about the next planning process, we would like to be as proactive as possible in new development, especially around schools, Kumar said.

Reed, the Waco public works official, said that in the last few years as Ritchie Road has transitioned from a narrow country lane to a four-lane road, pedestrian traffic has also increased.

We see a lot of foot traffic in the summer  people on foot, people with scooters and rollerblades, he said.

Reed said it is not just Park Meadows residents who have been calling his office about the need for sidewalks. He has also heard from residents in Hewitts new Creekside subdivision around the corner on Warren Street.

Reed said a collective effort among the entities is needed for improved pedestrian routes to the new school. He said he is optimistic that new federal Safe Routes to School funding will become available soon, as well as pedestrian funding from the new federal transportation bill, and a compelling case can be made for grant funding in this case.

Marlin, the Midway official, said building the sidewalk will not in itself solve all safety concerns for students who choose to walk to the new school. Ritchie Road is now a wide and increasingly busy road, and a crossing guard would be needed, likely off-campus, perhaps close to Park Meadows. She said there is little precedent for having crossing guards far away from campus.

In the case of Midway Intermediate School, the school board cited hazardous conditions on Speegleville Road to waive the usual rules that restrict bus service to students who live at least two miles from campus. She said Ritchie Road is a different situation, since it is not as busy and has curbs and gutters rather than roadside ditches off the side.

Marlin said the state pays only for busing students outside the 2-mile zone, and even so, state funding accounts for only about 21% of Midways annual transportation cost of $2.3 million.

Extending bus routes to closer-in neighborhoods such as Park Meadows would create challenges beyond just the money, she said.

The biggest problem we have is the lack of bus drivers, Marlin said.

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As early voting in the party primaries began this week, you might think most voters were focused on power grid failures, which books and lessons should be tossed from or kept in public schools, who ought to wear masks, and where and when they should wear them.

Nope.

New polling from The University of Texas at Austin finds the states voters in familiar frames of mind, with Republicans fretting about border security and immigration, Democrats about COVID-19 and political leadership/corruption, and the two major parties voters in complete disagreement about Joe Biden and Donald Trump. At least the voters are consistent.

Texans have opinions about the people on the ballot and the hot-button issues. Its just that many of the topics those candidates want to talk about are not what voters say is most important.

Democratic candidates pushing last years near-failure of the electric grid in Texas have some work to do: Only 5% of Democratic voters listed that as the most important problem facing the state. Overall, 3% of all voters put that at the top of their lists. Political corruption/leadership (18%) and COVID-19 (16%) were Democratic voters first two choices.

But the big issues for Republican candidates at the top of the statewide ballot  immigration and border security  still resonate with Texans, with a combined total of 31% of all voters. That includes 58% of Republican voters, the group the GOPs candidates are courting right now.

Voters do have opinions about the things the candidates are talking about, even if those arent making the most important issues lists.

Requiring people to wear masks in indoor public places has the support of 62% of all voters. Its partisan: 95% of Democrats support mask requirements and 65% of Republicans oppose them. And 61% of all voters support requiring students and staff to wear masks on campus, including 91% of Democrats and 66% of Republicans.

Republicans (64%) are more confident than Democrats (46%) that the Texas Legislatures new laws will prevent the kinds of utility disruptions that hit the state during the 2021 winter.

Most Texans (62%) oppose efforts to remove books from school libraries. They are split over whether parents have enough influence over what their children are taught. Fifty percent oppose limiting use of teaching materials that emphasize racism in the history of the United States.

A 53% majority opposes automatically banning all abortions in Texas if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, and 43% would make current abortion law in Texas less strict. But 23% would leave current law  which outlaws the procedure after a fetal pulse is detected, usually at about six weeks into a pregnancy  in place. And another 23% would make the law stricter.

Former President Trump remains one of the most polarizing figures in Texas politics, rivaled only by Biden, his successor. Among Republicans, 81% have a favorable opinion of Trump; 78% of Democrats have an unfavorable opinion. And while 76% of Democrats say Biden is doing a good job, 91% of Republicans disapprove of his work.

Two-thirds of Texas voters say the country is on the wrong track. Four years ago, the last time the states top offices were on the ballot, only 50% said the country was on the wrong track. There is a Democrat in the White House now; it was a Republican four years ago. And four years before that, when Barack Obama was president, a February 2014 UT/Texas Tribune poll found 63% of Texans thought the country was on the wrong track.

More than half expect to see more political violence in the U.S. in the future (54%). Most (53%) think Biden legitimately won the 2020 presidential election, but the winners were more likely to believe that than the losers: 91% of Democrats called it legit, while 67% of Republicans dont think he won legitimately.

Overall, 51% said the protesters in the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 were attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election. That group included 82% of Democrats and 25% of Republicans; 8% of Democrats disagreed, along with 62% of Republicans.

Finally, as the state prepared itself for early voting (the poll was conducted Jan. 28-Feb. 7), Texans view of U.S. democracy was bleak.

Fifty-five percent of Texas voters said democracy in the U.S. is working somewhat, very or extremely poorly; 36% said its working well. Just under half said democracy in Texas is working well, but 41% said its working poorly. Those numbers have a lot to do with who won and who lost in 2020.

Democrats and Republicans voted in the same elections in 2020, but Democrats, who won the national elections, were more likely to say the U.S. democracy is working, and Republicans, who won the state elections, were more likely to say democracy is working in Texas.

Another test of their faith started this week.

Ross Ramsey is executive editor and co-founder of The Texas Tribune. He writes regular columns on politics, government and public policy.
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
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.
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Well as the women and children are being evacuated from LPR and DPR, Ukraine and the men will stay and fight. Ukraine with the prodding of the Western Empire is starting to attempt that attack

On Friday, the heads of the LPR and DPR Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin announced evacuations for the residents of the republics due to increasing danger of hostilities and said Russia agreed to provide shelter to the evacuated people.

Source: Powerful explosion rocks downtown Donetsk  Donetsk News Agency  World  TASS

Very important to remove the women and children and then we wait to see how brazen that Ukraine will become. That is against its own people in its own country, who always just wanted to talk and have been attacked for many years.I suspect this will make the decision easy for LPR and DPR to turn to Russia permanently

I suspect that lots of Russian family men will be crossing into these republics to help family defend against the attack by Ukraine and that is just right

The West has really stooped low in this situation and it looks they will crawl into the gutter to get their way.Psycho West

WtR

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia (Sputnik)  About 25,000 residents of the self-proclaimed Luhansk Peoples Republic (LPR) have already crossed the border with Russia, fleeing the escalation of violence in Donbas, a spokesperson for the LPR Emergencies Ministry said on Saturday.

From what I understand a family in a car and the man driving is fine to cross the border into Russia. But the men are expected to not try to get on the buses with the women and children. Men as always last, yet never least.but always a few men who try to run.Word is 100,000 plus children and women have now crossed the border and the men are dropping off their families and going back to fight.I also and reading that Russians are being picked up to help fight with their families in LPR & DPR Ukraine against Kievs military
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Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico tallied 977 new cases of COVID-19 and 29 additional deaths from the virus in an update Friday afternoon.

The update came a day after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham lifted the statewide mask mandate, although masks are still required in some settings, such as hospitals.

In a news release Friday, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe said masks are optional in church but strongly recommended for those who are: over 65, unvaccinated or have a medical condition that makes them more vulnerable to the virus.

Of the deaths announced Friday, 22 were recent and seven occurred in the last 30 days. Those who died ranged in age from their 20s to their 90s, and seven were from Bernalillo County.

Bernalillo, Dona Ana and Sandoval counties had the most cases with 285, 176 and 58, respectively. The seven-day positivity rate stands at 12.6%.

There are currently 402 people hospitalized with the virus across the state. That number may include those who tested positive out of state, but are at New Mexico hospitals.

So far, New Mexico has recorded 507,323 COVID-19 cases and 6,775 deaths from the virus. Meanwhile, 414,621 virus cases have been designated as having recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health.

On Friday, Archbishop of Santa Fe John C. Wester released revised protocols for churchgoers. They include masks required for ministers giving out Holy Communion but no masks required for choir members during song.

He also said, in a release, masks are optional for Catholic school students and teachers and the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended.

While there is a definite reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases, we are still in a moment of transition and there is much that we do not know, Wester said.

He added that it is prudent to err on the side of caution and to be safe rather than sorry and asked for prayers for those who are sick with the virus and a swift end to the pandemic.
ALAMOGORDO  On past deployments Army National Guard Spc. Michael Stockwell surveilled a desolate section of the U.S.-Mexico border during a migrant surge, and guarded a ring of checkpoints and fences around New Mexicos state Capitol after the January 2021 insurrection in Washington.

On his current mission, Stockwell helps students with assignments as a substitute science teacher at Alamogordo High School.

You cant act Army with these kids. You cant speak the same way you would with another soldier with these kids. You cant treat them the same way. You have to be careful with corrective actions, he said with a laugh.

Dozens of National Guard Army and Air Force troops in New Mexico have been stepping in for an emergency unlike others they have responded to before: the shortage of teachers and school staff members that has tested the ability of schools nationwide to continue operating during the pandemic.

While many other states and school districts issued pleas for substitute teachers amid omicron-driven surges in infections, New Mexico has been alone in calling out its National Guard members. In 36 of the states 89 school districts, guard members have traded in mission briefs for lesson plans to work for school systems.

When Stockwell first walked into the freshman science class, wearing camouflage fatigues and combat boots, some students thought he was just visiting, like a recruiter. Then he took a seat in the teachers chair.

When he started taking attendance, I was like, whoa,' said Lilli Terrazas, 15, of Alamogordo. I was kind of nervous because, like, you know  a man in a uniform. But it was cool. He helped me.

Roughly 80 service members have volunteered to work in schools. The troops have gone through background checks and taken brief courses required for substitute teachers. As substitutes, they dont have to learn much about curriculum, but they need to be attentive to students.

Stockwell has been filling in since late January when his students teacher moved to an administrative role in another school. One recent day, he shuffled through the rows of school desks, kneeling to meet students eye-to-eye as he helped them with assignments calculating the depth of the Earths crust, and other layers of the planet.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, called out the guard to help with the acute shortages in a state that like several others has struggled to find enough educators. At least 100 schools had reported closing down for at least one day this school year.

New Mexico saw a surge of teacher retirements last fall, and there are currently around 1,000 open teaching positions in a state with about 20,000 teachers. Lujan Grisham stressed the guard deployment is a temporary measure and state officials are working to bolster the teaching force and school staff through increased pay and other strategies.

At Alamogordo High School, the teacher shortage peaked on Jan. 13, when 30 teachers, about a third of the teaching staff, were out due to illness, professional training or family emergencies.

Everybody was enjoying their holiday and things like that, and then they came back and were sick, said Raeh Burns, one of two Alamogordo High School secretaries tasked with filling teaching slots each morning. I know Im going to have Mr. Stockwell every morning and that hes OK to go where I need him to go.

In some communities, there have been concerns raised about soldiers going in classrooms. In Santa Fe, the school district was asked if soldiers would wear uniforms and carry guns, school district spokesperson Cody Dynarski said. Guns were always out of the question. The district decided that soldiers would wear civilian clothing.

Ultimately, Santa Fe and Albuquerque, two of the largest urban school districts, did not receive any soldiers despite their requests as the deployments have prioritized smaller and more rural school districts.

Elsewhere, when given the choice, some soldiers have opted for military fatigues over civilian clothes to command respect in the classroom, particularly if theyre not much older than their students.

I think I look like an 18-year-old out of uniform, said Cassandra Sierra, 22, of Roswell, who has served as a substitute teacher in a high school in Hobbs.

Sierra already works with kids in her day job as a student coordinator at a military boarding school in Roswell, which has given her an edge as a substitute.

Kids just need patience, she said. I think I just have a lot of patience.

At a middle school on Alamogordos Holloman Air Force Base, students are used to seeing people in uniform, but not in classrooms.

I was like, Oh, we have somebody in the uniform thats going to teach us. Thats kinda awkward. It was weird, said Andrew George, 12, of his computer classes led by a woman trained in combat and with experience leading a platoon overseas. Once she introduced herself I was like Oh yeah, this is going to be fun.'

The substitute, Lt. Amanda Zollo, works in the 911 dispatch center in Albuquerque when shes not training or serving with the guard. She kept students on task during a lesson about cybersecurity, as they created and then attempted to break each others passwords.

She was subbing for a teacher who was having trouble finding child care. The principal, Whitney Anderson, said that having Zollos services meant that for the first time that week she didnt have to take over a classroom herself.

Zollo doesnt talk about her work as an infantry officer with her students, which, after a nervous laugh, she describes as engaging with and destroying the enemies of the U.S. in close-quarter combat.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  New Mexicos 14 district attorneys are urging Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to veto part of the signature crime bill passed in this years 30-day legislative session.

The opposition raises the possibility of sinking the multi-faceted legislation, which calls for enhancing some criminal penalties, expanding efforts to retain officers, and better tracking of pretrial defendants on electronic monitoring.

The states prosecutors contend the proposal will narrow their access to the location data of defendants who wear an ankle monitor before trial  an argument at odds with what lawmakers intended and how they interpret the bill.

The dispute centers on a section of the legislation requiring the judiciary to share defendants GPS data with law enforcement officers when requested for a criminal investigation.

The proposal, House Bill 68, says the information must be shared without a warrant if theres reasonable suspicion to believe the data would provide relevant evidence.

Police and prosecutors say the current system makes it too difficult for them to obtain information about suspects recent whereabouts.

The language in the bill was crafted by state senators during a committee hearing as they questioned an Albuquerque police commander; former U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez, now APDs chief policy adviser; and court administrators.

But, in a letter to the governor, the president of New Mexico District Attorneys Association said the data section of the bill was written without prosecutors input.

Requiring reasonable suspicion will delay law enforcements ability to respond to a potentially life-threatening situation, such as a pretrial defendant being at a domestic violence victims home, 5th Judicial District Attorney Dianna Luce, the groups president, said in the letter.

The bill, she added, will make the public less safe and give pretrial defendants greater opportunities to commit crime while on release.

Luce, whose district covers southeastern New Mexico, said the data-sharing is all the more important given the Legislatures rejection of proposals designed to keep more criminal defendants in jail while they await trial.

Sen. Joseph Cervantes, who led efforts to assemble the Legislatures crime package, said the district attorneys interpretation of the bill is not accurate.

He noted that, without the bill in place, 2nd Judicial District Attorney Raul Torrez had to sue to obtain GPS records for some defendants.

The legislation passed this week should make the information more available to law enforcement officers, Cervantes, a Las Cruces Democrat and lawyer, said in an interview Friday.

The bill says a warrant isnt required. The reasonable suspicion standard was added, senators said during committee hearings, to ensure officers have a reason for requesting the data.

Reasonable suspicion is about the lowest standard there is to try and obtain, Cervantes said. All they really have to show is that its in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Right direction

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Kellers administration on Friday listed the data-sharing requirement as one of the highlights of the Legislatures action on crime.

Aaron Jones, interim commander for investigative support at APD, said in a news conference that the bill requires turning data over to law enforcement as soon as its needed.

To be sure, we did not get everything we wanted, Jones said, but it is a step in the right direction.

House Bill 68 was overhauled by the Senate Judiciary Committee late in the session. Lawmakers took a host of individual crime bills that had been advancing during the session and rolled them into one measure.

The GPS data section was a version of what had been proposed in Senate Bill 225, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque.

APDs Jones and Martinez served as expert witnesses when the bill was presented, and Senators peppered them with questions as they developed the language on pretrial data.

Veto power

It isnt clear that Lujan Grisham has the option of vetoing only part of the bill, rather than accepting or rejecting it in its entirety.

The state Constitution grants line-item veto power to the governor for any bill appropriating money.

House Bill 68 has no appropriation, though it includes language changing financial distributions from a law enforcement fund.

Cervantes said its clear the bill cant be line-item vetoed because it doesnt have an appropriation.

If the dispute came to a head, it would be up to the courts to decide. Lawmakers, for example, successfully challenged the validity of some vetoes by former Gov. Susana Martinez.

Lujan Grisham has until March 9 to act on bills passed in the final three days of the session. The crime package won approval in the final hours of the session.

Besides data-sharing, the bill would create retention bonuses for some officers, enhance some criminal penalties that involve guns, make it a crime to operate a chop shop for stolen vehicles, expand potential funding sources for 24/7 monitoring of pretrial defendants on ankle monitors; and give prosecutors more time to bring charges of second-degree murder, among other provisions.

Nora Meyers Sackett, a spokeswoman for the governor, said the administration will thoroughly review passed legislation and evaluate any input from stakeholders before taking action.

Journal staff writer Jessica Dyer contributed to this article.
Tunisia, China sign 4-year implementation plan for cultural cooperation

Xinhua) 09:27, February 19, 2022

Tunisian Culture Minister Hayet Guermazi (L) and Chinese Ambassador to Tunisia Zhang Jianguo attend the signing ceremony of the Tunisia-China Cultural Cooperation Protocol 2021-2024 Executive Program in Tunis, Tunisia, on Feb. 18, 2022. (Photo by Adel Ezzine/Xinhua)

TUNIS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia on Friday signed a four-year implementation plan with China to promote cultural cooperation in areas such as cinema and cultural digitalization.

"Tunisia will work in cooperation with China to organize the first Chinese-Tunisian film festival," said Tunisian Culture Minister Hayet Guermazi during the signing ceremony of the Tunisia-China Cultural Cooperation Protocol 2021-2024 Executive Program.

Guermazi said there are several other projects planned in partnership with China, including theatric art, archeology and translation.

"Culture is the foundation of any tie, whether it is political, social, economic or even strategic," the minister told the ceremony, with the attendance of the Chinese Ambassador to Tunisia, Zhang Jianguo.

The protocol "will help us, together, to promote Tunisian-Chinese cooperation in the cultural field to generalize to other sectors," she noted.

For his part, Zhang said that both China and Tunisia have a long history and brilliant civilizations, and the record of friendly bilateral exchanges could date back to the ancient Carthage in the Phoenician period.

The Chinese ambassador noted that despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the past year has seen both sides participate in each other's cultural events, including those on the Chinese New Year celebration, book publication, cinematic art, and theatre.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Passengers of the "Euroferry Olympia" of Grimaldi Lines are seen arriving at the port of Corfu island, Greece, Feb. 18, 2022. Ten people were missing on Friday after a fire broke out on a ferry off Corfu island in western Greece, local SKAI TV reported.

A total of 239 passengers and 51 crew members were onboard the "Euroferry Olympia" of Grimaldi Lines, when the fire started under still unclear circumstances, according to an e-mailed press statement by the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy. (Photo by Stamatis Katapodis/Xinhua)

ATHENS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Ten people were missing on Friday after a fire broke out on a ferry off the Corfu island in western Greece, local SKAI TV reported.

A total of 239 passengers and 51 crew members were onboard the "Euroferry Olympia" of Grimaldi Lines, when the fire started under still unclear circumstances, according to an e-mailed press statement by the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy.

The ferry had departed from the nearby Greek port of Igoumenitsa and were sailing towards Italy's Brindisi when the incident occurred.

Nearby ships and Coast Guard vessels rushed in the area to collect people who evacuated the ferry in lifeboats, and transferred them to Corfu.

One person got respiratory problems and was transferred to a local hospital, reported the Greek national broadcaster ERT. 

A passenger of the "Euroferry Olympia" of Grimaldi Lines is seen arriving at the port of Corfu island, Greece, Feb. 18, 2022. Ten people were missing on Friday after a fire broke out on a ferry off Corfu island in western Greece, local SKAI TV reported.

A total of 239 passengers and 51 crew members were onboard the "Euroferry Olympia" of Grimaldi Lines, when the fire started under still unclear circumstances, according to an e-mailed press statement by the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy. (Photo by Stamatis Katapodis/Xinhua)

Passengers of the "Euroferry Olympia" of Grimaldi Lines are seen arriving at the port of Corfu island, Greece, Feb. 18, 2022. Ten people were missing on Friday after a fire broke out on a ferry off Corfu island in western Greece, local SKAI TV reported.

A total of 239 passengers and 51 crew members were onboard the "Euroferry Olympia" of Grimaldi Lines, when the fire started under still unclear circumstances, according to an e-mailed press statement by the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy. (Photo by Stamatis Katapodis/Xinhua)

Coast Guard vessels rescue people who evacuated from the ferry in a lifeboat off Corfu island in Greece, Feb. 18, 2022. Ten people were missing on Friday after a fire broke out on a ferry off Corfu island in western Greece, local SKAI TV reported.

A total of 239 passengers and 51 crew members were onboard the "Euroferry Olympia" of Grimaldi Lines, when the fire started under still unclear circumstances, according to an e-mailed press statement by the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy. (Hellenic Coast Guard/Handout via Xinhua)
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Authorities are trying to put behind bars a serial shoplifter with a penchant for filling shopping carts, pulling a gun and sometimes firing shots  even while not under duress  as she flees.

Brianna Garcia, 23, allegedly dragged a police officer from her car in one instance during the recent week-long crime spree thats targeted big box retailers in the Albuquerque area.

Garcia is charged with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one count each of battery upon a peace officer and negligent use of a deadly weapon and four counts of shoplifting.

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas office, which is leading the investigation, has issued a warrant for Garcias arrest. Garcias family could not be reached for comment, and it is unclear if she has an attorney.

Garcias criminal history includes arrests for forgery, vehicle theft, drug possession and aggravated fleeing. In 2019, she was sentenced to 18 months behind bars after she pleaded guilty to receiving and transferring stolen vehicles.

The incidents, some within hours of each other, began late last month.

 On Jan. 27, Garcia tried to leave the Walmart off Carlisle NE, near Menaul, with a shopping cart full of stolen items, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in Metropolitan Court. Garcia, who was talking on a cellphone, pointed a gun at employees and fled with $250 in door chains, cable locks, clothing and other items.

 Hours later, agents said Garcia showed up to the Walmart at Coors and Rio Bravo SW, filled a bag with items and tried to leave without paying. The affidavit states she dropped most of the items and pulled out a gun when employees tried to stop her.

Garcia walked to the parking lot and fired the gun multiple times before leaving with $118 in stolen goods, mostly dog leashes and kitchenware, according to the affidavit. Police collected at least five bullet casings from the scene but where the rounds ultimately came to rest is unknown, agents said.

 On Jan. 31, an agent said employees at the Target on Paseo del Norte called police after spotting Garcia in the store. Garcia allegedly filled a cart until it was overflowing and pretended to pay for the items at a self-checkout.

An Albuquerque police officer confronted Garcia in the parking lot as she loaded items into her trunk, according to the affidavit. Garcia didnt listen to the officer and the two wrestled briefly before Garcia tried to drive away with him trapped halfway inside the vehicle.

Agents said the officer was dragged by the car and hit his head when he fell to the ground. The affidavit states Garcia made off with $300 in stolen items, including a vacuum cleaner.

 The following day, Garcia filled a shopping cart at the Walmart Neighborhood Market near Washington and San Mateo NE and pretended to pay at a self-checkout, according to the affidavit. Employees confronted Garcia and she started to toss items from the shelves onto the floor.

Agents said Garcia went to her car, pulled in front of the building and fired a gun at the entrance multiple times. One employee had to dive for cover and Garcia fled, stealing $226 in pet supplies, odor removers and other items.

The affidavit states when confronted to any degree, Garcia resorted to acts of violence during the string of incidents. In two cases, agents said she was outside the store and leaving the scene unaccosted when she opened fire.

In other words, the incidents were over and Garcia had (essentially) gotten away when she chose to open fire, according to the affidavit.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration has been quietly laying the groundwork to release prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention center and at least move closer to being able to shut it down. A review board that includes military and intelligence officials has now determined more than half of the 39 men held indefinitely without charge at the U.S. base in Cuba can now be safely released to their homelands or sent to another country. Decisions about several of these prisoners, including some denied under previous reviews, have come in recent weeks as the administration faced criticism from human rights groups for not doing more to close Guantanamo, releasing only a single prisoner over the past year.

Where things stand:

IS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ABOUT TO EMPTY GUANTANAMO?

No. With the most recent decisions, there are now 20 prisoners deemed eligible for release or transfer and one due to soon complete a sentence after being convicted by military commission in a plea deal. Much still must happen, such as in some cases finding countries willing to accept prisoners and impose security controls on them. But some could start to leave in the coming weeks and months.

DOES THIS MEAN THE UNITED STATES IS CLOSER TO SHUTTERING GUANTANAMO?

In theory, yes. But even if the U.S. releases all 20, what to do with the rest? There are 10 still facing trial by military commission. They include five charged with planning and aiding the Sept. 11 attacks. The death penalty case has been bogged down in pretrial litigation for years and there still is no start date. One potential solution would be plea bargains to end all pending cases, but that leaves open the question of where they would serve out any sentences.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

The U.S. opened the detention center under President George W. Bush in January 2002 after the 9/11 attacks and the invasion of Afghanistan. It was intended to hold and interrogate prisoners suspected of having links to al-Qaida or the Taliban. About 780 men have passed through Guantanamo, which hit a peak of a about 680 in 2003. Bushs defense secretary, Donald H. Rumsfeld, famously referred to the men held there as the worst of the worst, but many were low-level militants, some had no connection to terrorism at all and few would ever be charged with a crime.

As reports of torture and abuse emerged, the detention center became a lightning rod for international criticism from American allies and a propaganda bonanza for enemies. Bush released 532 prisoners but left it to his successor to figure out what to do with the rest.

President Barack Obama pledged to close Guantanamo upon taking office. But members of Congress resisted the idea of transferring prisoners to the United States, even to face trial in federal court. The Obama administration created the Periodic Review Board to evaluate prisoners and determine if they could be released without posing a threat to national security. Under Obama, 197 prisoners left Guantanamo.

Under President Donald Trump, a single prisoner was released as part of a plea bargain, bringing the total to 40. President Joe Biden has said little about Guantanamo, which has largely fallen out of the political spotlight. So far, just one prisoner has been released under his administration.

WHATS BEEN HAPPENING IN RECENT WEEKS?

In January, human rights groups were marking the 20th anniversary of the opening of Guantanamo and bemoaning what they saw as a lack of progress on closure. Since then, theres been some behind-the scenes activity with the board, which was never popular with detainee advocates but has been one of the few paths out of confinement. When Biden came into office, there were five cleared detainees; four were holdovers from the Obama administration and one was approved under Trump. Under Biden, 15 have been cleared so far, including more than half a dozen in recent weeks.

This is what the administration considers a deliberate and thorough process focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population and closing of the Guantanamo facility, according to said Pentagon deputy press secretary J. Todd Breasseale.

Among the factors they consider, Breasseale said, are the age and health of the detainees. They have included Mohammed al-Qahtani, a mentally ill Saudi who authorities said intended to be one of the 9/11 hijackers but was prevented from entering the U.S. by a suspicious Customs officer at the airport in Orlando, Florida. A Bush legal official concluded al-Qahtani had been tortured at Guantanamo and an effort to try him by military commission was scrapped.

Also cleared under Biden was Saifullah Paracha, a Pakistani with various medical ailments who, at 74, is the oldest prisoner at Guantanamo.

The review board for this first time has cleared one of the high-value detainees, designated as such because they were held in the clandestine CIA prisons known as black sites.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE REACTION?

Some Republicans in Congress have expressed outrage at the al-Qahtani decision. Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, called it an appalling capitulation to the far left. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is critical of the policy more broadly of seeking to close Guantanamo, which he recently defended as a highly secure, humane and entirely legal place to detain terrorists. Under the law, Congress must be notified in advance of any pending transfers or releases but is largely powerless to stop it from occurring.

Among detainee advocates, there is a wait-and-see attitude. They welcome the boards decisions but want to see if the administration follows through with releases. Wells Dixon, an attorney for the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights, is waiting to see what happens with his client, Majid Khan, the prisoner who has reached a plea bargain and has nearly completed his sentence. Its a positive thing for these men to be cleared, Dixon said. But its not meaningful progress toward closure unless there are transfers.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that the detention center opened in January 2002, not January 2001.
MUNICH  Vice President Kamala Harris said Saturday that the world has arrived at a decisive moment in history as the Biden administration warns a Russian invasion of Ukraine in the coming days is highly likely.

During a meeting with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Harris vowed that the U.S. was committed to Ukraines sovereignty. The vice president also used an address at the conference to reiterate the Biden administrations promise to hit Russia with economy-jarring sanctions if it invades Ukraine again, following the 2014 seizure of Crimea.

Let me be clear, I can say with absolute certainty: If Russia further invades Ukraine, the United States, together with our allies and partners, will impose significant and unprecedented economic costs, Harris said.

Harris addressed the annual Munich conference the day after President Joe Biden said he was convinced that Russias Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade neighboring Ukraine.

Harris made the case to a largely European audience that the West has strength through unity and that an invasion would likely lead to an even bigger NATO presence on Russias doorstep.

Later, at the start of the meeting with Ukraines leader, Harris called it a decisive moment in history and told Zelenskyy, Any threat to your country we take seriously.

He responded: We clearly understand what is going on. This is our land. We want peace.

He said he needs Western allies to take specific steps, alluding to Ukraines requests for even more military and economic assistance. Zelenskyy also noted that with Russian troops at his countrys borders, Ukraines army is in fact defending all of Europe.

Harris herself remarked about the perilousness of the moment in her address at the conference, noting that not since the end of the Cold War has this forum convened under such dire circumstances.

Today, as we are all well aware, the foundation of European security is under direct threat in Ukraine, she said.

Russia annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and fomented a rebellion in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russia separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces for almost eight years. The United States and the European Union previously sanctioned Russia over its seizure of Crimea.

Western fears of an invasion have escalated in recent months as Russia amassed more than 150,000 troops near Ukraines borders.

Harris said the Biden administration, along with its allies, had tried to engage with Moscow in good faith to find a diplomatic resolution but that effort was not reciprocated by the Kremlin.

Russia continues to say it is ready to talk while at the same time it narrows the avenues for diplomacy, Harris said. Their actions simply do not match their words.

Harris credited European allies for speaking with a largely unified voice as the latest Ukraine crisis has unfolded. The vice president said Republicans and Democrats in Washington  who rarely agree on major issues  are generally in agreement on the necessity of confronting Putin.

We didnt all start out in the same place, Harris said. We came together and are now speaking with a unified voice. And that voice was a function of not only dialogue and debate, some concessions, but also the practical realization of the moment that we are in, which is that we are looking at a sovereign nation that may very well be on the verge of being invaded yet again.

Harris on Friday met in Munich with the leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, who stressed that an increase in the U.S. troop presence on the eastern edge of NATO is necessary.

The White House has not yet said whether it will fulfill those requests, but Harris suggested in her address on Saturday that an invasion could lead to a bolstered American presence.

The imposition of these sweeping and coordinated measures will inflict great damage on those who must be held accountable. And we will not stop with economic measures, Harris said. We will further reinforce our NATO allies on the eastern flank.

Biden and other U.S. officials have offered increasingly dire warnings that the window for diplomacy is narrow.

Biden told reporters Friday that he believes Putin has decided to invade in the coming days, taking military action that could go far beyond the disputed Donbas region in eastern Ukraine and include the capital, Kyiv.

The vice president also met on Saturday with Germanys chancellor, Olaf Scholz. Biden has vowed the Nord Stream 2 Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline will be blocked if Russia further invades Ukraine.

Harris also discussed the recent Ukraine developments and Western response with President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece, the White House said.

___

Follow APs coverage of the tensions between Ukraine and Russia at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Tako Tens Circle of Friends offers one of each of the restaurants 10 tacos along with samples of its salsas. (Richard S. Dargan/For the Journal) The Frida Pie at Tako Ten is made of tricolor tortilla chips, melted Oaxaca queso, chile, and topped with a generous pile of guacamole. (Richard S. Dargan/For the Journal) Thai Street at 5500 San Mateo NE opened in early February and is the second location of the local restaurant. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Thai Street, a new Thai restaurant in the Northeast Heights, serves dishes like red curry. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) The Pad Thai dish at Thai Street. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Prev 1 of 5 Next

It all started with a taco.

Well, actually, it started with 10 of them.

And now, the owners of Tako Ten are taking their core menu of 10 tacos west with the planned opening of a second restaurant location near Montgomery and San Mateo in April.

Co-owner Joshua Gomez said the new menu will be similar to the current offerings at the original location at the Bridges on Tramway, so taco fans dont have to worry about missing out on their favorite options.

But unlike the original location, the new outlet at 5011 Montgomery NE will also be offering burgers, something long-time Tako Ten lovers may remember.

I think the burger our chef makes is one of the best burgers in town, Gomez said.

Gomez said burgers were on the original menu of Tako Ten and were one of the more popular items, but they were eventually removed after burgers proved to be too difficult to make in a timely manner in the small kitchen space.

However, the larger kitchen space at the new location means burger lovers can get their fill alongside the extensive taco menu.

Gomez said the opening of the new location has been in the works for a while, since Tako Ten was opened with the intention of expanding the option across town.

He said he would like to see the restaurant expand to about five Albuquerque locations and even to other states.

Gomez, alongside his wife and business partner Michelle Waterson, also owns two other restaurant concepts, Thai Street and Refresh, both of which also opened at Bridges on Tramway.

Both concepts are also seeing some expansion and change with Thai Street opening a second location in early February at 5500 San Mateo NE and Refresh closing to be converted into a pizza restaurant that is yet to be named.

Gomez said that he and Waterson made the decision to close Refresh, which opened mid-2021, since it wasnt seeing the volume of customers they wanted and instead decided to pivot to pizza.

He anticipates that the new concept will open in about two weeks.

For Thai Street, the second location came by chance when Gomez saw the closing of the old Siam Cafe.

He said it made sense to replace a former Thai restaurant with a newer one and the location would bring a new customer base to the restaurant.

Its in a good area.  Its right off the highway, everyone basically has access to it, and it was just kind of a lucky thing where the opportunity opened up and we were able to make something happen, he said.
OTTAWA, Ontario  Hundreds of police in riot gear swept through Canadas capital Saturday, retaking control of the streets around the Parliament buildings and appearing to end the siege of Ottawa after three weeks of protests.

Protesters, angry over the countrys COVID-19 restrictions and with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, retreated from the largest police operation in the countrys history, with police arresting or driving out demonstrators and towing away their trucks.

In Ottawa, Interim Police Chief Steve Bell said that some smaller protests continued but this unlawful occupation is over. We will continue with our mission until it is complete.

While some protesters vowed to stay on Ottawas streets, one organizer told reporters they had decided to peacefully withdraw.

We will simply regroup as a grassroots movement, Tom Marazzo said at a press conference.

Police had been brought in from across the country to help in the clearance operation, Bell said, adding that 170 people were arrested Friday and Saturday and multiple investigations had been launched because of weapons seizures.

Were not going anywhere until you have your streets back, he said at a press conference, vowing to go after protesters who dont disperse with financial sanctions and criminal charges.

By early Saturday afternoon, protesters were gone from the street in front of Parliament Hill, the collection of government offices that includes the Parliament buildings, which had the heart of the protests. It had been occupied by protesters and their trucks since late last month, turning into a carnival on weekends.

They are trying to push us all away, said one protester, Jeremy Glass of Shelburne, Ontario, as authorities forced the crowds to move further from the Parliament buildings. The main camp is seized now. Were no longer in possession of it.

Police said protesters remained aggressive and assaultive and that pepper spray had been used to protect officers. Authorities also said children had been brought right to the police lines, saying it was putting the children at risk.

Canadian authorities also announced they had used emergency powers to seize 76 bank accounts connected to protesters, totaling roughly $3.2 million ($2.5 million U.S.).

On Saturday, they also closed a bridge into the nations capital from Quebec to prevent a renewed influx of protesters.

Around midday, protest organizers said they had ordered truckers to move away from Parliament Hill, decrying the polices actions as abuses of power.

To move the trucks will require time, organizers said in a statement. We hope that (police) will show judicious restraint.

Earlier, Ottawa police addressed the protesters in a tweet: We told you to leave. We gave you time to leave. We were slow and methodical, yet you were assaultive and aggressive with officers and the horses. Based on your behavior, we are responding by including helmets and batons for our safety.

Police said one protester launched a gas canister and was arrested as police advanced.

Earlier, Bell said most of the arrests were for mischief charges and that no protesters had been hurt. One officer had a minor injury, he said.

Those arrested included four protest leaders. One received bail while the others remained jailed.

Tow truck operators wearing neon-green ski masks, with their companies decals taped over on their trucks to conceal their identities, arrived under police escort and started removing hundreds of big rigs, campers and other vehicles parked shoulder to shoulder near Parliament. Police smashed through the door of at least one camper Friday before hauling it away.

The crackdown on the self-styled Freedom Convoy began Friday morning, when hundreds of police, some in riot gear and some carrying automatic weapons, descended into the protest zone and began leading demonstrators away in handcuffs through the snowy streets as holdout truckers blared their horns.

The capital and its paralyzed streets represented the movements last major stronghold after weeks of demonstrations and blockades that shut down border crossings into the U.S. and created one of the most serious tests yet for Trudeau. They also shook Canadas reputation for civility, with some blaming Americas influence.

The Freedom Convoy demonstrations initially focused on Canadas vaccine requirement for truckers entering the country but soon morphed into a broad attack on COVID-19 precautions and Trudeaus government.

Ottawa residents complained of being harassed and intimidated by the truckers and obtained a court injunction to stop their incessant honking.

Trudeau portrayed the protesters as members of a fringe element. Canadians have largely embraced the countrys COVID-19 restrictions, with the vast majority vaccinated, including an estimated 90% of the nations truckers. Some of the vaccine and mask mandates imposed by the provinces are already falling away rapidly.

The biggest border blockade, at the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, disrupted the flow of auto parts between the two countries and forced the industry to curtail production. Authorities lifted the siege last weekend after arresting dozens of protesters.

But even as things were growing calmer in Ottawa, the Canadian border agency warned that operations at a key truck crossing from western Canada into the United States had been slowed by protesters, advising travelers to find a different route. The crossing near the town of Surrey remained open, officials said, but further details were not available.

The protests have been cheered on and received donations from conservatives in the U.S.

___

Gillies reported from Toronto.
Sawmill Mercantile Cafe Manager Alex Hord, left, interviews Trinity Diamond for a server position Feb. 10 at a Heritage Hotels & Resorts hiring event. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Manuel Chavez, left, answers questions from Sawmill Market director Corey Perez while interviewing for a buser position during a hiring event in February (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Volcano Vista High School chemistry teacher Ismael Renteria, center, helps substitute teacher John Wantland, right, prepare to teach a class on Feb. 9. APS is struggling to fill nearly 800 vacancies, including about 300 teaching roles. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Cultivation assistants Nathaniel Smith, left, and Celestino Flores work inside a growhouse on the 14-acre Ultra Health campus in Bernalillo. (Adria Malcolm/For the Journal) Rob Black Prev 1 of 5 Next

With New Mexico employers adjusting to what may be a more manageable strain of COVID-19, competition for hiring remains stiff.

And keeping employees happy is top of mind.

Employers have to be creative about the way they structure their business models, both in understanding where they get their best return on investment  but also about how they retain their employees and keep them happy, said Rob Black, president and CEO of the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce. Businesses have to be flexible, whether its work schedules or remote work, or benefits packages.

Experts and leaders of major employers say theyre trying to be more flexible and play to their strengths. Molly Ryckman, vice president of sales and marketing for Heritage Hotels and Resorts, agreed that the writing is on the wall: Employment options are growing, so treat your people well.

I think it has made us really consider what that employee is looking for in employment, whether it is a flexible schedule, or increased wages, or just the ability to take time off when required, she said. I think it has made a lot of employers become definitely more flexible.

As employers navigate that dynamic, Black said he also believes the current trend for New Mexicos economy is inching toward improved confidence in being able to coexist with COVID-19, which is good news for the states businesses.

I do think there is kind of a renewed feeling that we are going to be living with some level of this virus going forward, he said. Knowing that the latest variant, omicron, appears to be milder for vaccinated people has given people a feeling that there is more of a willingness to reengage.

Heres a look at what several major private and public employers in New Mexico have to say about the current hiring climate:

Heritage Hotels and Resorts

Heritage  which includes a number of prominent properties including Hotel Chaco, Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town and Hotel St. Francis in Santa Fe  has been hosting a series of hiring events to fill about 300 people at its 13 hotels.

Hotel leadership was optimistic about its hiring push. Ryckman said she believes the states outdoor offerings make it an attractive place to live.

There is so much to do here recreationally. People can get out, they can hike, they can bike, they can be outdoors, said Ryckman. I think that was one of the great draws to New Mexico. People felt like they could be safer, and be in this great open space without lots of people.

Heritage Hotels and Resorts is still about 30% from a full workforce, and currently open positions range from higher-level managers, to housekeepers, to maintenance staff, to line cooks. It definitely runs the gamut, Ryckman said.

In addition to its hotels, the company operates a real estate company, so its full employment roster includes about 2,000 positions, she said.

Sandia National Laboratories

Sandia National Laboratories, one of largest laboratories in the country, historically has had a strong brand recognition and successful recruitment in New Mexico. But with the pandemic-induced shift to virtual outreach, the labs hiring process has been slowed.

I think what we have in New Mexico, and across the country, is COVID fatique or virtual event fatigue,' said David Martinez, manager of recruiting for Sandia National Laboratories. So youll get 100 to 200 students signed up. In the beginning (of COVID), wed get 150 to 180  75% would show up to the virtual event. But as we have progressed through this pandemic, you may have the same number registered, but you may get half of those students (to) show up at the event.

Martinez said its difficult to know the extent of the labs current workforce shortage because the flux of attrition and the ebb and flow of contract work constantly shifts the amount of workers being employed, and how many are needed.

Its complicated, he said.  In any given year we are really trying to manage backfilling attrition, and then also hiring to support areas of growth in our mission and future technology areas. It is a healthy combination of both.

How the pandemic fits into employment adds another layer of variables, he said.

But, in terms of numbers, he said that in fiscal year 2019  what Martinez called a banner year for recruitment  there were more than 2,000 new hires. In fiscal year 2021, there were 1,340 new hires.

The challenges of the pandemic have been managed well by Sandia, Martinez said. Our leadership has been very much supportive of telecommuting which has been incorporated into company culture to deal with the COVID-19 reality.

We all know what that means. Children homeschooling, doing virtual school, parents having to work from home, Martinez said. And that flexibility to work from home for many Sandians has been a vital element, and I think it has kept many folks at Sandia because of that. That to me has been a differentiator.

Ultra Health

One sector poised to grow significantly amid the pandemic is the cannabis industry. Aided by a perfect storm of sorts  COVID-19-stressed adults lighting up more frequently and a law legalizing adult-use cannabis sales starting in April  one New Mexico dispensary is ready for a significant expansion.

We are looking to hire many more individuals for all sorts of positions, said Marissa Novel, chief marketing officer for Ultra Health, which operates a number of medical cannabis retailers across the state.

With about 130,000 clients now enrolled in Ultra Healths medical cannabis program across the state, that potential pool of consumers is going to double, triple even, practically overnight when recreational cannabis sales begin, she said.

Ultra Health currently has 25 stores in about 20 New Mexico counties  with six dispensaries in Albuquerque and two in Santa Fe  and is in the process of constructing 10 more, Novel said.

In terms of staffing, I think we could easily see an increase of 30%, maybe close to 50%, by the end of 2022. We have about 350 employees right now, and that is across 25 retail dispensaries.

Albuquerque Public Schools

Albuquerque Public Schools, which is among the citys top employers with 12,000 full-time positions, is currently looking to fill 787 vacancies, according to APS data. That includes 300 available jobs for teachers looking to join the current teaching staff of 6,500 now working at the district.

Filling those slots hasnt been easy, said Monica Armenta, executive director of communications for APS.

Ive been with Albuquerque Public Schools for 17 years, and prior to that, I anchored local morning news for 23 years. In my experience, it has never been this competitive, Armenta said.

But she said that the teacher shortage at the district is not entirely the result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The teacher shortage issue is nothing new, it has just been exacerbated by the pandemic, she said. Its like anything, until you hit a crisis, people dont necessarily pay attention.

Also complicating APS recruitment, she said, is that a number of large companies have opened in the state and are offering attractive packages with a more robust set of benefits.

For the very first time ever, you have Amazon, and you have Netflix, and Facebook, she said. So for the first time ever in this city and this state, you can get jobs that pay competitively with benefits, and you still have a very limited pool of employees to draw from.
Tasha Druggan says the best part of running a dog care business is pretty much what any pet lover would guess: working with animals, staying active, plenty of time outside and being self-employed.

The worst part? All that fur.

I would say the part that, like, sucks that people dont think about is  the cleaning, said Druggan, who operates a dog day care and boarding businesses from her Northeast Albuquerque home.  The fur, Im just, like, cleaning constantly.

So Druggan has a regime: She runs a robot vacuum at least twice daily. She sweeps and scrubs the floor nearly every day. She even ripped out the carpets in the part of her home where the dogs are allowed.

Its a level of dedication befitting of the citys best at-home dog care provider  a title Druggan can very nearly claim, according to Rover.com, the online marketplace where she sells her services.

According to Rover spokesman Pete Bahrenburg, Druggan is one of the companys top service providers in the Albuquerque area. Her bona fides include 220 five-star reviews and 106 repeat clients, both metrics where she stands above any other Rover provider in the metro area.

The 31-year-old Kentucky native moved to Albuquerque in 2018 after a military stint, running track for the U.S. Naval Academy, then six years in the Navy. By the time she got out, she was ready for some more flexibility. Druggan, who had spent a year working at Kirtland Air Force Base, liked Albuquerque, its weather, the mountains, the affordability, the fact that she thought the market for pet care might be enough to sustain her.

Druggan also studies martial arts  shes a purple belt in Brazilian jiujitsu who trains at United Fit  and wanted to be able to set her own schedule for training and competitions.

She started out dog-walking, and later added housesitting and daytime drop-in visits with pets. Eventually she began offering day care and dog boarding services.

Those offerings were just taking off when the pandemic hit. Suddenly, many of Druggans clients were able to walk their own dogs throughout the workday.

It was a blow.

For a couple months, it was almost nothing, Druggan said.  It was really hard.

But she scraped by. For a few weeks, some of Druggans regular clients insisted on continuing to pay her, hoping to help her stay afloat. She did some food delivering via DoorDash. She also started marketing directly to health care workers, offering a 10% off discount for nurses working 12- or 13-hour shifts.

Slowly, things started to pick up again. She got a couple nurses as clients, who spread the news to their colleagues.

For a while, the majority of my customers were nurses, Druggan said.

Today, Druggans business is nearly back up to normal. On normal weekdays, shell usually have four to eight dogs at the house. She usually keeps her charges split into two groups based on how they get along. Her own energetic cattle dog mix  Paco, who is obsessed with fetch  helps set the pace.

Shell take some of the dogs for walks, depending on the level of exercise theyre used to at home. And she still does midday drop-in visits to the dogs of a few longtime clients. Nurses  especially traveling nurses  still make up a lot of her day care clientele, while active military members are frequent fliers on the boarding side.

It can get hectic, and Druggan said she puts a lot of effort toward keeping the peace.

To me, thats like the most important thing, because  thats safety, she said.  You dont want a dog fight. You want them to be happy.

Druggan said careful screening of new clients is key. If shes away for any amount of time, the dogs are all in their crates or separated from each other, so she asks that clients dogs be crate-trained or at least comfortable in a room with a closed door for a few hours.

Its getting better now, but  especially in the middle of the pandemic, a lot of people got puppies and then they were working at home and their dogs were never  ever alone, Druggan said.

One anxious pup in particular left an impression.

I put him in a room and he  chewed through the entire door to get to my dog, Druggan said.  (In) less than an hour.

Druggan doesnt take dogs over 100 pounds; a pet-sitting course she took online taught her one way to stop a fight is to grab the dog from behind and pick them up, which usually stops the spat. She also learned that a controlled choke  not unlike those she practices in jiujitsu  is one of the only ways to handle a dog that bites and wont release. Fortunately, Druggan said, shes only ever had to do that once, when a dog she was caring for clamped down on her own dog.

It wasnt biting to break his skin, it was just fighting to hold on, Druggan said. I did the hold and I started picking him up and he let go.

Druggan doesnt have a hard-and-fast rule on breeds, but said she screens some more carefully than others. With pit bulls and pit bull mixes  like the one that she had to choke and lift  she looks for the way they relate to other dogs. With Chihuahuas, its excessive barking, and with huskies and boxers, its their well-known escape artistry. Once, Druggan said, a boxer jumped the fence in her backyard. It took two hours chasing him through her neighborhood before she finally caught up with him.

She said its a fun and rewarding job thats fully supporting her. When she mainly walked dogs, Druggan said her goal was to earn about $800 per week  and she typically brought in just about that much. With boarding and day care, her goal is $1,000 per week, and she exceeds that most weeks.

Druggan said shed like to eventually expand, maybe move to a bigger space and hire a couple employees.

I want to keep growing it, she said.  I dont have any plans to stop doing it right now.
VILNIUS, Lithuania  U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin assured the three Baltic nations Saturday that they would not be on their own if faced with security threats from Russia, but he stopped short of promising a permanent deployment of American troops in the former Soviet republics.

Austin was in Lithuania as a massive Russian troop buildup and other actions have Western officials saying that Moscow could invade Ukraine at any time, although Russia has denied planning an invasion.

They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike, Austin said Saturday about the readiness of Russias troops to attack Ukraine.

Lithuanian officials voiced concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putins alleged ambitions could expand to the entire region.

The battle for Ukraine is a battle for Europe. If Putin is not stopped there, he will go further, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said during a joint news conference with Austin. They are choosing the way that is based on force. We need to send a very clear and unambiguous message that it would be faced by a very clear and swift response.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte noted that some European political leaders a few years ago spoke of NATO being irrelevant.

Putin must be surprised now by the unity of the West, which is much stronger than ever, Simonyte told The AP.  Now we see how relevant NATO is and how important it is that we have absolute unity of NATO and the European Union. And the most important message to Mr. Putin is that there will be no decisions on countries behind the countries back. This is what he wants to achieve.

She scolded Western nations for not taking signals coming from Moscow seriously enough in the past years. Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and began backing separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, including the Donbas region, that same year.

If the threat from Russia would have been taken seriously by the West, there would have been no Crimea and no Donbas. A lot in the future will depend on how strong the Western reaction will be if Russia invades Ukraine, Simonyte said. Bad peace is better than a good war. Diplomacy should be given a chance, but there will be no trust (in Russia) anymore and I do not see how it can be restored.

The three Baltic nations  Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia  joined NATO on the same day in March 2004, and the alliance operates under the principle that an attack on one member is an attack on them all. Lithuania, a nation of 2.8 million, borders Russian ally Belarus and Russias Kaliningrad exclave.

I want everyone in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia to know  and I want President Putin and the Kremlin to know  that the United States of America stands with our allies, Austin said during the news conference in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital.

Austin also met with Simonyte, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and the defense ministers of Latvia and Estonia on his two-day visit to Lithuania.

Nauseda asked Washington for a permanent deployment of a rotating battalion in the Baltics, emphasizing that the situation in Eastern Europe continues to deteriorate.

Russias military buildup on NATOs eastern border changes the overall security situation. Therefore, the decision to reinforce security in the region with additional troops from the United States and to accelerate collaboration on military acquisitions is critical, Nauseda said.

Austin did not comment on the request. United States has deployed regular rotations of battle groups of about 500 soldiers and armored vehicles since 2019.

Germany and The Netherlands said this month that they would increase the number of troops by several hundred soldiers in NATOs battlegroup in Lithuania. The Dutch force is part of NATO German-led battlegroup deployed in Lithuania since 2017.

___

Follow APs coverage of the tensions between Russia and Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
WASHINGTON  The last of thousands of Afghan refugees who awaited resettlement at eight U.S. military installations departed Saturday from a base in New Jersey, completing a journey that started with the chaotic evacuation from Kabul in August.

With assistance from refugee resettlement organizations, Afghans evacuated after their country fell to the Taliban have been gradually leaving the military bases in recent months and starting new lives in communities throughout the United States.

The U.S. admitted 76,000 Afghans as part of Operation Allies Welcome, the largest resettlement of refugees in the country in decades.

Its a really important milestone in Operation Allies Welcome but I want to stress that this mission isnt over, said Krish OMara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, one of nine national resettlement organizations that were part of the effort.

Afghans still in their country but facing danger under Taliban rule as well as those who have made it to the United States will still need assistance, Vignarajah said.

Successful resettlement and integration wont happen in just a matter of days or weeks, she said. Our new Afghan neighbors are going to need our support and friendship for months and years to come because the challenges they face wont disappear overnight.

The U.S. plans to admit thousands of Afghan refugees over the next year but they will arrive in smaller groups and will be housed in a facility at a location yet to be determined, the Department of Homeland Security said.

Housing facilities for refugees at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in central New Jersey will remain open in the interim, the agency said. The base held the largest number of Afghans, reaching a peak of 14,500. The next largest was at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, where the last group departed this past week.

Afghans underwent immigration processing and health screening while they waited at the bases, often for months, until the strained refugee organizations could place them in communities. The government set up schools for the children who made up about 40 percent of the refugees at the New Jersey base.

Resettlement organizations and Homeland Security, the lead federal agency in the effort, had set a goal of having everyone off the bases by Feb. 15. It was a challenge because of the scarcity of affordable housing, cutbacks to refugee programs under President Donald Trump and the sheer number of refugees.

Most of the refugees have settled in established Afghan communities in northern Virginia and the surrounding Washington area, as well as Northern California and Texas.

States where between 1,000 and 3,000 have settled include Arizona, New York, Florida, Georgia, Colorado, Nebraska and Pennsylvania, according to State Department data obtained by The Associated Press.

DHS has previously said about 40 percent of the Afghans will qualify for the special immigrant visa for people who worked as military interpreters or for the U.S. government in some other capacity during Americas longest war.

Most of the rest, however, do not yet have permanent legal residency in the U.S. because they did not come under a refugee program but were admitted under a type of emergency federal authorization known as humanitarian parole.

Advocates for the refugees, including a number of prominent veterans groups, are pressing Congress to provide permanent residency with an Afghan adjustment act, similar to what has been done in the past for Cubans and Iraqis.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Editors note: this story has been updated to reflect the correct facility where Ramirez died while in custody.

The California man accused of getting into a wild shootout with Albuquerque police  injuring four officers  last year has died while behind bars in Cibola County.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said they were notified Friday that 28-year-old James Ramirez died in jail but did not say how he died or give any other details.

The Village of Milan Police Department is investigating the Feb. 15 death of Ramirez, who was in custody at the Cibola County Correctional Center as he faced federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm in the Aug. 19 incident. His attorney could not be reached for comment Saturday.

I wish I could say this news brings closure to the tragedy that this individual brought to Albuquerque last August. But the reality is he never faced any consequences for shooting four police officers, APD Chief Harold Medina said in a statement.

Ramirez, one of two suspects in the armed robbery of a teenager, got into back-to-back shootouts with police after they tracked him to an alleyway in Northeast Albuquerque, police said. At the time, Ramirez was armed with a handgun and four extended magazines  firing at least 70 bullets before being detained.

Ramirez initially opened fire on officers Mario Verbeck and James Eichel Jr., striking both, according to police. He got into a second shootout minutes later with officer Harry Gunderson and Sgt. Sean Kenny outside a coffee shop near Juan Tabo and Constitution NE.

Both Gunderson and Kenny were injured in the incident and Ramirez was taken into custody after being shot. A second suspect in the armed robbery, who fled when gunfire erupted between Ramirez and police, was never caught despite a massive manhunt.

All four officers were hospitalized.

Officers Verbeck, Eichel, Gunderson and Sgt. Kenny risked their lives when they responded to take a robbery suspect into custody, Medina said in his statement. We are forever thankful for their selfless actions to keep the community safe.

Ramirez of Los Angeles was initially charged by local authorities with armed robbery and three counts of aggravated battery upon a peace officer with a deadly weapon in the case.

Those charges were dismissed when 2nd Judicial District Attorney Raul Torrez determined it was best for Ramirez to be prosecuted in federal court first for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Used to ask for alms on streets in Afghanistan's Kandahar city, Almasi, a 40-year-old widow, has got a job in a bakery established to create job opportunities for the needy, especially women like her.

"Since (I) began working here and earning money, I've been very happy," Almasi said.

Women in Kandahar, locals said, have been facing economic hardship, particularly the widows who had lost their husbands and bread earners during decades of war.

With the prevailing poverty ravaging the war-torn country, Tamana's husband left Afghanistan to find a job but has sent "unfortunately no good news so far."

Nearly three months ago, Tamana found a job in the bakery and felt satisfied with her income.

Launching income-generating projects, even a small one to hire a handful of people, can contribute to poverty alleviation, she said.

The bakery was started by Hedayatullah Azizi, a member of the local business company the Azizi Group, who believes that creating job opportunities for needy people could help reduce poverty in Kandahar province and in Afghanistan at large.

"Extreme poverty and an increasing number of beggars, especially women, on streets ... has inspired me to help them to have a regular income," Azizi said.

To provide job opportunities, the businessman established a relatively big bakery in Kandahar city, the capital of southern Kandahar province, and employed 50 women.

"A total of 5,000 bread are baked every day there in the bakery," said Azizi, who is also the manager of Azizi Super Store in Kandahar city, adding that the bread was sold to "government offices, houses and other places."

This is the first time that a local company has established an income-generating project in Kandahar, a city that had been badly damaged during the 20-year presence of U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan.

Following the U.S. military defeat and withdrawal from Afghanistan in late August last year, Washington has imposed sanctions on the Taliban-run administration and frozen more than 9 billion U.S. dollars of assets of Afghanistan's central bank, which battered the economy in the war-torn country.

More than 22 million out of some 35 million people in Afghanistan, according to aid agencies reports, are facing acute food insecurity, but a bakery like Azizi's has provided a sliver of hope. 
Ghost Canyon, the fourth book in James C. Wilsons Fernando Lopez Santa Fe Mystery series, has a lot  maybe too much  going on.

Lopez is a Santa Fe police detective assigned to help Patricia Begay, a Navajo FBI agent investigating the murder of ranger Pete Chavez at Chaco Culture National Historical Park.

The story links Lopezs out-of-town assignment to an earlier murder scene in Santa Fe  the killing of eccentric Santa Fe artist Tom Flynn.

On Flynns bed is an old leather-bound journal Flynns grandfather had kept while working with trading post operator Richard Wetherill excavating Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyons largest ruin. A single page is torn from the journal. The last entry before the missing page, written on Aug. 23, 1906, refers to Wetherills plan to hide a cache of the more valuable jewelry and pottery to sell at his trading post.

At Chaco, Lopez and Begay probe Chavezs murder, the illegal digging at Pueblo Bonito by violent looters, and the disappearance of head ranger Jim Murphy.

Along the way, the mystery serves up entertaining, intriguing sidebars involving minor players and ghosts that may or may be related to the crimes.

Theres Paul and June Bryan, a couple camping at Chaco. They own a Santa Fe business Paul insists sells more than sex toys. They specialize in aura photography. June is a karmic wound and energy healer; New Age-y stuff. Paul has a quiet pottery-collecting side gig. Huh. Paul introduces Lopez to Marcy, a colleague and fellow camper. She calls herself a sex therapist. In the name of therapy, Marcy takes up with a park ranger, Chet, and later with a suspicious park visitor named Earl, a worker at a nearby oil rig. Curiously, Earl asks about the Chaco staffs watchfulness for illegal digging.

Then theres pot-smoking campers Roy and Carla Tompkins of Arroyo Seco.

They refer to themselves as Laurentians.

It used to be a joke in Taos. People who believe in free love. The whole D.H. Lawrence cult, Wilson explained in a phone interview.

In dialogue and narrative, one deeply feels that Chaco is haunted, magical. Murphy said its not uncommon to see lights moving among the ruins or to hear sounds coming from parts of the canyon. To which, Begay replies, The ghosts are everywhere here. I can feel them.

A recurring ghostlike figure is a man in a long black duster and wide-brimmed hat. Chavez, moments before his death, is the first to see the shadowy figure who seems to float across the room toward him, reaching out a hand now, trying to communicate.

Wilson repeatedly draws on his earlier nonfiction book for background in Ghost Canyon. That 2019 book is Hiking New Mexicos Chaco Canyon: The Trails, the Ruins, the History.

Wilson acknowledged he had a more difficult time writing Ghost Canyon than he did the previous three volumes in the mystery series.

Thats because it is so heavy with fact. Theres a lot of guidebook in (Ghost Canyon) and I think it slowed down the fiction writing, he said. The many extended references to Chacos trails, ruins and history bogged down the reading for this reviewer. And maybe too many details of Chacos geography. Example: Off to his right he could make out the jagged walls of Chetro Ketl silhouetted against the North Mesa cliff. To his left he could see the luminous patch of sky over South Gap, between the shadows of West and South mesas.

Other issues  including faulty editing  stalled the flow. At one point early on, while still in Santa Fe, Lopez is interviewing Clint Jackson, an angry codger who lives in Tom Flynns guest house. Lopez asks Jackson if he knows what is written on the old journals missing page.

The response?

Flynn shook his head. Not possible. Flynn is already dead. Jackson shook his head.

Some pages later, Lopez meets Begay for the first time, thinking:

She was obviously Navajo, with raven black hair braided to the middle of her back.

The book leaves unanswered what was so obvious about Begays tribe. Her surname? Her hairdo?

The majority of the book is set in Chaco Canyon. But Lopez returns to Santa Fe to confront more death and drama in the conclusion. Wilson, a 73-year-old Albuquerque resident, is emeritus professor of English and journalism at the University of Cincinnati. Prior to that he was a reporter and freelance writer in Santa Fe in the mid-1970s. Wilson is also the author of what he termed a research memoir about living with an autistic son and hes published several scholarly books.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth IIs accession to the throne, an accomplishment which provides the opportunity for another book about the British monarchy. Tracy Bormans Crown & Sceptre brings us in short, vivid chapters from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth herself, much of it constituting a dark record of bumping off adversaries, rivals and spouses, confiscating vast estates and military invasions. It is also an account of the rise and steady diminishment of royal power.

Borman offers brisk descriptions of the circumstances each monarch met in assuming the crown and nimbly sketches his or her character and talents  or lack thereof. She chooses to begin with William the Conqueror, as his reign (1066-1087) transformed the country by killing off the Anglo-Saxon nobility, replacing the language, establishing feudalism and furthering the influence of Western Europe over that of Scandinavia.

Of paramount importance to the monarchy has been achieving an orderly succession in the face of regional and religious enmity, the ambition of powerful families and strife within the royal family. But discord between monarch and heir  or would-be heir  has been a recurring theme throughout British history.

It was so before the Conquest and continued with the Conqueror himself, whose wife, Matilda, and eldest son, Robert, conspired to usurp him. He survived, unlike Edward II (1307-1327), who met an (allegedly) ghastly and humiliating death after being deposed and imprisoned by his wife and her lover in favor of his 14-year-old son, Edward III (1327-1377).

George II (1727-1760) spoke for more than one royal parent when he described his eldest son and heir, Frederick, as a monster and the greatest villain ever born  the greatest ass and the greatest liar  and the greatest beast in the whole world.

Though dynastic troubles are woven into the fabric of British history, it is only one element in this lucid, character-rich book. Throughout, Borman traces the changing relationship between a weakening crown and the growing power and makeup of Parliament.

And what of the crown today? Many British subjects would like to abolish it as an odious relic of the past, expensive and undemocratic. But what would that leave? Yet another overly wealthy family with no responsibilities, dignity or reason for being  and a bleak final episode of The Crown.

Crown & Sceptre
Celebrity

The 'General Hospital' actress' body was found in Hollywood Boulevard, around four miles away from her last sighting, five days after being reported missing.

Feb 19, 2022

AceShowbiz - The search for actress Lindsey Pearlman has come to a tragic end. After missing for five days, the "General Hospital" actress was found dead in Los Angeles on Friday, February 18. She was 43.

Confirming the news was a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department. Her body was found in Hollywood Boulevard, around four miles away from her last sighting. In the meantime, details surrounding Lindsey's passing, including cause of death, have yet to be released.

According to a missing persons alert which was previously issued by authorities, Lindsey was last seen on February 13 around noon local time near the Thai Town neighborhood of L.A. As she "failed to return home," her family and friends were concerned because no one had heard from her since her last sighting.

Lindsey's cousin Savannah Pearlman confirmed the actress' passing on Twitter on Friday. "I'm deeply sad to report that they have found Lindsey, and it was too late. I have no other information about the location or circumstance," so she wrote. "Lindsey was a fierce animal advocate and a talented actress."

Her website described Lindsey as an "accomplished commercial actor." She graduated from the Second City Conservatory program and received improv training at Upright Citizens Brigade. While working in Chicago, she appeared in theater productions of "The Mousetrap", "Trevor" and "Never the Bridesmaid", earning her a Joseph Jefferson Award for Outstanding Actress in a Principal Role.

"Lindsey loves 90's R&B," her website noted. "She is an activist for animals and humans. Her bat mitzvah bash is still the standard to which she holds all parties."

Lindsey was known for her roles on "General Hospital" and "Chicago Justice". Her acting credits included "Empire", "Sneaky Pete", American Housewife", "Selena: The Series" and "The Purge". Most recently, she recurred on BET+'s "The Ms. Pat Show" and Urbanflix's "Vicious".
WENN/John Rainford Celebrity

Back in January, the Duke of Sussex applied for a judicial review of a Home Office decision not to allow him to personally pay for police protection for himself and his family when they are in the U.K.

Feb 19, 2022

AceShowbiz - Prince Harry will not be bringing his family to his homeland because he doesn't feel safe there. In a new statement on Friday, February 17, his legal team claimed that Harry wants to bring his wife Meghan Markle and his two children, 2-year-old son Archie and 8-month-old daughter Lilibet, to the U.K., but it will be "too dangerous" without security.

"This claim is about the fact that the claimant does not feel safe when he is in the UK given the security arrangements that were applied to him in June 2021 and will continue to be applied to him if he returns," his lawyer Barrister Shaheed Fatima QC said. "And, of course, it should go without saying that he wants to come back: to see family and friends and to continue to support the charities that are so close to his heart. Most of all, this is, and always will be, his home."

Meanwhile, a skeleton argument that circulated on Friday from the Home Office would argue that personal protective security for the prince is still considered on a "case-by-case basis" due to Harry's "exceptional status." Whether the Duke of Sussex needs a personal protective security will depend on why the royal plans to visit Britain and the functions he will carry out while there.

It also noted that Harry "failed to appreciate the role of the Home Office and the Royal and VIP executive committee (RAVEC), a taskforce of civil servants and Scotland Yard officers, 'as the expert, and democratically accountable, decision-maker' on matters of protective security." A judge is set to make a ruling at a later time.

Back in January, Harry applied for a judicial review of a Home Office decision not to allow him to personally pay for police protection for himself and his family when they are in the U.K. In a statement from his legal spokesperson, he claimed that his family "has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats."

"The UK will be Prince Harry's home and a country he wants his wife and children to be safe. With the lack of police protection, comes too great a personal risk," the statement further added, noting that Harry tried to offer to fund a private security team multiple times only to be dismissed. "It is due to a leak in a UK tabloid, with surreptitious timing, we feel it necessary to release a statement setting the facts straight."
WENN/Mario Mitsis Celebrity

While shutting down the rumors, the 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' actor sarcastically says that one of his 'favorite aspects' of being an actor is seeing the press 'come out with the most outrageous headlines.'

Feb 19, 2022

AceShowbiz - Tom Holland has responded to rumors that he and Zendaya Coleman bought a house in London. In a new interview, the "Spider-Man: No Way Home" actor blasted the media for manipulating the truth.

The 25-year-old English actor discussed the matter during his appearance in the Friday, February 18 episode of "Live with Kelly and Ryan". He told hosts Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest, "One of my favorite aspects of this job is the way the press will manipulate the truth and come out with the most outrageous headlines. It's crazy."

"I've had so many people call me up because apparently, I bought a new house in South London? Which is completely false!" Tom noted. "I didn't buy a new house," he further stressed.

The "Chaos Walking" star went on to say, "I'm like, 'Wow, what a surprise, I wonder when I'll get the keys.' " Ryan then asked the actor, "So, where did that come from? Was there any inkling of truth to that?"

While Tom hasn't responded to Ryan's question, the TV host jokingly threw a string of rapid-fire questions as saying, "Did you walk by a house? Did you go to someone's house? Were you invited over?" The "Cherry" actor, who looked frustrated by the questions, then replied, "I don't know! Honestly, I don't know," which garnered an outburst of laughter from the audience.

Late last month, it's reported that Tom and Zendaya were "over the moon" about moving in together. At the time, a source told The Mirror, "They are over the moon about the property and getting their first home together. They are very much in love and wanted their first home to be in London where Tom grew up. Everyone is thrilled for them."

In the meantime, a separate source told Daily Mail that the couple could soon be choosing furniture together. "Tom has spent quite some time making this house into his perfect home and Zendaya has been visiting him in London, so let's see," the insider claimed. "They are Hollywood's hot, young couple and don't want to be apart."

Last December, Tom said that he wanted to hang up his Spider-Man costume, fueling speculations that he'd like to move in together with the "Dune" actress. In an interview with PEOPLE, he candidly shared, "I've spent the last six years being so focused on my career. I want to take a break and focus on starting a family and figuring out what I want to do outside of this world."

Tom also told the outlet that he is looking forward to becoming a father one day. "I love kids. I can't wait to be a dad -- I can wait and I will, but I can't wait," he explained, "If I'm at a wedding or a party, I'm always at the kids' table hanging out."
Instagram Celebrity

After the city's officials bring up her old tweet in which she claimed the COVID vaccine caused swollen testicles, the 'Do We Have a Problem?' rapper calls them out for fear mongering.

Feb 19, 2022

AceShowbiz - Nicki Minaj is still dragged online for her old tweet about COVID-19 vaccine and she isn't having it. Months after she made the controversial claims that the vaccine caused swollen testicles, the raptress has been trolled by public health officials, prompting her to clap back.

It all started after the Trinidadian star tweeted on Wednesday, February 16, "Nothing like watching someone speak confidently about something they know nothing about." Seeing this, the Philadelphia Public Health Department brought up her old tweet about COVID vaccine.

The health department shared Nicki's old tweet which read, "My cousin in Trinidad won't get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you're comfortable with ur decision, not bullied," and added the eyes emoji.

Catching wind of the shade, Nicki didn't remain silent. In her response, she accused the health officials of shaming and fear mongering as writing, "Philadelphia's public health account is posting Nicki Minaj tweets for engagement. They are attempting to shame ppl for advising others to PRAY, be COMFORTABLE & NOT BE BULLIED. I've never seen a vaccine trigger this amount of shaming & fear tactics have you?"

Back in September 2021, Nicki's tweet about the vaccine sparked a debate as Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh was forced to clarify her statement. "We had to check and make sure that what she was claiming was either true or false," the minister said in a news conference. "Unfortunately, we wasted so much time yesterday running down this false claim. As far as we know at this point in time, there has been no such reported either side effect or adverse event."

Dr. Anthony Fauci also warned her about spreading misinformation regarding the vaccine, saying, "The answer to that is a resounding no. There's no evidence that it happens." He added, "She should be thinking twice about propagating information that has no (scientific) basis, except as a one-off anecdote. That's not how science works."

Following the backlash, the "Anaconda" hitmaker claimed, "I'm in Twitter jail y'all. They didn't like what I was saying over there on that block." She went on stating, "I guess my poll was gonna be Asking questions is OK. I like being fkng dumb. Then boom. Can't tweet."
WENN/Avalon/Apega TV

The 'Donda' artist and the 'Saturday Night Live' star have been in an ongoing drama after the comedian started dating his estranged wife Kim Kardashian.

Feb 19, 2022

AceShowbiz - Kanye West has not been banned from "Saturday Night Live" despite reports. According to Us Weekly, the reports were not true as the NBC comedy show has not banned the Yeezy designer amid his drama with cast member Pete Davidson.

Kanye slammed the comedian on multiple occasions. On Thursday, February 17, the estranged husband of Kim Kardashian wrote on Instagram, "HI SKETE YOU GOT ANYMORE MENTAL HEALTH JOKES FOR ME?"

He also shared a screenshot of an October 2018 episode of "SNL" where he talked about the rapper's mental health struggles. "You know how wrong about politics you have to be for, like, me to notice?" Pete said at the time while wearing a "Make Kanye 2006 Again" hat. "You know how annoying that is? Like, Kanye is a genius but, like, a musical genius.  Kanye, I know you're like 'Yo, this is the real me, I'm off the meds,' but take [them]. There's no shade in the medicine game."

"Being mentally ill is not an excuse to act like a jacka**. I'm quoting my therapist, my mom, and my mailman," Pete, who has been candid about his own mental health issues, added.

Earlier this month, Kanye also offered Michael Che to pay double of his "SNL" salary so that can stop working with Pete. "@chethinks I'LL DOUBLE WHATEVER THEY PAYING YOU JUST SO YOU DONT HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT PAWN EVER AGAIN BIG LOVE," he penned on February 14.

However, Michael proved that he's such a loyal friend to Pete as he turned down the 44-year-old emcee's offer. "Sorry Ye, but I would never betray my friends," the New York native said, before joking that he wouldn't leave "for anything less than TRIPLE salary."

"That's right, $90k per year! Full medical, full dental, 4 weeks vacay, corner office, plus, a pair of red October size 12," the stand-up comedian continued joking. "And you gotta make some beats for my band 'The Slap Butts.' "

"And you gotta tell me what you're gonna wear to work the night before so we can look like twins!" Michael went on noting. "You do that for me, I'll ramo that whole building!"
Indian ad spends to grow by 22% in 2022 to reach Rs 107,987 cr: GroupM TYNY

Global ad spend is pegged to grow by 11% in 202 to reach $850 bn. As per the GroupM TYNY report, Digital will command a share of 66% of the global ad spends in 2022.

Digital to garner ad spend of Rs 48,603 cr in 2022 overtaking TV: GroupM TYNY

In India, too, Digital will lead the growth in 2022 at 33% and is estimated to reach 45% share of the ad spend in 2022, as compared to 41% share in 2021. Digitals incremental share ad spend share is pegged at 61% in 2022.

TV ad spends pegged to grow 15% to reach Rs 42,388 cr in 2022

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.

Creativity is going to be our only differentiator: Raj Kamble

In an exclusive conversation with Adgully, Raj Kamble , Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Famous Innovations, speaks about how they have adapted to the digital transformation and continue to create some pathbreaking work for their clients. He also touches upon the importance of content and how creating fresh and exciting content has become their biggest priority for 2022.

Supreme Court hearing on NTO 2.0 case today: Some key points to consider

Supreme Court will decide the constitutionality of TRAIs regulations imposing a limit on the price the broadcasters can charge for a bouquet of channels. The court will decide whether the TRAI regulations violate the broadcasters right to freedom of expression and their right to engage in free trade.

NTO 2.0 case: A masterstroke from IBDF, but what next after petition withdrawal?

According to sources, the IBDF had a couple of discussions with TRAI in the recent past, which, inter alia, eventually culminated in the withdrawal of the petition at the apex court.

NTO 2.0: IBDF withdraws its petition in SC

The major broadcasters, who had also separately challenged TRAIs regulatory framework, have supported the IBDF move. As requested by the IBDF, the apex court allowed the withdrawal of the application.

Industry welcomes Karnataka HCs lifting of ban on online gambling

The Karnataka High Court on Monday annulled portions of the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act, 2021, that criminalise betting on and playing skill games, including those played online, as unconstitutional.

Restoring the Maharaja to his former glory

As someone rightly said, homecoming never gets old. After a six-decade long stay in the foster home of the Indian Government, Air India has been returned to its birth parents  the Tata Group.

Will Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu This return excite viewers and advertisers?

Nostalgia makes a return on television as Star Plus begins to air a two-decade old massively popular soap, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Twenty years back, this soap had the nation enthralled with the happenings in the Virani family and its lead protagonists  Tulsi and Mihir  became a part of every India family.

BARC unlocks ADRS for news and special interest genre

According to the BARC, the ADRS meets the needs of the media trading ecosystem.The BARC India, with the help of the technical committee, had reviewed the reporting standards for news and special interest genres.

ASCI accepts Paid Partnership tag as adequate disclosure for influencer advertising

Paid Partnership tag on Instagram now accepted as adequate disclosure for influencer advertising, says ASCI.

"We vision Britannia Dairy as a leader in the Value-Added Dairy category"

In conversation with Adgully, Abhishek Sinha, Vice President - Dairy Business, Britannia Industries Ltd, speaks about his expectations for the Dairy and Beverages sector in 2022, as well as the challenges and opportunities in the year ahead.

Digital media is taking centerstage in campaign strategy today: Aman Gupta

In conversation with Adgully, Aman Gupta, Managing Partner, SPAG, speaks at length about the changes in the PR industry, especially healthcare PR, in the pandemic times, the challenges that this industry could face in 2022, how PR is embracing digital, why this industry stil does not have standard PR measurement and more.

"SBI Lifes refreshed brand line reflects our vision of transformation"

Speaking with Adgully for their column Talking Insights, Ravindra Sharma, Chief - Brand, Corporate Communication & CSR, SBI Life, shares his insights on SBI Lifes reimagined brand identity campaign, the media strategy, the targeted markets and more.

"Seamless omnichannel experiences will be critical for customer engagement in 2022"

The year 2022 is expected to see several new innovations and technological advancements. However, according to Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head of Marketing, Acer India, seamless omnichannel experiences are going to play a critical role in engaging with consumers.

We expect a significant recovery in the travel sector in 2022: Pallavi Chopra, redBus

In an interaction with Adgully, Pallavi Chopra, Senior Vice President, Brand - Head of Marketing, redBus, speaks about the revival seen in the travel sector as Covid cases subside across the country. She expects a surge in domestic travel and sees a larger role of technology in reviving the travel sector.

Running on faith is a value that we share across the organisation: Mansi Jain

In an exclusive conversation with Adgully, Mansi Jain speaks about how successfully women leaders have been able to handle the COVID-led disruptions in their organisations, have found work-life balance in the new normal, as well as guiding and motivating their teams to remain productive in the crisis times.

Women Leaders  Harbingers of change in challenging times

Adgullys latest #GullyChat Twitter chat episode on Friday, February 11, 2021 focused on the very important topic  Women Leaders - Harbingers of change in challenging times

Discovery India network claims close to 50% share in Infotainment category

In what looked like a high-octane and spellbinding assortment of offerings, Discovery, Inc in India virtually showcased its annual Upfront presentation to advertisers and marketers, outlining its content strategy and an exciting programming line-up for 2022.

Life in the new normal: A full summer without Covid could jumpstart the economy

Adgully spoke to a cross-section of industry experts to find out how marketers and consumers are learning to beat the Covid fear and what it means for the market sentiments in the year ahead.

Arasu to pay 50% of the Rs 277.5 crore owed to Sony: TDSAT

To avert signal disconnection by the broadcaster, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has ordered Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation (TACTV) to pay 50 percent of total outstanding dues of Rs 277.51 crore to Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI). Arasu will have to pay Sony 50% of the total within two months.
Zaggle, one of Indias few profitable SaaS FinTech companies and a pioneer in digitizing business spends, today announced the appointment of Paromita Deb Areng as Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO).

Paromita will play a significant role towards further strengthening Zaggles market leadership position in India. She will also be responsible for designing and implementing its people strategy, and spearheading key initiatives such as organisational work culture and talent management.

Under her leadership, Zaggle plans to increase its workforce to 1,000 by 2023, from its current base of 350. The company aims to hire professionals across several disciplines such as data scientists, business development, sales, product tech, etc. as part of its strategy to build innovative solutions for corporate spends, while also meeting the needs of SMEs and Startups. Zaggle, has seen a phenomenal growth over the last few years and accordingly tripled its employee strength to 350 in the last one year.

Paromita, who specializes in building high-performing teams, is an HR veteran with 15 years of experience as a trusted advisor to senior leaders in both Indian and multinational companies.

Prior to joining Zaggle, Paromita was Group Lead  HR at Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, where, in addition to India, she anchored the HR agenda for global corporate functions across the US, Europe, Russia and CISR countries. She has also held key positions in global companies such as Reliance Industries, MSD Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer, Ingelheim, Mylan and Roche. She is passionate about employee-company strategy and helping people realise their full potential. Paromita is a B.E. in Computer Science from Goa Engineering College and a PGDM in Human Resources and Marketing from IIM, Kozhikode.

Commenting on the new appointment, Raj N., Founder and Chairman, Zaggle, said, I am delighted to welcome Paromita to our senior leadership team. With her vast experience across diverse industries and work cultures, Paromita, will drive the overall talent strategy that supports Zaggles business plan and help build a nimble, creative organisation where people come together to work, play, innovate and create solutions for Enterprises & SMEs of the future.

Zaggles MD and CEO Avinash Godkhindi, said, At Zaggle, we deeply care for the growth and well being of our team. Paromita joins us at a very exciting time, as we look forward to hypergrowth by leading the digital transformation of business spends in India in the coming days and around the globe in the coming years. I am thrilled to have her as part of the senior leadership team and am confident that her people first philosophy and strong leadership will further enhance Zaggles vibrant work culture and transform our people practices.

Paromita Deb Areng, CHRO, Zaggle, said, This is an exciting time for the FinTech ecosystem in India and I am thankful to the senior leadership at Zaggle for this opportunity and am equally delighted at the prospect of contributing to an organisation that is one of the emerging leaders in its space. While the environment all around us is changing rapidly and there are opportunities galore, the future belongs to organisations that are creative, employee-first and built on the foundation of strong values. I look forward to further augmenting the inclusive and diverse culture at Zaggle that encourages innovation, collaboration and personal development to align with its overarching objectives.

Zaggle has been strengthening its leadership team with a focus on long term growth strategy. The company has recently on-boarded Sathish N as its Chief Product Officer. Earlier, Zaggle announced the appointment of Vidyaniwas Khetawat as Chief Financial Officer and Raghav Hari Choudhary as VP - Investor Relations & Corporate Development.
Winter often lies too long along the road formerly known as Hilldale, where my woodlot resides. From hill to dale the road gives up its frost 
HAJJAH, Yemen, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 156 Houthi militants were killed in battles with the Yemeni government army in the past two days in Yemen's northern province of Hajjah, military sources told Xinhua on Saturday.

The battle raged on in Harad city near the Saudi border and the adjacent Abs district.

"A total of 106 militants were killed on Friday in a battle with the government armed forces in Harad," the source on the frontline in northern Harad told Xinhua.

"Dozens of vehicles of the Houthi militia were also bombed by the coalition airstrikes," the source added, referring to the Saudi-led coalition backing the Yemeni government army.

The battle in Harad erupted days after the Houthi militia drove the government army out of the city, killing more than 60 soldiers and wounding 140 others, according to government military sources.

In Abd district, the Yemeni troops backed by the coalition warplanes repelled on Thursday an attempted advance of the Houthi militia toward the positions of the Yemeni army.

"Fifty Houthis were killed on the spot and dozens of the militants wounded," another military source on the frontline of the Bani Hasan area in northern Abs told Xinhua.

"The army also shot down 10 bomb-laden drones," he added.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. 
GUTHRIE CENTER, Iowa  Jim Calvert likes to tell people he came with the building.

I poured a lot of concrete for this building in 1974, when I was still in high school, he says. A few years later, I was teaching here.

After graduating from Iowa State University in 1979, and after a short stint filling in at another school, Calvert settled down as vo-ag instructor and FFA advisor at Guthrie Center High School in the fall of 1980. Five years ago, the school entered into a sharing agreement with the Adair-Casey district.

This year, he will call it a career at the west-central Iowa school. He turned in his retirement papers earlier this month.

Its time, Calvert says.

Calvert attended the University of Nebraska for two years, where he was a member of the wrestling team. He transferred to Iowa State University, where he graduated with a degree in ag education.

He grew up on a nearby farm, and figured that was the path he would take.

I always planned on farming, but I had a very good FFA advisor in high school here and that helped me want to get the ag education degree and maybe teach, Calvert says.

Throughout his teaching career, Calvert has continued to farm, raising cattle and sheep in the hills of Guthrie County. His wife, Lisa, is a CPA, and the couple have three children and three grandchildren.

When Calvert started teaching, his students were growing up with four channels on the television and rotary phones. Teaching students who grew up with cell phones and video games requires a different approach.

Hands-on learning programs work well with todays students, Calvert says. He uses the FFA chapters greenhouse as an example.

Thats something that has been very popular, he says. We have a small test plot near Adair where we grow hay, and they like that too.

Calvert says many of his students live on a farm, so he still teaches many of the same subjects that he taught four decades ago, including agronomy, animal science, welding and small engine repair.

Some of his students are already raising livestock.

We have a pretty good number of students who have their own cattle, he says. Cows are very popular around here.

Calvert is proud of the students he has helped attain their Iowa FFA Degrees, the highest honor for an FFA member. Their names cover a wall in his classroom.

Most of the kids Ive had are really good kids, and they have been fun to work with, he says.

Calvert says he has always enjoyed working with students on county and state fair projects. He and his wife have also been active with Guthrie County Extension through the years, spending hundreds of hours working with 4-Hers.

Calverts retirement plans including spending more time on the farm and with his family.

He has taught three generations of students in his 42 years, and admits he will miss not only his students, but his FFA colleagues.

Some of my best friends are vo-ag teachers, and I will miss that camaraderie, Calvert says. Ive been fortunate to be able to spend my career here, and while I will miss it, Im looking forward to whats next.

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Chocolate may very well be classified as a love language among many. But where does it grow, and how is it transformed into its rich flavor? A Hawaiian cacao farm shows us the way.
Whenever there is an important job to do, a little preparation goes a long way to a successful outcome. And for bulls with the job of breeding
Moses Sanchez, center, is flanked by his father Gabriel Sanchez on the left and his son Liam as Liam prepares to head to Africa in the Navy.
It may not come as a big surprise, but Scottsdale is home to more short-term rentals than th
JERUSALEM, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Oded Forer had to cancel his planned trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), after he was tested positive for COVID-19, the official announced in a tweet.

He was scheduled to attend events held during the food, agriculture and livelihoods Week, which was launched Friday at the Dubai Expo 2020 and featured a three-day Israeli conference starting Sunday.

The minister was to sign a wide range of agreements at the UAE, alongside holding meetings with other agriculture ministers, according to the Israeli conference's website.

In his tweet, Oded Forer said the event would be held without him, and he would be on quarantine. The ministry's Director General Naama Kaufman Fass will take his place at the events.

The conference, which will be participated by scientists, industry representatives and policy makers from Israel and around the world, includes meetings and discussions on new technologies, innovation and knowledge, according to its website.

On Saturday, Israel's Ministry of Health reported 12,568 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily figure since Jan. 3, bringing the country's caseload to 3,535,062.

The number of death cases from the virus in Israel rose to 9,842, with eight new fatalities, while the number of patients in serious condition decreased from 832 to 822.

The number of active cases declined to 142,486, the lowest number since Jan. 8. 
The blockades by Canadian truckers that had completely shut down the U.S.-Canada border crossing at Detroit have been cleared by reopening the Ambassador Bridge, and as of Friday, Ottawa police have begun moving against truckers occupying central Ottawa.

Despite these actions on the part of the Canadian government, the truckers comprising the Freedom Convoy hold their ground in defiance of threats of a police crackdown as they continue to disrupt other trade routes and cities, occupying the countrys capital for the third week.

The members of the Freedom Convoy appear unyielding despite days of warnings from police and the government -- risking arrest and having their rigs seized and bank accounts frozen.

Unfortunately for the truckers, the government crackdown began early in the week of February 13th, when the Canadian Prime Minister invoked Canadas Emergencies Act, enabling law enforcement agencies to declare the blockades illegal, tow away their trucks, arrest the drivers and suspend their licenses.

In an apparent move by the government to avert a clash, on Thursday, February 17th, Trudeau and some of his top ministers warned the protesters to leave.

Despite the warning, hundreds of truckers continued blocking the streets of Ottawa -- Canadas capital -- and stood their ground, defiantly blasting their horns. On Thursday, February 17th, the same day the government warned the protesters to leave, police streamed in, threatening to break up the nearly three-week protest against Canadas COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the government began locking truckers out of their bank accounts as threatened. She stated, It is happening. I do have the numbers in front of me.

Two of the organizers -- Tamara Lich and Chris Barber -- were arrested, but officers did not force the demonstrators into compliance with the law.

The police continued negotiating with the protesters, attempting to de-escalate the situation, politely asking them to go home. Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell said, We want this demonstration to end peacefully. If they do not peacefully leave, we have plans.

These plans were revealed on Friday, when police began moving against the protesters in force, clearing out several downtown streets. But the core of the protesters remained, surrounding the parliament. It appears that Ottawa police may have underestimated the amount of force they would need to end the protest.

At the same time, the Freedom Convoy has inspired similar convoys in France, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

Its high time that these illegal and dangerous activities stop, declared Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. They are a threat to our economy and our relationship with trading partners, he continued. They are a threat to public safety.

Meanwhile, the truckers are prepared to keep protesting. Although GoFundMe shut down $10 million in funds raised to support the protest, funding has continued to reach the truckers by other means.

Consequences for America's and Canada's Supply Chains

Grocers reported bare produce shelves and the skyrocketing cost of hauling everything from tomatoes to lettuce from the southern U.S. up and through the Canadian border -- jumping 25% just days after new rules came into effect that require American truckers to be fully vaccinated to cross into Canada.

Canada relies on imports of fresh fruit and vegetables from the U.S. -- its biggest trading partner -- in winter. The vaccine mandate is expected to put additional strain on a supply chain already facing weather disruptions and labor shortages.

According to estimates from the American Trucking Association, only about 50% of U.S. truckers are vaccinated. This weekend, the U.S. will begin requiring truckers as well as foreign travelers to be vaccinated. That will take as many as 16,000 drivers off the road at a time when hauling demand is high.

About $45 billion worth of goods crosses the Canadian border every month. Canada is the top export market for 32 U.S. states and it is the truckers who are responsible for most of the goods shipped.

Governments are being urged by supply chain experts to rethink their strategies amid the current wave of omicron infections. Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University said that public health officials need to strike a balance between saving lives and keeping food secure.

Rick Wall, president of Richland Transport in Winkler, Manitoba -- a company that hauls farm equipment to the U.S. -- said the majority of his truckers are not vaccinated. Its going to be a detrimental blow to the company, he said.

Censorship and Whitewashing

Bidens hypocrisy has been exposed in his refusal to stand up for the truckers, disparaging them as a small fringe minority, echoing Justin Trudeau.

It appears that, despite the Canadian governments crackdown, Canadian truckers will continue to protest, creating more problems with the supply chain. This will give the Canadian and U.S. Democratic media outlets even more license to smear the truckers.

Additionally, a Facebook group with over 130,000 members has been canceled off the social media platform for organizing a U.S. convoy amid allegations that the movement was being promoted by right-wing extremists. The administrators of the group deny these allegations.

Are the Trucker Convoys Coming to the U.S.?

If Biden and Congress are willing to open a dialogue with the truckers about the vaccine mandates, for example, the protests could end.

However, if he refuses to open a discussion with them as did Trudeau, the American truckers could call for a sick-out. The truckers would continue to strike, possibly affecting the entire North American continent and beyond.

Robert Steven Ingebo is president of FRI Corporation

Image: OttawaGraphics-Pixabay
Are you having any fun? Is cancel culture wiping out comedy because of fear of offending someone? A BBC poll just reported that virtually half the British population toned down or disguised their opinions to avoid causing offense to someone theyve just met. Life is full of ifs and buts. Better have a little fun.

In so many activities, content that may be seen as potentially offensive, and all racial stereotypes and links to slavery must be removed from art, history, education, and literature, lest they contaminate others.

The first culprit is the space that was once called the most amusing room in Europe, the Tate Britain Rex Whistler Restaurant, a handsome, charming room, which will be closed to diners now that a committee of the Tate ruled that the imagery of the large mural in it was offensive. The mural, painted in 1927 by the British artist and designer Rex Whistler, titled The Expedition in Pursuit of Rare Meats, a whimsical narrative portrays a group of seven people traveling by horse and cart and bicycles to save their people, but also two enslaved black children in chains and caricatured Chinese characters. The mural will remain, but the room will be repurposed by an artist who will create a display of interpretative material reflecting contemporary values and commitments.

The cultural cleansing continues. As a result of an audit in the wake of BLM protests, displays of works by well-known British satirists are being removed in the Cartoon Museum in London because its galleries are overrepresented by white cisgender men. The museum is interrogating is collection of over 6,000 British cartoons and comic artwork. In particular, pieces by William Hogarth and James Gillray will be less prominent.

The Tate Britain Museum has descended to farce. It organized an exhibition presenting Hogarth in a fresh light. In it was the famous self-portrait of William Hogarth of 1757 that shows him sitting on a wooden chair. The comment in the Tate text was confined to the remark that the chair was made from timber shipped from the colonies via routes which also shipped enslaved people. Even disregarding the chair, it is in fact a handsome portrait.

Before COVID ended it, the Bank of England headquarters in London displayed an exhibition of former governors and directors dead for more than 200 years who had links with the slave trade. The bank removed oil paintings and busts of seven former leading figures. The bank was never directly involved in the slave trade, but now proclaims it is concerned about the connections of former officials. The bank holds it is important to acknowledge that it was a creature of its time, with unsavory elements of the past, but we are a different institution now. In somewhat tortuous logic, the bank now says that its institutional standing benefits in some part at least from the continuity of our existence. At least the money is still safe.

Other elements in British finance have entered woke territory. Two of the UK's largest companies have pledged to pay large sums to Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) committees, after their roles in the slave trade were revealed. Lloyds of London was active in the slave trade. Greene King, a large pub chain, was founded in the early 19th century by Benjamin Greene, who benefited from government compensation when slavery was abolished in 1833. Some nine UK businesses, including Barclays Bank and the Royal Bank of Scotland, benefited directly or indirectly from that government compensation.

Cancel culture is tackling a troubling issue -- why are statues from an earlier era white? Cambridge University Museum, as part of its strategy to combat accusations of systemic racism within the Classics department, has apologized for the whiteness of the portraits and busts of which it has 600 casts in white marble from ancient Greece and Rome. Information panels at the museum will explain that the color once there has been lost and now the casts give the misleading impression of the whiteness and absence of diversity of the ancient world.

Students at Jesus College, Cambridge, demanded the removal from the college chapel of the plaque of Tobias Rustat, a 17th-century benefactor to the college who created the first fund to buy books for the Cambridge University library. The proposal is for the memorial not to be destroyed but to be removed from the chapel to a permanent exhibition space in the college where it can be explained.

The diocese of Ely, with a church-appointed judge, is to rule over the future of the memorial. Rustat did hold shares in the Royal African company, the slave-trading company, but this accounted for only 1.7 percent of his total worth.

On February 8, 2022, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rev. Justin Welby at the General Synod, the legislative body of the Church of England, holding hearings on the issue, entered the debate, asking why is it so much agony to remove a memorial to slavery? Why go through hearings? The memorial to slavery, he said, sits in front of the space of the Master of Jesus College, Sonata Alleyne, who is a black woman, born in Barbados and co-founder of a cross-platform media production company.

At the same meeting, Lord Boateng, former Labour MP and Britains first black government minister, who is leading a three-year review on racism in the Church, said it was too white. Imagine, he said, what it is to go into a place of worship and see a monument to someone who was a party to the enslavement of your ancestors.

Some 200 students at Churchill College, Cambridge, put their names in an open letter to change the name of the Seeley Library because Sir John Seeley, Regius professor of history in the 19th century, defended the British Empire and promoted the concept of Greater Britain. British rule, he thought, was in Indias best interest. Though Seeley was a liberal, a man who advocated reform of higher education and supported the admission of women into universities, the students held that keeping him would prove the logics (?) of imperialism and colonialism remain central to the university.

Free speech is being limited on the campus to ensure that students will be kept safe. Downing College issued instructions on how to report incidents of racism. This racism includes beliefs, feelings, utterances, and actions, which promote the thriving of dominant groups while contributing to the marginalization of minority groups.

The document instructed students how to identify micro-aggressions by words and behavior. A phrase, where are you really from, was seen as particularly undesirable.

At Cambridge, freshmen are obliged to take anti-racism classes covering subjects such as microaggressions.

A study by the National Trust for Scotland found that more than a third of Scotlands greatest castles and heritage sites had links to the slave trade. Many of the 48 in the properties examined were bought and built with money brought back by Scottish settlers from sugar plantations in the West Indies or the tobacco fields of southern U.S. states which relied on slave labor. One such site is the Glenfinnan monument at the head of Loch Shiel, an area known from the activity of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the birthplace of the novelist JM Barrie.

One college has resisted the trend. Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (Keys College) founded in 1348, announced it will not fly the LGBTQ+ flag but will fly its own flag which it said was a symbol that unites all in the College community, and the college would not choose between the plurality of good causes, and that it was committed to ending discrimination, and to improving diversity. Better have a little fun.

Image: Rex Whistler
Sometimes it takes me a while for the impact of events to sink in. I try to tune out the talking heads with their conventional wisdom, and not rush to judgment. I believe that most Americans and I usually try to give most folks the benefit of the doubt. However, it is increasingly clear we can no longer do that.

With every issue, with every passing day, there is more news (when the news is honestly reported) that shows us exactly who these people are. They have anointed and installed themselves at the top of our government, from the Oval Office to each executive branch and its myriad government bureaucracies. They have established a clear pattern of behavior and are no longer hiding their motives or their intentions. Everything is on full display.

All of which reminds me of a quote from the Bible; the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7:

Beware the false prophets, who come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.

Leftists are leftists, whether in America, the Soviet Union, Vietnam, Venezuela, Cuba, or China. They are easily identified. We are increasingly able to discern the truth about who they are, and that hat they intend to rule over us or they will crush us and burn everything down around us. There is no longer any question about it.

Canadas Freedom Truckers have peacefully demonstrated against the oppressive COVID mandates. It is no secret these mandates have had a crushing effect on the economy, the supply chain, and have caused a ripple effect throughout the labor market.

So, what is a leftist dictator and wolf in sheeps clothing to do? Well, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau refused to be challenged on the science and the governance. There was no overture of concern when he invited the truckers to sit down with him and discuss the issue so that he could listen to their demands, or maybe even to make some half-baked, symbolic gestures of goodwill.

Nope. First, Trudeau ran away and hid, citing a positive test for COVID. Then he let everyone who was listening know hes a leftist, statist dictator. He has continued to slander the movement by calling it racist and fringe. Trudeau repeatedly threatened to employ the power of the state against the truckers to disperse their demonstrationssomething his police finally did on Friday.

Trudeaus Stalinist-inspired machine has seized the money deposited in the truckers GoFundMe account. Canadas version of state-controlled, propaganda ministers and Pravda media outlets have sung in collective unison to denounce the freedom movement and have made sure there is neer a good word uttered in favor of any of the freedoms on which they also depend.

Meanwhile, for those old enough to remember, there are clear parallels between the current uprisings of the people and the Polish Solidarity movement of the 1980s.

Ol Go-Along Joe stepped up to the teleprompter and weighed in on the tussle north of the border, encouraging Trudeau to use his federal powers to disperse the peaceful demonstrations. Knowing that, would the current occupant of the Oval Office ever do to us what Trudeau is doing to the Canadians? Will he have the courage to do that to American citizens?

Bet on it, because Go-Along Joe has been complicit with the Leftist cabal that installed him, and that steers the actions and policies coming from the White House. He apparently has no problem defying the Constitution or denying the constitutional rights promised to every American citizen.

The conservative news and information consumer must know where to look for updates, but one glaring example of the Biden administrations statist, Stalinist, views of governance is the denial of due process to those who protested at the Capitol. Bidens Justice Department has kept those people locked up in a manner that utterly violates the Constitution and oath of office of the President.

Image: Rotten apple by Anouar bg. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Their tactics are so repetitive and predictable it is pathetic. When citizens wear the wrong color ball cap or peacefully assemble to demand a redress of grievances before the government or demonstrate against a leftist cause or policy, one can be sure they have an effective, even devastating argument when the response from the left is racist! or fascist! or any other -ist! The adherents to leftist ideologies detest that they must debate and win their arguments in the arena of ideas so, instead, they use every dirty trick they can think of.

There is no longer any doubt: Leftists intend to govern by force, against the will of the people if need be and, according to leftists, we had better get accustomed to it.

Can anyone imagine how it would be if the levers of power had been in Hillary Clintons hands beginning January 20, 2017? We would likely still be under her tyranny. And we need not imagine or speculate any longer because, inch by inch, detail by detail, United States Attorney, now Special Counsel for the Department of Justice, John Durham is providing both a fascinating and horrifying glimpse into the scorched earth, if I cant have it, neither can you, sociopathic criminality of Hillary Clinton.

She needs to start warming up: I dont recall; I do not remember. That was not in my purview, so I have no direct knowledge Better yet, What difference, at this point, does it make?

Those of us who have listened to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity (with his cast of experts, Gregg Jarrett, John Solomon, and Sara A. Carter), Tucker Carlson, Dan Bongino, and every other conservative who has been reporting the truth, know well the laundry list of Hil-liar-ry Clintons congenital, pathological contempt for telling the truth and following the law:

The Clinton Global Initiative and Clinton Foundation pay-to-play

The Obama State Department, and Secretary of State Clintons approval of the sale of Uranium One to Russian company Rosatom, effectively giving Russia control of 20% of the U.S.s supply of uranium (used for atomic weapons)

The Benghazi it was a video lie

Yes, her damn emails

The whole Trump-Russia collusion hoax, which cost American taxpayers about $30 million

Regularly, with every passing day, we learn more about how the COVID response was not about saving lives but about taking control of everything we do. The cost in shattered lives and dreams is immeasurable. Keep in mind that Dr. Anthony Fauci does not treat patients nor is he an epidemiologist. There have been hundreds of thousands of needless and preventable deaths because of what Dr. Fauci has forced upon us.

Had enough yet? So, what are we to do?

Recognize the evil and refuse to submit. Refuse to be subjugated, refuse to pay tribute to those who say they only want what is best for us, because they dont.

Will Alexander is a former U.S. Marine who now writes for Townhall. His article from 14 February is exquisite. Here is a pull quote:

Since defending life, liberty, and property is a natural law, no manmade law on Earth has the legitimate authority to prevent free people from protecting their lives, their liberty, or their property. When government, by law, stops protecting these three, it loses legitimacy, and laws become perverted  unnatural law.

When the very laws we strive to uphold are clamping the shackles of tyranny on our wrists, what can be done?

We do what Free People must do; we resist. We find a way to defeat the evil which seeks to enslave us. Compliance and submission are no longer options.

Jeff M. Lewis is a Christian, a husband and father, a Veteran, and a small business owner who resides with his family in South Texas.
Now that even the blue cities and states are throwing the bums out and Republicans are soaring in the polls and getting ready to take Congress, something interesting is happening: the Republican establishment is trying to get as far away from Trump-hating Rep. Liz Cheney as possible.

Not the Trump faithful, who have despised Cheney for years  the old guard Republicans who have been around forever and who are now rubbing their hands together as November beckons.

Just look at what House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, who has big ambitions of becoming the next speaker of the House, is up to:

Kevin McCarthy is throwing off tradition and supporting a primary challenger to one of his own members. But it's not exactly a surprise  the incumbent is Rep. Liz Cheney. The GOP leader's decision to wade into the primary battle and support the Trump-endorsed Harriet Hageman marks a departure from the status quo of top party leaders protecting their incumbents. It also caps off a dramatic implosion of their relationship that strained after the Jan. 6 attack.

Wow. Endorsed Cheney's primary rival, who is very likely to win. GOPe characters don't do that under ordinary circumstances.

That's fine and dandy. But where has the Kevster been all these months?

Not too long ago, McCarthy was defending Cheney when House Republicans attempted to throw her out of the GOP conference, where she held the Number 3 position, in February 2021 after her vote to impeach President Trump:

In leadership, Cheney was responsible for the messaging of the House GOP. Her detractors argue her vote to impeach the former president indicates she's lost sight over the majority of the party, which continues to embrace Trump. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told Capitol Hill reporters Wednesday night that he defended Cheney during the conference meeting. "People can have differences of opinion that we can have a discussions about," he said. "Liz has the right to vote her conscience. At the end of the day, we'll get united."

That's gag-worthy because Republican voters were outraged by her vote. McCarthy figured at the time that they were unimportant and let Liz keep her House leadership position.

But by May 2021, internal reports bubbled up about what a nasty, unpleasant creature she was to her fellow Republicans on the inside, and another vote against her position in the House GOP leadership was set up, which succeeded in dislodging her.

As I wrote on May 3, she was basically a pig to other Republicans and fought with McCarthy:

So it's not because of the impeachment vote, it seems, but because she can't get along with other people. She's the Queen of Mean, if the multiple incidents that Axios reported have it right. That's far from a perfect reason for getting rid of her, but it's better than nothing, and obviously, it tells us a lot about her. Axios focuses on the Cheney backbiting with House minority leader Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy's not a perfect guy, either  he went along with the leftist narrative of Jan. 6 about President Trump supposedly inciting an attack on the Capitol  but he's better than Liz because he's backtracked as the facts came out, and at a minimum, he knows which side his political bread is buttered on.

That vote got through, and Liz was out. But it still wasn't much of a penalty for her, and Cheney continued to carry on with her sanctimony as the media fawned.

Then came February 2022, when Joe Biden's poll numbers went underwater and Republicans were starting to see favorable numbers on the generic ballot poll. McCarthy's side of the House got worked up enough to censure Cheney for her obvious insult to her own party in her participation on the Jan. 6 farce, effectively colluding with House speaker Nancy Pelosi on her "Get Trump" agenda, even as two other Republicans were shut out from the process. Party loyalty? Not for Liz, who sanctimoniously kept pontificating all about her supposed integrity.

According to Fox News (and I left the related story link in):

Cheney was removed by a voice vote and took a swing at Trump after the Capitol meeting. CHENEY GOING DOWN SWINGING: WARNS REPUBLICANS BEFORE VOTE TO REMOVE HER FROM LEADERSHIP "I will do everything I can to ensure that the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office," Cheney said after her ouster. "We have seen the danger that he continues to provoke with his language. We have seen his lack of commitment and dedication to the Constitution, and I think it's very important that we make sure whomever we elect is somebody who will be faithful to the Constitution."

We all know what that was about.

She continued to spew lies on her Jan. 6 committee, constantly thwarted by truth. It didn't help when revelations rolled out about whom her husband was working for.

She remained an obsessed Trump-hater, a clear coeval with the likes of Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff, her fellow Jan. 6 committee members, as well as a fraud, a hypocrite, and a pig (with an unfortunate resemblance to Miss Piggy).

Now we have McCarthy apparently cutting ties altogether, endorsing Cheney's primary challenger, meekly following President Trump because he knows which way the power in his party is coming from.

Obviously, this is the most extreme step yet to get rid of Cheney, signaling that for the GOPe, it's time to cut the line and pitch her over the side. She's a millstone around the GOP's neck now, toxic, and McCarthy with his speaker ambitions doesn't want her to be seen anywhere near him.

Meanwhile, Cheney has her defenders, notably the daughter of the late Trump-hating Arizona senator, John McCain, Meghan McCain, who's become a pundit of sorts.

Out on Twitter, instead of combatively defending Cheney and all her claimed integrity or whatever, McCain instead issued this plaintive pleading:

We are either a big tent party or we aren't. It's distasteful, trashy and unbecoming of any leader to endorse a primary opponent. @Liz_Cheney should still be able to sit with you if antisemitic space laser Marjorie Taylor Green can.



The message this signals is stupid boomer shit  Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) February 18, 2022

It was pathetic. And she got scored hard for it by those who know what's going on:

Liz Cheney doesn't play by these rules.https://t.co/TYt46xPNnk  Brad Polumbo   (@brad_polumbo) February 18, 2022

Cheney, remember, was trying to block any Republican from running for office if he dared question the integrity of the 2020 election.

Maybe your message would land better if you wouldnt denigrate an entire generation of folks, which by the way includes the person youre defending!  Boldly Blue (@BoldlyBlue) February 18, 2022

I remember when your father withdrew his endorsement of Trump in 2016 and made his funeral a big FU to Trump.



Pretty trashy. https://t.co/QyXTlXvWno  Julie Kelly  (@julie_kelly2) February 18, 2022

That's not strength; that's weakness. Liz Cheney is obviously toxic, and now even the GOPe wants to get rid of her. They know where the power and momentum are coming from as a big red-wave surge builds for 2022.

NEW!



President Donald J. Trump:



"Congratulations to Kevin McCarthy and Elise Stefanik on their strong and powerful endorsement of Harriet Hageman of Wyoming. Loser Liz Cheney is a RINO and warmonger who doesnt deserve to serve in the House of Representatives. Harriet will... pic.twitter.com/eopASYa2hW  Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) February 18, 2022

One can only hope this signals the end for the nastiest hypocrite the GOP has ever seen. Defying the voters comes with political perils. Maybe Liz can ask Joe and Kamala about it.

Image: Twitter screen shot.
Finally realizing that doing the same thing again and again but expecting a different result may not be insane as Albert Einstein may or may not have said but sure is stupid, Amazon

kicked Black Lives Matter off its charity platform AmazonSmile on Tuesday as the social justice [sic! ECF] organization faces intense scrutiny from multiple states over the status of its financial windfall from 2020. The move deprives BLM of a major revenue source that has provided $306 million to U.S. charities and comes less than two years after Amazon itself donated $10 million to BLM and 11 other social justice groups [sic!] amid the nationwide unrest spurred by George Floyd's killing.

Awwww, why did Amazon do a nasty thing like that? BLM's co-founder has the answer.

BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who resigned from BLM in May, said last Wednesday that the unaccounted millions her group received in 2020 came from "white corporation guilt."

Oh. Hmm, so Amazon doesn't believe that its "white corporation guilt" trumps BLM's "unaccounted millions." How white of them. Or something.

Meanwhile, Cullors didn't display much BLM black nonprofit guilt or anguish when

[t]he Louisville Community Bail Fund, an affiliate of the city's Black Lives Matter chapter, posted $100,000 bail on Wednesday to spring Quintez Brown from jail following his arrest on charges of trying to assassinate Jewish Democratic mayoral hopeful Craig Greenberg.

Oooooh! The victim, Craig Greenberg, is white! He's Jewish! He is a he/him/male! Craig Greenberg, who wants to be mayor of Louisville, Kentucky is a Jewish white male. Oh, yeah  now it is understandable why the local BLM chapter decided to spring an alleged murderer and so easily proffered this high (to some) amount.

The group's ability to quickly procure such a hefty sum comes thanks to its support from prominent Democratic organizations. The bail fund, for example, has an active page on ActBlue, the political fundraising platform used universally by Democratic candidates across the country. Justice Democratsa far-left PAC that supports Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.)also actively fundraises for the bail group on the platform. Contributions sent to the Louisville Community Bail Fund through ActBlue are routed through the Tides Center, a liberal dark money behemoth that has received millions of dollars from Soros. Tides gave nearly $740,000 to the bail fund in 2020, tax filings show. The Louisville Community Bail Fund's presence on the Democratic Party's leading fundraising platform undercuts party leaders' repeated denials of being soft on crime. (snip) ActBlue, Justice Democrats, (sic! ECF) and the Tides Center did not return requests for comment.

And just who is the alleged assassin that Louisville's BLM sprung?

A prominent Louisville activist, Brown accused police of working to "maintain the status quo of the spectacular Black death" in a 2021 Louisville Courier Journal column.

And the victim,

Greenberg, meanwhile, is an unabashed supporter of police  his campaign is centered on a plan to root out violent crime by hiring more law enforcement officers.

But it was the BLM's "unaccounted millions" that upset Amazon, not the attempted murder of a Jewish white male mayoral hopeful by an alleged BLM supporter. And this didn't matter, either to the Democrat party, ActBlue, Justice Democrats (sic!), the Tides Center, or George Soros, plus the other usual more than suspects who will probably blame the victim for being a white Jewish male oppressor who triggered Brown's perfectly reasonable action. He and his family deserve their pain.

Although sympathetic to Brown's alleged mental health problems, Greenberg himself tweeted about the shooting's effect on him and his family.

Our criminal justice system is clearly broken. It is nearly impossible to believe that someone can attempt murder on Monday and walk out of jail on Wednesday. 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. Sadly, like others who suffer from a broken system, my team and family have been traumatized again by this news. (snip) Mr. Brown and his family are hurting. My family and team are hurting. I pray for everyone involved in this alarming incident.

White Lives Matter. Jewish Lives Matter. Male Lives Matter. ALL Lives Matter.

Image: Jericho via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
CANBERRA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Australians have gathered in the Northern Territory (NT) as Saturday marks 80 years since 242 Japanese aircraft attacked Darwin, the capital of the NT, during World War II.

The official anniversary ceremony at Darwin's Bicentennial Park saw throngs of attendees including veterans, survivors and politicians as the NT Government has called for the day to be made a national public holiday.

Sirens blared at 9:58 a.m. local time (0028 GMT) to mark the exact time air raid sirens began on Feb. 19, 1942.

The Bombing of Darwin started 64 air raids on the Top End of the NT, which continued until November 1943.

In the bombing of Darwin, 252 lives were tragically lost in two separate raids, including members of all three Australian armed services, allied personnel, merchant seamen and Australian civilians, according to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's media release.

"Throughout the city, little was spared -- the post office, the cable office, the government house, police barracks, air force station and the local hospitals were attacked," Morrison said at the ceremony.

Brian Winspear, 101, one of the last surviving veterans of the attack, told News Corp Australia that the bombing caught the defending forces by surprise.

"It was pretty scary and ever since then I've had hearing problems," he said. "Nobody took any notice of the people dying around you."

"Death was very normal, there were no funerals and no mourning. It was scary, it was a scary time," he said. 
The courts in Cook County, Illinois that serve Chicago are notorious for allowing dangerous suspects out in low or no bail. Part of the problem lies with the office of States Attorney Kim Foxx, which often does not seek high bail or fully present the risks to a judge. Part of the problem is Illinoiss bail reform law. And part of the problem is that some (not all) judges err on the side of letting the accused go, even those with long rap sheets.

Consider this case of a couple of days ago, via CWBChicago:

On Friday afternoon, Orland Park police arrested Nickolas Burch after they allegedly found him carrying a gun in a Louis Vuitton bag strapped over his chest at the Orland Square mall. It happened just 18 days after Burch pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in a case that had him facing multiple counts of attempted murder, robbery, and other felonies stemming from a 2016 shooting in Lakeview. That was the second time he faced and beat attempted murder charges as an adult. Prosecutors on Saturday charged Burch, 32, with two counts of Class X armed habitual criminal, one of the most serious criminal charges in the state short of murder, and misdemeanor resisting. But they didnt ask his bond court judge to hold Burch without bail. Nor did they tell her that he had just settled an attempted murder case to lesser charges 18 days earlier. Nor did they tell her that he was on federal electronic monitoring for a gun conviction. Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) records show that Burch is on parole for the Lakeview case. Prosecutors didnt tell the judge about that, either. Judge Barbara Dawkins set Burchs bail at $5,000  a fraction of the $50,000 that his own defense attorney asked for, according to court records. And she added electronic monitoring as a condition of release, even though he was already on electronic monitoring in the federal system. He will need to post a $500 deposit to get out of jail.

Five hundred bucks put what seems to me to be a habitual, violent criminal back in the street.

But yesterday saw someone denied bail in Cook County. Not someone accused of murder. Not even someone with a long rap sheet. No, the problem was the victim of the alleged crime. CWBChicago reports:

Angered by mounting parking ticket fines, a Chicago man repeatedly went to Mayor Lori Lightfoots home over the past month while armed and then fired shots from his truck about a mile from her residence on Wednesday morning, according to prosecutors and police records. Lightfoot became alarmed and distraught when she learned of the mans repeated visits to her home on Monday, Assistant States Attorney James Murphy said. Joseph Igartua, 37, was ordered held without bail on felony charges of reckless discharge of a firearm and stalking by Judge Maryam Ahmad.



Joseph Igartua.

In fairness, Judge Ahmad is one of, if not the toughest judge in Cook County when it comes to bail. I have followed her work with admiration.

But Igartua's crimes are pretty small potatoes, especially considering:

The officers temporarily seized a gun that Igartua was carrying, but they returned it after verifying that he had a valid concealed carry license, according to Murphy.

I am not pleading for lenient treatment of Igartua. No, I wish other judges would follow Judge Ahmad's lead and keep obviously dangerous repeat felons behind bars awaiting trial.

Hat tip: Peter von Buol

Photo credit: Chicago Police Department via CWBChicago.
A couple of videos have emerged from Ottawa showing mounted policemen bumping into two protesters. From those videos, two narratives have emerged. One says a little old lady, possibly affiliated with a tribe, was definitely struck and possibly killed; the other says it's a phony video that's essentially a false flag operation. Meanwhile, polls are showing that, while we conservatives cheer on the truckers and their cause, two thirds of Canadians back Trudeau's COVID rules and his decision to anoint himself as a dictator.

Cernovich had an early version of the video, showing a little old lady with a walker talking to the camera right as the mounted police emerge. Then things get muddy, and the camera draws back, showing her on the ground where the horses walked:

Another video provides a clearer view, showing that she and a man both got caught by the horses as they rode by:

WATCH: Close up of peaceful protestors in Ottawa protesting mandates being trampled by the mounted unit.



Yes, this is Canada in 2022. pic.twitter.com/I776GdTIwe  K2 (@kiansimone44) February 18, 2022

However, the pro-Trudeau faction claims that the above is a false flag operation. This Twitter thread is representative (and please note that she has Fox News on the brain):

I pointed out it never happened and immediately was inundated with tweets telling me I was either brainwashed or that I was denying what was in front of my eyes.  Peggy Blair (@peggy_blair) February 19, 2022

Like Tucker Carlson successfully defending himself against a defamation lawsuit by arguing that no one should reasonably believe anything he says.  Peggy Blair (@peggy_blair) February 19, 2022

Where do we even start to mend that kind of divide?  Peggy Blair (@peggy_blair) February 19, 2022

She got knocked down by the horse and she got up. They are reporting that she died in hospital which is untrue.  Peggy Blair (@peggy_blair) February 19, 2022

The Ottawa Police have denied that anything bad happened:

Please note: No one has been seriously injured or passed away in any of today's police actions. Safety is our priority.

~

Veuillez noter que personne n'a ete gravement blesse ou est decede en lien aux interventions policieres d'aujourd'hui. La securite est notre priorite.  Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 19, 2022

Moreover  and this is the really important thing  the horse was okay:

We hear your concern for people on the ground after the horses dispersed a crowd. Anyone who fell got up and walked away. We're unaware of any injuries. A bicycle was thrown at the horse further down the line and caused the horse to trip. The horse was uninjured. pic.twitter.com/4AYiw1q3W0  Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 19, 2022

What I've been hearing from conservatives is that, given Trudeau's dictatorial tactics (hordes of willing police attacking truckers, breaking into their trucks, dragging them off to jail, as well as the government unilaterally, and without due process, freezing people's bank accounts and bitcoin funds, and even hauling their pets off to the abattoir), there's going to be a civil war in Canada. I think that's wrong. Our problem  the conservative problem  is that we're looking at things through the eyes of those who want freedom. However, that's not what Canadians want.

A little history is helpful. Many years ago, I read Pierre Berton's Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush, 18961899. What remains in my memory is his description of a town that was split evenly down the middle between Canada and the United States. The American side, he wrote, was a Wild West town, with a pure democracy, in which every townsman had a voice. On the Canadian side, the townspeople instantly formed a provisional government and quickly had an orderly, top-down society. That hasn't changed.



Image: The explosive image. Twitter screen grab.

Four different polls show that two thirds of Canadians support Trudeau's COVID policies and his exploiting the Emergencies Act. Are these polls trustworthy? I have no idea. But they're certainly consistent with the Canadian character: obedient. To this obedience, the 21st-century iteration of the Canadian character has been upgraded to be both woke and leftist-elitist. Canadians will weep over the unproven, and almost certainly false, plight of Indian children who were allegedly murdered many decades ago, but they have no sympathy at all for working-class truckers whose livelihoods are being destroyed.

And here's a reminder to those who think Canada will end in a civil war: in May 2020, when Trudeau was clearly already thinking about the Great Reset (something to which he gave voice in November 2020), Canadians allowed the government to take the last of their guns.

I will continue to stand up for the truckers, who are on the side of liberty. Sadly, I don't think their own countrymen will do the same.
Loudoun County, Virginia has been in the news a great deal lately because of its leftist policies and the beginnings of a parental revolt. The school board's leftist proclivities are to be expected, given that Biden got almost 61.5% of the votes in November 2020, compared to Trump's 36.5%. In other words, Loudoun County is a strongly Democrat redoubt. That's why, although I'm terribly sorry for the 36.5% who aren't leftist, Loudoun is getting its comeuppance for having put a leftist in the White House: the Biden administration is sending as many as 1,000 Afghan refugees to the county.

The Loudoun County School District became notorious when it covered up a ninth-grade girl's rape, almost certainly because the rapist was a cross-dressing boy in the girl's bathroom. The district transferred the boy to another school, where he sexually assaulted another girl. The district then buried the story and arrested the first girl's father for complaining at a school board meeting.

Loudoun County is also extremely leftist in its academic approach. Most people first heard of it when it canceled Dr. Seuss books for being...wait for it...racist.

It's unclear why the Biden administration targeted a true blue community when it needed a place to dump unvetted Afghan refugees. After all, when it comes to the illegal aliens pouring over our southern border, it appears that the Biden administration, when illegally shipping them across America, is targeting red communities.

But still, it's uncontested that the Biden administration is, in fact, plopping the refugees in a compound right next to a Loudoun County high school and middle school. The Daily Wire is where I read this story:

The Department of Homeland Security will house up to 1,000 Afghan refugees in an [sic] compound next to a Loudoun County high school and middle school, and made plans to do so with no communication with local authorities, Loudoun County, Virginia, Sheriff Mike Chapman said. The sheriff "raised concerns about DHS' lack of communication, lack of planning, language barriers, a failure to communicate with a myriad of potential stakeholders, and the NCC's [National Conference Center's] unfenced proximity to a residential neighborhood and two public schools." The federal government claims that "many" of the Afghans served the U.S. as translators, but only 30% speak English, Chapman said in a statement.

Chapman, obviously, wasn't happy. Within a short time, though, Chapman was silenced, and righteous woke leftism reigned supreme:

Frankly, if I were a parent with a child near the affected schools, I would do anything at this point to get my children out of these schools. The problem, which I'm sure the parents will soon learn, is that many Afghan men are rapists. According to a 2017 article by Cheryl Benard, a European woman who worked with the incoming waves of Muslim refugees, the refugees from Afghanistan are a terrible problem:

Europeans were predisposed to be positive towards Afghan refugees. But it quickly became obvious that something was wrong, very wrong, with these young Afghan men: they were committing sex crimes to a much greater extent than other refugees, even those from countries that were equally or more backward, just as Islamic and conservative, and arguably just as misogynist.

Her article describes the string of horrific rapes the Afghan men committed against women of all ages, as well as both boys and girls. When you invite Afghan men into your country, you have invited brutal sexual assaults in with them.



Image: Afghan refugees. YouTube screen grab.

And indeed, that's exactly what's been happening in America. The same Daily Wire article linked above describes a few recent sexual assaults:

Last month, an Afghan refugee was convicted of sexually abusing a three-year old girl at Quantico Marine Corps Base. Mohammed Tariq, 24, had worked "alongside US troops" in Afghanistan, US News reported. The outlet said he told authorities the conduct was acceptable in his culture. In New Mexico, a group of Afghan refugees allegedly assaulted a female military service member. CBS reported that "several" Afghan women and girls said they were forced into marriage, including as "child brides," so that they could come to the US as spouses of Afghan men. The governor of Montana called for the Biden administration to stop settling Afghan migrants in the state until vetting concerns were addressed after an evacuee was charged with a rape of a woman in the state.

It's true, of course, that not all Afghan men are rapists. When I traveled in Canada a few years ago, I met an absolutely lovely Afghan couple who escaped during the Soviet occupation. They were completely assimilated. Still, the risk, if it's your children at a school near the new Afghan compound, is almost certainly going to be a lot higher than if the compound housed Christian refugees from a Muslim country.

Loudoun County residents may love Biden, but he and his administration have no love for them or their children.

Thomas Lifson adds: I think this is the federal government teaching a lesson to uppity parents who complained.
Are you in an abusive relationship with your government?

Sometimes it's hard to figure out what to do when the federal government breaks the law.

You know how it is. You've been in a steady relationship with a government agency for years now. You knew that it was involved in some pretty shady depravities of moonshine and tobacco. However, it had its semi-positive side in that you were forced to go through it to exercise a commonsense civil right. The bureaucracy had created the venerable 4473 form that you loved to fill out (not really, but work with us here) whenever you wanted to buy a gun from a federally licensed firearms dealer at a gun show or anywhere else.

Then you find out from a friend that the bureaucracy had gone behind your back and changed the 4473 forms, just so it could cheat on you. Trust us: the law-abiding are always the last to know. On those nights when it said it was working late, the bureaucracy was imaging the first page of the form when out with the FFLs, having cleverly set up the scheme ahead of time by rearranging the construction of the form. Goodness knows you could have been in a better relationship with a more established agency of the federal government, but you had no choice if you wanted to be able to defend yourself.

Then you caught the bureaucracy red-handed, hooking up with data on all the gun-owners in the country. Confronted with evidence of collecting data on billions of transactions, the bureaucracy denied it outright, asking, whom are you going to believe: it or your lying eyes?

You know you're an abused gun-owner when the bureaucracy hands you a line that it's you, not it, and starts talking nonsense about "ghost guns" and pieces of plastic being "machine guns." Then wanting dirt on you, calling for tips on former (or current) partners involved in illegal gun activity  on Valentine's Day, no less:

Valentine's Day can still be fun even if you broke up. Do you have information about a former (or current) partner involved in illegal gun activity? Let us know, and we will make sure it's a Valentine's Day to remember! Call 1-888-ATF-TIPS or email ATFTips@atf.gov. pic.twitter.com/OdDIPdIzkr  ATF HQ (@ATFHQ) February 14, 2022

It doesn't get any worse than the cheater claiming victimhood, wanting to deflect its illegality elsewhere. Everyone can quote chapter and verse on the specific rules and regulations being violated. It's all in 18 USC  926, U.S. Code, Unannotated Title 18. Crimes and Criminal Procedure 926. Rules and regulations. The bureaucracy should have known all of this because it's in its Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide on page 25 of the PDF that we can quote:

No such rule or regulation prescribed after the date of the enactment of the Firearms Owners' Protection Act may require that records required to be maintained under this chapter or any portion of the contents of such records, be recorded at or transferred to a facility owned, managed, or controlled by the United States or any State or any political subdivision thereof, nor that any system of registration of firearms, firearms owners, or firearms transactions or dispositions be established. Nothing in this section expands or restricts the Secretary's1 authority to inquire into the disposition of any firearm in the course of a criminal investigation.

We could say case closed on the cheating, but what do you do when it's a catch-all government bureaucracy? It's not going to arrest itself anytime soon, that's for sure. We could start by modifying its Valentine's Day tweet to begin to take care of the predicament of the estimated 150 million gun-owners in the country:

Valentine's Day can still be fun even if you broke up. Do you have information about a former (or current) part of the feral government involved in illegal gun activity? Let us know, and we will make sure it's a Valentine's Day to remember!

It sure would be pointless to send the bureaucracy tips since it knows about what it's doing already. Goodness knows it has the rules and regulations right in front of it. We could start with the U.S. Government Accountability Office and then move up the chain of command to the U.S. House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

However, that's only a temporary solution. It's been years of fast and furious fooling around and cheating for the moonshine, cigarettes, and sawed-off shotguns bureaucracy. Then promising to do better and backsliding into something even worse. It's time for the 150 million gun owners to make a clean break in this toxic relationship.

Sure, there have been some good times (not really, but work with us here). Seriously, it's time to end the ATF. If it can't follow the law, it shouldn't be in the law enforcement business.

D Parker is an engineer, inventor, wordsmith, and student of history. A writer in the communications field and a longtime contributor to the NOQ report.

Image via Max Pixel.
The National Archives, which is controlled by a hard-leftist cadre, excitedly announced that President Donald Trump took classified information with him when he left the White House. The problem  which the AP reluctantly concedes  is that, as president, he had the final say over what's classified. That means that there's no hypocrisy in his reaming Hillary Clinton for her conduct.

As a predicate, the National Archives management has turned that government office into a purely leftist entity determined to advance all leftist causes, including destroying Donald Trump. Recently, it was caught stating that the U.S. Constitution and all of America's other founding documents contain "harmful content." Why? Because they have "racist, sexist, misogynistic, and xenophobic opinions."

Additionally, the National Archives management has concluded that the entire institution of the National Archives itself is structurally racist because it's concerned with lauding the work of the White men who created our nation. You can read more about that insanity here.

Most recently, the leftist, impermissibly partisan National Archives management's vendetta against Trump has management claiming that Trump was found to be illegally in possession of classified information:

Classified information was found in the 15 boxes of White House records that were stored at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, the National Archives and Records Administration said Friday in a letter that confirmed the matter has been sent to the Justice Department. The letter from the agency follows numerous reports around Trump's handling of sensitive and even classified information during his time as president and after he left the White House. The revelation could also interest federal investigators responsible for policing the handling of government secrets, though the Justice Department and FBI have not indicated they will pursue.



Image: Nancy Pelosi destroys a government document. YouTube screen grab.

In the same article quoted above, Farnoush Amiri, writing for the AP, announces that this is illegal conduct, only to concede, obviously reluctantly, that as president, Trump had the ultimate say as to what was classified and what wasn't:

Federal law bars the removal of classified documents to unauthorized locations, though it is possible that Trump could try to argue that, as president, he was the ultimate declassification authority.

But all is not lost for leftists, insists Amiri, because Trump has shown himself to be a hypocrite for harping about the fact that Hillary Clinton ran all her correspondence through an unsecured private browser server housed in her bathroom and destroyed 30,000 emails:

No matter the legal risk, it exposes him to charges of hypocrisy given his relentless attacks during the 2016 presidential campaign on Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server as secretary of state. The FBI investigated but ultimately did not recommend charges.

They need to dock Amiri's salary just because he's an idiot. Unlike Trump, Hillary was not president when she ran classified documents through an unsecured personal browser server, as well as allowing them to end up on the computer of Anthony Weiner, a convicted pedophile. Nor was she president when she deleted 30,000 emails that were under subpoena. Instead, she was a government employee and absolutely bound by document classification and destruction laws. She ended up violating virtually every national security law on the books.

In the same article, Amiri also reminds us that the National Archives management is squawking that Trump would tear up documents. Unless Trump reached into the White House's computer hard drives, he merely tore up representations of the actual documents. (Just think of Nancy Pelosi tearing up her copy of Trump's speech.) Unless Trump was doing what Hillary did, which was to wipe out the contents of hard drives containing legally protected documents, he did nothing wrong when he ripped up what was probably the fifteenth printout of some memo a flack sent him about low-level trade negotiation in which he was interested.

This entire document thing is a false flag operation. The National Archives management is deeply corrupt, and Trump did nothing wrong. On the other hand, Hillary is also deeply corrupt, and she did something very wrong. If we lived in a just country, Hillary wouldn't be making noises about running again; she'd be complaining that prison orange makes her complexion look sallow.
Evil has a new face. It is the face of an entitled pajama boy and wannabe dictator. It is a face that once was painted black as part of a costume for an "Arabian Nights" party. It is the face of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau recently invoked the Emergencies Act, the first time it has ever been utilized, to indiscriminately punish the truckers who constitute the Freedom Convoy. (In 1988, Canada's existing "War Measures Act" was repealed and replaced by the Emergencies Act, which was to be invoked only during similar security emergencies.)

The act will allow Trudeau to direct that truckers be arrested, their trucks seized, and their bank accounts frozen...all without a warrant. If a protester is detained for more than eight days, that person's dog or other pet could be taken from him. The same fate could befall those individuals who could no longer care for their pets because they had their bank accounts frozen due to the Trudeau government's tyrannical and unconstitutional actions.

A tweet from the official account for Ottawa's by-law and regulatory services read, "Attention animal owners at demonstration: If you are unable to care for your animal as a result of enforcement actions, your animal will be placed into protective care for 8 days, at your cost. After 8 days, if arrangements are not made, your animal will be considered relinquished."

Some Western governments, including those in Canada and the U.S., have taken children from their parents if their parents were not vaccinated. Now Trudeau will separate the anti-mandate truckers from their pets. Talk about a pet peeve.

These nations no longer have the moral authority to effectively confront potentially hostile countries like the erstwhile Soviet Union or modern-day China, Russia, Iran, etc.

Ergo, they don't.

So what happens to the trucker's pet after the government considers it "relinquished"?

Likely the same thing that will happen to our freedom if we allow it to be relinquished.

It will be gone for good.

Photo credit: Twitter via New York Post.
Like most liberal poster boys, Justin Trudeau's claim to fame wasn't based on his record or his talents. It was instead based on a famous father, virtue-signaling, and being a subscriber to groupthink.

From climate change conferences to marches for abortion, LGBT, and even BLM, Trudeau was always an eager participant, playing the part of a "nice guy" before slobbering media personnel and cameras.

But real nice guys don't feel any need to make a spectacle of their niceties. For them, the act of kindness itself is the reward. When an individual such as Trudeau dedicates most of his energy to the act, it is because he wants to conceal his hollowness.

Like most method actors, Trudeau eventually became a caricature of himself.

Trudeau once urged a woman asking him a question at a town hall event to say "peoplekind," not "mankind." Alas for him, the act backfired  he was accused of mansplaining.

When he wasn't mansplaining, he played the part of an Indian folk dancer.

The goal was to project a sensitive, kind, boundlessly compassionate, and unrelentingly empathetic gent.

A bit of digging into his past proves otherwise.

On three occasions, Justin was photographed in blackface. Trudeau also expressed a fondness for evil totalitarians such as Fidel Castro and the Chinese Communist Party.

During his one-to-one meeting with President Trump in 2019, during a NATO conference, he was subservient like a dutiful schoolboy. Moments later, he was heard gossiping behind Trump's back about Trump's extended press conference.

Besides his pettiness and weakness that compelled him to indulge in backbiting, the remarks showed his mindset. Despite his claim to be a proponent of Democratic values, Trudeau regards the press as an inferior species. He cannot fathom why anybody would dedicate his time to answering questions from the press.

Well, Trudeau recently made an ample demonstration that he isn't the fervent supporter of democracy that he claims to be.

Trudeau was among the world leaders who used COVID-19 as a pretext to impose severe restrictions and mandates on the people of Canada.

When truckers staged a protest in Canada's capital of Ottawa against Trudeau's vaccine mandates, you would expect Mr. Nice Guy to meet with the representative of the truckers and negotiate a reasonable settlement. Perhaps even send them food and warm clothes as a mark of respect for their rights to protest.

But instead, Justin fled the capital and rushed to a safe house.

He then led a sustained campaign of demonization of the truckers.

The truckers were called White supremacists and racists among other pejorative terms. Trudeau has used similar terms for people skeptical about vaccines. The protest was called a blockade and an occupation. Trudeau has used these words in each of his utterances about the protest.

Chrystia Freeland, former journalist and Trudeau's deputy, is a willing participant in the strangulation of democracy. Perhaps Freeland and her husband, who works for the New York Times, were architects of the Goebbelsian media campaign against the protests.

The media relentlessly claimed it was a "giddy terrifying siege," where protesters were harassing citizens, throwing rocks at ambulances, forcing business closures, and using racist slurs. They claimed that children were being used as shields. On television, every visual of the protests was accompanied by the noise of relentless blaring horns which they claim all through the night. There also were reported Nazis and Confederate flags being waved.

The demonization caused dehumanization gave them a reason to crack down on the movement.

Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act that has never been used before in Canada's history. The law grants Trudeau with power to prohibit public assembly, travel and restrict the use of specific properties. Trudeau could compel private businesses such as tow truck services to forcibly remove the trucks. It places restrictions on the media. It also grants permission to use the military, which Trudeau hasn't ruled out, maintaining that it would be "a last resort."

Trudeau's police seized fuel from the trucks and even impounded some vehicles.

They knew that funding is the lifeblood of the campaign, hence they colluded with Big Tech to facilitate the blocking of funds. Bank accounts of individuals associated with the protest were frozen.

The protesters have raised more than $9.6 million on their GoFundMe. GoFundMe withheld the money, citing police reports of violence.

When another fundraising site, GiveSendGo, was chosen, information about the donors was leaked by hackers. This leaked personal information of the donors was published by the likes of The Washington Post. Even Twitter allowed the information to be shared. Small donors were harassed and even compelled to shut down their businesses following harassment.

When Trudeau's political opponents (including a Jewish woman) questioned him about his draconian methods, Trudeau tarred her as associated with swastika-wavers.

Finally, the organizers of the protest, Chris Barber and Tamara Lich, were arrested.

On Thursday, the Ottawa Police had ordered the protesters to leave or face arrest. Media have been asked to stay away from areas or face arrests. Police also set up approximately 100 checkpoints around the secured area.

If that doesn't work, Trudeau may even send his minions to infiltrate the protests and cause violence in order to give him more pretext to apply force.

In just a few days, Trudeau has transformed Canada into North Korea by assiduously following the user's manual for tyrants.

The Biden administration has been scant in its criticism of Trudeau, perhaps because they may be weighing following Trudeau's footsteps in the U.S. in near future.

The result of Trudeau's act of empathy and compassion ceases to work. Even his media cheerleaders are recognizing this. When one claims to be empathetic, it involves empathy for critics and an understanding of their criticisms.

Trudeau's pledges of standing for the working class and the downtrodden seem hollow. He seems to have forgotten that, at the height of the pandemic, truckers risked their lives and abandoned their families to deliver essential commodities to everybody.

Trudeau's instinct to avoid dialogue, and designating protesters as adversaries, has been an eye-opener for all. Trudeau probably thinks all protesters are right-wingers; hence, his actions are endorsed by his liberal voters.

Living for prolonged periods in his ivory tower has probably caused Trudeau to forget that most of "peoplekind" abhor mandates and love freedom. Vaccine skeptics exist across the ideological spectrum due to "experts" such as Fauci frequently changing claims about the vaccine and tyrants such as Trudeau mandating them. Trudeau's actions will be remembered the next time they go to the voting booth.

The likes of Trudeau's charade of empathy and compassion may con voters during times of peace and prosperity. It is easy to make speeches, participate in marches, and smile before the camera to win over people because the administration is run by bureaucrats.

But in extraordinary tough times such as these, people look to their leaders to be smart, resourceful, and adaptable and to apply their common sense.

Trudeau has been a catastrophe. Worse, he has proved to be a cowardly tyrant. Hopefully, voters beyond Canada are learning that behind nearly every liberal virtue-signaling and perpetually smiling charlatan, there usually is an evil tyrant.

Photo credit: Rumble video screen grab.
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."

James Madison

Without a doubt, being a police officer is one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs on the planet. One has to admire those who take on the job. The American left has made its contempt of our police abundantly clear for several years now. Encouraging the BLM riots, excusing the damage done, decreeing no punishment for those who did billions of dollars in property destruction over the summer of 2020 was their coin of the realm. Lacking common sense and any skill at predicting the consequences of idiotic policies, they have doubled down on stupid as cities like N.Y., Chicago, D.C., and L.A. rack up homicides committed by career criminals repeatedly let loose on an unsuspecting public.

On a daily basis, innocent victims are attacked, injured, or killed by violent perpetrators who have been released by cavalier lefty judges who have become self-appointed social justice warriors. This explains the parade massacre in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and nearly every other violent assault on innocent victims for the last year. Our American left reveres criminals over law-abiding citizens. There can no longer be any doubt about that fact. The Democrat party is, quite simply, pro-criminal.

The outrageous mismanagement of COVID as an instrument of population control will go down as the second-worst political crime against the American people in U.S. history. The first is the Hillary Clintonconceived Russia hoax. She and her cohorts belong in prison as do Fauci, Collins, Birx, and all those who pushed unsafe, ineffective injections on the millions of people who believed their lies about COVID. Each of those bureaucrats abused his position of power over the people and has blood on his hands.

"Because to take away a man's freedom of choice, even his freedom to make the wrong choice, is to manipulate him as though he were a puppet and not a person."

Madeleine L'Engle

So how do we explain the fact that in countries around the world, Australia, the U.K., the U.S., France, Belgium, Austria, and Canada, the police, those who were not fired for refusing the vaccine, have taken the opportunity to act like tyranny's handmaidens rather than protectors of the people, their essential charge, the reason they signed up for the job? In Canada, a few have sided with the truck drivers' cause, but the rest seem to enjoy the opportunity to roust good, law-abiding, non-violent protesters.



Police in Ottawa arrest a trucker protester (YouTube screen grab).

The worst cases of police abuse have been in Australia and New Zealand. In the U.K., people are rudely rousted for not wearing masks, those stupid face diapers that do virtually nothing to prevent the transmission of COVID. In some American cities, the police are called to remove parents from school board meetings. Something is very, very wrong. We are being lulled into communism like frogs in a slowly warming pot. Our cops who are doing the bidding of tyrannical mayors, governors, unelected "health officers," and the Biden administration should be on the side of freedom, not authoritarianism. What gives?

The left  the "Squad," for example  is all in for defunding the police. That policy has been disastrous everywhere it has been tried. Minneapolis, Portland, Oakland, San Francisco, Chicago. The police have every reason to be angry and to feel unappreciated. They have been unceremoniously and unfairly maligned.

But given the opportunity to support those who so valiantly support them  the Canadian truckers, for example  too many have taken the protests as permission to abuse law-abiding citizens who are peacefully protesting. One can understand their anger; they have been grossly unappreciated in all those cities that operate on the premise that the police are the problem. Others have been fired for some stupid violation within the woke culture that abhors free speech and "unacceptable views" (Trudeau).

There is no question about the fact that cops have been ridiculously restricted in their duties by the cancel culture that prevails and dictates they do not do their job. It is increasingly getting them killed.

So, again, why aren't all the police in the nation on the side of the anti-mandate protesters? The vaccines have caused tens of thousands of deaths and injuries. Thousands of good cops, paramedics, nurses, doctors, and firefighters have been fired for refusing the jabs. People who live in the moonbat blue cities who fire such people need to flee their states. Your emergency services have been drastically reduced. Just ask a New Yorker.

The agents of the FBI have been equally traitorous to the public they are meant to serve. But even more than our police, they have become enemies of the people. The Deep State that is the swamp Trump promised to drain has revised its mission; the FBI has been transformed into a group of functionaries who do a tyrannical government's bidding. The treatment of those who were barely present at the Capitol on January 6 is reminiscent of China's treatment of dissidents. They, these now vicious FBI agents, have been sicced upon people like Tina Peters, a Mesa County clerk in Colorado. Peters is a Gold Star mother who had the audacity to question the legitimacy of the voting machines used in Colorado. Her home was invaded by a dozen FBI agents, who ransacked it and roughed her up without apology.

These FBI agents are now Biden's DOJ's jack-booted stormtroopers. They have behaved similarly with countless people who were in D.C. on January 6 or have questioned the outcome of the 2020 election. We are living in the same version of tyranny as the Canadians. Why are our cops and FBI on the side of the authoritarians and not the people?

The obvious answer is that many of those who find jobs in law enforcement seek power over others and permission to abuse that power when the opportunity arises. The Capitol Police sorely abused their power on January 6; they obviously had been given permission to be vicious, and they were. Lt. Michael Byrd, the man who killed Ashli Babbitt, was given a pass for his cold-blooded murder of the unarmed veteran. He retains his senior position while good cops who kill criminals in the process of committing crimes are sent to jail.

Our system of justice, once the best in the world, is badly broken. Criminals, even one like Quintez Brown, who tried to murder a mayoral candidate in Louisville, Ky., are bailed out by BLM, and good cops who kill career criminals are in prison. One would think all such cases would place cops on the side of the folks who support them, who oppose defunding, who oppose vax mandates. But, as we have seen in Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., Canada, and here in the U.S., that is not the case.

Too many cops are choosing the side that uses and abuses them. Go figure. One can understand their anger at the ingratitude shown to them, but why align with the despots and not the people? If the Australian, New Zealand, American, and Canadian police had stood up for the people they are tasked to protect, everything would be different right now. There would be no protests, and the mandates would be over. Our cops are brave, but they need to be a bit more courageous and be on the side of freedom.
This is a good question, and the tendency is to over-think things.

It's not as complicated as it might seem. There are several contributing factors, none of which by itself is overwhelmingly convincing, but taken in aggregate, they could push things over the "go" threshold.

Putin's desire to restore Russia's place of importance and influence on the world stage

Ever since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia's military and economic influence have been markedly diminished. The world no longer recoils in fear at what Russia does, compared to the way the world reacted to every move that the old Soviet Union made. Ukraine is a major population and military entity. Controlling it would go a long way to increasing Russia's influence and power. This is pure egotism and hegemony on Putin's part, but those are real things that national leaders afflicted with human weaknesses display. It has to be acknowledged.

Putin's/Russia's resistance over Ukraine becoming part of NATO

The U.S. has said that it may want Ukraine to become part of NATO. Putting aside the inherent ridiculousness of such a proposal (Is NATO still relevant as it was in the 1950s? Ukraine is so politically corrupt, could it be a trustworthy military partner? Why would we want to arbitrarily "poke the bear" by adding a NATO member on Russia's border? These and about 1,000 other questions spring to mind.), it's understandable that Russia would not want a threatening foreign military force on its borders. Remember, in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, one of the conditions for resolution was that President Kennedy/America remove its medium-range nuclear missiles from Turkey, which were aimed right at the Soviets. Everyone forgets that part. History, history, history. The Soviets/Russia do not like threats right on their doorstep.

Putin sees Biden as weak and ineffectual

It's quite possible (likely, even) that Putin sees "President" Biden as a weak, confused leader and someone he (Putin) can take liberties with. If Putin wants Ukraine for a variety of reasons, then Biden is not the one who is likely to stand in his way. Biden will probably impose a few "for show" economic sanctions, hold a press conference declaring how tough he just was with Russia, and then just let Putin do as he pleases. That's probably what Putin is thinking.

There are outright economic and geographic advantages to Russia taking over Ukraine

From additional farmland and natural resources to unfettered access to the Black Sea, to the addition of a large economic structure and workforce, to the addition of an additional manufacturing/technology base, adding Ukraine to Russia would increase Russia's GDP and general economic standing. This is the usual reason that one country invades another, and it applies here as well.

Russia wants to drive up the price of crude oil

Russia is a top-three world oil producer, along with America and Saudi Arabia. Russia derives a huge portion of its national cash revenue by selling oil on the world market.

Under the Trump administration, America was energy-independent. We were the No. 1 oil producer in the world. We were about to extend that lead even farther with ANWR exploration and production and the Keystone XL pipeline. Oil would have fallen to $2540/bbl permanently; gasoline would have been well under $2.00/gallon. Households across the country would have, in effect, been given a $200/month "raise."

But the Biden administration canceled Keystone, canceled ANWR, rescinded exploration leases on federal lands, etc., all in deference to its green lobby support. People can agree or disagree with these decisions. That's a separate discussion. This is merely an observation that that's what happened.

The result is that these decisions sent a clear message to the world oil market that America was no longer interested in being energy independent or being the No. 1 oil producer in the world. The oil market is a commodity market, like any other commodity market, be it copper or pork bellies or oranges or aluminum. More real or anticipated supply = lower prices; tighter supply = higher prices.

Oil has risen from around $35/bbl in 2017 to around $90/bbl today. That's because the oil market "knows" that the U.S. will not be supplying significant additional new oil to the market in the near future. (It's not because of some mythical "collusion" among independent, competitive oil companies. Apple and Samsung don't "collude" on smartphone pricing; just the opposite: they look to cut each other's throats whenever they can. Sony and Panasonic don't "collude" on flat-screen TV prices. They try to break each other's kneecaps. Same thing with ExxonMobil and Shell.)

The rise in crude oil prices is good  very good  for Russia. What else affects international oil pricing besides good ol' supply and demand? Here's what: geopolitical instability. If Russia rattles its saber over Ukraine, the world's oil market gets nervous that oil supplies will be interrupted and that the safe passage/transportation of oil on the sea lanes could be interrupted (or worse). So the more noise Putin makes, the higher oil prices go.

That may be the real endgame here: keep the world guessing and nervous. Oil goes up and up. America is powerless to counteract it, because Keystone, ANWR, and federal land exploration have all been canceled in deference to the environmental lobby.

Putin rakes in a bloody fortune with $100/bbl oil, while Americans have to choose between groceries and heating oil. If actual shooting breaks out in Ukraine, oil could jump to $125/bbl and U.S. gasoline would average more than $5.00/gallon nationally. Putin is playing Biden like a violin.

Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License.
The Trentham Monkey Forest, a British zoo in Stafford, England, recently took an unusual step to bolster its population of endangered macaque monkeys. It hired David Largie, an experienced Marvin Gaye impersonator, to visit the monkeys' enclosure and croon love songs. Largie sang some of the soul legend's sexiest songs, including "Let's Get It On" and "Sexual Healing," inside the Barbary macaque habitat.

Park director Matt Lovatt (!) noted on the zoo's website: "We thought it could be a creative way to encourage our females to show a little affection to males that might not have been so lucky in love." He added, "Each birth is vital to the species with Barbary macaques being classed as endangered."

Zookeepers expect to discover whether Largie's covers of the iconic Gaye songs had the intended effect on the monkeys when birthing season arrives in late spring and early summer.



The intended result.

If it turns out Marvin Gaye's music didn't put the imperiled primates in the mood, perhaps the zoo could play Bread classics over its sound system. If "If," "Everything I Own," "Baby I'm a Want You," and "Make It With You" don't horn up the stolid simians, they deserve to become extinct.

The Trentham Monkey Forest might also consider hiring Dr. Ruth Westheimer to answer any of the macaques' questions regarding intimacy. Maybe it should also put some viagra in the monkeys' food, place some candles around the enclosure, and give them a few bottles of a particularly nice chardonnay. I mean, is it really that hard to get monkeys to do it?

Be that as it may, do you know how you know you aren't Marvin Gaye? I'll tell you: when you find yourself singing "Sexual Healing" to an enclosure full of macaques.

Photo credit: Kody8958, CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
ATHENS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Two men who had been trapped for several hours in a ferry that caught fire off Greece's Corfu island were rescued, and the number of missing rose to 12, Greek news agency AMNA reported on Friday evening.

"Our thoughts are with them and their families," Ioannis Plakiotakis, Greek Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, said in a statement regarding the missing.

A total of 280 people were transferred on Corfu, according to local officials. Among survivors was at least one person which was not included in the official list of people onboard Euroferry Olympia, the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy said.

The captain had reported 239 passengers and 51 crew members onboard.

An Afghan national who was also not registered in the passenger list and a Bulgarian driver were evacuated from the ferry by helicopter on Friday evening, according to the latest report from the Greek Coast Guard.

Ten people were slightly injured, according to an announcement of Corfu hospital.

The Italian-flagged ferry had departed from the Greek port of Igoumenitsa sailing towards Italy's Brindisi, when the incident occurred under still unclear circumstances.

Nearby ships and Coast Guard vessels rushed to the area to collect people who evacuated the ferry in lifeboats.

"Everything happened so fast," Costas, a Greek crew member, told the local daily "Proto Thema" (Top Story).

"(There was) no panic, the crew was experienced," Constantin, a Bulgarian passenger, added. 
(Image source from: Thehindu.com)

Russia Stations Nearly 1,90,000 Troops Near Ukraine:- Russia has been keen to attack Ukraine and there are tensed situations at the border. Though Russia said that their troops are withdrawn, USA said that Russia will stage attack soon. American President Joe Biden calls it a false flag event and the officials of Russia say that no invasion of Ukraine is underway. A total number of 1.9 lakh military personnel of Russia are stationed at the border as per the American Intelligence authorities. The US ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe told this in a statement. Kremlin rejected the idea that the nuclear exercises of Russia will inflame tensions in the West.

Russina President Vladimir Putin will oversee the happenings from the Situation Centre in Russia. The Russian military yesterday announced massive drills of the strategic forces. There would be multiple practise launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. President Vladimir Putin will overlook the nuclear drills that will take place today. USA claims that 50 percent of the Russian forces are at the border of the Ukraine and are ready to stage attacks. The negotiators of Ukraine say that Russia is hampering the peace and is not interested in talks. About 25,000 Luhansk residents crossed border with Russia as per the recent update. On the whole, there are tensed situations at the border and the entire globe is looking at these happenings.
(Image source from: Twitter.com/ramsayz)

Official: Ram and Boyapati to team up:- Energetic Star Ram is picking up mass entertainers and he is shooting for Lingusamy's film The Warrior. The shooting portions are expected to be completed by March and the film releases post-summer. There are talks that Ram and Boyapati Sreenu will team up for a mass entertainer and the project is announced officially today. Srinivasaa Silver Screen will produce this film which happens to be the 20th film of Ram.

Super kicked to announce my 20th film! #RAPO20 is #BoyapatiRapo !!



Excited to see myself through the eyes of the Daddy of Mass emotions Boyapati garu.?



Love..#RAPO pic.twitter.com/J5cFVxU7nv  RAm POthineni (@ramsayz) February 18, 2022

Boyapati Sreenu is working on the script and the shoot commences later this year. Boyapati Sreenu is riding high with the super success of Akhanda. The female lead and other actors, technicians are finalized. The film will head for a release early next year in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam languages. Ram is also holding talks with a couple of Tamil directors for his upcoming movie.
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FILE PHOTO: U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry March 28, 2017 and obtained by Reuters July 10, 2019. New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

(AP) - A modeling agent who was close to disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein was found dead Saturday in his French jail cell, where he was being held in an investigation into the rape of minors and trafficking of minors for sexual exploitation, according to the Paris prosecutors office.

Paris police are investigating the death of the agent, Jean-Luc Brunel, the prosecutors office said.

Brunels lawyer did not immediately comment. His lawyer previously said that Brunel contested accusations against him in the media, but that he was available to talk to judicial officials.

Brunel was detained at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in 2020 as part of a broad French probe unleashed by sex-trafficking charges in the US against Epstein. Epstein killed himself in 2019 in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial.

A frequent companion of Epstein, Brunel was considered central to the French investigation into alleged sexual exploitation of women and girls by the US financier and his circle. Epstein traveled often to France and had apartments in Paris.

Multiple women have identified themselves as victims and spoken to police since the French probe was opened in 2019.

Earlier this week, Britains Prince Andrew agreed to settle a case in which he was accused of sexually abusing a 17-year-old girl supplied to him by Epstein. The deal, in which Andrew agreed to make a substantial donation to his accuser's charity, avoids a trial.
Theres apparently nothing that Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl cant or wont do. In the past decade alone, he has penned the best-selling memoir The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music; written a new Fraggle Rock theme song; been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for a second time; released an EP of faithful Bee Gees covers; and produced two docuseries (Sonic Highways and From Cradle to Stage) and two rockumentaries (Sound City and What Drives Us). So, the only thing left to add to his resume is starring as a possessed demon in a supernatural horror comedy, of course!

And thats just what he and his fellow Foos are doing this month  just because they can  with the full-length slasher flick Studio 666.

While Studio 666s plot centers on the making of the Foo Fighters 2021 album, Medicine at Midnight, in a haunted Encino mansion, the film is most definitely not a documentary. The B.J. McDonnell-directed romp depicts the Nicest Man in Rock, Grohl himself, morphing into a monster and going on a killing spree, murdering his real-life bandmates (Taylor Hawkins, Pat Smear, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, and Rami Jaffee) in various violent ways. Shiflett gets BBQ-grilled and cannibalized, for instance, while Foos drummer Hawkins gets decapitated by a razor-edged cymbal that Grohl throws, Frisbee-style, directly at his throat. And then in a literally climactic scene, Jaffee and an old-school groupie (played by Whitney Cummings) experience the grisliest sort of coitus interruptus, when Grohl invades their bedroom wielding a chainsaw.

Its all very funny  but also surprisingly bloody disgusting. According to a press statement, Studio 666 was inspired by rock 'n' roll cult classics like KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park and the Monkees Head, but it actually has just as much in common with Evil Dead, with a touch of TheShining.

I mean, listen  someone says, Hey, here's some cameras, make a horror film  you're gonna order extra blood! Grohl laughs, sitting with two of his bandmates/co-stars/onscreen victims, Smear and Shiflett. There were times when we were filming some of those scenes where I would hear the director screaming at the guy who's pumping the blood. He's just going, More blood, more blood, more blood!

The theatrical poster for 'Studio 666.' (Photo: Open Road Films)

The Foos confess that they didnt do all their own Studio 666 stunts. There was this one scene where me and [comedian] Jeff Garlin [who plays a sleazy record executive] are kicking each other in the nuts over and over  that was a stunt guy. I was not about to jump into that scene, Grohl notes sensibly. But Grohl says getting into murderous character wasnt all that difficult. The much bigger challenge of that above-mentioned Hawkins scene, for instance, was actually the part where I'm screaming at Taylor that he's not doing it right on the drums, he says. That was hard for me!

Thats like his nightmare! Smear laughs. That was the hardest part for me  like, having to be mean to my guys. I didn't like that part.

I know! I've never screamed at Taylor.  It's hard for me as a drummer to make a record with another drummer, because I really feel like I have to be very gentle in a way and be like, You know, it's cool, that's great. Maybe try this, maybe try that. But you know, I don't have, like, fangs hanging outta my mouth and decapitate with a cymbal or whatever, Grohl chuckles. But you know, there are a lot of sort of realistic cliches in the film with go a band  going into the studio to make a record, where then you have creative differences or someone has writer's block, and there's tension. But the movie, of course, is a much more exaggerated version of that.

In one especially memorable writers-blocked Studio 666 scene, Grohls pal Lionel Richie, whom Grohl serenaded with Richies You Are at the Grammys MusiCares gala in 2016, makes a surprise cameo. And in keeping with the flicks solid R rating, the pop/soul legend drops the F-bomb  several times  when he isnt pleased to overhear Grohl singing (or plagiarizing) another Richie hit. Whats most shocking about this appearance from Lionel  Americas sweetheart, perhaps the only man in music more lovable than Grohl himself  is the profanity was all Richies ad-lib.

You know, to be honest, that wasn't in the script, Grohl reveals. In the script it was, We all have writer's block, but that's my song. That's my song! And then he basically said, You want me to ramp it up a little bit? We were like, Yeah! And then he was like, That's my f***ing song! Like, he went for it. That was Lionel; that was not the director or us. He's like, Want some more? We're like, Yes, Lionel, yes! More! Wow, he went there. It was great.

While Grohl has trashed American Idol in the past, even claiming that such shows are destroying the next generation of musicians, now that his buddy Richie is a regular judge on Idol, one has to wonder if Grohl and the Foos would ever consider guesting on the family-friendly show  perhaps as mentors on a themed Nineties Night? To that question, Grohl deadpans, Well, you know, I have some good advice for Nineties Night: Be four hours late, be completely unprepared

Ohhh, it's gonna get dark, Smear interjects with a giggle.

Yeah, Grohl continues. And someone has to

be on heroin? Smear suggests.

OK, yes. We would love to mentor Nineties Night. But we gotta do it the right way, Grohl quips.

Well, perhaps its unlikely that Grohl will appear on an R-rated Idol episode any time soon. But Studio 666 is obviously the perfect screen vehicle for him  because hes such a longtime horror fan that when he was teenager, long before he was in the famous 90s band Nirvana, he almost joined gory shock-rockers GWAR.

So, I'm from Virginia. I grew up outside of Washington D.C., and GWAR was from Richmond. ... So we'd met; they'd seen me play the drums, Grohl recalls. It was probably 1987 that they needed a drummer, and the guitar player at the time, his name is Dewey [Rowell, aka Flattus Maximus]. We got in touch and he asked if I wanted to join. GWAR were becoming huge  like, in the underground scene back then, if 500 people showed up to your show, you were a huge band! And so I actually considered it for a moment. He said, You know, as a drummer, you don't want anything that's blocking your face; you want your arms to be free. So, I started drawing out this costume. And then I kind of thought, like, Wait a minute. Am I gonna invite my uncle or my mom to a GWAR show? I don't really think I do it.

Whether Grohl wants to invite his relatives to watch him decapitate, dismember, and/or barbecue his bandmates in the blood-soaked Studio666remains to be seen  but clearly, this was the role he was born to play. The Foo Fighters Studio 666 debuts in theaters on Feb. 25.

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 Video produced by Jen Kucsak, edited by Jimmie Rhee
With the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day both in the rearview mirror, that can only mean one thing: the NCAA tournament is almost here.

Twenty-two days before Selection Sunday, the NCAA mens basketball selection committee shared a snapshot of its top 16 teams. Here is the partial bracket that the committee unveiled on Saturday afternoon, the committee's top 16 from top to bottom and four key takeaways.

The top 16 seeds - in bracket form! #BracketPreviewpic.twitter.com/BLfK2pxRGO  NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 19, 2022

THE SELECTION COMMITTEE'S EARLY TOP 16

1. Gonzaga

2. Auburn

3. Arizona

4. Kansas

5. Baylor

6. Kentucky

7. Purdue

8. Duke

9. Villanova

10. Texas Tech

11. Tennessee

12. Illinois

13. Wisconsin

14. UCLA

15. Providence

16. Texas

FOUR KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. Gonzaga, not Arizona, is No. 1 in the West

Glance at the resumes of Gonzaga and Arizona, and its not easy to tell them apart.

One is 22-2. The other is 23-2.

One has a tight grip on first place in an unusually strong WCC. The other has a tight grip on first place in the unusually top-heavy Pac-12.

One has a 6-2 record in Quadrant 1 games, including marquee victories over Texas Tech, UCLA and Texas. The other has a 5-2 record in Quadrant 1 games, including marquee victories over Illinois, UCLA and USC.

Even the systems they run have similarities. Arizona is coached by Tommy Lloyd, who until last spring was Mark Fews second-in-command at Gonzaga.

So why is Gonzaga the selection committees current No. 1 overall team with a geographically friendly path to a potential third Final Four since 2017? And why is Arizona slotted behind the Zags and Auburn and settling for a No. 1 seed in the South Region?

Selection committee chairman Tom Burnett described the margin between those three teams as "razor thin" but he pointed to who Gonzaga beat out of conference.

"Great quality of wins that swayed the committee this week," Burnett said during CBS' Bracket Preview Show. "They beat Texas Tech. They beat UCLA. They beat Texas."

What didn't come up but may also have been a factor: Gonzaga's margin of victory mowing through its schedule. Only five of the 22 teams that Gonzaga has beaten this season have come within fewer than 20 points. None have lost by fewer than nine.

In predictive metrics that take margin of victory into account, Gonzaga is the nations top-ranked team by a wide margin. Arizona has more chances to bolster its resume with a road date at USC and the Pac-12 tournament still left to play. Even so, the Zags may be hard to catch if they dont take at least one more loss.

2. Kansas controls the race for the final No. 1 seed

While it was a foregone conclusion that Gonzaga, Auburn and Arizona would land No. 1 seeds in the committees in-season bracket, which team would claim the final spot on the top seed line wasnt so clear.

Would it be Kansas, which leads the formidable Big 12 and has an impressive 14-4 record in Quadrant 1 and 2 games? Or would it be Kentucky, which three weeks ago clobbered the Jayhawks by 18 points in Allen Fieldhouse? Or maybe Baylor, which like Kansas has nine Quadrant 1 victories?

Burnett admitted there was "maybe a little separation" between the top three teams and the final No. 1 seed. He and his colleagues ultimately chose Kansas because of its national-best 9-3 record in Quadrant 1 games. The Jayhawks have a head-to-head victory over Baylor, which the committee deemed the strongest of the No. 2 seeds. They also have beaten Texas Tech and Michigan State, as well as a slew of Big 12 NCAA tournament hopefuls.

Given the strength of its remaining schedule and its head-to-head rout of Kansas, Kentucky would seem to have the best chance to bypass the Jayhawks or one of the other three presumed No. 1 seeds should any of them falter down the stretch. The Wildcats have opportunities for marquee wins at home against Alabama and LSU and at Arkansas over the next eight days. Then theres the SEC tournament, where a chance to avenge a previous loss to Auburn could potentially await.

Though the primary purpose of the NCAAs in-season bracket preview is to generate discussion, the top seed line has often proven to be a harbinger of things to come. In four of the past five years, three of the four No. 1 seeds from the NCAAs early sneak peek at the bracket have remained on the top seed line come Selection Sunday. That pattern likely would have continued in 2020, except there was no NCAA tournament.

LAWRENCE, KS - FEBRUARY 12: Head coach Bill Self of the Kansas Jayhawks calls a play while conversing with K.J. Adams #24 of the Kansas Jayhawks while taking on the Oklahoma Sooners during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse on February 12, 2022 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)

3. How the committee seeded Providence (And what that means for everyone else)

One of the trickiest decisions the committee had to make was where to place Providence. Thats because the Friars have a resume that rivals the likes of Duke or Villanova yet computer metrics that suggest theyre nowhere near that good.

Providence established itself as a team to watch during non-conference play with a road win at Wisconsin, followed by a home win over Texas Tech. Since then, the Friars have ascended to the top of a loaded Big East that could send as many as seven teams to the NCAA tournament.

And yet, despite that success, Providence is still 29th in the NET, 40th in Bart Torviks rankings and 45th at KenPom. Metrics that take margin of victory into account dont like the Friars, who are 9-1 in games decided by five points or fewer and have been blown out in losses to Virginia and Marquette.

In the end, the committee paid attention to the predictive metrics and awarded Providence the second-to-last No. 4 seed. Its a decision that offers insight into how the committee might treat other teams whose resumes and metrics don't match.

Among the teams who are banking on favorable predictive metrics to boost their seedings: Houston, LSU, Saint Mary's, Virginia Tech and Oklahoma.

Among the teams who, like Providence, are ranked lower in the predictive metrics than their resumes would suggest: USC, Wisconsin, Rutgers, Oregon.

4. Who was the biggest snub?

There were four teams that were in the running for the final spot in the top 16. Burnett said the committee ultimately chose Texas over Alabama, Houston and Ohio State.

Of the three snubs, the team with the biggest gripe might be Houston, which is 21-4 overall, fourth in the NET and seventh in Ken Pomeroy's rankings. Predictive metrics like the Cougars far more than the likes of Texas, Wisconsin and Providence, which all landed on the No. 4 line.

What held back the Cougars was a dearth of marquee wins. Their most impressive victory to date is ... Virginia? Oregon? Maybe Oklahoma State. Not having beaten a surefire NCAA tournament team yet this season outweighed other metrics in the eye of the committee.

"The NET is a great sorting tool for the committee, but it's not the be-all, end-all for us," Burnett said. "I look at the NET as kind of a first step. I want to see why the NET is that way. We've all watched Providence. We've all watched Houston. Houston certainly has an issue with a lack of Quad 1 wins this year, whereas Providence has had a lot of Quad 1 opportunities in the Big East Conference and they've taken advantage."

In addition to Houston, Alabama had an argument to be on the No. 4 seed line. While the Tide have nine losses including some dubious ones to mid-major Iona and SEC bottom feeders Missouri and Georgia, they also have some of the most impressive wins of any team in the country. Who else has beaten the likes of Gonzaga, Baylor, Tennessee, Houston, Arkansas and LSU?
Hundreds of thousands of people remain without power and widespread disruption to travel services is continuing into Saturday in the wake of Storm Eunice.

A clean-up is set to begin after the storm brought damage, disruption and record-breaking gusts of wind to the UK and Ireland, leading to the deaths of at least four people.

As of Friday night the number of households without power listed by providers was: 6,000 in Northern Power, 112,000 in Western Power, 260 in Electricity North West, 156,000 in UK Power Networks and 120,000 in the Scottish & Southern networks.

Millions of people were urged to stay at home on Friday due to safety fears over the impact of Eunice, one of the worst storms to hit the UK in a generation, while transport woes meant many were unable to travel.

A fallen tree in Battersea blocking a road after the storm (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

National Rail said routes across most of Great Britain remain affected on Saturday morning, with disruption set to continue throughout the day.

Do not travel notices have been reissued for a number of services, including for the Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern networks where some routes are not expected to reopen until the afternoon.

South Western Railway expects significant disruption across their network in the morning, while Great Western Railway and Greater Anglia services are suspended until approximately 10am.

Train networks were disrupted by flying debris, while there was damage to buildings and homes.

A woman in her 30s died after a tree fell on a car in Haringey, north London, on Friday afternoon, the Metropolitan Police said. It was the first confirmed death in England related to Eunice.

A man in his 50s died in Netherton, Merseyside, after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in.

(Joe Giddens/PA)

Another man in his 20s was killed in Alton, Hampshire, after a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter pick-up collided with a tree in Old Odiham Road just before midday.

Earlier, a man in Co Wexford, Ireland, was also killed by a falling tree.

A member of the public suffered serious injuries after being struck by debris from a roof in Henley-on-Thames.

Two men were also in hospital after being injured in similar, separate incidents in south London.

The Met Office has issued a less-severe yellow wind warning for much of the south coast of England and South Wales on Saturday, which it said could hamper recovery efforts from Storm Eunice.

Areas affected by the warning could experience more bridge closures, travel delays and further power cuts.

Icy stretches are also expected widely across Northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, with some snow in the regions.

Five flood warnings were also still in place.

The Needles on the Isle of Wight recorded a wind gust of 122 mph this morning This is provisionally the highest gust ever recorded in England#StormEunice  pic.twitter.com/aNYMnFbMvT  Met Office (@metoffice) February 18, 2022

Winds of 122mph were provisionally recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight on Friday, which, if verified, would be the highest ever recorded in England.

The previous record was 118mph at Gwennap Head in Cornwall in 1979.

Footage shared online captured planes struggling to land in high winds, damage to the roof of the O2 arena in London, and the spire of St Thomas Church in Wells, Somerset, crashing to the ground.
BRUSSELS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The executive arms of the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) will address differences and work out a solution for a more equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines by this spring, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.

"We share the same goal. We have different ways to reach that goal. There must be a bridge between those two ways," she told a press conference that concluded the sixth EU-AU summit in Brussels.

The commissions of the two unions will organize a College-to-College meeting in Brussels in spring to deliver a solution, she said.

Leaders from the two continents held the summit on Thursday and Friday, and the talks were featured by a "good, intense, constructive" discussion on the question of TRIPS (Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights) waiver and compulsory licensing, according to von der Leyen.

Earlier Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that six African countries will receive the technology needed to produce mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccines.

Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia will be part of a project that aims to enable low- and middle-income countries to manufacture mRNA vaccines in line with international standards. The project is intended to reduce Africa's reliance on vaccine manufacturers outside the continent.

"One of the most obvious lessons of the pandemic is the urgent need to increase local production of vaccines, especially in low and middle-income countries," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during the summit in Brussels.

Yet Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, complained that Intellectual Property (IP) barriers had nevertheless hampered his country and that a waiver of IP rights was required to spread production more evenly.

A TRIPS waiver, if approved, will secure the requisite capacity of the platform, and facilitate the diversification of production to regions that are currently cut out of the manufacturing value chains, said Ramaphosa.

Von der Leyen also announced a 150 billion-euro package dedicated to projects on the African continent. The funds will come from the EU's Global Gateway, a global investment plan aiming at developing infrastructure around the world. Priorities for the projects to be financed by the Global Gateway include the green transition, transport network, digital connection, sustainable agriculture, healthcare and education.

Security and the fight against terrorism were also discussed between representatives of the European and African unions at the summit.

"Financing peace doesn't mean just sending troop or funding for weapons. It means consolidating governance, justice, administration, and financing development in all aspects -- education, health, infrastructures," said Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission. 
Strong winds of up to 70mph are set to sweep the UK in the coming days, disrupting travel, power supplies and Storm Eunice recovery efforts, forecasters have warned

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for wind covering most of the UK on Sunday and Monday, after northern England faced blizzard-like conditions on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, thousands of homes are still without power after Eunice hit parts of the UK on Friday, and insurers said clean-up costs could rise above 300 million.

At the height of the storm, the roof of the O2 Arena in London was damaged and the spire of St Thomas Church in Wells, Somerset, crashed to the ground.

Saturday brought snowy weather to parts of Yorkshire and strong winds to the south coast, with a calmer evening forecast.

But forecasters have warned Sunday could see gales of up to 70mph in some parts of England, which is the same speed recorded at Heathrow Airport on Friday when thousands watched planes struggling to land on YouTube channel Big Jet TV.

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst urged Britons to brace for more windy weather.

Speaking on Saturday, he added: We will see a slight easing in the wind over the evening time tonight, but its not long before they pick up again tomorrow to lead to another windy day across the UK.

A young girl enjoys the snow in York as northern England was blasted by blizzards on Saturday afternoon (Danny Lawson/PA)

This will have an impact on the clearing up process over the course of the day.

A yellow warning for wind has been issued for England and Wales on Sunday from midday until 3pm, while Northern Ireland and north-west England are covered by the same warning until midnight.

Identical warnings have also been issued for Monday.

A yellow warning for rain from midnight until 6pm on Sunday is in place for Cumbria, Lancashire and West Yorkshire.

 Yellow weather warning updated  Rain across northern parts of England Sunday 0000  1800 Latest info  https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs Stay #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/Zoby9CF4y2  Met Office (@metoffice) February 19, 2022

The Association of British Insurers warned previous storms similar to Eunice cost around 360 million in repairs.

A spokesman said: It is too early to estimate the likely insured cost of Storm Eunice, when insurers will be focusing on assessing damage and helping their customers recover.

No two storms are the same. The last significant storms to hit the UK  Ciara and Dennis  led to insurers paying out over 360 million.

In an update on Saturday, the Energy Networks Association said about 195,000 customers remained without power in the South, Wales and East, while some 1.2 million had been reconnected.

Parts of northern England saw heavy snowfall on Saturday (Danny Lawson/PA)

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said on Saturday afternoon that 190,000 customers still had no electricity and restoration efforts were being impacted by continued strong winds across southern England.

He tweeted: Storm Eustice update: 1.2 million customers have had power restored. 190k are off-supply 8,000 field staff and engineers are working day and night to restore power.

We expect most customers to have supplies restored promptly.

Strong winds across southern England are impacting restoration efforts.

This morning I spoke to @SSENcommunity to ensure customers have their power restored as quickly as possible.

Strong winds across southern England are impacting restoration efforts This morning I spoke to @SSENcommunity to ensure customers have their power restored as quickly as possible I would like to thank our emergency services and engineers who are working tirelessly (2/2)  Kwasi Kwarteng (@KwasiKwarteng) February 19, 2022

I would like to thank our emergency services and engineers who are working tirelessly.

National Rail has warned there is still major disruption to train services across most of Great Britain.

At least four people were killed amid the severe conditions in the UK and Ireland on Friday, and a gust of 122mph provisionally recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight would be the strongest ever in England, if verified.

A 79-year-old British man died in Ypres, Belgium, after his boat was blown into a waterway amid high winds, according to local reports.

A catamaran washed up along the seafront in Brighton (Adam Davy/PA)

A woman in her 30s died after a tree fell on a car in Haringey, north London, on Friday afternoon.

In Netherton, Merseyside, a man in his 50s died after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in.

A man in his 20s was killed in Alton, Hampshire, after a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter pick-up collided with a tree in Old Odiham Road.

In Co Wexford, Ireland, a council worker clearing debris was killed by a falling tree.
President Joe Biden spoke to the nation Friday on the crisis with Russia over Ukraine, amid increased shelling in eastern Ukraine and possible false-flag attacks he said Russia could use to falsely justify an invasion.

Answering questions afterward, he appeared to go further than he has before about what Russian President Vladimir Putin might do, saying, "As of this moment, I am convinced he has made the decision" to invade.

When asked if this means that diplomacy is off the table, Biden said, "no" and said until he invades, "diplomacy is also a possibility."

Pressed why he was confident in his assessment, he responded, "We have significant intelligence capability."

In his prepared remarks, Biden said, "We have reason to believe the Russian forces are planning to and intend to attack Ukraine in the coming week -- the coming days. We believe that they will target Ukraine's capitol of Kiev, a city of 2.8 million innocent people. We're calling out Russia's plans loudly and repeatedly not because we want a conflict," Biden said, but to prevent them from moving.

"Do you have any indication about whether Pres. Putin has made a decision on whether to invade?" Pres. Biden: "As of this moment I'm convinced he's made the decision. We have reason to believe that." https://t.co/Su59PbbRAGpic.twitter.com/H2R0BWZ4zq  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 18, 2022

He made the remarks after he held a call with translatlantic leaders to discuss continued efforts at deterrence and diplomacy and what the White House called "Russia's buildup of military troops on the border of Ukraine." He said he spoke with members of Congress attending the Munich Security Conference as well.

"Despite Russia's efforts to divide us at home and abroad, I can affirm that has not happened. The overwhelming message on both calls was one of unity, determination and resolve," Biden said.

MORE: Biden says he expects Putin will go through with Ukraine invasion within days

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participated in the call, along with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, the EU, and NATO, according to Trudeau's office.

PHOTO: President Joe Biden delivers remarks on his administration's efforts to pursue deterrence and diplomacy in response to Russia's military buildup on the border of Ukraine, from the White House in Washington, Feb. 18, 2022. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

MORE: Biden says he expects Putin will go through with Ukraine invasion within days

On Friday, the leader of Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine called for his supporters to begin a mass evacuation to Russia, claiming Ukraine was readying for an invasion of the region. Ukraine immediately denied the claim.

The Biden administration has repeatedly warned Moscow will likely manufacture Ukrainian provocations to justify an invasion of its smaller neighbor.

MORE: Tensions rise in Ukraine as Russian-backed separatist shelling hits nursery school

PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during a joint news conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko following their talks in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Feb. 18, 2022. (Sergei Guneyev/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Putin Friday warned the situation is "escalating," appearing to place blame on Ukraine.

"All Kyiv 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," Putin said Friday during a news conference alongside the leader of Belarus.

But Putin continues to demand assurances from the West that Ukraine will never join NATO, a concession U.S. officials are unwilling to make.

Biden 'convinced' Putin has made decision to invade Ukraine as crisis with Russia escalates originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
William McWhorter of the Texas Historical Commission studies a schematic drawing of a World War II incarceration camp at Crystal City, Texas, in 2010. The concrete was the floor of a camp building. (Michael Graczyk / Associated Press)

At age 7, Libby Yamamoto came home from a sleepover to find that her father had been taken away by the village police in their Peruvian town.

It was 1943, and as World War II raged, mounting numbers of Japanese in her country were also rounded up by authorities.

The U.S. government had ordered the operation, citing hemispheric security, according to historians and accounts from survivors.

The previous year, President Franklin Roosevelt had authorized the relocation of people deemed to pose a threat to national security, resulting in the mass incarceration of more than 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry.

Now, the government effort to lock up Japanese people was extending beyond U.S. borders.

More than 2,200 Japanese from countries including Peru and Bolivia were shipped to the U.S. and confined in concentration camps.

Some were swapped for U.S. citizens in a prisoner exchange with Japan, according to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU seeking reparations.

We didnt know when my dad would be back  or if he was even coming back, recalled Yamamoto, now 86 and living in Richmond. They showed up so quick, having no explanation.

In 1998, the ACLU lawsuit resulted in a settlement with the U.S. government granting each survivor from Latin America $5,000  a fourth of the $20,000 that incarcerated U.S. citizens received in reparations.

Most took the money, feeling it was the best they could get.

Others thought the smaller amount was insulting and turned it down, pointing to the double injustice of being brought to the U.S. against their will, then getting less compensation because they werent American citizens.

With the 80th anniversary of Roosevelts Executive Order 9066 on Saturday, advocates are seeking full reparations for the internees from Latin America, many of whom have died or are of advanced age.

Next Thursday, advocates plan to flood the White House with phone calls as part of the Campaign for Justice: Redress NOW for Japanese Latin Americans.

Grace Shimizu of Oakland, whose father and other relatives were transported from Peru and incarcerated in the U.S., is director of the Japanese Peruvian Oral History Project and the Campaign for Justice.

The anniversary, as well as the recent racial reckonings and rise in anti-Asian hate, make this the right time for another push for reparations, she said.

Imagine the grief, the terror of being taken away from your country, stripped of your rights, landing in the U.S. and not speaking English and not given choices, Shimizu said. We think 80 years is enough. We shouldnt have to wait longer for proper justice.

Phil Tajitsu Nash, lecturer and co-founder of the Asian American Studies Program at the University of Maryland, said many young people have never heard about this horrible chapter of World War II history.

Were doing this to vaccinate a new generation against the deadly virus that is racism, he said. Its a virus thats been around before COVID and will stay after COVID  and the timings optimum, said Nash, also a co-president of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.

In Peru and other Latin American countries, Japanese immigrants were farmers and businesspeople.

On their way to the U.S. concentration camps, some were forced to cut brush with machetes in blistering heat at a way station in Panama.

After their years in the camps, many were deported to Japan. Children born to them while incarcerated were U.S. citizens and received the full $20,000, despite being too young to remember the experience.

Rose Akiko Nishimuras family had a business importing textiles and manufacturing dress shirts in Lima, Peru.

As a girl, she was forced onto a U.S. Army ship and sent to a concentration camp in Crystal City, Texas.

After she and her family were released, they wanted to return to Peru, but the government would not accept them, so they remained in the U.S.

Tensions erupted among Nishimura and her siblings over whether to take the $5,000 settlement. She and her sisters accepted it, while her brothers did not.

I dont understand why we are receiving less than the Japanese Americans. We suffered equally as they did, Nishimura said in a court declaration in 1999. Indeed, when you think about it, perhaps even more because we were snatched from our own country and brought to a strange land whose language we did not know.

Yamamoto, the Richmond resident, spent her early childhood in a Peruvian village called Hacienda Tuman. Her father, Usaburo Maoki, owned a general store there and a tire repair shop in the neighboring city of Chiclayo.

After Maoki was taken away, he was transported to Panama along with his younger brother, where they dug ditches and cleaned toilets, Yamamoto said.

The brothers were first held at Camp Kennedy in Texas before moving to the Crystal City camp. Maokis wife and children were also forcibly removed from Peru and eventually joined him at Crystal City, where they lived until May 1947.

At wars end, they told us, All you people from Peru, go back to Peru or Japan. You cant stay here. Youre illegal aliens, Yamamoto recalled. But Peru wouldnt take us. Besides, my father had lost everything. We had nothing to return to.

An aunt and a niece helped with their finances and found housing for them in Berkeley. They stayed in the U.S.

Maoki counseled his daughter not to live her years in anger.

He said that in wartime, even the most logical country can do the most illogical, atrocious thing. We have to move on to forgive, Yamamoto said.

Yet victims who were kidnapped still deserve recognition. If nothing else, the government should make amends.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A Florida elementary school principal was among more than a dozen people arrested in a recent sex trafficking sting, which also saw two teen girls rescued.

Derrick McLaughlin, a principal at Dawson Elementary school, was arrested alongside 17 others suspects from all over the Tampa Bay area. The roundup also included Robin Varghese, who is known to be affiliated with his fathers church, Bethel of Brandon Pentecostal Church.

These suspects came from all walks of life, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement.

No matter what these suspects did for a living, they sought to take advantage of a young person in our area, which is unacceptable. We are thankful that these men encountered our detectives online instead of a real child.

The arrests come after a three-month investigation, called Operation Wanderlust.

Throughout the probe, which kicked off in November 2021, all of the suspects at one point started communicating with undercover investigators, each of them posing as minors online. They allegedly requested the undercover agents perform sex acts and would send them inappropriate pictures.

Half of those arrested had traveled to Hillsborough County, which includes the Tampa area, to meet them for sex, according to authorities. One suspect drove as far as Boca Raton to meet up with an alleged minor.

Eduardo Antonio Iglesias Amaya was twice arrested over the course of the sting. Hes facing 18 counts of child porn after a search warrant led investigators to uncover disturbing material on his phone.

Arthur Vos has been accused of grooming a 15-year-old girl for participating in his rape and BDSM fantasies. He mostly contacted her by phone, and their communications were later discovered by her father, who immediately turned it over to authorities.

Another 15-year-old girl, with a history of falling prey to commercial sex trafficking, was also rescued amid the operation, police said.

The HCSO Human Trafficking Squad works diligently to save our children from becoming victims to sexual predators that use technology to hunt in the shadows of the internet, Chronister added.

Through operations like Wanderlust, we are constantly taking a proactive approach to finding these predators, and our efforts will not stop.
Vice President Kamala Harris meets with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at a security conference in Munich, Germany, on Friday. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press)

President Biden said Friday he was convinced Russian leader Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine, as the situation in the former Soviet republic took a more ominous turn toward war.

"We believe that they will target Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million innocent people," Biden said in a somber White House address. "We're calling out Russia's plans loudly and repeatedly, not because we want a conflict, but because we're doing everything in our power to remove any reasons that Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine."

Though Biden said "diplomacy is always a possibility," the president's admission that he is "convinced" that Putin has already made a decision to invade neighboring Ukraine left little hope that Western powers might avert a deadly, disruptive and economically damaging conflict.

The comments followed similar admonitions from Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in Munich, Germany, where America's top diplomat said the Kremlin's plan to create a pretext for invading Ukraine "is already in play," alluding to claims Friday by Russian separatists that they were victims of artillery shelling and sabotage.

The showdown with Putin stems from the Russian president's demand that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization agree to not admit Ukraine as a member. The U.S. and other members of NATO have rebuffed that suggestion, saying they will not agree to bar a sovereign country from seeking to join the alliance.

Biden administration officials have said the U.S. will not send troops to defend Ukraine but have promised that Russia will face punishing sanctions and will be ostracized from the international community should it attack.

"We will hold Russia accountable for its actions," said Biden, who spoke with Western leaders by phone before his address. "The West is united and resolved. We're ready to impose severe sanctions on Russia if it further invades Ukraine. But I say again, Russia can still choose diplomacy. It is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table."

U.S. and Western officials have warned repeatedly in recent days that Russia and its allies in Ukraine are likely to deploy disinformation  lying about Ukrainian attacks or even staging them  to create a pretext to invade the country. The U.S. continues "to see more and more disinformation" by Russia and separatists "claiming that Ukraine is planning to launch a massive offensive attack," Biden said. "There is no evidence to support those assertions, and they defy basic logic."

Ukrainian officials asserted that separatists' claims on Friday of being attacked by artillery shells, acts of sabotage and a car bombing were bogus. An American security official, Anne Neuberger, said Russia had already begun launching limited cyberattacks this week on the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and state-owned banks, while warning that American businesses and government networks could be next.

American and European leaders continued to present a unified front as Russia, which has amassed 150,000 troops around Ukraine, announced weekend drills that would test the "reliability" of its nuclear weapons.

The more immediate danger seemed to be from so-called false-flag operations  incidents that Moscow could use as an excuse to launch a blitz-style assault into Ukraine. On Friday morning, Russian media and outlets affiliated with separatists in the disputed eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk claimed Ukrainian forces were hitting them with artillery. They also reported that authorities had foiled what they described as two incidents of sabotage.

The situation grew more serious at 7 p.m. local time when authorities in Donetsk claimed a car bomb exploded in a parking lot near a government building. The sound of the explosion could "be heard across the entire city," according to a statement from Donetsk authorities, which urged residents to "remain calm, be vigilant and avoid moving about the city."

The images of the explosion and claims of shelling, as well as sabotage attacks, could not be independently verified by The Times.

Denis Pushilin, the self-proclaimed leader of the separatist republic in Donetsk, declared that Ukrainian forces were poised to attack the Russian-backed enclave and on Friday ordered a mass evacuation of some areas under separatist control.

Evacuations were to begin in the evening, with women, children and the elderly being the first sent to safety. The refugees will be housed in the southern Russian region of Rostov, where Russian state media said Putin had dispatched his Emergencies Minister to set up camps.

In videos posted to social media, the blare of air raid sirens could be heard all over Donetsk, with multicolored buses lining up to transport residents to refugee centers. Moscow said all those evacuated would receive 10,000 rubles, or about $130.

Ukrainian officials, who have ordered their troops to avoid measures that might been seen as provocative, rushed to declare that they had no plans to attack.

Militants backed by the Russian Federation continue to aggravate the situation by deliberately misleading residents of the temporarily occupied territories," Lt. Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyy, the commander in chief of Ukraine's armed forces, wrote on his official Facebook page.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that allegations of an offensive operation "are divorced from reality."

The crisis has rekindled tensions with Russia reminiscent of the Cold War as American and European leaders contemplate a conflict that would likely rattle the global economy and risk setting off a wider war should there be any miscalculations.

The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, speaking from the audience at the Munich Security Conference where Blinken was onstage, thanked allies for their financial support but said what we need right now [is] defensive weapons.

Were ready to fight with our families, he said, faulting Western countries for leaving his country vulnerable despite a 1994 security agreement that led the nation to give up its large supply of Soviet-era nuclear weapons.

Blinken responded that he appreciated "not only the substance of your words, but also the emotion behind them, as he pointed to $650 million in weapons support from the United States last year and extolled the virtue of solidarity.

Though hopes for a diplomatic resolution were thinning, Blinken agreed to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov late next week if Russia holds off on any invasion.

"But if Russia takes military action before that, it will be clear that they have slammed the door shut on diplomacy," Biden said.

On the sidelines of the Munich conference, Vice President Kamala Harris met with Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of NATO, which is coordinating efforts by the leading Western democracies to fortify Ukraine's defenses and, with the threat of severe economic sanctions, to deter Putin from violating its sovereignty.

"This is a dynamic moment in time," Harris said at the start of the meeting, asserting that Putin's buildup of troops has bolstered NATO. "We remain, of course, supportive of diplomacy as it relates to the dialogue and discussions we've had with Russia."

Harris also met with the leaders of the Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all of which border Russia and became NATO members after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

We have prioritized the importance of diplomacy, she said. The onus is on Russia at this point to demonstrate that it is serious in that regard.

Harris affirmed America's commitment to Article V of the NATO charter, which states that an attack against one member will be treated as an attack on all. All three Baltic leaders emphasized the importance of remaining unified in the face of Russian aggression.

"We have all lost our independence to Russia once, and we don't want it to happen again," said Kaja Kallas, Estonia's prime minister.

"It's about democracy, really," she added. "Why Russia is doing this is because [Putin] doesn't want democracy to prevail in Ukraine."

Friday's meetings set the stage for Harris' speech to the full conference Saturday, where, aides say, she plans to emphasize the importance of a united NATO and assert that Putin, by testing the alliance, has strengthened it, and that an invasion of Ukraine would leave Russia far weaker economically.

She will also meet Saturday with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who, despite the possibility of a Russian assault, plans to fly to Munich for several hours of meetings. Additionally, Harris is scheduled to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Bierman reported from Dalton, Mass., Bulos from Kyiv and Stokols from Munich.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
FILE PHOTO: Stewart Rhodes of the Oath Keepers poses during an interview session in Eureka

(Reuters) -The founder of the Oath Keepers militia, Stewart Rhodes, will remain in jail until his seditious conspiracy trial for allegedly helping plot the assault on the U.S. Capitol, a U.S. judge said, calling him a "clear and convincing danger."

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said during a Friday court hearing that Rhodes spent thousands of dollars on weapons and other equipment ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Donald Trump's supporters and also made "substantial purchases" of weapons afterwards.

"He presents a clear and convincing danger, in my view," Mehta said.

Rhodes's lawyers had proposed he be released into the custody of relatives in California, where he would stay in a separate residence on their property without access to the internet.

Mehta said he was not satisfied with that arrangement, stating that Rhodes "has been extremely sophisticated with his ability to communicate."

Criminal defendants are often released pending trial, since they are presumed innocent until convicted, but can be held if they are deemed dangerous or likely to flee the country.

Rhodes, 56, is the most high-profile defendant of the more than 725 people charged with playing a role in the attack by then-President Trump's supporters. His lawyer said there is no evidence that Rhodes conspired to block Congress from certifying Joe Biden's election.

He is one of 11 members or associates of the Oath Keepers facing a seditious conspiracy charge.

Rhodes is accused of spearheading a conspiracy to block the certification of the presidential election by recruiting others and even stationing armed "quick reaction force" units outside of Washington to be ready to stop the peaceful transfer of power.

A U.S. magistrate judge in Texas last month ruled Rhodes should be detained, after hearing testimony from an FBI agent as well as Rhodes' ex-wife who expressed concerns for her safety. Rhodes appealed that decision to Mehta.

(Reporting by Jan Wolfe in West Palm Beach, Florida; Additional reporting by Jacqueline Thomsen in Washington; Editing by Scott Malone, Alistair Bell and Richard Pullin)
WASHINGTON  Visiting Kyiv in early 2008, then-President George W. Bush told Ukrainian leader Viktor Yushchenko that it was time that the Eastern European nation join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, a military alliance between the United States and European nations meant to serve as a bulwark against the Soviet Union and, after communisms collapse, Russia.

Helping Ukraine move toward a NATO membership, Bush said, is in the interest of every member in the alliance and will help advance security and freedom in this region and around the world.

Fourteen years later, Ukraine remains outside the alliance. And President Biden said on Friday that he was convinced that Putin has decided to invade Ukraine. With war looming, the issue of NATO membership has emerged as a complex one for President Biden and his European allies. Experts are divided on whether NATO creep into Eastern Europe is central to Russias concerns  and how those concerns should be treated by the United States.

Putin is like a neighborhood bully," John Sipher, who worked in the Central Intelligence Agencys station in Moscow in the 1980s and supports the U.S. and its allies clearly endorsing Ukrainian membership of NATO, told Yahoo News. Every time you give concessions, he just looks for more. Essentially, youve got to punch him in the nose.

Others say that while many Ukrainians yearn to pull closer to the West  away from its vastly more powerful neighbor to the East  signaling plans to expand NATO to Ukraine would further destabilize a complex region, where alliances and animosities sometimes date back centuries.

NATO membership has unfortunately become a civilizational marker of sorts, Stephen Sestanovich of the Council on Foreign Relations recently wrote in Foreign Affairs. Ukrainians support membership by a 3-2 margin, but Sestanovich thinks long-standing geographic and generational divides suggest the country isnt ready for membership.

To integrate into Western institutions, Sestanovich wrote, Ukraine has to better integrate itself.

National cohesion in the most literal sense has been difficult since 2014, when Russia first invaded Ukraine, seizing Crimea and a region called Donbass, on the countrys eastern border. Ukrainians opposed the land grab but could do little about it, thus conceding the territory to Russia and allowing Putin to perpetuate his illegal claims. Until recently, the situation remained restive but more or less stable. But then in December, Putin commenced what the Pentagon described as unusual military activity that suggested some kind of move.

A member of the Ukrainian Military Forces on the frontline with Russia-backed separatists. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)

Putin has long been frustrated with NATOs steady expansion into what is effectively his backyard. The Baltic states  the former Soviet republics of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia  joined NATO in 2004. Not wanting to see a similar situation develop elsewhere, Putin has sought ironclad assurances that Ukraine and other former Soviet republics wont be allowed to join the alliance.

Explicit assurances of the kind Putin insists on have not yet come from the West, even if it is clear that neither Biden nor any of his European counterparts is willing to risk enraging Putin by offering Ukraine concrete hopes of membership. Ukraine is not a member of NATO and, to my knowledge, will not be for a while, a French official recently told the New York Times.

Obviously, we can't give them a formal assurance, Benjamin Friedman, a policy scholar at the think tank Defense Priorities, told Yahoo News.

Yet leading Ukraine to believe that membership is forthcoming makes for no more sound policy, Friedman went on to say. Since we're not going to expand to Ukraine anyway and thats fairly clear  why not just admit it?

The resulting situation is one that has left all parties confused and dissatisfied, while also serving as a reminder that the postwar order that has been in place for nearly 80 years is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain, given the currents of nationalism and xenophobia now sweeping across the weary continent.

Putins intentions are difficult to read and some wonder if NATO membership truly matters to the Russian leader or if he is merely using the issue as a justification for picking a fight with a much smaller, weaker nation.

The crisis that Putin has created here is not about NATO. Its all about crushing Ukrainian democracy, said Paul Massaro, a senior policy adviser at the U.S. Helsinki Commission, a congressional panel that works on Russia-related matters.

Massaro said that Putin views Ukraine as a threat not only because it has sought to orient itself with the West but because its experiment with democracy could seem increasingly attractive to Russians who have grown weary of living under autocracy.

"Putin is trying to put a few more decades on a system that is unsustainable," Massaro told Yahoo News in a phone interview.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Sergei Guneyev/TASS via Getty Images)

That effort has been going on for some time. In 2004, when he was the pro-Western opposition leader, Yushchenko was mysteriously poisoned in what appeared to be an assassination attempt. Russia denied responsibility, but poisoning is a favored Kremlin method of dispensing with Putin critics. Yuschenko appeared to win the subsequent election, only to have the pro-Kremlin Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych claim victory.

Protesters took to the streets in what came to be known as the Orange Revolution, an assertion of independence from Russia and its heavy-handed politics that, in many ways, explains the tensions at work today.

Biden has tried to reassert American leadership on the global stage by threatening Putin with severe sanctions if he attacks Ukraine. And although the United States has deployed troops to Europe, he has said there will be no military engagement between the U.S. and Russia.

If Ukraine was a NATO member, on the other hand, the treatys collective defense clause, known as Article 5, would require other members to fight on Ukraines behalf. Were Putin to invade one of the Baltic nations, for example, war would be all but assured because those states fall under NATO obligations.

Friedman said Ukraine would be best served by a frank acknowledgement that NATO membership is not forthcoming. They can keep their sovereignty if they compromise with Russia," he told Yahoo News, instead of continuing to seek alignment with the West.

Americans weary with foreign wars want Biden to simply tell Ukraine that the road is blocked entirely. Biden can very easily prevent a war with Russia by guaranteeing that Ukraine will not become a member of NATO, said Tulsi Gabbard, the isolationist former presidential candidate. It is not in our national security interests for Ukraine to become a member of NATO anyway, so why not give Russia that assurance?

NATO hews to an open-door policy that stipulates each country has the right to choose for itself whether it joins any treaty or alliance, without being pressured by superpowers like Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the complex realities of the situation. The road to NATO and the EU is a very long one," Zelensky said earlier this week, referencing the European Union, which Ukraine would also like to join.

Of course, pressuring Ukraine to drop its NATO aspirations would be a fraught proposition. Biden has described the current geopolitical moment as one in which democratic governance is struggling against the rise of autocracy. Few world leaders represent autocratic rule more than Putin, while Ukrainians thirst for democracy has been plain for more than a decade.

Allowing Ukraine to join NATO would help protect its democratic institutions, but could come at the cost of war. On the other hand, appeasing Putin could prove a problem of its own, leaving Ukraine in limbo while emboldening the Kremlin once more.

Hes never going to be satisfied, former CIA officer Sipher said of Putin. He can only be deterred.

This article was updated to more accurately reflect John Sipher's work for the CIA in Moscow.
Plans for an invasion of Ukraine appear to be in motion, Boris Johnson has said, after warning that a Russian attack would bring about the destruction of a democratic state.

The Prime Minister said that aggression in separatist-held areas in the east of Ukraine had the potential be a prelude to bigger action, with the West fearing a so-called false flag operation that could give Moscow cover to wage war on Kyiv.

Mr Johnson made the comments to broadcasters following his speech to the Munich Security Conference, where he is meeting world leaders to discuss the tension in eastern Europe.

He told the annual summit on Saturday that the West would witness the destruction of a democratic state if President Vladimir Putin sends Russian troops across the border unto Ukraine, as he pushed for allies to adopt a united approach in punishing the Kremlin for any military advance.

Mr Johnson, who visited Kyiv a fortnight ago, warned an incursion by the reported 150,000 Russian troops amassed on the border would spark a generation of bloodshed and misery, predicting that Ukrainians would fight and kill for the return of their freedom.

He also used his speech to vow to make it impossible for Russian oligarchs and companies linked to the Russian state to raise finance in London, as the UK Government looks to hit the Kremlins pocket.

The sounding of the alarm in Germany comes after US President Joe Biden said Washington has reason to believe Russian forces intend to attack Ukraine in the coming days, including targeting the capital Kyiv  a city with a population of 2.8 million people.

Mr Biden told a White House press briefing he is convinced Mr Putin has made the decision to move his military across the border, having spent weeks saying he thought the Russian leader was undecided.

The Prime Minister, asked by broadcasters whether he agreed with the US assessment, said: I think certainly things are in motion, but the question is whether it can all be pulled back, and whether the president of Russia is still able to call this operation off.

I think that possibility must logically still exist, and therefore I think its absolutely vital that we have a path of dialogue, of reason.

There is anxiety in the West that mounting instability in the Donbas region in Ukraines east, where government forces have been fighting pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people, could spiral into a wider battle.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during the Munich Security Conference in Germany (Matt Dunham/PA)

Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russian separatist government in the Donetsk region, announced on Saturday a full troop mobilisation and urged reservists to show up at military enlistment offices  a move quickly echoed by separatists in the Luhansk region.

Ukraines military said shelling killed a soldier early on Saturday in a government-held part of the Donetsk region and that separatist forces were placing artillery in residential areas to try to provoke a response.

Mr Johnson said the activity in the Donbas was the kind of provocations that the Russians engage in generally.

And Im afraid that this could well be the prelude to bigger action, he added.

It comes as aggression towards Ukraine heated up, with top Ukrainian military officials coming under shelling attack during a tour of the conflict front, forcing them to flee to a bomb shelter.

The message I am taking to @MunSecConf today is that allies must speak with one voice to stress to President Putin the high price he will pay for any further Russian invasion of Ukraine. We need western solidarity to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Diplomacy can still prevail. pic.twitter.com/ViLkUxlLsR  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 19, 2022

As well as a call to arms by Moscow-backed rebels, a mass evacuation of women, children and the elderly to Russia from the separatist-held territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk region is under way, with some commentators speculating the move is part of Moscows efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.

Meanwhile, while the West is using the Munich summit to send a message to Moscow, Mr Putin was scheduled to watch Russian forces flex their military muscle during massive nuclear drills.

He has pledged to protect Russias national interests against what he sees as encroaching Western threats.

The Prime Minister said Mr Putin only had himself to blame for Nato forces being deployed to the alliances eastern flank and closer to Russias border, citing the tension that he has created.

But he told reporters that if theres sort of a path for diplomacy, for negotiation, then lets go down it with Mr Putin.

The Labour Party is steadfast in our support for the sovereignty of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/ZS7F9yuIvU  Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) February 19, 2022

I think theres still time for wise counsel, still time for common sense to win, Mr Johnson said.

We hope that President Putin will think better of what I think will be an absolutely crazy, disastrous venture in Ukraine.

While in Munich, the British leader met German chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy  to whom he offered the UKs unequivocal support  and the leaders of Latvia and Estonia.

Sir Keir Starmer said the Labour Party supports the actions the UK Government is taking in aiming to bring about a peaceful end to the current tension.

We stand resolutely as one in ensuring the right of all democratic states to determine their own path to prosperity without fear or threat, the party leader said.
The Prime Minister has jetted to Munich where he is set to urge allies to show solidarity in a bid to prevent a catastrophic act of aggression by Russia against Ukraine.

Speaking before his arrival at the security conference in Germany, Boris Johnson said the disaster of a war in eastern Europe could still be avoided by diplomatic means if the West speaks with one voice.

World leaders are convening in Bavaria on Saturday as fears grow that instability in Russian separatist-held areas of Ukraine could spark an invasion by Moscow forces.

The message I am taking to @MunSecConf today is that allies must speak with one voice to stress to President Putin the high price he will pay for any further Russian invasion of Ukraine. We need western solidarity to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Diplomacy can still prevail. pic.twitter.com/ViLkUxlLsR  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 19, 2022

A separatist leader in eastern Ukraine has ordered a full military mobilisation amid a spike in violence in the war-torn region of Donetsk  including the shelling of a humanitarian convoy  that the West is concerned could be used as a pretext for incursion by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

US President Joe Biden used an address on Friday to warn that the US has reason to believe Russian forces intend to attack Ukraine in the coming days, including targeting the capital Kyiv  a city with a population of 2.8 million people.

Mr Biden told a White House press briefing on Friday he was convinced Mr Putin had made the decision to move his military across the border, having spent weeks saying he thought the Russian leader was undecided.

Attention on Saturday will turn to Germany, with Mr Johnson among those set to make an address to the Munich Security Conference before meeting with counterparts to discuss the tensions on the Ukraine border, where it is reported 150,000 Russian troops are amassed.

Upon his arrival in Munich, he was greeted by British ambassador Jill Gallard.

In a video that appeared to have been recorded during the flight to the summit, the Prime Minister said: Ill be urging unity in the face of potential Russian aggression in Ukraine and that unity is absolutely vital if were going to deter what I think would be an absolutely catastrophic act of aggression by Vladimir Putin.

My message today is that there is still time to avert that disaster, that diplomacy can prevail, and thats the message Ill be taking to Munich.

Getting started in Lviv today. And intending to be back in Kyiv as soon as is possible. pic.twitter.com/Ue6RHgk612  Melinda Simmons (@MelSimmonsFCDO) February 19, 2022

Melinda Simmons, the British ambassador to Ukraine, has said she hopes to be working in the Ukrainian capital again as soon as possible after it was announced the UKs embassy was being temporarily relocated to the west of the country, near the border of Poland.

She tweeted: Getting started in Lviv today. And intending to be back in Kyiv as soon as is possible.

The decision to shift Britains diplomatic effort away from the capital  which lies close to the border with Russian ally Belarus  came only hours before the US signalled Kyiv could be in the Kremlins firing line.

The Russian defence ministry has announced massive nuclear drills to flex its military muscle on Saturday, and Mr Putin  who is scheduled to watch the exercises  has pledged to protect Russias national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats.

A Russian marine runs during military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus (Russian Defence Ministry Press Service via AP)

Britain and the US, along with a host of western allies, have been united in promising punishing sanctions should Moscow order troops across the border.

Meanwhile, an undercurrent of unrest has continued to grow in the east of Ukraine, where government forces have been fighting pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people.

The long-simmering separatist conflict could provide the spark for a broader attack, with London and Washington raising the prospect of Russia using a false flag operation to give it cover for an offensive.

An elderly woman and a boy look through a bus window in Donetsk, waiting to be evacuated to Russia (Alexei Alexandrov/AP)

Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russian separatist government in the Donetsk region, released a statement on Saturday announcing a full troop mobilisation and urging reservists to show up at military enlistment offices.

The announcement came as a mass evacuation of women, children and the elderly from the rebel-held territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions to neighbouring Russia got under way in what some commentators speculated was part of Moscows efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead.

Friday marked a day of rising violence that included a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling and a car bombing in the eastern rebel-held city of Donetsk outside the main government building, while two explosions occurred in rebelled-controlled Luhansk.
OTTAWA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Canadian authorities said Friday that their efforts to end a weeks-long trucker-led protest in the capital city have made real progress, with over 100 protesters including several organizers being arrested in the move.

"Here in Ottawa, the past 24 hours have marked an important turning point in the operation," Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said in a virtual press conference also joined by other cabinet ministers, adding that "the enforcement operations are being undertaken."

Mendicino asked protesters to leave as soon as they can for the safety of themselves, the Canadian people as well as those law enforcement officers who are discharging their responsibilities.

As part of the self-titled "Freedom Convoy 2022," the protest is reaching its fourth weekend in a row. It started out as a rally of truckers against the requirement that Canadian truck drivers crossing the border into the United States be fully vaccinated as of mid-January.

After being joined by thousands of pedestrian protesters, it then turned into a demonstration against the government's overall restrictive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mendicino also briefed some new developments about the border ports. Following a number of enforcement operations taken by police, all major ports of entry remain open for trade and travel across the country, he said.

"While we've made progress, the blockades are not ended, there is an ongoing and fluid situation," the minister said, calling the protesters' attempt to block capital streets and border with the United States "illegal."

In early February, protesters blocked the Ambassador Bridge, one of the busiest international border crossings connecting Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. The bridge has fully reopened on Feb. 13 after police cleared out the blockade and made arrests.

Thanks to the work of law enforcement, the protesters' attempts to resume the blockade have been thwarted, the minister said.

Meanwhile, authorities are taking financial measures to rein in blockades. "If your truck is being used in these protests, your bank account will be frozen and your insurance will be suspended," said Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in the press conference.

The Canadian parliament suspended Friday's debate on an emergencies act, since the police operation around the Parliament Hill made it unsafe for politicians to attend. 
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YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of Armenia announced on February 19 that the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan continues periodically releasing disinformation falsely accusing the Armenian military in opening fire at Azerbaijani military positions at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

Particularly, in the evening of February 18, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan released a statement falsely claiming that on the same day the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire in the direction of the Azerbaijani combat positions deployed in the north-eastern section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The Ministry of Defense of Armenia calls on the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan to refrain from the conduct of spreading false information regarding the border situation, which doesnt anyhow contribute to the establishment of stability on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia said.
During the operation, the hiding terrorists opened fire at the security forces and in the ensuing encounter, two Army men were killed

Two soldiers, one terrorist killed in an encounter at Chermarg, Zainapora area of Shopian. (ANI)

Srinagar: Two Army men and a terrorist were killed in an encounter in south Kashmir's highly volatile Shopian district, officials here said on Saturday.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation after receiving specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists in Zainpora area of Shopian, they said.

During the operation, the hiding terrorists opened fire at the security forces and in the ensuing encounter, two Army men were killed, the officials said.

One terrorist was also killed by the security forces, they said, adding that the identity of the slain ultra is being ascertained.

"One terrorist killed. Search going on. Further details shall follow," informed Kashmir zone police.

Earlier today, an encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists at Chermarg, Zainapora area of Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir.
The apex court said it is a case of unjust enrichment, and the state can very well recover the damages under the new law

In a setback to the Uttar Pradesh government, the Supreme Court Friday told it that exercise of the powers by the state has to be within the four corners of law and not beyond it. (Photo:PTI)

New Delhi: In a setback to the Uttar Pradesh government, the Supreme Court Friday told it that exercise of the powers by the state has to be within the four corners of law and not beyond it, and directed it to refund the fine and restore the attached properties of the alleged anti-CAA protestors for causing damage to public and private assets in December 2019. The apex court said it is a case of unjust enrichment, and the state can very well recover the damages under the new law, once it is established before the claims tribunal that public and properties were damaged.

Justice D.Y.Chandrachud, heading a bench also comprising Justice Surya Kant, ordered the refund of the recoveries made so far after additional advocate general of Uttar Pradesh government, Garima Prasad, informed the court that by its February 14 and February 15 decision, the state government has withdrawn recovery notices issued on anti-CAA protesters for their alleged involvement in the destruction of public properties in the course of the agitation.

Observing that nothing survives in the matter after the withdrawal of recovery notices, the court ordered the refund of recoveries already made, even as the Uttar Pradesh government argued that refund of recoveries will send a wrong message and dent the deterrence that has come about due to its actions.

Much of the recoveries for the destruction of public property was imposed on small vendors selling vegetables, and other items of daily consumption at the doorsteps in the localities.

The Uttar Pradesh government's decision to withdraw the recovery notices came after the top court in the course of earlier hearing insisted on their withdrawal noting that procedure followed by the state government for affecting recoveries was flawed and inconsistent with the directions issued by the top court in two cases relating to the destruction of public/private parties in the course of agitation.

The court had said that the Uttar Pradesh government has acted like a complainant, adjudicator and prosecutor by itself in conducting the proceedings to attach the properties of the accused.

As AAG Garima Prasad laboured to persuade the court not to order the refund of recoveries already made, Justice Chandrachud said that they too have to act as per the law and the constitution.

After Garima Prasad pleaded with the court to let the recovery for damages collected so far be left to be dealt with by the tribunal, Justice Surya Kant said that they have no doubt about the competence and ability of the Uttar Pradesh government to act in the matter and said that the competent people who will head the tribunal will take a call and decide.

The tribunals constituted under the new law are being headed by retired district judges.

In 2020, when the Uttar Pradesh government initiated action against the anti-CAA protestors allegedly involved in the destruction of public/private property, it purportedly acted in pursuance to the guidelines issued by the top court but later, in 2021, it enacted a law  Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Act  providing for the setting up of tribunals to prosecute cases relating to the damage to public property in the course of an agitation or protest.

The top court was hearing a plea by a lawyer, Perwaiz Arif Titu, seeking the quashing of recovery notices as he questioned the procedure being followed in imposing damages as Uttar Pradesh government was acting contrary to the law laid down by the top court in two cases relating to destruction of public/private property in the course of an agitation or protest.

The petitioner Arif had sought direction for setting up of an independent judicial enquiry to probe into the incidents that occurred during the protests against the CAA-NRC in Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh had earlier apprised the top court that 106 FIRs were registered against 833 rioters in the state and 274 recovery notices were issued against them and out of the 274 notices, recovery orders were passed in 236 while 38 cases were closed. The court was also told that these orders were passed by additional district magistrates.
The students were suspended on Friday and were told that they should not come to the college

Female Muslim students wearing burqa and hijab sit in protest outside the Shivamogga District collector's office, in Shivamogga on Thursday. (PTI file photo)

Bengaluru: Girl students in many parts of Karnataka were denied entry into their respective educational institutions on Saturday as they arrived in hijabs, despite a court order, as the issue showed no signs of abating after its flare-up about a fortnight ago that prompted the government to close down colleges and institutions for a couple of days.

As many as 58 students at Shiralakoppa in Shivamogga district who had refused to remove their hijab and staged a demonstration against the government pre-university college administration were suspended.

They were suspended on Friday and were told that they should not come to the college, a student told reporters. On Saturday too, they came to the college, raised slogans and demanded their right to wear hijab. However, they were not let in.

"We came here but the principal told us that we have all been suspended and there is no need for us to come to the college. Even the police told us not to come to the college but we came here. Today, no one spoke to us," the students complained.

Despite a government order and the Karnataka High Court's interim order restricting the students from wearing hijab or saffron scarves inside classrooms, the girls came to schools and colleges donning the headscarf.

In the SJVP College at Harihar in Davangere district, girls wearing hijab were denied entry. The pupils refused to go inside without the scarf, stressing that it was as important as education and they cannot give up their right.

In Vijay Paramedical College in Belagavi district, students complained to the reporters that a holiday was announced by the institution for an indefinite period due to the hijab issue.

"We will not sit without headscarves. Let the college realise how it affects our education. The principal is not listening to us," a student told the media.

In Ballari, a group of girls were not allowed inside the Sarala Devi College, which has been witnessing protests from the day the controversy erupted and the government had ordered that no one should wear clothes that could disturb peace, harmony and, law and order.

The government college at Gangavathi in Koppal district too faced a similar situation where girls were not allowed inside the college.

In Kudur village in Ramanagara district, some students staged a demonstration on the college ground after they were not allowed to enter the classrooms.

On January 1, six girl students of a college in Udupi attended a press conference held by Campus Front of India (CFI) in the coastal town protesting against the college authorities denying them entry into the classroom by wearing hijab.

This was four days after they had requested the principal permission to wear hijabs in classes which was not allowed. Till then, students used to wear hijab to the campus and entered the classroom after removing the scarves, the college principal Rudre Gowda had said.

The institution did not have any rule on hijab-wearing as such since no one used to wear it to the classroom in the last 35 years. The students who came with the demand had the backing of outside forces, Gowda had said.
16 Uttar Pradesh districts to see battle for votes in 3rd phase

New Delhi: The border state of Punjab with its 117 Assembly constituencies along with Uttar Pradeshs 59 constituencies spread across 16 districts will go to the polls today. In Punjab, which was the epicentre of farmer unions' protests against the now-repealed farm laws, the ruling Congress, AAP, SAD and BJP-led alliance are caught in a multi-cornered contest, while in UP the ruling BJP is slogging it out with its main contender and Yadav dominated Samajwadi Party (SP), which is giving the saffron party a tough fight.

Out of the 59 seats that will go to polls in the third phase in UP, 29 seats fall in the traditional Yadav belt, including Karhal from where SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is contesting. The BJP has fielded Union minister S.P.S. Baghel against him.

In Punjab, prominent candidates include CM Charanjit Singh Channi, PCC chief Navjot Siddhu, former Congress stalwart and CM and now BJP ally Capt. Amrinder Singh, SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, and the party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, and AAP's CM face Bhagwant Mann. Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, a political front of various farmer bodies, is also trying its luck in Punjab this time.

A day polling in Punjab, the states chief electoral officer (CEO) Saturday directed the district election officer-cum-district commissioner of Mohali and the SSP to register an FIR against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and his party for violating the Model Code of Conduct and for making false and frivolous allegations against other political parties.

The direction was given on the complaint of Arshdeep Singh Kler, vice-president and spokesman of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The complainant raised objection to a video uploaded on social media platforms by AAP Punjab. He alleged that the video maligned the image of SAD and other political parties in the eyes of the general public. The video in question is a song, Es vaar jhaadu challooga, which shows the photographs of the CM, Captain Singh and Sukhbir Singh Badal and uses derogatory words for them.

In Punjab, the ruling Congress has been under severe criticism from its political opponents over various issues, including the drug menace and corruption. Security in the border state is also one of the main poll planks of the Opposition parties. Though some opinion polls seem to be suggesting that the Congress may not retain power, the party is banking heavily on decisions like reduction in electricity tariff and fuel prices.

The AAP, which has emerged as a major contender, is eyeing to wrest power while projecting the Delhi model of governance. But allegations of the AAP getting support of banned outfits like Sikhs For Justice and the concerns raised by the AAPs opponent that if it comes to power the state could turn back to insurgency of the 90s, could dent its prospects as SFJ has been advocating for secession of Punjab from India.

For SAD, which is contesting the polls in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) after breaking ties with the BJP in 2020 over the farm laws issue, the stakes are also high.

The BJP has allied with Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD (Sanyukt) and have promised a Nawan (new) Punjab.

Political parties have promised freebies to voters with the SAD-BSP promising 400 units of free electricity and 75 per cent reservation for the state youth in public and private sectors. The BJP-led alliance has made a similar promise, but for the government sector only, and the AAP has promised up to 300 units of free power.

The BJP has been reaching out to the state through PM Narendra Modi and some of the decisions taken by his government recently. The PM himself held three rallies at Jalandhar, Pathankot and Abohar, covering Punjabs Doaba, Majha and Malwa regions where he accused the Congress and AAP of pretending to fight against each other. On the other hand, Congress Rahul Gandhi cautioned people against going for any experiment in Punjab polls, saying that maintaining peace was most important for the state and claimed it is only the Congress which can provide it.

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, the Congress had ended the SAD-BJP combines 10-year-regime by bagging 77 seats. The AAP had bagged 20 seats while the SAD-BJP had won 18 seats.

In UP, districts going to polls in the third phase are Hathras, Firozabad, Etah, Kasganj, Mainpuri, Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Etawah, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Hamirpur and Mahoba.

In the 2017 elections, the BJP had won 49 of the 59 seats while the SP had settled for nine. The Congress had got one seat, while Mayawati-led BSP drew a blank. Of the 59 seats, 29 are considered as Yadav dominated but they had ditched the SP during the last polls. The SP, which had won 25 seats from the region, could manage to win just six during the last polls. The Yadav dominated party also lost its non-Yadav OBC voters to the BJP during the last polls.
Ashwani Kumar who quit the Congress last week, spoke eloquently about how the Congress policies did not reflect the national mood

As Madhya Pradesh chief minister, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had acquired a reputation for creating fissures in the states political families. The tensions between his mentor Arjun Singh and son Ajay were said to be Digvijaya Singhs handiwork. The late Amar Singh was also known for the same. He was said to be responsible for the 2017 split in Mulayum Singh Yadavs extended parivar. The BJP is the latest entrant to this club. Home minister Amit Shah recently disclosed that he had called up DMK MP Kanimozhi to wish her on her birthday. Similarly, he also rang up Trinamul Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee.

Both Kanimozhi and Abhishek are having trouble with their respective party leaders. Earlier, the BJP had managed to snare Mulayum Singh Yadavs estranged daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav. She joined the BJP shortly before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. And then there is the case of Chirag Paswan, Ram Vilas Paswans son, whose uncle Pashupati Nath Paras was persuaded to ditch his nephew and join forces with the BJP.

Ever since R.P.N. Singh quit the Congress to join the Bharatiya Janata Party, it is being whispered that whoever is allotted the room occupied by the former office bearer at the Akbar Road party office either leaves or is divested of his or her position. Haryana leader Birendra Singh once functioned out of this room. He left the Congress and moved to the BJP when he was denied a Cabinet berth in the Manmohan Singh government. Party general secretary Shakeel Ahmed, another occupant of this room, has been sidelined by the party while Asha Kumari, also an office bearer, is nowhere on the scene. Rajni Patil, Rajya Sabha MP and party in charge of Jammu and Kashmir, moved to the room but gave it up soon, probably after she heard about the fate of the previous occupants. The space has now been allotted to Raghu Sharma, in charge of Gujarat.

If the Bharatiya Janata Party in Punjab has been let down by Bollywood actor and Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol, the Congress has its own share of issues with actor Sonu Sood. While Mr Deol has failed to turn up for the partys poll campaign despite pleas from BJP workers, Mr Sood has not gone beyond canvassing for his sister Malavika who is the Congress candidate from Moga.

When Mr Sood publicly declared his support for the Congress, an ecstatic state party president Navjot Singh Sidhu had described his decision as a game changer. Mr Sood had earned considerable goodwill from the public for the help he offered to people in distress during lockdown. Besides opening his Mumbai hotel for frontline warriors, he also launched a food distribution drive for migrants and other needy people. The Congress had hoped that Mr Sood would help drum up support for the party by campaigning across the state for the party. The Congress was particularly encouraged when Mr Sood released a video endorsing Charanjit Singh Channi as the partys chief ministerial candidate. However, Mr Sood disappointed everyone as he has remained focused on his sisters constituency and some areas around it.

West Bengal chief minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjees high-profile nephew Abhishek Banerjee finds himself in the same position as former Congress president Rahul Gandhi: both want to ease out the old guard in their respective parties and bring in younger leaders who are loyal to them.

Unlike Rahul Gandhi, who has the unstinted support of his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Abhishek was cut to size by his party supremo Mamata Banerjee. Poll strategist Prashant Kishor was also effectively sidelined as Abhishek was said to be acting at his behest. Mamata quickly took charge, dissolved the national office bearers committee and constituted a 20-member national working committee to oversee the partys functioning. Interestingly, recent entrants to the party like Sushmita Dev and Luizinho Faleiro, who were brought in by the Abhishek-Kishor team, were not included in this committee.

Trinamul insiders maintain that Abhishek overplayed his hand as he owes his standing in the party to Mamata Banerjee and that he would find it difficult to win his Lok Sabha seat without his aunts backing.

Congress leaders who have left the party in the recent past invariably take a high moral stand about their decision. For instance, former Union minister Ashwani Kumar who quit the Congress last week, spoke eloquently about how the Congress policies did not reflect the national mood and failed to provide transformative leadership to the country. But the real story is something else.

Reasons for their resignation vary from denial of a plum party post, a Rajya Sabha seat or a ticket in an election. Ashwani Kumar is learnt to have called it quits after his son was not given a ticket in the upcoming Punjab Assembly election. It is the same story with former Punjab Congress chief H.S. Hanspal who left the party and joined the Aam Aadmi Party because his son was denied a ticket. Once a diehard loyalist, Ghulam Nabi Azad became a dissident only after he did not get another Rajya Sabha term.
The hijab dispute is now sub judice, and is being heard by the Karnataka high court

We can only hope that the judiciary will come up with a judgment that protects the rights of Muslim women while allowing the scope of change and reform that challenges patriarchy and liberates women. (Representational image/ AFP)

The hijab cannot be the symbol of Muslim womens empowerment. It has no scriptural sanction in Islam, and must be seen as part of custom that has its origin in patriarchy, an instrument for the continued subordination of women to suit the misogynist viewpoint of Muslim men. To defend the rights of Muslim women, which is an entirely legitimate pursuit, should not, therefore, be conflated with the defence of the hijab.

Of course, Muslim women have the right of choice of what to wear. But that freedom of choice cannot be defended by blindly endorsing customs that are an instrument of their sartorial enslavement. Customs are important, but they are not sacrosanct. History is replete with enlightened changes to community practices which had otherwise become entrenched over a period of time for lack of scrutiny or interrogation, or because those whom such changes would benefit were not sufficiently empowered to change them. For instance, in the case of the hijab, it can hardly be argued that Muslim women were sufficiently empowered to do away with this retrograde practice in a male dominant society.

Besides, there is also the factor of reflex conditioning. If women are brought up to believe that certain practices are the norm, and any infringement is tantamount to heresy, and if their choices are determined by what men think is right, then their behaviour will continue to conform to a past that needs to be interrogated. This is a syndrome that can be observed in the way that women, influenced by their perceived notion of correct practice, behave. Often women themselves embrace their captivity, and enforce it on their own specie. Patriarchy benefits men; but women get co-opted into the structures reinforced by men to subjugate women. There are enough cases where elder women become aggressive perpetrators of outdated tradition, and seek to enforce it on younger women. For instance, the illegal practice of dowry has often the fullest backing of women, who are complicit in the torture and humiliation of brides for greater dowry.

The essential point, therefore, is that while women have the right of choice about what they wear, that choice does not originate in a void, and is a factor, very often, of regressive conditioning happily perpetrated by men. Women should be encouraged to question such choices, and choose what is in conformity with the dignity and equality that is their right. The perpetuation of the wearing of hijab is thus not tantamount to the empowerment of women, as certain liberals seem to believe. In fact, as has repeatedly been pointed out, a great many Muslim nations have done away with the hijab as an act of reform, in the interests of women, and in sync with the requirements of a modern society. Indian Muslims need to introspect on this.

Reform of custom that claims religious sanctity is not uncommon. In Hinduism for instance, the practice of Sati was abolished in the nineteenth century by the British, even though its votaries argued  wrongly  that it has religious sanction. The Manusmriti was used by a male dominant society to legitimise the subordination of women. The shastra  although not a consistent text  says at one point that a girl, a young woman, or even an old woman, should not do anything independently, even in her own house. In childhood a woman should be under her fathers control, in youth under her husbands, and when her husband is dead, under her sons. She should not have independence. Such an injunction obviously needs to be, and is being challenged today, not the least by women themselves. Women are also strongly contesting patriarchal stereotypes about chaste Hindu women, that seeks monopoly about how they dress, who they marry, what they drink, and where they work. Much more still needs to be done in Hindu society to grant women full equality. Certainly, tradition cannot be quoted, by men or women, to prevent this from happening.

An educational institution has the right to prescribe a uniform, to enforce uniformity overarching class, creed and caste distinctions. But in a country like ours, enlightened exceptions have to be made. For instance, Sikh students are allowed to wear the turban or a patka, within the structure of a uniform. Similarly, some concession could be considered for Muslim girls, in the nature of a headscarf. The limits of such deviations from the norm need to be negotiated in a sane manner.

However, the manner in which lumpen elements in saffron scarves shouting Jai Shri Ram jumped into the fray, is condemnable. How did they suddenly gather in such force? There must be a directing hand behind this quick and organised mobilisation. The BJP parivar, in Karnataka, and nationally, needs to answer this.

A matter that was being negotiated between Muslim girls and college authorities was deliberately communalised as a Hindu-Muslim confrontation. This is the least acceptable way to resolve such issues. Suppose there was a question pertaining to social custom within Hindu society, and hordes of Muslim men surrounded the deliberations shouting Allahu Akbar, would Hindus like it?

Politicisation at one end of the spectrum leads to counter politicisation at the other, leading to the involvement of political organisation like the PFI in support of the Muslim girls. A sensitive issue, that requires all sides to the dispute to seriously think and introspect, became unnecessarily a Hindu-Muslim dispute, quite conveniently for the BJP on the eve of the five Assembly elections.

The hijab dispute is now sub judice, and is being heard by the Karnataka high court. We can only hope that the judiciary will come up with a judgment that protects the rights of Muslim women while allowing the scope of change and reform that challenges patriarchy and liberates women. Meanwhile, liberal opinion needs to realise that this is a far more nuanced matter than black and white positions admit.
Athens, TX (75751)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
Quite a few theories have been floating around as to why the Tomcat bit the dust almost two decades ago. Be it due to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter development team throwing its weight around, that's one popular theory. Alternatively, it could be because the Pentagon foolishly exported a fleet of F-14 to the Shah's Iran roughly five or so minutes before an anti-west coup put a fanatical dictator in charge.Whatever the case may be, it's fairly well understood that the U.S. took a pretty big gamble on the F-14Ds in service at the end of careers being as antiquated as they appear to have made it out to be. Just as an exercise in LARPing as an Air Force General, let's look at some facts and figures about the F-14 and see how they measure up.But before that, let's take a minute to tell you the story of the Tomcat from beginning to end. In abridged form, of course. We featured an entire long one about the General Dynamics-Grumman F-111B Navy fighter program. To not spoil that item too much, safe to say it was a pretty substantial flop.General Dynamics fled from the project and ran as fast as they could in the other direction as soon as the Navy ascertained the F-111Bs own usefulness. What was leftover for Grumman to play with were the Pratt & Whitney TF30 engines, some radar and avionics equipment, and a few other items. Enough to come up with another, all-new design to compete for yet another Navy contract. The rest is pretty much history.By 2006, the Tomcat had evolved into what would be its apex in the F-14D variant. This type featured a then state-of-the-art Hughes AN/AWG-9 all-weather Doppler radar. Capable of monitoring both air and ground threats over a broad area. It also featured the Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER) system to allow the Tomcat to see in real-time what an unmanned aerial vehicle is seeing at any given moment..It also sported more reliable General Electric F110-GE-400 afterburning turbofan engines cranking out 16,610 lbs (73.9 kN) thrust each dry. Or as much as 28,200 lbs (125 kN) with afterburners ablaze. A huge improvement over the unreliable and thirsty engines in earlier Tomcats.The Tomcat was designed to be much less of a pig than the 88,000 pounds fully-loaded F-111B. But even so, at 74,350 lb (33,725 kg) fully loaded, it was no featherweight either. The heaviest twin-engined Naval fighter in U.S. history, in fact. Tomcats could be loaded with everything from guided and unguided bombs to rockets and air to ground missiles.That's without mentioning the assortment of Aim 54 Phoenix, Aim 9 Sidewinder, and Aim 7 Sparrow air to air missiles the F-14D could have carried into battle. The F-14D's sub-systems were hailed as some of the best in the world in the mid-2000s. It's even been said that the U.S. Air Force and Navy failed to make a fighter-jet radar that was superior until at least the very late prototype phases of the fifth-generation F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, respectively.Whether conjecture about its technology is just hyperbole is anyone's guess, unless you're an ex-Navy Tomcat pilot, we suppose. But since we don't have any of them on-call, let's compare some performance figures about the F-14D and how they fare against modern adversaries. We suppose it would be pretty obvious what the outcome would be of pitting an F-14D against a fifth-gen stealth fighter like a Raptor or a Su-57. Instead, let's use generation 4+ aircraft that the Tomcat would be more likely to see in combat anyway.Take, for example, the Sukhoi Su-27S and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29K. Two of the finest Russian Navy fighters in service today. It's clear that these respective Russian planes have a clear advantage in a visual range dogfight. The Su-27 was the first airplane to successfully perform the famed Cobra maneuver with pilot Victor Pugachev at the stick. Chinese copies of the Su-27 called the Shenyang J-11 shares these characteristics. Their built-in Phazotron Zhuk-MSE radar is also respectable and capable in its own right.In terms of raw speed, the Tomcat keeps pace with modern Navy fighters, matching the Su-27s top speed of 2.3 times the speed of sound. So then, against non-stealth combatants, the F-14D could at least stand a fighting chance in a hypothetical scenario.The deciding factor would ultimately come down to whether the adversary can pass the beyond visual range barrier. If that's the case, the Tomcat would be in serious trouble without a skilled enough pilot to compensate.Weighing nearly 80,000 pounds fully loaded can only be a detriment in this case to boot. The Sukhoi and MiG don't even get close to this weight figure. Thankfully, it's an engagement that is bound to remain in our imaginations.As the type will likely never fly again outside of Iran ever again, discussing this notion is purely an exercise in fantasy and thinly veiled fan-fiction. But, it's always fun to speculate, even so. Do you think the F-14D would have faired decently in a modern battlefield? Let us know in the comments below, and keep it civil if you'd be so kind.
Reuters interviewed captain Joao Mendes Cabecas, from the port of Hortas, Azores. According to the Portuguese military, the electric cars aboard are also on fire. When that happens, the blaze is more difficult to put down because the battery chemistry uses oxides, which release oxygen when they burn. In other words, it does not need the oxygen from outside to keep burning. Cabecas said they required specialist equipment to kill the fire.The Verge managed to confirm that there are Audi e-tron and Audi e-tron Sportback units in the ship. However, it was sure also to contain Porsche Taycans and some plug-in hybrids  there are around 1,100 Porsches inside the vessel. Volkswagen ID.4s and Q4 e-tron units may also be included there. Reuters said that it was not clear if the fire started from the batteries, although that will demand an investigation to rule that possibility out.Cabecas said that everything 5 m (16.4 feet) above the water line is on fire at the cargo ship at the moment. It is burning from one end to the other, which makes any hope to recover cars from the blaze a really remote possibility. According to Reuters , the Felicity Ace also contains 189 Bentleys.The effort now is to tow Felicity Ace to a port. Towing boats coming from Gibraltar and the Netherlands should rescue the cargo ship by February 23. The cargo ship cannot go to the Azores because the large vessel would block the port. It is not clear yet where the Felicity Ace will be towed. However, the Azores are close to Portugal, making this country one of the possible destinations.
Everything from the Zero decimating F6F Hellcat, the MiG-23 obliterating F-14 Tomcat jet , and the Apollo Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) all rolled off Grumman facilities between 1929 and 1994. But what if we told you Grumman almost had the green light to design what you or I would identify as the Space Shuttle? It almost rewrote the course of space-faring history and Grumman itself to boot.To give you an idea of how exciting it was to work for Grumman in the late 60s and early 70s, their LEM successfully transported humans to the surface of the moon and was a fittingly durable life vessel during the Apollo 13 crisis.Failure is not an option was not just a throwaway line made by Apollo mission control director Gene Kranz during the perilous mission. It was a motto the men and women of Grumman lived by. A Grumman spacecraft was going to take Americans to the moon, and if that failed, it was going to help get them safely back to Earth.NASA, as well as the U.S. Navy, were riding high on Grumman during this time period. Serving the role of ambassador of American aviation innovations in the Naval sector in the same manner that companies like Lockheed or North American Aviation did for the U.S. Air Force.Grumman seemed poised to chalk up another W in their book with the announcement by the Nixon administration that manned space missions should focus on more affordable, semi-reusable design languages.Several different aerospace companies competed for the contract to build the Space Shuttles. Hilariously, one design even proposed converting the skeleton of a Douglas DC-3 into a re-useable spacecraft carried to orbit by a liquid-fueled booster rocket with its own pair of wings.That design never made it out of the drawing phase, but we recently went in-depth on that project. Check it out if you want to learn more. The design Grumman came up with for this concept was dubbed Project 619, or the 619 Shuttle. Compared to the design by North American-Rockwell that ultimately served as the Space Shuttle, there are more than a few similarities between the two designs.Some key differences include aerodynamic winglets on the main fuel tank. The tank used on the real shuttle lacked this feature, appearing like a large orange cigar (or a white cigar, in the case of STS-1). Furthermore, a prominent hump-back is noticeable, running along the spine of the Grumman 619. Four turbojet engines can be seen in the rear of the cargo bay in some paintings of the design.Implying that the finished product would have powered go-around capability in case anything with a landing went wrong, instead of going splat into the ground if the same were to happen in real life. Thankfully, that event never happened in our timeline.Overall, it appeared like Grumman had a supremely excellent design on their hands. Unfortunately, the renamed Rockwell International group convinced the Nixon appointed accountants in high offices in NASA during the 70s that their design was cheaper in the long run.With dollar signs seemingly shining like neon lights inside their heads, NASA awarded Rockwell International the contract for the Shuttle Project. Grumman, on the other hand, would go on to manufacture key components of the shuttle, like parts of the wings and the control surface there-in. Fifty years later, two destroyed Shuttles and 14 dead astronauts later, one can only wonder if NASA regretted not using Grumman's design. Or even the DC-3, for that matter.
Earlier this month, Miami, Florida-based dealer Ron Susser listed the Basement Lambo on eBay . This was the second time the car showed up for sale on the site and, as of February 18, the second time it failed to sell here. The bidding stopped at $100,100 and reserve was not met: reports online claim that it was set at $175,000, so it looks like the dealer is stuck with this extraordinary one-off unless they find a buyer elsewhere.The Basement Lambo is a very convincing, Euro-spec 1982 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 S, built entirely by hand by Wisconsin engineer Ken Imhoff. The vehicles story is almost as fascinating as the car itself, which has often been described as a gorgeous and very close tribute of the original Raging Bull.Imhoff built it entirely in his home basement, hence the name. He worked on it for 17 full years, mostly after dinner and in whatever spare time he got from work and family, and completed it in 2008. To bring it out of the basement, Imhoff had to call in a backhoe to demolish one of the walls of the house.Imhoff would hold on to the car for a few years more, after listing it and failure to sell. In 2014, while under treatment for Stage 4 cancer, he was using it to reach out to more guys to spread the word of God, by showing how this passion project that had taken such a toll on his family life and finances was also the ultimate symbol of determination.The Basement Lambo is also an example of ultimate skill , as the video below will undoubtedly show. With a hand-formed aluminum body on an all-tube space frame, it features plenty of authentic Lamborghini parts, including windshield, taillights, parking lights, and original badging. Power comes from a Ford Cleveland Boss 351 engine that produces 514 hp at 6,400 RPM. Original style telephone dial wheels are shod in authentic Pirelli tires, with Wilwood 4-piston calipers and 12x1.25-inch rotors providing stopping power.Other features include Pantera shifter and linkage, handmade exhaust and racing mufflers, and Wilwood racing pedals, master cylinders, and clutch. The replica is listed with a 2,700-pound (1,225-kg) untested weight and just 70 miles (112 km) on the odometer since completion, having never been registered or titled.As noted above, despite the fact that this is, without a doubt, a most awesome project car with a story to match its legendary status, it failed to meet reserve. On the bright side, this means more time to save up for it.
It may seem like its something that got out of hand because of a storm, but these strong winds are quite common. Pilots are already used to British weather and not even a red warning can stop them from safely landing. Fortunately for all those safely at home, this means Big Jet TV can bring some of the best footage we will ever see of planes landing while facing strong winds.His last stream lasted almost eight hours. The man behind the camera had to face rain, cold and wind speeds that easily exceeded 140 kph (87 mph). What makes Jerry Dyers plane watching activity so interesting is his ability to express his strong feelings to the audience. It almost feels like hes part of the airport crew. The high quality of the videos also helps.Even though the arrivals are spectacular to witness, authorities urged passengers to check their airlines for the latest updates to flights, with many cancellations and delays still continuing. Eunice is still causing havoc in north-western Europe. The Netherlands was also hit and there were reported injuries. Heathrow is just further proof that the weather has gone crazy.The video shows some aircrafts had to attempt the landing multiple times before succeeding, while others were forced to abort.As a side note, air traffic controllers might not get their fair share of online celebrity, but their input is of most importance. They have responsibilities that arent known or seen by the average person or traveler. You should remember that they battle the weather continuously. They vector aircrafts safely, and orderly and find appropriate spacing for them on a daily basis.
Granted, its not actually Mars that sent this back, but the HiRISE camera orbiting the planet and snapping pictures of it. And its not actually a rose seen from above were looking at, but a strangely-shaped impact crater, with some mysteries attached.Scientists from NASA and the University of Arizona, who look at these things for a living, describe the crater, seen here as it was in 2010, as being part of a small group of highly unusual ones, discovered in the lowlands near the Elysium Mons volcano.Theyre unusual because of the squishy soil they sit on, which was probably soft when it was struck by whatever meteorite died there. Such a soft soil is not uncommon on the Red Planet, and generally, when rocks from space strike such areas, the resulting ejecta does not necessarily fly like pieces of hard rock, but appears to have flowed like mud.It is generally agreed that this is because there was a lot of ice in the ground and this ice was melted by the energy of the impact, producing a large amount of mud, NASA says.In the case of this particular crater, however, the ejecta is almost entirely vaporized. More puzzling is the way that the crater appears to have collapsed into itself. It appears that there are some hard layers near the surface and then soft material that melts or vaporizes underneath. Indeed, HiRISE reveals a lot of rocky boulders associated with the hard layers.So, another mystery to add to the growing bag of Mars-related ones. Until it's solved, though, we'll see this one as a rose.
While the story of this rolling lab starts in 1960, the vehicle itself has an older story behind it, dating back to the late '30s. It was then when Mercedes-Benz introduced the 260d, followed by the 260 in 1940.After the war, the German industry was left bombed, cut into pieces, and taken away by the Red Army or ruled by British and Allied forces. As it rebounded, Mercedes-Benz didn't need to make front-door vehicles , like BMW, or cheap cars, like Volkswagen . Instead, it started working on high-end vehicles, even though it didn't have a big market for them.In 1951, at the first Frankfurt Motor Show after the war, Mercedes-Benz introduced the 300 series. It was not entirely new, since it was based on some underpinnings developed for the 260. But since those were well-designed and engineered, nobody noticed or cared. That 300 marked the return of the carmaker on top of its class.German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer loved the 300 . He never admitted to being chauffeured in anything else, even after his retirement. Because of that, the 300 was nicknamed "Adenauer" (the former Chancellor's last vehicle was returned to Mercedes-Benz, who put it its museum, where it still exists today).We can understand why he was very fond of the 300, especially after the 1957 model when the 3.0-liter inline-six received a fuel-injected system that replaced the old carburetor system. Thus, the powerplant developed 160 PS (158 hp). Starting with that year, Mercedes-Benz offered the 300 with an automatic transmission developed by Borg-Warner, and named Detroit-Gear. It featured just two planetary gears, and it was smooth. Think about a PowerGlide made for comfort. In addition, a manual gearbox was offered as an option.Starting with 1957, the 300 model was available with a 3,150 mm (124 in) wheelbase as standard, with an option for an extended 3,600 mm (141.7 in) wheelbase. In 1960, Mercedes-Benz built four special vehicles based on the 300. While three of them were based on the elongated version, the fourth is the rolling-lab vehicle. The longer ones were built for Pope John XXIII, while the other two were rented for special occasions to the Government or other wealthy persons. But it was the fourth special project that made the biggest difference from them.While those three, sure, brought a big image upgrade for the German brand, the fourth was in charge of reading and recording data from prototypes. In those times, engineers couldn't read data from hardware installed in a vehicle. Even if they could, the readings wouldn't be accurate, since the test car had to be loaded with heavy equipment. So then, they came up with the idea of a rolling lab: the one that you see here.From the front, up to the B-pillars, it was the same Mercedes-Benz 300 Adenauer, but then everything changed. The engineers installed a station-wagon like rear end, with panoramic windows curved on the upper side and emerging onto the roof. Above the driver's area, they installed a wide roof scoop. It was not intended to get more fresh air inside the cabin, but to allow a cable to go out. Thus, they could extend it to the test car, which had the sensors installed, and record all the data they needed while driving. It was truly a car-to-car wired connection. You may even call it a mobile Local Area Network.To safely record all data from the test vehicles, an up to 30 meters (98.5 ft) cable stretched between the cars gathered all the information and sent it to the recording devices placed in the measuring car. These were recorded on magnetic tapes to be listened to and analyzed back in the R&D center. It was like a recording studio on wheels, albeit we're not told if they used Fidelipacs or other magnetic tapes. If you don't know what's a Fidelipac, think about the father of an 8-track, but with higher quality.Two engineers stood cramped in their seats with woven rattan seatbacks at the back of the car, behind the big windows that turned it into a true sauna inside during sunny days, despite the side vents. I bet you could sit way comfier on your fishing seat, even if it's a rock on the ground. But they suffered for science.There were bulky types of equipment everywhere, and even a power generator. A set of gauges and dials were mounted on the side, atop the inner wheel well. But that was the only way they could record the data. Thus, while a prototype had to run on the bad-pavement section of the Unterturkheim test-track, also known as "the boneshaker," the rolling-lab could go in parallel, on the better pavement section, and still record accurate data.You might wonder how many readings could this system gather? The answer is 14. Truth be told, nowadays, you can get much more with your smartphone, but that wasn't possible back then.Under the hood of this rolling lab stood the same powerplant as the one installed in the regular Adenauer. Still, despite offering the same power, the car could go as fast as 120 kph (74.6 kph), while its production sibling could do 160 kph (99.4 mph). That's how much weight had to be added to the vehicle. Fortunately for Mercedes, they didn't have to measure any Corvette at maximum speed, or that 30 meters cable would have been way too short.Mercedes-Benz used this special vehicle until the 1970s, when it was retired. It won a place in the carmaker's museum, where it stays behind a W112, and it still connected through its cable. Nowadays, it doesn't record any data - it only collects smiles from Mercedes-Benz's museum visitors.
Todays space exploration treat comes our way courtesy of Space Engine Systems (SES), a startup in the business of making the lightest, reusable, multi-fuel propulsion system for a series of spaceplanes. Founded in 2012, the Canadian company is yet to get out there with a working product, but the concepts it proposes are exciting, at least on paper.SES is planning to develop two related spaceplanes, one destined to conduct missions to suborbital altitudes, and the other to any point between low-Earth orbit and the lunar surface. Theyre called Hello-1 and Hello-2, both will be completely reusable, taking off and landing horizontally, and will use propulsion hardware the Canadians are developing in-house, and call DASS GNX.DASS GNX is described as a precooled, air-breathing, turbo- ramjet that uses a non-toxic multi-fuel combustion process to work. It will kick in as an afterburning turbojet at speeds of between zero and Mach 3, and will behave like a ramjet from Mach 3 to Mach 5. The numbers make public so far point to one being capable of developing 20,000 lbf of thrust.Hello-1 will use two such engines, backed by another rocket engine good for 100,000 lbf, and will reach an altitude of 100 km (62 miles). It can do so while carrying a maximum payload of 550 kg (1,210 lbs), cargo or crew, and push that even higher, if need be, by means of a transfer vehicle.The more potent Hello-2 will be powered by between four and six DASS GNX engines, and an extra rocket engine of the same capacity as in the Hello-1. This one will be capable of carrying 5,500 kg (12,125 lbs) of cargo to low-Earth orbit, 1,730 kg (3,810 lbs) to geosynchronous orbit, and 760 kg (1,675 lbs) to the lunar surface.SES plans to have the HELLO-1 in the air for testing sometime next year, and makes no mention about flight tests of the Hello-2. Crewed flights are expected in 2025.Until we get there though, the technology itself needs to be tested, including the DASS GNX engines, and those will be put through their paces on a demonstrator called Sexbomb Thats right, for one reason or another someone thought this would be a fitting name for a piece of technology that could weigh heavily in the future of space exploration. At least it sounds more user-friendly than the names Masten Space Systems, for instance, comes up with: Xogdor , Xoie, Xaero, and so on.Sexbomb was designed to be launched from under the belly of a fighter jet, as soon as this carrier platform reaches an altitude of 15 km (50,000 ft) and a speed of Mach 1.8. Once launched, it should climb to a little over 17 km (55,770 feet), and floor it to reach a speed of Mach 5. It should fly on its own power for 300 seconds, then start to glide down to its home base.At least, that was the theory. SES intended to have the Sexbomb fly over American or British heads, on account of the more permissive regulations there when it comes to testing such things, but that changed in October last year, when it announced the flight would take place over the Canadian province of Manitoba.The supersonic fighter jet is out of the picture as well, and were now informed a stratospheric balloon will be used to lift the Sexbomb to 33.5 km (110,000 ft). From there, it will freefall until it reaches Mach 1.8, and all should go as described above from that moment on.No exact date for the test flight has been given, but we do know the launch and landing location is Lynn Lake Airport in northern Manitoba.If successful, the Sexbomb and subsequent Hello planes should not only help with space ambitions, but also act as means of planetary transport, with SES promising 30-minute trips from Toronto to Edmonton (over 3,400 km/2,100 miles). Presently, airplanes need more than four hours to cover the distance.
kW

HP

More than half a century ago, the scientific community embarked on one of the most ambitious projects of all time  the quest for the mantle. Most of what is known about the Earths crust, mantle, and core comes from observing and interpreting various data, but it can only be confirmed by getting pristine samples of the mantle. These can be obtained through drilling at incredible depths, and because the crust is the thinnest under the sea, ocean drilling is the way to go.The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP), an organization that was initiated more than 50 years ago, still hasnt reached its main goal, that of collecting a sample from the boundary between the crust and the mantle, known as Moho (the Mohorovicic discontinuity), but it has completed the drilling of over 1,500 boreholes below the ocean, so far.Researching the mysterious flowing solid is so important because it is considered to be the driving force behind crucial phenomena such as earthquakes and the deep carbon cycle that affects climate.The vessel that has come closest to reaching this goal is Chikyu, the flagship of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology ( JAMSTEC ) and the worlds first scientific research vessel equipped with riser drilling technology. Completed in 2005, it has participated in the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program since 2007 and in the IODP since 2013. In 2019, Chikyu established a world record for the deepest borehole drilled under the sea for scientific purposes.The record was achieved in the Pacific Ocean, at Nankai Trough, off the Kii Peninsula in southwest Japan. According to JAMSTEC, this is one of the source regions of some of the most powerful earthquakes. The record-setting hole under the seafloor was 3.25 km-deep (2 miles). However, the deepest manmade hole is 12.2 km-deep (7.5 miles), a record that was obtained in 1994 by former Soviet Union scientists near the Russian border..Japan built this record-setting ship as a way to contribute to Earth science  until the 2000s, the U.S. had led most of the scientific drilling projects. It took five years to complete the build of this innovative science ship. Its most distinctive feature was the rising drilling system, which connects the ship to the hole via a riser pipe. As Jamstec explains, this creates a closed system for drilling the mud, which makes the process safer and more efficient.The vessel itself is a jaw-dropping floating laboratory. Chikyu (Japanese for Earth) was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and meant to be able to drill as far as 7,000 meters (4.3 miles) beneath the sea into the tectonic plates.With a length of 210 meters (689 feet) and a 38-meter (124 feet) width, Chikyu is as tall as a 30-floor building (130 meters/426.5 feet). Its large enough to accommodate 200 people, including researchers, marine technicians, drillers, and the regular crew. In addition to borehole observation, the state-of-the-art onboard research laboratories conduct microbiological analysis and sampling processes.Powered by a diesel-electric propulsion system, Chikyu can reach a maximum speed of 12 knots (13.8 mph/22 kph) and an outstanding range of 14,000 nautical miles (27,410 km, the equivalent of more than halfway around the world). Equipped with six main generators of 5,000each, plus two auxiliary 2,500 kW ones, this massive vessel gets 35,000 kW of power, which would be enough to power a town with 10,000 inhabitants. It also boasts a helipad large enough for helicopters with a 30-passenger capacity.Chikyu conducts the drilling operations through a top drive system. The drill string (almost three times longer than the Fuji Mountain) gets inside the water through a huge moon pool. According to JAMSTEC, the total lifting capacity is the equivalent of the power generated by 35 passenger cars (5,000). Also, an automatic navigation system adjusts and maintains its position.The massive science vessel was also built to withstand strong winds and waves and operate for at least five months at a time  this is how much drilling operations usually take. Throughout this time, supplies are delivered to it on-site, via boats and helicopters.So far, JAMSTECs innovative ship has collected more than 1,000 geological samples known as cores, which provided important data for better understanding the Earth. But, although it has officially drilled the deepest hole beneath the seafloor, Chikyu hasnt succeeded in reaching the hotspot where tectonic plates meet. The goal of the expedition was to go as deep as 5,200 meters (3.2 miles) but the drilling had to stop after 3,250 meters because the drill hole kept collapsing, Nature reports.On the one hand, Jamstec saw that as a failure, considering that it was the culmination of a complex, almost decade-long process to drill deep into Nankai Trough. On the other hand, it did set a record for scientific ocean drilling.Obtaining a sample of the mantle, this Holy Grail of geology, is still proving to be a challenging task, but a large-scale project could attempt that again in the coming years, using the lessons learned from Chikyus efforts. Scientific ocean drilling technology still needs to evolve, but the worlds first riser drilling vessel took a bold step towards uncovering the Earths mysterious past.
Even though the market offers a dizzying choice of electric vehicles, consumers are still a bit sluggish to get off of fossil-fuel-guzzling cars for a variety of reasons. This comes as automakers pledge to up the investment in the EV market. For example, General Motors announced this week it will invest $7 billion into the production of EVs and battery cells in Michigan and aims to overtake the EV market in North America by 2025.

The consumer reluctance continues even as Tesla was just short of selling 1 million units in 2021. And Ford's introduction of its signature vehicle, the F-150, in electric version was matched with the electric Mustang Mach-E.

So, if automakers are doubling down on the EV market, why are consumers not jumping on the bandwagon with the same commitment and fervor?

Here are some top reasons, as noted by Mike Szudarek, automotive practice lead at PR firm Marx Layne & Company:

Cost

Battery technology continues to be prohibitively expensive, and batteries in EVs need to hold enough charge to make the cars usable for most drivers. This means the EVs have to be built with extremely expensive materials that are hard to obtain. Because they cost more to make, that expense is handed down to the consumer and is pricier than their gasoline counterparts. The basic economic theory begs the question: Why don't automakers simply ramp up production and adopt the economies of scale. It's a big of the chicken-and-egg quandary. For that to happen, consumer desire and need must exist. And that won't happen until prices come down.

Range Anxiety

It's a rationale concern - or fear - that an EV owner will be caught in the middle of nowhere with no charge and no charging station in sight. Fewer than 46,000 EV public charging stations exist in the U.S. For example, EV Driver A wants to take his new electric car from Detroit to Traverse City. It's a 255.5-mile trip. Most EVs have a range anywhere from 180 to 225 miles. So what is Example Driver A to do? Besides plotting out charging stations, it's not like pulling up to the pump and filling the vehicle with petro. A decent, full charge on a typical EV takes about eight hours. Times could vary depending on the size of the car's battery and the speed of the charging point. An average EV with a 60kWh battery charging at a 7kW charging point takes just under eight hours to get from empty to full.

Thankfully, the bipartisan Infrastructure Law has a major component to increase the number of charging stations in the near future. The law allocates $7.5 billion to "fast track" an additional 500,000 stations. So, at least plotting a trip to Detroit to Traverse City won't be as worrisome.

The market is beginning to address this. Lucid Motor's entry into the EV market with its Lucid Air won the 2022 MotorTrend Car of the Year, boasting a range of 520 miles and more than 1,100 available horsepower. The base price starts a little above $77,000. However, as technology improves, automaker experts expect the range and power will increase, alleviating range anxiety concerns.

Maintenance

By now, nearly everyone has seen the viral video of the Tesla owner who balked at paying a $22,000 repair bill to replace his battery. So instead, he wrapped it in dynamite and blew the car to smithereens.

While such a measure is the penultimate in extreme reactions, maintaining an EV car is undoubtedly causing frustrations due to the shortage of qualified mechanics. Recently, a survey by the UK's Institute of Motor Industry found that 97% of mechanics are not qualified to work on electric vehicles. The remaining 3%? Many of them work at dealerships.

"Ninety percent of our industry has done nothing - absolutely nothing - to prepare," auto mechanic Craig Van Batenburg told the Chicago Tribune, noting most of the resistance to electric car training resides in the Midwest. "They just turn the hybrids and EVs away and say 'We don't work on those cars, go back to Ford or Toyota.' The fear factor is huge."

Auto mechanics and techs have a cutoff date of 2040 to become fully fluent in servicing EVs. Yet, difficulty in getting maintenance today is holding off prospective EV buyers.

Design

While design is more of a subjective matter, many consumers have been turned off by some models on the market. The challenge? EVs carry a different architecture path than gas-powered vehicles. Before, cars were conceived around a central element: the powertrain. The EV allows for more freedom for the design engineers. It's a win-lose situation, according to automotive business developer Steven Dom. Designers now have many designs put forth by new and established car companies. But, on the other hand, this makes the design engineer's job more demanding than ever.

This presents a challenge for design engineers who often work under stringent time-to-market requirements. While they may have many choices to be innovative, the design engineer needs to select the best architecture. However, it needs to be done very quickly.

Design engineers are beginning to figure out that manufacturers need to place the needs and desires of human beings at the center of their designs and not the technology. So as the focus shifts and remains on consumers' needs and expectations, the desirability to buy and own an EV could increase.
Ford Motor Company's chief executive officer Jim Farley poses next to the newly unveiled electric F-150 Lightning outside of their headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan on May 19, 2021. (Photo : JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

Ford Motor CEO Jim Farley is strongly considering separating the company's electric vehicle business from its traditional engine operations, sparking reports of a Ford EV spinoff. People with knowledge of the situation told Bloomberg News that Farley wants to create a separate entity for its growing electric operations. The chief executive is entertaining the idea of an EV spinoff for the Ford business.

The news came just weeks after it was reported that Ford had made an evaluation on spinning off a small portion of its electric vehicle business as part of its reorganization plans. Ford believes a possible EV spinoff could capture the value that investors have been giving to some EV startups.

Wall Street was delighted with the report of a possible Ford EV spinoff, with shares of the company jumping by more than 5 percent during early trading on Friday morning. Ford's shares were up by as much as 5.4 percent, to $18.48 on Friday, February 18. It leveled off during afternoon trading, with Ford's value closing at $18.04 a share. The car brand finished the day, still up by 2.9 percent.

Will Ford spin off EV business?

Ford said it would not comment on speculation but did release a prior statement, saying, "We have no plans to spin off our battery electric-vehicle business or our traditional ICE business." ICE stands for internal combustion engines, which are the lifeblood of the gas-powered auto business.

Benchmark analyst Mike Ward was skeptical about the rumored spinoff, telling Barron's that such a move by Ford is "highly unlikely, but you always have to explore." Ward added that "unions, dealers, R&D assets, and manufacturing footprint are the biggest hurdles" for Ford in separating its EV business from its internal-combustion engine operations.

Also Read: Nissan and Infiniti Tease EV Models Ahead of 2025 Release; Company Invests $500 Million in the U.S. Plant

GM rejects spinoff plans for EV business for now

Ford spinning off any of its operations would be in sharp contrast to the decision made by General Motors, the automaker's biggest rival based in the United States. GM's top executives have already said that the carmaker has no plans of spinning off its EV business despite Wall Street pressuring them to do so.

GM President Mark Reuss said back in November 2020 that the company conducted a study analyzing the potential of an EV spinoff. The firm eventually determined that spinning off its electric operations would not be the right thing for the company, citing the high costs that such a move will entail and the benefits of having the EV business remain part of the larger GM brand.

The idea of spinning off the battery-powered vehicle business from legacy gas-powered vehicle operations has been going on for a while now and will linger on for more years to come. Valuation is the main talking point for breaking up car businesses, with Tesla providing the motivation for making such a move.

Shares of the world's leading electric car maker trade for roughly 11 times its estimated sales this year compared to GM and Ford's stock, which trade just 0.5 times their estimated sales for 2022.

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Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo (L) stands next to French Finance and Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire as he visits the Alpine sports cars' Renault factory in Dieppe on January 28, 2022. (Photo : SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)

Renault delivered some excellent news to its investors, with the French automaker reporting a bigger than expected net profit of $1.0 billion (888 million euros) in 2021, as well as an operating margin of 3.6 percent, as per Reuters. That was an impressive figure for Renault as the "Renaulution" plan had targeted an operating margin of above 3 percent in 2023.

Helping Renault reach that figure ahead of schedule is the company's decision to slash fixed costs by 2 billion euros between 2019 and 2021. With Renault's finances already improving, the French firm said that it aims to repay the 4 billion euros of state aid it received from France during the COVID-19 pandemic by the end of 2023, which is one year ahead of the 2024 deadline.

Renault is targeting an automotive operational free cash flow of at least 1 billion euros and an operating margin of more than 4 percent for this year. However, the company will have its work cut out for them from achieving that target as the ongoing semiconductor shortage continues to wreak havoc on Renault's vehicle production for the year 2022.

Production shortage hits Renault as supply chain issues linger

Renault CEO Luca de Meo announced on Friday, February 18, that the French auto giant is looking at a production shortage of around 300,000 vehicles in 2022 due to the global chip shortage. This has been a problem affecting Renault and the rest of the auto industry ever since the pandemic started in 2020.

Renault produced 500,000 fewer vehicles last year due to supply chain issues brought upon by disruptions and regulations related to the pandemic. Business analysts have predicted that the supply shortage could ultimately cost the automotive industry at least $200 billion in revenue.

De Meo spoke to CNBC about the production shortage engulfing the company, saying, "The situation right now is still pretty complicated." However, he remains hopeful that the computer chip shortage will improve in 2022 and allow the auto industry to return to a more "normal situation" over the second half of this year.

Also Read: Marx Layne & Company Notes Consumer Obstacles Ahead Before EVs Become Dominant in the Automotive Marketplace

Renault to create EV spinoff?

Renault, which reported an annual profit for the first time in three years, is entertaining the idea of creating separate divisions for the combustion engine and electric vehicles. This is a concept that other automakers have resisted in the past, with companies fearful that such a move would weaken their ability to use profits from gas-powered vehicles to fund their electrification plans.

Renault presented its strategic studies to investors on Friday, saying a "pure electric entity" could be based in France with the company open to partnerships for the EV business. Renault will then maintain a separate entity for hybrid cars and combustion engine vehicles, with production focused outside of France.

Renault's main hub for hybrid powertrain production is Spain, while the French automaker sources its combustion engines from South Korea, Romania, and Turkey.

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Tesla could be penalized more than $8 million by the Korea Fair Trade Commission over findings that it exaggerated the specifications of batteries found in its electric vehicles. (Photo : JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Tesla found itself in the middle of yet another controversy, this time in the nation of South Korea. The country's antitrust regulator is considering imposing penalties on the world's most valuable automaker over findings that Tesla exaggerated the specifications of batteries found in its electric vehicles.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) sent a report to Tesla, notifying Elon Musk's company that it had exaggerated the mileage of some of its vehicles, including the highly popular Model 3. A Korean official told Reuters that such an offense violates the Fair Labeling and Advertising Act.

The KFTC official added that the commission plans to hold a general meeting to review and determine the extent to which the carmaker had violated the law and then decide the level of sanctions to be imposed on them. According to insiders, Tesla could receive fines of up to 10 billion won ($8.35 million) since the South Korean regulator is allowed by law to fine up to 2 percent of the carmaker's sales. Tesla earned an estimated 1.1 trillion won ($919 million) in South Korea last year.

KFTC accuses Tesla of false advertisement with its batteries

The KFTC found Tesla to be at fault for advertising a range of 446 kilometers (277 miles) for its Model 3 car without informing South Korean customers that the range of the said vehicle may drop by as much as 40 percent when temperatures fall to below minus 7 degrees Celsius (19.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

Tesla had reportedly labeled the commission's ruling as unfair, claiming it is not right for the KFTC to impose penalties on them when other carmakers also advertise the performance of their batteries based on warm temperatures.

Tesla said that it is only natural that battery performance differs depending on the temperature it is placed in. Analysts backed up Tesla on that point, saying most electric cars could generally experience some loss of driving range in cold temperatures.

Also Read: Cargo Ship Felicity Ace Catches Fire: Nearly 4,000 Porsche, Audi, Bentley, and VW Vehicles on Board

Tesla under fire for refusal to return online deposits

Apart from the battery issue, the KFTC is also determining whether to impose additional penalties on Tesla for not refunding deposits to customers who canceled their online car purchases before the orders for the vehicles were put in place for release.

Tesla requires its customers in South Korea to pay a deposit of 100,000 won ($84) when purchasing its cars online. However, their deposits were not refunded when they decided to cancel their orders for Tesla cars. The KFTC sees this refusal of Tesla to return the deposits as a violation of a customer's right to withdraw purchases.

It has been a rough start to the year for Tesla, with the company issuing a spate of recalls for its vehicles across the globe. The issue of phantom braking is also hurting Tesla's reputation in the United States at the moment, with the U.S. government launching a formal investigation about that problem.

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New freight train route connects China, Germany

Xinhua) 13:45, February 19, 2022

JINAN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The first two-way China-Europe freight train route linking east China's port city of Qingdao in Shandong Province with Mannheim in Germany entered service on Friday.

The first outbound train, which departed from Qingdao, is carrying raw chemical materials, auto parts, daily necessities and other goods worth about 2.5 million U.S. dollars. It will leave China via the Alataw Pass port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and reach its destination in Germany in about 19 days, according to operator Shandong Hi-speed Group.

On the same day, a train loaded with sheet materials left Mannheim and is expected to enter China via Erenhot in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and arrive in Qingdao in mid-March.

In 2021 alone, over 1,800 China-Europe freight trains were handled in Shandong Province. Via a total of 51 international train routes, goods from Shandong can reach 54 cities and 23 countries along the Belt and Road, according to the group.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
The Biden administration will ramp up its support of efforts to vaccinate the world with a "surge" in assistance to 11 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, a USAID spokesperson confirmed Thursday.

Why it matters: The global supply of vaccines has largely gone to developed nations. Officials worry that new COVID-19 variants could emerge from countries with low vaccination rates.

State of play: Through the Global VAX Initiative, the U.S. will prioritize Angola, Ivory Coast, Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia to receive "intensive" support for their vaccine campaigns, according to the spokesperson.

"These countries will receive increased U.S. Government engagement and funding to rapidly assess needs and scale up the rate of vaccination, including support from experts here in the U.S. and in the field," the spokesperson said.

The U.S. will spend $250 million on the effort, according to the Washington Post, which first reported the news.

By the numbers: The countries have vaccinated less than 40% of their total population, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Zoom in: Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal have inoculated less than 10% of their population.

Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal have inoculated less than 10% of their population. Only 15 out of 54 African countries met a goal to vaccinate at least 10% of their populations against the virus by Sept. 30.

New case studies from USAID show an increase in the rate of vaccinations for some of the nations in recent weeks, which the agency says is due in part to the U.S.' involvement.

The big picture: Developing nations often lack the resources needed to store and administer vaccine doses that have been donated by wealthier countries including the U.S., which has shipped over 400 million doses globally.
The number of encounters between border officials and migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border fell last month to the lowest levels since last February when the surge began.

By the numbers: While it was the second-lowest monthly number on Biden's watch, the 154,000 migrant encounters last month was still abnormally high for the time of year. There were more border patrol arrests than any other January in over two decades, according to government data.

Fewer migrants from the Northern Triangle  Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador  attempted to cross the border last month, with the number falling below that of January 2019.

There were also fewer migrants traveling from "other" further away nations  a relatively new, major demographic.

Encounters with Mexican nationals rose slightly over December's numbers, although the vast majority of them were quickly expelled back to Mexico.

The big picture: It's unclear yet whether the decline in border numbers will last.

The government has struggled to respond to massive numbers of people arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border over the past year. It has created both logistical and political nightmares for the president and his administration.

Early on, the government struggled to quickly move minors out of unsuitable border patrol facilities and was forced to quickly built temporary shelters along the border.

Recently, there have been unprecedented numbers of migrants traveling from further away nations in South America and elsewhere.

Administration officials have attempted to both distance themselves from the harsh immigration rhetoric of the former administration, while also warding off "open border" attacks from the right.

What to watch: The administration has continued to use a Trump-era policy called Title 42, despite outrage from Democrats and immigration advocates as well as a lawsuit threatening the use of the policy.
A growing number of college presidents are leaving their jobs after two grueling years trying to navigate their schools through the pandemic.

Why it matters: COVID has taken a major toll on education at all levels  from widespread burnout among K-12 teachers to significant turnover in higher education.

Driving the news: More than a dozen college presidents have announced their resignation since 2020.

There's no official historical data tracking college presidents' retirements.

But Roderick McDavis, who was the first Black president of Ohio University and is now a managing principal at AGB Search, a higher education leadership search firm, told Axios he's seeing a "little bit more activity" in the number of colleges beginning the search for a new president.

"If people had planned to spend one or two more years, because of what occurred last year and this year with literally being on the clock 24/7, I think that moved the retirement time up for some presidents," McDavis said.

McDavis pointed to the transition to remote learning and low enrollment as some of the factors contributing to additional stress on college presidents. "It's a domino effect," he said.

Some university leaders also might have planned to announce their retirement in 2020, but then waited once the pandemic hit.

"For some presidents, it was sort of, 'Hey, I want to see my institution through the crisis.' Many of them did, but then this year, we're seeing many of those presidents step down," McDavis said, adding that others are stepping down because "they're not sure what the future might hold."

Details: Biddy Martin, who has served as the president of Amherst College since 2011, announced in September that she will retire this summer.

MIT president L. Rafael Reif earlier this month announced his retirement at the end of the year.

Northwestern's president Morton Schapiro announced last year that his presidential tenure would end in 2022.

Freeman Hrabowski, who's served as the president of University of Maryland, Baltimore County for three decades, will step down at the end of the academic year.

And Rev. Joseph M. McShane, who is the president of Fordham University, will retire in June.

What's next: "As these new leaders begin to take over for those that are leaving, it's going to take them a year or two to get the institution back to where it was before the pandemic," McDavis said.

"Two years of a pandemic, really might turn into three or four years of instability for the institution."

Go deeper:
Georgia gubernatorial candidate David Perdue wouldnt have signed the certification of the states 2020 election results if he had been governor at the time, the former Senate Republican told Axios.

Not with the information that was available at the time and not with the information that has come out now. They had plenty of time to investigate this. And I wouldnt have signed it until those things had been investigated, and thats all we were asking for," he said.

Why it matters: There has been no evidence widespread fraud took place in Georgia's elections last year, and the November results were counted three times, once by hand.

Driving the news: The former Georgia senator  who is now running with former President Donald Trumps endorsement to unseat Gov. Kemp in a GOP primary  spoke to Axios by phone Wednesday afternoon in one of his first interviews since declaring his bid.

Flashback: When Gov. Brian Kemp signed the state's election certification, he pointed out that state law required him to do so.

In an interview with Axios, Perdue said he would also have called for a special session of the legislature if he had been governor one year ago.

Perdue said the idea of the session, which he said he asked Kemp to call at the time, was not to change the November outcome, but to "protect and fix what was wrong for the January election."

At the time, Georgia's Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said that a special session would have amounted to "nullifying the will of the people."

Georgia's law does not offer the governor or the secretary of state the ability to not certify an election. Any challenge to an election's integrity must happen through the courts. All legal challenges to the 2020 election in Georgia have failed.

The bottom line: Perdue conceded his Senate race loss to Jon Ossoff in January.
A Ukrainian tech CEO says he flew more than 100 of his employees and their families from Kyiv to Montenegro two weeks ago in response to the threat of Russian invasion.

Driving the news: For Vlad Panchenko, of the digital assets company DMarket, the decision came down to trying to take control of an uncontrollable situation.

I have to take care of the people and their families and their kids, Panchenko told Axios in an interview from Montenegro. He is hoping the relocation is temporary and has budgeted it for two months.

Nobody can predict what the person who is ruling Russia will be doing, he said.

He acknowledged the uncertainty from Kyiv to Washington, D.C., about whether Russian president Vladimir Putin will use Russian forces surrounding Ukraine to win concessions or to actually invade.

The big picture: While most citizens of Ukraine have no choice but to stay put, some business leaders are able to weigh the difficult decision of whether to relocate.

Alexey Menshikov, who runs indie video game studio Beatshapers, told Axios that his studio has a worst case scenario plan to move to another country, but is hoping for the best. He said his 30 or so employees have largely chosen to stay where they are.

One of Ukraines tech companies more visible to the West, the development studio GSC Game Word, is wrapping up development on a sequel to its S.T.A.L.K.E.R. gaming franchise. A rep for the studio declined to comment about how its dealing with the current situation.

Earlier this week, an Israeli cloud computing company said it would relocate nearly one thousand employees from Ukraine to Turkey for a couple of weeks, according to local media reports.

Panchenko said that peers initially told him he was overreacting but some have also chosen to move their teams from the country, at least temporarily.

Flashback: In 2014, following Russias invasion of Crimea, one of Ukraines largest video game studios, 4A Games, moved much of its team to Malta.

Its CEO noted at the time that we feel like betrayers, because were leaving our country in turmoil, but said it was necessary to keep the company alive.

4A still has a presence in Kyiv. We're continuing to monitor the situation there while supporting our team and their families however we can, a rep for the companys current owner, Saber Interactive, told Axios. 4A and the other Saber-owned studios with presences in Kyiv all have the option of working in one of our other locations abroad if they choose to.

Between the lines: Panchenko, 37, said he decided to move his team about three weeks ago, after noticing his workers spending a lot of time worrying about Russia. People are talking about What's going to happen?' or When it's going to happen?' and What are we going to do?

His solution was to assess the cost of relocation and convince his board to approve at least a temporary move.

A two-month stay in Montenegro will add about a half-months worth of cost to DMarkets annual budget, a bearable increase for some added peace of mind, he said.

Chances that Russia will invade are like 20%, he said. But if they invade, then the risks go through the roof and the consequences for the company and for the people go through the roof.

He said he was motivated by his own experience of having a largely peaceful childhood shattered by Russias 2014 invasion of Crimea.

He recalled visiting his grandparents home as a child and his grandfather toasting each night for not having a war, because he remembered the Second World War.

That made the events of 2014 unimaginable, he said, and led him to worry about what his team was feeling this time around.

I dont want anybody else to live in that terror or fear.

Whats next: Panchenko hopes the crisis will pass and a return follow, but has also considered longer-term moves.

Half of his team, he estimates, would nevertheless want to return to Ukraine if it comes to that.

They have their roots there, he said. But nobody would be happy, you know, to live under the bombardment.

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Vice President Kamala Harris met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday evening local time, U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios.

Why it matters: The meeting took place as the indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran in Vienna reached a critical juncture. The Israeli government is still attempting to influence the U.S. position but also wants to start talking about how to counter Iran in the region if a new deal is reached or if talks fail.

The big picture: Harris is visiting Munich amid the crisis in Ukraine. Though a close ally of the United States, Israel has good relations with both Russia and Ukraine and has stayed relatively neutral regarding the crisis.

Both the vice president and the defense minister's offices declined Axios' request to comment on the meeting.

The latest: Harris and Gantz met for 30 minutes in Munich and discussed Iran, Ukraine and the Abraham Accords, among other issues, with Gantz arguing that any nuclear deal must include strict monitoring and inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the continuation of the IAEA investigations regarding possible military dimensions of the nuclear program, the Israeli ministry of defense said.

Israeli officials told Axios that the assessment in Jerusalem is that the U.S. and Iran are very close to a deal, and that it is likely to be signed in the next two weeks.

What they are saying: I expressed my gratitude to U.S. President Biden and the VP for their commitment to preventing a nuclear Iran," Gantz wrote on Twitter after the meeting.

"They reaffirmed the strength of US-Israel relationship and discussed our efforts to address the threat posed by Iran and its proxies," a White House official said on background in a readout of the meeting.

Flashback: This will be the second meeting between Harris and a senior Israeli official since she assumed office. Her first meeting was with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid during his visit to Washington last October.

Between the lines: Inside the Israeli government, Gantz is the most pro-deal official. Like many in the Israeli security establishment, Gantz thinks a U.S. return to the 2015 nuclear deal is the least bad option and will serve Israels interests more than the current situation when there are no constraints on the Iranian nuclear program.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information following the meeting.
Guard towers with searchlights. Barbed wire stretching around the camp. Military jeeps that circled the perimeter. This is what survivors recall of Amache, the former incarceration camp in Granada, Colorado that imprisoned over 7,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.

Driving the news: Saturday marks the 80th anniversary of Franklin Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066  which legalized the forced removal and mass incarceration of anyone with Japanese ancestry. Amache is now on the verge of becoming a national historical site, something survivors, descendants and advocates have campaigned for for years.

The Amache National Historic Site Act, which cleared the Senate unanimously this week, would move ownership to the National Park Service and ensure it remains protected along with other incarcerations sites.

Volunteers currently manage the preservation of the Amache grounds, but enshrining the area into a formal historical site would guarantee that the stories of those who were incarcerated are honored and preserved for future generations.

The legislation awaits a final vote in the House, which passed an initial version 416-2.

The backdrop: In 1941, months before the Pearl Harbor bombing, Roosevelt commissioned Special Representative of the State Department Curtis B. Munson to gather intelligence on Japanese American disloyalty.

Munson concluded that they posed very little threat  "There is no Japanese 'problem' on the Coast"  but Roosevelt and other U.S. leaders ignored the report amid rising anti-Japanese sentiment.

Instead, between 1942 and 1945, the U.S. incarcerated nearly 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry in camps across the country, including the Amache site, also known as the Granada War Relocation Center.

In their words: "[W]e were forced from our homes, tagged like animals, and sent to the desolate prairie of southeast Colorado, where we lived in trauma, with a constant presence of armed guards, barbed wire, and suffering too large to describe in one correspondence," over 60 Amache survivors wrote in a January letter to the Senate.

It was "like a prison," survivor Bob Fuchigami said in a 2017 interview with The Denver Post. "We were told not to go near the fence  youd get shot."

"You had to pledge allegiance every morning. Liberty and justice for all," Fuchigami added. "Obviously, it didnt apply to us."

Left: A detainee's burial site at Amache. Right: A high school band marching. Photos: National Archives

Though Japanese Americans found ways to cope and regain some semblance of life behind the barbed wire, they never forgot why they were there.

"The assumption was: Youre guilty," Fuchigami told the Post. "You havent done anything, but you might do something, or you will do something."

And the damage was lasting. "Many grew up feeling ashamed of our Japanese ancestry," Amache survivor and former Congressman Mike Honda wrote in 2015.

What they're saying: "Our nation still has a long way to go to learn from this mistake, and our communityboth old and youngcontinues to suffer from anti-Asian hate crimes," the survivors wrote in their letter to the Senate.
Eighty years ago today, then-President Franklin Roosevelt signed the executive order that led to the forced removal and mass incarceration of about 120,000 Japanese Americans into 10 American internment camps.

Why it matters: Powerful archival photos of the mass incarceration provide a vivid reminder of how badly the U.S. government mistreated Japanese Americans.

Survivors and activists have also pushed Congress to help preserve this history by designating one of the former prisons  Amache, in Granada, Colorado  as a national memorial.

San Francisco, April 25, 1942. Two friends play a final game, awaiting their forced removal to an internment camp. Photo: Dorothea Lange for War Relocation Authority (WRA) via National Archives

This sign was placed in an Oakland store window on Dec. 8, 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor. Japanese Americans could only bring what they could carry to the camps, leaving behind countless businesses, homes and community ties. Photo: Dorothea Lange for WRA via Library of Congress

Arranging flowers for the last day of service at Japanese Independent Congregational Church on April 26, 1942. Photo: Dorothea Lange for WRA via National Archives

Some people were given only six days notice to pack up their belongings and leave their homes and communities.

Los Angeles, April 1942. Families prepare to board trains to the Manzanar detention center, 250 miles away. Photo: HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Centerville, Calif. on May 5, 1942. A woman waits for the bus to the detention center. Photo: Dorothea Lange for WRA via National Archives

The War Relocation Authority (WRA) hired acclaimed photographers, including Dorothea Lange and Ansel Adams, to document the incarceration, though many of Langes photos were censored by the U.S. army and held until after the war.

San Pedro, Calif., in April 1942. The last Redondo Beach residents leave for internment camps. Photo: Library of Congress

People line up for the mess hall at the Tanforan temporary detention center, a former racetrack in San Bruno, Calif. Photo: Dorothea Lange for WRA via National Archives

Horse stalls converted into family housing at Tanforan. Photo: Dorothea Lange for WRA via National Archives

The WRA forbade photographers from making images of soldiers, guard towers or barbed wire, but a few photos of the camps military presence exist.

Military police on duty in a watch-tower at the Santa Anita temporary detention center in Arcadia, Calif. Photo: Clem Albers for WRA via National Archives

Prisoners make camouflage nets for the War Department at Manzanar, one of several War and Navy Department projects carried out at detention centers. Photo: Dorothea Lange for WRA via National Archives

Children who grew up or were born in the internment camps  the last people who witnessed the incarceration first-hand  are now elders or have passed away.

A grandfather teaches his grandson to walk at Manzanar. Photo: Dorothea Lange for WRA via National Archives

Families wait in line to finally leave the Gila River prison camp as an officer checks the departure list, in Rivers, Ariz. in Sept. 1945. Photo: Hikaru Iwasaki for WRA via National Archives

When President Roosevelt rescinded Executive Order 9066 in December 1944, the WRA began the long process of shutting down the camps.

After decades of organizing by survivors and their families, Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act in 1988, which gave surviving internees $20,000 and a presidential apology as reparations for the wrongful incarceration  though many elders had died by then.

Editor's note: A caption in this story has been corrected to show the date the sign was placed in the window was Dec. 8, 1941, not 1942.
Vice President Kamala Harris warned Russia on Saturday that it would face "unprecedented economic costs" if it invades Ukraine.

Driving the news: "Let me be clear, I can say with absolute certainty: If Russia further invades Ukraine, the United States, together with our allies and partners, will impose significant, and unprecedented economic costs," Harris said at the annual Munich Security Conference.

Harris' remarks came one day after President Biden said that he is "convinced" that Putin has made the decision to invade Ukraine.

"Russia continues to say it is ready to talk while at the same time it narrows the avenues for diplomacy. Their actions simply do not match their words," Harris said, per the White House.

The big picture: Harris speaking to a large European audience said that the West has "strength through unity."

"The imposition of these sweeping and coordinated measures will inflict great damage on those who must be held accountable. And we will not stop with economic measures," Harris said.

"We will further reinforce our NATO allies on the eastern flank."

Harris on Friday met with the leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, who requested that the U.S. bolster its troop presence on the eastern edge of NATO, AP reports.

Go deeper: Biden says he's "convinced" Putin has decided to invade Ukraine
Quaise Energy, a company with experimental tech to access hugely energy-dense geothermal resources 6 to 12 miles below Earth's surface, this morning announced $40 million in Series A funding.

Driving the news: Safar Partners, Prelude Ventures, Fine Structure Ventures, The Engine and others are backing the Cambridge, Massachusetts startup, which spun out of MIT in 2018.

It brings total funding to $63 million to date, including a $5 million Energy Department grant.

Why it matters: Quaise is among the startups looking to scale geothermal by tapping hard-to-access, deeper and hotter resources with emerging drilling and conduction technologies.

The big picture: Geothermal is an old energy source that remains niche compared to the immense potential.

Companies with differing methods  and degrees of difficulty  have been attracting investor cash in recent years. Startups raised almost $452 million in venture funding from 2017 to 2021, per PitchBook.

Fervo Energy, a company with so-called enhanced geothermal tech, raised $28 million in Series B funding last year.

Eavor raised $40 million last year from backers including VC arms of BP and Chevron for developing its "closed loop" system.

Zoom in: Quaise targets "supercritical" geothermal resources at massive depths and temperatures.

Quaise is experimenting with a "millimeter wave" drilling system to tap high-energy resources at temperatures in the 500 C range.

"Our technology allows us to access energy anywhere in the world, at a scale far greater than wind and solar, enabling future generations to thrive in a world powered with abundant clean energy," CEO Carlos Araque said in a statement.

Yes, but: The tech and engineering challenges are quite significant. This helpful Vox explainer on the geothermal taxonomy calls supercritical the "far horizon" of next-wave concepts.

A 2019 DOE report on geothermal says accessing supercritical resources demands "entirely new classes" of drilling, processes and more to handle "extreme temperature, pressure, and chemical conditions."

What's next: Quaise, working with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, plans to move from indoor drilling to in-ground field under lab conditions allowing expansion to depths around 10 meters this year, Araque told Axios via email.

The new funding will help enable Quaise to advance to test larger-scale field drilling by 2024 at depths from 100 up to 1,000 meters and expand their team, said Araque, who spent 15 years with the oilfield services heavyweight Schlumberger.

They're working with the big oilfield services company Nabors, which is also an investor through its venture arm.

The intrigue: Quaise says widely distributed supercritical resources would enable coal- and gas-fired power infrastructure to be powered with geothermal instead.

Araque said Quaise has had visits to an undisclosed New York State power plant and has identified 100+ U.S. plants as candidates.

Go deeper: Federal officials open push for 24/7 clean power
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter.
Email Dan Walters of CalMatters at dan@calmatters.org. CalMatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more columns by Walters, go to calmatters.org/dan-walters.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 50F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 50F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly asserting a school board in suburban Pittsburgh voted to ban CNN from its classrooms. Teachers can still use their own discretion to show instructional videos from any source, including CNN, according to Norwin School District Superintendent Jeff Taylor.
A protester stands atop a camper van as a convoy drives past the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Elysees avenue, Saturday, Feb. 12, in Paris, in protests against virus restrictions inspired by the Canada's horn-honking "Freedom Convoy." On Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly asserting that Parisian police ticketed protesters for carrying the French flag and saying the word freedom. But tickets were given to protesters for offenses related to participating in a prohibited protest.
In this Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016 file photo, from left, Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr. wait for the second presidential debate between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at Washington University in St. Louis. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly asserting that prosecutors in the District of Columbia recently filed criminal charges against Ivanka Trump and her brothers. District prosecutors have not filed any criminal charges against Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump or Donald Trump Jr., according to a spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts will hold a virtual information session Tuesday for community members interested in the college's continuing education and graduate programs.
Danny Jin, a Report for America corps member, is The Eagles Statehouse news reporter. He can be reached at djin@berkshireeagle.com, @djinreports on Twitter and 413-496-6221.
Reporter

Heather Bellow, a member of the investigations team, joined The Eagle in 2017. She is based in the South Berkshire County bureau in Great Barrington. Her work has appeared in newspapers across the U.S.
In its latest efforts to appease those who have opposed the cell tower at 877 South St. since before it even existed, the Pittsfield Board of Health has set another troubling precedent. The panel threatened Verizon, the towers operator, with an ultimatum: Move it or face a cease-and-desist order to turn the tower off.

Its the latest move from city health officials who have faced a full-court press from some residents who fiercely oppose the towers existence near their neighborhood. Since the structure went up in mid-2020, those residents, mostly located in the vicinity of Alma Street, have complained of myriad health woes they say are caused by the towers operation. By deeming actionable these anecdotal, unproven and seemingly motivated claims, the citys Board of Health is not just solidifying a scientifically unsound approach to controversial topics brought before them, which would be bad enough. Its also risking the financial health of the entire city by picking a potential legal fight with a telecom giant on specious grounds.

As we have stressed in previous editorials on this subject, these residents should be heard, but we must follow the facts. There is little to no evidence that cell towers near residential areas, even 5G-equipped structures, cause the illnesses that the towers opponents say theyre experiencing  nausea, headaches, hives and cancer. Dont take it from us. Take it from the National Cancer Institute, the World Health Organization, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Toxicology Program, not to mention an array of independent research.

This does not mean the residents who have complained of various ills arent experiencing them. The burden of proof is higher here than simply showing that some in the vicinity of the tower are stricken with various ailments which, from headaches to cancer, are unfortunately common. Whats also needed, and has been lacking, is a demonstration of not just correlation but causality to show that, despite the glut of scientific evidence to the contrary, these residents woes are being directly caused by the tower. Thats a distinction we would hope the Board of Health, of all municipal entities, would understand. That they continue to push this envelope suggests that it unfortunately doesnt.

Health impact of new cell tower remains unclear, Pittsfield officials say PITTSFIELD  First came testimony from people who say their lives were upended when a cell tower began transmitting in September.

This does not even begin to address several other facts that are inconvenient to the tower opponents case. A survey conducted last year by third-party consulting firm V-COMM Telecommunications Engineering demonstrated that the tower is emitting less than 2 percent of the Federal Communication Commissions safety threshold for electromagnetic radiation. Even if this radiation emitted at one-50th of the federal safety standard were directly sickening the surrounding population, why havent others in a similar radius come forward? So far, there appear to be no Lori Court residents or workers at nearby South Street businesses with similar tower-related complaints. If microwave transmission is the cause of the various ailments that tower opponents allege, we would expect those adverse effects to be observable elsewhere.

Opposition to the tower was initially based on what some perceived to be an insufficient notification process. That issue is being debated in a case currently awaiting decision in the states appeals court after a Berkshire Superior Court judge tossed it in 2020. Meanwhile, if the Board of Health makes good on its threat to send a cease-and-desist letter to Verizon over the tower, the telecom company will not simply roll over. This is a matter of precedent for them as well. Plenty of people across America dislike the idea of cell towers in their backyards, whether for unfounded health worries, aesthetic concerns or other reasons. Verizon will do all it can to quash a potential blueprint for getting towers moved or turned off by complaining to local health boards. In this case, that could certainly include legal action against Pittsfield. That would mean the city pursuing a costly fight over turning the tower off with Verizon while defending itself against the abutters for the process of siting the tower in the first place.

Did the Board of Health even think of the precarious position in which it is placing the entire city? Not seriously enough, it would seem. Its expensive, its gonna take a lot of time, and the outcome may not be good, Board of Health Chair Bobbi Orsi said. But I dont know what else weve got in our tool box.

Doing something just to do something is never the wise move. We urge the Board of Health to consider a course of action that has always been available: Require a more reasonable burden of proof be met before furthering this already troubling precedent. What exactly is the growing body of evidence that contradicts institutions like the National Cancer Institute and the World Health Organization on this issue? Has the bare minimum of statistical work been done to compare the diagnoses of the towers opponents to others residing in a similar radius to the tower and, as a control group, residents outside the relevant radius? Perhaps most importantly, what is the legal and financial risk to the city if this course of action is taken to its logical conclusion? Those questions demand answers before the Board of Health raises the stakes by sending a cease-and-desist letter to Verizon.
Spearfish, SD (57783)

Today

Windy early with showers becoming likely after midnight. Low 41F. SE winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Windy early with showers becoming likely after midnight. Low 41F. SE winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
KOOSKIA - On the morning of Friday, February 18, 2022, Deputies with the Idaho County Sheriffs Office assisted in the service of a search warrant on Dike St in Kooskia.

According to the ICSO, during the incident, 54-year-old Tia A. Trombetta was arrested by Idaho County Sheriffs Office Deputies Graham and Duffy on drug possession charges with intent to sell.

Trombetta was taken into custody for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia.

Bond has not yet been set.
OLYMPIA - Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that his office obtained a preliminary injunction in a case against Illinois-based testing company Center for COVID Control. Under the order, the court blocked the company from providing COVID-19 testing services or collect consumer health information in Washington while the case is litigated.

In addition, as part of the court order, the company agreed to never again operate in Washington. The company shut down its Washington-based testing centers on or about Jan. 13, and has not reopened them since.

The case will now enter the discovery phase, and will continue on the merits of the legal claims, according to Ferguson's office.

Calling this conduct a scam is an understatement, Ferguson said. It was unethical, illegal, and jeopardized the health of thousands of Washingtonians. Our investigation put a stop to Center for COVID Controls Washington operations.

Last month, Ferguson filed a lawsuit in King County Superior Court against Center for COVID Control for providing invalid, false and delayed COVID-19 test results to Washingtonians, or sometimes providing no results at all. The companys unlawful practices included storing tests in garbage bags for over a week rather than properly refrigerating them, and backdating sample collection dates so that stale samples would still be processed.

Fergusons lawsuit asserts the company violated the Consumer Protection Act when it deliberately failed to deliver prompt, valid and accurate results. Moreover, the company also violated the Consumer Protection Act when it made deceptive promises that it could deliver results within 48 hours.

Several Washington patients and former employees submitted complaints to the Attorney Generals Office about Center for COVID Control.

An Illinois-based employee, who was in charge of a data entry team, reports, I had been uneasy for nearly all of my short tenure at [Center for COVID Control], but as trash bags of tests piled up and my team was instructed to lie to patients on a daily basis, I had had enough. I first requested a demotion from my shift lead position, and, shortly after that, I quit.
Bill joined Glenn Beck Friday to scrutinize the weeks biggest stories. Bill began with the medias desperate effort to downplay and denigrate allegations that Hillary Clintons campaign spied on Donald Trump. This is the best example, he declared, of how the media has become incredibly corrupt.

The duo also covered the Canadian truckers and their ongoing war with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Bill questioned why some in the media, especially those who claim to champion the little people, are opposed to this totally legitimate protest. He singled out his pal and longtime colleague Geraldo Rivera, who has been mercilessly attacking the truckers.

Naturally, Bill also took the opportunity to promote the Trump-OReilly History Tour video, which is streaming on BillOReilly.com all this weekend.
Mainly Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province & Ringing Trips to Bahrain
Rodney Powell, a longtime member of Liberty Christian Center International church at Albany Avenue and Vine Street in Hartford estimates repairs to the building's exterior will far exceed a five-year-old estimate of $1.2 million. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

Hartford  When Pastor Corey James took the helm of one of the most historic churches in Hartfords North End, Carnegie Hall was his first thought when he saw the worship space.

It was just so breathtaking, standing in this space, James said, overlooking the sanctuary from a balcony opposite a soaring, nearly floor-to-ceiling pipe organ.

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But to the many whove only seen the former Horace Bushnell Congregational Church from Albany Avenue, the overriding impression is decay that is only getting worse.

The architectural details on the steeple of the former Horace Bushnell Congregational Church in Hartford have significantly deteriorated in the past three years or so, church officials said. The location of a missing column  blown off in a wind storm  is clearly visible alongside other decay. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

The Hartford Preservation Alliances worries about the fate of the landmark 108-year-old church  its soaring yet battered steeple and its elegant but now rotting pediment  has landed the building on the alliances top 10 list for 2022 of most endangered properties in the city.

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The church, arguably quintessential New England town green, is joined by a deteriorating, vacant school in Barry Square, a rundown house in Parkville, and brownstones on the campus of Hartford Hospital.

A merged panoramic photograph shows a ceiling-to-floor view of Liberty Christian Center International in Hartford, providing a stark contrast to the building's exterior decay. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

1. Liberty Christian Center International

The church  renamed Liberty Christian Center International in 1998, reflecting a shift to an interdenominational faith community  is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While a designation of honor, it places restrictions on how the church can make repairs and ultimately adds to the costs.

Its a little more intricate than just going up there and throwing some paint on it and fixing it, Rodney Powell, a longtime church member, said.

Five years ago, repairs were estimated to cost $1.2 million, but the costs will likely be far higher now, Powell said.

Work on the steeple and portico had to be pushed back to first repair the buildings roof, itself a $30,000 job, Powell said.

Rodney Powell of Liberty Christian Center International in Hartford points to a missing decorative column on the structure's steeple. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

Powell said the structure is still sound and safe, but deterioration of the decorative architectural elements that distinguish the church has accelerated in the past three or so years.

In that time, a column adorning the base of the steeple blew off in a wind storm; rot has intensified along the facades pediment and cornice; and netting once intended to keep away pigeons is now catching bits and pieces of the portico ceiling that have fallen away.

James, who became pastor in August, has a big job ahead raising the funds for a restoration.

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James leads a relatively modest community of 150 families, about a third of which are active in their attendance at services. The pandemic, he said, has seen online views soar, but that does not necessarily translate to more money in the collection basket, James said.

Corey James, at left, pastor of Liberty Christian Center International and longtime member Rodney Powell say there are big challenges to raising funds for a restoration. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

The church, affiliated with the United Church of Christ, is reaching out to historic preservation agencies for grants, but in many cases the grants must be matched.

Its like you need the help, but you need money for the help, James said.

Powell said a capital campaign among members is possible, but a half a million dollars  thats not a small amount.

The construction of the Georgian Revival-style church, completed in 1914, is itself an early example of historic preservation. The steeple and portico were taken from an earlier church on Main Street, making the now threatened architectural elements more than 170 years old.

Throughout its history, the church has focused on community outreach and development, ranging from its food pantry  one of the oldest in the city  to recent coronavirus vaccination clinics.

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In 1986, the late South African Anglican bishop and theologian Desmond Tutu kicked off a U.S. tour at the church preaching against apartheid. In 2020, the church was a prominent backdrop for Black Lives Matter marches.

Somebody might say, Why dont you just take it down? James said. But to take it down is to lose so much history that comes along with this building and the other building that was on Main Street. I just want to make sure the community is aware that we are doing everything we can to restore it to its original glory.

In addition to the church, here is the alliances list of most endangered properties in Hartford:

A recent fire destroyed part of a block of historic buildings on Albany Avenue, but did not damage the former brewery and tavern at 270 Albany Ave. The owner, the city of Hartford, is seeking redevelopment proposals. (Kenneth R. Gosselin / Hartford Courant)

2. 270-294 Albany Ave.

Neighborhood: Clay Arsenal

Historic District: Clay Arsenal National Historic District

Built: circa 1870

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Style: Second Empire

Owner: City of Hartford

Architect: Unknown

What the alliance said: The former brewery and tavern at 270 Albany Avenue was listed on our first endangered buildings list in 2015. The city of Hartford has issued a request for proposals for rehabbing this and adjacent buildings to the west, but a recent fire in one of these vacant buildings will mean the loss of space that could have housed four small businesses. 

The former St. Augustine's School in Hartford's Barry Square neighborhood has languished under the ownership of two developers after it was sold by the Archdiocese of Hartford in 2018. (Mark Mirko/Mark Mirko)

3. St. Augustines School

Neighborhood: Barry Square

Address: 20 Clifford St.

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Built: 1927

Style: Classic Revival

Owner: Clifford Hartford LLC/Ocean Management

Architect: Whiton & McMahon

What the alliance said: The alliance and the Maple Avenue Revitalization Group had high hopes when the St. Augustine School building was sold to another developer after it appeared on our 2021 Endangered Buildings List.

The 135-year-old Deborah Chapel at Beth Israel Cemetery in Hartford's Frog Hollow neighborhood remains under threat of demolition. (Mark Mirko)

4. The Deborah Chapel

Neighborhood: Frog Hollow

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Address: 151 Ward St.

Historic District: Frog Hollow

Built: 1886

Style: Romanesque Revival

Owner: Congregation Beth Israel

Architect: Unknown

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What the alliance said: The loss of the chapel will not only be the loss of an important neighborhood asset but will sever a connection between past, present and future generations.

This former woodworking shop was built in the early 20th century when it was part of a thriving manufacturing district dominated by the Royal Typewriter factory complex in Hartford's Parkville neighborhood. (The Hartford Preservation Alliance)

5. Belanger Woodworking Co.

Neighborhood: Parkville

Address: 152 Francis Ave.

Historic District: Parkville National Historic District

Built: 1913-1916

Style: Vernacular

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Owner: Inspired Girls Club Inc.

Architect: Unknown

What the alliance said: When French-Canadian immigrant Theophile Belanger and his business partners established their company at 152 Francis Ave. in the early 20th century, they were situated in the midst of a thriving manufacturing district and in the shadow of the Royal Typewriter manufacturing complex on New Park Avenue. After being briefly used as the Heritage Hall banquet facility, the site was the home of a Peruvian social club from 1967 until the early 21st century.

This house in Hartford's Parkville neighborhood from the late 19th century is typical of the residences built for the era's working class. This house and the former woodworking shop next door should be rehabilitated, the Hartford Preservation Alliance says, because of their nearness to the CTfastrak station and would again contribute to a historic neighborhood. (The Hartford Preservation Alliance)

6. 154 Francis Ave.

Neighborhood: Parkville

Historic District: Parkville National Historic District

Built: circa 1886

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Style: Vernacular residence

Owner: Mirtha L. Castaneda Diaz

Architect: Unknown

What the alliance said: 154 Francis Ave. is typical of the buildings that were constructed in the late 19th century to house the working class. This houses original owner, Thomas Coyne, worked for the New York Railroad and his descendants occupied the house until the early 1970s. Saving 152 & 154 Francis is important because of their proximity to the CTfastrak line and soon to be constructed senior housing at the corner of Francis Court and New Park Avenue. Homes like 154 Francis are also important to maintaining and creating owner-occupied properties that are the backbone of thriving historic neighborhoods.

The former St. Michael's Rectory on Clark Street in Hartford became the Amistad House in 1972, the first infant day care center in the city and a group home for high school age girls. (The Hartford Preservation Alliance)

7. St. Michaels Church rectory

Neighborhood: Northeast

Address: 5 Clark St.

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Historic District: Capen-Clark National Historic District

Built: 1927-1928

Style: Gothic Revival

Owner: Haljojo Contractors LLC

Architect: William Schmidt

What the alliance said: Built as the rectory for St. Michaels Roman Catholic Church, the building became the Amistad House in 1972, the first infant day care center in Hartford as well as a group home for high school-age girls. After closing in 1983, the House of Bread operated a shelter for [men experiencing homelessness.]

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The Hartford Preservation Alliance is urging that any plans to redevelop Main Street carefully consider South Green/Barnard Park's place in Hartford's history. The park is where the city proper ended in the early 1800s. (Kenneth R. Gosselin / Hartford Courant)

8. South Green/Barnard Park

Neighborhood: South Green

Address: 95 Main St.

Historic District: South Green National Historic District

Owner: City of Hartford

What the alliance said: Barnard Park, also known as South Green, is one of the last recognizable sites in Hartford from the 17th century. As part of the Hartford park system, it, like many of our parks and cemeteries, has suffered from inadequate maintenance and upkeep. Any plans at redeveloping Main Street should include an in-depth study of the historical development and uses of the green and the park.

The century-old Hall-Wilson Laboratory on the campus of Hartford Hospital was set for demolition last year to allow the hospital to expand its power plan. A public outcry, particularly from preservationists, now has the hospital considering how it might save the brownstone structure. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

9. Hartford Hospitals Memorial Buildings

Buildings: Hall-Wilson Laboratory, Maternity Pavilion/Womens Building, Mary A. Cheney Memorial Library and Florence Crane Building

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Addresses: Retreat Avenue and Jefferson Street

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Built: 1922-1930

Owner: Hartford Healthcare

Architects: Carl Malmfeldt, Kendall, Taylor & Co.

What the alliance said: Since its inception in 1854, the generosity of Hartfords citizens, including its most industrious and prosperous, have contributed to Hartford Hospitals growth and its standing as a nationally-recognized medical facility. Many of these gifts, from the turn of the 20th century until the onset of the Great Depression, were not only dedicated wards and departments but actual buildings.

As the needs and technology of patient care evolve, these relics of an earlier time may be sacrificed for new construction, as has already been seen with the demolition of the Childrens Ward and the Barney Building.

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Sources: Hartford Preservation Alliance, city of Hartford assessor.
Protesters in Minneapolis on Friday called for harsher punishment for former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter, who was sentenced to two years behind bars in the shooting death of Duante Wright, and while the demonstrations were peaceful, police confirmed several looting incidents later in the day and looters in the area.

In this screen grab from video, former Brooklyn Center Police Officer Kim Potter speaks during a sentencing hearing at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn., on Feb. 18, 2022. (Court TV via AP, Pool)

Potter was convicted of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 2021 killing of Wright, and on Friday was sentenced by Judge Regina Chu to two years in prison.

While the state recommended Potter receive a seven-year sentence, Chu argued that this was a case of a cop who made a tragic mistake in drawing her firearm instead of a Taser during a chaotic traffic stop and that Potter had expressed remorse.

Members of the New Black Panthers stand with signs calling for a maximum sentence for former Brooklyn Center Police Officer Kim Potter, in Minneapolis, Minn., on Feb. 18, 2022. (Nicole Neri/AP Photo)

Wrights family called Chus decision to issue a two-year sentence a slap in the face, according to WCCO-TV of Minneapolis.

Potter apologized to Wrights family, then spoke directly to his mother, saying, Katie, I understand a mothers love. Im sorry I broke your heart.  my heart is broken and devastated for all of you.

Wrights mother said after the sentencing that Potter murdered my son, adding, today the justice system murdered him all over again. according to The Associated Press.

Daunte Wrights mother Katie joining the group now and is embraced by a number of people. #wcco @WCCO pic.twitter.com/Cevsgz8dcL  Adam Duxter (@AdamDuxter) February 18, 2022

She later joined a group of around 100 protesters chanting and shouting outside a condominium complex in downtown Minneapolis, where they believed the judge lived.

Katie Bryant, Daunte Wrights mother, is surrounded by community members and activists in Minneapolis, Minn., on Feb. 18, 2022. (Nicole Neri/AP Photo)

Video from the scene shared by Adam Duxter, a reporter for WCCO-TV, showed people chanting, no good judge in a racist system!

No good judge in a racist system



Crowd now chanting F Kim Potter @WCCO pic.twitter.com/xttFqLx6fY  Adam Duxter (@AdamDuxter) February 18, 2022

While the protests were peaceful, police confirmed that, at around 8:30 p.m. later that day, looters had targeted a beauty supply store, according to WCCO-TV.

Looting in Brooklyn Center: Were told people looted Icon Beauty Supply around 8:30 tonight. Law enforcement on scene says this is the only place hit in the city so far, but add there have been reports of looters in the area. #WCCO @WCCO pic.twitter.com/HFE2MNRsXJ  Adam Duxter (@AdamDuxter) February 19, 2022

This Icon Beauty Supply store was partially looted within the last hour here in Brooklyn Center. Owners called for help and it is now being boarded up, said independent reporter Rebecca Brannon in a post on Twitter, in which she shared a video showing the aftermath of the incident, with signs of forced entry and broken glass littering the ground outside, and items strewn on the floor inside the damaged business.

This Icon Beauty Supply store was partially looted within the last hour here in Brooklyn Center. Owners called for help and it is now being boarded up. #DaunteWright #Minnesota pic.twitter.com/2cyCUzl4TH  Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) February 19, 2022

Police told WCCO-TV that there were also reports of looters in the area.

The CrimeWatchMpls account said on Twitter: Report of multiple people breaking into Burlington Coat Factory 21xx E Lake St. Police arriving, saying a bunch of people are taking off, with the message bearing a 10:16 p.m. timestamp.

In a separate post, CrimeWatchMpls cited police as saying that security personnel at an East Lake St. business said looters were shooting into the air, with the account adding it had received information from security at another business on East Lake St. who had to draw their guns on a group of looters.

The CrimeWatchMpls account later cited Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher saying that a Boost Mobile store had been burglarized and that there were people out scouting the area for looting opportunities, checking for police, and notifying people on a number of live feeds that there was no law enforcement around.

Minneapolis: A store specializing in hair weaves and black beauty projects was looted. People on social media had earlier called for looting and rioting as revenge for Kim Potters two-year sentence. #DaunteWright #BLM. Video by @RebsBrannon: pic.twitter.com/TaLZfeh79Y  Andy Ngo  (@MrAndyNgo) February 19, 2022

Independent reporter Andy Ngo shared Brannons video in a Twitter post, adding the comment: People on social media had earlier called for looting and rioting as revenge for Kim Potters two-year sentence.
Being a kid in the 90s, I was too young to fully understand who the Unabomber was, what he wanted, or why he sent bombs to people in the mail. I asked my NPC family members but never really got an introduction.

I never got a satisfactory answer because society never looked itself in the mirror to figure out how it could have produced such a figure  which would have required asking hard questions.

In upcoming articles, well dive into exactly what the Unabomber got right  given his literal genius (an IQ in the 160s according to most estimates), experiences in the elite strata of academia, and prescient foresight  in his diagnosis of a sick techno-society via his manifesto.

To kick the series off, though, were going to dive into the why  to uncover the motivations that would drive an otherwise promising candidate for an American success story (in the conventional sense of the word) into a life of isolation, malevolence, and violence.



The Psychological Burden of Oversocialization and Inferiority Complexes

The Widow Douglas she took me for her son, and allowed she would sivilize me; but it was rough living in the house all the time, considering how dismal regular and decent the widow was in all her ways; and so when I couldnt stand it no longer I lit out . -The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Kaczynski devoted a substantial portion of his manifesto, penned alone in a remote Montana cabin, to the concepts of oversocialization and feelings of inferiority  ones which he overtly rejected and identified as a major ill of society.

Its important to note that Kaczynski ascribes these characteristics to modern leftism. He provides significant and convincing justification for doing so (as these are, in fact, truly the dominant psychological traits of what might be called neoliberals). But, as Kaczynski ran in these circles before going underground (including a stint at Harvard University), we can infer that he saw these traits of the impersonal, abstract left in himself  at least to some extent.

Being social creatures, after all, each of us is to one degree or another, the byproducts of the cultural stew we come from.

Psychological projection: the process of displacing ones feelings onto a different person, animal, or object.

Kaczynski explicitly notes that his diagnosis of modern society is not limited to the left  just that they are strongest in those who identify with leftist ideology:

The problems of the leftist are indicative of the problems of our society as a whole. Low self-esteem, depressive tendencies and defeatism are not restricted to the left. Though they are especially noticeable in the left, they are widespread in our society .

The reason that the leap can be made from the confines of the left to society as a whole is that, for numerous reasons we have explored elsewhere, leftist culture is the mainstream culture of the corporate state in the modern era.

Above: The BLM and LGBTQ banners fly at the US Embassy in Seoul, South Korea in 2020

Briefly, a handful of the reasons for the establishments adoption of leftism (among many) are:

the ease of domesticating this segment of the population due to its tendencies to oversocialization and self-defeatism

its opposition to the Second Amendment which threatens the viability of the state

its preference for collectivism vs. individualism

its preference for internationalism vs. nationalism

What Does Oversocialization Mean?

Let me tell yall what its like,

Being male, middle-class and white

I got shit running thought my brain,

Its so intense that I cant explain

Im pissed off, but Im too polite,

When people break in the McDonalds line.

Mom and Dad you made me so uptight,

Im gonna cuss on the mic tonight.

-Rockin the Suburbs, Ben Folds Five

In the case of oversocialization, what Kaczynski meant was that the confines of acceptable moral behavior (beginning in early childhood) are squeezed tighter and tighter across time through a variety of means, but most effectively through shame:

One of the most important means by which our society socializes children is by making them feel ashamed of behavior or speech that is contrary to societys expectations. If this is overdone, or if a particular child is especially susceptible to such feelings, he ends by feeling ashamed of HIMSELF.

The psychological toll that oversocialization takes on the individual is that the moral code of our society is so demanding that no one can think, feel and act in a completely moral way:

Thus the oversocialized person is kept on a psychological leash and spends his life running on rails that society has laid down for him . In many oversocialized people this results in a sense of constraint and powerlessness that can be a severe hardship among the more serious cruelties that human beings inflict on one another.

In the face of an industrialized, automated society that Kaczynski believed (for good reason) was headed towards calamity, he himself likely deeply felt the sense of powerlessness and hopelessness that he wrote about in the third person in his manifesto.



Alienation produces powerful social phenomena, and never for the better  as we have previously explored in What Nietzsche Really Meant by God Is Dead.

Who wouldnt feel like an outsider in the context of modernity? Granted, not everyone remedies the situation with mail bombs, nor do they have the same capacity to articulate exactly what is rotten in the culture in the same way as Kaczynski did in his manifesto.

Nonetheless, the downstream pathologies manifest in myriad other ways:

the incel subculture

mass school shootings (not coincidentally almost exclusively committed by alienated young white males)

record-breaking teenage and young adult suicide rates

Even if we lack the insight to necessarily cognitively explain Western societys ill (all the more extreme in the post-COVID world), we can feel the same pressures that Kaczynski did  only magnified in intensity over time.

Well detail coming up what Kaczynski got right about the state of the world and the eternal march of technological progress away from the natural state of man.

Ben Bartee is a Bangkok-based American journalist with opposable thumbs. Follow his stuff via his blog, Armageddon Prose, Substack, Patreon, Gab, and Twitter.
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The US is Facilitating a Genocide of MOSTLY CHILDREN in Yemen and MSM is Focused on Trucker Donations

In 2018, in an insidiously dark move, Congress violated the Constitution and the War Powers Act by voting to block and further moves by Congress, to withdraw U.S. forces from the wholesale slaughter and genocide currently taking place in Yemen. This move was done using the Farm Bill.

Yemen has been devastated by more than 6 years of civil war, fostered by the Saudi Arabian government and supported militarily by the United States. President Abd-Rabu Mansour Hadis government is backed by the Saudi-led coalition and is fighting to drive the Houthis out of cities they seized in 2014 and 2015

Since the beginning of the US support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen, started by Obama to placate the Saudis, and continued by both Trump and Biden, thousands of innocent civiliansincluding childrenhave been slaughtered in the war. In spite of the fact that the Saudis have been caught dropping US bombs on schools, hospitals, and marketplaces, directly targeting civilians, the US continues their support.

Biden pledged during his campaign that he was going to bring an end to this never-ending carnage.

Since March 2015, over 23,000 airstrikes have been launched by the coalition in Yemen, killing or injuring over 18,000 civilians. Living in a country subjected to an average of 10 airstrikes per day has left millions feeling far from safe, the UN Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts on Yemen stated in its report.

While there have been thousands slaughtered with US-backed airstrikes, the blockades imposed by the US and its allied states are wreaking far more havoc. As Antiwar.com reports, humanitarian groups agreed that the air war conducted by the KSA and UAE caused the most civilian damage and casualties. Along with the de facto blockade imposed by the royal states and their hireling coalition partners, the result has been horrific. Nearly 400,000 civilians, an astonishing 70 percent of them children, have died, most from disease or malnutrition. Millions have been displaced.

Were also stepping up our diplomacy to end the war in Yemen  a war which has created humanitarian and strategic catastrophe.  This war has to end. And to underscore our commitment, we are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales, Biden said a year ago.

But, like all politicians do, he lied; and last week, just like Obama and Trump before him, Biden swore his allegiance to the terrorist Saudi regime, noting, The President underscored the U.S. commitment to support Saudi Arabia in the defense of its people and territory from these attacks and full support for UN-led efforts to end the war in Yemen.

The war in Yemen could be over tomorrow if we just stopped supporting Saudi Arabia. But as we are entangled in a web of oil and death with the Saudi King, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, that likely wont happen without mass protests in the United States. Sadly, that is just as unlikely as the US withdrawing support for Saudi Arabia.

Hundreds of thousands of children are dying in a state-sponsored genocide, being supported by your tax dollars, to placate the most evil nation on the planet and the Washington Post is more concerned about doxing folks who donated to truckers.

As TFTP reported this week, over the weekend, a list of over 90,000 donors was hacked and the mainstream media in both Canada and the United States began going after people whose names are on that list.

The Washington Post is contacting people whose donation info was leaked and who gave as little as 40 dollars to the truckers to ask them why they did so Email provided to me by a source pic.twitter.com/qbzebYyHiP  Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) February 16, 2022

So, Heres The GiveSendGo Donor List. Canadian radio personality Dean Bundell tweeted with an article that includes a Google spreadsheet of all the names and email addresses swept up in the hack. CBC and Ottawa Citizen also both shared articles including information that stemmed from the breach.

The WaPo also took to doxing the donors as reporter Aaron Davis tweeted a lengthy thread in which he singled out the biggest donors and the locations from which they came.

Check out the map and read our full analysis of the leaked data here. Reporting by me, @abtran & @DDaltonBennett : https://t.co/OvZFGcT6jm  Aaron C. Davis (@byaaroncdavis) February 16, 2022

Multiple other mainstream outlets in the US also joined in on it.

It took Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. to call out the ominous implications of such a practice by corporate media.

I fail to see why any journalist felt the need to report on a shop owner making such a[n] insignificant donation rather than to get them harassed, Omar wrote. Its unconscionable and journalists need to do better.

Indeed. They need to do better. When the corporate press is more concerned about who donated money to people standing against forced medication than they are about the wholesale slaughter of children, its time to ignore them.

Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.
Connecticut is launching a job-training program to connect 8,000 prospective employees to jobs in health care and information technology. Pictured here, Griffin Hospital nurse Carrie Cotto administers a COVID-19 vaccine last April. (Dave Zajac /Record-Journal via AP) (DAVE ZAJAC/AP)

Connecticut is launching a job-training program to connect 8,000 prospective employees to jobs in health care and information technology.

Supported by a grant from Bank of America, the state Office of Workforce Strategy and Social Venture Partners Connecticut, a management consulting firm, are hiring two workforce strategy directors to help roll out the job training program, CareerConneCT.

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[ Gov. Lamont establishes state office aimed at developing Connecticuts workforce ]

Gov. Ned Lamonts office and the Office of Workforce Strategy did not immediately respond to an email Friday asking how much Bank of America is spending on the initiative.

CareerConneCT is working with other programs to help increase Connecticuts health care and IT workforce by more than 2,500 employees each over the next three years.

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Especially given the pandemic, Connecticut needs to make sure that our health care and IT workforces are fully operational and meeting the growing needs of our local economy, Lamont said.

The governor announced last month the state will receive more than $60 million in federal pandemic relief. As many as 8,000 workers will be trained, with the state spending $14 million each to manufacturing, health care and information technology; $10 million to infrastructure and green jobs; and about $9 million to other industries.

The two workforce strategy directors will help coordinate workforce development initiatives such as more flexible job training programs tied to industry requirements, designing career pathway programs for high school students, expanding recruitment of marginalized populations for job opportunities, and increasing business engagement in regional partnerships.

Lamont in 2019 established an advisory group that submitted a report the following year recommending strategies to match skilled workers with jobs in manufacturing, health care and information technology. The group also turned its attention to social problems that trap low-wage workers.

The governor said last month his workforce development plans were hit by immediate short-term COVID-related interruptions.

Stephen Singer can be reached at ssinger@courant.com.
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Anti-mask and anti-vaccine protestors gather outside the State Capitol on the first day of the 2022 legislative session. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

Even though Connecticuts biggest school systems  Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Waterbury and Stamford  will still require face masks after Feb. 28, dozens of other school districts will let them become optional.

While a handful including Bloomfield and Norwich wont decide until next week, there was a vast wave of communities this week agreeing to abandon the mandate. Glastonbury, West Hartford, Newington, Southington, Vernon, Enfield, Farmington, Manchester, Canton and Suffield were among them.

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Theyve declared students and staff may decide individually whether to wear masks starting March 1.

There has been mild pushback from mask advocates in a few towns, but nothing remotely like the organized, high-volume protests by anti-mandate parents and politicians over the past year.

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With the statewide mandate expiring Feb. 28, each of the states nearly 170 municipal and regional school systems is deciding individually what to do after that.

The answer so far appears to be that mandatory masks in schools soon will be a thing of the past.

The reality now is that the Department of Public Health has stated that in many places in Connecticut, it is the right time, and safe, to move away from mandatory masking, West Hartford Superintendent Thomas Moore said in a statement to parents.

With high vaccination numbers, and with cases plummeting in our schools ... as well as the immunity gained by so many having been exposed to omicron, March should be a time when West Hartford public schools can move to optional mask wearing, he wrote.

Darien, Ridgefield, Greenwich and others this week cited similar reasons for reaching the same conclusion.

Some towns will wait until next week to decide, partly in order to weigh guidance issued late Friday by the state public health department. The guidance consists of two documents: a list of considerations for districts in deciding whether to keep masks and other COVID safety protocol and guidance to assist with transitioning to a model for COVID-19 management that aligns with our states general public health approach to the routine management of respiratory viral diseases.

Schools boards in Bloomfield and Norwich will decide the issue at meetings Feb. 24, and Norwalk  the sixth-biggest district in Connecticut  this week began surveying parents and staff to find out their preferences before it decides. East Windsor is also surveying parents.

Most districts, however, didnt seek out public comment, and instead simply let their superintendents issue written announcements. Newington, Canton, Manchester and Farmington were among the ones that took that this approach this week.

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Educators generally cited the states plunging COVID-19 infection rate and relatively high immunization rate along with a steep decrease in the number of cases in their own schools.

Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. >

While they dont publicly speak of it, education officials across the state have also been under relentless  occasionally vitriolic  pressure from parents groups demanding an end to what they portray as an infringement on rights as well as an actual harm to children.

Words like tyranny and child abuse are common at Unmask Our Kids CT rallies, and Gov. Ned Lamont is frequently portrayed as a monarch or dictator. Throughout the school year, that campaign has been increasingly directed at local school boards, occasionally forcing meetings to be abruptly ended.

Its not just the mask issue, but its one of them that seem to have created a level of incivility in public discourse where board members are feeling literally threatened, said Patrice McCarthy, deputy director of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education.

CABE is co-sponsoring a training workshop this year on How to lead a public meeting during contentious times, something McCarthy said it has never needed to do before.

Some board members are getting threats through social media, she said. Social media can exacerbate the lack of civil discourse.

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On a Facebook page for Farmington mothers, several posters became upset late this week after hearing that a choral instructor had announced that chorus activities would still require face masks. But by Friday, the controversy appeared to be groundless: The school administration said masks would be optional for all school activities.

Only in the largest urban districts will masks still be required, and several of them plan to phase out the mandate later in March or April. All school districts have emphasized that they must adhere to federal regulations that still require masks for school buses and Head Start programs.
A Chinese Navy vessel aimed a military-grade laser at an RAAF P8 Poseidon aircraft while sailing through Australias Exclusive Economic Zone, potentially risking the lives of up to 10 defence force members, according to the Defence Department.

The extraordinary action was taken by a Luyang-class guided missile destroyer at 12.35am last Thursday as it sailed through the Arafura Sea, which is between the Northern Territory and Papua.

A PLA-N Yuzhao-class amphibious transport dock vessel transits the Torres Strait on February 18, 2022. Credit:Defence Department

The guided missile destroyer, which is armed with surface-to-air missiles, guns and anti-submarine torpedoes, was accompanied by a Yuzhao-class amphibious transport dock. Both are believed to contain extensive surveillance capabilities. A military-grade laser can be used to blind a pilot as well as disrupt or damage equipment and instruments on board an aircraft.

An image of the moment the laser was aimed at the airplane was captured by HMAS Arunta, a long-range Anzac Class frigate, which can conduct air defence, surface and undersea warfare and surveillance.
Hong Kong: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says it will take up to three months to stabilise a worsening COVID-19 pandemic that has overwhelmed health facilities and forced the postponement of the upcoming election for her post.

Our government needs to focus on the epidemic, Lam said at a news conference after a week that saw daily infections jump by 60 per cent so far this month. It cannot be diverted... we cannot afford to lose, she said.

Quarantine facilities in Hong Kong have reached capacity and hospital beds are more than 95 per cent full as cases spiral, with some patients, including elderly, left on beds outside in chilly, sometimes rainy weather.

Patients wait at a temporary holding area outside Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong. Credit:AP

The former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997 and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who backs a dynamic zero-COVID strategy, has said controlling the spread is Hong Kongs over-riding mission.
London: At about the same time Englands ancestors were transporting sarsen stones from west Wales to Salisbury, around 300 kilometres east another circle was being built in a salt marsh near what is modern-day Norfolk.

But that circle was different. It was created out of timber for a start, and the huge 55 oak posts circled an upturned tree stump - its roots and branches reaching for the heavens.

When it was uncovered just before the turn of the last Millenium, due only to shifting sand, it was instantly dubbed Seahenge, because of its resemblance to the stone circle that is one of Englands most recognisable symbols, on the Salisbury plain in Wiltshire.

Wendy Georges photo of Seahenge which was discovered on Holme Beach, Nofolk, England in 1998.

Seahenge, or as it is also sometimes called, Stonehenge-on-the-Sea was excavated and installed in a local museum. Its precise use remains a mystery but its construction was as careful as it was purposeful as it aligned with the rising midsummer sun.
Bryan, OH (43506)

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 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

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 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
State Rep. Michael DiMassa leaves the United States Courthouse after he was arrested in October by the FBI in a probe of misuse of COVID relief funds. DiMassa is accused of stealing more than $1 million in federal COVID relief and other grant money. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

Federal prosecutors on Friday unsealed a new indictment against former state Rep. Michael DiMassa that raises the total amount of federal grant money he is accused of stealing to more than $1 million and brings new theft and conspiracy charges against his wife and two associates.

DiMassa, who also held a variety of positions in the West Haven city government, and his business associate associate John Bernardo had been charged previously with stealing more than $600,000 in federal COVID relief money distributed to West Haven, but are both named in the new indictment.

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Also charged in the indictment were DiMassas wife, Lauren Knox, and John Trasacco, another business associate.

Trasacco is accused of creating two dummy corporations, L&H company and JIL Sanitation Services, that he and DiMassa allegedly used to bill West Haven for non-existent COVID-related supplies and services. Among other things, federal prosecutors said the two billed the city for cleaning a school building that the indictment said had been vacant and abandoned for years.

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The indictment accuses Knox of conspiring with DiMassa to steal about $148,000 for their own use from money set aside by West Haven for a youth violence prevention program. They are accused of creating phony invoices for in-home counseling, cleaning supplies, special needs hourly services, wi-fi assistance for low and moderate income families, counseling services, support group supplies and other services.

Federal prosecutors allege that when Knox submitted the vouchers for payment, she deposited a portion of the money in a personal account. Over the period of the indictment, from July 2020 until or about October 2020, prosecutors said she collected 16 checks while providing no services to West Haven.

The indictment lays out the conspiracy that previously charged against DiMassa and Bernardo, when they were first arrested in October and November. The two are accused of creating another phony business, Compass Investment Group, and using it as a vehicle to steal about $637,000 in federal money allocated to West Haven to defray the costs associated with the corona virus pandemic.

State Rep. Michael DiMassa (left) leaves the United States Courthouse with attorney John R. Gulash in October 2021 after DiMassa was arrested by the FBI in a probe of misuse of COVID relief funds. DiMassa is accused of stealing more than $600,000 in federal COVID relief money. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. >

Federal prosecutors said the two billed the city for a long list of services that included as COVID-19 Legal + Lobbying + Site work for COVID-19 Clinic, Consulting Service-Legislative Review Executive Orders  COVID-19, Consulting Service-Suppo1i Staff Services, Monitors/Security Site (April 2021-May 2021), and Consulting Service Lobbying Service  COVID-19 Federal. In reality, the indictment charges, the two did nothing for he city.

The four are charged, collectively, with conspiracy, fraud and aiding and abetting.

DiMassa and Bernardo pleaded not guilty during a remote teleconference at U.S. District Court in New Haven. Trasacco and Knox were presented in court in New Haven in person and will enter pleas at a later date. All four are free on bail.

Over a dozen years, DiMassa held positions in West Haven City Hall that included administrative assistant to the West Haven City Council, clerk of the West Haven City Council, assistant to the West Haven mayor, and assistant to the West Haven registrar of voters.

In late 2020, West Havens Democratic Mayor Nancy Rossi designated him as one of two city officials empowered to approve spending on COVID-19 issues.

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Prosecutors and FBI agents have said that some of the thefts associated with the Compass investment group appear to correspond with DiMassas purchase of tens of thousands of dollars in gambling chips at the Mohegan Sun casino.

After his arrest, DiMassa was stripped of his legislative committee and leadership assignments and resigned from the General Assembly.
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All waste sites in the country will be converted into green zones in the next two-three years, Prime Minister said while digitally inaugurating Asia's largest Bio-CNG plant in Madhya Pradesh's financial capital Indore, on Saturday.

The Prime Minister asserted that in almost every city in the country, several acres of land is being used for wastes. In the last few years, many sites have been converted into green zones through modern technology and is one of them.

"Under the Clean India Mission part-2, our government decided to remove these waste dumping sites and convert them into a green zone. Centre is providing all help to the states and the municipal corporations," he said.

Congratulating Madhya Pradesh government and the Municipal Corporation for setting up Asia's largest Bio-CNG plant, the Prime Minister said, this development will not only help in removing municipal waste and to convert into energy but it will also improve tourism in the city.

"The site where this Bio-CNG plant has been set up, till a few years back, was a huge garbage mountain, but today that waste dumping site has been converted into a green zone. I congratulate Municipal Corporation and the state government for their relentless efforts in this sector. I believe that municipal corporations of other cities will follow Indore and will make their cities clean and green," Modi said.

He said the municipal waste that has been a bigger problem in the country, so far, especially in the big cities, is now becoming a source of renewable energy. "The technology for converting waste into energy was available in the country, but it did not get appropriate attention. My government has decided to make this dumped waste into a source of energy," PM added.

Touted as the largest such facility in Asia by local civic officials, the plant will produce 18,000 kg of Bio-CNG daily, which will be used to power Indore Municipal Corporation's transport buses. It will also produce a large quantity of compost.

The technology for Indore's Bio-CNG has been imported from Denmark. The preparation of Bio-CNG takes around 20 to 25 days. This biogas contains 55-60 per cent methane. For converting biogas to CNG, 95 per cent methane is required. So, after cleaning and upgrading it gets converted to Bio-CNG. A filling station has also been built where city buses of the municipal corporation can get CNG.

"We are planning to convert all the city buses to CNG; this will also help purify the air quality. With a total capacity of 550 MT, the plant will produce CNG with 96 per cent pure methane gas. The plant has been set up on the waste-to-wealth concept of the Prime Minister wherein biogas will be generated through wet waste," Indore Collector Manish Singh said.

--IANS

pd/sks/skp/

(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 decided to lift the coronavirus-induced night curfew as the state witnesses a sustained decline in COVID-19 cases.

The night curfew hours in the state was between 10.00 pm to 6.00 am, which was relaxed by an hour from February 13.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said the decision to end night curfew was taken following the decline in COVID-19 cases.

(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 local court in Manipur has summoned state President to appear before it on February 24 after the former state unit chief spokesperson filed a case alleging his removal from the post and the party was unconstitutional, a court official said on Friday.

Manipur BJP's chief spokesperson Chongtham Bijoy Singh filed the case against state party chief A. Sarda Devi after he was expelled from the party on February 11.

The notice of the Civil Judge, Imphal West, summoning the President, said: "Take notice that, in default of your appearance on the day (February 24), the suit will be heard and determined in your absence."

Singh was expelled for six years for allegedly violating the party's rules and regulations, after he called ally National People's Party (NPP) a "parasite that had proved a menace" to the ruling coalition in the past five years'.

The NPP, headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, is an ally of the since 2017 but in the Assembly elections on February 28 and March 5 both the parties are contesting against each other.

Singh had also said he would support the Janata Dal-United candidate from Uripok, Kh Suresh, in the elections as he was keen to contest the polls from this seat on a BJP ticket. He claimed that party candidate Raghumani, despite being "a corrupt man", got the BJP ticket for seat on the recommendations of the "influentials".

(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 Saturday said its Covaxin will be evaluated as a COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the US.

In a statement, Ocugen Inc, Bharat Biotech's partner in the US and Canada for Covaxin, noted that the American health regulator -- the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -- has lifted its clinical hold to evaluate the COVID-19 vaccine candidate BBV152, known as Covaxin outside the US.

Covaxin (BBVI52), which has been developed by in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is an investigational vaccine candidate product in the US.

Ocugen Inc is co-developing the Covaxin vaccine candidate for COVID-19 in the US and Canada.

"We are pleased to be able to move our clinical program for Covaxin forward, which we hope will bring us closer to offering an alternative COVID-19 vaccine," Ocugen CEO and co-founder Shankar Musunuri said in a statement.

He further said: We firmly believe that managing this pandemic requires more than one approach to vaccines, so we are heartened to be able to continue developing our vaccine candidate."

With more than 200 million doses having been administered to adults outside the US, Covaxin is currently authorised under emergency use in 20 countries.

Applications for emergency use authorisation are pending in more than 60 other countries.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently added Covaxin to its list of vaccines authorised for emergency use. As many as 110 countries have agreed to mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates with India that includes vaccination using Covaxin.

In a separate statement on Twitter, noted that Covaxin is the only vaccine in India to have published clinical data for children 2-18 years of age, while trashing few media reports which questioned the efficacy of the jab.

These trials were conducted based on regulatory approvals by the CDSCO and DCGI, it said.

The vaccine was evaluated in 175 subjects in the 12-18 years age group, and 350 subjects in children below 12 years of age, it added.

"It was one of the few vaccines to be evaluated in children with published data. Overall, Covaxin has more than 15 publications elucidating all aspects of the safety, immunogenicity, efficacy and effectiveness, in adults and children. This level of data transparency demonstrates a high degree of confidence in the product," the company stated.

Every batch of Covaxin requires more than 250 quality control tests before it can be released for supplies, it added. The vaccine has been administered in more than 300 million subjects globally, Bharat Biotech stated.

"Since the start of the children's vaccination program on January 3, 2022, 70 per cent of the children in the 15-18 years age group have received the first dose, and more than 25 per cent of the children in the 15-18 years age group have also received their second doses," it said.

Over 7 crore doses have been administered to children since January 2022, 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 Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has approved proposals worth Rs 235 crore to under the 'Garbage Free Cities' vision, the largest one-time approval of funds for legacy dumpsite remediation, a statement said on Friday.

The Centre's share in these proposals will be Rs 77.66 crore, a ministry official said, adding that rest of the amount will be borne by the state.

The housing and urban affairs (HUA) ministry said legacy dumpsites pose a major threat to the environment and contributes to air pollution and water pollution.

It also said that clearing these mountains of years-old waste is critical to not just transforming the urban landscape of the country, but also addressing the issue of public health and environmental concerns.

Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 1 last year with the vision of creating 'Garbage Free Cities' by 2026.

According to the ministry, one of the major objectives under the Mission is 'Lakshya Zero' dumpsite to remediate 16 crore metric tonnes (MT) of legacy waste dumpsites occupying nearly 15,000 acres of city land.

"The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has approved the proposal worth Rs 77.66 crore submitted by for remediation of over 42 lakh MT of waste in 28 ULBs (urban local bodies)," the statement stated.

Currently, 118 lakh MT of unremediated legacy waste is present across the state, locking up over 463 acres of valuable land, it stated.

The ministry's approval makes this the largest one-time approval of funds for legacy dumpsite remediation to .

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) had also celebrated 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' from January 17-31 on the theme of 'Smart Cities, Smart Urbanisation'.

Prioritising the issue of dumpsite remediation, more than 260 cities across five states and Union territories have submitted their action plan for legacy waste remediation to the ministry, signifying their commitment to the vision of garbage free cities, the statement 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.)
India logged 22,270 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours with a daily positivity rate of 1.80 per cent, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday.

With this, the active cases in the country stand at 2,53,739.

As many as 60,298 patients recovered from the disease during this period taking the total number of recoveries since the onset of the pandemic to 4,20,37,536.

The recovery rate in the country currently stands at 98.21 per cent.

According to the Ministry, 325 patients lost their lives in the last 24 hours taking the death toll to 5,11,230.

A total of 12,35,471 COVID-19 tests were done in the last 24 hours while the country has tested 75,81,27,480 samples so far.

The weekly positivity rate is 2.50 per cent.

As far as the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine is concerned, the country has administered over 175.03 crore (1,75,03,86,834) vaccine doses so far under the nationwide vaccination drive, including 36,28,578 doses in the last 24 hours.

(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.)
Implementation of the comprehensive free trade agreement between India and the UAE would help boost the country's exports and creation of lakhs of jobs, according to exporters.

Welcoming the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) Chairman Narendra Goenka said that it will further strengthen India's dominant position in the UAE.

"With India supplying USD 1,515 million of apparel to the UAE as against its total imports of USD 3,517 million, Indian apparel exports contribute a decent share of 43 per cent. The trade pact would result in a drop of 5 per cent import duty for Indian readymade garments. This will further strengthen the dominant position of Indian apparels in the UAE," Goenka said.

He added that Indian apparel exports to the UAE also cater to the needs of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the UK.

Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President A Sakthivel said that the pact will be beneficial to Indian exports particularly for the labour-intensive sectors like agriculture and processed food including meat and marine products, gems and jewellery, apparel and textiles, leather and footwears.

"Having a large Indian diaspora, the UAE consumes a large quantity of Indian cereals, fruits and vegetables, tea, spices, sugar, etc. Indian companies will gain in services like travel & tourism, transportation, IT and ITES and construction services," he said.

Sharing similar views, Vikramjit Sahney, Chair of India-Arab Council, said that the pact is set to reduce tariffs for 80 per cent of goods and gives zero duty access to 90 per cent of India's exports to UAE.

"Annual bilateral trade should increase from the current level of USD 60 billion to USD 100 billion and would augment Indian exports of gems and jewellery, textiles, leather, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods," Sahney said.

India giving tariff concessions to UAE on gold and UAE eliminating tariffs on Indian jewellery will augment exports. The UAE investment in India will increase manifold especially in health, infrastructure and renewable energy," he added.

Council for Leather Exports Chairman Sanjay Leekha said that the UAE is one of the key markets for the sector and it would also give access to certain EU countries and Africa.

"The pact would help in boosting exports and creating jobs," Leekha said.

Plastics Export Promotion Council of India (PLEXCONCIL) chairman Arvind Goenka said that currently India's annual imports of plastic raw materials are USD 14 billion and imports from the UAE are USD 800 million, so trade for plastics between India and the UAE is poised for a multi-fold growth due to this pact besides creation of about 2 lakh jobs in the sector.

"India's MSME industry will be the main beneficiary. Availability of cheaper raw materials as preferential import duty being offered by India will empower them to compete against cheap imports of finished plastic goods. Preferential access to the UAE market, as lower import duty is being offered for value added plastics and further access to WANA and CIS countries, will increase plastics exports by at least 300 per cent by 2023-24," Goenka said.

Founder chairman of Technocraft Industries India Sharad Kumar Saraf said the agreement has the potential of adding at least USD 2 billion in India's exports.

"It will also strengthen our ties with the UAE . Indian diaspora in the UAE will play a vital role in Indo UAE trade," he added.

FIEO Vice President Khalid Khan too said that the pact will help boost bilateral trade between both the countries.

"It will benefit both goods and services. 90 per cent goods exports will have duty-free access to the UAE which is the biggest trading partner after the US and China and getaway to the Middle East and African countries," Khan said.

Kolkata-based marine exporter Yogesh Gupta said that this is a historic event paving the way for larger economic ties and the trust between India and the UAE. "It will have a long term effect on diplomatic relations as well. A move in the right direction," he said.

India and the UAE on Friday signed the trade pact after concluding negotiations in a short time of 88 days. The pact aims to take the two-way commerce to the USD 100 billion mark in over five years and create about 10 lakh jobs in sectors such as apparel, plastic, leather and pharma.

(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.)
Kerala has set a target of having over 15,000 and 2,00,000 in emerging technologies in five years, Chief Minister said on Saturday.

He was inaugurating the third edition of the 'Huddle Global 2022' organised by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM).

Also, the Chief Minister opened the first Fintech Accelerator and Finishing School in the State on the sidelines of the two-day big-ticket conclave that brings together global leaders from the startup eco system to strengthen networking and forging partnerships.

Vijayan said the State government has plans to set up an emerging technology startup hub in the State capital on the lines of the facility in Kochi. being the future of the country, Kerala is committed to providing the right eco system. Our have raised Rs 3,200 crore as equity investments since 2015," he said.

Along with startup infrastructure in the Technology Innovation Zone, Kochi, the government is considering a similar campus in Thiruvananthapuram to focus on emerging technologies, he said.

Huddle Global 2022' offers startups a platform to showcase products and interact with technology/industry leaders besides providing them the scope to explore ways on moving ahead in the world emerging from Covid-19.

Given that India is one of the world's largest startup eco system with more than 55,000 startups, the government is aware of the significance of each State's contribution to the overall development of this national startup eco system. Startup India ranking places Kerala as one of the top Indian States for startup environment, Vijayan said.

Stating that the approach adopted from schools, colleges and to the professional eco system has created innovative startups, he said various government initiatives such as IEDC (Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centres for colleges), YIP (Young Innovators Programme), programmes for incubation and acceleration, corporate innovation and so on have made Kerala the best place to start and grow enterprises.

Minister for Industries, Law and Coir P Rajeev, in his presidential address at the meet, said Kerala has built a unique model to nurture startups from ideation to the scale-up stage.

KSUM is dedicated to fostering global entrepreneurship to strengthen the startup community in the State as well as across the nation. The goal of Huddle Global is to create an environment where the passion meets the purpose to learn, network, bridge the gap between business, expose potential and see actual result, he added.

In his video message, Alderman Vincent Keaveny, Mayor of the city of London, and partner in business law firm DLA Piper, said India is on the way to becoming Asia's top fintech hub just as the UK is Europe's top fintech hub.

Keaveny added that Kerala is scaling new heights in technology by becoming a stable model eco system for startups.

The Fintech Accelerator and Finishing School is an initiative of Kochi-based Open Financial Technologies in collaboration with KSUM to support startups coming up with fintech solutions.

Open Financial would be investing Rs 200 crore for the next five years as part of the centre of excellence (CoE) and Fintech Accelerator.

Open Fintech Accelerator would launch its first cohort from March 1.

On the first day of the event, KSUM has signed MoUs with Google for Startups, Habitat, Jetro, Global Accelerator Network, I Hub Gujarat, NASSCOM and CSL, among others.

One of Asia's largest startup eco system congregations and India's biggest networking platform for entrepreneurs, the event focuses on business, investment and partnership opportunities for startups amid sustained fight against the pandemic-induced stalemate.

The event, featuring keynote sessions, leadership talks, tech talks, startup demo and other business-oriented activities, has a startup expo of both global and Kerala-based startups. Also, there are pitch sessions and dedicated mentoring sessions.

The event is being held on a platform created by KSUM to accommodate more than 2,000 people. Kerala IT Parks are also joining hands with KSUM in the conference.

(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 117 Assembly seats in Punjab and 59 in Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls on Sunday, with the two states witnessing multi-cornered contests.

Punjab is currently ruled by the Congress and the is in power in Uttar Pradesh.

In Uttar Pradesh, elections are being held in seven phases, the third of which will be held on Sunday.

Polling in Punjab will be held from 8 am to 6 pm. In Uttar Pradesh, the polling will take place between 7 am and 6 pm, according to the election authorities. The counting will take place on March 10.

Campaigning for the Sunday polls had ended on Friday, with senior leaders of the parties making a final effort to woo voters.

In Punjab, over 2.14 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women.

Punjab is witnessing a multi-cornered contest among the Congress, AAP, SAD-BSP, BJP-PLC-SAD (Sanyukt) and the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, a political front of various farmer bodies.

The ruling Congress has come under severe attack from its political opponents over various issues, including the drug menace and corruption.

The Congress is banking on decisions like reduction in electricity tariff and fuel prices. The decisions were taken during current CM Charanjit Singh Channi's 111-day tenure.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has emerged as a major contender, is eyeing to wrest power while projecting the Delhi model of governance.

The stakes are also high for the Shiromani Akali Dal, which is contesting the polls in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) after breaking ties with the in 2020 over the farm laws issue.

The BJP, which used to be a junior partner during its previous alliance with the SAD, is fighting the elections as a major partner.

Entering into an alliance with Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD (Sanyukt), the saffron party has asked voters to go for a "double-engine government" for "Nawan" (new) Punjab.

The Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, comprising various Punjab farmer bodies, which had taken part in the stir against the Centre's now repealed farm laws, is contesting the polls in alliance with Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni-led Sanyukt Sangharsh Party.

Prominent faces who are in the fray are Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Aam Aadmi Party's chief ministerial face Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, former CMs Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal, and president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Punjab chief Ashwani Sharma and former Union minister Vijay Sampla are also fighting the elections.

All major political parties have promised a host of freebies to woo voters.

While has promised Rs 1,000 for all women, the Congress has also promised Rs 1,100 per month for needy women.

The SAD-BSP alliance has promised Rs 2,000 per month to all women heads of blue card holder families (BPL beneficiaries).

The Congress and the SAD-BSP alliance have promised one lakh government jobs.

The SAD-BSP promised 75 per cent reservation for the state youth in public and private sectors. The BJP-led alliance has made a similar promise, but for the government sector only.

has promised up to 300 units of free power while the SAD-BSP promised 400 units of free electricity.

The high-pitched campaigning had seen the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union minister Smriti Irani, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

Modi, who held three rallies at Jalandhar, Pathankot and Abohar, covering Punjab's Doaba, Majha and Malwa regions, had accused the Congress and AAP of pretending to fight against each



Rahul Gandhi had cautioned people against going for any "experiment" in the Punjab polls, saying that maintaining peace was most important for the state and only his party was capable of it.

In the wake of elections, the state government has declared a paid holiday for employees working in shops, commercial establishments and factories on Sunday.

In the 2017 polls, the Congress had ended the SAD-BJP combine's 10-year-regime by bagging 77 seats.

AAP had managed to get 20 seats while the SAD-BJP had won 18 and two seats went into the kitty of the Lok Insaaf Party.

In UP, voting will be held for 59 Assembly constituencies spread across 16 districts.

As many as 627 candidates are in the fray in this phase, in which over 2.15 crore people are eligible to vote.

Districts where polling will be held are Hathras, Firozabad, Etah, Kasganj, Mainpuri, Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Etawah, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Hamirpur and Mahoba.

The Karhal assembly seat, from where chief Akhilesh Yadav is contesting, will also go to the polls in the third phase on Sunday.

The BJP has fielded Union minister S P Singh Baghel from the seat.

Polling on Sunday will also seal the fate of the chief's uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav, who is contesting from his traditional Jaswantnagar seat.

In the 2017 elections, the BJP had won 49 of the 59 seats while the SP had settled for nine. The Congress had got one seat, while the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) drew a blank.

(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.)
Former provincial legislator stands trial for graft, illegal possession of firearm

Xinhua) 13:47, February 19, 2022

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.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma are willing to kick in more money  up to $6 billion total  to settle thousands of lawsuits over the toll of opioids as the company tries to work out a deal with state attorneys general who torpedoed an earlier settlement.

The offer of extra cash was detailed in a report filed Feb. 18 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court by a federal mediator who asked the court to let her have until the end of the month to broker a new settlement.

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Under the latest proposal, the Sacklers would contribute between $5.5 billion and $6 billion, an increase from the $4.3 billion they had agreed to in the original bankruptcy settlement. The last of the money would not be paid out for 18 years, and the exact amount would depend on how much the family would make from selling its international drug companies.

The additional money would have to be used to combat a crisis that has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the past two decades. Part of it would be controlled by the eight states, joined by the District of Columbia, that objected to the original settlement last year even when other states agreed to it.

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In exchange, members of the family would be shielded from current and future opioid-related lawsuits. That protection was contained in the original bankruptcy settlement but prompted the objecting states to file an appeal that ultimately succeeded, leading to the current round of negotiations.

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The objecting states said the earlier amount of $4.5 billion did not go far enough to hold accountable members of a family that made billions from the sale of OxyContin.

Advocates for opioid victims and their families were concerned about where the additional money would go. Ryan Hampton, an advocate for people with opioid use disorder, said it did not appear that the $750 million set aside for payments to victims of the crisis and their families would increase under the latest proposal.

The governments pot will continue to get larger as additional settlement negotiations may continue, yet theres no increase for direct payments to families and survivors, Hampton said. Its dead wrong and unjust.

According to the report by the mediator, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Shelley Chapman, any new deal would be contingent on having all the holdout states and the District of Columbia agree to it. She said a supermajority have agreed so far, but did not list which are still holding out.

State attorneys general offices contacted Feb. 18 by The Associated Press declined comment or did not respond. A spokeswoman for one branch of the Sackler family also declined to comment, while a representative for the other side did not respond.

In a statement, Purdue said it remains focused on achieving our goal of providing urgently needed funds to the American people for opioid crisis abatement.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Drain recently agreed to keep any opioid lawsuits against Purdue and the Sacklers on hold through March 3 to buy more time for reaching a settlement.
Amid allegations of harbouring separatist ideas in Punjab, Chief Minister Saturday hit out at his political opponents, saying the man they called "terrorist" has built 12,430 smart classrooms in government schools in the national capital.

The national convener said all the "corrupt" people of the country have teamed up against him, an allegation that comes a day before the assembly election in which the Aam Aadmi Party has emerged as a key challenger to the ruling Congress in the state.

Kejriwal said he was fulfilling the dreams of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh.

He has come under attack from the and the Congress after former leader accused him of supporting separatists in poll-bound .

Kejriwal has dubbed Vishwas's allegations as "laughable", saying he (Kejriwal) must be the "world's sweetest terrorist" who builds schools and hospitals.

Speaking at the inauguration of 12,430 smart classrooms in Delhi government schools on Saturday, the chief minister said he was working to better the education system and the healthcare infrastructure.

"I have dedicated these 12,430 classrooms to the country. The person, whom they are calling a terrorist, has made such schools where the children of the poor and rich study together.

"The person, whom they are accusing of terrorism, is fulfilling the dreams of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh," he said.

To support his claim, Kejriwal said in the last seven years, the government has built 20,000 classrooms, more than those built by all the state and central governments put together during this period, the chief minister claimed.

The AAP supremo said his dispensation was ready to help state governments in improving their education and health infrastructure without the consideration of political ideologies for the welfare of the country.

"I am making an offer today. We are ready to loan our Education Minister Manish Sisodia to any state government, irrespective of whether it is led by the or the Congress if it wants to improve its education infrastructure, Kejriwal said.

Similarly, if any state government wants to build mohalla clinics, well-equipped government hospitals, we are ready to loan our Health Minister Satyendar Jain to it," he added.

Kejriwal's comments came at a time when his party AAP is in the fray in UP, Uttarakhand, and other poll-bound states.

"We do not want to fight elections in every state. We want the country to progress and we are ready to help state governments. We want corruption to end," he said.

Kejriwal alleged that political leaders are scared of schools.

"Hardcore patriots are being produced by these schools. After five-ten years, when they will vote, they will not vote on the basis of caste or religion but for the country's progress," he said.

Kejriwal mentioned freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on the occasion and said, "He had given the slogan Inquilab Zindabad. I am giving the slogan Inquilab Zindabad, Shiksha Kranti Zindabad'.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal had claimed that all the corrupt people have teamed up against the AAP and said they would get a befitting reply with the inauguration of 12,430 modern classrooms in city schools.

In a tweet in Hindi, he also said the country will not bow down before these corrupt people and move ahead.

"All the corrupt people of the country have teamed up against us. Today, we will give them a befitting reply by inaugurating 12,430 modern classrooms in Delhi schools.

"This country will not bow down before these corrupt people. The country has decided. The country will move ahead. The dreams of Baba Saheb and Bhagat Singh shall be fulfilled," the chief minister said.

On Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Centre has taken "serious" note of a pro-Khalistan group's letter extending support to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The letter purportedly written by the Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) in Gurmukhi was forwarded to the Union home minister by Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi along with a personal note saying the matter was "serious" and compromised the security and integrity of the nation.

Shah in his reply to Channi's letter said no one would be allowed to play with India's unity and integrity.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also asked Kejriwal to clarify if the allegation levelled against him by his former party colleague was true.

Kejriwal had on Friday said leaders of the BJP, Congress and their allies have joined hands to target him over Vishwas's accusations which he dubbed as "laughable".

AAP leader Raghav Chadha had already described Vishwas's allegations as "malicious, unfounded and fabricated.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
president on Saturday hit back at Yogi Adityanath's allegations that the kin of Ahmedabad blast convict had links with the SP stating that "baba", the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister did not know anything.

Speaking to ANI, Yadav said, "Our baba CM is wonderful (Kamaal ke hai). Neither he knew anything before, nor does he know anything right now. The UP election is for rights of farmers, employment of youth, and development of the state."

Addressing a public rally in Pilibhit, Chief Minister Adityanath had earlier today said an Ahmedabad court had pronounced the quantum of sentence for 38 terrorists in the 2008 serial blasts case. "Capital punishment and life imprisonment were awarded. They included some terrorists from UP too. And, the family of one of them was seen with the SP chief asking for votes for the party," the CM said.

"You can imagine... Nayi hawa hai, wahi SP hai, SP ka haath, aatankwadiyon ke saath (there's a new wave, but the SP is the same; hands of the SP are with terrorists). This has been proven once again," he said.

Also, Union Minister and leader Anurag Thakur, in a press conference today claimed that the SP has links with the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blast case and also gives protection to terrorists.

Mewnwhile, when asked to comment on Ashish Mishra, who was recently granted bail in Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, Yadav said, "Ashish Mishra will not get bail from people's courts."

Taking a dig at amid ensuing Assembly elections in the state, he said, "Farmers and their families have suffered a lot because of their (BJP) policies, this will result in BJP's defeat. Lakhimpur Kheri case is reminding us of Jallianwala Bagh incident in independent India."

Earlier in the day, when Yadav was campaigning in Lakhimpur Kheri, the SP chief said Ashish Mishra was given a bail in a hurry as the ruling knew that the state government will change. Notably, Ashish Mishra is the son of Union Minister of State in Home Affiars Ajay Kumar Mishra.

"BJP gave a hurried bail to the accused Ashish Mishra because they knew the government is going to change in UP... If farm laws were taken back, this means will also have to go back," the SP chief said while addressing the public here.

Eight people, including four farmers, had died in violence on October 3 last year in Lakhimpur Kheri.

Exuding confidence in SP and its alliance's win in the Assembly elections, Yadav said, "People will give full majority to & its alliance by the conclusion of fourth phase. They (BJP) promised to double the income of farmers in UP. Not even a single farmer in the state has benefited from their schemes."

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 counting of votes will take place on March 10.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
All is set for the multi-cornered Assembly polls on Sunday with over 2.14 crore voters to decide the fate of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women, on 117 seats.

Polling will be held from 8 am till 6 pm, said an official of the chief electoral office here. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

is witnessing a multi-cornered contest among the Congress, AAP, SAD-BSP alliance, BJP-PLC-SAD (Sanyukt) and the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, a political front of various farmer bodies.

The ruling Congress, which is seeking to retain power, has come under severe attack from its political opponents over various issues, including drug menace and corruption.

The Congress is banking on decisions like reducing electricity tariff and fuel prices, taken during current CM Charanjit Singh Channi's 111-day tenure.

The Aam Aadmi Party, which has emerged as a major contender, is eyeing to wrest power while projecting the Delhi model of governance.

The stakes are also high for the which is contesting the polls in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party after breaking ties with the in 2020 over the farm laws issue.

With Sukhbir Singh Badal in the driving seat, the SAD called itself Punjab's own party and promised all-round development of the state.

The BJP, which used to be a junior partner during its previous alliance with the SAD, is fighting the elections as a major partner.

Entering into an alliance with Amarinder Singh-led Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD (Sanyukt), the saffron party has asked voters to go for a double-engine government for Nawan (new) Punjab.

The Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, comprising various Punjab farmer bodies, which had taken part in the stir against the Centre's now repealed farm laws, is contesting the polls in alliance with Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni-led Sanyukt Sangharsh Party.

Prominent faces who are in the fray are Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Aam Aadmi Party's chief ministerial face Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, former CMs Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal, and president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Punjab chief Ashwani Sharma and former Union minister Vijay Sampla are also fighting the elections.

All major political parties have promised a host of freebies to woo voters.

While has promised Rs 1,000 for all women, the Congress has also promised Rs 1,100 per month for needy women.

The SAD-BSP alliance has promised Rs 2,000 per month to all women heads of blue card holder families (BPL beneficiaries).

The Congress and the SAD-BSP alliance have promised one lakh government jobs.

The SAD-BSP promised 75 per cent reservation for state youth in public and private sectors. The led alliance has made a similar promise, but for the government sector only.

has promised up to 300 units of free power while the SAD-BSP promised 400 units of free electricity.

The high-pitched campaigning, which saw participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union minister Smriti Irani, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, national convener Arvind Kejriwal, came to an end on Friday.

Modi, who held three rallies at Jalandhar, Pathankot and Abohar, covering Punjab's Doaba, Majha and Malwa regions, had accused the Congress and the AAP of pretending to fight against each



Rahul Gandhi had cautioned people against going for any "experiment" in the Punjab polls, saying that maintaining peace was most important for the state and only his party was capable of it.

There are a total of 2,14,99,804 voters, including 1,02,00,996 women. There are 24,740 polling stations, of which 2,013 have been identified as critical, said an official.

Adequate security arrangements have been made for ensuring free and fair polling, said the official.

In the wake of elections, the state government has declared a paid holiday for employees working in shops, commercial establishments and factories on Sunday.

In the 2017 polls, the Congress had ended the SAD-BJP combine's 10-year-regime by bagging 77 seats.

The AAP had managed to get 20 seats while the SAD-BJP had won 18 and two seats went into the kitty of the Lok Insaaf Party.

(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.)
Launching a scathing attack on turncoats, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said the small-time leaders who ditched the saffron party are now struggling to secure seats.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Adityanath touched upon several issues, including his 80-20 remark, the Samajwadi Party's poll promises, Jinnah and Hijab rows, and forming the government in the state with 300-plus seats.

He claimed that the saffron party will win 80 per cent of the seats in the state Assembly polls. "We are fighting the poll on the planks of nationalism, development and good governance," he told IANS.

"Those who have left the party are finding it difficult to secure a seat. If these people had a mass base, then they should have fought from their traditional seats, like I am contesting. All of them are leaving their seats and running," the chief minister said.

On the charge that the Yogi government takes action against criminals on the basis of their caste, the chief minister, in a veiled attack on the Samajwadi Party, asked: "Who has given tickets to professional criminals in Kairana, Rampur and Mau?"

Yogi claimed that SP is no longer Samajwadi, but it has become 'mafiawadi', 'dangawadi' and 'parivaarwadi' (the party which supports the mafia, riots and dynastic politics).

On SP promising free ration for five years, the chief minister told IANS: "Uttar Pradesh has not forgotten the misgovernance of SP. A food scam occurred during SP's regime. At that time, rations meant for the poor were usurped by SP's goons. When they could not distribute regular ration, how would they distribute it for free? People have seen SP's work and its adventures. Now, nobody will be influenced by them."

On SP promising money for the development of temples and maths, the chief minister said: "Saints of Ayodhya, people of the nation and 'Ram bhakts' (Ram devotees) have not forgotten the time when the SP regime ordered police firing on Kar Sevaks.

"The truth is that their party's name is Samajwadi, but they are 'dangawadi' (provoking riots) and their mentality is 'parivarwadi' (dynastic). They don't have holistic and inclusive thinking, so development, good governance and establishing the rule of law are like a daydream for them."

When asked that opposition parties are teaming up to defeat the BJP, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also supporting them, Adityanath said that in 2019, the SP, BSP ansd RLD stitched an alliance but at that time too, the saffron party won 80 per cent seats. This time the alliance is not that big and people have also seen the work of the double engine government."

When asked that though the talks about 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas' (inclusive growth for all), it has not given a ticket to any Muslim, the chief minister said that elections are based on the support and trust of people.

"Those who apply for a ticket are reviewed at the district and region levels and then their names are recommended to the high command. Those who are able to earn public trust are given tickets," he pointed out.

When IANS asked him pointedly whether the will get Muslim votes this time, the chief minister said: "The Prime Minister has played a major role in helping Muslim women get rid of malpractices such as triple talaq. Benefits of all welfare schemes under which gas connections are provided, PM Awaas Yojana and doubling rations are being extended to Muslim families too.

"Rising above caste and religion, people have voted for the BJP in the first two phases of the polls. The trend is continuing. At a few places, fanatics are trying to stop Muslim women from casting votes. The Election Commission should take cognisance of the matter."

On the performance of SP, BSP and the Congress in the polls, the chief minister exuded confidence that the BJP will win 80 per cent of the seats, while the three opposition parties are engaged in a triangular contest for 20 per cent of the votes.

On the stray cattle nuisance, the chief minister pointed out that "5,500 cow shelters have been opened in the state".

He added: "Stray cattle increased in the state as they give less milk. We are working on improving the breeds. In organic farming, cattle play an important role. The double-engine government will solve the problem. We will not let cattle go to slaughter houses and at the same time will not let stray cows harm what the farmers produce."

On the Jinnah and Hijab rows gathering momentum just prior to elections, the chief minister said during his conversation with IANS that to divert people's attention from good governance and development, SP made a 'sick' effort to honour Jinnah on the birth anniversary of the Iron Man Sardar Patel.

"It is an insult to the freedom fighters of the country," the chief minister told IANS. "When we were discussing welfare schemes to be extended to the sugarcane farmers of the state, SP was busy glorifying Jinnah. When we were talking about rural development, they were talking about Pakistan. SP is making futile attempts to rake up such issues and divert people's attention from the main issues, which are development and good governance."

On the restoration of old-age pension, the chief minister said the new pension scheme has been introduced during SP's tenure. In the eight years they spent ruling the state, they treated government employees unjustly. They did not submit the employees' contribution and even did not open their accounts.

On the issue of power shortages, the chief minister recalled how their genesis could be dated back to the SP-led government. "It was in their regime that there was a power shortage and now they are promising people 300 free units," the chief minister said. "People will not get influenced by them."

He added: "Government employees know they got an opportunity to work with a government that's transparent. Even during the Corona pandemic, their dearness allowance and transport allowance were not deducted. The employees are with the BJP."

When asked if there's anything for the middle class, the chief minister said: "Our strategy for the next five years is ready. We will provide free electricity by installing a solar panel on each tubewell. Common consumers are getting electricity at slashed rates."

When it was pointed out that the people are not angry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but with the public representatives of the party, the chief minister said: "Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, we have taken several important steps. In Uttar Pradesh, everyone is getting security and the benefits of development schemes, but we don't believe in an appeasement policy."

He added: "The government's intentions are clear. The people have admired the government's work. Public representatives who have done good work in their areas are getting people's love, and those who could not live up to the expectations of common folk face their wrath.

"But the elections are being conducted to elect a government. In such circumstances, every seat is important and the BJP will get people's love."

On the '80 versus 20' remark, the chief minister said those who think positively, are nationalists and support welfare schemes come in the 80 per cent bracket, while those who like mafia rule, crime, anarchy and corruption come in the 20 per cent. He reiterated that the BJP is getting 80 per cent of the votes.

Replying to another question, he said the BJP was getting 80 per cent of the seats in the first two phases. People's excitement shows that the BJP is getting their blessings. When the results are announced on March 10, the party will bag more than 300 seats.

The chief minister said that people are happy with the work done in the state relating to security, law and order, development, good governance, and public welfare schemes, and the unprecedented work in the field of respect for faith.

--IANS

vkt/svn/srb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Secretary of State and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock discussed crisis at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

When asked about Russia-China new alliance, Blinken said, " and China together are right now less than 20 per cent of world GDP. The United States, Europe together 45 per cent of GDP. When we bring in some of our democratic partners from Asia, Japan, Korea, Australia, others, we're well over 50 per cent of the world GDP. That is a very powerful weight when it's acting in unison, and increasingly, we are."

"We are doing together to bring the countries - not just in Europe but beyond Europe - together in making very clear to that if it commits renewed aggression against Ukraine, there will be, as we've said, and I quote, "massive consequences." This is what the G7 countries said together. The European Union, NATO, the power of that deterrent and our solidarity, I remain hopeful, will have an impact," he added.

The German Foreign Minister said there is a new war impending right in the middle of Europe. " issues an absolutely unacceptable threat with their troop's buildup vis-a-vis Ukraine, but also vis-a-vis all of us and our peace architecture in Europe. Therefore, this crisis is therefore no crisis. We have to be very careful about our framing. It's a Russia crisis."

She said that the Russian threat continues to be a real one and reiterated that if Moscow attacked Ukraine, then this would have massive consequences for Russia financially, politically, and economically.

However, Baerbock said, "And we have yet another message to Moscow that is just as clear. We don't want to have that. We don't want to have to draw these consequences. We want to have a serious dialogue and security and peace together in Europe."

Baerbock stressed determination, solidarity, and reliability regarding the crisis. " We are determined with a view to the actions and measures that we're preparing in the event of Russia acting against . These sanctions are - or would be unprecedented and have been coordinated with all our partners and have been prepared with them," she added.

Meanwhile, Blinken said that he had a chance to speak about the Ukraine crisis a little bit yesterday at the United Nations, at the Security Council, before coming here.

"We are doing everything we possibly can to make clear that there's a diplomatic path, that this has to be resolved, the differences have to be resolved through dialogue, through diplomacy, we are deeply concerned that that is not the path that Russia has embarked on, and that everything that we're seeing - including what you've described in the last 24, 48 hours - is part of a scenario that is already in play of creating false provocations, then having to respond to those provocations, and then ultimately committing new aggression against Ukraine," said Blinken.

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There are "important indications" that a Russian attack on can be avoided through diplomacy given the Kremlin's apparent interest in negotiations on its security demands, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday.



With the United States warning of an imminent invasion, Scholz told the Munich Security Conference any attack would be a "serious mistake" with high "political, economic and geostrategic costs".

denies planning an invasion. But there is "no justification" for the build-up of more than 100,000 Russian troops on Ukraine's borders, Scholz said, dismissing President Vladimir Putin's claims of genocide in east Ukraine's breakaway regions as "ridiculous".

Still, had signalled both in his chat with Putin in Moscow earlier this week and in its response to Washington's security proposals that it still wanted to negotiate, Scholz said. Meanwhile the West was ready to negotiate over Russia's security demands "without being naive".

"We will differentiate clearly between untenable demands and legitimate security interests," he said.

Putin has clearly been dabbling lately in Russian history, Scholz said, pointing to his published texts lamenting the collapse of the Soviet Union and demise of "historical Russia" as well as their talks this week.

But the past can not be used to justify a redrawing of European borders which would undermine peace on the continent, the German leader said.

"If you go back far enough in the history books you can find grounds for wars that last a few hundred years and destroy our entire continent," Scholz said. "Peace can only be preserved in Europe if borders are no longer shifted around." Scholz told the conference a multipolar world was clearly emerging as new powers arose. But that should not mean countries claiming spheres of influence for themselves, he said.

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Oil prices extended losses on Friday and were heading for a weekly fall as the prospect of increased Iranian oil exports eclipsed fears of potential supply disruption resulting from the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Brent crude futures fell 13 cents, or 0.1%, to $92.84 a barrel by 12:26 p.m. EDT (1526 GMT), extending a 1.9% drop from the previous session.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures shed 68 cents, or 0.7%, to $91.08 a barrel after sliding 2% on Thursday.

Both benchmark contracts hit their highest levels since September 2014 on Monday, but the prospect of an easing of oil sanctions against Iran has set prices on course for their first weekly fall in nine weeks.

Oil rose into positive territory earlier on the session on Russian media reports that a car had been blown up near their government building in the centre of the city of Donetsk, signifying ground conflict had begun.

"All eyes are on Russia and the market is watching for signs that violence might be occurring," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC in New York.

U.S. President Joe Biden will give an update on the Russia-Ukraine situation at 4 p.m. (2100 GMT) on Friday, the White House said.

Fears over possible supply disruptions resulting from the Russian military presence at Ukraine's borders have limited losses this week.

However, a deal taking shape to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers 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 say.

Consequently, there is little chance of Iranian crude returning to the market in the immediate future to ease current supply tightness, analysts said.

Tight oil supplies pushed the six-month market structure for Brent crude to its widest backwardation on record on Wednesday.

Backwardation exists when contracts for near-term delivery are priced higher than those for later months and is reflective of near-term demand that encourages traders to release oil from storage to sell it promptly.

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.

(Additional reporting by Rowena Edwads in London, Sonali Paul and Mohi Narayan in New Delhi; Editing by Marguerita Choy and David Evans)

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Spiking tensions in eastern 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 strong explosion hit the eastern city of Donetsk.

The Kremlin declared massive nuclear drills to flex its military muscle, and President Vladimir Putin pledged to protect Russia's national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats. US and European leaders, meanwhile, grasped for ways to keep the peace and Europe's post-Cold War security order.

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: US and European officials, focused on an estimated 150,000 Russian troops posted around Ukraine's borders, warn the long-simmering separatist conflict in eastern could provide the spark for a broader attack.

Vice President Kamala Harris said the US still hopes will de-escalate but is ready to hit it with tough sanctions in case of an attack. US leaders this week issued their most dire warnings yet that Moscow could order an invasion of any day.

We remain, of course, open to and desirous of diplomacy...but we are also committed, if takes aggressive action, to ensure there will be severe consequence, Harris said at the annual Munich Security Conference.

While snubbed this year's conference, lines of communication remain open: The US and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday, and US Defence 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.

US 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 strong explosion was reported Friday in the center of the city of Donetsk, according to the rebel news agency DAN and an Associated Press stringer there. There were no immediate details on casualties or where it took place.

Separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that form Ukraine's industrial heartland called the Donbas announced they are evacuating civilians to Russia starting Friday afternoon. The announcement appeared to be part of Moscow's efforts to counter Western warnings of a Russian invasion, and paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead.

Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk rebel government, said women, children and the elderly will be evacuated 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.

Shortly after his statement, 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 organise 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.

Around the volatile line of contact, a UNCHR convoy came under rebel shelling in the Luhansk region, Ukraine's 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.

US and European officials were on high alert for any Russian attempts at a so-called false-flag operation, according to a Western official familiar with intelligence findings.

Ukrainian government officials shared intelligence with allies 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, according to the official who was not authorized to comment publicly.

UN 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, US officials have said they see no sign of a pullback and instead saw more troops moving toward the border with Ukraine.

Austin said the US believes Russia could launch an attack any time.

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 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 didn't materialise, Putin said, Frankly, I'm not paying attention to that. There are so many false claims, and constantly reacting to them is more trouble than it's 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.

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 Moscow's main security demands.

He also urged Ukrainian authorities to implement a 2015 peace deal for eastern Ukraine that was brokered by France and Germany, adding that regrettably, we are now seeing the exacerbation of the situation in Donbas.

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 US announced the $6 billion sale of 250 tanks to Poland, a member that has been occupied or attacked by Russia in the past. Announcing the deal, Austin said Russia's military buildup had only reinvigorated NATO instead of cowing it, as Moscow had hoped.

World leaders meeting in Munich warned that Europe's security balance is under threat. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the situation is calling into question the basic principles of the European peace order.

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.

Blinken revealed some conclusions of US intelligence in Thursday's speech at the UN Security Council, warning that Russia could create a false pretext for an invasion with a trumped-up terrorist bombing inside Russia, a staged drone strike, or a fake or real chemical attack.

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Members of the billionaire Sackler family that own Purdue Pharma LP have offered to pay as much as $6 billion to revive the OxyContin makers imperiled opioid settlement, a more-than $1 billion increase from their existing proposal.

The new settlement offer would see the Sackler family pay at least $5.5 billion, with additional money contingent on certain asset sales, a court appointed mediator, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Shelley Chapman, said in a report Friday. A final deal hasnt been reached, according to the mediator.

The Sacklers and a handful of state attorneys general have been in mediation for the past two months, after a New York judge rejected an earlier deal negotiated as part of the companys bankruptcy. That settlement would have resolved trillions of dollars in claims by state and local governments over the companys role in the opioid crisis and give Sackler family members broad immunity from future lawsuits.

As part of the deal, Purdue will hand over nearly all of its assets to the states, cities and counties that are suing the drugmaker over its handling of the pain killer OxyContin. Billions of dollars also would be provided to fund anti-addiction programs.

But the plan to give Purdues owners immunity from future opioid lawsuits has been a sticking point, drawing the ire of some states and local politicians. Attorneys general from eight states and the District of Columbia, along with an arm of the U.S. Justice Department, succeeded in having the settlement overturned on appeal after Purdues bankruptcy judge approved it last year.

More Support

Most, but not all, of the dissenting states have agreed to the new settlement offer, according to mediators report. The Sacklers offer is contingent on unanimous support, the report says.

We remain focused on achieving our goal of providing urgently needed funds to the American people for opioid crisis abatement, Michele Sharp, a Purdue spokeswoman, said in an email. We believe a global settlement is the swiftest and most cost-effective exit path from Chapter 11 and we will continue working to build consensus as we proceed through the appeal process with the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who was among those who opposed the earlier offer, declined to comment Friday on the mediators report. Representatives of Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh didnt immediately return an email seeking comment.

Representatives for the Mortimer Sackler and Raymond Sackler wings of the family didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

Chapman requested the court-ordered mediation be extended to Feb. 28. The previous order lapsed on Wednesday.

The bankruptcy case is Purdue Pharma LP, 19-23649, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (White Plains).
Russia's President Vladimir Putin launched exercises by strategic nuclear missile forces on Saturday and Washington said Russian troops massed near Ukraine's border were "poised to strike".

As Western nations fear the start of one the worst conflicts since the Cold War, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Russian forces were beginning to "uncoil and move closer" to the border with its former Soviet neighbour.

"We hope he steps back from the brink of conflict," he told a news conference on a visit to Lithuania, saying an invasion of was not inevitable.

ordered the military build-up while demanding NATO stop ever joining the alliance but says predictions it is planning to invade are wrong and dangerous. It says it is now pulling back while Washington and allies insist the build-up is mounting.

Russian-backed separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine earlier declared a full military mobilisation, a day after ordering women and children to evacuate to Russia, citing the threat of an imminent attack by Ukrainian forces.

Kyiv flatly denied the accusation and Washington said it was part of Russia's plan to create a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine.

Multiple explosions could be heard on Saturday morning in the north of the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, as more people got on buses to leave, a Reuters witness said. The origin was not immediately clear. Ukraine said earlier that one of its soldiers had been killed.

"It's really scary. I've taken everything I could carry," said Tatyana, 30, who was boarding a bus with her four-year-old daughter.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who has given regular warnings of an impending invasion, said on Friday he now believes the capital Kyiv would be targeted by but that he does not think Putin is even remotely contemplating using nuclear weapons.

Biden told reporters at the White House Putin would invade in the coming days. "As of this moment, I am convinced that he has made the decision," he said.

The Kremlin said had successfully test-launched hypersonic and cruise missiles at sea and land-based targets during the exercises by Russia's nuclear forces.

Putin sat observing the exercises on screens along with the president of neighbouring Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, from what the Kremlin described as a "situation centre".

Austin said the nuclear exercises were stoking concern among defense leaders around the world. He worried about the risks of carrying out the drills at the same time that Russia's military was focused on a massive build-up of forces around Ukraine.

"When you layer on top of that a very sophisticated exercise with strategic nuclear forces, that makes things complicated to the degree that you could have an accident or a mistake," Austin said.

SENDING A MESSAGE

The drills follow a huge series of manoeuvres by Russia's armed forces in the past four months that have included a build-up of troops -- estimated by the West to number 150,000 or more -- to the north, east and south of Ukraine.

Moscow-based analysts said the exercises were aimed at sending a message to take Russia's demands for security guarantees from NATO seriously after the alliance's expansion to Russia's borders since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

"The signal to the West is not so much 'don't interfere', but instead designed to say that the problem is not Ukraine and actually much wider," Dmitry Stefanovich, a research fellow at the IMEMO RAS think tank, told Reuters.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Saturday Russia knew that the alliance could not meet its demands, which include the withdrawal of NATO forces from former communist east European states that have elected to join NATO.

New helicopters and a battle group deployment of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and support equipment have deployed in Russia, near the border, according to U.S.-based Maxar Technologies, which tracks developments with satellite imagery.

The Kremlin also has tens of thousands of troops staging exercises in Belarus, north of Ukraine, that are due to end on Sunday. Lukashenko said on Friday they could stay as long as needed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was set to meet U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Stoltenberg and other Western leaders at the annual Munich Security Conference on Saturday and return the same day amid fears Russia might try to engineer a coup. Moscow has dismissed the idea it has any such plan.

'WEAPON IN THEIR HANDS'

A current focus of the crisis is in eastern Ukraine where Russian-backed rebels seized a swathe of territory in 2014, the same year that Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimea region after protests there toppled a pro-Russian leader. Kyiv says more than 14,000 people have since died in the conflict in the east.

In one breakaway region, Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, said he had signed a decree on mobilisation and called on men "able to hold a weapon in their hands" to come to military commissariats.

Another separatist leader, Leonid Pasechnik, signed a similar decree for the Luhansk People's Republic shortly afterwards.

Separatist authorities on Friday announced plans to evacuate around 700,000 people. Russian news agencies said on Saturday 10,000 evacuees had arrived so far in Russia.

At a market in Donetsk, 38-year-old Oksana Feoktisova boarded an evacuation bus with her 9-year-old son and her mother. They were accompanied by Feoktisova's brother Yuri who stayed behind in Donetsk.

"They don't let men on, and I wouldn't go anyway frankly," Yuri said. "I'm a reservist in any case. I'm an artillery man by birth... I'm loyal to my state, to my people." Shelling across the line dividing government forces and separatists increased sharply this week, in what the Ukrainian government called a provocation.

A jeep exploded outside a rebel government building in the city of Donetsk on Friday and Russian news agencies said two explosions hit Luhansk and part of a gas pipeline in the area caught fire.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In response to a deepening crisis of childrens behavioral health in Connecticut, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers unveiled a comprehensive bill aimed at expanding support for mental health care and preventative services during a press conference at the State Capitol in Hartford on Friday. (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant/Hartford Courant)

In response to a deepening crisis of childrens behavioral health in Connecticut, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers Friday unveiled a comprehensive bill aimed at expanding support for mental health care and enhancing preventative services.

When it comes to children and it comes to youth, there is no political label, there is no political party, House Speaker Matt Ritter, a Hartford Democrat, said, touting the bipartisan nature of the legislation. We all care very, very deeply about our children and the children in this state and their futures.

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Overburdened mental health providers have sounded the alarm about widespread staffing shortages in recent months and on Friday, lawmakers centered on the importance of workforce development. The proposed bill, House Bill 5001, would provide licensure reciprocity for out-of-state mental health processionals, offer loan forgiveness and invest in other efforts to increase staffing, recruitment and retention in the field, said state Rep. Liz Linehan, a Cheshire Democrat and House chair of the Committee on Children.

State Rep. William Petit Jr., R-Plainville, speaks during session at the State Capitol, Monday, April 19, 2021.. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) (Jessica Hill/AP)

The big issue, which is a long-term issue  five, 10, 15 years  is to increase the number of providers, said state Rep. William Petit, a Plainville Republican and physician. We need more psychiatrists, psychologists, psych APRNs, PAs, social workers  all the folks that help care for people with mental health problems.

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State Rep. Tammy Exum, a West Hartford Democrat and deputy majority leader, emphasized that the proposed bill represents not merely a Band-Aid, but rather a comprehensive plan to address the crisis, including by intervening to support children before they might require hospitalization for behavioral health issues.

State Rep. Tammy Exum. Photograph by Mark Mirko | mmirko@courant.com (Mark Mirko/Mark Mirko)

The bill would fund the staffing of mental health clinicians in school settings, create evidence-based peer support programs in schools and tackle insurance issues, including by eliminating prior authorization for in-patient care. Increased support for pediatricians  by expanding Access Health CT and enabling pediatricians to receive continuing education related to childrens mental health  is also part of the proposed legislation, as is a requirement that state officials study reimbursement rate parity in mental health care.

State Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, a Westport Democrat, said that the General Assemblys attention on childrens mental health care was long overdue. He stressed that their legislative effort must create a new long-term paradigm for supporting behavioral health in Connecticut and not rely solely on temporary federal funds, including those from the American Rescue Plan Act.

The overall price tag of the legislation will be determined through the legislative process, according to Linehan, who added, I dont want to talk about spending on childrens mental health; I want to talk about investing in childrens mental health.

Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. >

Howard Sovronsky, the chief behavioral health officer of Connecticut Childrens Medical Center, said during the press conference Friday that in recent years, the hospital has seen a dramatic increase not only in the number of children seeking urgent behavioral health care, but also the severity of their illnesses.

He noted that efforts have been made to increase the number of psychiatric beds in the state, but that roots of the crisis run much deeper.

The problem is not beds, he said. The problem is throughput  its the flow of patients throughout the system  and that kids get backed up at various points because of the lack of access, and that creates the urgency for more beds. But the beds is just one piece of a larger fix that needs to be addressed. And frankly, this bill attempts to address many of those areas of pressure points.

Exum described having had heartbreaking conversations with parents whose children needed urgent mental health support but could not obtain it.

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When they were given an opportunity to meet with a provider, sometimes they were told it might be three months or more, she said. Three months is a really long time when your child is in crisis and your family is in crisis, and you dont know how youll get through three days.

A public hearing for House Bill 5001 as well as for the related Senate Bill No. 2  which aims to expand preschool and behavioral health services for children  is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Feb. 25.

Eliza Fawcett can be reached at elfawcett@courant.com.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday appeared to compare Russsia's military to a snake that was uncoiling and preparing to strike after a massive military buildup that has stoked the biggest East-West crisis since the Cold War.

Austin, speaking on a trip to Lithuania, said he agreed with President Joe Biden's Friday assessment that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a decision to stage a new invasion of .

"They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike," Austin told a news conference in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, ahead of talks with increasingly anxious Baltic leaders.

Austin, a retired Army general, warned Moscow could move on at any time and he listed the kinds of military capabilities that has massed and repositioned near Ukraine.

"Having done this before, I can tell you that that's exactly what you need to to attack and the and the stance that you need to be in to attack," Austin said.

Moscow, which has massed tens of thousands of troops near the border with Ukraine and is pressing security demands on the United States and NATO, has denied it has plans to invade its neighbour.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said he was concerned that if the Kremlin was willing to take Ukraine, Moscow would next target the Baltic states and Poland.

"The battle for Ukraine is a battle for Europe. If he's not stopped there, he will go further," Landsbergis said, calling for military strategy in the region to shift from trying to dissuade from attack to preparing to defend against one.

Austin vowed Washington would stand with its Baltic allies but declined to be drawn on whether he would answer Lithuanian calls for additional troops.

"I want everyone in Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia to know -- and I want President (Vladimir) Putin in the Kremlin to know -- that the United States stands with our allies," Austin told a news conference in Vilnius, after talks with Lithuanian leaders.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said in a statement after meeting Austin: "It is critically important to strengthen the (Baltic states) regional security with additional troops from the United States and quicken cooperation in military procurement."

Since 2019 the United States has deployed rotating groups of about 500 troops and equipment in Lithuania, and in his statement Nauseda called on Washington to make this a permament deployment.

Estonia's defence minister, Kalle Laanet, who also met Austin in Vilnius, said he had asked the United States to send fighter jets to the Baltic states to defend their skies.

The three Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were once ruled from Moscow but are now part of NATO and the European Union. They do not operate their own fighter aircraft.

NATO allies have kept several jets in the region on a rotating air policing mission since 2004.

PRESSURE FROM RUSSIA

Austin piled praise on Lithuania for standing up to pressure from Russia, whose military build-up has included sending tens of thousands of troops to Belarus - neighbouring Lithuania - for joint exercises that are due to end on Sunday.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said her country believes the Russian troops in Belarus may stay there for an extended period.

"We can say with large certainty that we will not see the (Russian) troops withdrawn quickly, if at all," she told reporters.

Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko met Putin on Friday, saying beforehand the soldiers could stay as long as needed.

Simonyte said that if Russian troops stay, this could put pressure on the Baltics' only overland connection to the rest of the European Union, a narrow strip of land between Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad enclave known as the Suwalki corridor.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a bid to save its crown jewel from Chinese industrial espionage, is mulling to draft a law that would carry up to a 12-year prison sentence.

Lauly Li and Cheng Ting-Fang, Nikkei Asia said that Executive Yuan on Thursday approved draft amendments to the National Security Act that would make it a crime to engage in "economic espionage."

This will help in the unapproved use of critical national technologies and trade secrets outside of . In addition, any individuals or organizations that have been entrusted or subsidized by the Taiwanese government to conduct operations involving critical national technologies will have to receive government approval for any trips to China, according to the draft regulations.

Failing to do so could incur a fine of between 2 million and 10 million New dollars (USD 71,000 and USD 358,000), reported Nikkei Asia.

"High-tech industry is the lifeline of Taiwan. However, the infiltration of the Chinese supply chain into Taiwan has become serious in recent years," Lo Ping-cheng, minister without portfolio and spokesperson for the Executive Yuan, said at a news conference.

"They are luring away high-tech talent, stealing national critical technologies, circumventing Taiwan's regulations, operating in Taiwan without approval and unlawfully investing in Taiwan, which is causing harm to Taiwan's information technology security as well as the industry's competitiveness," added Lo.

Lo said the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen sees an urgent need to amend the law to establish a more complete national security front line and stop such "unlawful actions."

An official from the Ministry of Justice said the draft law aims to ban critical industry technologies from falling into the hands of any foreign country or external counterforce.

The official said Taiwan will set up special courts to facilitate any trials related to trade secret leaks and other cases of economic espionage, said Lauly and Cheng.

The move comes as Beijing seeks to build up China's -- a goal that has intensified demand for Taiwanese engineers and its critical technologies. Last year, Taiwan banned job advertisements and postings for openings for careers in .

Taiwan, a self-governed democracy that Beijing views as a part of its territory, boasts the world's second-largest chip industry by revenue. Its global importance has been highlighted by the unprecedented global semiconductor crunch that affected a wide range of industries from smartphones to automobiles, reported Nikkei Asia.

Taiwan's chip industry know-how and its experienced workers have long been a target for in its push to develop its own . There have been many indictments involving chip trade secrets being stolen by Chinese companies in the past few years, according to the Taiwanese government.

However, the COVID pandemic and prolonged quarantine measures in and Taiwan coupled with deteriorating relations between the two sides have slowed the move of talent from Taiwan to China in the past two years, industry executives told Nikkei Asia.

(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.)
general secretary has written to Prime Minister requesting him to roll back the government's decision to privatise aluminium major .

In his letter, Raja said that there is widespread resentment among the workers to the move.

"We request you to roll back your government's move to privatise the Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO). We vehemently oppose the disastrous plan of your government to implement 100 per cent strategic disinvestment in the Aluminium Company Ltd by way of privatisation," he said.

Raja said NALCO, which was established in 1981, is a Navaratna company under the Ministry of Mines and has been the top most Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE), producing and exporting high quality alumina and aluminium for the last 40 years.

"I want to draw your attention to the fact that there is widespread resentment among the people and workers in particular to the anti-worker and anti-people move," he said.

It is also a fact that NALCO, since its inception, has been making profits and continues to have a consistent track record in production, productivity, technology upgradation, Raja said.

is the highest foreign exchange earner CPSE in the country. It has been giving sizable share of dividends to and state exchequers as well as to the shareholders, he said.

In the light of these, "I request you to reconsider the move in the best interests of the country, workers and people. Hope you will take positive steps in this regard", Raja said in his letter to the prime 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 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 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 unit chief Raina termed it a "conspiracy" against the party and claimed the audio was "fabricated and concocted".

Demanding a probe, the Congress said the leaked audio has vindicated its stand that the administration "scripted the delimitation report in their ( 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.

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 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.

(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.)
Delhi Chief Minister and (AAP) National Convenor on Saturday said that he will give a befitting reply to the "corrupt people targeting AAP" by inaugurating 12,430 modern classrooms in Delhi schools today.

"All the corrupt people of the country have gathered against us. Today, by inaugurating 12,430 modern classrooms in the Delhi schools, we will give them a befitting reply," read Kejriwal's tweet roughly translated from Hindi.

The Delhi CM said that the country has decided to move forward and not bow down to the "corrupt people".

"This country will not bow down to these corrupt people. Now the country has decided. Now the country will move forward. Baba Saheb and Bhagat Singh's dreams will be fulfilled," he said.

Notably, Kejriwal's remarks come amid the ongoing row over the allegations levelled against him by a founding member of the .

Earlier on Friday, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur had slammed Kejriwal over allegations levelled by his former associate and termed as "Arvind Anti Punjab".

The remarks came ahead of the Assembly polls, scheduled for February 20, in Punjab where the is contesting.

Meanwhile, a total of 12,430 new smart classrooms will be inaugurated by Kejriwal in 240 government schools of Delhi today following which the tally of new classrooms built by the AAP government will reach 20,000 which is synonymous with 537 new school buildings, said a statement issued by the Delhi government.

The specialities of the new building constructed by the government include the designer desk in the classrooms, libraries, multipurpose halls for the conduct of events, added the statement.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A delegation of and from met Prime Minister at his residence here on Saturday and thanked him for bringing about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as well as standing up for them in times of distress.

Welcoming the delegation, Prime Minister Modi said they are not guests, but that India is their home.

The meeting comes a day after Prime Minister Modi hosted a number of prominent at his residence, and a day before the Punjab Assembly polls.

Prime Minister Modi talked about the immense difficulties faced by the and in and the help provided by the government to bring them to India safely, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office said.

In this light, he also talked about the significance of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and its benefits for the community, the statement said.

Pime Minister Modi assured them of continuous support in the future as well to resolve all issues and address the difficulties faced by them.

The prime minister also talked about the significance of the tradition of honouring the Guru Granth Sahib, in light of which special arrangements were made to bring back 'Swaroop' of Guru Granth Sahib from .

Modi also talked about the immense love he has received from Afghans over the years and fondly recalled his visit to Kabul, according to the statement.

BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who was present on the occasion, thanked the prime minister for sending help from India for bringing back members of the community safely, and said that when no one stood with them, the prime minister ensured constant support and timely help.



Prime Minister met members of the Sikh-Hindu Delegation from Afghanistan at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg earlier today. They honoured the Prime Minister and thanked him for bringing Sikhs and safely to India from Afghanistan: Prime Minister's Office (PMO) pic.twitter.com/vDrwMY4xef  ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2022

Other members of the delegation also thanked the Prime Minister for standing up for them in times of distress, the statement said



They said that they had tears in their eyes when they heard him talking about making special arrangements to bring back 'Swaroop' of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan to India with proper reverence, according to the statement.

The delegation members also thanked him for bringing about the CAA, which will be of immense help for members of their community, the statement said.

Praising Modi, the delegation members said he is not just the prime minister of India, but the "prime minister of the world" as he understands the difficulties faced especially by Hindus and Sikhs across the world and makes all out efforts to provide immediate help in all such cases.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Union Minister of State Meenakashi Lekhi were also present on the occasion.

The delegation members presented the PM with traditional Afghani attire and a headgear, which he wore and remarked that former Afghan President Hamid Karzai would be very happy to see him in that attire.

A large number of Afghan Hindus and Sikhs have been living in India, and the Indian government recently evacuated many of them following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

The Modi government has often asserted its commitment to the minorities of Afghanistan who have faced religious persecution, especially from the Taliban.

The CAA, which facilitates granting of Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, was passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019 and the Presidential nod was received the next day.

(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.)
Gov. Ned Lamont said he would seek an extension of nursing home protections from the legislature if needed. Here, he talks to a nursing home patient in December 2020 in West Hartford. (Stephen Dunn/AP)

BLOOMFIELD  On the day after his emergency powers expired, Gov. Ned Lamont said Wednesday that he would go back to the legislature to seek a time extension for nursing home protections if the pandemic worsens.

Since Lamont can no longer make the order himself, the Democratic-controlled legislature voted in recent days to continue requiring visitors to nursing homes to be vaccinated or take a COVID-19 test before being allowed into the homes.

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But that provision is scheduled to end on March 15, raising questions about the future.

I think it could have been longer or at least a little more flexibility, Lamont said when asked by the Courant. Look, weve got March 15. The legislature is still in session. If we find Zombie-cron comes along and something has changed, maybe it would be a little stricter to make people safe here, Id go back to the legislature.

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Lamont uses the term Zombie-cron to indicate a potential future virulent strain of the coronavirus beyond the Omicron variant.

Lamont visited the Duncaster nursing home in Bloomfield to highlight the improvements in the homes statewide as deaths have dropped sharply and 99% of the staff at the Bloomfield home has received a booster shot.

Looking back, Lamont recalled the days when elderly patients were dying statewide at a rapid pace.

Connecticut nursing homes were particularly hard hit, going back a couple of years ago now, Lamont told reporters. It was the scariest time of my life.

Nursing home deaths statewide rose sharply and peaked in April 2020 before falling back. Since February 2021, the deaths have been relatively flat, according to the public health department. While cases in the homes spiked back up in December 2021 and January 2022, the death rate did not spike in a corresponding fashion as residents had been vaccinated and boosted.

Mairead Painter, the states long-term care ombudsman, said the situation has changed sharply from the days of high infection rates when many visitors were blocked from seeing their relatives in the homes.

The majority of our residents have had their booster, Painter said. I havent had a visitation complaint in months.

While the numbers have improved, the states public health commissioner, Dr. Manisha Juthani, said the state suffered tough times in 2020.

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When this pandemic started two years ago, we didnt have the tools in the beginning because we didnt really know what the virus was, Juthani told reporters. Nursing homes were, unfortunately, hit hard in the beginning - being close to New York, having the virus come up the I-95 corridor. ... The deaths have gone down dramatically in patients living in long-term care here in the state of Connecticut. This is a remarkable story about what teamwork does.

The former public health commissioner, Dr. Deidre S. Gifford, said the state has battled constantly to try to contain the spread of the virus. Overall, more than 10,000 people have died statewide of various ages, including in the nursing homes.

It has been a grueling couple of years, Gifford said. We were one of the first states to sign up for the long-term care vaccination program. We were ahead of the federal government in requiring nursing home staff to be tested.

But Senate Republican leader Kevin Kelly of Stratford, who also works as an eldercare attorney, said the state still has problems with the ongoing pandemic.

Based on the latest data, Connecticut nursing home populations have a COVID-19 case rate four times higher than the general population, and a death rate 20 times higher, Kelly said. I hope the numbers [to be released Thursday] will look better, but the latest numbers we have demand greater attention to the presence of COVID-19 in our nursing homes, not less. Case data for the general population is released on a daily basis, but the same information for those most vulnerable to the virus in our nursing homes is delayed by two weeks at a time. This delay is not reasonable.

Kelly is seeking the release of daily data from the nursing homes on pandemic cases. But the states public health department says the information should be released every two weeks.

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Having this amount of time between data reports allows us to identify trends in the data, the department said in response to Kelly. These trends are what ultimately guide our decision making, recognizing that day-to-day differences in data do not accurately represent the course of this virus.

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com
Tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees made it to the US  here's how the resettlement process works
Health and social inequities put many people from racial and ethnic minority groups and people with lower incomes at increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19. Our Environmental Health Capacity project helps states use environmental health strategies to stop the spread of COVID-19 in communities disproportionately affected by the disease.

This project, funded in fiscal year 2021, focuses on strategies that state-based environmental health (EH) programs can use to support disproportionately affected communities. Three state health departments (Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Washington) received CDC funding to

Address EH hazards to prevent the spread of COVID-19; and

Enhance EH services to prevent environmental transmission of COVID-19.

Collectively, this work will help CDC and state-based environmental health programs learn whether EH strategies can reduce the impact of COVID-19, particularly in certain groups more affected because of health and social inequities.
From left, T'Wanda Lowery as Patricia Taylor; Melanie Outlaw as Mildred Smith; and Angela Mitchell as Agnes Stokes, in the film The Dixie 3: A Story on Civil Rights in Nursing." The film is based on a 1963 Hampton case in which three nurses at Dixie Hospital refused to eat in a segregated area of the hospital. They were fired and eventually sued the hospital; the court ruled in their favor. (Courtesy of Reid Kerley)

During the modern civil rights movement, many people took a stand for human rights.

Some, like Mildred Smith, Patricia Taylor and Agnes Stokes, took a seat.

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Nearly 50 years ago, the nurses defied rules at Dixie Hospital in Hampton that required them to dine in a segregated and inferior space. Feb. 21 through 27, a film chronicling the story of their act of civil disobedience will be screened at the Hampton History Museum.

The Dixie 3: A Story on Civil Rights in Nursing is a 35-minute film written and produced by Denetra Hampton and starring registered nurses Melanie Outlaw, Angela Mitchell and TWanda Lowery.

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In the early 1960s, Dixie Hospital, later known as Sentara Hampton General, was segregated. Black patients, with the exception of newborns, were treated on the second floor. The other five stories were for whites.

Segregation extended to the employees. After buying meals in the cafeteria, white employees could remain in the cafeteria. Black employees had to take their meals to a small classroom where some had to eat standing up.

That was one indignity too many for Smith. On Aug. 8, 1963, she bought her lunch and sat in the cafeteria. Taylor and Stokes joined her.

We were tired of taking a back seat, Smith told a Daily Press reporter in 2002. Smith died in 2013.

Mildred Smith. In 1963 she was a nurse at Hampton's Dixie Hospital, where Black employees were not allowed to eat in the cafeteria. One August day, she decided to sit down. Two colleagues followed suit. (File photo)

A reprimand from the director of nursing did little to deter them. The women repeated their defiant act the next day and were fired.

Three years later, in a decision affirming that racial discrimination was illegal in publicly funded institutions, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Dixie Hospital to reinstate the nurses and give them roughly a months back pay.

For decades the story of the Dixie 3 had a much lower profile than more publicized protests, such as the Montgomery bus boycott that began in 1955. But Denetra Hampton felt it was no less compelling.

Hampton is a Suffolk resident and a retired U.S. Navy Nurse Corps officer whose unlikely second act became filmmaking. She founded For Nurses By Nurses Productions to tell some of the professions most captivating stories.

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The Dixie 3 is Hamptons second film.

The first, The Black Angels: A Nurses Story, chronicles the saga of African American nurses in the mid-20th century who risked their well-being to care for tuberculosis patients at a Staten Island, New York, hospital when white nurses wouldnt.

Hampton hopes that The Dixie 3 will not only illuminate a little-known event but also offer a big-picture reflection on the challenges that continue in the industry, such as health inequities.

Weve come far, she said, but we havent come far enough.

For Nurses By Nurses Productions partners with libraries, universities and museums to screen films. When Hampton approached the Hampton History Museum, executive director Luci Talbot Cochran said, the collaboration was a perfect match.

Cochran said that history museums have been hard at work in the past couple decades to tell stories representing the breadth of the American experience and that the museums attention to the Dixie 3 underscores that emphasis.

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For us, its about making sure that everyone sees themselves in history, she said.

Outlaw, a nurse manager at the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, portrays Mildred Smith in the film. She said that acting not only achieved a dream she had as a young girl  she imagined herself starring in soap operas  but it was also eye-opening about the sacrifices made by the Dixie 3 and other predecessors. Outlaw hopes her part in this production can inspire others to be bold in the face of wrongdoing.

They took a step that reverberated, she said. There could be someone waiting for you to take that step.

Reach Ben Swenson at benswenson@cox.net

___

If you go

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When: Feb. 21 through 27

Where: Hampton History Museum, 120 Old Hampton Lane, Hampton

Tickets: Free

Details: hampton.gov/119/Hampton-History-Museum; 757-727-1102


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The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the 2022-23 proclamation for migratory game bird hunting seasons pertaining to the federal framework. The meeting, which concluded Friday, was also a rule making hearing where the commission considered changes to the regulations governing migratory game birds and hunts.



The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency recommendations to the migratory bird hunting seasons were made at the January meeting and for the statewide season dates and bag limits which fall within federal frameworks. There are no changes to the federal frameworks and will reflect only date changes. The proclamation does not include any regulations regarding seasons on wildlife management areas. However, the commission made an amendment to combine the Reelfoot zone and the statewide zone to have the same dates for a single statewide duck hunting zone.



A preliminary summary of the post season surveys of waterfowl hunters was made. Waterfowl hunters had the opportunity to comment on the recently completed waterfowl season. The survey provided an opportunity for waterfowl hunters to provide input on the duck blind application process, the condition of Tier 2 blinds and their overall hunting experience.



The rule making hearing regarding migratory game birds and hunts established several changes to the existing rule. Major changes include only Tennessee residents can apply for season-long duck blinds and the number of wildlife management areas in which they can apply. In addition, 10 staked position sites will be reverted back to the pool of season-long draw sites.



A presentation on the new TWRA license structure was given. Beginning this month, all commercial and all licenses and permits will be valid for year from the date of purchase. Exceptions to the new structure will be captive permits, Federal duck stamp, migratory bird permits and slat basket tags.



There are required purchasing deadlines which remain. Commercial turtle permit, commercial roe for residents and non-residents must be purchased by March 15 of each year. If they are purchased by that date, persons will again have to go through the approval process. Reelfoot permanent blind registration remains to be required by July 31 annually. Failure to register a blind will result in steps to begin moving the site to an annual blind draw.



The TFWC elected its new officers. Angie Box (Humboldt) will move from vice chair to chairman. Tommy Woods (Piney Flats) will now serve as vice chairman after serving as secretary the past year. Jimmy Granbery (Nashville) becomes an officer as the new secretary. Chairman Jim Ripley (Kodak) served as chairman the past year and remains as a commissioner.



Legendary fisherman and television personality Bill Dance was honored with the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commissions second Legacy Award winner. The award was established in 2021 to show appreciation for service and dedication to the people and wildlife in Tennessee. The popular angler and Tennessee native joined the meeting by video to receive notification of the honor.



Sgt. Brad Bagwell, the 2021 Tennessee winner of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Officer of the Year, was introduced to the commission and officially received his award. He works primarily in TWRA Region II's Cheatham County.



Dawson Rader, a senior at the University of Tennessee, was a guest at the meeting and was presented the Robert M. Hatcher Ornithologist Scholarship Award. The $1,000 scholarship is named in honor of the late Bob Hatcher, who served the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for 38 years, which included the non-game and endangered species coordinator from 1987 until 2001. He initiated the state bald eagle recovery efforts in the early 1980s.
On February 18, 1932, Nathaniel and Flora Wallace were blessed by our Lord and Savior with a child. Not just any child, but a child of God in every sense of the word. Born in Whitesburg, Ga., Fannie Mae Wallace graced this earth with a glorious smile and a giving heart.

Before moving to Carrollton, Ga., and then on to Chattanooga, she became a stellar student at Howard High School. She then went on to Paine College and in her later years graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She was the integral part of the beginning of WIN, a work incentive program for the State of Tennessee, which helped put a grand number of unemployed Black mothers into the workforce in Chattanooga.

Fannie was a dedicated member of Phillips Temple C.M.E. Church. Raising four kids and three grandchildren, her plate was always full. She then moved to Georgia to help her firstborn with her child and put her loving hands on her baby boy. She became a member of Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, where, as always, she pitched in everywhere she could. She was the head of Meals on Wheels, feeding the needy until her health began to take its toll on her. She survived a stroke and a heart attack and beat lung cancer and kept her family striving until she was called home by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Nathaniel and Flora Wallace; her daughter Ruth Elayne Walton; and her grandson DeArmond. Antoine Walton.

She is survived by her son, Kenneth L. Walton, of Chattanooga; daughter, Alycia D. Medley, of Atlanta; son, J. Chris Matthews, of Atlanta; granddaughters, Michelle Evans, Chattanooga, Andrea R. Toston, Atlanta, Javon Tatum, Atlanta; grandsons, Edward Thomas, Chattanooga, Christopher D. Bradley, Birmingham, Jalen Tatum, Atlanta, and a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Public viewing will be held from 9-11:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 21, at the funeral home, followed by a graveside service at noon at Forest Hills Cemetery.

Arrangements are by John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Avenue, 423-622-9995.

The Lord has called upon his angels to bring forth His child. May her spirit shine down among us until our last days. She has gone up yonder to be with her Lord.
In 1998, middle school students in a neighboring school district learned the harsh realities of World War II particularly about the victims of the Holocaust. To help students grasp the impact of the number of people murdered, teachers and students decided to create a memorial to the Holocaust victims. They collected paper clips to represent each of the six million victims of the Holocaust.

Norwegians, as a form of passive resistance to Nazi occupation, had worn a paper clip in their lapels. Thus the significance of the paper clip and its connection to World War II.

My point in relating this story is there were plenty of materials available in 1998 to teach the horrendous impact of the Holocaust. The creative staff and leadership of this school chose an excellent way to bring meaning to the inhumanity of the concentration camps-truly a fit object lesson.

Unfortunately in this woke era, progressives have taken the position that if a book is about a historic event or social injustice, it should be in public schools even if its filled with profanity and graphic sexual depictions.

To my knowledge, no books laced with obscenities and pornography were used in 1998 to teach those middle school students about the Holocaust. Yet the impact of paper clips memorial made the point and made it internationally for that matter.

In his book, My Life on the Plains, General George Custer depicts Native Americans as violent savages and worse. Custer was a colonialist and it is espoused in his book. General George Blood and Guts Patton, in his book, War as I Knew It, depicts the glory of war in graphic detail. His profanity laced diaries and speeches revealed his prejudices and belief in reincarnation as well as his advocacy of war and military might.

I wonder if those same progressives defending these controversial books in schools today would want Custer and Pattons books and others like them promoted in school by their childrens teachers?

Ralph Miller
A man on Grays Drive told police his son had busted his car window. He said he did not want to press any charges, just wanted his son to pay for or have the window fixed. Police spoke to the son, who agreed to either pay or fix the window. Police noted both the father and son to be intoxicated at the time.

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A woman on High Ridge Drive called police and said someone broke into her vehicle. She said they picked the drivers door lock and took a few items. She needed a report to get the lock fixed.

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A woman called police and said someone stole her wallet from her purse while she was at a restaurant at 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd. She said there were several charges on some of her credit cards and she contacted the locations. She was told to get a report and they would check video footage for possible suspect info. The woman said she would update the report if she gets more information.



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Police answered an unknown 911 call on Gadd Road. Officers spoke with a woman who said nothing was going on and she was not going to give officers any information or identification, then shut the door. Officers did not observe any marks on the female who answered the door.

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While on patrol, an officer saw a white male panhandling in a posted No Soliciting area at 2020 Gunbarrel Road. The officer approached the man and he was identified. He claimed he didn't see the two separate posted signs. He was given a warning and left.

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A woman on East 26th Street said someone entered and rummaged through her vehicle. She is concerned because the vehicle alarm didnt go off. She was adamant that the vehicle was locked overnight. She doesnt believe anything was taken.

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A man on McCallie Avenue said someone cut the catalytic converter off of his Honda Element and stole it. He doesnt know the cost to repair it at this time. He later called police back and said he was able to get his vehicle into an auto shop. He said the suspects also stole the vehicle muffler and o2 sensor. The repair cost was estimated at $2,740.

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A woman on Twin Brook Drive called police and said someone entered her unlocked Chevrolet Suburban and stole her two purses and the contents of each. She contacted all of the credit and debit card companies and canceled the cards.

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An employee at the Shell station, 1905 Gunbarrel Road, told police a man who was across the street at another store now had been asleep in the bathroom and caused a disorder when she asked him to leave. She wanted him trespassed. Police spoke with the man and trespassed him from the property.

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A man on North Hickory Street called police and said that he got back from a trip and the airline did not have his luggage when he arrived at the Chattanooga Airport. Police explained to the man that he would have to file a claim through the airline for lost luggage, or if it was a theft he would have to file a report with the Airport police.

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A man at 1-9 Exit 185b off ramp eastbound told police they were traveling east on I-24 in the far right lane when they possibly struck a pot hole. They pulled over to the right shoulder and found that the front passenger side tire had burst. They also found that the rim was damaged. The vehicle owner was given a complaint card for his records.

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Multiple calls from a security company came in to police about someone taking tires from Volvo on International Drive. Police observed a black F250 leaving the area with tires in the bed of the truck. Police stopped the vehicle. The driver claimed to have a contract with the dealership to pick up the tires. Inside the bed of the truck were three used tires. A follow-up will be conducted to determine if he does have a contract. The truck the man was driving came back to a tire shop called Tire Square and Wheels.

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A man on East 35th Street Place told police an older looking white male had stolen his tool box off his front porch. The man was told by his roommate the thief was seen in a black vehicle with another white male. The two were last seen headed west from the residence. Police searched the area, but did not locate the suspect's vehicle.

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A person turned in a Mexico passport found; however, the passport had zero identifiers as to whom it belonged. The passport was found at East Lake Duck Pond Park. The passport was taken to Property.

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A disorder was reported at a residence on Wilcox Boulevard. Police found a woman sitting outside with a blanket around her. The woman said she was invited by her fiance last night, but was told to leave. The woman was transported to a residence on Bailey Avenue. She was run through NCIC and found to have no active warrants.
This decade marks the 50th anniversary of a unique era in Chattanooga building construction  brutalist architecture.

At least from my perspective as a layman who appreciates the aesthetics of architecture simply as an observer rather than as a trained academician, it is primarily the building style highlighted by buildings covered mostly in exposed or reinforced concrete.

Still-standing downtown buildings that fit that style in Chattanooga are the first major addition to the Hunter Museum of American Art, First-Centenary United Methodist Church, the Hamilton County Justice Building fronting on Walnut Street, the former Lupton Library and Student Center at UTC, and my personal favorite  the Chattanooga Public Library.

And outside downtown Chattanooga, another one that has caught my eye simply due to the part of town I frequent is Big Ridge Elementary off now-busy Cassandra Smith Road in Hixson.

And there are likely others as well of this style that, like certain classic books or movies, took a little more time to accept than the more eye-catching mid-century modernist style of a decade or so earlier.

The brutalist buildings also dont look anything like the classic buildings that preceded them, nor do they look much like newer structures.

But they are noticeable, and the term, variety is the spice of life, certainly fits them. They are like the architectural seasoning that maybe offers a noticeable taste.

The style also seems to have aged well and still looks quite presentable nearly 50 years later, despite, or perhaps because of, its uniqueness.

The brutalist style was also likely an influence on the earlier Truist Building (former American National Bank Building) and even the 1980s-era TVA downtown complex built after the style waned.

Other local buildings that could fall under the brutalist style but are not detailed here include the former J.C. Penney department store at Northgate Mall completed in 1972, and the local Bnai Zion congregation in Brainerd/East Ridge, the planned razing of which was announced last summer.

The brutalist style was characterized by more minimalist construction methods that showcased bare and raw building materials like reinforced concrete, and maybe smoothed stone, steel and glass. Architects wanted to show off the quality of construction materials by exposing them.

The style, according to some information found online, developed in England and Europe in the 1950s and was also inspired in part by a need to construct low-cost housing after World War II. It was known for its lack of ornamentation like that found on more classically styled buildings

Once it arrived in Chattanooga, it apparently did so with a vengeance, based on the fact the Chattanooga buildings I am highlighting were designed by varying architects.

My goal initially with this story was to maybe find a local architect or historian to offer some insight into these buildings like I used to receive from the late Dr. Gavin Townsend of UTC with past architectural stories. And, although I frequent the public library and First-Centenary UMC as a church member, I also wanted to visit some of the other structures, which have varying degrees of public access.

Time and other constraints have prevented all of that, though, and while that might be an interesting additional story for a future date, here is some basic historical information I found on each one:

First-Centenary United Methodist Church  This was actually the first main building of the 1970s-era brutalist style to open in downtown Chattanooga. Despite its outside materials and modernistic look, it still has the somewhat classic look of a traditional church with a steeple and bell.

The new sanctuary/nave came about following the late 1960s merger of First and Centenary churches. First was located at the corner of McCallie and Georgia avenues, and all that remains of the R.H. Hunt-designed building is the steeple.

The also-razed Centenary church sat across Lindsay Street from Memorial Auditorium, and it was uniquely designed in the early 1920s by a Methodist minister.

While old stories say the building was constructed on the exterior of large sheets of white Alabama limestone, it has a brutalist general look to it, despite some detail, including a large chancel stained-glass window depicting the Biblical Story of Redemption.

The church was designed by architect Harold Wagoner of Philadelphia, Pa., who at the time was considered the dean of American church architects. The 14 stained-glass windows were done by Willet Studios, also of Philadelphia.

Ground-breaking ceremonies for the building were held on Sunday, June 13, 1971. The old Centenary bell dating to 1879 was moved to the new tower on March 26, 1972, while the new facility was dedicated on Palm Sunday, April 15, 1973. The senior pastor, Dr. Ralph Mohney, led the service.

Lupton Library/Hall  This building was said to be one of the first buildings constructed with state of Tennessee funds after the formerly private University of Chattanooga became part of the UT system in 1969 and was renamed UTC. It was designed by Derthick and Henley, led by Alan Derthick and Carroll Henley.

While the charge was reportedly to conform to the Collegiate Gothic style then popular on the UTC campus, the library building did so very loosely, with perhaps a little brick added to all the exposed concrete the main link.

While a library is considered a quiet place, construction on it started quite loudly with a dynamite explosion featuring smoke in the UTC colors of blue and gold during groundbreaking ceremonies on Sept. 30, 1971. UT system President Dr. Ed Boling was even on hand. H.E. Collins Co. was the general contractor.

The university part of Fletcher Library closed on Dec. 15, 1973, and the new library  which featured almost a cantilevered upper floor, a large and covered entrance plaza and continuous windows around much of it -- was opened on Jan. 17, 1974. The opening festivities included a lunch hosted by UTC Chancellor Dr. James Drinnon and a tour of the new building.

Needless to say, it looked nothing like the old early 20th century buildings in the quadrangle area, or even the nearby Cadek and Guerry buildings, but it still had its own appeal in the eyes of some.

The building was renamed the Lupton Library in memory of Cartter and Margaret Rawlings Lupton in 1986 in recognition of a gift from the family of Coca-Cola bottler Jack Lupton, their son.

In 2014, a new library opened at UTC, and plans were announced to turn the old Lupton Library into an academic building called Lupton Hall.

UTC Student Center  When this building was planned, it was to be designed by Bianculli and Tyler, but by the time the project got going, Jack Tyler and Associates was the architectural firm of record. Ground was broken during a ceremony on Sept. 28, 1972, for this building that was to include a cafeteria, recreation rooms, a 600-seat lecture/film hall, student meeting rooms and an eye-catching interior stairway.

The building constructed by contractors Wilson and Street was dedicated on Aug. 29, 1974, with Gov. Winfield Dunn along with Dr. Boling in attendance.

This building has grown along with the campus, as it was expanded in 1984, the contract for a patio and stage expansion was let in 1989, and another expansion was completed in 2004. It has changed over the years while mostly keeping its unique style.

Initial Hunter Art Museum Expansion  Nowhere in Chattanooga did classic architecture meet a more modern style head-on than with the brutalist addition that was built onto the colonnaded Hunter Museum building. It was like space age meets ancient Greece or early 1900s Chattanooga, or at least like putting an apple next to an orange.

And the unique addition was built not only onto the Hunter Museum, but also under it and in front of it, using the bluff location in a rather unique way.

The architects Derthick and Henley admitted in a 1976 interview with Emily McDonald of the Chattanooga Times that quite a few people had reacted to the building with strong opinions on both sides. In fact, they said it was the most-commented-on building they had designed, which they added was good.

Part of the success of the museum is that it does evoke a response from the person who sees it, said Mr. Henley.

Expanded at a time when visits to cities cultural facilities were beginning to expand nationwide, the museum announced plans for the new wing in the fall of 1972. Chattanoogans followed with much interest the numerous newspaper articles highlighting such phases as the removal of the porch in 1973, and one photo showed hanging columns.

The home part of the museum had been formerly lived in by such noted Chattanoogans as Ross Faxon and Coca-Cola bottler George T. Hunter.

During construction, the museum had offices at 26 Bluff View and used exhibit space in the former Lookout Sporting Goods store at 719 Cherry St.

After the expansion was completed, the museum reopened on Sept. 21, 1975. The opening exhibit featured 100 paintings on loan from other Southern museums. Included was a painting done by the noted Andrew Wyeth.

The old part of the museum was to house the permanent collection, while the new part was to house changing exhibits and educational programs.

A wing reflective of an even more contemporary style was years later constructed on the other side, so one can get a thorough education of American architecture just be standing outside and looking at the entire complex.

Hamilton County Justice Building  Featuring unique-and-modernistic long columns in the front perhaps as an ode to classic architecture, this building also seems to have handled the issue of looking attractive with window placement, despite being a prison.

Like the UTC Student Center, it was also designed by Jack Tyler and Associates, with Mr. Tylers wife, Lynda, the interior decorator. The building was built to replace the aging county jail, which dated to the 1800s and was located next door and would eventually be torn down.

Groundbreaking for the Justice Building, which was being built by Robins Engineering, was held on Feb. 8, 1973. It was to feature the latest security equipment, including motion-detection surveillance and television-monitoring cameras.

The detention part of the facility was also to be separate from the courts and public access areas that were initially part of the building before the later courts building was constructed on Market Street.

The Justice Building was dedicated on Jan. 15, 1976. County Judge Don Moore, whose position later morphed into county mayor, was the speaker and he said he hoped the building would be the cornerstone for a local and modern governmental complex.

Also on hand was Victor Manuel Contreras of Mexico, who had been commissioned to create the unique Good and Evil sculpture on display in the buildings lobby.

The prisoners were moved from the old County Jail on Feb. 18, 1976, in what was no doubt an unusual photo op, and the antiquated old jail was open for public tours on March 14, 1976, before its demolition.

Chattanooga Public Library  This building for years was known as the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library before its funding formula changed, so its year of opening at 10th and Broad streets is not hard to figure out.

It opened for patrons on Monday, Oct. 18, 1976, after a Sunday open house and dedication in which Dr. Joe Johnson of Interstate life was the featured speaker.

It was replacing the classic Fletcher Library at UTC, which the university had also used, and which later became part of the business school and was expanded.

The Bicentennial Library building was also designed by Derthick and Henley (now known as Derthick, Henley and Wilkerson, or DH&W) and built by Robins Engineering of reinforced concrete.

It was known for its open floor plan with plenty of light coming in from all the window space, its entrance plaza and fountain, and its three metal art pieces that were done by Jeff Naylor. He was a British-born sculptor who at the time was on the faculty at the University of Florida. Two of his pieces remain, but the tall one was later replaced by a metal sculpture depicting a book and bookend.

Perhaps because of the style of these buildings, they were also calling out for artwork to be part of them to enhance them.

The library also had an interesting gazebo in the childrens section that has since been removed as well.

But even as the library is trying to reinvent itself and offer new services like passport help and a coffee bar in addition to books and local history research in this changing digital age, it remains quite a showplace for passersby to that part of downtown.

It might have originally looked rather different and unusual or maybe just modern, but today it is almost like a vintage landmark.

Big Ridge Elementary  The unusual-looking gray school building was welcomed in the late 1970s not so much for its look, but for its function of being able to house more city school students in the fast-growing area of Hixson. It was to pull some 600 students from DuPont and Hixson elementaries.

The architect for the school was Edwin E. Howard. In contrast to all those local schools built around 1960 and full of windows, the Big Ridge one had much fewer windows, but each room was still given natural light. It also had covered entrance areas with two features more representative of the mid-century modernist style -- zig-zag roofs over covered entrances and a privacy wall made of open concrete bricks.

Principal Amanda Cate, who had formerly served at Barger Elementary, said during an initial tour of the building that she liked the fact that you could stand behind the office and see all the way down both hallways. Its a principals dream, she said with a smile.

The name of the new school that sits at the foot of Big Ridge across from Bethel Bible Village was announced in May 1979. As school was getting ready to start later that summer, officials stated that it would open a little later than expected due to construction delays, but that the students would go a little longer each day for a period to make up for the slow start.

It was to be the first new city school since Clifton Hills Elementary opened in 1968.

An official dedication and open house were held on Nov. 18, 1979.

Buildings like it and the other brutalist structures might look different from the styles used today, but they have definitely made their mark on Chattanooga in their own ways.

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Jcshearer2@comcast.net
The Chattanooga Fire Department worked a residential structure fire in the 4800 block of Ranger Lane late Saturday morning.

Red Shift companies responded to the call at 11 a.m. Smoke detectors alerted the occupants to a fire in the kitchen and they were able to get out of their home safely with no injuries.

Firefighters made a quick interior attack, extinguishing the fire within 10 minutes.

Four occupants were displaced (three adults and one child).

The American Red Cross will be assisting the family. Quint 6, Ladder 7, Squad 7, Quint 8, Engine 4, Battalion 2 and Battalion 3 responded.
Lubbock, TX (79409)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early. Thunderstorms developing late. Storms may produce some hail. Low around 60F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early. Thunderstorms developing late. Storms may produce some hail. Low around 60F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
The opening scene of Taylor Sheridans 1883 seemingly shows Elsa Duttons death  but fans still dont know how exactly the teen gets to that point. In 1883 episode 8, fans saw Elsa fall in love with Sam and vow to return to him after seeing her family gets to Oregon safely. But going back to the opening scene, some fans think a clue suggests Elsa knows the man who shoots her.

What happens to Elsa Dutton in 1883? The opening scene may show her death

Elsa Dutton in 1883 Episode 8 | Emerson Miller/Paramount+

1883 episode 1 begins with Elsa Dutton crying on the ground. As she awakens from an attack, she looks around to see wagons set aflame. These wagons seemingly belong to the immigrants she and her parents, James and Margaret Dutton, traveled with in hopes of reaching Oregon.

The opening scene doesnt show James or Margaret, though. Instead, fans only see Elsa on the ground  and she communicates with one of the Native Americans who attacks her group.

Will you let me go? Elsa asks the Native American man.

I will sell you, or I will kill you, he says to her while on his horse.

You speak English, Elsa says to him. How can you do this?

You speak English  and no, your people did this, the Native American answers.

Then, Elsa shoots him with a gun as he shoots her in the stomach with an arrow. From there, Elsa continues to shoot her attackers with the gun. Its unclear if Elsa dies, but many fans assume as much.

Some fans think Elsa knows the man who shoots her

Martin Sensmeier as Sam and Isabel May as Elsa of the Paramount+ original series 1883 | Emerson Miller/Paramount+

Elsas interaction with the Native American man in the 1883 opening scene has fans wondering if she knows him already. She seems surprised by the fact that he speaks English, but some fans find it suspicious the way she asks him how he could attack her people.

Also, the fact that Elsa asked, Why are you doing this? makes me think she knows this person and it isnt just a random attack, a fan on Reddit noted.

With only two episodes left of the current season of 1883, fans expect to see the events leading up to the opening scene unfold soon. Also, given the way Elsas dressed and with the beads in her hair, some fans believe the attack takes place on her wedding day. Its possible that Elsa travels back to marry Sam, and thats where she encounters the Native American tribe that attacks her and her people.

Its also possible viewers will meet this attacking tribe prior to Elsa getting shot. Perhaps on the Dutton familys travels to Oregon, they encounter the tribe who issue a warning to them not to cross their land. If Elsa and other immigrants travel back to Sam while Margaret and James stay in Oregon, this could possibly anger the tribe, causing the attack.

What will happen in 1883 Season 2?

Fans anticipate Elsas death at the end of 1883 Season 1. But what about 1883 Season 2? According to Variety, Paramount+ ordered new episodes of the series, but its unclear if the episodes will serve as a continuation of season 1 or a new season altogether.

If 1883 Season 2 does happen, we anticipate connecting more dots between James and Margaret Duttons time settling in Oregon and the beginning of Yellowstone. Many fans noticed Elsa is suspiciously absent from Yellowstone flashbacks, which leads more fans to believe she dies. Additionally, fans noticed Margaret and James likely have another son. A second season of 1883 could focus on their grief of losing Elsa while also bringing another child into the world.

1883 Episode 9 airs Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, on Paramount+.

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RELATED: 1883: LaMonica Garrett Said the Action Turns Up With Future Episodes, Calls Remainder of Season Faster Paced
In the 2000s, actor Armie Hammer was tapped to play a different take on Batman. The now-scrapped project wouldve seen Hammers caped crusader alongside the Justice League. But Hammer revealed he was actually relieved plans didnt fall through, as he was sure he wouldve made a terrible Batman.

Armie Hammier felt that he wouldve made a terrible Batman

Armie Hammer | Terence Patrick/CBS via Getty Images

As some know, George Miller planned to direct the canceled Justice League Mortal. The film was supposed to come out when Christopher Nolans Dark Knight trilogy was still in theaters. However, The Hollywood Reporter noted that Nolan allegedly didnt like the idea of two Batmen on screen. Apart from that, the writers strike from 2007-2008 also made it difficult for the movie to get off the ground.

While still in its infancy, Justice League Mortal already had a cast in mind to portray Warner Bros iconic superheroes. DJ Cotrona was set to play Superman. Megan Gale and Adrian Brody were Wonder Woman and Flash, respectively. Common was Green Lantern, and a very young Hammer was tapped as the next actor to play Batman.

The project would eventually fall through, with none of the actors in mind ever portraying their roles. In hindsight, Hammer was glad the project never came to fruition, as he felt he wasnt ready to be Batman.

I would have made a terrible Batman, Hammer told Yahoo. Really terrible. Its too young. No one wants to see a 19-year-old Batman. What can a 19-year-old do?

What drew Hammer to the project wasnt just the Batman character. It was the fact that Mad Max director George Miller would helm the project.

The thing I really loved about that project was the fact that George Miller was doing it. I thought that it was really cool to create  this was before Marvel had done it and before DC had done it  it was going to be really cool to see a world where all of these superheroes were on camera for the first time, and I thought that was great, Hammer said.

Armie Hammer stole the Justice League Mortal script when the movie was scrapped

In an interview with IMDb, Armie Hammer revealed that he and the cast were already shooting when the studio canned the project.

But yeah, it was amazing we were down in Australia for like a month or two months doing shoots, doing rehearsals in the suits, all the characters in their suits, and then we get a call one day from the producers saying we need everyone to come in and bring all of your materials, Hammer said.

Afterward, Hammer and the cast proceeded to pack up their costumes and film equipment to the studio. But not before the actor took a souvenir home with him.

I quickly snuck a CD out of my computer, put it in my back pocket, turned it all in, and I managed to basically steal a script but other than that, I had nothing to show for it, he revealed. Im sure there are pictures floating around somewhere with all of us in our costumes, but yeah, you know the tax budget all kinda went away in Australia, and then the government had a huge reform, and they sent us home.

Was Armie Hammer ever in the running for Matt Reeves The Batman?

When Matt Reeves was getting ready to cast the new Batman for his film, fans ran wild with casting speculation. Websites like Comic Book reported that Reeves was looking for actors in their late 20s to don the cape and cowl. This led some to consider the young actors that couldve filled the part, with Hammers name coming up frequently.

Some had even claimed that Armie Hammer was in the later stages of being Reeves official Batman.

No one who can actually give me the job has asked me if Im interested, Hammer once told Yahoo. I dont even know if they are done  they are still working on a script. I dont think that they are close to production, but I can conclusively tell you that no one has checked my availability, which is a bummer.

The Batman role would later go to Robert Pattinson. But ironically, Hammer was once set to star as Batman in the now-scrapped Justice League project.

RELATED: Armie Hammer Confessed He Was Close to Completely Losing His Mind Before His Divorce
Bob Sagets family filed a lawsuit to keep his death investigation records confidential one month after the actor was found in his hotel room. Following the lawsuit and comments made by the Full House stars former castmates, fans are wondering what Sagets family wants to keep private. Heres what happened and what fans are saying.

Bob Saget | Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Bob Sagets cause of death was unknown for 1 month after he was discovered in his hotel room

Actor Bob Saget was found dead in a hotel room in Orlando, Florida, on Jan. 9. One month later, the comedians family released a statement revealing his cause of death.

The authorities have determined that Bob passed from head trauma, the Saget family told People. They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep. No drugs or alcohol were involved.

CNN reported that Saget tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) after his death. The actor shared in December 2021 that he had the coronavirus, and PCR tests can yield positive results weeks after recovery.

A few days after giving their statement, Sagets family, including his wife Kelly Rizzo and his three daughters, filed a lawsuit to keep further details of the death investigation private.

Bob Saget and Kelly Rizzo | Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images

Bob Sagets family filed a lawsuit to keep details of his death investigation private

On Feb. 15, People reported that Bob Sagets family filed a lawsuit against the District Nine Medical Examiners Office and Orange County Sheriff John Mina. The goal of the lawsuit is to prevent documents related to Sagets death from being released.

Sagets family claimed in court documents that releasing further details about his death would cause irreparable harm in the form of extreme mental pain, anguish, and emotional distress.

The day after news of the lawsuit broke, Sagets Full House co-star Candace Cameron Bure did an interview with Fox News.

When asked about the lawsuit and whether she keeps in touch with the comedians family, the actor replied, I keep in close contact with Kelly. Its been difficult these past couple weeks because of more things that have come out and theres a lot of questions.

Cameron Bure added, Im trying honestly not to think about it, in the sense that I just want to remember Bob and what a kind and loving and amazing person that he was and let it be that.

Bob Saget | Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Fans are speculating why the comedians family wants to block the investigation results from being released

Bob Sagets fans are wondering why his family doesnt want the details of his death released. Some are saying its understandable to want as much privacy as possible, while others are speculating that there is something to hide.

One fan tweeted, Whenever the family wants to hide the cause of death, then its either suicide or drug related. Another fan commented on a story about the lawsuit by tweeting, But why? Unless its to hide something 

One fan supported Sagets family by tweeting, They announced (not hid) the cause of Sagets death to his fans. They didnt anticipate the rampant covid-skeptic, anti-vax, conspiracy-theory, foul-play & self-harm speculators coming out in droves trying to ruin his reputation or try to prove something thats not there.

Another fan defended the publics right to know the details of Sagets death by tweeting, It is EVERYBODYS business dude, Theyre PUBLIC RECORDS. If every news channel has room to post stories about his death, then they have room for further relevant autopsy details. What are they trying to hide?

RELATED: Full House Star John Stamos Reveals He Forced Bob Saget to Go to Therapy: We Were Like a Married Couple
Kate Gosselin hasnt been seen much since Kate Plus 8 has been off the air. But that doesnt mean she hasnt been living her life. The erstwhile reality star was recently spotted in North Carolina after it was revealed shed moved there from her old home in Pennsylvania.

Kate Gosselin | Noel Vasquez/Getty Images

Kate Gosselin looked unrecognizable, according to reports

InTouch confirmed that Kate Gosselin recently moved to North Carolina. The outlet reports that the former reality star purchased a home in the town of Troutman, and the lakefront home has about 3500 sq. ft., with four bedrooms and five bathrooms. Gosselin reportedly paid $750,000 for the house.

While the report claimed that Gosselin was unrecognizable, a source close to the Kate Plus 8 star confirmed that the move had to do with her financial issues. It is also unclear how much the former reality star earns as a nurse today.

Kate had been living a relatively normal life in Pennsylvania for years after her reality show fame began to fizzle out. The kids were in school and they kept her busy, the source said to the outlet. Finances were always an issue, though. Kate had been living way above her means for years. She had sporadic deals.  It was not enough income to cover their way of life. Her bills were high [with] private school tuition, out-of-state college, a huge house and property.

Shed moved to North Carolina after selling her home

In October 2020, People revealed that Kate Gosselin had put her Pennsylvania mansion up for sale. The home, which is where many episodes of her popular reality show were filmed, was located in Wernersville.

The home boasted six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and more than 7000 sq. ft. Whats more, the home also was nestled on more than 20 acres of private land, and it featured lush landscaping everywhere.

Although the home was initially listed for $1.3 million, InTouch (via The Sun) revealed that the home was ultimately sold for only $1.1 million, which is what the Gosselins paid for the property when they first bought it back in 2008.

Gosselin is now staying out of the limelight

A source close to Kate Gosselin revealed to InTouch that the former reality show star prefers to live her life outside of the limelight now. The source revealed that Gosselin had received a multi-state nursing license in 2021. And the outlet confirmed that the license is valid until 2023.

But as fans of the popular reality show are aware, Gosselin was a labor and delivery nurse in Pennsylvania before she achieved reality TV fame. So, this news doesnt come as too much of a shock to those who have been following her career. Its not clear, however, if shes going back to her former specialty or if she has a new one altogether.

Hopefully, Kate Gosselin is much happier now than she had been in the past.

RELATED: Kate Gosselins Net Worth and How She Made Money After Jon & Kate Plus 8
The Power of the Dog is nominated for 12 Oscars at the 94th Academy Awards. Not only is Jane Campion the likely winner of Best Director, but the Western drama itself could be gunning for the top prize. And if it wins, Netflixs The Power of the Dog could be the first Best Picture winner released directly through a streaming service. Of course, theres a long history of Westerns getting awards love. But where was the picturesque The Power of the Dog filmed?

Benedict Cumberbatch | David M. Benett/Dave Benett

The Power of the Dog takes place in 1920s Montana

For The Power of the Dog, Campion assembled a talented cast of actors. Among them are Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Jesse Plemons. The story  based on Thomas Savages 1967 novel  focuses on a rancher (Cumberbatch), whose world turns upside down when his brother (Plemons) takes a wife (Dunst). And in addition to the character-based story, Campion hones in on the idyllic setting of 1920s Montana.

The filming locations in The Power of the Dog add a lot to the story Campion  who also wrote the film  is telling. And its also a big part of why the movie managed to attract so many Oscar nominations. Campions first movie in 12 years, The Power of the Dog captures the essence of an entire genre but does something new with its trappings.

RELATED: Oscars 2022: The Power of the Dog Star Benedict Cumberbatch Reveals Which Stars Hes Most Excited to Meet

But Jane Campion shot it somewhere else instead

Although The Power of the Dog feels like a piece of Americana brought to the big screen, the movie actually wasnt shot in the United States at all. According to The Los Angeles Times, Campion initially planned to film the movie in Montana. But she was unable to do so for budgetary reasons, Campion explained.

I felt sick about not shooting [in Montana]. It was my idea for a long time. But then budget reality hit. A lot of fantastic old ranch houses had been renovated as resorts. Or turned into second homes that were half authentic, half fabulous kitchens. We looked and looked, but we didnt find anything, and the cost of building the ranch house and a fake town there turned out to be incredibly expensive items.

Instead, The Power of the Dog filmed in Campions native New Zealand. Thankfully, the director and her team were able to make it work, pinpointing locations that convincingly doubled for the storys setting. As it turned out, most viewers probably wouldnt even notice the difference.

Will Benedict Cumberbatch and company win Oscars?

Campions movie has yet to win any Academy Awards. But judging by sites like Gold Derby  which tracks awards season odds and predictions  The Power of the Dog is in line to take multiple awards home on Oscar night. Among the predicted winners is Campion herself, who must overcome Steven Spielberg for West Side Story. Campion previously lost the Best Director trophy in 1994 to Spielberg, who won for Schindlers List.

Likewise, Cumberbatch, Dunst, and Smit-McPhee are all very much in their respective races. Right now, Cumberbatch and Dunst are hot on the heels of Will Smith and Ariana DeBose in Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress right now. Meanwhile, Smit-McPhee is currently in the lead for Best Supporting Actor, outpacing Troy Kotsur and even his own The Power of the Dog co-star, Plemons.

The 94th Academy Awards air on ABC on March 27, 2022.

RELATED: The Power of the Dog: Oscar Contender Benedict Cumberbatch Breaks Down his Toxic Character at Venice Film Festival
A bald eagle flies over the Harrison River near Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2013. A 20-year-old Louisiana man has been sentenced to 30 days in prison and a year on supervised release for possessing a bald eagle feather, federal prosecutors said Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
A flock of young turkeys stand in a barn at the Moline family turkey farm after the Mason, Iowa farm was restocked on Aug. 10, 2015. Farms that raise turkeys and chickens for meat and eggs are on high alert, fearing a repeat of a widespread bird flu outbreak in 2015 that killed 50 million birds across 15 states and cost the federal government nearly $1 billion. The new fear is driven by the discovery announced Feb. 9, 2022, of the virus infecting a commercial turkey flock in Indiana. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Cheshires Valerie Strange has loved developing a career out of serving other people. As an occupational therapist for the last 36 years, she has helped her clients find activities and jobs that promote health and wellness.

For people with illnesses and disabilities, Strange has also worked to reduce obstacles for them to participate in the community and live productively. She dates her activism back to a young age.

As a kid, I babysat quite a bit, including taking care of kids with special needs. Going into college, I wanted to be a special education teacher, but decided to pursue occupational therapy, recalled Strange, who has earned her Bachelors, Post Professional Masters, and Clinical Doctorate degrees at Quinnipiac University. Ive always been passionate about working with people and helping them maximize their potential.

In 2014, she found an organization that shared her passion for friendship and inclusion. After starting out as a volunteer and supporter for Best Buddies Connecticut, she has served on the groups board for the last seven years.

A non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, Best Buddies International creates opportunities for one-on-one friendships, employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Their mission hits home for me, stated Strange. As an occupational therapist, Ive worked across a wide spectrum. Every individual has different abilities whether you have a health condition or not.

Strange first joined Best Buddies as a co-chair for fall activities at QU. She liked getting to know people and plan things like the Friendship Walk, an event that brings buddies and supporters together from around the state.

It is meant to be a fundraiser and an opportunity for buddies to share inclusion, said Strange. We also have activities like arts and crafts.

The Friendship Walk started out in the fall, but has since moved to the spring. This years walk will run on May 1 at Dunkin Donuts Park in Hartford.

We want to celebrate our friendships together, added Strange.

In the fall of 2020, Strange became the Advisory Board Chair for Best Buddies Connecticut.

It has been a nice opportunity, reflected Strange. My role is to be a liaison between the board and buddy organizations.

Over the last year and a half, Strange said that the board has tried to provide support for local chapters on the middle school, high school, and college levels. She feels that increased participation will translate to more inclusion in communities.

We all have differences, stated Strange. Everyone has the right and need to be a contributing member of society. That (philosophy) is what resonates with me.

She has enjoyed seeing the growth of Best Buddies Citizens, a program that creates one-to-one friendships between adults with IDD and people in the workplace and the community.

As an adult, making friendships is different than when you are in high school and college, explained Strange. We are making a push to get local organizations involved with a group of adult buddies. It gives the organizations the opportunity to spend time with these citizens and find similarities that we often discover when we socialize with each other.

For her job as an occupational therapist and Clinical Associate Professor at QU, Strange also takes people into the community to make new contacts. She recently took graduate students to a business for a research project.

They were excited to socialize and talk to people about things like what they were going to do on the weekend, recalled Strange.

In the last two years, Strange has seen Best Buddies adjust to health concerns brought on by the pandemic.

Just like in our school settings and businesses, there have been challenges. We are still having trouble with schools not wanting to have in-person events, said Strange. We have pivoted to going virtual with things. That has been helpful, but we look forward to being back in person.

Right now at QU, she is involved with planning a screening of the documentary Intelligent Lives on March 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. In the American film, three young adults with intellectual disabilities challenge perceptions in the workforce, high school, and college.

QU Vice President of Equity, Inclusion, and Leadership Development Dr. Donald Sawyer will also speak at the screening.

We are expecting to have 200 to 300 people in an open space, stated Strange. Im excited for this event.

Locally, Strange is proud that her college, as well as Cheshire High School, have a passionate following in their Best Buddies clubs.

Im doubly thrilled that so many people are getting involved, stated Strange. Additionally, it is nice to watch high school and college students become advocates for social change. We have students who are serving as (club) presidents and buddy ambassadors.

Strange plans to step down as advisory board chair this summer, but will stay on for another year if no one wants to take her position.

For the position, the idea is to put in two years and then allow someone else to come in with new ideas, stated Strange, who plans to keep volunteering in the future.

Through her work, she has liked having the chance to network and build relationships in the community.

We have a variety of board members from faculty to parents, said Strange. It is a great organization.

Strange has also appreciated the help of her family and friends in following her passion.

They love it and have been very supportive, stated Strange. In the health care field, we say that we are all involved with service. I cant describe the satisfaction of being involved with this movement.
Lubbock, TX (79409)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with thunderstorms becoming likely overnight. Storms may produce some hail. Low 59F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with thunderstorms becoming likely overnight. Storms may produce some hail. Low 59F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
As a Jew, this is why I celebrate Black History Month

Half a century ago, the Jewish community stood side by side with African Americans as they marched peacefully to demand their rights as citizens and as children of God. The voice of the Jewish community was heard loud and clear in support of the Civil Rights Movement, led by the courageous Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other African American leaders in Selma in 1965.

Jewish Americans were even pivotal in founding and funding many of the civil rights organizations of the 1960s and 1970s, most notably the NAACP. Whats more, Jewish civil rights workers Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner gave their lives fighting for full equality for African Americans alongside African American civil rights activist James Chaney.

I firmly believe, just as my father Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein believed, that there are close parallels between the history of African Americans and the history of the Jewish people. Hardly anything in life ties people closer together than the pain of a common struggle. If there are any people that could identify with the circumstances of black Americans, it is certainly their Jewish brothers and sisters. We both possess, as Rabbi Joachim Prinz once put it, a history of slavery, oppression, ghettos, hate and deprivation.

In recalling our own exodus from slavery and bondage, my father once wrote, we are to actively seek freedom for all those to whom it is presently denied. While progress has been made, it is a sad fact that racial injustice persists in our society. We saw this yet again recently, as a wave of bomb threats targeted black colleges and universities in the U.S. As these acts of hatred, violence and injustice served as a wake-up call during the civil rights movement, they should serve as one now.

I recall Psalm 82, which is a passionate plea against injustice: Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. While the simple meaning of this Psalm suggests that it is addressing judges, officers and the like, I think that the psalmists sentiments can be addressed to usall of us. Injustice is an affront to all, and it is up to all of us to do our part to eradicate it, even if others remain silent.

As the Jewish sages taught thousands of years ago, In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man. When no one else is stepping up to the plate, and especially when those in powerful positions are not fulfilling their roles, we should step up and assume that responsibility as best as we can.

Before he died, my father often reminded us that it was an 86-year-old African American Baptist pastor from Virginia who first opened his eyes to the love Christians have for Israel and her people. It was that discovery that eventually led him to found the organization I now lead, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship).

The Fellowship is a bridge-building organization, and now more than ever our world needs bridge-building to heal our hurt and deep division. We must despise evil actions, but not despise people. We must communicate honestly, yet in a spirit of love. When the world largely ignores the suffering of those in distress, we must pay attention, step up and take action to alleviate that suffering in whatever way we can.

In Hebrew, the word for charity is tzedakah, which shares the same root as the Hebrew word for justice. This is because charity is not just a kindness in Judaism. It is justice, our social and spiritual obligation.

There is one portion of the Passover prayer we read every year that is uniquely valuable for my African American friends and their struggle today: May He who broke Pharaohs yoke forever shatter all fetters of oppression, and hasten the day when war will be no more. Soon may He bring redemption to all mankind  freed from violence and from wrong, and united in an eternal covenant of brotherhood.

I am praying that prayer over you  and all of us  now, and always.
Christians, its time to show up in the fight against anti-Semitism

I shouldnt have to say this, but anti-Semitism is wrong. Full stop.

In the last few weeks alone, swastikas have defiled a synagogue in Chicago, defaced Union Station in Washington, D.C. Literal Nazis held a demonstration in Orlando last weekend, and Whoopi Goldberg, a household name for all Americans, used her platform to state unequivocally that the Holocaust had nothing to do with race.

All of these are different symptoms of the same root cause: hatred and prejudice of the Jewish people.

While each of these instances is despicable in its own way, they are hardly new. These are new amalgamations of a centurys old hatred that the world tends to marginalize time and again. Jews are left out of intersectionality conversations, and the presence of anti-Semitism in the modern world is disputed at best, and at worst, denied altogether. It is relegated to an issue that only the Jewish people should be concerned with that is wrong.

Today anti-Semitism has two faces: the hatred and prejudice of the Jewish people and the hatred of Israel. The modern state of Israel is the only Jewish state in the world and is the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people. Israel is integral to the faith and heritage of the Jewish people.

It is the land where Abraham became a nation. Zion is mentioned in the Jewish Bible 850 times. Yet, in conversations about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, any mention of legitimate Jewish connection to the Holy Land is typically shut down, criticized and demonized.

This month, Amnesty International accused Israel of being an apartheid state within its own borders, as well as outside of them. These false accusations, unjust criticism and hatred manifest in what is called anti-Zionism. Though media and the international community try to disassociate anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, they are one and the same.

The Jews were the people by which God brought the moral order into the world. Since the earliest of times, the Jewish people have contributed so much to humanity, yet they still stand alone. While they have had many a fair-weather friend, Jews need true friends to stand with them. Friends who are physically present in both the trials and triumphs.

As a Christian, I recognize that the roots of my faith are part of the legacy of the Jewish people. I was raised to love thy neighbor and so I stand as a friend of the Jewish people. Showing up takes courage. In the 1930s showing up for what was right and standing with the Jewish people often meant suffering the same fate. Though the cost isnt the same as in the past, there is a cost. Despite that cost, I stand because it is the just and right thing to do.

I am not alone in feeling this way. There are other Christians like me who believe in fostering Christian-Jewish friendships and showing up in solidarity with our Jewish friends and neighbors. Christians who want to replace the ugliness of hatred with the beauty of love and friendship and who hold the conviction to use our voices wherever they need to be heard.

As anti-Semitic attacks continue to rise, both domestically and abroad, it is becoming more and more apparent that the time to act is now. Christians must draw attention to this issue and remind their Jewish friends and neighbors that they are not alone. The Body of Christ must not commit the same sins of the past, standing by while injustices were being perpetrated against the Jewish community. We must be friends that show up for them, stand with them and remind the world that anti-Semitism is always wrong.
Rediscovering the 15 benefits of fasting

Ministering to 2,000 young people in the 70s, I shared Bible teacher Derek Prince's Changing History Through Prayer and Fasting challenge that calls on us to forgo food and intercede to change America. Praying for governing authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-4), we watched as a sitting president was removed from office as unrighteousness was exposed.



Fasting has a preeminent place throughout Scripture, yet scores of people ignore or avoid it. It does bring discomfort, yet we desperately need it. The benefits far exceed the drawbacks. So, stay engaged to learn 15 specific scriptural benefits to motivate you.



'I hate fasting!'



Who said these words?



Would it surprise you to discover that the individual is one of the foremost advocates for fasting in America today? Im talking here of a unique man of God Ive known as a friend for 40 years, Lou Engle.



Years ago, I sat in a California living room with senior leaders and some friends. We all stocked our plates with delicious food and sat down to fellowship.



While I hunkered down on the couch, Lou sat next to me. Previously someone had whispered to me that he was in the middle of an extended fast, so I twisted my posture to avoid having the sumptuous delights in his line of vision.



Suddenly my revivalist buddy startled me by saying, Larry, dont worry, Im OK. Enjoy your dinner! I hate fasting but, ya know, I love what comes from the investment.



Face it, fasting is not natural. It runs counter to our desire for comfort, pleasure and self-satisfaction. It entails discipline like the Apostle Paul described in I Corinthians 9:27, I buffet my body. He wasnt speaking here of a food buffet!



Jesus promised an 'open reward'



When we humble ourselves through fasting in order to seek God and His promised blessings, we position ourselves to be recipients of the open reward Jesus promised in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6:16-18 KJV). As long as we abide by His instructions and cautions to steer clear of legalism and outward show, plus stay in expectant faith, we can be confident of blessings and breakthroughs like those promised in Isaiah 58 (the Lord shall guide you [v11] ... your healing will quickly appear [v8].)



In Matthew 9:14-15, Jesus told some inquirers that His disciples werent fasting while He as the Bridegroom was present with them, but after He left, then they will fast. Richard Foster in his classic work, Celebration of Discipline, said, This is perhaps the most important statement in the New Testament on whether Christians should fast today.



Multitudes dont fast today because of bad religious experiences (raised Catholic, I was forced to fast weekly and hated it); or believe its a discarded Old Testament practice associated with sin, sorrow and mourning.



Today we have the privilege of willingly engaging in a bridal fast not out of legalism but out of a longing for greater intimacy with Jesus. We eagerly await the return of our Bridegroom, the consummation of the Age, and the "New Heaven and New Earth" (Rev. 21:1).



Inspiration from leaders



Before he died at 81, I had the honor to pray with Campus Crusade founder Bill Bright. His countenance was like that of a 30-year-old! He once received the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion and donated the entire $1.1 million to promote the benefits of prayer and fasting.



Bill told us: Fasting prepares us for the deepest and richest spiritual communion possible. It clears and liberates our minds to understand what God is saying to our spirits. It conditions our bodies to carry out His perfect will. When we persevere through the initial mental and physical discomfort, we will experience a calming of the soul and cooling of the appetites. As a result, we will sense the presence of the Lord more than ever before.



Richard Foster said: In a culture where the landscape is dotted with shrines to the Golden Arches and an assortment of pizza temples, fasting seems out of place, out of step with the times. In fact, fasting has been in general disrepute both in and outside the church for many years. For example, in my research, I could not find a single book published on the subject of Christian fasting from 1861 to 1954  a period of nearly 100 years!

Returning to your 'first love'



Years ago, a pastor in Pennsylvania was convicted of wasting time on frivolous late-night TV when he shouldve been seeking the Lord. Lord, if youre behind this, Ill put an ad in the newspaper to sell the TV, but You bring a buyer a half-hour after it hits the streets.



Twenty-five minutes after the newspaper came out, David said to his wife, "Gwen, maybe this was not " Then the phone rang and a man said hed come by in 15 minutes to make the purchase!



Because of this change, David Wilkerson sought the Lord earnestly, became aware of teen gangs in New York, then shortly thereafter relocated to the Big Apple. In time he developed the most successful drug rehab program in the world, Teen Challenge, and notorious gang leader Nicky Cruz was converted. David Wilkersons book The Cross and the Switchblade and Nicky Cruzs Run Baby Run reached millions of people worldwide with the Gospel.



My wifes parents were converted through Nickys testimony, which led to seven other family members living at the home to all be born again.



Are you a candidate for greater intimacy with God? Do you have a lost loved one? Are you in need of a miracle, healing, or divine intervention? Derek Prince said, Deliverance is for the desperate  does that describe you?



I encourage you to read some practical information on fasting and, if needed, consult with your doctor if you have medical issues. As this new year is underway and multitudes are accepting the challenge of fasting, review these potential benefits God can bring your way.

15 rewards of fasting



1. Renews spiritual vision

2. Brings holy brokenness

3. Purifies our heart

4. Humbles our soul

5. Releases spiritual guidance

6. Subdues our flesh

7. Heightens spiritual awareness

8. Deepens communion with God

9. Clears our minds to hear God

10. Bring supernatural refreshing

11. Adds power to prayer

12. Brings deliverance

13. Enables greater fruitfulness

14. Facilitates breakthroughs

15. Cleanses the physical body



Heres the deal: desperate times require desperate measures. So in this new year, will you unite with Christians re-engaging in the rhythm of regular fasting? Join Jesus, the early Church, Paul, Jonah, Esther, Moses, David, Elijah, Nehemiah, Daniel and countless others who have recognized fastings potential.



Remember Jesus began His first recorded fast filled with the Spirit and ended in the power of the Spirit (Lk. 4:1,14). Are you a candidate to receive a similar blessing?

Larry Tomczak is a best-selling author and cultural commentator with over 40 years of trusted ministry experience. His passion is to bring perspective, analysis and insight from a biblical worldview. He loves people and loves awakening them to today's cultural realities and the responses needed for the bride of ChristHis churchto become influential in all spheres of life once again. He is also a public policy advisor with Liberty Counsel.
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.
CNNs Don Lemon calling Jesus not perfect is blasphemy, Mike Huckabee says

CNN host Don Lemon has garnered criticism for claiming that Jesus Christ was not perfect while He was living on earth.

On an episode of CNN Tonight that aired earlier this week, Lemon talked about how Americans have learned about their history with fellow CNN host Chris Cuomo.

At issue was the debates over statues and monuments for Confederate soldiers, former U.S. presidents, and Americans who were not slave owners but whose statues have been torn down by rioters in recent weeks, such as abolitionist Col. Hans Christian Heg.



During their discussion, Lemon said, a lot of what youve been taught in school classrooms about American history has been propaganda, adding that some things you need to unlearn.

Jesus Christ  if you believe in, if thats who you believe in, Jesus Christ  admittedly was not perfect when he was here on this earth. So why are we deifying the founders of this country, many of whom owned slaves? said Lemon.

Former Arkansas Gov. and Baptist minister Mike Huckabee took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to denounce Lemons comments as blasphemous.

Just when I didn't think Don Lemon could say something any dumber than stuff he's already said, he dons his ecclesiastical hat and declares Jesus wasn't perfect. In the faith world, we call that kind of arrogant comment blasphemy, tweeted Huckabee.

Pastor Robert Jeffress, head of the megachurch First Baptist Dallas, told Fox News that he considered the words of Lemon to be heretical in nature.

Don Lemon's comments are, first of all, heretical, explained Jeffress, and it contradicts the most basic tenet of the Christian faith and demonstrates how tone-deaf the left is to faith issues.

Our founding fathers, like all of us, were imperfect human beings, but Jesus Christ was different than any other man that lived, and as the founder of our faith, He had to be perfect.

Becket Adams of the Washington Examiner wrote in an opinion piece that the idea of Jesus not leading a perfect human life has not been a serious question for believers in more than 1,500 years.

In the Bible, simply look to 1 Peter 2:22, He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; Hebrews 5:9, and having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him, noted Adams.

And just because Lemon says Christ was admittedly not perfect, I should point out that there is no tradition that I am aware of and no scriptural citation that has Him declaring, Hey, I am only human!

In April, the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University released a report from their American Worldview Inventory 2020 which found that 44% of Americans believed that Jesus did not lead a sinless life while on Earth.
Early Rain Church member recounts 'evil' persecution in China, dramatic escape to US

This is part 7 of The Christian Posts series on Chinas human rights abuses under the spotlight of the Olympic Games and features the testimony of a Christian woman who was persecuted under the communist regime. Read part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 and part 6.

Ren Ruiting will forever remember Dec. 9, 2018, as one of the most terrifying and life-altering days in her life.

She had just attended a rehearsal for the upcoming Christmas event at Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, and decided to go to dinner. Suddenly, her phone began buzzing  and the messages were unnerving.

I started getting messages that police were arresting our church leaders and taking members from their homes, she recalled in a recent interview with The Christian Post.

At first, the 22-year-old didnt think much of the messages.

It was quite normal for us to face this kind of persecution, she said. People would go with the police officer for a couple of hours and then come back, so I wasnt too nervous at that time.

But soon, the messages became increasingly concerning.

I heard that our pastor, Wang Yi, and his wife had been detained, and I started to get worried, she said. I was talking to my friend, and suddenly she went silent. It was a horrible thing. One second someone would be talking to you, and then they would disappear. You dont know where they went, because they are taken away by the policeman. And that made me feel a little afraid.

Ren, who had attended the churchs seminary and knew the police had her name, feared she was next.

The night was very, very cold, she said. I gathered a water bottle, some clothes and some money, and I traveled to a friends house.

While hiding at her friends house, Ren attempted to text her family and friends but discovered her WeChat, a popular Chinese social media app, was no longer working. The police began calling her, prompting her to remove the SIM card from her phone.

We could no longer connect with each other; all I got was a message saying my WeChat was illegal, she said. I didnt know what happened to my friends, and they didnt know what happened to me. We all felt independent and isolated. We were not a big group, we were taken away one person at a time. At that time, I felt really afraid.

I felt I should disappear and never let them find me because if they find me, maybe they will send me to prison or beat me. I dont know. Im just afraid.

Chinas crackdown on house churches

With Beijing hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics, many have expressed outrage about Chinas treatment of religious minority communities. While China is being accused of genocide for its detainment of Uyghur and other ethnic Muslims in western China, human rights activists have voiced concern for years about the Chinese governments yearslong crackdown on unregistered churches and house church movements.

Open Doors USA, a watchdog organization that monitors persecution in over 60 countries, warns that the monitoring of unregistered house churches in China increased over the last year as more house churches have experienced harassment and obstruction once their activities have been discovered.

The organization reports that Chinas regulations on religion continue to be implemented in a very strict manner, especially after new regulations for religious institutions were implemented last year.

There have been a few reports of unregistered churches being harassed and/or shut down as a result in the [Open Doors] 2022 reporting period, a December 2021 Open Doors country dossier on China reads. [T]he authorities seem to prefer simply not to allow churches to open again after lifting COVID19 restrictions.

Open Doors warns that many unregistered churches have been forced to split up into small groups and gather in different locations, keeping a low-profile so as not to be detected by the sub-district officer or neighborhood committee.

As for Early Rain, one of the most well-known unregistered Presbyterian churches in China with over 500 members, December 2018 was not the first time the Chinese Communist Party cracked down on the congregation.

In 2008, police raided an Early Rain prayer meeting and detained Pastor Wang, a well-known scholar and trained lawyer, and 200 other church members. All were released in 24 hours.

But a decade later, the raid was different.

Claiming ERCC had violated religious regulations because it was not registered with the government, authorities ransacked and sealed the churchs properties, including offices, a kindergarten, a seminary, a Bible college and searched the homes of many of its members.

Police also forced church members to sign a pledge not to attend the church again.

In 2019, Wang was sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of subversion of power and illegal business operations. The pastor, who had publicly taken positions on politically sensitive issues, including forced abortions and the massacre that crushed the Tiananmen Square democracy movement in 1989, was also deprived of his political rights for three years and $7,200 (50,000 renminbi) of his personal assets were seized.

Pastor Wang Yi was not only persecuted for his religious beliefs but he was also persecuted because he spoke up for human rights, Ren told CP. He was persecuted in a very, very terrible way. To this day, his wife and his son are guarded at home and their every movement is monitored.

The events of December 2018 prompted Ren and her family to plan their escape from China, a country she described as increasingly hostile to their religious beliefs.

Ren converted to Christianity at the age of 16, along with her whole family. Since that moment, she said, their faith guided their every move.

After several days of hiding from the police, the young woman finally went to the police station. She was urged to sign a paper saying she would stop attending Early Rain worship services, stop engaging in a cult, and instead participate in the governments correction work.

I agreed to the first two since the church was already shut down, she said. But I was afraid that if I agreed to the third, they would take me to a re-education camp.

Eventually, Ren was permitted to leave the police station after giving police her WeChat account to monitor her whereabouts. She returned home, where over a dozen police sat outside her door, tracking her every move.

My mom took my two younger brothers back to her hometown for safety and security, so it was just me, my boyfriend at the time, and my father, she said. Every move we made was monitored. [We all] wanted to go out for Christmas dinner but the policeman didnt allow us to do that. When we were finally allowed to go, seven police officers followed us. I couldnt shop or go to my part-time job without being watched.



Eventually, police stopped guarding Rens apartment but still forced her to report to the station for questioning, share her whereabouts and continued to monitor her digitally. She described feeling like she was living in a prison, adding: It was terrible.

Rens story is not uncommon for members of ERCC. Overall, police had detained over 100 people associated with the church. Though most of them were released, the church, now meeting in coffee shops, online and in homes, faced continued harassment and monitoring from the CCP, even amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Police threatened to send the children of church members to government re-education camps. In one case, authorities removed four adopted children from one ERCC family, returned them to their biological parents and eventually dispersed them among other homes.

This incident particularly unnerved Ren, as her youngest brother, Jiawen, was adopted. The 3-year-old boy suffered from a cancerous tumor in his right arm, and his family feared that should he be taken away and sent to a state orphanage, he would be unable to receive medical care.

The Chinese government did such terrible things to that family and to their babies, and we were afraid it would happen to us, too, she stated. We were so afraid they would take my brother away and put him in a very bad situation.

The government also forced the family to send their older son, David, to a state-run school instead of Early Rains unregistered Christian school. Ren stressed that though this would not be considered persecution in Western countries, because Christianity is considered a cult in China, Christian children who attend public schools are ostracized and bullied.

For these reasons, we were desperate to leave China, she said.

Fleeing China

Attempting to get a visa to the United States, Ren lied to the police and said she was returning to her hometown. Instead, she visited the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu, but her visa application was denied.

In May 2019, Ren and her now-husband flew to Thailand, where she contacted Bob Fu of the Texas-based watchdog organization ChinaAid.

Fu advised them to travel to Taiwan, an island off the coast of mainland China, on 15-day medical tourism visas.

I was educated in the public school in China, so I never thought about Taiwan as a place that could help me because they wont teach you that in Chinese schools, she said. Taiwan helped me and my family so very much.

Thanks in part to the efforts of Fu and the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, as well as the publicity surrounding the plight of Early Rain, the family stayed in Taiwan for two years.

The Presbyterian Church of Taiwan came alongside the family, providing them with housing, schools and even medical treatments. More importantly, the family could worship in a church, freely, for the first time in months.

Ren and her family finally arrived in the U.S. in June 2021 after being granted political asylum, though the pandemic slowed their flight by over a year. Today, they live in Florida, where life looks drastically different  for the better.

Despite fleeing China, Ren struggles to trust those around her, and her name is relatively well-known due to her willingness to share her story with the media and call out the human rights abuses in China.

I know some spies are in America from China that threaten to prosecute Chinese refugees, she said.

Bravery comes with a cost

Rens bravery has come at a cost, saying that other members of ERCC and her former friends in China are now afraid to speak to her.

She believes her WeChat is still monitored and doesnt contact family members back home out of concern for their safety. Some of her relatives, including her grandfather, are angry she shared her story and refuse to speak with her.

But I never regret this, she said, because I think about our pastor who is still in prison. I think about his wife, still monitored by police. I think about the children the government lies to, and I cannot remain silent. Thats why I share my story.

Based on her experience, Ren warned the U.S. against fraternizing with China and urged the country to focus on the human rights abuses carried out by what she dubbed an evil Communist administration.

American people are so good and kind, and they trust instantly, she said. But the CCP does not deserve your trust. You need to treat them as liars; you cannot trust anything they say. Maybe they help your economy or give you code for Google or Apple, but life is not just about money. Its about human rights. If you receive money from China, that means youll be influenced by them. And its not a good thing.

But more importantly, Ren urged the Western Church to pray for those persecuted in China, stressing that a tactic by the CCP is to isolate believers, alienating them from any hope of a brighter future.

Please pray for them, she said. Some people in China are not only persecuted, but they dont know whats going on in the world. Many cannot read English, and all they know about Christians is that they are a cult because thats what they are taught. Please stand by them. Please let them know you stand with them. Let them know you are praying for them and are standing for their rights.
Marco Rubio responds to CNN's Chris Cuomo for mocking him as 'Bible boy'

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has responded to two CNN opinion hosts who questioned his faith while they sarcastically mocked him as Mr. Bible boy live on air Monday.

CNN's Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon lambasted President Donald Trump over his phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger that critics argue demonstrated an attempt to convince an elected official to forge election results. Cuomo and Lemon harshly criticized congressional Republicans for not condemning the presidents phone call more forcefully.

Slamming congressional Republicans for what they deemed as enabling Trump, Cuomo specifically singled out Rubio, a former rival of Trumps for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

Referring to Rubio as Mr. Bible boy, Cuomo alleged that Rubio has a Bible quote for every moment, he just never speaks truth to power  or acts on any of it in the interests of his own state or of this country. As Cuomo spoke, Lemon repeatedly signaled agreement.

Rubio responded to Cuomo on Twitter Tuesday: The verses I tweet are usually the ones chosen by the Catholic Church for that day's mass. But the fact he thinks words written thousands of years ago are relevant to current events proves the Bible isnt just a book, its the word of God. AMEN.

The verses I tweet are usually the ones chosen by the Catholic Church for that days mass



But the fact he thinks words written thousands of years ago are relevant to current events proves the Bible isnt just a book,its the word of God



AMEN.https://t.co/nqsDxWqRJo#FoxNews  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 5, 2021

Earlier in the conversation, Lemon held up Raffensperger, who has become a target of criticism from Trump and several Republicans for his handling of the election and his agreement to sign a consent decree that led to loosening of signature verification requirements for mail-in ballots, as a man of faith.

According to Lemon, Raffenspergers faith was the reason he could sit there and just very stoically say, Sorry, Mr. President, youre wrong. Our data shows that you did not win Georgia.

Throughout the Trump administration, members of the media have repeatedly called into question the faith of Trump and his supporters. In a 2018 interview, Lemon got into an argument with the Rev. Franklin Graham, the CEO of Samaritans Purse, about whether the president exemplified Christian values.

Reflecting on his education in Catholic school and citing the Bible passage from the Gospel of Luke proclaiming that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, Lemon remarked that the Bible and everyone always taught me to do unto others and not attack others and thats all this president does. He also called into question evangelical support for Trump in light of reports of his infidelity and use of the word s---hole to describe certain countries.

Lemon tried to portray Graham and other evangelical Christians as hypocrites because they called out the personal behavior of President Bill Clinton, who had a sexual affair with an intern while in office, but not Trump. These alleged affairs, that are alleged with Trump, didnt happen while he was in office. This happened 11, 12, 13, 14 years ago. And so, I think theres a big difference, Graham responded.

I think the president has changed quite a bit in the last 11 years, he contended.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, made similar arguments during an interview with Politico that took place at around the same time: Among evangelicals, there is an understanding that we are all fallen and the idea of forgiveness is very prominent. I think the evangelical community gives him grace for the mistakes that hes made.
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.
Texas church lady sentenced to 7 years in prison for stealing over $667K from accounts

A Texas woman was sentenced tosevenyears in prison after being convicted of stealing over $667,000 from a church. The stolen money was used to pay for a trip to Hawaii, shopping sprees and other expenses, according to the Bexar County District Attorneys Office.

Lavelle Wilson Ruvader pleaded guilty on Feb. 4 to stealing $667,542 from Creations Christian Fellowship Church in San Antonio between Jan. 6, 2014, and Sept. 12, 2019, to pay for meals, personal loans, and other expenses. She's now in the Bexar County Jail awaiting a transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division.

Ruvader had worked for the church for over 30 years and last served as the executive assistant to New Creation Bishop David Copeland and was in charge of two of the churchs bank accounts. She had no previous criminal record.

Members give to their church with the best of intentions. In this case, the money that was meant to be used by the church was instead funding this defendants lifestyle," said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales in a statement on Wednesday.

The theft was discovered in 2019 after the church's executive committee asked Ruvader to hand over the church's financial statements from Ruvader to conduct a review of expense reports. At the time, Ruvader refused to provide access to any of the churchs financial documents, thedistrict attorney's office said.

Following her refusal, the committee requested the financial statements from the bank.

"New Creation Christian Fellowship trusted this defendant to help them do some good for our community," Gonzalez added. "Her violation of that trust hurt this community. Now that she has accepted responsibility for her crime, I know the church and its members can focus on their faith and service to our community.
Police personnel from various parts of the state deployed on the beach road for the security purpose of PFR and MILAN events in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. (Photo:DC)

VISAKHAPATNAM: Security arrangements have been tightened here for the Presidents Fleet Review (PFR) on Monday and the multinational naval exercise Milan 2022 from February 25 to March 4.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, defence minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will all grace the occasion.

The district administration is expecting nearly four lakh people, including delegates from abroad, to watch the spectacle and the carnival-like city parade from Naval Coast Battery to Park Hotel Junction on RK Beach on February 27.

We have deployed 4,000 personnel to prevent any untoward incident during these events, a senior police officer said.

Talking to Deccan Chronicle, the officer added that the focus would be during the city parade, which is why the sandy area of the beach road is being barricaded, with adequate lighting, 40 LED screens and traffic management after the event.

Considering the city parade is the major event in Milan 2022, four IPS officers will monitor the police protection on February 27.

City police chief Manish Kumar Sinha has formed specific committees for each category. A control room will monitor and coordinate security.

There will be nine enclosures for the guests and 32 for the public at the RK Beach. The GVMC has set up 30 approach roads from Naval Coastal Battery to YMCA.

On the lines of the International Fleet Review, which the city hosted in 2016, there will be a three-tier security system during the PFR and Milan 2022. While the Navy will guard the waters, Coast Guard and coastal security police and Marcos will monitor the waters point to point to provide full-fledged security.

A PFR is usually conducted once during the tenure of every Indian president. The first was reviewed by Dr Babu Rajendra Prasad while the 2020 event at Andaman and Nicobar Islands had to be put-off due to coronavirus. Defence sources have been quoted as saying that the PFR is second only to the Republic Day Parade.

The then-president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had reviewed the PFR in 2006 and had ventured into a submarine, the first by any President.

Milan, a biennial feature was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19 fear.
Senate approves Biden's FDA pick despite opposition from Democrats, pro-life groups

The U.S. Senate confirmed Robert Califf as the head of the Food and Drug Administration Tuesday, drawing criticism from pro-life organizations that feel the appointment could pave the way for the expanded availability of chemical abortions.

Califf was confirmed to the post he held during the Obama administration in a 50-46 vote. While most Republicans opposed Califfs confirmation, a handful of Democrats voted against him as well, citing concerns about his ties to the pharmaceutical industry and his past handling of the opioid crisis.

The Democratic senators who voted against him include Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.; Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; and Ed Markey, D-Mass.

On the other hand, six Republicans joined the remaining Democrats in supporting his confirmation: Sens. Roy Blunt; R-Mo., Richard Burr, R-N.C.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Mitt Romney, R-Utah; and Pat Toomey, R-Penn. The support for Califf this time around decreased dramatically from the 89-4 confirmation vote he enjoyed when he was previously appointed to the post in 2016.

The national pro-life grassroots advocacy organization Susan B. Anthony List lamented Califfs confirmation as a victory for those seeking to increase the prevalence of chemical abortions.

Were deeply disappointed in the result of todays vote, said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement.

Robert Califfs confirmation to lead the FDA paves the way for permanent authorization of mail-order abortion drugs, at a dire cost to womens health and safety and the lives of countless unborn children, she added. We urge our allies in the states and Congress to take swift action to stop the flow of these dangerous drugs to post offices and pharmacies across America.

Kristan Hawkins, the president of Students for Life of America, a pro-life organization with chapters at school campuses nationwide, called Califf a "radical pick."

"The FDA used to be a respected institution that relied on science. Today, the FDA is so politically motivated they'll put women in harm's way just to appease the abortion lobby," Hawkins said in a statement. "The interests of Big Abortion Pharma won big as a man who worked for reduced health and safety standards for Chemical Abortion Pills is allowed to perpetuate whatever counts as oversight at the FDA."

Ahead of Tuesdays vote, SBA List promised to score against votes related to Califfs confirmation, meaning that it would characterize any approval of his appointment to the FDA as a pro-abortion vote. A vote in favor of Califf would result in a senator receiving a lower grade on the National Pro-Life Scorecard, which gives members of Congress grades ranging from A+ to F, illustrating how frequently they vote with the pro-life position.

Two Senate Republicans who told Politico in December that they planned on supporting Califf, Sens. Roger Marshall of Kansas and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, ultimately voted against him.

Both senators told Politico the following month that they could not support him because of pro-life issues and the magazine suggested that pressure from pro-life groups may have played a role in convincing them to change their positions.

Dannenfelser, along with representatives of 50 other pro-life organizations, previously wrote a letter outlining their concerns about the impact Califfs appointment would have on the pro-life movement.

Under Califfs leadership during the Obama Administration, the FDA significantly undermined the reporting and safety requirements on medication abortion, also known as chemical abortion, they wrote.

As the abortion industry continues to push for abortion on demand, the FDA needs a leader who will follow the science and prioritize the health and well-being of women and girls. Based on his past (successful) effort to weaken data and safety requirements for chemical abortion, we must oppose his nomination.

The pro-life leaders took specific issue with Califfs decision in his previous tenure as FDA head to weaken the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS), safety protocols designed to protect the health and safety of women seeking abortions.

Until 2016, the REMS for chemical abortion required the reporting of severe, life-threatening, and fatal adverse events, the letter stated. Under the direction of Califf, this requirement was altered to require that only fatal adverse events be reported.

Actions taken by the FDA over the past year relating to chemical abortions have caused pro-life groups further concern.

Late last year, after Califfs confirmation hearing, the FDA announced the permanent lifting of the in-person dispensing requirement for abortion pills, thereby enabling women to obtain chemical abortions without seeing a doctor first. The FDA previously suspended the in-person dispensing requirement, citing health risks posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Another pro-life group, Live Action, released a report in the summer of 2020 detailing the complications of chemical abortions.

In a chemical abortion, women are given two drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifepristone blocks the effects of the natural pregnancy hormone progesterone, while Misoprostol induces contractions and a miscarriage.

The report cited severe cramping, contractions, and heavy bleeding as side effects of chemical abortions.

Among the Democratic senators to vote against Califf, Manchin co-authored a USA Today op-ed with Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., encouraging Biden to withdraw the nomination. They blamed the FDA for enabling the opioid crisis, adding that Califf's previous tenure at FDA played a role.

"During Dr. Califfs previous tenure as FDA commissioner, drug-related overdoses went up, a clear indicator the FDA hadnt made any necessary, meaningful changes to address the crisis facing our country," the senators wrote. "In 2016, then-Commissioner Califf announced the FDAs plan to overhaul its opioid policies."

"But between 2016 and 2017, the FDA approved five new opioids and only removed a single opioid from the market. Dr. Califf also commissioned a report on opioids, but the report failed to review the flawed enriched enrollment randomized withdrawal (EERW) methodology used to approve new opioids," the senators continued.

Manchin issued a statement in December calling for a "culture change" at the FDA.

It is abundantly clear the FDA has failed to keep Americans safe," Manchin said. "I cant fathom why we would confirm someone whose actions failed to swiftly curb the tide of the opioid epidemic and protect the publics health, especially someone who has already helmed FDA as its Commissioner."

"More than 500,000 Americans have died since the FDA first approved Oxycontin in 1995," he said. "During Dr. Califfs previous tenure as FDA Commissioner, drug related overdoses went up. Five years later, they are up again, this time at a record number: there were more than 100,000 overdose deaths in the United States last year. Furthermore, Dr. Califf has indicated he plans to keep Dr. Janet Woodcock, who has led the FDA and directly overseen the approval of numerous highly addictive drugs to market, as part of FDA leadership."
Catholic schools rebounding from pandemic enrollment drop: report

Catholic school enrollment in the United States has slightly increased during the current school year compared to the previous academic year, marking a rebound from an enrollment decline caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent report.

The National Catholic Educational Association reported in a recently released data brief that there were approximately 1.69 million students in Catholic schools for the 2021-2022 school year, which was slightly higher than the 1.63 million reported for the 2020-2021 school year.

Enrollment at all types of schools  public, charter and private  were impacted last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Catholic schools had a decline in enrollment of 6.4% from 2019-2020 to 2020-2021, stated the NCEA.

Catholic schools dedication in safely opening classrooms and supporting their communities needs last year is demonstrated in the 3.8% increase in enrollment.

Despite the reported increase, total enrollment is still 2.7% lower than the 2019-2020 school year, before the coronavirus pandemic impacted the numbers.

It is promising that early childhood students have returned to Catholic schools but troubling that enrollment is still lower than pre-pandemic levels, stated the NCEA report.

Catholic schools innovated throughout the last two years to meet the needs of their communities. They need to continue to adapt to those needs and use the momentum to retain students and recruit new students in the upcoming years to stabilize or continue to increase enrollment.

Enrollment in Catholic schools was at its peak in the early 1960s when approximately 5.2 million students went to around 13,000 Catholic schools, according to NCEAs website.

The 1970s and 1980s saw a steep decline in both the number of schools and students. By 1990, there were approximately 2.5 million students in 8,719 schools, NCEAs website explains.

From the mid-1990s through 2000, there was a steady enrollment increase (1.3%) despite continued closings of schools. In the 10 years since the 2010 school year, 1,400 schools were reported closed or consolidated (19.7%), while 261 school openings were reported.

Since early 2020, there has been much upheaval in education in the U.S due to COVID-19 lockdowns, disputes over facemasks and high-profile debates over curriculum.

Last September, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools released a report finding that approximately 1.4 million students were taken out of district public schools during the pandemic while enrollment at charter schools, which are also public, grew.

It is premature to draw any conclusions about why charter school enrollment grew while enrollment in district public schools declined. And yet the pattern among states in this report is undeniable, the National Alliance report stated, adding that the decline in public school enrollment had begun before the pandemic.

There is much to learn from families who made the switch, and perhaps the biggest lesson for everyone is how critically important charter schools are to public education.
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.
As churches embrace technology, many see strategic importance of social media fading in future: study

A majority of American churches now embrace technology as an important tool in achieving their mission and agree that the digital church is here to stay. But less than half of them believe social media will be as strategically important as other online tools in the future, according to a new study.

The finding comes from The 2021 State of Church Technology Report, which was created from data collected in a survey of nearly 2,000 decision-making church leaders by software company Pushpay. The survey was conducted between September and October 2021, and the cohort of church leaders included in the survey spanned ministries of every size, from all across the faith spectrum.

Researchers found that 93% of churches believe technology plays an important role in achieving their churchs mission, but not all technologies carried equal weight in different congregations.

For example, the amount of tech solutions a church already employs dramatically affects their opinions and behaviors. If a church is currently using no technology  that includes basics like social media, email, etc.  theyre dramatically less likely to consider tech important for their future, researchers noted.

But the most compelling insight lies in the difference between what churches are currently using, as opposed to what they consider strategically important for them in the next few years. For instance, while 94% of churches are currently using social media, just 53% think those platforms will be strategically important for them moving forward, they explained.

Put another way, while social media is overwhelmingly the most popular digital tool today, churches are telling us that solutions like ChMS, mobile apps, scheduling systems, livestreaming, and more will all be more valuable to them in the near future. This doesnt mean Facebook and Instagram are going away; it means that theyre already in the fold, and churches are interested in expanding their tech portfolio as they continue to grow.

This finding comes in stark contrast to how churches looked at technology as the COVID-19 pandemic began unfolding in March 2020.

Research from the Nashville-based LifeWay Research conducted in the fall of 2019 found that only 22% of pastors livestreamed their entire service, while about 10% livestreamed their sermon only. Some 41% of pastors admitted that they did not post any portion of their church service online, while about 52% say they post the sermon online after the church service is complete.

Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research, also noted at the time that only churches with weekly attendance of more than 250 people were likely to offer services online, but they were the minority.

A lot has happened in the last two years and now only 6% of churches say theyre resistant to adopting technology.

More than any time in history, churches are enthusiastic to adopt technology for the long haul. The pandemic erased any doubts regarding the viability of a digital Church. Ministries all around the world successfully adapted to the challenges presented by COVID by leveraging technology to strengthen their communities and continue accomplishing their good work, researchers said.

While were all excited for life to get back to normal, its clear that churches have no intention of abandoning their tech solutions. One case study is the transition to livestreaming. Ninety-one percent of churches report that they currently livestream at least some of their services, they added. More telling than that, however, is that 94% of those churches state that theyll continue to livestream over the next 12 months, presumably regardless of their ability to meet their congregation in person.

As churches navigate their technology needs, they still have a lot of ground to make up for in how they respond to the rapidly changing technologies.

The study found that some 43% of churches only reevaluate their technology when the need arises.

As churches embrace tech solutions, its understandable that they believe theyre ahead of the curve. This is a new frontier for many of them. They feel like explorers, discovering exciting new ways to grow their communities and ministries, the report noted.

When asked how often they evaluate their churchs technology needs, only 27% of church leaders said they considered it no more often than annually, in addition to the 43% that only think about the issue when the need arises.

What this means is, a lot of church leaders perceive themselves as proactive and innovative with technology, but many of them dont fit the bill, the report said. The result may be a magnified resistance to change. If a church isnt reconsidering its suite of tech solutions any more regularly than once a year, yet simultaneously considers its approach to technology progressive, they may be overly defensive to any suggestion of change, since they already believe themselves to be proactive enough.
Man found guilty of strangling, stabbing woman to death inside church

An Indianapolis man was convicted Tuesday of murdering a woman who was found strangled and stabbed inside a local Catholic church, according to a prosecutor handling the case.

Indiana resident Robert Burks was found guilty of the homicide of Julie Morey, which occurred on Nov. 3, 2019.

According to a statement from the Marion County Prosecutors Office, Moreys body was found on a couch with multiple stab wounds inside St. Patrick Catholic Church in Fountain Square.

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears stated that the 58-year-old womans autopsy report revealed that she died from stab wounds and strangulation.

This case was solved through a true community effort, Mears wrote in a statement shared with The Christian Post. Witnesses and nearby businesses played a crucial role throughout the investigation and prosecution, which ultimately led to justice for Ms. Morey and her family.

Before her death, Morey filed a police report alleging that Burks had previously punched her in the face, giving her black eyes, detectives learned during their investigation.

Following this discovery, witnesses identified Burks as a potential suspect. A forensics report later revealed that Burks DNA was on the victims hands, face, neck, and underneath her fingernails, according to the prosecutors office.

A sentencing hearing will be held on March 10 at 11 a.m. in Indianapolis Marion Superior Court.

The Christian Post reached out to St. Patrick Catholic Church for comment on the conviction. A response was not received by press time.

Previously, church leaders said that Morey, who was homeless, wasnt a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church but had been visiting the church for at least the last two years, The Associated Press reported.



Shortly after Moreys death, dozens gathered at the church in freezing temperatures to celebrate her life. According to The Indianapolis Star, Morey was remembered as someone with a heart of gold who always seemed to be smiling despite her life situation.

She was very kindhearted. She would give anybody anything, even if it meant that she was to do without, resident Kenneth Burcham was quoted as saying during the event. She would literally give you whatever she had.

When Brooks was charged with Moreys killing, he was already detained at Monroe County Jail on felony battery charges related to a December 2018 case, court records show.
In defense of Encanto from Christian critics

The trailers for Encanto never interested me. In fact, I busied myself with other matters when my family first watched the film. And when I did finally see it myself, I cant say I particularly enjoyed it.

I could appreciate its artistry, but I didnt consider it something worth repeat viewing. The rest of my family, however, fell in the love with the story from the get-go, and with each successive watch, I have come to appreciate it more and more.

Strangely enough, the more I have grown in my love for this movie, the more Ive heard from my film-critic friends (I am blessed to know a handful) whose responses to the film have ranged from indifference to forceful opposition. The more negative opinions I hear, the more motivated Ive become to share why I think Encanto warrants more appreciation and less criticism  especially from Christian audiences.

Before we go any further, I need to make a couple of clarifications. First, I am not the biggest fan of Disney as of late. Many of the conglomerates business practices and ideological leanings rub me wrong. So when people lob critiques at the company, Im not the first to rush to Mickeys defense. This case is an exception to the rule.

Second, attention must be drawn to the songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. They may not be to everyones tastes, but Miranda does something strikingly original (for a Disney film, at least): he weaves melodic phrases and lyrics throughout the movie so that a snippet of one song will show up in another.

There is a thematic continuity among the musical numbers, where each relies on the others for its full and complete expression. The interconnectivity between the songs provides a rich musical tapestry, rewarding each successive viewing with additional insights on what that particular line means, why this particular sentiment is phrased exactly like it is, or why that musical measure appears in that particular section of the song. A proper evaluation of Encanto must take into account the wealth of information included in the films musical numbers.

Fair warning: the following analysis contains spoilers galore. You would do well to watch the film before reading any further.

As I see it, most of the serious objections to Encanto are based on a mischaracterization of Abuela, the matriarchal figure, as the functional villain. Abuela may be an antagonist in a technical sense (in that she opposes Mirabel, the heroin, on nearly every step of her journey), but she is not the antagonist in the sense of being a villain, or heavy, or bad guy.

The movie doesnt have a villain in the traditional sense, choosing rather to find conflict in family relationship tensions. Imagining Abuela as the films functional villain morphs her character into something it is not and warps the narrative intent of the filmmakers.

If there is a functional villain (from the standpoint of the characters in the story, at least), it is Bruno, the self-exiled son of Abuela. We find out, of course, that Bruno is not a bad guy. Far from it. If anything, he plays the crucial role of mentor in Mirabels mission quest thing (so to speak). For much of the film, however, the Madrigal family operates as if Bruno is a bad guy, emphasizing their memories of him with the lime-green colors of traditional Disney villains in the song We Dont Talk About Bruno. (Well discuss Bruno more in a bit.)

For her part, Abuela is a character who has failed to properly deal with the loss of her husband for the last 50 years. Grasping at the memory she has of him (personified by their wedding candle, which has been transformed into a dispenser of magical gifts), she has dedicated her life to keep the miracle burning, controlled by her fear of losing anyone or anything else.

This reality is illustrated throughout the movie. For one, she repeatedly dons a black shawl, stuck in a cycle of unending grief. For another, the song Dos Oruguitas (Two Caterpillars), which plays over her backstory, includes the repeated refrain Dont you hold on too tight, since both she and her husband (the caterpillars of the song) must part ways and be reunited later.

The melody for Dos Oruguitas plays under Abuelas part in the films opening number, The Family Madrigal, hinting thematically at what is controlling her  an insistence on hold[ing] on too tight and refusing to let her husband go. She confesses as much in the song, All of You:

And Im sorry I held on too tight

Just so afraid Id lose you too

The miracle is not some magic that youve got

The miracle is you, not some gift, just you

The miracle is you

Abuela first comes to this realization when she has returned to the river where she lost her husband. It is here where the song Dos Oruguitas stops referring to her as a caterpillar and starts referring to her as a butterfly, underscoring the reality that Abuela is crawling out of the cocoon of her grief-infused fears, which enables her to love her children and grandchildren for who they are, not how they can help her keep a precarious balance ignoring family problems for the sake of a mirage she heretofore has failed to relinquish.

It is this understanding of Abuelas character arc that informs and clarifies the narrative beats of the rest of the film.

The paradox of an 'earned' salvation

For example, Abuelas refusal to accept the loss of her husband, and the literal salvation obtained by his self-sacrifice, leads her to view the magical gifts her family has received into an achievement they have acquired. In religious language, she has turned salvation by grace into salvation by works.

This paradigm of earning salvation through self-effort underscores her entire demeanor, as well as the standard she imposes upon her children and grandchildren: Make your family proud. As the story shows, this standard is proving, over time, to slowly suffocate her family. Those under the matriarchs rule are buckling under the weight of her expectations.

Abuelas lofty standards are shown, not only in her words and actions but also in many of Encantos songs. During the opening number, as we have already seen, Abuela sings about how the family must earn the miracle they have received. Hers is a paradigm that requires nothing less than perfection from its adherents.

And sure enough, when Mirabel sings about her two older sisters, she shows how Abuelas mindset has infiltrated her own thinking: My older sisters[are] perfect in every way; and The beauty [Isabela] and the brawn [Luisa] do no wrong. Thats the expectation passed down from Abuela: absolute perfection.

This expectation is recognized with frustration by both Luisa and Isabela in their respective songs. In Surface Pressure, Luisa focuses mostly on the pressure placed on her specifically (I feel, I cant, I fail, etc.), but she also mentions how the entire family feels the same weight (we measure this growing pressure, all we know is pressure).

Similarly, in What Else Can I Do? Isabela sings how she makes perfect, practiced poses, but after accidentally creating her first cactus (instead of roses), she says, Its not symmetrical or perfect, and adds later, What could I do if I just knew it didnt need to be perfect?

The demand from an authority figure to be perfect  which Isabela clearly experiences throughout the film  is a burden no child can bear without pride (in the face of perceived success) or despondency (in the face of perceived failure). (Interestingly enough, as we get to know these characters, Isabela demonstrates the former, while Luisa demonstrates the latter.)

The burden of Abuelas expectations is felt by her family members, even if its not fully understood. No less than three of Abuelas grandchildren try to convince themselves in song form that they are fine: Mirabel tells herself (unconvincingly), I'm fine, I am totally fine (in Waiting on a Miracle), and both Dolores and Isabela insist (unconvincingly), Im fine! (in We Dont Talk about Bruno). There are relational problems within the family Madrigal, but those problems are being neither acknowledged nor addressed.

So when Isabela is finally able to confess the burden of the facade shes been keeping up (to make her family proud), it enables her to create more than just roses: now she can create cacti, jacarandas, figs, vines, a Palma de Cera, tabebuia, and so on.

This newfound creativity is not just simply another example of our cultures hyper-individualized, follow your heart indoctrination; it is not the result of Isabela rejecting her gift for the purpose of self-expression to the detriment of her family. Rather, her newfound creativity is the expression of her freedom from what is essentially works-righteousness. This freedom allows her to utilize her gift more fully. She is finally experiencing what its like to live outside of the crushing burden of her grandmothers unrealistic expectations.

A manly woman and unmanly men?

Before evaluating a few key thematic applications of Encanto, there are a couple of specific critiques I wish to briefly address. Both of them have to do with gender roles.

First is the character design of Luisa. With a large and muscular build, she is considered by some to be an assault on reality, and a subtle and intentional effort by Disney to substitute masculinity for femininity. While I can understand where this criticism comes from (I dont think its being pulled entirely out of thin air), I havent found the supporting evidence for a literal conspiracy to be convincing. The most glaring hole in this argument is the fact that it was Luisas artists  not Disney executives  that pushed for her particular body build. In fact, Luisas character designers had to fight Disney for their vision of Luisas character, as the studio pushed for a more petite design.

Second, is the role of men in the film. Some consider each and every male character to be passive, sidelined and lacking any real agency. While I can see traces of evidence that would lead some to such a conclusion, I dont think that does justice to the full scope of these characters personalities.

Mirabels father (and mother) actively work to protect and encourage their daughter. They remind Mirabel (in what appears to be a daily, or at least a repeated, ritual), Remember, you have nothing to prove. And when the father, Agustin, is confronted by Abuela about keeping Brunos vision a secret, with her saying, You should have told me right away  think about the family, he doesnt back down: I was thinking about my daughter!

Mirabels uncle, Felix, shows obvious affection for his family, and persistent patience with his emotionally fraught, storm-causing wife, Pepa. This patience is shown in at least a couple of places. First, when Pepa is singing about how Bruno ruined her wedding day, Felix sings along with her, and when she complains about Brunos actions, the natural thing would have been for Felix to agree with her. And yet he gently pushes back against her soiled memory of the day by singing, What a joyous day, but anyway.

Her sentiments dont exactly match his, and hes not afraid to (gently) push back. And near the end of the movie, when Bruno clarifies his words to Pepa on her wedding day (singing, I wanted you to know that your bro loves you so), Felix responds with, Thats what Im always saying.

Then, of course, theres Bruno. Hes absent for much of the film, but it is his vision, and his encouragement of Mirabel that propels the story forward, enabling Mirabel to find the solution to the disintegration of their home, Casa Madrigal (or Casita).

And while its even been said that the song We Dont Talk About Bruno could be a clandestine way of the filmmakers saying, We dont talk about men, the reality is that everyone involved in singing that song is shown to be wrong  utterly and completely wrong. Not talking about Bruno (and, if you so choose to believe, not talking about men in general) is a mistake based on misinformation. In the end, the characters do talk about  and love and celebrate  Bruno. And rightly so.

Not to mention, of course, the single and greatest act of selfless love shown in the entire movie: when Pedro  a man  sacrifices his life for the good of his family. His actions not only save Abuela and her three newborns but also usher in the miracle that protects them throughout the rest of the film. Pedro is a man who chooses not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

In short, if not for the men of Encanto, there would be no Encanto.

Grief and grace and growth, oh my!

As it seems was intended by the filmmakers, Encanto acts as an exploration of a wrong response to grief and loss. As not intended by the filmmakers, Encanto can illustrate numerous distinctly Christian themes as well. We will briefly explore just three.

First, and as hinted at earlier, the story illustrates the difference between law and Gospel, between the freedom of grace and the bondage of legalism. As a friend of mine puts it in an online discussion: [T]he more [the Madrigals] drift away from the joy and unity [the miracle] intended to bring to the family the more harm they suffer in their relationships and souls. It is when they stop trying to be perfect for the sake of maintaining the miracle that they really experience peace and enjoy it.

Second, Encanto acts as an adept examination of the Church and spiritual gifts. Just as the Madrigals emphasized their more demonstratively magical members (Isabela and Luisa), so can the church prioritize the more flashy gifts (prophecy, healings, etc.) at the expense of more mundane gifts (mercy, administration, etc.). And yet, as the body of Christ, we all need each other. As 1 Corinthians 12:22 points out, [T]hose members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.

There should be no division within the church between special and not special members and gifts: there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another (v. 25).

Third, Encanto shows how God can use suffering to correct our priorities and provide us with what we really need rather than what we think we need. When we petition God to help us grow in faith and love and every grace, He often answers by inserting trials into our lives and showing us more of our sin. This brings us to the end of ourselves, which drives us closer to God and enables us to enjoy and glorify him more.

In the same vein, Abuela prays (so to speak) the following: Open my eyes. If the answer is here, help me find it. Help me protect our family. What she doesnt realize is that she is the one damaging her family. Mirabels actions disrupt Abuelas overbearing and precarious control, razing the matriarchs misaligned priorities (and the familys home) to the ground. The answer to Abuelas prayer feels at first like the opposite of what she wants, and yet it is exactly what she needs. She asked for protection, and what she receives is an awareness of her sin, leading to repentance, absolution, and the rebuilding of the family (and their home) on a new and better foundation. What better protection could there be for her family than that?

A charming and magical gift

Encanto is not a perfect film. Certain story beats stretch credibility, certain character arcs are relegated to song lyrics, and one particular resolution (related to the infamous Bruno) feels rushed. Nevertheless, and especially after multiple viewings, the films strengths outweigh its weaknesses.

Encanto is a charming break from the Disney mold, beautifully (albeit, inadvertently) promoting a distinctly Christian understanding of the world in a kaleidoscope of narrative elements, the likes of which have not been seen in a Disney film in years  if not decades.
Coupang, Inc. (CPNG) closed at $22.99 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.2% move from the prior day. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.72%. At the same time, the Dow lost 0.68%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.67%.

Heading into today, shares of the company had gained 16.41% over the past month, outpacing the Retail-Wholesale sector's loss of 4.26% and the S&P 500's loss of 5.92% in that time.

Coupang, Inc. will be looking to display strength as it nears its next earnings release, which is expected to be March 2, 2022.

Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Coupang, Inc.These revisions typically reflect the latest short-term business trends, which can change frequently. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the company's business outlook.

Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-team stock moves. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.

Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate remained stagnant within the past month. Coupang, Inc. currently has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell).

The Internet - Commerce industry is part of the Retail-Wholesale sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 220, putting it in the bottom 14% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.

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After nearly two years of a global pandemic and its long list of negative side effects, our collective mental health has never been more fragile. McKinsey recently polled 5,000 Americans and found 37% of them were diagnosed with mental health issues or sought treatment for their mental health in 2021. With uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, people across the globe are suffering from what feels like an endless cycle of anxiety, depression and loss, not only for the millions whove lost their lives to the disease, but for the carefree way we used to live our lives.

One of the few silver linings of this devastating moment in time is marked progress with destigmatizing mental health. In the process of wreaking havoc on our lives, COVID has catalyzed conversations about the importance of providing mental health support. Our recent study conducted by Forrester Consulting uncovered a lot of encouraging findings, including that 85% of C-level and HR leaders believe mental health is not just about mental illness, but something every employee has.

However, theres one statistic that is less encouraging: More than half (54%) of C-suite leaders think mental health benefits werent available to employees in the past and shouldnt be a priority today. This cohort of leaders is in for a rude awakening.

The tide has turned

Its unequivocal. Mentions of mental health and burnout in Glassdoor reviews more than doubled during the pandemic and a recent study found the majority of knowledge workers  69% of those who are remote and 61% of those in an office  believe that employee mental health is the shared responsibility of employees and their employer. This expectation is quickly becoming table stakes, especially among younger generations. In fact, according to our research, 86% of those aged 18-29 say they would be more likely to stay at a company that provides high-quality resources for them to care for their mental health. In the midst of the Great Resignation and with the war for talent heating up, this is a statistic that cannot be ignored.

Related: I Tried to Biohack My Depression In 90 days, But It Didn't Go As Planned

Gen-Z standards

Gen-Z adults, those ages 18 to 23, reported the highest levels of stress compared to other generations and were the most likely age group to report symptoms of depression, according to the American Psychological Associations 2020 Stress in America survey. Since Gen Z will represent 82 million people by 2026 and soon make up a large and growing portion of the modern workforce, their needs and standards for mental health support should shape those of leadership. Our research found that their standard is getting higher and higher, with 41% of 18-29-year-olds saying they think mental health benefits will become a legal requirement for all employers within five years.

However, despite that prediction about the future, many still hesitate to share their concerns with their employers today. A 2021 Deloitte report found that only 4 in 10 Gen Z workers bring up mental health concerns to their managers, indicating a lasting stigma likely resulting from leaders tendency to hold on to standards of the past.

Related: 6 Effective Tactics for Handling a Toxic Boss

The right side of history

Its not uncommon for older generations to refer to kids these days'' as entitled or selfish, but considering Gen Zs lifetime of familiarity with digital disruption, theres a lot we can learn from them. And given this generation is going to be driving the future of business, we should be learning from them just as much as they are learning from us.

Every generation is defined by the major events that took place during their lifetime and after. Growing up in a post-9/11 world with cultural influences like Black Lives Matter and now a global pandemic, Gen Z has learned to adapt to disruption with agility. Case in point, remote work. Gen Z was quick to embrace the pandemic-driven trend, but with the caveat that work should also incorporate flexibility, autonomy and a focus on wellness. And frankly, these caveats make for better workers.

Our research found 67% of C-level leaders think mental health benefits would make employees more productive and 62% of managers and employees agree. With this in mind, along with the Great Resignation, which is still in full force according to new Labor Department data showing Americans quitting or changing jobs in near-record numbers, offering mental health support to employees is a no-brainer.

From baby boomers to Gen Z, every generation of employees has introduced new workplace standards. As leaders, its our responsibility to adapt, rather than hearken, back to the way things used to be.

Related: 20 Secrets to Living a Happier Life

Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
The Wailua River kayaking and hiking tours, one of Kauais most popular adventures, is now only able to operate on weekdays only. With Sundays already restricted, the state took away Saturdays for commercial tours in November.



Kauais only navigable river, Wailua River, is known for its appearances in "Fantasy Island," "Outbreak," "Indiana Jones" and "Jurassic Park." Five-hour guided tours take groups kayaking up the river to a trailhead where visitors can hike to Uluwehi Falls.



Tour operators were given less than two weeks notice of the change in November, losing thousands of dollars in revenue immediately from reservations they had to cancel. One vendor estimates it will be a 17% to 20% loss moving forward.



There was no discussion. This was just thrust down our throat like were little kids. And were businesses, Micco Godinez told SFGATE. There was no input. We could have talked and timed it a little better instead of right after COVID and just before Christmas.

Godinez founded Kayak Kauai with his brother, Chino, in 1984. The company offers kayaking and snorkel adventures on Wailua River and the Napali Coast. They were the first to pioneer the Wailua kayaking tours as an adventure to a secret waterfall.



Since then, competition has grown, and the waterfall is no longer a secret. There are now 11 companies permitted to offer commercial kayak activity on Wailua River and one water ski company. The high volume of people has caused damage to the trail, disturbances to archeological sites and a sea of kayaks on the water.



When we would come up to the north fork, its like a marina. Its wall-to-wall kayaks, and imagine you have to figure out where to land and then the trail is overwhelmed, Godinez said. He compares the foot traffic on the trail to Oahus Diamond Head, where you have to wait on the numerous people in front of you, or coming back down, before you can move forward.
Two soldiers, one terrorist killed in an encounter at Chermarg, Zainapora area of Shopian. (ANI)

Srinagar: Two Army men and a terrorist were killed in an encounter in south Kashmir's highly volatile Shopian district, officials here said on Saturday.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation after receiving specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists in Zainpora area of Shopian, they said.

During the operation, the hiding terrorists opened fire at the security forces and in the ensuing encounter, two Army men were killed, the officials said.

One terrorist was also killed by the security forces, they said, adding that the identity of the slain ultra is being ascertained.

"One terrorist killed. Search going on. Further details shall follow," informed Kashmir zone police.

Earlier today, an encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists at Chermarg, Zainapora area of Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Show More Show Less 2 of 3 courtesy of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 3 of 3





A Montgomery County man was sentenced this month to two years in prison for shooting his pet dog dead, claiming he was responding to his wifes complaints.

Dustin Wade Regel, 52, of Willis, pleaded no contest Feb. 5 to the third-degree felony offense of cruelty to a non-livestock animal in presiding Judge Phil Grants 9th District Court. Grant sentenced Regel to two years in prison, including 94 days of jail time served, according to district clerk records.
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While health officials across Texas expressed relief that the latest COVID-19 surge appeared to be declining last week, Laredo resident Marcela DeJean was helping her sick husband write a will.

He was vaccinated nearly a year ago but caught COVID-19 last week. He was so sick, she nearly took him to the hospital  although at the time, this border city of about a quarter-million people had few beds available.

DeJean, a school district speech therapist, was terrified that her husband, a father of two and an agent with the U.S. Border Patrol, was going to die.

He sounded very, very bad, DeJean, 45, said. I was like, what if he just randomly, quickly takes a turn for the worse? You just never know. It was very scary.

Statewide, the COVID-19 positivity rate and the number of new cases and hospitalizations are plummeting. But on Texas southern border with Mexico, Laredo remains in the grip of its fourth surge  fueled by the omicron variant that burned through the state over the holidays and fed by historically scarce health resources, a medically vulnerable population, economics and geography.

At one point in late January, the hospital region Laredo is in had a higher share of hospital beds taken up by COVID-19 patients  more than 36%  than anywhere else in the state. Last week, the rate dropped below 20% for the first time since December.

Weve been to hell and back. And back again, said Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz. And back out.

Its a slow climb out.

While only about 12% of tests statewide are coming back positive for COVID as of Tuesday, Laredos positivity rate is still at nearly 30%  down from 47% in late January but still higher than in any of the previous surges.

And even though the seven-day average of new confirmed cases has begun to drop, Webb County still has one of the highest rates in the state.

The regions two hospitals, Doctors Hospital Laredo and Laredo Medical Center, are both reporting that their ICUs are nearly full  for the 52nd day in a row. Hospital intensive care units in Laredo have been operating at or above 90% capacity since Thanksgiving.

Were not out of the woods yet, Dr. Victor Trevino, Laredo health authority, said.

He and other officials are concerned about the annual binational Washingtons Birthday Celebration happening this weekend, a Presidents' Day tradition that includes Laredo and Mexico's Nuevo Laredo on the other side of the Rio Grande, meeting in a parade in the middle of the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge that connects the two cities downtowns.

The event, which began more than 120 years ago, typically draws some 400,000 attendees from all over the United States and Mexico each year.

Called off last year for the pandemic, the festival is going in full swing for most of February, culminating this holiday weekend, Saenz said.

Theres a concern always when we have activities that facilitate people gathering that we may end up with another spike, he said. But hopefully, you know, it wont be as bad as before.

Trevino hopes people who attend the festival will remember the devastating roller coaster the region has been on for the past two years and stay vigilant.

We should not actually say we are over it because we have been here before in this situation, Trevino said. When we say the numbers are going down so everybody relaxes, and its the same thing or another variant comes along.

Two countries, one community, bigger risks

In November 2021, the U.S. government reopened the Gateway to the Americas bridge in downtown Laredo to nonessential visitors for the first since it shut down to most traffic early in 2020.

Two weeks later, the highly contagious omicron variant hit Texas.

As omicron took hold in December, the federal government recorded some 1.5 million border crossings into the city at Laredos four bridges.

They included shoppers, tourists and family members who hadnt seen each other since the bridge closed 19 months earlier.

Although the visitors didnt seem to be winding up in the hospitals  full vaccination is required of anyone crossing from Mexico into the U.S.  many were coming from regions of Mexico with low vaccination rates, which may have contributed to the spread of the virus, experts here said. During the first week of January, the surge got so bad in Nuevo Laredo, where the vaccination rate is still much lower than Laredos, that the city went on lockdown.

Individuals crossing from areas of Mexico with lower vaccination rates can impact the health care system, said Hilary Watt, CEO of Coastal Bend Regional Advisory Council, which tracks medical resources in the South Texas area.

Because of this, the largest land port along the 2,000-mile Texas-Mexico border needs cross-border solutions to its pandemic struggles.

Trevino has run a binational vaccination program since December, inoculating hundreds of Mexican residents every day at Laredos international border crossings. He estimates that well over 100,000 people have been vaccinated through the program using nearly expired doses donated from across the state.

The program was so successful that its being credited with driving up Mexican border state vaccine rates to some of the highest in Mexico. Trevino was recently honored with the key to the city by Nuevo Laredos mayor for the program.

In Laredo, Saenz said civic leaders in his city are about to do the same thing. It would have happened earlier, he said, but it keeps being bumped by surges.

Hopefully we can get it done this time, he said.

Laredo and Webb County, which is 90% fully vaccinated, and the rest of the border community have always been ahead of the state and the nation in terms of getting vaccinated quickly. And although the effect of such a high rate is dulled by the lower rates across the river, Trevino said, vaccination is still the biggest reason that Laredo didn't get hit much worse during the omicron surge.

A lot of people are going to attribute that to, Oh, omicron was not that severe and this and that, Trevino said. Thats not it. The fact is, we have more vaccinations now. Thats what has kept people out of the hospital.

More vulnerable

Scientists believe that omicron is less deadly than the previous variants. At one point during a previous surge, Laredo had the highest death rate in the country.

But Trevino and other local experts say that residents in Laredo are more vulnerable to COVID-19 than those in other parts of the state and are more likely to enter the hospital even with a less severe virus circulating.

Some 95% of Laredo residents are Hispanic, a population that is disproportionately more likely to die from or be hospitalized by COVID-19.

From a health standpoint, many Laredoans are at higher risk from the virus. South Texas is plagued by some of the nations highest rates of obesity, hypertension, diabetes  all considered underlying health issues that can factor for serious illness from COVID-19, Watt said.

A lot of those things are pretty prevalent in our area, and so as a population, theres a higher risk because of those things, Watt said.

There are also no public hospitals here, reducing Laredo's access to health care, and it has far fewer doctors needed for adequate health care access, officials say.

The two private hospitals in Laredo reach a service area with a population of 300,000 people, plus those in surrounding rural counties.

Its always hard for Laredo because were such a significantly medically underserved community, said state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo. These last two years have been a very difficult strain on hospitals nationwide, but especially in Laredo because Laredo facilities were already struggling to keep up with a growing city.

The area also has one of the highest uninsured rates in Texas, a state that has the highest uninsured rate in the country. An estimated one-third of the residents here have no coverage, compared with about one in five Texans statewide.

Its not like if you live in an affluent neighborhood and you call your doctor and he gives you treatment right away, Zaffirini said. These people who are underinsured, without any health insurance or Medicaid or anything, eventually wind up in the hospital when they are very sick. So that leads them into a morbidity and mortality rate thats higher than everybody else.

And that leads to enormous strain on hospital staff, Watt said.

In fact, according to federal data, the Laredo Medical Center has operated at 90% or higher occupancy for all but about three months, collectively, throughout the entire pandemic.

Hospitals, at times, may have empty beds, but if they don't have the staff to care for patients they would place in those beds, then theyre in a predicament, especially when youre talking about ICU patients, very sick people, who require smaller staff-to-patient ratios, Watt said. This becomes problematic. Weve been through many surges that highlighted that.

Seeking solutions

Saenz said the city is in the process of looking for a contractor to conduct a study of how the pandemic strained the medical resources of the area and come up with potential solutions for the future.

Its a complex problem. A new hospital, for example, would also bring the need for more staff, which is currently the biggest challenge facing the existing hospitals already, officials said.

Zaffrini said she was delighted that the city is paying attention to that at this point in time and encouraged by the decision to hire a consultant.

At the state level, however, Texas should expand eligibility to Medicaid to cover more low-income people and get them access to quality health care, which would also lower pressure on hospitals in a time of crisis, Zaffirini said.

Those are all longer-term solutions, however.

Right now, Zaffirini said, especially with George Washington festivities happening this weekend, people should not act as though the pandemic is over just because the numbers are dipping.

I hope people will remember the importance of being cautious, of being very conservative, not taking anything for granted, she said. Not assuming that were doing better and making sure we dont get worse.

Over it

DeJean, the Laredo speech therapist, is not feeling the optimism just yet either.

At her house, its not just her husband who has COVID-19. Both of their elementary-age children have it right now, too. So far, she has not tested positive and continues to do her job as a speech therapist in several schools while her sick husband stays home with the kids, who are not symptomatic.

When he goes back to work next week, shell have to take time off from her job to be with the kids if they are still testing positive.

She doesnt want her parents to help, even though they live down the street, because they are in their 70s and 80s and more vulnerable to the virus.

For DeJean, it almost seems like an insult that all this exhausting difficulty would happen after two years of masking and negative test results, of being careful and getting vaccinated.

Weve never had to deal with any of it before now, DeJean said. Im very agitated and Im over it. I just want things to go back to normal. Its very frustrating.

Jose Luis Martinez and Chris Essig contributed to this report.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them - about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
The Jammikunta police registered the case for stealing a donkey and behaving cruelly towards the animal (Representational image: Wikipedia)

KARIMNAGAR: The Jammikunta police arrested Balmuri Venkat Narsinga Rao, the National Students Union of India (NSUI) president, on the charge that he stole a donkey.

On Friday, Venkat and NSUI activists had celebrated the birthday of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao in Hyderabad by tying the CMs photo to a donkeys neck and making it eat a piece of cake.

The video went viral and TRS student wing staged protests. Some of them went lodged a complaint at the Jammikunta police station.

The Jammikunta police registered the case for stealing a donkey and behaving

cruelly towards the animal and of humiliation being caused to a section of society including nomadic tribes who depend on donkeys for their daily

sustenance.

Venkat was heading to his house after attending the Sammakka Saralamma Jatara in Medaram on Thursday night when the police took him into custody

in Huzurabad. The NSUI chief had unsuccessfully contested the Huzurabad

bypoll on a Congress ticket.

Additional DCP Srinivas said Venkat and his associates harassed the animal by

stealing it and used it in ways that violated provisions of the animal protection Act.

Donkey is a pet animal and it gives much support to the weaker sections and the nomadic tribes. Venkat was not revealing from where he brought the animal and who was its owner. He tried to create a dispute among some sections of people, the police claimed.
China remains Germany's most important trading partner in 2021

Xinhua) 13:52, February 19, 2022

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)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
An overstrained medical system, the bartering and money chain, overworked doctors and nurses  and all this is without the additional destructive nature of the Virus  unless addressed now will cripple us totally as a society. (Representational image/ AP)

The last weeks of January were spent in and out of hospitals. A father with a sudden sickness was plunged into that artificial world of strange green lights and beeping machines. Add his family left trying to cope with a lung cancer diagnosis to his getting Covid via an ICU. Its hard to keep your mind on track to make the right decisions as you plunge further into despair and displacement.

Theres something about the light itself in most hospitals that terrorises you. To be healed is the hope. To have your mind scrambled by a neon light that flashes you into submission is like an additional disease. My very intelligent, articulate Father became completely disorientated and lost, after his first four-day stint in a medical ICU. He had walked in to the hospital and, suddenly, he was unable to even walk to the bathroom?

The doctors, bless them, treated him like an idiot. They would not explain their own diagnosis or their suspicions to the patient but turned to his children. How does it help anyones health if they are separated from their loved ones and alone in a hostile environment full of people dying or in desperate straits, and not being told why?

All my father, 84, wanted to do was to get out. The doctors wanted to keep him in, even as they explained that our options were limited. To what end? More machines, less humanity.

To me, a cancer survivor, the pussyfooting around the word cancer was the first annoyance. Just say it. Its a disease. We all know about it. Its a leading cause of death globally. Not saying the word is not going to change its reality. Explain clearly and for gods sake, explain it to the person who you think has the disease.

We managed to get Father out of hospital that time and he returned to his normal witty, larger-than-life self the second he was out in the real world. ICU psychosis, as someone within the hospital put it.

What about the Covid he contracted there?

Aah well, lots of shoulder shrugs, thats how hospitals are. These things happen. Occupational hazard. Madam, were probably all affected, but when someone tests positive, well, we have to follow the protocols.

Luckily for us, the Covid was a-symptomatic, whatever I mean by luckily here because it was not long before our luck ran out. But until that happened, we went from frying pan to fire as the second hospital  which offered the cancer tests  had the most terrible Covid care. The a-symptomatic meant that we got Father home, we got a caring, wonderful nurse and we worked on getting him back on track. All we had wanted was a PET scan to confirm the cancer diagnosis. What we got instead was the virus and the bureaucracy around it.

We thus brought Father home for the first time and it was a good time. Walking, eating, better, in spite of a pigtail. Chatting, reading, even as the oxygen concentrators and cylinders took a bit of getting used to. But he and the rest of us soon became experts at that. It was not the dignified life he was used to, but it was better than lying alone in an ICU ward or alone in a room.

Through this, your mind plays tricks on you. He will get better; we will fight the cancer like I fought it, like my Mother did before me. Medical science has advanced so much. Through this, we know, we have seen first-hand what cancer can do, what the treatment can do. But can you give up hope? All we wanted after all was a PET scan so that we could understand the length and the breadth of the tumour.

We also knew that theres a price to be paid for a lifetime of smoking. Father did not want to accept that, even though the chain-smoking had long stopped and in his own words, he was now a bum, cadging other peoples fags. The fights we had over this when I was a child. What use were those now?

We had to go back to hospital and this time, it was bad. One lung was non-functional, the second was struggling. The hospital which gave him Covid now refused to take him back because he had Covid. It was only the kindness of friends that got him back in, and the tremendous personal goodwill he built with everyone wherever he went. As our young nurse was furious and ranted about the impersonality and greed of insurance-based hospital care.

This time, we were cleverer. We spoke the tough words to the doctors who were too tired or scared to say them to us. We explained how impersonal ICUs were not where anyone wants to live their last moments. Isolation at 84, what does that mean? The room he was in had a wonderful view of forests and mountains. But the bed was pushed against the window so all the patient saw was a white wall. A design fatality rather than a design flaw.

Arijit Banerji, October 23, 1937-February 5, 2022

We brought him home, knowing that we had no time. We talked and laughed and discussed our happiest times as a family. We never left his side for the 30 hours we had left with him. We knew we wanted him home a day earlier, he kept saying to the doctors I want to go home NOW, but they were scared. We signed those LAMA forms, even as they told us we were brave and we were doing the right thing. The irony of leaving against medical advice when the doctors applaud you for leaving against medical advice!

He left us, a life well lived, a family broken.

But I write this because we have learnt as a family that what we lack most terribly in India is geriatric care and an understanding of the last days of human life. An overstrained medical system, the bartering and money chain, overworked doctors and nurses  and all this is without the additional destructive nature of the Virus  unless addressed now will cripple us totally as a society. Many may have read Atul Gawandes Being Mortal, but I have not come across even one medical person who has understood what Gawande wrote or tried to follow the examples given to increase understanding of what most of us will go through. Were living longer thanks to medical advancements, but at the end of our days, are we living better?

If we dont answer that question now, the answer will tragically forever be no.
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.

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.
WASHINGTON - Last month Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., sent eight colleagues a gift to mark the bonds they forged in the impeachment trial of Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

"Chance made us co-workers," the message read on a candle from Cicilline, noting that "crazy psycho" events made "us friends."

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., when posting a picture of the gift, clarified they were the second Trump impeachment managers because "the former president was that bad" and was impeached twice.

A year later, the nine impeachment managers have remained in close contact. They're part of the "strange club," as Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., described it, one of just four sets of House members to ever try a presidential impeachment case in the Senate.

This group has largely returned to rank-and-file status, going back to their normal committee work and providing constituent services back in their districts. They suffer from a bit of political whiplash, because while they recorded the most bipartisan conviction vote ever for a presidential impeachment, Trump has not shrunk from the limelight.

He is still considering another run for president and many House Republicans remain loyal to the former president as he continues to spout false claims about the 2020 election.

Thee warnings that the managers sounded during last year's trial, said Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., "are just as real and serious today as they were a year ago."

Their team's leader, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., is continuing to pursue Trump through his work on the House's select committee investigating the attack on the Capitol. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., is pursuing a lawsuit against Trump and some of his closest allies for their role in inciting the riot.

They are trying to focus on advancing President Joe Biden's legislative agenda, but one eye often lurks toward Trump and his ongoing attacks on the 2020 results. They emphasize there are no regrets, that they laid out the evidence in a compelling narrative that brought along seven Senate Republicans, falling 10 votes shy of the 67 needed to convict and prevent Trump from running for office again.

"My only regret is that 10 Republican senators did not join Richard Burr, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse and Pat Toomey in doing the right thing," Neguse said, naming the seven Republican senators who voted to convict. "It seems like a lot, but 10 senators is not a lot. We got 85% of the way there on conviction."

A year later, the managers are largely involved in some work related to the insurrection. Neguse is part of a team that is negotiating changes to the Electoral Count Act, the 1877 relic that Trump tried to exploit by pressuring Vice President Mike Pence to reject certain states' electors in hopes of overturning the election.

Neguse disagrees with the many Democrats who only want to update that law after passing a much broader legislation designed to protect voting rights - which has remained deadlocked in a 50-50 Senate, where every Republican has filibustered the package.

Without changes to the Electoral Count Act, Neguse said, there could in the near future be a repeat of the effort to overturn the election, only this time it might be successful. "We have to reform the Electoral Count Act. It's crucial that we get it done," he said.

Cicilline is pushing his Democratic colleagues to move beyond talking about the legislative agenda ahead of the November midterm election, warning that they need to have a sharper focus on linking today's Republicans to Trump.

"We have a responsibility to call that out. This is dangerous. We cannot ignore the danger of this Republican Party," he said, making clear that Biden can largely try to stay above the fray. "He doesn't have to be in these daily battles. It's on us to correctly characterize what they're doing."

Dean has a different personal task that she first brought up during the Democratic caucus's conference call a day or two after the attacks. "We also have to catalogue the good, and I fear we haven't done that," she said referring to the bravery shown by many members as rioters ransacked the Capitol.

She noted the actions of Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., who served three tours as an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan, helping stunned lawmakers during the siege inside the House, and Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., an emergency room doctor with expertise on mental trauma, counseling members in real time when they sheltered in a secure location across the street.

Dean wishes congressional officials had left intact some of the damage done by the violence - a shattered window or broken benches - as a reminder to visitors to the Capitol for years to come of what transpired on Jan. 6.

These managers almost to a person believe that Trump is weaker now, even if so many House Republicans line up directly behind him, as more information comes out about his actions in the run-up to the Capitol attack and his personal finances face heavy scrutiny in a New York investigation.

"The facade of his support is cracking," Dean said.

Neguse and Cicilline believe that, had another 10 or 15 Republicans voted to convict in the Senate, Trump's support would have cratered because he would have been barred from the presidency. "There would have been a significant shift in public opinion," Neguse said.

Senate Republicans, even those who oppose the ex-president, aren't so sure.

"No," said Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., who voted to convict, said as he held back some laughter. "I think it would've just increased the arsenal of tools."

Burr, who was censured by the North Carolina Republicans for his vote, thinks that Trump would have maintained the same level of support among base voters regardless of the outcome of the Senate trial, although he blames the media for focusing so much on the former president.

Yet even Trump supporters in the Senate are careful not to praise his behavior last year. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., only cited Trump's departure from office as the reason for his vote to acquit Trump.

"You can't impeach a prior president," Scott said. As chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Scott does not want GOP candidates re-litigating the 2020 election this summer and fall.

"The election's going to be about Biden. It's a referendum on what he's done, he's had a disastrous year," Scott said.

Scott's words are a small consolation to the managers, akin to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., delivering a fiery speech blaming Trump for the riot after he voted to acquit. The managers had essentially proven their case, but didn't win the vote.

Raskin always believed the case was so strong that his goal wasn't just 67 votes. "We're going for all 100," he told the other managers, who included Reps. Diana DeGette of Colorado and Joaquin Castro of Texas.

Even after so many had already made clear they'd vote to acquit, the managers held out hope, especially when Burr - early in the alphabetical roll call - surprisingly voted to convict.

But it wasn't meant to be. The nine managers and their aides gathered in a room, as Dean gave them a gift that she had found at downtown gift shop: a flask with the Capitol logo on it.

Democratic Del. Stacey Plaskett, a former prosecutor who is the nonvoting delegate from the Virgin Islands, poured everyone some rum. They did a toast to their effort.

"What an honor," Dean recalled. "What an extraordinary honor to be part of that team. I believe we did it pretty damn well."
If you've recently gone under contract to buy a home, you've probably been told by your real estate agent to find a title company. In that case, you may be wondering what does a title company do? And what is a "title," anyway?

In the real estate industry, "title" refers to the legal right to ownership of a property. This title is transferred from a seller to a buyer through the deed to the property. In most cases, the person who holds the deed to the property also holds title and is considered its rightful owner.

Additionally, the new owner must be able to own the property "free and clear," which means that any other claims to ownership must be resolved before a new transfer of ownership can take place. Some common title problems might include an ex-spouse whose name is still on the deed, or financial claims like a lien or unpaid taxes on the property.

In short, a title company is responsible for making sure that the title to a property can be transferred from the seller to the buyer without issue.

"Its the title insurance underwriters job to make sure the purchaser doesnt inherit unwanted problems such as liens, claims, or unpaid taxes," explains Kathy J. Kwak, chief operating officer of Proper Title in Chicago.

The title company offers protection against these issues through a title insurance policy.

"This policy ensures that the seller or owner has the right to sell the land and that any problems have been cleared up," Kwak adds.

What are the responsibilities of a title company in a real estate transaction?

Here's a rundown of the various roles and responsibilities fulfilled by a title company in a transaction.

Conduct a title search: Once a title company receives an executed agreement of sale, it performs a title search. During this search, it looks for anything that could impede the buyer's rightful ownership of the property. Specifically, it looks for any existing mortgages, liens, judgments, unpaid taxes, and restrictions due to easements.

Order a property survey: At the same time, the title company will likely order a property survey from a third-party provider. This survey defines the boundaries of the plot of land where the home is located. It also determines whether the home fits within those boundaries or if there are any encroachments that may affect the new buyer's ownership claim.

Put together a title report: After the title search and property survey have been completed, the title company puts together a title report, which is also known as a "title abstract." This report spells out the results of the title search, including any issues that need to be resolved before the title for the property can be transferred to a new owner.

Issue title insurance: Once any existing issues have been resolved, the title company issues a title insurance policy. In particular, title insurance protects the recipient from financial harm in any legal issues that result from a dispute over the ownership of the property.

Hold escrow: In addition to providing a title search and insurance, many title agents will also serve as escrow agents. In real estate, the escrow agent is a neutral third party that is in charge of holding any funds that are supposed to be exchanged between the parties in the transaction.

Typically, an escrow agent will be in charge of holding the buyer's earnest money deposit. However, if any other funds need to be exchanged after closing, such as any negotiated funds for repairs, the escrow agent will hold those as well.

Facilitate closing: Lastly, in title states, the title agent also usually facilitates the settlement. The title agent will make sure that all the paperwork has been signed and that the funds have been properly disbursed.

What are the different types of title insurance?

When buying a home, you need to understand that there are two different types of title insurance. There is a lender's title insurance policy and an owner's title insurance policy. Here is a look at the differences between them.

Lender's title insurance: Typically, buyers will be required to purchase a lender's title insurance policy as a condition of their mortgage. As the name suggests, this policy protects the lender's financial interest in the property if there's ever another claim to ownership.

Owner's title insurance: Meanwhile, an owner's title insurance policy protects the owner if there is ever a legal dispute over who is the rightful owner.

Usually, purchasing one of these policies is optional. However, it's generally considered to be a good idea. After all, you never know when a dispute may arise and it's better to be safe than sorry.

Can you shop around for a title company?

When it comes to title insurance, buyers usually wonder if they can shop around for a title company. The answer to this question depends on where you live. In most cases, it does make sense to shop around for title insurance. However, in some states, shopping around does not make much of a difference.

Pennsylvania, for example, is what's known as an "all-inclusive" title state. Title companies in the state must charge one all-inclusive fee for their services. This fee is generally uniform across the board. In other states, title companies can charge separate fees for each of their services.

If you don't live in an all-inclusive state, shopping around helps you ensure you are getting the best rate. That said, when you solicit estimates from title companies, it's crucial to have a clear idea of what services are included in your quote. That will help you to ensure that you're making an apples-to-apples comparison between companies.

The post What Does a Title Company Do? A Guide for First-Time Homebuyers appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
In this weeks air travel news, new international route options from SFO are coming soon to Germany, New Zealand and Canada; Alaska Airlines introduces a new way to buy tickets in bulk; the list of countries easing up on their COVID-related entry restrictions continues to grow; CDC adds Tahiti, South Korea to its do not travel list; international route news from Delta, Cayman Airways and Iberia; Delta expands its Hawaii network; the Star Alliance lounge at Los Angeles International will now let travelers buy their way in; and American Expresss Centurion lounges will start charging members to bring in guests next year.

Bay Area travelers will benefit from more international flight options in the months ahead, with new or resuming service from SFO to Germany, New Zealand and Canada. The German carrier Condor, which focuses on the leisure market, said it will introduce new service between Frankfurt and San Francisco International starting in May, operating three flights a week. Condor said its summer schedule will include 12 U.S. cities; newly added gateways this year besides San Francisco are Los Angeles and Boston. In the western U.S., Condor will also fly from Frankfurt to Portland, Seattle, Las Vegas and Phoenix this summer.

Although New Zealand will only gradually reopen to international travel this year, the website Simple Flying reports that Air New Zealand is planning to bring back more long-haul routes, including Auckland-San Francisco beginning April 14. The airlines only current U.S. destination is Los Angeles. Under New Zealands recently announced reopening plans, visitors from the U.S. and other non-visa countries wont be allowed to visit until July; even then, theyll have to show proof of vaccination, get a negative result on a pre-departure COVID test, quarantine for seven days after arrival, and take two more rapid antigen tests several days apart.

The Canadian ultra-low-fare carrier Swoop said it plans to add five more transborder destinations to its summer schedule this year, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Nashville, Chicago and New York. The carrier set a June 6 launch date for new service between San Francisco and Edmonton, Alberta, when it will operate four flights a week. It will also begin Edmonton-Los Angeles service on June 23 with three weekly flights. Fares on both routes will start at $99 (Canadian). Swoop said it will also extend its winter schedule into the summer season on several routes, including service to Edmonton from Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Diego.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is trying to entice California residents with a new pricing product that lets them buy multiple flights for a fixed monthly rate. Its called Flight Pass, and its available now for travel on Alaskas intrastate California routes and flights from California to Reno-Tahoe, Las Vegas and Phoenix. An Air Pass subscription is good for 12 months  i.e., customers are buying a specific number of roundtrip flights in economy class for a fixed rate that will be charged to their credit card each month, and flight credits deposited into their account monthly or bi-monthly. With annual plans starting at $49 per month, this new way to fly allows travelers to lock in main cabin deals for a full year and rewards subscribers with lower-than-average fares on eligible flights, the airline said. Travelers can select a pass for six, 12 or 24 roundtrip flights in a year when they subscribe to the program at www.flightpass.alaskaair.com. The lowest-priced Flight Pass starts at $49 a month for six flights, and it requires buyers to book their flights at least 14 days before travel and no more than 90 days in advance. The more flexible Flight Pass Pro starts at $199 per month and allows reservations to be made up to two hours before departure. Alaska operates 100 flights a day connecting 13 California airports to each other and to the Nevada and Arizona airports mentioned above. Pass holders will still earn elite-qualifying miles in the airlines Mileage Plan loyalty program. For details, click on the above link.

Foreign nations, especially in Europe, are continuing to change their COVID-related travel restrictions. France is the latest major destination to ease up on its entry requirements for U.S. and other international visitors. As of this week, fully vaccinated Americans are no longer required to get a negative COVID test result 48 hours before boarding their flight to France. According to the U.S. Embassy, U.S. visitors only need to show their CDC card as proof of vaccination. Unvaccinated individuals must still get a negative test before arrival in France and may be subject to additional testing after arrival. If it has been more than nine months since their second dose of vaccine (or the single dose of Johnson & Johnson), visitors must now show proof of a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated. Travelers who received the booster more than 9 months after their second dose may still enter France, so long as one week has passed since they received the booster dose, the Embassy noted. Keep in mind that visitors will also have to get a vaccine pass, which has slightly different rules, at a French pharmacy in order to enter restaurants, museums and trains.

Germany has removed the U.S. and 16 other non-E.U. nations from its COVID high-risk list effective Feb. 20. With that change, travelers coming from those nations will no longer be subject to a quarantine upon arrival and wont have to register online before their trip. However, travelers must still present proof that they have completed COVID vaccinations within the past nine months, or received a booster shot. The government will also accept a negative COVID test result or proof of recovery from the virus. The test can be a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before entry to Germany, or a rapid antigen test taken within 48 hours.

Greece also changed its rules this week so that vaccinated U.S. travelers no longer have to get a negative test result before leaving home. Under the new regulations, Americans can enter Greece by presenting just one of three things: a vaccination certificate showing the last shot was received less than nine months ago (or a booster shot that carries no time limit); a negative result on a PCR test less than 72 hours before departure or an antigen test less than 24 hours before departure; or a certificate of COVID illness valid for 180 days. Visitors must also complete a passenger locator form before arrival.

Switzerland has gone even farther, announcing this week that all COVID-related entry restrictions have been lifted effective immediately. It will no longer be necessary to provide proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test or complete an entry form, according to the Swiss Federal Council. The country also said it will stop issuing COVID certificates valid only in Switzerland and will no longer require anyone to wear a mask to gain entry to shops restaurants, museums and other public venues.

Another change in entry rules came from Canadas government, which said this week it is easing pre-arrival testing requirements for air travelers who are fully vaccinated. (The government does not require a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated.) Effective Feb. 28, they will have the option of getting a negative COVID result on either a rapid antigen test taken the day before their flight into Canada or a molecular test (i.e. a PCR test) taken no more than 72 hours before their flight. (Currently, all tests must be molecular.) Taking a rapid antigen test at home is not sufficient to meet the pre-entry requirement  it must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased and must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service, the government said. Unvaccinated travelers arent allowed into the country unless they are in one of a few exempt categories. Canada said it will also begin randomly selecting passengers for testing after arrival, although they wont have to quarantine while waiting for the results.

Japan is also taking steps to reopen to foreign visitors starting in March  but not to tourists. Business travelers and foreign students will be the first groups allowed in, but still with restrictions. According to the Japan Times, the countrys current limit of 3,500 people a day allowed into the country will increase to 5,000, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said this week that the mandatory quarantine period for foreigners who are fully vaxxed and boosted will be shortened to three days from seven, and that visitors must be tested before and after arrival. The government has been under increasing pressure from the business and education communities to start letting foreigners back in.

Keep in mind that if you do take an overseas trip as more nations relax their COVID entry rules, the U.S. still requires that you get a negative result on a COVID test no more than 24 hours before boarding your flight back home.

Planning a trip to Tahiti in the weeks ahead? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week added French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea, etc.) to its Level 4 do not travel list due to very high COVID risk levels. South Korea was also added to the Level 4 list this week, along with a few less-popular destinations including Belarus, the Comoros, Azerbaijan, and the French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic. More than half the worlds countries are now on the CDCs Level 4 list, but the agency has no authority to prevent Americans from traveling to them; its list is only a public health advisory.

Tim Jue

In international route news, while Delta has announced plans to increase capacity to Europe this summer, Simple Flying reports that the airline is taking the opposite tack across the Pacific as some key destinations there still maintain entry bans or severe restrictions due to COVID. The site noted that Deltas latest schedule updates show no service to Tokyo Haneda from Los Angeles, Honolulu, Minneapolis-St. Paul or Portland until the end of October. Flights to Seoul Incheon arent scheduled until mid-September from Portland and late October from Minneapolis-St. Paul. However, these schedules could change as the COVID situation evolves. Elsewhere, Cayman Airways is coming back to Denver International on Feb. 26, where it will operate one 737MAX flight a week (on Saturdays) to the Cayman Islands through early August. And Spains Iberia Airlines, a member of Americans Oneworld alliance thats due to resume seasonal San Francisco-Madrid service three days a week starting June 1, will also add seasonal flights from Madrid to Dallas/Ft. Worth and Washington Dulles, both starting June 1 with four weekly departures on each route.

Hawaii will be getting more service from Delta next fall. The carrier said this week it plans to begin non-stop flights from its Atlanta hub to Maui and from its Detroit hub to Honolulu starting Nov. 17, followed by the launch of service from New York JFK to Honolulu Dec. 17. Delta already flies to Hawaii from Los Angeles, Seattle, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. In other news, Delta plans to resume hot meal service next month for first class customers on flights longer than 900 miles.

The Star Alliance lounge at Los Angeles International Airport  located in the Bradley International Terminal  is now allowing paid entry to guests who would otherwise not be eligible to use the facility. The lounge provides dining for guests along with work and relaxation areas, and it has an outdoor terrace and shower suites. The Star Alliance includes United, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand and several other airlines, and free lounge access is available to premium customers on member carriers. The Star Alliance said travelers who want to reserve and buy a LAX lounge pass can do so at its website (www.staralliance.com). It said the option is available now, but it didnt say what a pass would cost. The website might not yet be up to speed with this new option; when we checked it out on Friday (Feb. 18) and tried to book a LAX lounge pass, the system showed them as unavailable no matter which date we tried.

Weve reported in the past how American Express has sometimes imposed entry limits at its airport Centurion Lounges during especially busy periods, but next year the company is reportedly planning to take away some of the existing benefits for travelers who are entitled to use those facilities  i.e., holders of AmExs high-end Centurion and Platinum cards (both personal and business). According to Boardingarea.com, starting Feb. 1 of next year, Platinum cardholders will no longer be able to bring up to two guests and/or family members into the lounges for free. Instead, theyll have to pay a $50 fee for each guest, including spouses, or $30 for each child aged 2-17. There is one way around these fees, though: Just spend at least $75,000 on your card during the most recent calendar year.
Local

Homemade - Raelyn & Grace Candles

mattbeck / Matthew Beck / Chronicle photo editor Karen Ropes, owner of Raelyn & Grace Products, pours a mixture of coconut, palm and soy wax into a glass jar Monday afternoon, Feb. 14. Once the liquid wax is cooled the yellow liquid will turn white. Her candle-making business is operated from her garage. Photos by Matthew Beck / Chronicle photo editor After the liquid wax has cooled Karen Ropes cuts the wicks down to a manageable size. mattbeck / Matthew Beck Chronicle photo editor Some of Karen Ropes most popular scented candles include Oahu, Caribbean Teakwood and The Gentleman. mattbeck / Matthew Beck Chronicle photo editor Small candle tins are also created by Karen Ropes who owns Raelyn & Grace Products.

Editors note: According to the Small Business Association, an estimated 50 percent of the 31.7 million small businesses in the U.S. are run from home.

Thats about 15 million people who manufacture products or provide services using their homes as their base of operation.

The Chronicles occasional series, Homemade, tells the stories of, not just a persons home-based business, but of the why and how and the how-I-got-here behind it.

Grace often comes when you least expect it.

For Karen Ropes, owner of Raelyn & Grace Candles, her home-based business began with a windfall gift from a stranger.

Ropes, a Realtor, started doing property management about 15 years ago.

Property management is tough, she said. When your phone rings its usually because theres a problem. Somethings broken, someones not happy.

Another part of property management is handling tenants moving in and out of rental properties.

About two years ago, a tenant was moving out and I made an appointment to coordinate the keys and everything, Ropes said. The woman brought me into her home, and in her Florida room there were all these paintings and paint stuff. So, we got talking  I talk to everyone, because I love knowing peoples stories.

She likes to paint, her son paints, and I show her pictures on my phone  my daughter and I paint rocks. And then I tell her about my cousin who paints, Ropes said. The woman asks, Would you like my art stuff? Im moving to a very, very small place and theres no room for all this. She had paints and canvases and brushes and two table-top easels.

Ropes said she offered to buy it, but the woman insisted on giving it to her. She told Ropes, I know youll use this with your children and your time will be blessed.

Ropes has two daughters, Raelyn, 9, and Grace, 14.

A day later, Ropes got a text from the woman: Do you make candles?

She replied: I havent yet, but I can try.

So, in addition to her art stuff she gave me all her candle stuff, she said, 16 pounds of coconut wax, fragrance oils, scales, pouring pitchers, wicks, tins, everything. She also gave me her jewelry making collection and knitting stuff, and everything of hers was THE best.

Now what?

It was a few months into the coronavirus pandemic and Ropes, a divorced single mom of two young daughters who were now being schooled from home in a house with kids and pets and nothing to do, was feeling a bit antsy.

I broke out the candle stuff and made my first candle, she said.

She watched a few videos and figured out what to do and produced her first candle, a pumpkin apple butter fragrance.

The next thing I know Ive got 65 candles in tiny tins, and now what the heck am I going to do with these? And then people started buying them from me, she said.

She figured if people liked the pumpkin apple butter scent, theyd also like pumpkin spice, pumpkin latte, pumpkin caramel, pumpkin pecan waffle.

I was at someones house and she asked, Whatcha got? and then she said, I hate pumpkin and went to the wall and got her plug-in (air freshener) and said, Smell this. This is what I like. I said, I can get that fragrance.

Then people started requesting different fragrances and I started getting more, she said.

Some of her fragrances have names like The Handyman, Under the Stars, Mountain Lake and Banana Nut Bread.

When the supply chain issues started and Ropes couldnt get tins, she discovered people preferred jars, which she could get.

Years earlier she had purchased a crazy amount of labels for nearly nothing that were on sale at Office Max that were perfect for the jars.

She named her business, Raelyn & Grace, after her daughters, with Raelyn being a Scottish word for grace.

She did her first public event, a pop-up event with only four vendors in Homosassa, which she deemed a success.

Then she accidentally signed up for the Manatee Festival instead of the Strawberry Festival, and ended up doing both, plus Shrimpapalooza, and she sets up a booth at First Fridays in Crystal River.

The woman who had given Ropes all her arts and crafts stuff had even given her a folding table and a chair that she uses at the festivals, and her dad built all her shelving and cabinets for her workshop at home.

Everything just settled on me like perfect grace, she said.

Absolute blessing

Ropes said the woman who had given her all the arts and craft supplies told her, You have no idea how grateful I am for you. She was so appreciative and so thankful that I took her stuff, Ropes said. I told her, No, youve got this backwards. You have no idea how grateful I am.

This has been an absolute blessing, Ropes said. In the middle of a pandemic when people lost their sense of smell, God gifts me with all this ... and when people who have lost their sense of smell from COVID come to my booth, a lot of times they can smell the Macintosh Apple candle and theyre so excited. They can smell again, and they can recognize it.

And this little craft that I started as something to keep me from going nuts during the pandemic has turned into a great little side gig thats a lot of fun, she said, and when it comes to candles, when someone finds one they love, everybodys happy.

For information about Raelyn & Grace Candles, go to the Facebook page or email: raelynandgrace@gmail.com.
Florida, US (34429)

Today

Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Thunder possible. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Thunder possible. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Are you a Canadian convention organizer hiring foreign help? Here is what you need to know about Canadian work permits.

How to hire foreign workers for Canadian conventions and trade shows Are you a Canadian convention organizer hiring foreign help? Here is what you need to know about Canadian work permits.

How to hire foreign workers for Canadian conventions and trade shows Are you a Canadian convention organizer hiring foreign help? Here is what you need to know about Canadian work permits.

How to hire foreign workers for Canadian conventions and trade shows Are you a Canadian convention organizer hiring foreign help? Here is what you need to know about Canadian work permits. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Foreign nationals working on Canadian events need work permits in order to do their jobs legally in Canada.

The Canadian government considers events to be Canadian if they are hosted by organizations which are actively doing business in Canada. Host organizations could be associations, corporations, or government.

An event that is conducted by a Canadian branch or subsidiary of a foreign-based organization also falls under this definition. So, if an event is conducted by a Canadian subsidiary, then any employees of the foreign branch would require a work permit to work on the event.

These rules apply not only to conventions and trade shows, but association meetings, congresses, corporate meetings, incentive meetings, exhibitions, and other consumer shows.

Need Help with Work Permits? Contact Cohen Immigration Law for a Free Consultation

The type of work permit that your foreign talent needs depends on their role in the event.

There are two broad types of work permits in Canada: Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP). The main difference is the requirement for what is called a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

The LMIA basically signals to the Canadian government that there is no Canadian resident who is available or qualified to do the job. You could also say it is meant to demonstrate that there will be no negative consequences to the Canadian labour market if the foreign national comes to do their job. IMP work permits do not require an LMIA, because they have been determined to offer a significant benefit to Canadas economic, social, or cultural objectives.

Here we will try to help you figure out what your foreign employees need to work legally in Canada. The following roles are not considered to be Business Visitors, and therefore require work permits. Business visitors include conference delegates, attendees, and board members.

Exhibitors

Foreign exhibitors selling Canadian-made goods require work permits that are supported by an LMIA. The LMIA is required here because, in the governments eyes, if a product is made and sold in Canada, there is no reason a Canadian should not be the one to sell the product.

If exhibitors are selling foreign-made goods to the general public and deliver them at the time of sale, they may apply for a significant benefit work permit, which is LMIA exempt. They are considered to be a benefit because these foreign workers hire Canadian services and purchase accommodations.

Setting up display

Foreign employees will require work permits to install and dismantle a booth or display if it is larger than a portable pop-up. Work permits for this purpose do not require an LMIA.

The same goes for contract service providers. Canadian event organizers need work permits for foreign contractors who install and dismantle shows and exhibits, and who do behind-the-scenes tech work like lighting, and decorating. Work permits for this purpose require an LMIA.

Exhibitors are expected to hire Canadians to do all the labour on the convention floor, the Canadian government website says. Otherwise, an LMIA-supported work permit will be required.

Need Help with Work Permits? Contact Cohen Immigration Law for a Free Consultation

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
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A Ukrainian soldier looks at a hole from a shell fired by pro-Russian separatists in the village of Novoluhanske, Luhansk region, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine have ordered a full military mobilization amid growing fears in the West that Russia is planning to invade the neighboring country. The announcement on Saturday came amid a spike in violence along the line of contact between Ukrainian forces and the pro-Russia rebels in recent days.
Organizers plan to hold the Strauss Festival of Elk Grove this July after a two-year absence.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18)  An executive of a controversial government medical supplier was allowed leave from detention to visit his son suffering from dengue.

In a statement on Friday, Senator Richard Gordon said the Blue Ribbon committee let Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. director Linconn Ong visit his two-year-old son in the hospital "for humanitarian reasons" and upon the plea his wife. Ong is detained at the Pasay city jail.

READ: Pharmally execs wife appeals to Senate to release husband from jail

"For humanitarian reasons, but without wavering on or compromising our position regarding his contempt of the Senate, I, as Chairman of the committee, will allow Mr. Ong fully escorted visits to his son in hospital for a limited time per day on dates to be set by the committee, the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, and authorities of the Pasay city jail," Gordon said.

Gordon is chairman of the committee investigating the alleged questionable multibillion-peso deal between the government and Pharmally for the purchase of COVID-19 response supplies.

Gordon said Ong "continues to be detained because of his failure to purge himself of his defiant conduct."

"Mr. Ongs continuing detention is a matter that can really only be determined by his acts: will he continue to be evasive or will he not; will he tell the truth finally or will he not; will he purge himself of his contumacious acts or will he not?" he added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19)  A total of 30 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong have tested positive for COVID-19 as the territory deals with a surge of infections.

Philippine Consulate General Raly Tejada said the 30 infected OFWs are classified as mild and asymptomatic cases.

However, some of the sick Filipinos are having a hard time getting admitted to hospitals as the facilities are already full, Tejada added.

Other OFWs were prohibited by their employers to return to work while some have been fired.

"Ang problem po is yung mga kababayaan natin tapos na kontrata nila. Yung pangalawa, sad to say, itinaboy ng kanilang mga employers," Tejada said.

[Translation: The problem is there are OFWs who have expired contracts. The second problem, sad to say, is that some of them were driven away by their employers.]

Tejada said the affected OFWs were brought to a safe place - but not to the consulate itself to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

In her case, Hong Kong-based OFW Criz Adaptar said she's not allowed by her employer to leave their home for safety reasons.

Adaptar also shared that she recently took a swab test after some residents in their building tested positive for COVID-19. She said Hong Kong rules state that all building residents need to undergo testing if one or two people contracted the virus.

"Nagpa-test na din po ako noong time na yan kasi the other week lumabas po ako at para makasigurado na din po na hindi ako positive," Adaptar told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Weekend on Saturday.

[Translation: I took a swab test during that time because I went outside the other week and for my peace of mind that I am not positive for COVID-19.]

Around 4,000 OFWs bound for Hong Kong are stranded in the Philippines due to the ongoing deployment ban, and the current surge of COVID-19 cases in the Chinese special administrative region.

CNN Philippines correspondent Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19)  The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said it is investigating the death of Reginald Michael Manito, a lawyer vying for the position of councilor in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

"CHR strongly denounces this latest killing of another member of the legal profession," CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said in a statement on Saturday.

Citing an initial police report, the commission said Manito was shot by two individuals who barged into his office Thursday morning.

The agency reiterated its appeal to the government to ensure the protection of all members of the judiciary.

As of Feb. 11, there have been around 66 "violent deaths" among lawyers, judges, and prosecutors since 2016, according to the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) The Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Friday arrested a doctor who they claim to be a high-ranking communist official in San Juan City.

Government forces arrested Dr. Maria Natividad Silva Castro, 53, in her residence in Brgy. San Perfecto.

The PNP Regional Office 13 alleged that Castro is a Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Central Committee member and head of its national health bureau in Butuan City.

Police said Castro was "involved in the felonious kidnapping of a member of Civilian Active Auxiliary, detained the victim in an unidentified location, and threatened him last Dec. 29, 2018, in Barangay Kolambungan, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur."

The physician's family, however, strongly denied the allegations.

Jun Castro said his sister has set up community health centers and programs in Mindanao. But he insisted that the accusations against her are "all untrue."

"Many years ago, Dr. Naty brought a Lumad (Philippine Indigenous People) who were victims of militarization to UN Geneva. She spoke there, in Geneva, to seek help for the Lumad people," Jun said in a Facebook post on Friday.

"My sister is accused of multiple charges of kidnapping and illegal detention, all related to her human rights advocacy. ALL UNTRUE," he added.

Unjust detention?

The CPP slammed the police and military for the "unlawful" and unjust detention of Castro, and urged authorities to drop all charges against her.

It said the doctor was the latest victim of the "continuing war of terror" of the current administration.

Several groups  including the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR)  raised concern over the arrest.

"Upon inquiry, police officers from the Intelligence Group informed FLAG that Dr. Castro was no longer at Camp Crame as she was supposedly 'brought to the airport' to be 'delivered to the court' in Butuan City," FLAG said in a statement.

"Family members proceeded to the airport but were not able to see her there," it added. "The scheduled flight to Butuan took off without any confirmation of Dr. Castro being on board."

Authorities said the doctor has been transferred to the custodial facility of the Bayugan City Police Station.

Police violations?

The CHR said it has dispatched a quick response team in the National Capital Region and CARAGA and is undertaking motu propio investigation on reports of possible violations of the PNP rules of procedure.

The PNP, however, said Castro's rights will still be protected

"Siniguro natin na protektahan ang kanyang karapatang pantao dahil sinunod natin ang tamang proseso sa kanyang pagdakip ayon sa probisyon ng batas at ng police operational procedure," it said in a statement. "Tinitiyak natin sa kanyang pamilya na siya ay inaasikaso at inalagaan."

[Translation: We'll make sure her rights are protected because we followed the right process of arrest under the provisions of the law and the police operational procedure. We assure her family that she is taken care of.]

Meanwhile, the Department of Health reminded authorities to uphold the rights of health workers like Castro.

"All our citizens, health workers included, enjoy the constitutional guarantees of due process and presumption of innocence until proven guilty," the department said in a statement released on Saturday.
(CNN) -- Beijing said that it is "seriously concerned" about actions India has taken against Chinese companies this week, including banning apps.

"Indian authorities have taken a series of repressive measures against Chinese companies and related products in India, which has seriously damaged the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," said Gao Feng, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, during a press conference in Beijing on Thursday.

The rebuke comes days after India blocked access to 54 apps in the country over security concerns, according to details shared this week with CNN Business by a senior government representative from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Many of the banned apps are Chinese, belonging to tech companies such as Tencent, Alibaba and NetEase, Bloomberg reported, quoting unnamed sources.

Additionally, this week Chinese firm Huawei said India's tax authorities "visited" its office in the country and met with some Huawei personnel.

"Huawei is confident our operations in India is firmly compliant to all laws and regulations," the telecoms equipment maker said, adding that it will cooperate with the Indian government.

While the company did not give any other details, Reuters reported  quoting an unnamed source  that tax authorities conducted searches at the tech giant's offices in New Delhi, Gurugram and Bangalore on Tuesday.

"Officials from the income tax department looked at Huawei's financial documents, account books and company records, Indian businesses and overseas transactions, " Reuters added, citing local media reports. "Some records were also seized."

The income tax department did not respond to a request for comment.

This is not the first time India has banned Chinese apps. In 2020, India banned more than 200 mostly Chinese apps, including the wildly popular video platform TikTok.

While the Indian government's statement on the TikTok ban had not mentioned China by name, it had come at a time when military tensions between the two countries were escalating following deadly border clashes. At the time, many Indians had called for a boycott of Chinese goods and services, particularly from China's dominant tech industry.

Vedika Sud contributed reporting, along with the Beijing and New Delhi bureaus.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Beijing says it is 'seriously concerned' as India cracks down on Chinese companies".
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19)  The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has revealed that sellers of fake goods in Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan City have become "bolder" in peddling their wares.

According to USTRs 2021 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy, many storefronts in the shopping complex are selling counterfeit goods from electronics and watches, to perfumes, shoes and other fashion items.

Despite efforts both by the national and local governments and the creation of a working group composed of various agencies from the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights and the Department of Information and Communications Technology, USTR said that sellers in Greenhills have become emboldened to sell pirated products.

Sellers of counterfeit goods are reportedly becoming bolder in displaying and openly discussing the illicit nature of the counterfeit goods, instead of discreetly hiding the counterfeit goods under the tables as they did in the past, the report read.

The USTR, nonetheless, has recognized that the Philippine government has done some measures to address the trade of fake goods in the country.

It noted that the government has signed several agreements with various institutions such as the International Trademark Association and the Asia Video Industry Association.

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) signed several Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) in 2021 to combat the global trade in counterfeit goods and online piracy, said USTR.

IPOPHLs MOU with the International Trademark Association helps to fight against counterfeiting by improving the capacities of trademark examiners, customs, and enforcement authorities, as well as building public awareness of the dangers of counterfeit goods, the report read.

IPOPHLs MOU with the Asia Video Industry Association improves collaboration between the two organizations to reduce online piracy, including the development of mechanisms and channels for sharing information, the development of piracy monitoring processes, and increasing the expertise and technical knowledge of local authorities, it also said.

The IPOPHL has also signed an MOU with brand owners and e-commerce platforms like Lazada and Shopee to establish a notice-and-takedown procedure and a feedback mechanism.
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.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19)  Labor leader and presidential candidate Leody de Guzman cried foul over a real estate developer's decision to deny him entry into a residential area involved in a land dispute in Antipolo City, Rizal.

In a video posted on his Facebook page, De Guzman was seen facing two security personnel of the Winning Homes Realty and Development Corporation, explaining why he should not be blocked from entering Audrey Heights Subdivision.

In the post, De Guzman said he was invited by the SAMAKABA of Sitio Banaba in San Luis, Antipolo City to hear his platform.

The presidential hopeful claimed he was blocked as the company wanted to avoid discussions about land issues.

"Ang mga residente ay mahigit 30 years nang nakatira sa nasabing lugar subalit nitong nakaraang tatlong taon ay inaangkin ng Winning Homes Realty and Development Corporation, na pagmamay-ari ng isang Edwin Alzona, ang lupang kinatitirikan ng kanilang mga bahay," De Guzman said in the post.

[Translation: The residents have lived in the area for more than 30 years but for the past three years Winning Homes Realty and Development Corporation, owned by an Edwin Alzona, has claimed the land on which their houses stand.]

"Hindi pa final na sila ang may-ari, may labanan pa. May claim ang mga tao, may labanan pa, kaya walang finality," De Guzman told the security guards.

[Translation: They are not yet the final owner, the fight continues. People have a claim, there is still a dispute, so there is no finality.]

Sought for the firm's comment, an official said she was "surprised" about De Guzman's attempt to enter the premises to launch a campaign.

Jennifer Alzona, marketing director of the company, clarified to CNN Philippines that the company has "nothing against" the presidential candidate.

But since the property is a "private subdivision", she said De Guzman should secure consent to enter the premises from Winning Homes Realty and Development Corporation and the Audrey Heights Homeowners Assocation.

"We are saddened by the false and unfounded accusations from Ka Leody and his supporters," Alzona said. "W believe that they are being misled by a few of the disgruntled informal settlers in the area that have been trying to oppose development in Audrey Heights, especially in continuing the previous developers work to finish roads and facilities that are also for the betterment of the community."

"There are only a handful of these disgruntled persons amongst the 80 families that have agreed and have already been awarded relocation and now living peacefully within the subdivision," she added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19)  Conservation group Masungi Georeserve on Saturday said seven of its rangers were attacked by a mob, with two ending up hospitalized.

The organization said about 30 attackers "harassed and detained" its rangers while they were just eating at a food stall Friday morning.

"When the rangers refused to be accosted without a warrant or due cause, the mob of about 30 people ganged up, clobbered, and mauled 7 rangers with fists and big rocks," Masungi said.

The group shared footage of the attack as well as photos of its personnel's injuries. It showed a scuffle, with some individuals blocking the way of the vehicle carrying the person taking the video.

Masungi trustee Ann Dumaliang told CNN Philippines that police responded to the incident but there were too many perpetrators to initiate arrests.

Masungi alleged that one of the attackers was an employee of Erin's Place resort. The resort's management received a cease-and-desist order from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in July 2021 for building an illegal structure inside a protected area.

Masungi added that another attacker was the individual earlier caught with freshly cut trees that were later confiscated and turned over to authorities.

CNN Philippines has reached out to DENR Calabarzon and the resort's management for comment.

This is just one of the many attacks that happened in the protected area in recent years.

READ: The fight to #SaveMasungi

Dumaliang appealed to the Philippine National Police (PNP) to "designate the Regional Mobile Force Battalion present in the area as official partners and active responders to environmental crime."

The PNP has vowed to train forest rangers on protective measures after two of them were shot in the head while guarding the reforestation site.
(CNN)  As surging global temperatures alter the landscape of the Arctic, scientists are observing what's shaping up to be a new record at the other end of the globe.

Preliminary data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center suggests Antarctica will likely set a record this year for the lowest sea ice extent -- the area of ocean covered by sea ice. On Wednesday, sea ice around the continent dropped lower than the previous record minimum set in March 2017.

"What's going on in the Antarctic is an extreme event," Ted Scambos, a glaciologist at the University of Colorado Boulder and lead scientist at NSIDC, told CNN. "But we've been through this a bit."

What he means by "this" is a roller coaster of sea ice extent over the past couple of decades, swinging wildly from record highs to record lows. Unlike the Arctic, where scientists say climate change is accelerating its impacts, Antarctica's sea ice extent is highly variable.

"There's a link between what's going on in Antarctica and the general warming trend around the rest of the world, but it's different from what we see in mountain glaciers and what we see in the Arctic," he added.

Satellite data that stretches back to 1978 shows that the region was still producing record-high sea ice extent as recently as 2014 and 2015. Then it suddenly plunged in 2016 and has stayed lower-than-average since.

"That kind of drop is pretty much unprecedented in the record," Marilyn Raphael, geography professor and director at UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, told CNN. "Antarctic sea ice does vary from year to year, but that was a bigger variation than what normally happens."

Scientists say the recent shift doesn't yet necessarily signify a change in the long-term trend. But Raphael said the sea ice is retreating earlier now, which can be concerning.

"There are two parts of me that answer this -- the scientist part says, 'wait a little bit longer and see.' That's my cautious part," Raphael said. "Then the other part of me says, this is unusual variation in the ice. The degree is unusual, and it could be that that's a sign that climate is changing, and that's the speculation part."

The rate of sea ice loss in the Arctic and the Antarctic differs in part due to their location and proximity to other continents. In the Arctic, surrounded by land, sea ice forms and extends throughout Europe, Asia, North America and Greenland. Meanwhile, the Antarctic is a large continent surrounded by a vast ocean where sea ice can stretch across the Southern Ocean.

Scambos said because continents are warming rapidly, snow cover is melting earlier than usual and exposing the dark surface of the ground, which absorbs more heat, causing the Arctic to melt faster. In contrast, the Antarctic stays covered in ice, which reflects sunlight and keeps the surrounding air cooler.

Despite the complex climate signals in Antarctica's record low sea ice, scientists point out that the increasing warming trend in the polar regions amplifies the consequences of the crisis globally.

"Polar regions really have a way of making these small changes a bigger deal," Scambos said, "either through sea-level rise, which is the main cause for concern from Antarctica, or through warmer climate generally, because the Arctic is sort of the air conditioner for the places where most of us live in the Northern Hemisphere."

He adds it would take more than a decade of a persistent downward trend in order to link the dwindling sea ice in the Antarctic to climate change, even though temperature conditions in many parts of Antarctica are already exhibiting a warming trend.

But on the continent itself, some alarming effects of climate change have started to take shape: Just last year, researchers, including Scambos, observed that the critical ice shelf holding back the Thwaites glacier in western Antarctica could shatter within the next three to five years, which could result in devastating sea-level rise.

From their camp in the middle of the Antarctic to their stations on the coast, researchers flew over the gargantuan Thwaites glacier, also known as the "Doomsday Glacier," for two hours.

Scambos said they could see "massive cracks in this ice shelf, places where the ice is tearing apart."

He said it's an example of how the climate change impact in one very specific location could have consequences for the entire planet.

"The trends have rearranged a little bit because fundamentally over the last four decades, Antarctica has just been pushed around by the changes in ocean temperature and wind," said Scambos. "The thing about Antarctica and sea ice is it is very unconstrained, sort of at the mercy of wind patterns, storms, snowfall, and ocean temperatures -- all these things have an impact."

He said that the only rational way to tackle climate change is to rapidly adapt to the impacts and slash the planet-warming emissions that are the root cause of the crisis and have thrown our planet's most pristine places, such as the Antarctic, into a downward spiral.

Recalling his time in West Antarctica, Scambos said he looked in the horizon with the cracking ice shelf holding back the Doomsday glacier in the background, and saw sobering signs of what's likely to happen in the future. He realized how much more climate research needs to be done.

"It raises your level of concern quite a bit," he said. "I won't say it's scary because you're not scared in the moment. You're in awe of what's going on here."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Antarctica will likely set an alarming new record this year, new data shows"
(CNN) -- A Chinese warship allegedly used a laser to "illuminate" an Australian Air Force jet in what Canberra called a "serious safety incident" in a statement released on Saturday.

"Acts like this have the potential to endanger lives, the statement from the Australian Defence Force said, adding it strongly condemns the "unprofessional and unsafe military conduct."

Pilots targeted by laser attacks have reported disorienting flashes, pain, spasms and spots in their vision and even temporary blindness.

"During critical phases of flight when the pilot does not have adequate time to recover, the consequences of laser exposure could be tragic," a US Federal Aviation Administration document says.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, the statement said, when an Australian P-8A aircraft, a reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare plane, was flying over the Arafura Sea, the body of water between Australia's Northern Territory and the island of New Guinea to the north.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ship that pointed the laser at the Australian jet was one of two PLAN warships sailing east across the Arafura Sea at the time, the Australian military said.

It released photos of two Chinese ships with the statement, which, according to their hull numbers, are the guided-missile destroyer Hefei and the amphibious transport dock Jinggang Shan.

Australia did not say which of the two ships pointed the laser at the Australian aircraft.

After the incident, the Chinese ships passed through the Torres Strait into the Coral Sea, the statement said.

China had no immediate comment on the Australian allegations.

The incident is not the first report of Chinese vessels pointing lasers at Australian aircraft.

In May 2019, Australian pilots said they were targeted multiple times by commercial lasers during missions over the South China Sea.

And in a report in June 2018, US military officials told CNN that there were at least 20 suspected Chinese laser incidents in the eastern Pacific from September 2017 to June 2018.

Military tensions between China and Australia have been on the rise, and spiked in November when Canberra said it was entering a pact with the United States and United Kingdom to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

The day the sub deal was announced, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijan said Australia should "seriously consider whether to view China as a partner or a threat."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Australia says Chinese warship 'illuminated' one of its planes with a laser"
(CNN)  Biden administration officials have privately urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky not to leave Ukraine and visit Munich on Saturday given concerns about a possible incursion, according to three US officials and one senior Ukrainian official.

"That is a decision for him to make, but regardless of what decision he makes, he will find a strong partner in the United States," said White House press secretary Jen Psaki, when asked during a press briefing whether it would be wise for Zelensky to make the trip.

Some US officials are concerned that his leaving the country could open the door for Russia to make false claims that he has fled. While officials haven't explicitly asked Zelensky not to make the trip -- and have been careful to make it clear that it's up to him -- those concerns have been communicated, one of the officials said.

Asked if any US officials had communicated concerns directly to Zelensky, Psaki said she was "not going to detail any private conversations." Psaki, however, did add that it was conveyed privately what Biden administration officials have said publicly: The decision was Zelensky's to make.

The senior Ukrainian official said concerns were raised that conflict could break out at any moment and air travel may be disrupted.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak, when asked to confirm concerns were raised, told CNN the "diplomatic frontline is just as important today as the frontline in the Donbas".

"A fairly representative delegation from the United States, including Vice President (Kamala) Harris, and many European political actors are also expected to attend," Podoliak said. "It is quite natural that the Ukrainian authorities should not only be present at the key event of the diplomatic frontline, but also participate in the relevant discussions."

"But our position is simple: The fate of Ukraine should be decided by Ukraine, and not by anyone behind Ukraine's back. At the moment, the situation in the east of the country is completely under control, and any pauses in work on the diplomatic frontline would be unmotivated," Podoliak added.

As of now, Zelensky is scheduled to meet with Harris and US lawmakers, who are in Munich for the security conference.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Biden administration urged Zelensky not to leave Ukraine and visit Munich."
(CNN) -- A swarm of hundreds of birds plummeted to the ground outside your house. Carcasses lay strewed in the street, the birds killed from the impact.

That's the view a handful of people woke up to in Chihuahua, Mexico, on February 7.

Millions around the world got a front-row seat of the massacre when security camera footage was released of the event, but it left people with more questions than answers.

Why did the birds crash?

"The cause of this bizarre and troubling incident is honestly anybody's guess at this point," said Carlos Botero, assistant professor of biology at Washington University in St. Louis.

The footage didn't show the entire swarm of birds, but Botero hypothesized that they could have flown through a cloud of lethal chemicals. Autopsies of the dead bird specimens would need to be completed to determine if that was the case, he said.

A predator could have also sent the birds frantically flying away, Botero added.

Richard Broughton, an ornithologist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, was almost certain the maneuver was to avoid a predator like a peregrine falcon.

"Blackbirds form tight flocks, called a 'murmuration,' that swirls in the sky to try and confuse the falcon so it cannot pick a target," Broughton said via email.

To combat this strategy, the falcon dives straight into the flock of birds to separate out a target, Broughton explained. When this happens, the blackbirds try to avoid it.

In the video, viewers are likely seeing the birds try and escape a predator that attacked them from above, he said. The birds headed down, but some could not pull up fast enough, Broughton added.

Assuming the time stamp of 7:42 p.m. local time on the video is accurate, the birds were likely leaving their nocturnal roost nearby, said Andrew Farnsworth, senior research associate at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York.

In addition to the predatory theory, Farnsworth suggested that a loud noise startling the birds was another possibility. This has happened in the past with other species of birds, he said.

How common is this behavior?

It's very rare for birds to crash into the ground, and it's not normal behavior, Botero said.

There are other occurrences of birds dying from abrupt crashing, Farnsworth said.

In 1999, about 110 king eiders, a type of large sea duck, were found dead on Baffin Island in Canada. There weren't any obstacles in their way, so it's likely they crashed because of poor visibility, which could be attributed to the cataracts in their eyes, a study found.

In 1985 and 2003, dozens of geese were found dead in fields in southern Manitoba, Canada. Researchers initially thought they were poisoned, but the severe injuries the geese sustained hinted that they could have become disoriented on the moonless nights or been frightened by a thunderstorm.

What are these birds?

Experts identified the birds as yellow-headed blackbirds, migratory birds living in the western and prairie wetlands of North America. In the winter they form large flocks, which is what was caught on video.

The eBird, an online database of bird observations, at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology tracks these birds' migration pattern on a map as they fly south to Mexico for the winter then back to the United States and Canada for the summer. At the time the footage was recorded, most the birds would have been in Mexico with a few scattered in the Southwestern United States.

This story was first published on CNN.com "A predator could have sent hundreds of blackbirds crashing to their death in Mexico".
(CNN) Tensions in Ukraine are escalating. The country's eastern Donbas region  where fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukranian forces have simmered since 2015  experienced its worst shelling in years this week.

And diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions have, so far, failed to reach a conclusion.

As tensions continue to spike, here's some key moments to watch in the ongoing Ukraine crisis.

Ongoing wargames and nuclear drills

Over the past week, Russian President Vladimir Putin has focused international attention onto a series of military drills that have tested Russia's conventional military power. Russia's Ministry of Defense has released flashy footage of live-fire exercises in neighboring Belarus involving tanks, artillery and fighter aircraft, and the wargames have showcased Russia's air defenses and its navy.

On Saturday, Russia is set to test its strategic deterrent: its nuclear forces. The Kremlin announced Friday that Putin is "likely to be in the situation center" during military drills on Saturday, where ballistic and cruise missiles will be launched. Three decades after the end of the Cold War, both Russia and the United States have nuclear arsenals on "hair trigger" alert  that is, nuclear warheads married up to their delivery systems and ready for launch at a moment's notice.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that such training exercises are "quite regular," and would involve appropriate international notifications. That's true, up to a point: These readiness exercises are happening against the background of international tensions over Ukraine that could actualize into a major war.

Tensions escalate in Donbas

Tensions in Ukraine reached their highest in years on Friday after pro-Russian separatist leaders in the breakaway republics of Ukraine's Donbas region called on civilians to evacuate -- and after an explosion wrecked a vehicle in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, creating more war jitters.

Ukrainian officials deny any plans to retake Donbas by force, saying that they see this week's incidents as an effort by Russia to create a pretext to launch an invasion. But Russian state media have already sounded the alarm, showing images of civilians departing Donbas on buses heading to Russia's Rostov oblast, just across the border.

It is unclear how many civilians will be evacuated or if there will other incidents in Ukraine's east that Russia might seize on as a potential pretext for war.

A diplomatic balancing act

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to attend the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, despite US President Joe Biden's administration plea to reconsider those plans to leave Ukraine amid concerns about a possible Russian invasion. It's possible that unexpected surprises could cut his visit short.

The US and NATO make moves

The US has already bolstered its military presence in eastern Europe; the US military announced a training mission in Hungary. How will the US and its allies react to the latest moves by Russia? Will we see more evacuations of diplomats remaining in Kyiv?

Olympics end

Russia has said its military drills are slated to end on Sunday, coinciding with the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Will the Olympics be remembered as a unifying international moment, or as a tragic preamble to war? That is anyone's guess.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Canadian police working to clear Ottawa downtown of protesters say they have arrested more than 100 demonstrators."
(CNN)  A new neighbor has moved into a California town and is causing concern.

For months now, a 500-pound black bear has been roaming the streets in the Tahoe Keys area of South Lake Tahoe, about 100 miles east of Sacramento.

In the span of seven months, the animal caused extensive damage at 33 properties and forcefully entered 28 homes, according to a February 17 blog post by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

Luckily, the CDFW said, there have been no direct attacks on humans or pets in the area.

Residents have flooded police lines with worrisome calls, and CDFW said more than 100 individual reports of the bear have been reported to South Lake Tahoe police.

CDFW spokesman Peter Tira told CNN the department has been tracking incidents with this black bear since spring of 2021.

"The incidents primarily occurred during the summer and fall of 2021 when the bear was in hyperphagia, adding calories to survive the winter," Tira said. Hyperphagia, according to the US National Park Service, causes bears to eat and drink nearly nonstop during the fall in preparation for hibernation.

This bear, according to CDFW, has lost its fear of people, and is associating people with access to food. His large size helps him break into homes as he can push through front doors and garage doors.

Back in October, a California woman was mauled by a different black bear that broke into her northern Lake Tahoe cabin and rummaged through her kitchen. The woman suffered scratches and other wounds all over her body.

There are a few options to keep the community and bear safe: relocation, placing the bear in a facility, or euthanasia. This last option has local bear advocacy groups like BEAR League concerned.

Ann Bryant, executive director of the group, told CNN affiliate KCRA other options are available other than euthanasia.

"The BEAR League reached out to the director of an excellent out-of-state wildlife sanctuary who agreed he has room and would be very willing to give this bear a permanent home," Bryant told KCRA.

However, CDFW said relocation comes with a lot of requirements and can take a toll on the animal's mental health.

According to KCRA, the BEAR League group has offered to pay all relocation expenses.

"While the Lake Tahoe area has a healthy and dense bear population, euthanizing an animal is always our last option," Tira said.

If CDFW does capture the bear, it said it will evaluate the possibility of moving him to the out-of-state facility. His current location, as of Friday, is unknown, but his last reported sighting was a few days ago when he was seen walking down a street in the Tahoe Keys, CDFW said.

CDFW is advising residents in the area to stay vigilant and responsibly store and dispose of food, as bears are driven by scent.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Wanted: A 500-pound black bear that has broken into nearly 30 California homes"
At approximately 11:02 a.m. Saturday during THON Weekend 2022 at Penn State, the National Weather Service in State College issued a snow squall warning for southeastern Centre County.

The warning will last until 12:15 p.m. Saturday, and hazards include "extremely poor visibility" in snow, blowing snow and wind gusts greater than 35 mph.

According to the NWS State College, a "dangerous snow squall" was detected at 11:02 a.m. "along a line extending from Ogdensburg to Castanea to Madisonburg to Cresson to near Seven Springs  moving southeast at 40 mph."

The snow squall could cause travel to become dangerous or life-threatening, the NWS State College said, as there is "no safe place on a highway when a snow squall hits."

The NWS State College said individuals should consider avoiding or delaying travel until the snow squall "passes your location."

MORE BOROUGH COVERAGE

State College Borough Council passes solar panel installation During its meeting on Monday, the State College Borough Council voted to pass a certificate 
A 50th THON special, "THON  50 Years For The Kids"  will air on Philadelphia's 6ABC on Saturday night.

The special will broadcast at 7 p.m. to celebrate the 50th THON.

6ABC's Walter Perez, Alicia Vitarelli and Ducis Rodgers will host the 30-minute long special.

The stations simulcasting the program include the following:

WABC New York (an ABC-owned television station)

WTAE Pittsburgh

WHTM Harrisburg -Lancaster -Lebanon -York

WNEP Wilkes Barre - Scranton

WATM Johnstown-Altoona

Along with the stations, the special will be cast on 6ABC's 24/7 streaming service.

THON is celebrating 50 years as the world's largest student-run philanthropy program helping Four Diamonds families who have been impacted by pediatric cancer.
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As the Cubs were beating the Braves 6-3 Wednesday night Steve left to see the game with his mom and dad, Reva and Harold, brother Ron and baby niece Elizabeth Henney. He left behind to run the store his wife Kathleen (Knight), Amelia (27), Nathan (24) and his beloved cat Lewis Black. His sis
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Wangsu.org scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 19 Apr 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the wangsu homepage on Twitter + the total number of wangsu followers (if wangsu has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the wangsu homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the wangsu homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the wangsu homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the wangsu homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if wangsu has a Facebook fan page).

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE ||| DESCRIPTION  KEYWORDS , , ,  OTHER KEYWORDS adsl,



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Domain and Server

DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE GB2312 DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER Microsoft-IIS/6.0 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2003

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Referring domains for wangsu.org by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

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Corsicana, TX (75110)

Today

Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
India has banned trade in asbestos dust and fibres and its use in ships, but it continues to trade raw asbestos and asbestos-based products



The exports of asbestos-cement products were 91,100 tonnes in 2019-20 as compared to 67,352 tonnes in the preceding year. The exports of asbestos-cement products were mainly to UAE (36%), Nepal (26%) and Qatar (11%). These countries ought to act to protect the health of their present and future citizens. It is clear that despite banning asbestos, Canada and Nepal continue to import asbestos and asbestos based products.

Some 70 countries have banned all kinds of asbestos including white chrysotile asbestos. The World Health Organisation has recommended elimination of all kinds of asbestos and asbestos based products. India has banned mining of all kinds of asbestos because of it is harmful impact on human health.

It has been established that safe and controlled use of asbestos is impossible. India has banned trade in asbestos waste (dust and fibers) and its use in ships, but it continues to trade raw asbestos and asbestos-based products. India continues to manufacture and use asbestos based products.

Asbestos producers like Russia appear to have overwhelmed India's Ministries of Commerce & Industry and Chemicals. As a consequence no building or vehicle in India is free of carcinogenic asbestos mineral fibers. Evidently, Union and State governments have failed to resist the influence of asbestos traders and merchants to protect the health of present and future citizens.

---

*Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI). Source: BANI The exports of asbestos (chrysotile) were at 997 tonnes during the year 2019-20 as compared to 1090 tonnes in the preceding year. The exports of asbestos (others) decreased to 5 tonnes during the year 2019-20 as compared to 22 tonnes in the preceding year. These exports were solely to Nepal.The exports of asbestos-cement products were 91,100 tonnes in 2019-20 as compared to 67,352 tonnes in the preceding year. The exports of asbestos-cement products were mainly to UAE (36%), Nepal (26%) and Qatar (11%). These countries ought to act to protect the health of their present and future citizens. It is clear that despite banning asbestos, Canada and Nepal continue to import asbestos and asbestos based products.Some 70 countries have banned all kinds of asbestos including white chrysotile asbestos. The World Health Organisation has recommended elimination of all kinds of asbestos and asbestos based products. India has banned mining of all kinds of asbestos because of it is harmful impact on human health.It has been established that safe and controlled use of asbestos is impossible. India has banned trade in asbestos waste (dust and fibers) and its use in ships, but it continues to trade raw asbestos and asbestos-based products. India continues to manufacture and use asbestos based products.Asbestos producers like Russia appear to have overwhelmed India's Ministries of Commerce & Industry and Chemicals. As a consequence no building or vehicle in India is free of carcinogenic asbestos mineral fibers. Evidently, Union and State governments have failed to resist the influence of asbestos traders and merchants to protect the health of present and future citizens.---

Banned in 70 nations, India continues to import and export asbestos. A discredited conflict of interest-ridden study, co-funded by white chrysotile asbestos companies, and undertaken by National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, states that India imported asbestos to the tune of 3,61,164 tonnes in 2019-20. It was 3,64,105 tonnes in the previous year.The statement "Almost entire import was that of chrysotile asbestos", made in the Indian Minerals Year Book 2020 published in November 2021, reveals that India is importing small amount of non-chrysotile asbestos as well. The imports of chrysotile asbestos were mainly from Russia (85%), Brazil, Kazakhstan and Hungary (3% each), and Poland and South Africa (2% each).A total of 25,009 tonnes asbestos-cement products were also imported in 2019-20 as against 29,358 tonnes in the previous year. These imports were mainly from Thailand (93%) and Indonesia (4%). Besides above, asbestos-fibre of 3,60,839 tonnes was imported during the year 2019-20 as compared to 3,63,902 tonnes in the previous year.The data reveals that despite the Brazilian Supreme Court's landmark verdict declaring use of asbestos to be unconstitutional, it is exporting it to India not realising that human biology is same everywhere -- what is poisonous for Brazilians and some 70 countries cannot be non-poisonous for Indians. It also brings to light the fact although South Africa, Hungry and Poland have banned asbestos, they continue to export it to India.The imports of asbestos fibre products were 3,580 tonnes during the year 2019-20 as compared to 4,425 tonnes in the previous year. The imports of asbestos fibre products were mainly from China (31%), Japan (23%) and Denmark (12%).The 2020 report points out that, in addition to asbestos minerals, an unknown quantity of asbestos is traded within manufactured products, possibly including brake linings and pads, building materials, gaskets, millboard, yarn and thread.Meanwhile, exports of asbestos decreased substantially to 1,001 tonnes in 2019-20 as compared to 1,112 tonnes in the previous year. The exports were mainly to Bangladesh (92%) and Sri Lanka 7%. The exports of asbestos (fibre products) were at 43,310 tonnes in 2019-20 as compared to 41,677 tonnes in the previous year. The exports were mainly to USA (24%), UAE (7%), Egypt (6%) and Nepal, Canada, Sri Lanka and Kenya (3% each).
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Emporia, KS (66801)

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Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin gained widespread attention this month after successful test flights of a helicopter with no one on board as the aircraft traversed an aerial path simulating Manhattans urban canyons of high rises.

The next big thing for Sikorsky Innovations? A helicopter that would barely be noticed with just the chop of its rotor blades to announce its arrival and no echoing roar of turbine engines.

In its demonstration this month of a helicopter with computers and sensors to execute pinpoint landings and complex flight routes with no pilot, Sikorsky gave only passing mention to another initiative gathering momentum at its Connecticut headquarters.

At its Stratford facility, Sikorsky is developing helicopters equipped with light electric motors with the power and running time to replace heavy, fuel-burning engines.

In November, Sikorsky and parent Lockheed Martin won their latest U.S. patent for an electric drive capable of delivering the power needed to lift a medium-sized helicopter like a Sikorsky Black Hawk or S-76, and maintain flight for an extended stretch. Sikorsky has received a number of patents since 2008 on varying iterations of the technology.

Proponents of electric helicopters maintain that those aircraft will be safer and cheaper to maintain, with far fewer parts exposed to wear and tear like gear boxes and transmissions.

Dont just think military  we are looking across all markets, military and civil, Igor Cherepinsky, head of Sikorsky Innovations, said in an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media Group. Being able to quietly land in Manhattan without the noise may mean acceptance of helicopters a lot more than now.

Cherepinsky offered no timeline for when Sikorsky might debut a demonstrator helicopter to test the capabilities of electric-powered flight, but said the manufacturer is actively developing the concept. The company is doing so even as a Department of Defense decision looms on an eventual replacement for the Black Hawk helicopter, which could set Sikorsky up for decades of Pentagon contracts.

A dozen years ago, Sikorsky brought a working, all-electric helicopter to an Experimental Aircraft Association show in Wisconsin. The Sikorsky Firefly could stay aloft for only 15 minutes, and with room for just the pilot to allow for the big lithium-ion batteries from which it drew electricity.

But Sikorsky is now in catch-up mode. In California, Joby Aviation has already completed more than 1,000 test flights of a tilt-rotor electric aircraft, having received an airworthiness certificate from the U.S. Air Force and seeking one from the Federal Aviation Administration.

On Wednesday, one of Joby Aviations two prototypes crashed during a flight test. The company has not released details on what went wrong, but the pilot was reported to not be injured. It remains unclear whether an investigation into the crash will cause a delay in the FAA certification process.

In a statement, Joby Aviation said safety is a core value for the company.

Experimental flight test programs are intentionally designed to determine the limits of aircraft performance, and accidents are unfortunately a possibility, the company stated. We will be supporting the relevant authorities in investigating the accident thoroughly.

During a November conference call with investment analysts, Joby Aviation CEO JoeBen Bevirt emphasized the safety of the S4 spanning the aircraft itself as well as the batteries that supply it power.

Powered by six sets of blades, the Joby Aviation S4 can lift a helicopter then tilt its rotors forward to fly like an airplane. In a flight test last year, a pilot flew the aircraft 150 miles in just over an hour and a quarter.

Backed initially by Toyota and Uber Technologies, Joby Aviation is focusing on what it believes will be an emerging market for air taxi service between cities and airports and other destinations.

In November, Bevirt described the companys rotor blades as less wop-wop and more like the wind in the trees.

The company has posted a video online measuring the decibel differential of the S4 versus several other aircraft as they fly overhead, including a Leonardo helicopter similar in size to the Sikorsky S-76.

We believe in taking on challenges that others shy away from  we approach them without any preconceived ideas and we work hard and fast to solve them, Bevirt said in November. Delivering an aircraft with a low noise footprint is fundamental to bringing our service closer to where customers want it.

Plenty of others are working toward the same goal. Heading into last year, the Vertical Flight Society tracked nearly 200 companies or designers working on electric aircraft that can take off and land like a helicopter.

One is Bell, a subsidiary of Rhode Island-based Textron, which pioneered tilt-rotor technology with the V-22 Osprey for the U.S. military. The past three years, Bell has been teasing a tilt-rotor aircraft helicopter that has six sets of blades, but configured like those in the fictional aircraft depicted in the movie Avatar.

Airbus is floating what it calls a multicopter that can take off vertically. And Boeing has flown an electric aircraft designed by subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences.

For those accustomed already to the quiet ride of electric vehicles, the benefits in everyday aviation are self-evident in a drastic reduction of noise near heliports.

But for the military  Sikorskys primary customer  a quiet helicopter has major implications as well when it comes to surveillance in hostile territory, or dropping off commando troops without detection.

Couple electric power with the autonomous flight capabilities Sikorsky demonstrated this month, and Cherepinsky says a new generation of helicopters is on the horizon that will be far safer to operate in city environments, far quieter and with other advantages as well.

Aircraft with electric propulsion are cheaper and theyre greener, so it makes economic sense and it makes environmental sense, Cherepinsky said. But the reason why we are doing all this is  first and foremost  safety. We want to dramatically improve the safety of rotor craft.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
KILLINGWORTH  The Boy Scouts announced Friday it will sell Deer Lake Camp to a private party for an undisclosed price  but negotiated a window in which it can review superior offers.

The decision comes less than a month after U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, along with residents, environmentalists and local and state officials gathered at the camp to urge the Connecticut Yankee Council to sell to a group that would preserve the property.

The Hamden-based nonprofit Trust for Public Land had placed an undisclosed competing bid, based on on fair market value of the property, according to Killingworth First Selectman Nancy Gorski, a bid that apparently was rejected.

However, the Connecticut Yankee Council said it negotiated a window in which it can consider superior offers to the one currently being pursued, and any such offers would need to be received by March 31.

According to the council, the buyer has agreed to lease the property allowing the camp to run for the next three years.

Bob Brown, spokesperson for the Council would not disclose the name of the buyer, nor the amount of the bid.

Blumenthal and local and state officials reacted with surprise and disappointment.

This decision by the Boy Scouts is deeply disappointing. Blumenthal said. My office will continue working with the Trust for Public Lands and the Killingworth community to work towards a resolution that preserves public access to the camp and trails.

This pristine open space is a state treasure that should be accessible and open for camping, hiking, fishing and similar recreational and environmental uses, the senator said.

This sentiment was echoed by other officials.

Im disappointed with the Connecticut Yankee Councils decision to accept the offer to put this pristine piece of land out for development  thats the only thing I can say, said Gorski. Im so disappointed we didnt have a say in this  this is Killingworth property.

I was surprised and disheartened by the decision because from my perspective they didnt consider conservation of the land as a priority, Gorski said.

State Sen. Christine Cohen agreed.

I am disappointed to learn of the CT Yankee Councils decision to accept an offer from a developer for the Deer Lake property  this despite a public outcry, ongoing negotiations and a significant interest in preservation of the camp, its trail system and its thriving forest, Cohen said in a text.

The agreement to allow the camp to operate for 3 years, or a couple of summers, is of little consolation in light of the fact that there is no long-term commitment towards land protection. This certainly disregards the Boy Scouts outdoor code to be conservation-minded and is incredibly disheartening, Cohen said.

The Council Executive Board made the difficult decision to sell Deer Lake Scout Reservation on Feb. 17.

The council said in their statement: This decision wasnt taken lightly and was done with the Scouts of today and tomorrow in mind. They said the buyer is allowing the Council to lease the property for at least the next three years to operate it as a camp.

We recognize the passion behind preserving the outdoors and have had discussions with organizations committed to such while encouraging them to submit a competitive bid that can be accepted by the Board. To that end, the Board has negotiated for a specified window in which it can consider superior offers to the one currently being pursued, and any such offers would need to be received by March 31, the statement read.

The proceeds from the sale of Deer Lake will be reinvested into Camp Sequassen (New Hartford) and Hoyt Scout Camp (Redding) to both improve and expand the facilities, programs and infrastructure, according to the statement.

Connecticut Yankee Council CEO Mark Kraus has said Deer Lake is not being sold in connection with the Boy Scouts of Americas $850 million sex abuse settlement. He said that the Council had already met their financial obligation with a combination of land and cash. It plans to hand over the Unions Camp Pomperaug, appraised at $1.48 million, with the remainder of the money coming out of the endowment.

Every one of the 251 local Councils across the country is required to pay a portion of the settlement, explained Kraus. The Yankee Councils share amounts to some $2.6 million, he said.

The sale, Kraus has said has to do with fiscal responsibility especially in the face of dwindling enrollment numbers and that the Councils responsibility is serving youth and not running camps, which he had called a black hole financially.

This, coupled with challenges over the past several years, means our Council needs to make major changes to survive, the statement said.

 Sarah Page Kyrcz contributed to this story.
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BRIDGEPORT  An unnamed high-ranking member of the Bridgeport Fire Department remained on leave Friday amid a sexual assault investigation.

No arrests have been made in the case, which was revealed Thursday in a prerecorded video statement posted to Facebook.

Acting Fire Chief Lance Edwards said the assault was alleged to have taken place at the home of the senior fire official under investigation.

In a statement, the city said a woman came to the Bridgeport Fire Department Engine 6 on Central Avenue at 8:15 a.m. that morning to report an incident involving her daughter and a member of the Bridgeport Fire Department.

The incident was then reported to the police, who responded.

Officials have declined to release other details about the case  like the identity of the high-ranking firefighter on leave.

This is an active investigation and we do not want to compromise any law enforcement tactics or strategies at this time, Scott Appleby, the citys emergency management director, said Thursday.

Appleby said Friday the case is still an active investigation.

When updates become available we will disseminate them, he said.

Edwards was joined during Thursdays announcement by Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia and Mayor Joe Ganim, who expressed full confidence in the probe.

These matters involving any victim, but especially in this case as in other cases where you have a woman, or a woman of color who has been victimized or allegedly victimized; that we stand with you and we stand behind you to protect you as we should as a police department, as a fire department as a city administration, Ganim said.

A member of the Bridgeport Fire Department was recently arrested for an alleged sexual assault that happened in Monroe in September of last year, officials said. Dany Estrada, 36, was charged Jan. 14 with illegal sexual contact and fourth-degree sexual assault.

Estrada, a firefighter with the department, has been placed on leave.

Staff writers Brian Lockhart and Daniel Tepfer contributed to this report.
BRIDGEPORT  Police are investigating a shooting that sent a Bridgeport man to the hospital Friday afternoon.

Around 2 p.m. Friday, the Bridgeport Emergency Operations Center received reports of shots fired in the 300 block of Park Street. In the area, police found a car struck by gunfire, according to Bridgeport Police Capt. Kevin Gilleran.

A short time later, emergency officials received information that a gunshot wound victim, identified as a 22-year-old Bridgeport man, was arriving at the hospital. Gilleran said the man is listed in stable condition and his injury is not life threatening.

The Bridgeport Police Departments Detective Bureau is investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact the case officer, Detective Jeffrey Holtz, at 203-581-5293. Tips can also be submitted by calling 203-576-TIPS (8477).
A recent opinion article on Jan. 31 accusing the Republicans of being ant-democratic is another prime example of why voters in Connecticut and across the country are concerned about election integrity and increasingly tired of divisive and inflammatory politics. This sentiment is fueled by rhetoric from one side that accuses Republicans of siding with the Democratic Jim Crow laws or Bull Connor. Both couldnt be further from the truth.

Here in Connecticut, we enjoy a nationwide high 75 percent turnout of voters in major elections. Polls in our cities are highly accessible. For example, New Haven has 40 voting precincts serving 60,000 voters. The vast majority of our citizens have a government issued photo ID, which they use to access services like COVID testing or vaccinations and to prove age when purchasing things like certain over-the-counter medications. Any accusation that minorities cannot access the vote because they lack ID is an insult to our minority communities.

The claim that Connecticut voters dont have fair access to voting is not supported by the data and clouds the real issue  trust that every vote counts.

There is extensive polling on this issue and voters in both parties are concerned. In 2016, many Democrats believed the election was stolen and in 2020, a majority of Republicans believed the election was stolen. A recent poll highlights that a substantial majority of all voters are concerned about partisan outside influence on our election process.

This sentiment isnt new. Election integrity was a national issue 20 years ago in the Bush-Gore presidential election when the Supreme Court ruled against recounts using different methods and standards as unconstitutional under equal protection grounds. Democrats opposed this court decision.

Across the country and in Connecticut, voters are simply asking for transparency and fairness. Instead, they get more shouting and biased reporting. While entrenched politicians and far-left interest groups want to point to news reports and claims in other states, we do not have to look outside Connecticut to understand our voters concerns.

For example, last year, Bridgeport Councilman Michael DeFilippo was indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple election tampering charges. DeFilippo was accused of conspiring to interfere with and obstruct Bridgeport citizens right to vote. He was accused of conspiring to falsify his tenants voter registration applications and absentee ballots applications. Federal charges including stealing tenants absentee ballots and forging signatures is exactly why Connecticut needs to get its election house in order first, before it rushes to change the way people have voted for decades.

Other Connecticut election integrity and security issues that continue to be uncovered are a matter of fact, not conjecture. The question is who is taking action to address things like the improper use of absentee ballots (violation of three state regulations).

Beyond these very real integrity concerns, the constitutionality of executive actions abruptly taken prior to the last election are being overturned in many states like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. I was a plaintiff in a lawsuit (Rapini vs Merrill) that charged a similar executive action in our state.

Missing absentee ballots, late ballot applications and inaccurate voter rolls serve as additional evidence that our focus should be on election integrity and security.

Connecticut does not need political insiders with their hands on the levers of elections, and the opinion column of Jan. 31 is a great example why this is true. We need a fact-based, nonpartisan and business-like approach to regain the trust of our voters.

Dominic Rapini is a Republican candidate for secretary of the state.


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Commissioner's office of Chinese foreign ministry in HKSAR urges European Parliament politicians to stop self-deceiving political stunts

Xinhua) 13:57, February 19, 2022

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.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Dalton, GA (30720)

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Corinth, MS (38834)

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A majority of the ASUO senate voted to affirm an EMU Decision Resolution and veto ASUO President Isaiah Boyds decision at an emergency meeting on Feb. 18. Former ASUO Vice President Odalis Aguilar-Aguilar and former ASUO senate Vice President Ella Meloy drafted the resolution.

This meeting follows ASUOs decision to remove the EMU from the Incidental Fee budget, and place it under the oversight of the Tuition and Fee Advisory Board within the existing student union budget. The Incidental Fee, or I-Fee, is a mandatory student fee that funds programs including ASUO legal services and the Men's Resource Center.

ASUO President Isaiah Boyd and University of Oregon Vice President of Student Life Kevin Marbury primarily led the decision.

The ASUO senate oversees the allocation of the I-Fee budget to programs and services on campus including the Mens and Womens Centers, Lane Transit District bus passes and Mills International Center.

Sponsors of the resolution include members from the Student Insurgent, Young Democratic Socialists of America, the EMU Board and current and former members of ASUO.

According to the ASUO Constitution, any decision made by the ASUO president may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the student senate within five school days of having received written notification of the ASUO presidents decision.

Senator Jenna Travers sponsored the resolution. She said Marburys statements of promised student autonomy within the EMU is not the same as ASUO autonomy. We need to be able to make these decisions, represent students that is our job as leaders, she said.

She also responded to previous statements Boyd made regarding programing costs within the EMU like elevator costs and office supplies.

We pay for trivial things all the time because they keep our programs that students rely on alive, Travers said. Im happy to pay for office supplies and municipal things if it keeps our programs alive.

Senator Annika Mayne acknowledged the student support shown for the resolution. Its our job, they said, so lets do that.

Mayne also commented on the concern that funding to ASUO-funded programs will be cut if the EMU remains in the I-Fee budget. I do not understand how making some cuts to programs means that we should give up the EMU, she said.

Giving up this amount of student autonomy in our I-Fee is ridiculous, Mayne said.

Senator and EMU Board member Kavi Shrestha said there was a lack of consultation about the decision within ASUO and the EMU board.

At a Feb. 17 EMU board meeting, Marbury presented the EMU transition. Shrestha said Marbury told the board we didnt feel like we needed to involve people in this conversation.

Marbury said that programs within the EMU were not consulted about the decision.

It was made very apparent last night that trust in administration prioritizing student voice is supposed to be our primary source of comfort in maintaining student autonomy over the EMU, Shrestha said.

Senator Raul Patel said he felt misinformed of the situation. I was under the impression that it was entirely President Boyds decision, he said. Frankly, the topic was so foreign to me that I didnt even know where to start with questions.

The ASUO senate will now have to create a new budget proposal for TFAB and present that to the board of trustees.
Ashland, KY (41101)

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Mostly cloudy with showers and a few thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 58F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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Sunbury, PA (17801)

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Rain likely. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

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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.
Damaging winds are once again buffeting the Monarchy. Gales of mockery and criticism threaten to topple the Queens two eldest sons like shaky palace chimney pots. Meanwhile, far to the west lurks Hurricane Harry, whipping up a storm with lawsuits and memoirs.

Calm amid the tempest, the frail Queen with her trusty walking stick stands resolute and unbowed.

Yet, despite her fortitude, the cold light of day reveals a ravaged Royal landscape. Prince Andrews abject settlement with his accuser Virginia Giuffre reminds us that absolution first requires contrition.

Now, hostile speculation turns to which pocket the publicly subsidised Royal Family will dig into to make Ms Giuffre go away.

Calm amid the tempest, the frail Queen with her trusty walking stick stands resolute and unbowed

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police are to probe the fundraising practices of the heir to the thrones flagship charity the Princes Foundation, including an alleged cash-for-honours and citizenship deal with a Saudi billionaire.

Clarence House insists that Charles knew nothing of these and similar methods. But surely, at the very least the Prince, as president of his foundation, either knew or had reason to know what the CEO, Michael Fawcett, was promising in his name.

This arrangement could yet be more pungent than his brothers tales of sweat and pizzas.

Of course, the Monarchy will plough grimly on. Finally cutting Prince Andrew adrift might keep the sharks at bay. But that wont spare the Windsors a verdict of guilt by association in the court of world opinion. Still, this is a historic moment: the Princes who have hitherto most conspicuously traded on their Royal status are now being brought to book.

Palace spin and the usual chorus of apologists cant obscure a simple question: does the Monarchy have the integrity to recognise what caused this mess, and the humility to work to earn back public trust and respect?

There is a possibility that the scandals could still have long-term benefit. They may be the shock needed to force the Windsors into some overdue self-improvement.

Surely, at the very least the Prince, as president of his foundation, either knew or had reason to know what the CEO, Michael Fawcett, was promising in his name

Bad as it looks now, the Jubilee year could still mark a renaissance in Royal fortunes.

Hope of such a transformation must begin with an assessment of how the Monarchy got itself into the current jam.

For example, what appears to have led the Duke of York into the paedophile Epsteins social circle was not  at least initially  the promise of young female companionship. It was the lure of unapologetic wealth and an addictive taste of the high life.

Any study of the Royal Familys problems must begin with some of its members heedless pursuit of easy financial pickings. They seek the company of billionaires and breathe the heady air of the international Gulfstream set. They borrow yachts, planes and villas and seem quite at home among celebrities, oligarchs and greed- is-good high-rollers.

Few Royal people understand money, but they do enjoy its company and they demonstrate a familiar human failing of always being on the lookout for ways to get more of it.

Thats unfair, comes the reply. Royal financial gain is all for charity. And its true: from film premieres to rock concerts and Duchy Organic Original Oaten biscuits, the Royal Family are impressive fundraisers for their favourite causes. Indeed, Prince Charless press office hails him as a philanthropic entrepreneur in tribute to his ability to conjure charity money from the Royal brand.

But good intentions are only part of the story. To Royal people, having inherited all the personal wealth they are ever likely to need, raising money for noble causes is a tangible way of measuring their usefulness, especially in the macho world of the ultra-rich.

What appears to have led the Duke of York into the paedophile Epsteins social circle was not  at least initially  the promise of young female companionship

But it carries many of the temptations that go with acquiring money for personal gain. Pretty soon, moral considerations  or even a simple instinct to avoid trouble  give way to the lure of big cheques, especially if warning voices can be shushed in the name of charity.

The real test of an organisation is how it copes under pressure. The Monarchy has withstood countless threats to its dignity  even its existence  and always survived.

Will it now fall because of salacious accusations in a New York civil court case?

Or will a cosy deal with a socially ambitious Saudi businessman tumble the House of Windsor?

Will Harrys bestseller be the final nail in the coffin? Probably not, even if the details are mortifying. The real danger is that those responsible for the Monarchys future decide they have nothing to learn from such close encounters with institutional death.

For good reason, the Windsors dont like dwelling on past mistakes and they avoid knee-jerk reactions to unpleasant events. That is both their strength and their weakness. The Queen has already shown a degree of ruthlessness in relieving Andrew of much (though not all) of his Royal privilege.

Charless handlers will continue to assert that nobody told him anything. The mood will now be to soldier on, with as few backward glances as possible.

But if ever there was a moment for soul-searching, this is it. The Charles and Andrew scandals, following so soon after the continuing Sussex debacle, demand a proper post-crash analysis of flaws in the Monarchys machinery. A reluctance to learn from bad experiences, however pragmatic in some instances, may this time prove to be a fatal Windsor reflex.

What cant be ignored is the absence of accountability of our countrys foremost institution, which has enabled self-inflicted wounds like Sussexit, Epstein and cash-for-honours.

Here we come to the challenge the Windsors will face long after the current news cycle has rolled on. Even if they are cured of the urge to ingratiate themselves with the rich and dangerous, they will still need to curb the obsession with being what they consider relevant.

The pursuit of relevance is the bane of modern royalty. Has the Queen ever wasted time chasing it? Surely, she finds all the relevance she could need in serving her people through a monarchy which  as defined by the Buckingham Palace website  acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognises success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service.

No mention there of playing planetary saviour or posing as unelected expert in matters of public policy. This is a moment for the Windsors to re-assess grand Royal projects, cull bloated entourages, rediscover Monarchys patriotic purpose and work hard to keep the institution afloat. To try saving themselves before telling us how to save the world.

Patrick Jephson is a former private secretary to Diana, Princess of Wales and Royal family expert

Its often forgotten that members of the Royal Family have almost unlimited freedom in deciding how to interpret their unearned status.

Its an astonishing and potentially lethal privilege. All the more important then for them to uphold the basic principles of constitutional Monarchy.

Some already do it with unflashy diligence and quiet effectiveness. Princess Anne comes immediately to mind. Memo to advocates of a slimmed down Monarchy: we need more of those, not fewer.

The Charles, Andrew and Sussex crises remind us that fulfilling the role of being a focus for national identity, unity and pride should provide all the challenge and reward anyone could wish for. If that isnt enough for you, youre in the wrong job.

The rediscovery of leadership based only on service and self- sacrifice could really put a shining, platinum lining on the current Royal cloud and be a fitting tribute to this Jubilee year.

Whether that leader is the next in line or the next but one, his first task is to acknowledge that the Queens subjects around the world feel badly let down by failings in Royal management.

After the storm comes the chance to clear away the debris and rebuild. Time to make a start.

lPatrick Jephson was equerry and private secretary to the Princess of Wales, 1988-96.
Brexit Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg shares items of significance in Somerset home

1. GATHERING OF THE CLAN

It's rare to have a photo of me with all six of my children, plus my wife Helena [centre, next to Jacob] and our nanny Veronica [dressed in blue], as normally one of us is taking the picture.

Having a big family has brought me great happiness but has its complications: we don't have a car that fits us all so we need two vehicles if we go somewhere, and it's no fun trying to take six children through an airport!

Nanny brought me up and will be 80 this year but has no plans to retire.

Or, I hope not  I don't know what we'd do without her.

Jacob and wife Helena with all six of their children

2. A MODEL MAN

I had to get this bust of William Pitt the Younger when I saw it in a shop.

He became prime minister aged 24 and, with the help of Nelson and Wellington, beat Napoleon.

Pitt is a hero who deserves more recognition for leading his country in its hour of need. Sadly, his doctor's advice to drink a bottle of port a day did him no good, though.

A bust of William Pitt the Younger

3. HOUND MOGG

My daughter Mary had been asking for a dog for years.

My role as a father is to do everything I'm told to by my children  and my only daughter has a particular ability to get her father to do things she wants done.

So we finally gave Mary a cocker spaniel [pictured with Jacob] as a Christmas present.

Daisy, now two, is an absolute sweetheart, and though I'm not a great one for exercise  except during election campaigns  she has got me walking in the Somerset hills.

4. MOST A-MOO-SING

I've long been a fan of PG Wodehouse's Jeeves And Wooster stories.

In one of them, Bertie inadvertently steals a cow creamer, walking out of a shop with it by mistake, so I was delighted to chance upon this silver cow creamer in a shop in London's Mayfair.

I don't use it very much because the tail is the handle and so it's rather delicate. When I travelled a lot for business prior to entering Parliament, I'd always have a Wodehouse novel with me to help pass the time.

5. GOOD EGGS

I love chocolate cream eggs  my default lunch prior to Easter will be a sandwich and a cream egg for pudding.

Have I Got News For You got me to appear on the show after sending me a box of them and, ever since, people have been giving me cream eggs.

I've never needed to worry about my weight, though I'm not as thin as I was in my 20s.

At the state opening of Parliament in 2019, I wore my old school tailcoat and waistcoat which I thought wasn't bad going.

This lovely bracelet, braided from the hair of Copenhagen, the Duke of Wellington's mount at Waterloo, where Napoleon was defeated

6. PRESENT FROM THE PAST

This lovely bracelet, braided from the hair of Copenhagen, the Duke of Wellington's mount at Waterloo, where Napoleon was defeated once and for all, was given to me by my wife Helena last Christmas.

Wellington needed a mighty beast of burden that could carry him during the battle, so one could argue that Copenhagen played an important role in this historic victory that saved Europe from Napoleon's despotism.

I've always been interested in things that link you back physically to the past.
Britain is spiralling into an eye care crisis, experts are warning, with thousands suffering sight loss that could have been prevented due to record delays for treatment.

Waiting lists for an initial hospital eye appointment have ballooned to more than 600,000  a third more than before the pandemic.

Astonishingly, one in 22 patients, or roughly 27,000 people, have been waiting for more than two years, according to a Mail on Sunday analysis of NHS data.

The findings come amid widespread NHS backlogs, with six million Britons awaiting operations of any sort and 300,000 facing delays of more than a year.

One shocking consequence of the delays in eye treatment is a doubling of cases of white cataracts  the most severe form of the condition, when the lens clouds over completely.

The problem occurs when cataracts are left untreated, by which time theyre much harder to fix, said consultant ophthalmic surgeon Dr Javad Moayedi, Director of NHS patients at independent eye clinic, Optegra.

Youd expect to see these in developing countries, where theres limited access to basic healthcare. Ive gone from doing the odd case to dealing with two or three white cataracts a day.

At least 10,000 patients with age-related eye conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration have missed out on vital treatment to maintain their eyesight, according to the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.

At least 10,000 patients with age-related eye conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration have missed out on vital treatment to maintain their eyesight, according to the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. [File image]

And doctors speaking to The Mail on Sunday say they have seen an increase in patients with these conditions suffering irreversible vision loss that could have been prevented with earlier intervention.

Some, whose sight could have been saved, will inevitably have gone blind due to the delays, one top eye surgeon has claimed.

One 80-year-old glaucoma patient told The Mail on Sunday he had gone from having relatively OK vision to being basically blind between March and August 2020, when he couldnt access treatment.

Barry Good, from Harrogate, said: If Id had my operation in April 2020 as I was supposed to, I would be able to see. But it was cancelled and never rearranged. Now I cant read, write, drive or even make a cup of tea.

Dr Dawn Sim, a consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields eye hospital in London, says it is crucial that age-related eye problems are treated early.

She adds: Im seeing more and more patients who I examine and think, if youd come to me six months ago I could have saved your sight. But now its too late.

The findings come amid widespread NHS backlogs, with six million Britons awaiting operations of any sort and 300,000 facing delays of more than a year. Pictured: Health Secretary Sajid Javid meets staff during a visit to Mile End Diagnostics Centre, London

Over-60s are offered a routine eye appointment with an NHS optician once every two years, to pick up common problems such as eye-pressure condition glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts.

If untreated, these can cause irreversible damage to sight and eventually blindness. When conditions are detected, patients are referred to a hospital eye specialist.

But these checks were halted between March and June 2020, along with non-urgent hospital treatments.

Experts say there was a significant dip in numbers attending appointments even once they were restarted  there was overall a 23 per cent decline in numbers of optician check-ups given in 2020, compared to the year before.

That is 4.3million fewer eye tests. There was also a 45 per cent drop in hospital eye procedures that year, and this is what has led to the huge backlog.

Now patients are visiting the optician again, and being referred  but all at the same time. This, combined with the thousands whose condition got worse and more complex due to missed treatments, has created a perfect storm.

NHS specialists have told The Mail on Sunday of the fallout they see in their daily clinics.

Optegra, one of Britains largest private eye hospital chains that also take NHS referrals, has seen the number of patients needing treatment for severe, sight-threatening cataracts double over the past two years.

Experts say there was a dip in numbers attending appointments even once they were restarted  there was overall a 23 per cent decline in numbers of optician check-ups given in 2020, compared to the year before. That is 4.3million fewer eye tests. There was also a 45 per cent drop in hospital eye procedures that year, and this is what has led to the huge backlog

Cataracts are common with age, affecting a third of Britons aged over 65. They occur when proteins inside the lens  a disc of tissue that sits beneath the coloured iris  break down as we age.

Gradually, the lens become less transparent and, as a result, patients experience blurred vision.

In mild cases, stronger glasses and using a reading light can help. But in most cases, cataracts worsen over time and the only effective treatment is surgery to insert an artificial one.

The simple operation is done in a day-patient clinic under a local anaesthetic and lasts 45 minutes at most, with patients back to normal within a couple of days.

According to NHS guidance, patients should be offered cataract surgery if their eyesight is impaired to the point where it is affecting their quality of life.

But experts say even before the pandemic, increasing demand meant treatment was reserved for the most severe cases.

'It was blurry, like looking through a set of net curtains' - Pensioner, 88 reveals her five-year ordeal to get sight-saving cataract operation Mary Glass, an 88-year-old retired typist from North London, finally had her sight-saving cataract operation last month  after suffering without treatment for more than five years. By the time she had her procedure, the lens in her left eye had become so cloudy that it turned white. I couldnt see anything. I was so nervous to go outside in case I fell over, or had to cross a road, so I didnt, says Mary. I was also conscious of people seeing my eye because it looked white and scary. Mary noticed blurry vision in 2016. An optician diagnosed her with cataracts in both eyes and referred her to a hospital eye clinic. But Mary didnt attend her next appointment. The thought of someone cutting open my eyes was too frightening, so I carried on, says the mother-of-two. Mary Glass, (pictured) an 88-year-old retired typist from North London, finally had her sight-saving cataract operation last month  after suffering without treatment for more than five years By early 2020, she could barely see. It was like looking at everything through a pair of net curtains, she says. Then lockdown hit  and things quickly got worse. I wasnt able to get to the doctors because I was stuck inside, says Mary, who was advised by her GP to shield. Staying indoors and staring at the television all day made my sight worse. In December 2020, Marys daughter Yvonne called her mothers optician and asked for an urgent referral to an eye specialist. But it wasnt until last month  more than a year later  that she had both eyes operated on, courtesy of independent clinic Optegra. The company has been taking increasing numbers of NHS referrals to help clear the backlog. It wasnt a simple procedure. The hardened cataract had irritated the back of her eyes, causing inflammation. It was very sore, Mary says. I used drops for a month and it made me nervous to go outside in case anything got in my eye. I can see, but Ive barely been out. Im still cautious to cross the road. Advertisement

If someone is struggling to see they should be treated, says Dr Sim, who says the number of patients she sees each month with white cataracts has at least doubled since the start of the pandemic.

Its because theyve been waiting for so long. By the time they get in for surgery, they are practically blind and the procedure to fix the problem is far more complicated and risky.

'Usually, removing a lens with a cataract in it is like sucking up a tiny nugget of jelly through a very small cut in the corner of the eye. It is a very simple procedure.

But in white cataracts, the lens is very hard and brittle. It is like trying to extract a piece of rock the size of your thumbnail out of a tiny slit.

'It takes a huge amount of skill not to let it scratch the eye, or drop towards the back, where it could cause serious damage.

About half of those who undergo a white cataract removal will need more than one procedure to remove fragments of the cataract that remain in the eye.

In some cases, this can cause permanent damage to the retina, eventually resulting in blindness.

And Dr Sim says a chronic lack of skilled ophthalmologists (eye specialists) means patients who develop white cataracts are more likely to face complications.

Surgery for white cataracts requires a surgeon who has been trained for many years, and we have a shortage of them, she says.

Recent data from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists showed that almost three quarters of eye clinics across the UK are relying on locum doctors to fill highly skilled consultant posts.

Cataracts are not the only problem. Experts are equally concerned about those awaiting specialist help for glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration  the leading causes of blindness in the over-60s.

Glaucoma affects about one in ten over 75-year-olds. It happens when a build-up of fluid within the eye damages the optic nerve at the back of the eye, which sends images to the brain.

Glaucoma affects the peripheral vision first, so the problem often goes unnoticed. But after a number of years it can become considerably worse, causing blurred vision and headaches, with sufferers seeing ring glares around lights and red eyes.

Eventually, the nerve can no longer send images to the brain, resulting in total blindness.

Treatments, including medicated drops and surgery to help drain excess fluid from the eye, can stop vision deteriorating further but does not reverse damage already done to the optic nerve. So catching it early is key.

According to research by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the number of referrals for glaucoma treatment dropped by 70 per cent during 2020.

The College also predicted that more cases would be missed in 2021, due to the continued reliance on telephone GP appointments.

Larry Benjamin, ophthalmologist and trustee of the vision loss charity, Orbis says: There will be people with glaucoma who could have been treated but will end up losing their sight.

Barry Good has suffered glaucoma for 20 years. Procedures had kept my eyes in relatively good shape, says the former administrator.

But at the end of 2019, the vision in his left eye was blurry. A specialist booked him in for a procedure to prevent further vision loss, scheduled for April 2020.

Then Covid hit and the procedure was cancelled, says Barry. Within two months, his sight got considerably worse.

The cloudiness started to spread from the corner of my eye into the centre. I stopped being able to see the TV, read or write.

Despite calling the hospital to virtually beg for an appointment, Barrys surgery was not rebooked.

In August 2020, he had a routine eye test. A week later his specialist contacted him to confirm he had lost 95 per cent of the vision in his left eye, and there were no treatments that would help repair the damage.

If Id had the surgery, it might not have saved my sight but it would have given me another two or three years, says Barry.

AMD is the most serious sight-threatening eye condition. In wet AMD (the most serious form), damage to blood vessels near the eye leads to swelling in the macular  the part at the back of the eye responsible for central and fine-detail vision needed for reading.

Sometimes, these fragile vessels leak blood and fluid.

Sufferers will first notice blurring in the middle part of their vision and over time, the blurry patch extends until there is very little vision left.

About half of those who undergo a white cataract removal will need more than one procedure to remove fragments of the cataract that remain in the eye. In some cases, this can cause permanent damage to the retina, eventually resulting in blindness. [File image]

AMD is devastating. People lose their central vision which means they cant do much. They cant read, says Dr Sim. Like glaucoma, treatments such as regular injections into the eye to reduce the swelling can stop the problem worsening. But they dont reverse damage done.

Throughout the pandemic, those with a clear case of serious AMD were eligible for a fast-track referral for hospital treatment, similar to the two-week wait for suspected cancer.

But experts say patients have slipped through the net. Were seeing patients too late, when much of the damage has been done, says Dr Sim.

It's a fact... Some 235,000 vital eye surgeries were missed or delayed during 2020, according to a survey by Specsavers. Advertisement

A report by Londons Moorfields Eye Hospital published at the end of 2020 noted an 80 per cent drop in new referrals for AMD treatment.

It predicted the lockdowns will have resulted in at least 234 extra cases of severe sight loss from AMD per month.

Poor access to eye care is not a new phenomenon in the UK. Many say the Covid backlog has simply pushed an already strained system into deeper crisis.

Dr Chang says: We are working hard to increase capacity. This includes recruiting the private sector to take on routine cataract procedures and setting up surgical eye clinics dedicated to doing back-to-back ophthalmology operations.

It will take 18 months to catch up, says Dr Chang.

It is inevitable some will have irreversible sight loss because of this. The most unfortunate thing is we may have been able to save it.
A highly effective new vaccine to protect against shingles will soon be offered to over-70s in the UK.

The jab, Shingrix, is widely available in the US and is far more successful at preventing the painful viral skin condition than the vaccine currently offered on the NHS.

Studies have shown that Shingrix can cut the risk of shingles by more than 90 per cent, compared with 50 per cent for Zostavax, at present offered to all Britons over 70.

The Shingrix jab is currently given to a limited number of NHS patients, but the health service is expected to begin offering it to many more this year.

It is thought likely the vaccine could be given to patients as young as 55 by 2024.

This is a game-changer, says Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

The moment US authorities saw the Shingrix data, they dropped Zostavax like a hot potato, and the same will happen in the UK. We will be rapidly phasing out Zostavax over the next two to three years.

The news will come as a relief to the millions of Britons at risk of developing lifelong chronic pain brought on by shingles. More than 50,000 get it every year, and nearly one in four people will develop it at some point in their life.

Last October, presenter Eamonn Holmes revealed he had shingles in 2018. He was forced to take time off from ITVs This Morning due to a rash that covered his face and led to intense stabbing pains. Pictured: Holmes with Ruth Langsford on 'This Morning'

Holmes said doctors were really worried when they saw that the rash had spread to his eyelids (above), as the condition can lead to blindness

Shingles is linked to chicken-pox, the highly contagious disease that leads to itchy, spotty rashes.

If caught at a young age, chickenpox is not usually serious, but the virus that causes it, varicella-zoster, remains in the body for life, hiding in the spinal-cord nerves.

It is kept in check by the immune system, but this weakens with age, potentially allowing the virus to reactivate and attack the body again.

Shingles sufferers get a blotchy, red rash that blisters. It usually appears on one side of the chest or abdomen but can be anywhere on the body.

Often accompanied by headaches and nausea, the rash can be extremely painful and last several weeks.

Last October, presenter Eamonn Holmes revealed he had shingles in 2018.

He was forced to take time off from ITVs This Morning due to a rash that covered his face and led to intense stabbing pains.

He said doctors were really worried when they saw that the rash had spread to his eyelids, as the condition can lead to blindness.

For a fifth of patients, shingles can also trigger post-herpetic neuralgia, a nerve-pain condition that can linger for months and for which there is no treatment.

The pain is there virtually all the time, says Dr Michael Serpell, a pain expert at Stobhill Ambulatory Care Hospital in Glasgow.

Even a cold breeze can set off agonising nerve pain in the face or chest.

The Shingrix jab is currently given to a limited number of NHS patients, but the health service is expected to begin offering it to many more this year. It is thought likely the vaccine could be given to patients as young as 55 by 2024. [File image]

Shingles can even kill, with about 50 deaths in the UK each year.

Britons over 70 are offered a shingles jab on the NHS and Zostavax has been used since 2013.

Its been very helpful, but its far from the ideal jab, says Prof Finn.

As people get older, Zostavax becomes less effective. This is a problem because this is exactly the age group we are trying to protect.

Shingrix, created by British pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline, was shown in studies published in 2020 to reduce the risk of both shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia by more than 90 per cent.

Crucially, studies show the jab, which is given as two doses, provides strong protection in people as old as 90.

The jab has been licensed for use since 2018, but high demand in America meant it was mostly unavailable in the UK, so recommending it for NHS use was pointless.

It is offered only to NHS patients with weakened immune systems for whom Zostavax can cause severe side effects.

Now, experts say extra supplies mean a decision on whether to use Shingrix over Zostavax is imminent. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations Prof Finn said: I expect we will make a decision on this in the coming months.

The news will be welcomed by Joanne Mills, 56, of West Yorkshire, who has suffered post-herpetic neuralgia for more than 20 years after getting shingles in her 30s.

The mental health worker says the painful, itchy rash returns at least once every two months and can last for ten days.

I get it on my upper thigh and it makes wearing even loose-fitting clothes horrible because they rub against the rash, says the mother-of-three. On a scale of one to ten, at its worst Id say the pain is an 11.

Doctors believe a shingles vaccine would help to cut Joannes flare-ups, boosting her immunity to the virus and keeping it in check.

Any jab I could get sooner and which would help reduce the pain Ive been living with for decades would be incredible, she says.
SUNDANCE NOW, AMAZON, NETFLIX, SKY, BRITBOX, MUBI & DISNEY+





Kin

When Michael Kinsella, scion of a Dublin crime clan, gets out of prison, he wants to turn his back on the family business.

Its no hardship watching top Irish operators such as Ciaran Hinds (above, right), Aidan Gillen (centre) and Daredevils Charlie Cox (left)

But as anyone whos ever watched a drama about organised crime, from The Godfather to The Sopranos, knows  just when you think you are out, they pull you back in.

The Kinsellas are drawn into an escalating dispute with another, more powerful gangster outfit and before you can shout This is about family! theyre at war.

Kin is far from the most original show you will ever see and thats not its only flaw, but over nine episodes it grips, makes great use of the Dublin cityscape and its no hardship watching top Irish operators such as Ciaran Hinds, Aidan Gillen and Daredevils Charlie Cox.

The standout turn is from Clare Dunne as the intense Amanda Kinsella. Sundance Now, from Thursday





Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road

More words have been written about Beach Boy Brian Wilsons songwriting genius, his mental illness, drug battles and domineering father than nearly any other pop star. But finally, the story is told by Brian himself.

Finally, Beach Boy Brian Wilson (above) tells the story of his songwriting genius, his mental illness, drug battles and domineering father himself

In a series of informal chats with rock journalist Jason Fine, the semi-deaf author of Paul McCartneys favourite song, God Only Knows, discusses his extraordinary life.

And reveals what terrifies him most: the Doobie Brothers song What A Fool Believes. Sky Store, from Monday

Vikings: Valhalla

An eight-part sequel to the original smash-hit Vikings series, set more than a century after its predecessor.

Sam Corlett, Frida Gustavsson and Leo Suter star in the tale, which takes place as tensions between the invaders and the Anglo-Saxons reach an all-time high, culminating in the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. Netflix, from Friday

The Walking Dead

Yes, it is still going. And the long-running zombie apocalypse saga still has a sizeable band of fervent fans.

The first half of the final season was broadcast last year  this is the beginning of the second half; the end game. And after 12 years, the show can still spring a few surprises. Disney+, from Monday

Lamb

A very odd, creepy, cult film from Iceland.

The odd, creepy cult film from Iceland, Lamb, is very atmospheric but its slow-moving - and dont expect any explanation

Maria and Ingvar live on their isolated farm with their sheep. When one gives birth to an ovine-human hybrid  flock horror!  the couple name the creature Ada and treat it as their child. Ewe wont be surprised to learn things dont go well.

Lamb is very atmospheric but its slow-moving, and dont expect any explanation. Starring Noomi Rapace. MUBI, from Friday





No Exit

Darby, a young woman on a long drive to Salt Lake City, is forced by a blizzard to spend the night at a remote visitor centre with four strangers. Theres no phone signal or wi-fi.

When she discovers a child being held prisoner in a van outside, she has to save the kid and work out which of her fellow overnighters is a psychopath.

Adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name and starring Havana Rose Liu as Darby. Disney+, from Friday

New Tricks

Series six to eight of the much-loved crime drama.

Amanda Redman, Dennis Waterman, Alun Armstrong and James Bolam tackle various cold cases, using their old-fashioned methods to unlock clues where their younger colleagues have failed. BritBox, from Thursday

Loving

Affecting historical drama about Richard and Mildred Loving, a real-life couple who were charged with interracial marriage under a Virginia statute banning such unions: a white person and a coloured person were not allowed to cohabitate.

Ruth Negga (above, with Quinn McPherson) and Joel Edgerton play the quiet couple who just want to be together

The 1967 case ended up in the Supreme Court  Loving v. Virginia  and resulted in a change to the US constitution. Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton play the quiet couple who just want to be together. StarzPlay, from Sunday

Cat Burglar

Charlie Brookers latest project is a cross between a Tex Avery cartoon and Bandersnatch, the interactive episode of Black Mirror.

By answering witty trivia questions, viewers can help Rowdy Cat break into a museum to steal its paintings, getting one over on Peanut the Security Pup in the process. Netflix, from Tuesday

Here We Are

This moving Israeli drama manages to be emotional without being overly sentimental. It focuses on Aharon (Shai Avivi) and his autistic adult son Uri (Noam Imber).

Aharon is almost as dependent on Uri as his son is on him, until Uris mother sends him to an assisted-living facility. Sky Store, available now

Wolf Like Me

Six-episode comedy-drama in which Gary (Josh Gad) is a single dad whose daughter Emma (Ariel Donoghue) has had emotional issues since the death of her mum.

Isla Fisher (above) plays Mary in this six-episode comedy drama. After forging a connection with victims of a car crash, why does she keep, literally, running away?

When they are in a car crash with Mary (Isla Fisher, right), they find they both have a connection with her and Mary seems to like them. So why does she keep, literally, running away? Amazon, from Friday

Whoops Apocalypse

Andrew Marshall and David Renwicks classic sitcom from 1982 makes a welcome appearance. Despite the end of the world being nigh, the US President organises his re-election campaign while juggling the Soviets and a deposed Shah.

Barry Morse and John Barron (Reggie Perrins boss C. J.) star, as well as John Cleese, Richard Griffiths and Alexei Sayle. BritBox, from Thursday

State Of The Union

Written by Nick Hornby, directed by Stephen Frears and starring Rosamund Pike and Chris ODowd, the first Emmy-winning series, made up of ten short episodes, went down a treat.

Now theres a second tale of marital woe with Brendan Gleeson and Patricia Clarkson in the leads. Sundance Now, available now

Cmon Cmon

Touching drama from Mike Mills, the man behind the semi-autobiographical Beginners and 20th Century Women.

Shot in crisp black and white, it stars Joaquin Phoenix as journalist Johnny, whose latest assignment involves interviewing children.

His nine-year-old nephew Jesse (a remarkable Woody Norman) refuses to be recorded, but an impromptu road trip opens up a whole new world for them both. Rakuten TV, from Tuesday

Why is there such a buzz about..? The Tinder Swindler (Netflix) On the dating app Tinder, Simon Leviev (above) seemed like a real catch On the dating app Tinder, Simon Leviev seemed like a real catch. Handsome, well dressed, always at meetings or parties. He had more than 100,000 Instagram followers and was in the diamond business and the son of a billionaire. Plenty of women were tempted to swipe right. Unfortunately, one of the key messages of this documentary is that if someone seems too good to be true, they probably are. Leviev was a conman who would invite women to a swanky hotel for coffee on a first date before whisking them away on his private jet. Then, after a period of love-bombing, the requests for money would begin. Cecilie Fjellhoy (above) is one of the women contributing to this film A security situation meant he couldnt use his credit cards or access his account  could he borrow ten, 20, 30 grand? Just for a few days? Several of those women contribute to this film, all (such as Cecilie Fjellhoy) still affected financially and emotionally by their encounter with Leviev. One even checked herself into a psychiatric unit after finding herself thinking about suicide. But they decided they werent going to let him get away with it Neil Armstrong Advertisement







BBC iPLAYER, ALL4 AND TALKING PICTURES TV





Blackout

Walter Presents Belgian thriller focuses on the aftermath of an act of sabotage that shuts down a power plant, plunging the nation into darkness. Michael Dendoncker, head of an anti-terrorism unit, is charged with finding out whodunnit.

This Belgian thriller focuses on the aftermath of an act of sabotage that plunges the nation into darkness. Above: Sara de Roo stars

Before the lights went out, the prime minister received a video clip of her kidnapped daughter with the message: When the light turns back on, your daughter dies.

Can Michael find the villains before its too late? With Sara de Roo. All4, from Friday





Woman At War

This bold, quirky satire, which won a screenwriting award at Cannes in 2018, follows choir conductor turned eco warrior Halla as she embarks on a one-woman crusade to sabotage an aluminium plant in the Icelandic highlands.

Funny and poignant, her illegal operation is cast into doubt when motherhood comes knocking. All4, from Thursday

Chloe

Six-part psychological thriller in which Becky (Erin Doherty), a lowly office temp living with her ailing mum, is obsessed with glamorous influencer Chloe (Poppy Gilbert) and spends her time trawling through Chloes Instagram posts showing off her beautiful house and perfect life.

Chloe, starring Erin Doherty and Poppy Gilbert (above), revolves around Becky's (Doherty) obsession with a glamorous influencer - and is all very far-fetched

When Chloe dies, Becky reinvents herself as Sasha (who does something in the art world) and insinuates herself into Chloes circle to find out more about her life  and death.

All very far-fetched, of course  unless youve watched The Tinder Swindler and Inventing Anna. BBC iPlayer, available now

The Souvenir

Writer-director Joanna Hoggs semi-autobiographical 1980s drama stars Honor Swinton Byrne as film student Julie, who embarks on a relationship with an untrustworthy older man (Tom Burke).

Byrnes real-life mother, Tilda Swinton, co-stars as her characters mum. A sequel was released last month. BBC iPlayer, until Tuesday

Carry On Columbus

An overlooked curio from 1992, ignored at the time by Carry On fans, who stayed away from cinemas in their thousands.

Maybe not Carry On at its chucklesome best, but Carry On Columbus (above) surely merits a revisit, if only as its now 30 years old

OK, humour had moved on since the saucy, glory days of Sid James and co, and the cast of post Comic Strip names such as Alexei Sayle and Rik Mayall float uneasily on a sea of bad puns

But then, some of the stalwarts also star in this tale marking the 500th anniversary of Columbuss arrival in America: Jim Dale is the titular traveller, Leslie Phillips and June Whitfield are the king and queen of Spain.

Maybe not Carry On at its chucklesome best, but it surely merits a revisit, if only as its now 30 years old, and is as vintage as the originals were then. Talking Pictures TV, from Monday

Hope Street

Filmed in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland, this drama has won numerous fans in its daytime slot. Amara Karan heads the cast as DC Leila Hussain, whose arrival in the small town of Port Devine sets tongues wagging.

Each episode focuses on a new crime, while the locals try to figure out the new police officers secret. BBC iPlayer, available now
The Forest

Hampstead Theatre, London Until March 12, 1hr 20mins

Rating:

Churchill once said: I am, of course, exceedingly pro-French; unfortunately the French are exceedingly pro-voking. I feel the same about the Parisian prodigy Florian Zeller, whose plays are utterly watchable but also infuriatingly cryptic.

The guy is undeniably a one-man hit factory and his plays often end up as films: The Father bagged Anthony Hopkins an Oscar; The Son  yet to be released  will star Hopkins, Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern and The Crowns Vanessa Kirby.

In this world premiere, its translated, as ever, by Zellers lieutenant, Christopher Hampton, into English dialogue you wouldnt know had once been French.

The Forest is a superficially a standard middle-class adultery play with a fine cast including Toby Stephens, Gina McKee and Paul McGann (above, with McKee)

Its superficially a standard middle-class adultery play  a Gallic specialism  with a fine cast including Toby Stephens, Gina McKee and Paul McGann.

Stephens oozes anxiety as the surgeon who is having an affair; McKee is brilliant as his solicitous wife; their daughter (Millie Brady) cries a lot because she has been betrayed by her boyfriend.

When in bed with his lover, however, the doctor is played by another actor (McGann). Is he an alter ego? A guilty projection? A different bloke altogether?

Whoever he is, his lover (Angel Coulby, who has to go topless part of the time) wants him to herself. In fact, in her unstable rages she becomes a bit of a bunny-boiler, threatening to expose their affair to his wife.

She later appears totally ketchupped like Banquos ghost in one of a shoal of surreal red herrings.

At the outset, this saga of sex and comeuppance seems straightforward. But reality takes an early bath. Scenes are repeated, identities blur, the plot shifts and cracks like pack ice.

Presiding over the surgeons crumbling sanity is a nightmarish interrogator  his shrink, perhaps, or a police inspector  played with sinister intent and white-face make-up by Finbar Lynch.

Hes in league with a creepy young heavy (Eddie Toll) straight out of a Pinter play. Towards the end theres an appearance from the titular forest of a symbolic dead stag. Oh dear!

Despite the top-notch production values (the flawless direction is by Jonathan Kent) and a gorgeous three-room set (by Anna Fleischle), this classy evening has a wholly fake sense of depth.

A sleek, Sudoku-ish sort of play, but probably just too baffling to interest Hollywood.
Dog Cert: 12A, 1hr 41mins

Rating:

Here Before Cert: 15, 1hr 23mins

Rating:

The Real Charlie Chaplin Cert: 12, 1hr 54mins

Rating:

Dog is not exactly a subtle film, as the monosyllabic title clearly suggests.

Not only does it star Channing Tatum, an actor of chiselled features but distinctly limited range, but its co-directed by him too and is essentially a road-trip movie in which a brain-injured, medically discharged former Army Ranger is charged with taking a dangerous military dog suffering from combat stress to the funeral of its former handler.

Dont take her out in public, warns a guard, as Briggs (Tatum) arrives to pick up his muzzled canine companion in the hope that if he does a favour for the army, the army will do a favour for him. By letting him rejoin.

It seems Dog, starring Channing Tatum (above), has been made with a touch of Clint Eastwoods Every Which Way But Loose thrown in

But from the moment he leaves Lulu  a Belgian malinois apparently suffering from every combat trigger there is  locked in his pick-up outside a shooting range while he noisily fires off a few rounds, you do find yourself wondering whether this Briggs really is the brightest button in the Army Ranger button box.

Slowly, however, it becomes obvious that were not supposed to be taking this too seriously. The screenplay is co-written by Reid Carolin, who wrote both the hugely popular Magic Mike films and co-directs with Tatum here.

And its clear the pair are going for something similar in tone, maybe with a touch of Clint Eastwoods Every Which Way But Loose, which famously paired Clint with an orangutan called Clyde, thrown in.

There are still misjudgments  difficult to smile much at Lulus habit of attacking anyone in Arab dress  and the challenge of mixing comedy with the inevitable sombre patriotic sincerity is a big one.

Its no masterpiece, but better than I expected, and it has an undeniable watchability. Parents, however, be warned: despite the tail-wagging title, its not for small children.

Most films with Andrea Riseborough in are worth catching, and Here Before is no exception.

Set in Northern Ireland, its a slow-burning psychological drama that begins when a new family move into the house next door to long-married Laura (Riseborough) and Brendan (Jonjo ONeill).

Set in Northern Ireland, Here Before stars Andrea Riseborough (above) and is a slow-burning psychological drama

Megan, their new neighbours outgoing young daughter, seems to take a shine to Laura, and she to her, which starts to make sense as we learn that Laura has lost a daughter of her own.

Almost from the outset, Megan says or does things that remind Laura of her own daughter, which she initially puts down to coincidence or imagination. But when these coincidences start mounting

Experienced writer Stacey Gregg makes her directorial debut here and does an impressive job of creating an absorbingly unsettling atmosphere, helped by a quietly outstanding performance from Riseborough that captures Lauras grief, hope and confusion.

Ultimately, it doesnt quite deliver on the considerable initial promise, but its style and impact definitely linger.

The Real Charlie Chaplin is a new documentary about the most instantly recognisable comedian the world has ever known.

But its heavily dependent on old footage and dramatised re-creations and is definitely a headline or two short of revelations that it could call its own.

Theres no doubt that this documentary retells the familiar story of Charlie Chaplins (above) life pretty well  but somewhere along the line a sense of punches being pulled sets in

Theres no doubt that it retells the familiar story of Chaplins life pretty well  from his desperately impoverished beginnings in Lambeth to his joining the Fred Karno music hall company as a teenager and sailing to America, where he was discovered by the great silent movie mogul Mack Sennett.

The origins of his world-famous Tramp persona and costume are undeniably well explored too.

But somewhere along the line a sense of punches being pulled sets in, particularly when it comes to Chaplins well-documented fondness for very young women and girls.

He married his first wife when she was 16, met his second when she was only 12 and, while his third wife was a positively middle-aged 21, his fourth, Oona, was only 18. Chaplin was 54 when he married her.

To be fair, all this is there in Peter Middleton and James Spinneys film, but when the moment comes to dig deeper, they look away instead.

Disappointing.
The Family Chao

Lan Samantha Chang One 16.99

The Fine Chao Chinese Restaurant is a local institution in Haven, Wisconsin, but after overbearing patriarch Leo is found dead in suspicious circumstances, the spotlight swivels onto its owners. Then, one of his three sons is charged with murder.

Themes of family dysfunction and the strain of assimilation spark dark comedy, while a deft plot serves up tasty twists including a kidnapped dog and a stolen ring in this clever, entertaining homage to The Brothers Karamazov.

Hephzibah Anderson

Run And Hide

Pankaj Mishra Hutchinson Heinemann 16.99

Three Indian friends overcome their poor, low-caste upbringings to make a splash in the wider world.

While Aseem and Virendra achieve fame and fortune, the narrator, Arun, a humble literary translator, retreats to a Himalayan village to observe proceedings from afar.

In his first novel in more than 20 years, acclaimed essayist Mishra splices a cautionary tale with elegant examination of globalisation and the perils of the changing world order. Immensely thought-provoking.

Simon Humphreys

Black Cake

Charmaine Wilkerson Michael Joseph 14.99

Respectable Eleanor Bennett is dead and her estranged children, Byron and Benny, are listening to a recording of her voice as she unspools the unexpected story of her life.

Its a turbulent tale, awash with soul-destroying secrets and painful transformations, telling of a headstrong, brave Caribbean girl called Covey who, accused of murder, leaves behind her name but remains forever marked by her past.

A resonant story of identity, family and the meaning of home.

Eithne Farry
Bucking the trend has proved a profitable pastime for specialist car dealer to the stars Clive Sutton.

And he's at it again with this new Ford Bronco  securing the first batch to arrive from the U.S. where the model is sold out until 2023. Ford has yet to decide if it'll export the 4x4 SUV officially to the UK and Europe.

Priced from 45,000 to 85,000 depending on specification and with import paperwork sorted, they come with comprehensive two-year/30,000-mile cover.

Bucking the trend: Clive Sutton secured the first batch of Ford Broncos to arrive from the U.S. where the model is sold out until 2023

Fitted with a 2.3-litre or 2.7- litre engine developing 270bhp to 310bhp and paired with a seven-speed manual or ten-speed automatic transmission, Sutton says the four-door, left-hand-drive Bronco 'has the grunt to tackle any on or off-road challenge'.

Based in St John's Wood, London, Sutton made his name in the 1990s by supplying PM Tony Blair's family with Chrysler Grand Voyagers.

What women look for in a new car

If you really want to know what women look for and value in a new car, read on.

The Women's World Car of the Year jury has just announced its shortlist for the best cars launched during 2021.

The six finalists and their categories are: Peugeot 308 (urban); Kia Sportage (family SUV); Ford Mustang Mach-E (large car); BMW iX (large SUV); Audi e-Tron GT (performance car); and Jeep Wrangler 4xe (4x4).

In touch: The Women's World Car of the Year jury has just announced its shortlist for the best cars launched during 2021

Jurors will now confer with the final result announced around March 8, to mark International Women's Day.

In the 12th year of the awards, a team of 56 female motoring journalists from 40 countries spanning five continents  the only exclusively female jury in the industry  will select the winner.

The judges said: 'These vehicles represent excellence in their segments based on safety, driving, comfort, technology, design, efficiency, impact on the environment and value for money.'
The British public never takes kindly to displays of great wealth or a group of privileged people taking an after-work drink while they suffer at home.

Bankers have never been much loved and there is residual resentment of how the taxpayer had to pick up the bill for misjudgments, greed and grandiosity in the financial crisis.

How incredible that 12 years on from the rescue of Royal Bank of Scotland, which is now known as NatWest, that the Government still holds a 50.9 per cent stake in the disgraced lender.

'Greed is Good': The catchphrase of banker Gordon Gekko (pictured) in the movie Wall Street

It is terrific that 2021 saw NatWest make a pre-tax profit of 4billion, reversing a loss of 351m last year.

This enabled the bank to pay a dividend (1.7billion of which goes to the Government), do a 750m share buyback and contemplate the moment when another 4.99 per cent of the taxpayer-owned shares return to the market.

The sharp improvement at NatWest, and across the UK banking sector, is forecast to generate a stonking 34billion of profits over the reporting season.

Strong banks, able to lend to business and consumers, are vital to the economy. Less welcome is the entitlement in terms of pay and bonuses.

What makes the payouts even more uncomfortable is that they come at a moment when the governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, is urging restraint. Yet Bailey cannot hold back the cash gusher in his own backyard.

Rewards for NatWest boss Alison Rose jumped to 3.6million in 2021 from 2.6million in the previous year. This will almost certainly turn out to be modest compared to colleagues at other banks.

Behind the substantial increase was a decision not to take her full pay package in 2020 because of Covid. So she is playing catch-up this year.

Rewards for NatWest boss Alison Rose jumped to 3.6m in 2021 from 2.6m in the previous year

Moreover, some of her award will be taken in deferred shares, aligning her interests with the broader body of investors. Nevertheless, compared with front line NHS staff who preserved our well-being in the pandemic, delivery drivers who came to our homes, supermarket check-out staff at constant risk of infection and Downing Street officials who kept the country running, this is a mighty benefit.

It is also uncomfortable after a year when the bank was required to apologise and pay a 265m fine for money laundering.

The difficulty with all regulatory penalties levied on the banks, non-stop in recent years, is that shareholders pay the price of mistakes, not the people in charge.

The overall bonus pot at NatWest for 2021 was a relatively modest 298m, to be distributed among as many as 28,000 of the bank's workforce.

Since the financial crisis, NatWest has turned in on itself and exited many of the trading, M&A and global activities which generate the biggest bucks.

A glimmer of what awaits the nation when the other banks report was evident from the results of Standard Chartered. Staff at the global bank shared a bonus pot of 1billion for 2021, up 38 per cent on the previous year.

Current estimates suggest that when the spoils among all the High Street banks are totted up, the bonuses will total at least 4billion. The biggest incentive payouts are likely to be at Barclays if Wall Street is any guide.

As the pandemic wound down in 2021, the volume of IPOs, bids and deals and trading profits soared.

Barclays, as the last UK investment bank standing, which still competes with Wall Street rivals, will be the biggest winner.

This could be awkward as former chief executive Jes Staley, who backed the investment bank strategy, was required to step aside to fight allegations surrounding his association with Jeffrey Epstein.

HSBC, which also has a large global trading arm, can be expected to be a big winner.

UK banks are in a different universe to EU counterparts where bonus pots are confined to two times basic salary.

City banks are free to pay what they like and that is seen as necessary to attract and keep the finest traders in London. Indeed, the bonus pots are a great source of revenue for HMRC.

At a time when energy prices and food bills for most consumers are surging, and wage rates struggling to catch up, the 'greed is good' sign posted over the banks is not a good look.
An Australian investment bank known as the 'Vampire Kangaroo' is preparing to pounce on a vital part of the UK's gas grid.

Sydney-based Macquarie has tabled an early offer for National Grid's gas transmission business that would value the unit at 7.5billion, according to reports.

It is looking to take a controlling stake in the division, which operates more than 4,000 miles of gas pipes in the UK.

Macquarie is run by Shemara Wikramanayake (pictured)

But the sale would put a key part of the gas network in the hands of an Australian firm while the UK is in the grip of the most extreme energy crisis in a generation that is crippling households and businesses.

FTSE100-listed National Grid has been looking for an outside group to take a majority stake in the transmission unit since last year.

But the presence of Macquarie, which is run by Shemara Wikramanayake, is likely to worry many in the City because of the company's questionable track record of investing in some of Britain's biggest firms.

It earned its 'Vampire Kangaroo' nickname after developing a reputation for buying companies, loading them with debt and sucking out as much money from them as possible for shareholders.

And it comes at a time when foreign investors are under increasing scrutiny as fears grow that the UK is losing control of key businesses and infrastructure.

Any deal, if it were to materialise, would automatically be referred to the Business Department to be assessed under the National Security and Investment Act. This would investigate whether the sale of a controlling stake to an overseas buyer could put Britain at any risk.

Macquarie has British roots, being formed from the Australian branch of London merchant bank Hill Samuel in 1969, before changing its name in 1985.

It has a swathe of UK assets and claims to have ploughed more than 50billion into UK infrastructure projects in recent years.

The company bought the Green Investment Bank, now called the Green Investment Group, from the Government in 2017.

Macquarie owns Aberdeen, Glasgow (pictured) and Southampton Airports with Ferrovial

It owns Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton Airports with Ferrovial, as well as broadband network Kcom and last year took a large stake in Southern Water.

But the group is still best known for its reputation-damaging ownership of Thames Water from 2006 to 2017.

Over the course of slightly more than a decade in charge of the water company, Macquarie paid out almost 3billion in dividends while amassing debts of 10bn and using a complex  but legal  corporate structure that meant it paid almost no corporation tax in the UK.

A Macquarie spokesman said: 'The UK is one of the best places in the world to invest in, and from. Over the next few years, we'll progress important new investments in communities from Southampton to Orkney, in vital new infrastructure from offshore wind to ultra-fast broadband.'

National Grid declined to comment last night.
President Macron's government will spend 1.8billion propping up EDF  weeks after it ordered the company to sell power below market prices.

The bailout, which will see the French state shoulder the majority of a 2.1billion share sale, also follows a series of nuclear power plant outages that ate away at the firm's profits.

Finance minister Bruno Le Maire said EDF, which is building Hinkley Point C in Somerset and is a major energy supplier to UK households, was 'going through a bad financial patch.'

But he added it was 'vital' to inject fresh funding into the company as it prepares to ramp up investments in nuclear and renewable energy projects.

Food for thought: EDF's market value has tumbled since the government told the company it could only increase energy prices in France by 4 per cent this year

EDF's market value has tumbled since the government told the company it could only increase energy prices in France by 4 per cent this year in a bid to protect households and businesses from the effects of spiralling wholesale gas prices.

This is set to knock around 6.7billion off EDF's profits this year. In contrast, the UK's price cap will rise by more than 50 per cent in April.

EDF revealed total revenues and profits across the company rose last year - but that its UK business swung to a 21million loss.

It had made a profit of 712million the year before. The company blamed the 'ongoing impact of Covid-19, high global gas prices, and unplanned outages at UK nuclear power stations'.

EDF was paid 168million to take on more than 200,000 domestic customers from collapsed suppliers last year.

It has around 5million UK accounts.
Former Aussie soldier Clent Wilson had a couple of old sayings.

'That was stupid' and 'That's all'.

Both might sum-up the demise of the father of three, who died last month when a homemade bomb tied to his waist detonated after a heated visit to his estranged partner.

The explosion on Nettle Drive in Hallam, east Melbourne, was captured on CCTV from a nearby home.

Described in media reports as a 'suicide vest', the bomb had been knocked-up in Mr Wilson's backyard from old car airbags and packed a C4 detonator.

But his son Oliver, 17, told Daily Mail Australia his father was not suicidal and he didn't mean to blow himself up.

Clent Wilson, 42, died when an explosive device he had strapped to his waist exploded

A shrine kept in honour of former Aussie soldier Clent Wilson by his son Oliver

Happy times: Oliver and his dad Clent Wilson shared a special bond. They had been living together when he was killed in an explosion

The 43-year old had served in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment based at Darwin's Robertson barracks 20 years ago before being dishonourably discharged for attacking a pilot.

While a Melbourne newspaper report suggesting the fracas was related to an alleged sexual assault against Mr Wilson, his son, Oliver, has told Daily Mail Australia the fight was over a woman.

'He bashed a pilot because he went home to find his fiance in bed with the B12 pilot,' he said.

'He's knocked him out and he's one of his superiors, which made it a little harder for him.'

Oliver, just shy of 18, has refuted claims his dad had intended to kill himself last month.

He was off drugs and had recently secured a job with Oliver working in scaffolding.

The claims of sexual assault have since instigated a full investigation by the Australian Defence Force into Mr Wilson's discharge.

Oliver, who had been living with his father in Dandenong at the time of the incident, said he had discussed his father's exit from the Army again just four days before his death.

Clent Wilson claimed he had been discharged from the Army for bashing a superior who had slept with his partner

A bomb strapped to the waist of Clent Wilson detonated as he was speeding away from his ex-partner's home

'After the Army there was a lot of anxiety there ... they had locked him down and they sedated him for a full week. He told me he couldn't handle being sedated with two armed guards by his side all day so he slashed his wrists to get discharged,' he said.

'We were father and son. He told me everything.'

After leaving the ADF, Mr Wilson worked hard to get his life back on track.

He met another woman and they had three kids together before Mr Wilson's demons came back to torment him and they split.

Mr Wilson lost his kids, which would pour fuel on a fire he had fought so hard to extinguish.

'It was half the reason for his depression,' Oliver said.

On the day Mr Wilson would die, he and Oliver had plans to go fishing that afternoon and spend the weekend dangling a line.

It had been a Saturday and Mr Wilson had been agitated over the break-down of another failed relationship.

Clent Wilson and his son Oliver in happier times.

Clent Wilson had threatened his estranged partner with a bomb attached to his waist in the moments before he died

Mr Wilson had struggled through his life to maintain and let go of relationships.

'He was like a 15-year old boy at heart,' Oliver said.

'He went around his ex's place and was threatening her. I knew at the time that his mindframe wasn't the best, but he would not intend to (hurt her).'

Oliver's father had gone there with the homemade bomb strapped with a piece of cloth to his stomach.

The 17-year old insisted his father had no plans to kill himself that day either.

'It was a freak accident. Probably the one way of showing him you don't play with bombs,' he said.

Bomb making had been something Mr Wilson simply liked to 'f**k around with', his son said.

'We've got a lot of land around here and we like to play around and blow trees up and stuff like that,' he said.

Oliver believes the explosive went off after Mr Wilson sped off from his estranged partner's home.

'He would have been flying through the S-bend, he's lost grip of the tyres and gone-up over the gutters,' he said.

Oliver said despite his father's obvious flaws, he had been respected by those that knew him well.

Clent Wilson had struggled with depression and anxiety for much of his life. He had been discharged from the Army for knocking out a superior officer

Clent Wilson was at home on the water. He was farewelled at the Lake Boga Ski Club on February 5

Clent Wilson loved nothing more than a quiet beer while fishing. He had planned to dangle a line with his son on the day he would die

He was also known as a man who could snap when provoked.

'You didn't want to push his buttons. He was not someone who appreciated being f**ked with,' Oliver said.

The teen remembered his dad as a man who had never abandoned him.

When Oliver had a falling out with his mum in New South Wales, his dad was eager to take him in.

'Dad's always been the one to throw his hand-up and say "I'll have him",' he said.

Oliver now has his dad's favourite saying, 'That's all', tattooed on his hand.

'He would use it when you did something he was proud of,' he said.

His father's second phrase was usually uttered after almost blowing himself up.

'Every time something went wrong. That was stupid,' Oliver said.

Mr Wilson, a keen water skier, was farewelled among friends and family at the Lake Boga Ski Club on February 5.

'There were a lot of people there. He would have been happy,' Oliver said.

In April, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a Royal Commission into veteran suicide days.

At least 500 Afghanistan veterans have taken their own lives since Australia went to war in 2001.

The prime minister will also establish a National Commissioner to make sure any recommendations made by the two-year inquiry are implemented.

Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au

Defence All-Hours Support Line provides support for ADF personnel on 1800 628 036 or defence.gov.au/health/healthportal.

Defence Member and Family Helpline provides support for Defence families on 1800 624 608.
The U.S. Embassy announced Friday that Washington is lifting a ban on inspections of Mexican avocados, freeing the way for exports to resume.

The suspension of inspections had threatened Mexico's $3 billion annual exports and raised the possibility of prices increasing for U.S. consumers.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said in a statement that 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 don't carry diseases or pests that would harm American orchards.

Salazar did not describe those measures or whether they would address reports of Mexican growers and packers playing fast and loose with sanitary measures designed to protect U.S. production.

The inspections were halted last week after one of the U.S. inspectors was threatened in the western state of Michoacan, where growers are routinely subjected to extortion by drug cartels.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday that the inspector had received a threat 'against him and his family.'

A worker selects avocados at a packing plant in Uruapan, Mexico, Wednesday, February 16. Mexico has acknowledged that the US government has suspended all imports of Mexican avocados after a US plant safety inspector in Mexico received a threat

A worker selects avocados at a packing plant in Uruapan, Mexico, Wednesday, February 16. Mexico has acknowledged that the US government has suspended all imports of Mexican avocados after a US plant safety inspector in Mexico received a threat

US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar

The US gets the vast majority of its avocados from Mexico. Without the imports, it's force to rely on California for the green fruit, which typically provides only 13 percent of the supply

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 U.S. 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.

'I am pleased to report that today the U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal Plant Health Inspection Service has determined it will immediately resume its avocado inspection program in Michoacan,' Salazar wrote.

The service said Friday that 'avocado exports to the United States have resumed.'

The week-old ban had already been taking a toll on avocado pickers in Michoacan, who stood on a roadside this week outside the city of Uruapan asking for donations after they lost their work.

A client chooses fresh avocados at Michoacan market in Mexico City, Monday, February 14. Mexico's president says a US suspension on avocado imports and recent environmental complaints are part of a conspiracy against his country by political or economic interests, after the US suspended imports of Mexican avocados following a threat against a US plant safety inspector in Mexico

Avocado prices have reached $26.23 per nine-kilogram box, the standard of transportation

Holding up signs saying 'Voluntary donations' and 'We make our living off avocado picking,' they waited for motorists to drop spare change into buckets they held.

There were signs that supplies may have tightened since the inspection suspension was announced last Saturday and that the damage to Mexico's violence-plagued avocado industry might be lasting: It could prompt companies that import avocados to look beyond Mexico, which currently supplies about 92% of U.S. imports of the fruit.

Peru, Colombia and Chile already ship avocados to the United States, but in quantities that are only a tiny fraction of Mexico's production. That may change.

'I was talking with a few buyers of avocado domestically, and on toward the future, they they know they need to diversify suppliers,' said Miguel Gomez, professor of applied economics and management in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

'The issue is that they realized that it would be very risky to depend on a single source.'

Exports from Mexico were largely responsible for the huge increase in U.S. avocado consumption in recent decades because they made the fruit available year-round, most famously during the Super Bowl.

Avocados from Mexico are for sale at a grocery store in Lyndhurst, New Jersey

U.S. per capita consumption of avocados tripled since 2001 to 8 pounds per person in 2018

U.S. per-capita consumption of avocados tripled since 2001 to eight pounds per person in 2018.

The Mexican harvest is January through March, while U.S production runs from April to September.

While there is concern about the deforestation and violence that have resulted from the avocado boom in Michoacan, it is unclear whether Americans would be willing to pay more for avocados produced by growers who do not pay protection money demanded by drug cartels in Michoacan.

The connection to U.S. consumers is hardly theoretical: That protection money goes to the same cartels flooding the United States with deadly fentanyl pills counterfeited to look like Xanax, Adderall or Oxycodone. Synthetic opioid overdoses killed about 60,000 Americans last year.

'It's requiring Americans to really ask themselves, do they want to pay more to have a quality product or do they want to kind of look the other way and be able to slice their toast accordingly?' said Desiree LeClercq, a professor of employment law at Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

'And I think that consumers are becoming more educated on how these products are made. But whether or not that's going to trickle into consumer behavior, I think has yet to be seen.'
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The O2 could be closed 'for months' as music fans face uncertainty over upcoming performances at the venue after Storm Eunice ripped the dome's roof apart.

The popular arena in London's Greenwich was hard-hit by Friday's fierce winds, which hit a record 122mph, with large sections of the canvas roof being torn away.

Dramatic photographs and videos appear to show that at least six sections of the roof, which measures 1200ft (365m) in diameter, have been shredded.

Around 1,000 people were evacuated from the venue on Friday as firefighters rushed to the scene to make sure 'no one was injured by any further falling debris'.

After The O2 closed due to the damage, an employee told The Mirror that they had been warned the venue could be closed 'for a few months' while repairs are underway.

Another member of staff told the publication they understood that at least part of the building would be shut for the coming weeks.

The white-domed roof of the O2 arena is seen damaged by the wind of Storm Eunice on Friday

Dramatic photographs and videos appear to show that at least six sections of the roof, which measures 1200ft (365m) in diameter, have been shredded

The popular arena in London's Greenwich was hard-hit by Friday's fierce winds, which hit a record 122mph, with large sections of the canvas roof being torn away

It is thought that at least six sections of the roof, which measures 365m in diameter, have been shredded, according to dramatic photographs and videos taken on Friday

Describing the damage to the roof, one employee said: 'We were inside and the wind just ripped off the roof, it was whipped off - it sounded like a huge whooshing sound and then suddenly everything was exposed.'

The O2, originally called the Millennium Dome, confirmed that the arena would remain closed on Saturday morning as they 'access the damage' to the now-shredded roof.

A Twitter statement read: 'The O2 will remain closed tomorrow morning as we assess the damage to our roof.

'We hope to reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.'

AP Dhillon and Gurinder Gill's performance at The O2 was postponed from Friday night following the closure, with the show being rescheduled for Tuesday and Thursday.

Fans are facing uncertainty over whether upcoming shows will go ahead, but The O2's website is currently still offering tickets for shows scheduled for this weekend and next week.

Tickets for the Magnificent Four Reloaded at 6pm today are still showing as being available, despite the venue confirming it will remain closed this morning.

Rapper Dave, who just won a Brit award for best British hip hop act, is set to take to the stage on Monday and Tuesday, while UB40 featuring Ali Campbell has a show in memory of Astro scheduled for February 25.

Tickets for the upcoming shows are currently showing as being available for the scheduled dates.

MailOnline has contacted the O2 for further information.

After The O2 closed on Friday, an employee said they had been warned the venue could be closed 'for a few months' while repairs are underway. Pictured: The white-domed roof of the O2 is torn away after fierce winds hit the arena

It is not yet known how much the roof repairs will cost, but the PTFE-coated glass fibre used to construct the dome in 2000 originally cost 14million. Pictured: At least six panels on the roof were shown as having been torn away on Friday

It is not yet known how much the roof repairs will cost, but the PTFE-coated glass fibre used to construct the domed roof in 2000 originally cost 14million, according to New Civil Engineer.

Ministers at the time argued that the glass fibre would last longer, with a 25-year lifespan guaranteed - but this has been undermined by Friday's fierce winds ripping through the structure.

Speaking about Friday's damage, an O2 spokesman said: 'There has been some damage caused to the tent fabric in our roof at The O2. The affected areas have been cleared and The O2 will remain closed for the rest of the day.

'The safety of our visitors remains of paramount importance, and we will continue to assess the ongoing situation and act accordingly.'

After Storm Eunice hit London on Friday, large parts of the white covering on The O2 in London's Greenwich could be seen flapping in the strong winds. It is thought that at least six of the panels have been ripped off.

Witness Mala Sharma said 'more and more parts are getting ripped off', adding 'it's going to be a safety issue for people around'.

Ms Sharma said it happened 'right in front of my eyes' and that the damage 'started off with a patch' but then a 'chunk' of the roof on the building, formerly known as the Millennium Dome, ripped off.

London Fire Brigade Station Commander Chris Kamara said: 'Firefighters cordoned off the area to ensure no one was injured by any further falling debris.

Commonly referred to as just The Dome, the Millennium Dome was originally built to mark a new era as the year 2000 brought in the 21st century

'There has been no actual collapse or structural damage to the building, but due to the nature of the canvas material which covers The O2, it has come loose in high winds and looks quite dramatic.

'Crews have made the scene safe and The O2 is now closed.'

Following Storm Eunice's force funnelling through the dome atop the O2 arena on Friday, the London landmark's future now stands shredded and unclear, amidst its history as a symbol of post-90s optimism.

Commonly referred to as just The Dome, the originally named Millennium Dome was built to mark a new era as the year 2000 brought in the 21st century.

The 43-million structure, reminiscent of a large white marquee, was designed by British architect Richard Rogers, who passed away last December.

It debuted with an exhibition marking the third millennium, which was open to the public from 1 January to 31 December 2000, but failed to garner more than just over half its 12 million forecasted visitors, widely deemed a 'white elephant' by the press.

Despite its name, some have gone as far as calling the Dome a 'tent', due to the fact that the 'dome' is held up by a network of poles and cables.

The O2, which was previously known as the Millennium Dome, in London was damaged by Storm Eunice this morning

The Dome being constructed in 1998. It debuted with an exhibition marking the third millennium, which was open to the public from 1 January to 31 December 2000

According to architects Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners' site: 'The Dome itself is suspended from a series of 12 100-metre (330-feet) tall steel masts, held in place by more than 70 kilometres (43 miles) of high-strength steel cable that, in turn, support the Teflon-coated glass fibre roof.'

Positioned a short distance away from the Greenwich Meridian Line, time was a big theme intended to be presented in the project.

Engineering consultancy Burro Happold wrote: 'The 12 support towers represent the 12 hours, 12 months and 12 constellations of the sky.

'The Dome is 52 meters at its highest point, representing the 52 weeks of the year. Each span is 365 meters apart, symbolic of the numbers of days in a standard year.

'There are 24 scalloped edges at the base of the canopy, for each hour of the day. Time and space were literally of the essence to the Millennium Dome Project.'

It was delivered under-budget at 43 million, and completed within 15 months.

Politically, it's sometimes used to refer to the over-optimisms of Tony Blair's New Labour government, as the former Prime Minister expanded the budget and scope of the project once construction for it began in 1997.

The formerly named Millennium Dome in 2010. It now covers the infamous O2 arena, known as one of the busiest performance venues in the world

The 43-million structure, reminiscent of a large white marquee, was designed by British architect Richard Rogers, who passed away last December

In 2001, Liam Allen wrote for the BBC: 'Intended as a symbol of a new, brighter Britain, the Dome has been empty since the beginning of the year.

'But if ministers hoped media attention would disappear with the last visitor, they have had a rude awakening.'

But it had its place in British culture at the turn of the century, infamously appearing in a 1999 James Bond sequence which saw Piers Brosnan rolling down the dome's roof in The World Is Not Enough.

It also features in the opening sequence of popular soap EastEnders.

It now covers the infamous O2 arena, known as one of the most famous performance hubs around the globe.

In 2018, it was voted the world's busiest concert venue, having sold more than 2million tickets to various events, IQ Mag reports.

The future of the dome remains unclear, as does the amount it will cost to repair the structure.
A woman who went on a 'sadistic' drug fuelled rampage helping torture four people, including one man with a pair of pliers, has been jailed.

Charmayne McEwen, 22, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years jail on Friday by the County Court of Victoria for her part in a torture spree in 2020 around Geelong, 73.5km south of Melbourne.

McEwen and her associate mentally and physically tortured four victims in three separate attacks in what they believed to be vigilante justice, the ABC reported.

Charmayne McEwen, 22, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years jail on Friday following a 10 day torture spree in 2020 in Geelong, Victoria

The pair trapped their first victim, 34, on May 31, 2020, in a garage in Leopold, in Geelong, after tricking him into thinking he would be seeing his ex-partner.

When the victim arrived he was 'hogtied' and had his head wrapped in duct tape and told by McEwen and her associate they were going to 'play some games'.

The pair told the man that if he could be quiet for two minutes straight he would be freed.

They then repeatedly hit the man, restarting their timer each time he reacted.

The court heard the duo restarted their 'game' 15 times, tortured the man with cable ties, got angry when he bled on the garage floor, and told him their last victim became like a 'trained dog'.

McEwen had also used a pair of pliers to peel back the skin on the man's face and spat on him News.com reported.

McEwen and an associate admitting to torturing four victims in three attacks, including one instance where McEwen had used pliers to peel back the skin on a man's face

The pair had filmed parts of the attack and in one recording McEwen said: 'It looks like you've had enough now that you've pissed yourself'.

The pair then dumped the man in his own car boot and drove him to an unknown location.

The man managed to escape the vehicle and received help from a truck driver.

The court heard the man was still suffering from his injuries.

He has scars on his face and hand, he has suffered hearing loss in his left ear and his right hand causes him pain where it was stabbed,' the court was told.

It is understood McEwen knew the man's girlfriend.

Just a little over a week later on June 9, the pair found their next victim, 30.

McEwen told the court she believed the man had sexually assaulted a person known to her.

The pair robbed and attacked the man at his home in Thomson, Geelong, stabbing his tongue and foot.

McEwen also admitted to stabbing the man in his thigh while her partner threatened to cut out the man's eyes.

The court heard McEwen had suffered 'horrific abuse' from her ex-boyfriend and was struggling with post-traumatic stress

The next day the pair attacked a couple at their home in Charlemont, Geelong, while three of their children were in the house.

McEwen and her associate mistakenly believed the couple was hiding drugs and cash in their home.

The pair falsely imprisoned and robbed the couple while armed with knives and a gun.

The man had been driven to an ATM but was unable to withdraw money so the pair forced the woman to transfer $2000 to McEwen under the reference 'girls weekend away'.

McEwen had also threatened to slash the woman's throat after demanding car keys.

McEwen was arrested by police over two months after the attack on the couple.

She was caught driving a white BMW she had stolen earlier in the night and made a full admission to investigators.

The court heard McEwen had suffered 'horrific abuse' from her ex-boyfriend and was struggling with post-traumatic stress.

She said she liked the idea of a woman attacking a man.

Judge Elizabeth Brimer called their actions 'cruel and sadistic'.

'The fact that you and your co-offender made a game out of tormenting him, telling him not to make noise for two minutes then hitting him so he would make noise and restart the timer, was cruel and sadistic,' Judge Brimer said.

'With respect to the first incident, you said that you liked the idea that it was a girl beating up a guy who had been violent towards women and that while he deserved it, we should not have done it,' Judge Brimer said.

McEwen plead guilty to 10 charges including kidnapping, extortion, false imprisonment, intentionally causing injury and armed robbery.
The EU is getting torn apart by high energy prices as Poland vents its anger at Brussels for its energy policies costing members too much.

An object of Warsaw's disgruntlement is the European Union's Emissions Trading System (ETS) that sets the rates for bloc members.

The energy crunch is fueled by Gazprom, which gives less natural gas as the Bloc is experiencing difficulties due to reactions to Russia.

EU Members Struggles With Energy Crisis

Reports that Polish state-controlled utilities are raging at Brussels due to its expensive costs for energy supplies. Its lobby group TGE has started a campaign that hits the prices that are sometimes too high, mentioned the Express UK.

Criticizing the EU's climate policy, climate quality drives unnecessary costly energy with expensive rates, making it hard for less wealthy members.

Last Monday, the Polish Minister for Climate and Environment Anna Moskwa had a meeting with Green Deal chief Frans Timmermans.

After the discussions, a statement from Warsaw expressed how dissatisfied they are over the EU ETS.

The utilities' remark was "misleading," according to Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevius, who spoke to the Polish newspaper Dziennik Gazeta Prawna about it.

He went on to say that the emissions permits are a source of cash for Warsaw, not a "ransom" paid to Brussels. The EU representative was trying to settle the anger due to expensive energy.

Furthermore, objections should be directed to the national government, as it is the central government that determines how money raised from higher emission taxes is spent.

It was noted that nothing was stopped in directing finances towards decarbonization support programs. This is what the EU explains for the high energy prices.

Read Also: Russia Probes EU's Reaction in the Ongoing Migrant Crisis at the Poland-Belarus Border

The EU Commission stated the allegations in Poland's pitch were false, adding that transmission costs, domestic taxes, and other fees account for a significant percentage of power costs, cited the Politico.

Brussels, Poland Energy Crisis Affecting Negatively

An opinion expressed by a Warsaw-based energy think tank Forum Energii remarked that the EU ETS only negatively affects Poland's energy sector and does not fix inherent problems.

More focus is on paying for energy more than finding ways to make it less expensive.

Warsaw claimed that Brussels is the cause of high energy prices were contested, Instat discovered that Polish corporations weren't affected by it.

The company remarked from the start of 2022 Polish government and state-owned energy companies are not transparent to the public, blaming the Bloc for high electricity bills, it said, noted Climate Home News.

It mentions that an average Polish coal power plant will have windfall earnings up to 70% of the expense to generate the income.

A week ago, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki remarked that about half of electricity cost is due to the Union's climate policies.

The Polish PM placed a gauntlet on how Brussels runs the ETS in December, and speculation must end for fair prices. Lately, Poland and the Bloc have been at odds about energy.

But the EU Commission can choose to lessen funds that members are entitled to; the commission has been proven to be hard-headed in accepting the Bloc's administration 100%.

In 2020, Warsaw and Budapest asked something to be adjusted to the rule of law mechanism.

Warsaw questions the EU for high energy prices and questions several systems of the Bloc's laws that bring Poland into acute conflict.

Related Article: Poland Erects 115-Miles Long Border Wall To Keep Migrants From Crossing Over Belarus To Enter European Union

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The accused New York City shoplifters that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defended as struggling families forced into a life of crime due to lack of federal support are actually repeat offenders who have lengthy rap sheets.

After a string of shoplifting thefts of retail stories in the Bronx, NYPD officers in the 44th Precinct arrested a dozen people on February 8, 9, 11 and 12. Police touted the arrest on Twitter with photos of the arresting officers and the $1,800 worth of household goods, including diapers, recovered.

In response, Ocasio-Cortez, who represents the upper middle class Long Island City neighborhood in Queens and portions of the Bronx, cast doubt on the legitimacy of the arrests, suggesting that police had gone after impoverished people who were stealing to supply their own babies with diapers and formula.

Its 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, she had tweeted on Thursday.

But a look at the defendants criminal records released by the NYPD indicates that this was far from the criminals' first run-in with the law, except Jose Perez, 42, of Soundview. His first arrest came on February 8 when he was arrested for shoplifting, possession of stolen goods and drugs.

Among the dozen arrested, Weston Coot, 38, of Grand Concourse, had been convicted of assault after he glassed a man in the face in a Hell's Kitchen bar fight in 2009. It was his second felony arrest. He has eight arrests in his rap sheet.

Tanya Thomas, 43, has 26 priors, including prostitution and robbery. Euniya Morales, 34, of Claremont Village, has been arrested 22 times, including for assault. Annieza Saulmarshall, 39, of Highbridge, has a past arson charge in addition to burglary, evidence tampering and contempt. Carlos Bonet landed in jail after obstructing someone's breathing, in addition to 15 other criminal offenses over his lifetime. He has something in common with Urayoan Reyes, 39, who was busted for strangulation, along with criminal mischief and other violent crime.

Jennifer Pino, 43, of Concourse, Prince Singleton, 38, of East Harlem, Eugene Morrison, 46, of South Ozone Park, Queens, Shahana Taylor, 64, of Highbridge, and Santos Negron, 41, of Wakefield, were also busted for shoplifting and have lengthy prior records.

In addition to making the shoplifting arrests of the dirty dozen, police closed 23 warrants and recovery of $1,800 worth of merchandise, according to the NYPD.

This is the second time Ocasio-Cortez has blamed the city's spiraling 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 percent since last year, records show, and robbery has spiked by 45 percent.

Overall, crime is up 46.5 percent 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.

11 OF THE 12 SHOPLIFTERS AOC DEFENDED HAVE LENGTHY CRIMINAL RAP SHEETS A look at the defendants criminal records released by the NYPD indicates that this was far from the criminals' first run-in with the law. All but one - Jose Perez, 42, of Soundview - has a lengthy criminal record and appears to be quite schooled in shoplifting. In addition to shoplifting, Perez was charged with stolen property and drug possession. Tanya Thomas, 43, of Highbridge, was arrested for petit larceny and possession of stolen property. She has 26 prior arrests for robbery, criminal trespassing, drug possession, prostitution, drug dealing and burglary. Santos Negron, 41, of Wakefield, got hit with stolen property and petit larceny charges. Before that he had been arrested nine times for robbery, drug dealing, trespassing, grand larceny and petit larceny. Euniya Morales, 34, of Claremont Village, was arrested for drug possession, petit larceny and having stolen property. Her criminal history includes 22 arrests for assault, criminal mischief, drug possession, trespassing, petit larceny and robbery. Weston Coot, 38, of Grand Concourse, also landed drug possession and petit larceny charges. He has been arrested eight times before for gang assault, pot possession, assault, turnstile jumping, petit larceny and possession of stolen goods. Jennifer Pino, 43, of Concourse, had a busy day on February 9. She was charged with burglary, criminal trespass, possession of stolen property and drug possession. She was also hit with 14 other petit larceny charges for a different theft. Shes racked up 27 prior arrests over her career for assault, robbery, driving on drugs, drug possession, drug dealing and trespassing. Prince Singleton, 38, of East Harlem, was booked on drug, stolen property and petit larceny charges. Hes been arrested seven times before for criminal mischief, grand larceny, robbery and drug possession. Eugene Morrison, 46, of South Ozone Park, Queens, was charged with shoplifting and drugs and possession of stolen property. He has 46 prior arrests for drug possession, robbery, reckless endangerment, forgery, trespassing, turnstile jumping, criminal mischief, burglary and forgery. Urayoan Reyes, 29, of Claremont, has priors for strangulation, criminal mischief, assault, drug dealing and shoplifting. He was arrested on February 9 for shoplifting, drug possession and having stolen merchandise. Cops arrested Annieza Saulmarshall, 39, of Highbridge, for two counts of drug possession, shoplifting and possessing stolen goods. Hes been charged in the past for arson, burglary, evidence tampering, criminal contempt and shoplifting. Shahana Taylor, 64, has 38 arrests on his rap sheet for assault, menacing, drug possession, robbery, drug dealing, grand larceny, shoplifting and trespassing. She was charged on February 12 with shoplifting, drug possession and having stolen goods. Carlos Bonet, 26, of Woodlawn Heights, was caught shoplifting on February 12 as well and charged with possession of stolen goods. Before that he has 16 priors for weapon possession, criminal obstruction of breathing, drug possession, robbery, burglary and shoplifting. Advertisement

Ocasio-Cortez was slammed for her comments in The New Yorker, which came after a 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, Lee's landlord, 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.'

Chin 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.
How to check if your child's formula has been affected FDA said buyers should avoid Similac, Alimentum and EleCare formulas if they meet all of the following criteria: First two digits of the code are 22 through 37; and The code on the container contains K8, SH or Z2; and The expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later The recalled products can be identified by examining the number on the bottom of each container. Parents can also type in the code on the bottom of the package at similacrecall.com to see whether their product is affected or call 800-986-8540. Parents can identify the recalled products by number on the bottom of each container. Advertisement

U.S. health officials urgently warned parents Thursday against using three popular baby formulas, manufactured at an Abbott plant in Michigan, that investigators recently linked to bacterial contamination after an infant died and three others fell ill.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it is investigating four reports of infants who were hospitalized after consuming the formula, including one who died.

The agency said one of the cases involved salmonella and three involved Cronobacter sakazakiim, a rare but dangerous germ that can cause blood infections and other serious complications.

On Thursday, the FDA said buyers should avoid Similac, Alimentum and EleCare formulas if they meet all of the following criteria: the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37; the code on the container includes K8, SH or Z2; and the expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.

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, contain K8, SH, or Z2 and have an expiration date of April 1, 2022 or later.

Parents can also type in the code on the bottom of the package at similacrecall.com to see whether their product is affected or call 800-986-8540.

The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) said buyers should avoid three popular baby formulas, including Similac (pictured) Alimentum and EleCare after four infants were hospitalized, one who later died, after consuming the formula

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, contain K8, SH, or Z2 and have an expiration date of April 1, 2022 or later

Parents can also type in the code on the bottom of the package at similacrecall.com to see whether their product is affected or call 800-986-8540

Abbott, one of the country's largest infant formula makers, said it is recalling all potentially affected products manufactured at the facility.

The recall affects certain lots of Similac, Alimentum and EleCare with expiration dates of April 1, 2022, or later. The product was distributed throughout the U.S. and overseas, the company said in a statement.

FDA staff are now inspecting Abbott's plant in Sturgis, Michigan, where environmental samples tested positive for the Cronobacter bacteria.

Inspectors have also uncovered potential manufacturing problems, and past records showing the destruction of formula due to bacterial contamination.

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, contain K8, SH, or Z2 and have an expiration date of April 1, 2022 or later

Abbott could not specify how many units the recall includes, but brands like Similac are among the best-selling formulas in the U.S. and overseas

'We're working diligently with our partners to investigate complaints related to these products, which we recognize include infant formula produced at this facility, while we work to resolve this safety concern as quickly as possible,' said FDA Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannas.

The FDA said it is working with federal and local authorities in Minnesota, Ohio and Texas- the states where the infant infections were reported.

Abbott could not specify how many units the recall includes, but brands like Similac are among the best-selling formulas in the U.S. and overseas.

'We value the trust parents place in us for high quality and safe nutrition and we'll do whatever it takes to keep that trust and resolve this situation,' a company spokeswoman said in a statement.

Abbott, one of the country's largest infant formula makers, said it is recalling all potentially affected products manufactured at their facility in Michigan

The FDA said it is working with federal and local authorities in Minnesota, Ohio and Texas- the states where the infant infections were reported

The company has also setup a website where parents can check if their baby formula products have been recalled

The affected formulas have a number starting with 22 through 37, contain K8, SH, or Z2 and have an expiration date of April 1, 2022 or later

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, contain K8, SH, or Z2 and have an expiration date of April 1, 2022 or later.

The company has also setup a website where parents can check if their products have been recalled.

The company said its own testing of finished product didn't detect any contamination. The recall does not affect liquid infant formulas or any other Abbott products.
A California boater who ended up falling into the open ocean in the middle of the night believed he was going to die until he managed to swim to a nearby oil rig thanks to the help of a seal who pushed him along.

Scott Thompson accidentally toppled overboard from his boat while out in the Pacific, several miles off the coast of Santa Barbara earlier this month.

Wearing only shorts and a T-shirt, he was convinced that he was done for as his motor boat continued to sail on without him.

It took him five hours to reach the rig, which was still closer than if he'd have chosen to swim back to land - but it was thanks to an 'angel' seal that he was able to push through.

Scott Thompson, pictured, fell into the Santa Barbara Channel off the coast of California He was only wearing shorts and a T-shirt at the time, in the middle of the night

As his boat sped away he had the choice to either swim to land or a nearby oil rig, pictured

Thompson fell into the waters off the coast of Santa Barbara, several miles out from shore

'I thought to myself, great, this is how I'm going to die,' Thompson told ABC7. 'Today is the day I'm going to die.'

Thompson was in an area known as the Santa Barbara Channel, in between the California coast and the Channel Islands. He began to swim after his boat but it was futile.

'That's when I realized, like, okay, we got problems,' Thompson said.

'And I just started swimming as hard as I could, toward the boat, and it really didn't take too long to realize like, it's getting farther, I'm not getting closer.'

Thompson, who claims to be a strong swimmer and experienced diver, said he felt the chill of the ocean setting in. It was pitch black with not even the light of the moon to guide him.

Thompson said he was helped by a life-saving seal that nudged him along (file photo, not actual helpful seal)

'The panic set in, it was like, wow, this is a pretty heavy situation,' he said.

Knowing land was too far away for him to make it alive, Thompson said that he spotted a nearby oil rig. He set off for it, pushed on by thoughts of his family for whom he was determined to survive.

'Just keep swimming, you gotta get home to your family.' Thompson told himself.

'I was devastating myself, through my mind, just picturing my girls and my son growing up without me, and my wife, you know, not having a husband to support her... I wasn't thinking about sharks or anything like that, until I hear this splash?'

The splash was a seal that Thompson described as 'an angel' that came to help him.

'It was a medium-sized harbor seal,' Thompson said.

'The seal would go under water and he came up and nudged me, like a dog comes up and nudges your leg.

'Even putting on a wet suit, being prepared, getting in that water, and swimming to the platform was horrendous,' Channel Watch Marine Paul Amaral, said. 'I can't imagine being in the water with shorts and a T-shirt at night. There was no moon, I mean it was pitch black.'

'Did it know, like hey, this human is in trouble, hey keep going dude?' he pondered.

After being pushed along by the seal, Thompson said he felt motivated to reach the oil platform

'You gotta make it to the platform because you have no choice,' Thompson said.

'It started getting brighter and I'm just like, I'm crying. And I'm like, shouting at the sky,' he said.

Thompson said the nudging from the seal felt like 'an angel summoned to help him' (file pic)

Crews onboard the rig heard him and were able to give him medical attention while the Coast Guard was summoned.

Thompson was airlifted to a hospital and treated for hypothermia. His boat was ultimately recovered by a tow boat crew.

'Even putting on a wet suit, being prepared, getting in that water, and swimming to the platform was horrendous,' Channel Watch Marine Paul Amaral said.

'I can't imagine being in the water with shorts and a T-shirt at night. There was no moon, I mean it was pitch black.'
South Australia's Family First Party have set up its headquarters at a building once home to an infamous doomsday cult.

The party led by former Labor treasurer Jack Snelling and minister Tom Kenyon, have moved into the Oakden complex, formerly occupied by Agape Ministries.

Agape leader Rocco Leo warned his followers of a 2012 apocalypse, claiming that everyone on Earth would be implanted with microchips and those who refused would be killed by the government.

Family First leader Jack Snelling (pictured) said he was unaware of the building's history

Leo reportedly promised to save cult members by taking them to a place called 'The Island' in the South Pacific if they handed over their life savings.

Mr Snelling said he was unaware his party had moved into the former cult's headquarters which had once been used to stockpile ammunition and firearms, reports The Adelaide Advertiser.

'It was the old Hillcrest Hospital,' Mr Snelling said. 'We are not renting it off the Agape cult, it has changed hands since then. It is owned by an Indian dentist and we are renting the facilities off him.

The Family First Party has established its headquarters at the Oakden complex in South Australia which was formerly occupied by doomsday cult Agape Ministries

The Oakden complex was once occupied by Agape leader Rocco Leo (pictured) and his followers which stockpiled firearms and ammunition for an apocalypse

'I can't see any irony in there, well not even coincidence. I don't see any particular irony, we have nothing to do with religious cults.

He added his party was merely using the complex for 'a bit of office space and somewhere for storage and stuff like that'.

Family First had taken the lease to have a registered office and said it would reassess its position depending on the party's success at the state election.

The newly revived party, which recently survived a legal challenge against its registration, expects to field more than 30 candidates for the lower house as well as its upper house candidates.

Cult leader Rocco Leo (pictured, right) fled to Fiji where he owes millions of dollars to his followers and the Australian Tax Office

In 2010 the Oakland complex and 11 other properties linked to Agape Ministries were raided by police, uncovering a stash of firearms, detonators and ammunition.

Cult leader Rocco Leo fled to Fiji after his assets were frozen which included eight properties, a fleet of vehicles spanning two states, and millions of dollars in 10 different bank accounts.

Cult family members said Leo told his followers he had bought an island in Vanuatu and convinced them to hand over money  in some cases as much as $1 million  to fund their new life.

In 2010 Leslie Baligod, whose son and two granddaughters were members of the cult, said the young girls aged six and eight had been promised in marriage to adult cult members and issued a public plea for their safety.

She said the group was stockpiling weapons and all cult members had been given firearms training.

The Australian Taxation Office issued Leo with a $10million tax bill while he raised funds through a Swiss bingo scheme to continue his operations in Fiji.
Victoria police officers will now be allowed to grow a beard in a massive overhaul to a facial hair ban - but face tattoos are still prohibited.

Victoria Police consulted with the Police Association to bring in sweeping changes to the department's uniform and appearance policy last Friday.

Officers were previously allowed to have neat moustaches - but were banned from growing a beard, long hair or goatee.

Strict rules are attached to the new freedom with officers required to keep the length below 20mm, 'appropriately' maintain it, and only grow it during a period of leave of at least three weeks.

Victoria police officers will now be allowed to grow a beard in a massive overhaul to its facial hair ban - but face tattoos are still prohibited

Strict rules are attached to the new freedom with officers required to keep the length below 20mm, 'appropriately' maintain it, and only grow it during a period of leave of at least three weeks (pictured, officers can grow a beard similar to the length worn by movie star Chris Hemsworth)

The restrictions on length mean officers could grow a neat, Chris Hemsworth-style beard, but not a bushy look like AFL player Josh Kennedy.

A Victoria Police spokesperson said there was still a ban on face tattoos for new recruits.

'For new employees, face, head, neck and hand tattoos are not permitted unless they are small/discreet in size, colour and location and can be appropriately covered while in duty,' they said.

The facial hair win marks the end of an 11-year-long battle that began when a group of officers were banned from growing beards by Chief Commissioner Ken Lay in 2011.

The battle was taken to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in 2014 before it was rejected.

Leading Senior Constable Michael Kuyken then failed to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court in 2015.

Senior Constable Kuyken claimed he had maintained a goatee since joining the force in 2004. He complained a change in grooming standards meant he was no longer allowed to wear one.

Justice Gregory Garde dismissed his claim the change was an act of 'direct discrimination'.

'[The tribunal] was not satisfied that a reasonable member of the public would consider that the plaintiff's goatee imparts any information or ideas such as his desire to be an individual rather than an automaton,' Justice Garde said.

The restrictions on length mean officers could grow a neat, Chris Hemsworth-style beard, but not a bushy look like AFL player Josh Kennedy

'The tribunal was not satisfied that having a goatee imparts any information or ideas, or conveys any meaning at all.

'The plaintiff had not established on the facts that he had been prevented from imparting any information or ideas.'

Former detective Sergeant Bill Chrisant was one of the officers who was suspended for his facial hair when the new change came into effect in 2011.

He called the win a major step forward in the right direction.

'It's a victory for all us bearded members,' he told Herald Sun. 'Police command were doing their job. But it was something I believed in, considering we had beards for so long.'
A convicted terrorist has been sent back to jail after failing a lie detector test  one of the first carried out under new powers.

Polygraph tests have been imposed on terrorists for the first time after the law changed in June last year, the Daily Mail can reveal.

The groundbreaking checks have already been used in 14 cases  and led to one terrorist being sent back to jail.

Specially trained Ministry of Justice officials carry out the tests on convicted terrorists as part of Parole Board conditions.

A source said: 'Since June 2021, 14 terrorists have undergone examinations and they have already provided valuable information that we would otherwise not have had.

'In one instance, this has led to the recall of an offender for breaching their licence conditions.

Home Affairs correspondent Dave Barrett is connected up to the Lafayette Instruments Polygraph equipment - state-of-the-art lie detectors which are being used by Probation Services on convicted sex offenders and terrorists

The rollout comes after terrorist Usman Khan (pictured on CCTV) convinced supervisors he was a reformed man before stabbing Cambridge graduates Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt to death at Fishmongers' Hall in London in 2019

'We should stress that there is no evidence this person has committed a further offence or was actively pursuing a terrorist act.'

The identity of this criminal was not disclosed.

The rollout comes after terrorist Usman Khan convinced supervisors he was a reformed man before stabbing Cambridge graduates Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt to death at Fishmongers' Hall in London in 2019.

One probation officer involved in the programme said: 'We are already seeing the value of it.'

Terrorists released on licence are not allowed to contact accomplices or others with terror convictions.

They are often prevented from visiting certain places  which can be enforced with electronic tags.

They also face restrictions on internet access and phone use. Offenders face a return to prison if they breach licence conditions.

In polygraph tests they may be asked simple 'yes or no' questions such as: 'Have you entered an exclusion zone?', 'Have you taken any actions to conceal your internet use?' or 'Have you contacted a member of a proscribed organisation?'

They could also be asked whether they have access to undisclosed bank accounts.

'We review all the questions in advance and the offender knows exactly what they are going to be answering. It's not like you see on TV,' a polygraph examiner said.

'In the testing room we create a sense of pressure and a sense of stress.

'Creating this sense of theatre about it does put people under pressure to disclose.'

Polygraph tests have been imposed on terrorists for the first time after the law changed in June last year, the Daily Mail can reveal. (Pictured: Outgoing Met Chief Dame Cressida Dick, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Prime Minister Boris Johnson visit site of terror attack at Fishmonger's Hall in London Bridge)

Lafayette Instruments Polygraph equipment being used by Probation Services for use on convicted sex offenders and terrorists to determine if probation orders are being adhered to

The source said: 'The consequences for these offenders failing a polygraph test are significant.

'Some of these people come out on licences that are ten or 12 years long.

'They could go back to prison for a very long period of time.'

Deliberately trying to cheat, or refusing to take part, would count as a breach of their licence conditions and would almost certainly see the offender back behind bars.

The Probation Service requests polygraph testing on all eligible terrorist offenders up for parole.

They take tests within three months of release, and further testing takes place 'as required', a source said.

Sam Armstrong, of counter-terror think-tank the Henry Jackson Society, said: 'The Government needs to roll these out for all terror offenders including those released on licence before the law came into effect.'

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'This technology is helping us to protect the public better.'

Polygraphs have been used on sex offenders since 2009.
Slain Geronimo has two daughters and already had one grandson, Oakwood

Geronimo was put down last August over disputed claims he had bovine TB

The New Zealand-based farm has asked for help in naming the newborn alpaca

Nevalea Alpacas said Geronimo's daughter La Cherie has given birth to a boy

Slain alpaca Geronimo's daughter has given birth to a boy, with his owners asking for help in deciding what to call the newborn.

Leonie and Neville Walker, who run Nevalea Alpacas, took to social media to share the happy news that La Cherie, the daughter of Geronimo, had given birth to a boy.

Sharing a sweet photograph of the newborn, the owners of the New-Zealand alpaca farm appealed to the public for help in naming him, saying they wanted suggestions 'with a link to the UK' to 'honour' Geronimo.

They said the name had to begin with 'P' and inventive suggestions included Peronimo, Pride, Picasso, Prince G, Piccolo Geronimo, Piccadilly and Paddington.

The birth of Geronimo's grandson came just less than two weeks after what would have been the slain alpaca's ninth birthday.

Leonie and Neville Walker, who run Nevalea Alpacas, took to social media to share the happy news that La Cherie (back), the daughter of Geronimo, had given birth to a boy (front)

It also came six months after Geronimo was put down by Government vets in August over disputed claims he had bovine tuberculosis, which his owner Helen Macdonald denied.

Nevalea Alpacas said the newborn all-black alpaca, who is the spitting image of his grandfather, had been 'very active' and enjoys racing around with his 'doting' mother.

Taking to Facebook, Nevalea Alpacas wrote: 'Exciting news... La Cherie has just unpacked this gorgeous boy this morning.

'La Cherie is a doting mum and always talking to him. He has been very active this afternoon, races around mum and then he gets tired and needs a drink and a nap.

So what are we going to name him??? We are looking for suggestions.

'But it must begin with P and we would like it to be something hopefully with a link to the UK, in honour of his Grandfather Geronimo, so please comment below with your suggestions.'

The owners of the New-Zealand alpaca farm asked for help in naming him, saying they wanted suggestions 'with a link to the UK' to 'honour' Geronimo (pictured with Helen Macdonald)

Nevalea Alpacas, which is north of Taumarunui on New Zealand's north island, is home to more than 950 alpacas.

Geronimo mated with two alpacas in New Zealand before he came to Britain, producing females Nevalea La Cherie and London.

London gave birth to Geronimo's first grandchild, brown alpaca Oakwood.

When he arrived in the UK, he was put in quarantine away from other alpacas on Helen Macdonald's farm near Wickwar, Gloucestershire, so had no other offspring.

Reacting to the birth of Geronimo's second grandchild, Ms Macdonald told The Sun: 'Geronimo's new grandson will ensure that his legacy and spirit always live on. Always.'

Geronimo was put down by Government vets in August over disputed claims he had bovine TB, but post-mortem examinations carried found no trace of the disease.

Geronimo's owner Helen Macdonald, 50, was adamant that he was not infected and launched a campaign to save him.

But after she lost her lengthy legal fight, officials escorted by police dragged him from her farm to be killed.

Geronimo's killing was the culmination of a David and Goliath legal fight between her and Defra that gripped the nation.

The eight-year-old champion alpaca was consigned for slaughter after he twice tested positive for bTB in 2017.

Miss Macdonald has always disputed the results  but the legal battle concluded with a High Court ruling in July that he should be destroyed.

In August, Defra officials and dozens of police officers forced their way on to Miss Macdonald's farm to take Geronimo away.

She said Avon and Somerset Police had questions to answer for 'facilitating murder' and accused Defra of 'bully boy tactics' that are 'frankly unforgivable'.

Geronimo mated with two alpacas in New Zealand, producing females Nevalea La Cherie and London. London (right) gave birth to Geronimo's first grandchild Oakwood (left)

Geronimo was put down by Government vets in August over disputed claims he had bovine TB. His owner Helen Macdonald (pictured) , 50, was adamant that he was not infected

Then, early tests carried out in September were inconclusive on whether the animal had bovine tuberculosis.

No lesions were found on Geronimo's lungs or respiratory tract  the most common place they are exhibited in an animal with the disease.

But the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said its vets had discovered a 'number of TB-like lesions' in the liver and lymph nodes.

Further tests were carried out to try to establish whether the animal in fact had the disease, including the developing of bacteriological cultures from tissue samples.

The results, which were finalised in December, showed no traces of the disease.

In not confirming these results, Miss Macdonald accused Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss of being 'a political stooge to cover up the Government's incompetence'.

Speaking in December, she said: 'For nearly five years, we have asked the Government to retest, reconsider and review their Bovine TB policy, appealing directly to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and Secretary of State, George Eustice.

'We offered Geronimo as part of a medical research project to develop a new bTB vaccine, we went through the courts multiple times to try and get to the truth, we offered for him to be retested, and at each turn we were blocked.

'Instead, I have been subjected to years of bullying and harassment by DEFRA.

'George Eustice has spent a ridiculous amount of British taxpayers' money and resources on trying to prove that this one imported alpaca had Bovine TB, when we knew all along that he didn't, and ultimately, he personally ordered for Geronimo to be condemned to an unjust death.'
Dubai's Princess Latifa has said she is 'living as she wishes' a year after claiming she was being held against her will by her father, the Emirates ruler.

Last year disturbing footage was released in which she claimed to have been drugged and kept 'hostage' in solitary confinement inside a barricaded 'villa jail'.

The video was described as 'deeply troubling' by the then foreign secretary Dominic Raab.

Now she has been pictured meeting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet in Paris.

A statement given to Sky News on behalf of the princess said: 'Sheikha Latifa had a lengthy, positive and private meeting with the High Commissioner.

'She would like to make clear that she is living as she wishes, that she is travelling as she wishes, that she is perfectly well and would like the media to allow her to live in peace.'

A picture uploaded to Twitter shows Princess Latifa (left) met with Michelle Bachelet (right), the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in Paris

The daughter of Dubai's ruler who tried to flee the country in 2018 later sent secret video messages to friends (pictured) accusing her father of holding her 'hostage'

An image of her with Miss Bachelet was posted on the UN Humans Rights Twitter account, saying the commissioner 'met Dubai's Sheikha Latifa, at [the] latter's request'.

In February last year, video emerged of the princess claiming she was being held captive by her father and feared for her life.

The footage prompted Britain and the United Nations to demand proof that she was safe and well.

At the time, she had not been seen in public since 2018, when she was allegedly captured by her father Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum's guards as she tried to flee Dubai.

The sheikh denied his daughter's allegations and that he ordered the abduction of another daughter, Princess Shamsa, who was said to have been snatched outside a pub in Cambridgeshire in 2000.
Pensioners are demanding the removal of an 'invasive' 30ft broadband pole which was erected in their cul-de-sac - where just one resident owns a computer.

The huge mast, dubbed the 'Jack and the Beanstalk pole' by disgruntled residents, was put up by BT on January 27 to help improve internet speeds in the area.

But the quiet street where it was placed, on Elms Road, Hereford, only features 11 properties - with just one person owning a computer.

Retired civil servant Brenda Cummings, 76, who moved to the street with her husband Vivian, 92, a decade ago, said: 'It's a monstrosity, everyone who see's it thinks so.

'There are only 11 bungalows in the close here. We are all over 70, and only one of us has a computer. Yet we have this absolute Jack and the Beanstalk pole. It's right in front of a couple's window. It's in their line of sight, it's very mean.'

'Monstrosity': The verdict of Brenda Cummings (pictured left), 76, on the BT internet mast erected in her cul-de-sac of 11 homes in Hereford - where just one person uses a computer (Pictured right: Fellow disgruntled resident Peter Cooper, 88)

Mrs Cummings and Mr Cooper gaze up the 28ft 'Jack and the Beanstalk' pole, described by residents as 'wretched' and 'invasive'

She added: 'Who took the cow to market and sold it for a handful of beans?

'It's enormous, the other masts around here are smaller. It's only a small cul-de-sac, it was lovely.

'It is very, very high. It could've gone 30 yards further and not looked very odd.'

Mrs Cummings said she had 'no objection' to the pole but would have preferred if it was placed somewhere 'less prominent'.

The pensioner said what residents really need is better street lighting.

She added: 'We only have one lamppost which doesn't give enough light. You can't see the kerbs at night, it's terrible.

'You have to use a torch at night it's that dark. We asked the council to build another lamppost but they haven't responded.

'Instead we get this huge telegraph pole which only one person actually benefits from.'

Pensioner Jane Cadbury, 66, who moved to the cul-de-sac six months ago, is the only resident who owns a computer which she uses to keep in touch with her family.

The divorced mother-of-two said: 'I'm probably the youngest one here and I can't live without my computer and emails.

'The pole is very ugly and I have no idea why they put it up there.

'It looks awful. Especially when the wind is strong like this, I can't imagine the signal will be very strong.

'It could be put nearer the roadside. It's really intrusive. It's in the middle of the close.

'The post looks nearly twice the size of the lamp post that we have.'

She added: 'I get my internet through my landline. I'm the one who moved in most recent and I had no problems getting internet before the pole was up.

'I hope we can get rid of the wretched pole.'

Herefordshire Councillors have raised concerns about broadband masts popping up around the county 'like The Day of the Triffids' - referencing the John Wyndham sci-fi novel which sees aggressive species of plants come out of the ground and start killing people.

The huge mast, dubbed the 'Jack and the Beanstalk' pole by disgruntled residents, was put up by BT on January 27 to help improve internet speeds in the area

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Ross-on-Wye Louis Stark said: 'Full fibre operators do not need to seek planning permission to set up telegraph poles, which Ross-on-Wye residents are very concerned about.'

John Stone, Conservative councillor for Leominster, added: 'Last July, lots of telegraph poles appeared in Leominster almost overnight - it was like Day of the Triffids. There was no consultation and we faced uproar from residents.'

Council leader David Hitchiner said the authority was powerless to stop the poles being erected near people's homes.

He said: 'The Government is allowing hideous telegraph poles to be put up - a point I have made to the minister, who said it is more important to get the full fibre there.'

Residents have complained to BT Openreach, the company responsible for the pole, saying the pole should have been installed nearer to the tree line.

A spokesperson for BT Openreach said: 'There are times when we simply cannot avoid erecting poles to provide services efficiently, safely and in a sound engineering manner.

'Our team letter-dropped the area in advance of the work, a pre-site notice was placed on a streetlight, and we also gave a 28-day notice for any objections to be received. None were.'
Post Office bosses are said to be preparing to sue the computing company whose IT glitches led to postmasters being wrongly jailed.

Over 15 years hundreds were unjustly convicted of stealing from their own tills when in fact dozens of faults in the IT system were to blame.

The flawed Horizon computer network was installed and run by the Japanese electronics firm Fujitsu at a cost of 1billion.

Post Office executives believe they could claw back some compensation payout cash if Fujitsu is found to be at fault in a public inquiry

Last month the Government revealed it had earmarked 933million of taxpayers cash to compensate the scandals victims. Now Post Office executives believe they could claw back some of that money if Fujitsu is found to be at fault in a public inquiry that began on Monday and is expected to last the whole year.

It is beginning with four weeks of testimony from former Post Office staff. Two Fujitsu workers are also being investigated by police and could face perjury charges over accusations of misleading trials.

Paula Vennells, who ran the Post Office between 2012 and 2019, blamed IT experts for covering up the extent of faults with the Horizon system.

She told a committee of MPs: The message that the board and I were consistently given by Fujitsu, from the highest levels of the company, was that while, like any IT system, Horizon was not perfect and had a limited lifespan, it was fundamentally sound. Her comments came after a High Court judge found that Fujitsus experts knew about the IT problems in 1999  15 years before the prosecutions against postmasters were halted.

Discussions about potential legal action against Fujitsu arose as the chairman of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, retired judge Sir Wyn Williams, requested that Post Office bosses hand over millions of legal documents, including emails between its lawyers and bosses.

It is understood the Post Office has instructed its lawyers, Herbert Smith Freehills, to look into the potential for a claim against Fujitsu, including what its previous bosses may have known about Horizon errors. In 2020 the two parties signed an agreement to delay any legal action until after the inquiry has published its conclusions.

The flawed Horizon computer network was installed and run by the Japanese electronics firm Fujitsu at a cost of 1billion

But last night campaigners demanded that the Post Office begin action immediately. Tory peer Lord Arbuthnot said: I would certainly support action against Fujitsu, with proceedings now.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: It may be reasonable for the Post Office to recover monies from Fujitsu. Too often, when contracts go wrong the taxpayer pays.

The Mail has long campaigned against the betrayal of the postmasters. But Fujitsu is still a major government contractor, awarded deals worth more than 3billion in the past decade  including a 42million extension to the Horizon contract last year. Critics labelled the contracts a public outrage.

At the heart of Fujitsus dealings with the Post Office and Government was Michael Keegan, the husband of health minister Gillian Keegan. He became a director of Fujitsu UK in 2009, and was promoted to chief executive in 2014 and chairman in 2015. He has been unscathed by the scandal. He is now a senior adviser for the Cabinet Office, overseeing Government relationships with suppliers. Fujitsu was contacted for comment. The Post Office said: The Horizon victims and the public have every right to expect Post Office to take all appropriate actions in helping ensure full accountability.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that everyone should "keep a cool head" as tensions between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine continue to rise amid Moscow's potential invasion.

Washington and the West have continued to shout at the Russian federal government because it has amassed hundreds of thousands of troops at the border with Ukraine. But while the American government has repeatedly claimed that an invasion was coming any day now, Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, has been more restrained.

"Keep a Cool Head"

The repeated alarms from the American government have been made in an attempt to thwart any surprise attack by Russia. However, the Ukrainian government has continued to calm the situation down at home to prevent its citizens from going into a panic. Officials were also wary of the potential economic damage that the situation could cause.

But one thing that many authorities and experts are wondering is how long can Ukraine keep its cool head amid the urgent threat of war from Russia's aggression. In a statement sent on Feb. 18 to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), U.S. Ambassador Michael Carpenter delivered the most alarming assessment of Moscow's movements yet, as per Politico.

Read Also: Cyberattack Hits Ukraine That Could Reveal Putin's Next Move in Plan To Invade

The official noted that Russia's build-up of troops had already reached roughly 169,000 to 190,000 in and around Ukraine, nearly double from 100,000 just a month ago. The number represents military troops along the border and in Belarus and Crimea as well as Russian-allied separatist forces in the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

After a week's worth of diplomatic talks between the West and Russia that wrapped up on Thursday, a senior U.S. official warned that the "drumbeat of war is sounding loud." The negotiations ended without any clear breakthroughs, leaving the possibility of any future diplomacy and de-escalation up in the air.

De-escalating the Situation

According to CNN, following the talks on Thursday, both American and Russian officials were pessimistic about the situation with Ukraine. The meeting was the third session in a series of negotiations where the U.S. and its NATO allies have been trying to urge Russia to de-escalate and take a more diplomatic course.

On Friday, United States President Joe Biden said that he was convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin had already made up his mind about whether or not he was going to invade Ukraine. The Democrat cited the "significant intelligence capacity" of the U.S. government as what tipped him off.

Biden said Putin's decision was a "catastrophic and needless war of choice" but continued to emphasize that it was still possible to have a diplomatic solution to the problem. Before his address, the U.S. president said he made two "vital" calls.

The first one was to a bipartisan group of members of the U.S. Congress and Vice President Kamala Harris who all attended the Munich Security Conference. The second, on the other hand, was made to officials of the European Union and NATO members' head of state, DW News reported.



Related Article: Russian Plane Intercepts US Navy Patrol in "Unprofessional" Way; Exec Warns of 'Dangerous' Outcome Amid Tensions

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Furious relatives who lost loved ones to Covid-19 slammed a health board yesterday over claims photographs were taken of dying and deceased patients without their knowledge.

The pictures were captured by an employee and amateur photographer given access to at least two NHS hospitals in Wales for books and exhibitions.

The campaign group, Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru, found up to 7,000 pictures had been taken on wards after Glenn Dene posted an image of a patient in a body bag on Twitter last month.

The pictures were captured by an employee and amateur photographer given access to at least two NHS hospitals in Wales for books and exhibitions (stock photo used)

Further images and videos appeared on his YouTube channel and website.

Over much of the pandemic, relatives were banned by NHS hospitals in Wales from visiting loved ones in their final days.

Anna-Louise Marsh-Rees, whose father, Ian, 85, died of coronavirus he acquired in Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, in October 2020, said the pictures had caused 'great upset'.

She accused Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB), which runs Nevill Hall and the Grange Hospital, in Cwmbran, where Mr Dene also worked as an operating theatre assistant, of 'disregarding patients' human rights' and of 'exploiting' them.

The campaign group, Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru, found up to 7,000 pictures had been taken on wards (stock image used)

She cited 'serious concerns over how these patients gave consent when no relatives were allowed in hospitals to visit or be with them in their final days'.

Glyn Jones, from the ABUHB, said the board was investigating the matter and had asked Mr Dene to remove the images.

An ABUHB spokesman said Mr Dene had sought consent from 'identifiable' patients or their relatives at all times. Mr Dene was contacted for comment.
The husband of an Instagram pole dancing sensation has been jailed over drug charges.

Hoang Anh Le, known as Dirdy Birdy to her 100,000 plus followers, is famed on social media for her provocative poses.

And now the man she married, Julian Lee, is notorious in his own right after he was sentenced to two years and eight months behind bars for drug offences.

A personal trainer from Bondi, Lee, 41, was caught red-handed by NSW police with 997 grams of cocaine in his car that he collected in Sydney's inner-west in 2020.

Lee faced the NSW District Court on Tuesday, where Judge Gregory Woods said he believed the fitness instructor was set to 'significantly benefit financially' for picking up the drugs in Leichhardt.

Instagram sensation Hoang Anh Le (pictured, left) with her husband Julian Lee, who was jailed over drug charges this week

Also known as Dirdy Birdy on social media, Ms Le has over 100,000 followers on Instagram

Lee was arrested after police from Strike Force Irwin discovered more than 200kg of cocaine stashed in the wardrobe of a Fairfield home in Sydney's west.

Soon after a supplier transported the drugs from Fairfield, police watched on as Lee arrived in a suburban Leichhardt street.

Seconds after driving away from the scene in his Range Rover, he was pulled over and arrested.

Lee was later charged with commercial drug supply.

He was initially granted bail after handing over a $1 million surety, however that was revoked when he was again charged under the AFP's AN0M drug sting last year, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Crown prosecutors argued Lee was an 'intermediate level' supplier of cocaine, while his lawyer Avani Djemal stated he was merely a low-level courier driver.

Julian Lee, 41, was caught red-handed by NSW police with 997 grams of cocaine in his car that he collected in Sydney's inner-west in 2020

Judge Woods said it was obvious Lee was going to be rewarded financially, but with no previous criminal record and the fact he often helps out his mother run the Canton House in Winston Hills, a non-parole period of one year and eight months was imposed.

With time already served, Lee will be eligible for parole in December.

There is also no suggestion Ms Le was aware of her husband's illegal activities.
The countrys oldest student dramatic society has sparked controversy after it recommended minority actors be picked over their white counterparts if they are equally talented.

Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club (CUADC)  whose alumni include Stephen Fry, Dame Emma Thompson and Eddie Redmayne  says producers should prioritise marginalised actors in tie-breaker castings.

New guidelines issued by the club, which was founded in 1855, say members have a responsibility to acknowledge their internalisation of biases against racial minorities and mitigate their effects.

Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club (CUADC) says producers should prioritise marginalised actors in tie-breaker castings.

Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, accused the society of creating a theatrical apartheid system and placing political correctness above what is best for the production. He added: You cant say in acting that all things will be equal there will be different roles that suit different people.

What we suspect will happen is that actors will be excluded because of the colour of their skin and they will be white actors. It would be wrong to exclude a black actor or actress because of the colour of their skin. But its equally wrong to exclude white people.

The new guidelines for making inclusive, identity-conscious theatre says there may be instances where several auditionees perform to such a standard that the qualitative difference between them is (almost) negligible.

The document recommends: In a tie-breaker situation where multiple actors reach an equally castable standard, CUADC encourages production teams... to prioritise those with marginalised identities, especially visibly belonging to racial minorities and actors with visible disabilities.

Other recommendations include listing the characters gender rather than the auditionees to accommodate actors with non-traditional identities.

The societys diversity officer, Mithiran Ravindran, told the Varsity student newspaper they wanted to make theatre more inclusive and increase meaningful representation onstage.
French art chiefs have told social networks to end their 'ludicrous' policies of censoring nude masterpieces.

The prestigious Academy of Fine Arts said paintings had been banned online because of overly stringent rules on what is allowable.

The institution, set up in 1648 to defend 'France's artistic heritage', said there had been innumerable examples of censorship that 'considerably hamper' the promotion of artwork on those platforms.

Last year, Facebook and Instagram rejected a short video featuring the 1913 painting Liebespaar by Austrian artist Koloman Moser because it was 'potentially pornographic

It said companies 'cannot claim the right to censor the distribution of a work of art on the sole ground that its representation does not fully fall within the criteria they have established'.

It did not name companies, but there have been many examples of nude paintings being censored.

Last year, Facebook and Instagram rejected a short video featuring the 1913 painting Liebespaar by Austrian artist Koloman Moser because it was 'potentially pornographic'.

France's Academy of Fine Arts have told America's tech giants to end their 'ludicrous' policies of censoring nude masterpieces.

Members of the prestigious institution, which was set up in 1648, are appointed to defend the 'France's artistic heritage' Writing on Twitter, the academy said there had been 'innumerable' examples of 'censorship' on social networks that 'considerably hamper' the promotion of artwork on those platforms.

It accused social media firms of introducing overly stringent terms and conditions that has seen famous paintings banned online, branding it a 'ludicrous situation.'

It gave the example of Liberty Leading the People, by Eugene Delacroix and housed in the Louvre, as one which would fall foul of rules.

The companies 'cannot claim the right to censor the distribution of a work of art on the sole ground that its representation does not fully fall within the criteria they have established,' the academy said.

It did not mention any companies by name, but there have been numerous examples of nude paintings being censored.

It gave the example of Liberty Leading the People, by Eugene Delacroix and housed in the Louvre (pictured), as one which would fall foul of rules

Frederic Durand-Baissas, a French primary school teacher, won a case against Facebook in 2018.

The legal battle came after the firm suspended his account when he posted Gustave Courbet's nude painting 'L'Origine du monde' that depicts female genitalia.

And in 2019, Instagram ruled that a painting by Peter Paul Rubens violated the platform's community standards.

Last year, Facebook and Instagram rejected a short video featuring the painting Liebespaar by Koloman Moser for Vienna's Leopold Museum because it was 'potentially pornographic'.

It prompted the city's tourist office to open an account on the adult website Only Fans so it could display nude paintings.

A spokesman for Meta, Facebook's parent company, dismissed the academy's concerns, saying its community guidelines permit artistic work, but not uploads that might be considered pornographic.

'The accusations are a bit out of a line in this instance,' the spokesman said. TikTok, a Chinese-owned video-sharing platform, failed to respond to a request for comment. ENDS
Jacob Rees-Mogg says he wants to cut at least 65,000 civil servant jobs over the next three years.

Mr Rees-Mogg, recently appointed as minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency, said at the very least he wanted to reduce the number of civil servants from 470,000 full-time staff to below 425,000 - the size of Whitehall before the pandemic.

As well as reviewing the powers and staffing of quangos, the former leader of the Commons said he would personally review every new vacant post to see if it should be cut.

Jacob Rees-Mogg says he wants to cut at least 65,000 civil servant jobs over the next three years

'Every person working for the civil service has to be paid for by taxpayers.

'So you've got to think, "Is this providing value? Is it doing something that needs to be done? Is it doing it in the most efficient way?",' Mr Rees-Mogg told the Times.

'What we should be saying to ourselves every day is, are we making the lives of the British people better?

'And do we make them better by employing large numbers of civil servants? The answer is probably no, because the British public helps pay for them.

'And so you've got to get it under control.

Brexit and the pandemic caused the size of the civil service to grow significantly after reaching a low of 380,000 during David Cameron's (pictured in May) government

'And yes, there have been exceptional reasons why you've needed more in the last couple of years. But those reasons are coming to an end,' he said.

Brexit and the pandemic caused the size of the civil service to grow significantly after reaching a low of 380,000 during David Cameron's government.

Mr Rees-Mogg, the former leader of the Commons, was given his new role in the Prime Minister's mini-reshuffle last month, which means he is responsible for the civil service reform programme as well as the domestic elements of Brexit.
A new exhibition will celebrate Roman art's obsession with sex in the ill-fated city of Pompeii.

The works will be shown at the Pompeii Archaeological Park starting on April 14.

The eroticism in the works will pay homage to the discovery of a mosaic depicting Priapus, the fertility god, weighing his penis on a scale which allowed discoverers to unearth Pompeii's ruins in the 1900s.

An erotic fresco found at Pompeii, dating from approximately the 1st century A.D. and preserved at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples

A fresco portraying Ares and Aphrodite from Casa di Marte e Venere (House of Mars and Venus) in Pompeii

A fresco with an erotic subject depicting a Dionysian scene, from Pompeii

The city had been buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79.

Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the site director, told the Times: 'Eroticism was everywhere, in houses, baths and public spaces thanks to the influence of the Greeks, whose art heavily featured nudity.

The images of phalluses were thought to bring wealth and fertility to families in the city.

Pompeiian fresco showing a satyr and a maenad embracing from the House of Cecilio Giocondo, Italy

Exhibits will include a chariot decorated with metal medallions of satyrs, nymphs and cupids, wall panels depicted various sex positions and a fresco from a villa of a similar scene.

When the King of Naples visited Pompeii, he ordered the phalluses to be covered.

He then made a decree that they could only be viewed by mature individuals in an act of prudishness.
A 63-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman was found stabbed to death in a home in Greenwich on Valentine's Day.

The suspect was taken into custody on Friday as detectives investigate the killing of 41-year-old Naomi Hunte, the Metropolitan Police said.

Ms Hunte was found dead in her flat on February 14 after police were called to an address on Congleton Avenue in Greenwich, south-east London, at about 8.25pm.

A post-mortem examination at Greenwich Mortuary on Wednesday gave her cause of death as a stab wound.

Neighbour Joy Oga, 34, who lives in the three-storey block of flats, paid tribute to Ms Hunte, saying: 'It is heart-breaking to hear about something like this happening here.

Naomi Hunte, 41, was found stabbed to death in her South East London home on Valentine's Day

Ms Hunte was found dead in her flat on February 14 after police were called to an address on Congleton Avenue in Greenwich, south-east London, at about 8.25pm

A post-mortem examination at Greenwich Mortuary on Wednesday gave her cause of death as a stab wound

'Last night I could not sleep, all I was doing was thinking about it.'

Anyone with any information about the murder is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8721 4027.

Alternatively, they can call police on 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD6610/14Feb.

To remain anonymous people are encouraged to call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A lifesaving piece of technology, which could have saved the life of a swimmer mauled to death by a Great White Shark, has only just been put to use by Sydney Councils.

Simon Nellist, 35, was mauled by a 4.5m shark at Little Bay Beach in Sydney's east on Wednesday afternoon while training for an ocean swim event.

The horrific attack has raised questions on why shark deterrent technology was not installed by Randwick Council, despite promises the technology would be deployed in time for summer.

Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time (SMART) drumlines (pictured) wil be rolled out across Sydney beaches after a fatal shark attack took the life of Simon Nellist off Little Bay Beach on Wednesday

Every Sydney beachside council pledged Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time (SMART) drumlines would be introduced to beaches across the city, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.

The technology is designed to provide greater protection to swimmers by alerting authorities to a shark's presence.

On Thursday, six SMART drumlines were installed in the Randwick Council area stretching from Malabar to Little Bay to search for the Great White responsible for Mr Nellist's death.

Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders said, 'The commitment from the NSW government was for the drumlines to be in place by the end of summer.'

The UK Armed Forces veteran, was due to marry his fiancee Jessie Ho this summer before the fatal mauling

He denied there was a 'delay in the rollout of our drumline program', despite there only being a fortnight left of summer.

From Saturday, another 15 SMART drumlines will be installed from Little Bay to Bondi.

Additional shark nets and listening stations will also be installed in four Sydney Council areas in the coming weeks.

Former Australian surfing champion and commentator Nick Carroll has criticised the government's decision to wait until the end of summer to install the drumlines.

He told the news outlet the government had lost momentum on the issue as warm weather attracted more sharks and fish to beaches.

'Most scientists are concerned about the wellbeing of the white shark population, and they don't want to spook the horses. But someone has been eaten off a Sydney beach. How long is it going to be until an eight-year-old is killed?' he said.

Controversy surrounds the use of drumlines, which are often used in conjunction with shark nets, to trap and kill a shark.

The horrific attack has raised questions on why shark deterrent technology was not installed in Sydney beaches despite promises from council it would be deployed by summer

Mr Nellist himself had criticised the effectiveness of drumlines in a post shared to Facebook six months prior to the brutal attack.

'Shark nets and drumlines protect no one and kill all kinds of marine life each year,' he wrote.

However, SMART drumline technology can be used to detect and move a shark drastically reducing the harm to marine wildlife.

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.

Simon Nellist has been remembered by shocked friends as a man who loved adventure and was adored by all of those around him.

The UK Armed Forces veteran, who grew up in Cornwall, in the country's south-west, was also 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.

'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.'
Concerns are growing that recent wet weather could lead to an outbreak of a flesh-eating bacteria spread by mosquitoes.

Residents in several Melbourne suburbs have been warned to take action following an increase in buruli ulcer cases in Essendon, Moonee Ponds and Brunswick West.

Buruli ulcer usually beings as painless swelling in the affected region before growing into large ulcers.

Residents in several Melbourne suburbs have been warned to take action following an increase in buruli ulcer cases in Essendon, Moonee Ponds and Brunswick West

If left untreated the disease can cause permanent disfigurement and disability.

Volunteers along the Mornington Peninsula will place non-toxic mosquito traps designed to trap pregnant mozzies.

The solution was created by researchers from the Doherty Institute, Melbourne University, the Department of Health and Mornington Peninsula Shire.

Research scientist Dr Peter Mee told the Herald Sun the traps were a great solution to reduce the spread of the disease without the risks of spraying.

Volunteers along the Mornington Peninsula will place non-toxic mosquito traps designed to trap pregnant mozzies with a 'sticky card'

'Pregnant female mosquitoes are attracted to (the traps), but they will get stuck inside on a sticky card, and they and their eggs are effectively removed from the population,' he said.

'A single female can lay hundreds off eggs so taking them out has a real impact on the population in an environmentally friendly, non-toxic way.'

Members of the research team will help people in the Mornington Peninsula to identify possible breeding sites on their property and install traps.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton warned Victorians on Monday to also be on alert for other mosquito-borne diseases including Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus.

Plans had been made for a mosquito control trial in 2019 but was delayed due to concerns spraying would negatively affect other wildlife.

Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor David Gill has been an avid supporter of the native bee population said the traps were a good solution to the problem.

'It's good to hear they have followed through after lots of good communication with the local community,' he said.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump fired back at the National Archives Friday night after the agency said he took classified documents from the White House to Mar-a-Lago in Florida when he left office.

'The National Archives did not ''find'' anything, they were given, upon request, Presidential Records in an ordinary and routine process,' Trump said in a statement Friday night.

'If this was anyone but ''Trump,'' there would be no story here,' he said. 'Instead, Democrats are in search of their next scam.'

Classified information was found in the 15 boxes of White House records that were stored at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, the National Archives and Records Administration said earlier Friday in a letter that confirmed the matter has been sent to the Justice Department.

Federal law bars the removal of classified documents to unauthorized locations, though it is possible that Trump could try to argue that, as president, he was the ultimate declassification authority.

No matter the legal risk, it exposes him to charges of hypocrisy given his relentless attacks during the 2016 presidential campaign on Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server as secretary of state. The FBI investigated but ultimately did not recommend charges.

Trump recently denied reports about his administration's tenuous relationship with the National Archives and his lawyers said that 'they are continuing to search for additional presidential records that belong to the National Archives.'

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the chairwoman of the Oversight Committee, said in a statement Friday that 'these new revelations deepen my concern about former President Trump's flagrant disregard for federal records law and the potential impact on our historical record.'

She added, 'I am committed to uncovering the full depth of the Presidential Records Act violations by former President Trump and his top advisors and using those findings to advance critical reforms and prevent future abuses.'

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

On Friday night, Trump fired back at the National Archives saying they did not `find anything, they were given, upon request, Presidential Records in an ordinary and routine process'

Such record-keeping has flared up repeatedly in recent years, and 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
A judge on Friday sentenced Kim Potter, the former police officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop, to 16 months of jail time followed by eight months of supervised release for manslaughter convictions.

The imprisonment is far less than the standard of roughly seven years for manslaughter crimes after the judge said leniency was warranted to the suspect because she meant to fire her Taser and not her gun.

Kim Potter's Conviction

Jurors in Potter's case convicted the former officer on two counts of manslaughter in December after they found that she had acted recklessly when she fired a bullet in Wright's chest. The situation came after a warning she was going to stun him and yell: "Taser! Taser! Taser!"

The 49-year-old White woman served on the police force in Brooklyn Center, Minn., and resigned two days after Wright's fatal shooting in April. The 20-year-old Black man's death resulted in chaotic protests calling for justice and resulted in the ex-cop being imprisoned since Dec. 23, as per the New York Times.

Read Also: New York State Trooper Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Top Aide Melissa DeRosa

In accordance with Minnesota law, Judge Regina M. Chu sentenced Potter on only the most serious count, first-degree manslaughter. The felony count has a presumptive punishment of a little more than seven years in prison under the state's sentencing guidelines with a maximum of 15 years imprisonment.

However, Judge Chu said that the former police officer's case was far different from most manslaughter cases and other high-profile police killings. She said that Potter was not an officer who knelt on a person's neck for nearly 10 minutes while the victim gasped for air, referencing Derek Chauvin and the death of George Floyd. Chu said that Potter drew her firearm thinking it was her taser by mistake.

Daunte Wright's Death

Fox News reported that the judge added that the ex-cop served her community for 26 years and that hundreds of letters portrayed her as a woman who touched a lot of people in a good way. Chu said that in the courtroom, Potter could clearly be seen as remorseful for what she had done. The ex-cop said she never intended to hurt anyone and Chu argued that the convict's conduct should result in a sentence significantly below the guidelines.

On top of the 16 months imprisonment and eight months supervised release, Judge Chu fined Potter $1,000 for the case. The judge said that she was aware there would be people who do not agree with her sentencing. However, she argued that while she gave Potter a lower jail time, it, in no way, diminished Daunte Wright's life.

Chu said that while the victim's life mattered, she urged those who disagreed with her decision to try to empathize with Potter, as difficult as that may be. The judge said that Potter's case was one of the saddest that she has had in her 20 years on the bench.

Authorities will also be taking out $78 from Potter's prison wages as part of the conviction and she already has a credit of 58 days served in jail while awaiting sentencing. In comparison, the maximum fine for first-degree manslaughter is $30,000, ABC News reported.



Related Article: China Detains Japanese Man in Shanghai Since December with Unclear Reason; Japan Demands Early Release

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A woman is dead and another is injured after they were attacked by a rescue dog at a Florida animal shelter Thursday.

According to police, the attack happened before 11 a.m. at 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida in the Broward County town.

A 911 call was made and sheriff's deputies and fire crews responded to a report of an animal bite.

Upon arrival, the officials found two women who had been bitten.

'The two adult females are workers. One of them was working with the dog when apparently the dog suddenly snapped,' Broward Sheriff's Office Spokeswoman Claudinne Caro told CBS.

'The second adult female tried to aid the worker, but in the process, she herself got injured.'

The first woman bitten - identified as Pam Robb, a retired volunteer at the shelter, by her wife Angie Anobile - did not survive.

The woman who tried to help out Robb suffered minor injuries but appears likely to survive.

The dog was a large, mixed breed who had been recently rescued from the Everglades and brought to the facility, according to the sheriff's office.

The dog, named Gladys, was taken to a local animal shelter where it was euthanized. A sample has been sent off to find out if the dog had rabies.

The original woman bitten - identified as Pam Robb by her wife, Angie Anobile - did not survive

Robb was known as an animal love and remember by her wife, friends and the animal shelter she worked at

Robb seen here in the company of rescue dogs

Police surround the scene as a woman was mauled to death by a rescue dog at an animal shelter

Police were called to the shelter early morning on Thursday

'What I understand is the dog was a rescue and this is the first time the dog had some sort of incident like this where he snaps,' Caro noted.

Anobile was heartbroken at the loss of her partner but noted how there was no malice involved.

'She had a love for those animals, she really did, and they responded very well to her,' says Anobile. 'This was just a fluke accident. No one did anything out of the ordinary.'

In a Facebook post, the shelter wrote: 'Our Hearts are Broken for our Dear Friend Pam.'

'Our deepest condolences to her family & friends. We are All grieving & ask for you to please give us time to process this great misfortune & loss of our Dear friend. We thank you for your love & patience.'

A friend wrote on Facebook that Pam 'died doing what she loved,' taking care of animals and added 'I am sure neither Angie or Pam are mad at the dog.'

'Always present, always there for the dogs,' is how one friend described Robb

The friend said the dog who eventually killed Robb was a 'broken, abused, tortured' creature

She was described by another friend as 'loving, always happy, laughing'

100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida

Another friend wrote on Facebook that Pam 'died doing what she loved,' taking care of animals and added 'I am sure neither Angie or Pam are mad at the dog.'

Former volunteer Lindas Decurzio was also troubled by the incident.

'I'm very shocked and I'm very upset. And I can't believe it,' she said. 'They take such wonderful care of these dogs. They're wonderful with these dogs and how something like this could happen, it's unbelievable.'
A teenager has been charged with arson less than a month after asking for donations to help recover from fire damages.

Shahana Shadbolt, 18, faced Perth Magistrates Court earlier this week for an alleged 'arson spree' between January 9 and February 3 in Gidgegannup, 40km northeast of Perth.

Strike Force Vulcan officers allege Shadbolt purposefully lit nine of twelve scrub fires on her family's rural property off Old Toodyay Road, The West Australian reported.

Shahana Shadbolt, 18, has been charged for an alleged 'arson spree' between January 9 and February 3 in Gidgegannup, 40km northeast of Perth

After allegedly lighting the fire Perth Now reports Shadbolt pled for donations to help replace $5000 worth of farming equipment, medication, and stock feed lost to fire damage through media outlets.

Two weeks ago Shadbolt's mother, Melissa Shadbolt, said she was 'very angry and very mad' WA Police for failing to find the arson culprit.

'I feel totally let down by the police, the system and the way it works,' she told Echo News.

Shadbolt has been charged with nine counts of wilfully lit or cause to be lit a fire likely to injure or damage and one count of create false belief.

She is due to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on February 24.
A Pennsylvania man was arrested Thursday on federal charges that while he was running a weapons factory in Iraq's Kurdistan region in 2015, he allegedly tortured an employee by suffocating him until he lost consciousness, shocking him with a stun gun and threatening to cut off his finger.

Ross Roggio, 53, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was managing a project to construct a factory and produce weapons in the Kurdistan region of Iraq in 2015, when an unnamed an employee 'raised concerns about the weapons project,' the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement on Friday.

An indictment returned by a grand jury on Tuesday alleges that one of Roggio's employees raised concerns about the weapons project and, to prevent the employee from interfering, Roggio arranged for Kurdish soldiers to abduct the employee.

The indictment alleges that Roggio directed Kurdish soldiers to suffocate the unnamed victim with a bag, Taser the victim in the groin and other areas of his body, beat the victim with fists and rubber hoses, jump violently on the victims chest while wearing military boots, and threaten to cut off one of the victims fingers while applying pressure to the finger with a large cutting tool.

On at least one occasion, Roggio wrapped his belt around the victims neck, yanked the victim off the ground, and suspended him in the air, causing the victim to lose consciousness, the indictment says.

Ross Roggio, 53, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was arrested Thursday on federal charges that while he was running a weapons factory in Iraq's Kurdistan region in 2015, he allegedly tortured an employee

Ross Roggio was managing a project to construct a factory and produce weapons in the Kurdistan region of Iraq in 2015, when an unnamed an employee 'raised concerns about the weapons project' and he allegedly directed Kurdish soldiers to torture him

The flag of Iraqi Kurdistan flies above the ruins of the devastated town of Sinjar after its liberation in 2015. Roggio was managing a project to construct a factory and produce weapons in the Kurdistan region of Iraq in 2015 when it's alleged he tortured an employee

Roggio is seen in Northern Iraq, Kurdistan, in a Jan. 2017 photo from his Facebook page. He's only the second American citizen to be charged with violating a U.S. torture statute that into effect in 1994, the department said

Roggio is only the second American citizen to be charged with violating a U.S. torture statute that went into effect in 1994, the department said.

He was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit torture and one count of torture.

The new charges come on top of a 37-count indictment filed against Roggio in 2018 accusing him of illegally exporting firearms parts and tools to Iraq, which alone could put him behind bars for a maximum of 705 years.

'The heinous acts of violence that Ross Roggio directed and inflicted upon the victim were blatant human rights violations that will not be tolerated,' FBI Assistant Director Luis Quesada said in a statement issued Friday.

'This superseding indictment underscores that the United States stands for the rule of law and will hold accountable anyone who commits acts of torture, regardless of where it takes place.'

Roggio was taken into custody on Thursday night in Pittston, Pennsylvania.

His mother, Soon Roggio, told WFXR that her son is her caretaker and that she cannot live without him.

'I'm a mother of course everybody thinks I'm wrong,' Soon Roggio said. 'A wrong idea everybody thinks of me. But I just can't live without him.'

Soon Roggio said her son was going to Pittston to get a drug test Thursday but never came home. He called her hours later when he was arrested.

'He said he's OK, but he was just worried about me and my husband, rather than himself,' Soon said.

Roggio is seen in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq in a 2016 photo from his Facebook page. He was arrested Thursday on federal charges that he abducted and tortured a Kurdish employee for 39 days

Roggio's mother, Soon Roggio, told WFXR that her son is her caretaker and that she cannot live without him

Roggio's friend, Kevin Forrest, said he was surprised to hear of Roggio's new charges Friday

Local news also spoke to Roggio's friend, Kevin Forrest, who said he was surprised to hear of Roggio's new charges Friday.

'If you knew him and the things that he would do for people and everything,' Forest said.

'You just couldn't imagine that anything, like they're accusing him of doing, would ever have happened.'

Roggio and the Roggio Consulting Company LLC previously 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 in Kurdistan.

The new indictment added the torture charges to the previously charged offenses.

The torture charges are being investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations.

If convicted, Roggio faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each of the torture charges as well as a maximum total statutory penalty of 705 years in prison for the remaining 37 counts, the department said.

The victim was not identified in the department's announcement on Friday.
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Hillary Clinton and her longtime aide Huma Abedin were out and about in New York City on Friday - a day after the former Secretary of State laughed off allegations her campaign spied on Donald Trump.

Clinton, 74, and Abedin, 45, were accompanied by an unnamed man as they left a building in Lower Manhattan.

Dressed for the chilly and very windy weather on Friday, Clinton looked warm in her grey woolen sweater, which she accessorized with a chunky silver necklace.

She spoke to Abedin briefly, before getting into her car. Abedin and the man then walked off.

Abedin lives in the Union Square area, not far from where she and Clinton were seen off of Astor Place.

Clinton, who now spends most of her time at the Chappaqua home she shares with her husband Bill in upstate New York, was in the city for Thursday's Democrat Convention.

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Hillary Clinton, 74, was seen on Friday in lower Manhattan speaking to Huma Abdein and a male friend

The red-hatted man was the first to exit the building, near Astor Place

The trio were inside a building next to the Public Theater, by Astor Place

Clinton followed the man out the building, and Abedin, in a long black coat, brought up the rear

The three were seen conversing on the street, with a Secret Service agent standing guard

Clinton was wrapped up against the chilly and breezy weather in a gray turtleneck sweater

The former Secretary of State is frequently in this district of Manhattan: her daughter Chelsea lives nearby, and Abedin lives close too

The trio said their goodbyes and Clinton got into her waiting car

Clinton, who is known for her love of stylish purses, carried a striking red leather number

Abedin and the man then set off walking down the street, as Clinton drove away

Abedin, 45, has been enjoying New York fashion week and was seated front row at the Ulla Johnson show on Saturday

On Friday Abedin and the unknown man were seen heading away from their meeting with Clinton and walking up the street

She told the crowd at the political gathering that she was amused by allegations her campaign spied on Trump, and joked about his legal woes.

Clinton 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.'

She 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.

'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 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.

On Tuesday, Clinton was seen with her daughter Chelsea - who also lives in Manhattan - leaving a Filipino restaurant in Queens, where the pair had been filming a segment for a show.

Hilary Clinton arrives at the New York State Democratic Committee Nominating Convention, at the Sheraton Hotel in Manhattan, on Thursday

Protesters shout at Clinton in the background as she enters the hotel ahead of her headline address

Clinton claimed accusations her campaign spied on Donald 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

Abedin, meanwhile, has been busy promoting her book Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds.

The book details her time working for Clinton, which she has done since 1996, and the collapse of her marriage to Anthony Weiner amid his sexting scandal.

Weiner, with whom Abedin shares a 10-year-old son, Jordan, said last week, while announcing his new radio show, that his divorce was 'almost finalized' - the couple having announced their separation in 2016.

Abedin, meanwhile, has spent the week enjoying New York's fashion scene, and was spotted front row at the Ulla Johnson show on Tuesday.

Abedin (far left) attended the event with (from second from left): Sarita Choudhury, Katerina Tannenbaum and Sofia Black D'Elia

Abedin was pictured attending Ulla Johnson's show at Astor Hall on Sunday as part of New York City's Fashion week.
Actress Lindsey Pearlman, 43, who was known for her work on television series including Chicago Justice and Empire, was found dead in her car in Los Angeles on Friday, five days after she had been reported missing.

Pearlman had last been spotted in Hollywood on Sunday, although her body was found several miles away in a parked car.

According to a security guard working on a film in nearby Runyon Canyon, when police found the body of Pearlman there were allegedly pills strewn throughout the inside of the vehicle. She was also said to be wrapped in a blanket.

Pearlman's friends and family including her husband, Vance Smith, had asked for help from the public to help find her after she did not return home on Sunday, February 13.

Lindsey Pearlman, a 43-year-old actress who had been reported missing over the weekend was found dead in the Hollywood Hills area of LA on Friday morning

Lindsey Erin Pearlman's body was found in a parked car near the intersection of Franklin Avenue and North Sierra Bonita Avenue, pictured, in Los Angeles according to the LAPD

According to a security guard working on a film in nearby Runyon Canyon when police found the body of Pearlman there were pills all over the car and she was wrapped in a blanket

Pictured, the area from where police towed the car on Friday night, in Los Angeles

He shared news of her death on Friday night. 'The police found Lindsey. She's gone. I'm broken,' Smith wrote on social media.

'I will share more later, but I wanted to say thank you to everyone for their love and efforts and ask you to respect the privacy of her family at this time.'

At one point, Smith shared an image of a woman on a beach in Oregon, although it was never confirmed whether it actually was Lindsey Pearlman or not.

'Today around 8:30 a.m., Hollywood Area officers responded to a radio call for a death investigation at Franklin Avenue and North Sierra Bonita Avenue,' the LAPD said in a statement Friday.

Husband, Vance Smith, shared news of her death on Friday night. 'The police found Lindsey. She's gone. I'm broken,' Smith wrote on social media

Husband, Vance Smith, had asked for help from the public to help find her after she did not return home last Sunday, February 13

Authorities found her in her car on Friday morning with 'pills all over the place'

'The LA County Coroner's Office has since confirmed the individual to be Lindsey Erin Pearlman.'

There were no additional details given by police. The cause of her death is now being investigated by the coroner.

According to her website, Pearlman was a graduate of The Second City Conservatory and had been active in the Chicago theater community before heading to California to look for additional on-screen roles.

Her other television credits include The Ms. Pat Show, Sneaky Pete, American Housewife, Vicious and General Hospital.

Elaine Hendrix, who portrayed Meredith Blake in The Parent Trap, paid tribute to her friend on Twitter.

'Thank you to everyone who shared Lindsey's missing person report. I'm deeply saddened & stunned to share that she was found deceased.

'There's no further info to share at this time. Pls send her friends & family love,' she tweeted.

Concerned family and friends had asked for the publics help finding Pearlman, who is pictured on an unknown set

Husband Vance Smith at one point shared an image of a woman on a beach in Oregon, although it was never confirmed whether it actually was Lindsey Pearlman or not
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Thousands of Ukrainian refugees are starting to stream into Russia today after Vladimir Putin's allies ordered a mass evacuation of two separatist republics as part of a suspected 'false flag' operation to provide the pretext for an invasion.

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas.

Hours later a car bomb rocked Donetsk in an alleged 'assassination attempt' of a top Putin-allied official, which Western intelligence agencies believe was faked as part of the 'false flag' deception.

Later two explosions at a 'gas pipeline' rocked the separatist city of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine in another suspected false flag attack.

Last night, US President said he is convinced the Russian premier has made up his mind to launch an invasion after amassing almost 200,000 troops on the border.

In a televised address from the White House, Mr Biden said he has reason to believe it will occur in the coming days and will include an assault on the capital Kyiv.

After weeks of saying the US was not sure if Mr Putin had made the final decision to launch a widespread invasion, Mr Biden said that assessment had changed.

As of this moment Im convinced hes made the decision, Mr Biden said. We have reason to believe that.

He cited the United States significant intelligence capability for the assessment.

The Ukrainian civilian refugees will be housed in tent cities provided by Putin's government in Russia where they will receive a gift of $132.

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released.

Huge convoys of buses were laid on the for the refugees, after the evacuation was announced in video addresses by the leaders of the breakaway Republics which have also ordered a general mobilisation of all men to the army.

Multiple explosions could be heard on Saturday morning in the north of the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, a Reuters witness said. The origin was not immediately clear. Ukraine said earlier that one of its soldiers had been killed.

Denis Pushilin, the leader of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, has called on all men 'who are in the reserves to come to military conscription offices' following a mass evacuation of women and children in Ukraine's breakaway provinces to southern Russia.

Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the Luhansk separatist region in Ukraine, ordered a general mobilisation shortly afterwards.

Pushilin claimed his region's forces had prevented attacks he said were planned by Ukraine, and that the Ukrainian army had continued manoeuvres.

Separatist authorities on Friday announced plans to evacuate around 700,000 people, citing fears of an imminent attack by Ukrainian forces  an accusation Kiev flatly denied.

Less than 7,000 people had been evacuated from Donetsk as of Saturday morning, the local emergencies ministry said.

The Ukrainian military said it had recorded 12 ceasefire violations by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in the morning after 66 cases in the previous 24 hours. Separatist authorities also reported what they said was shelling by Ukrainian forces of several villages on Saturday. Both sides regularly trade blame for ceasefire violations.

Kiev has repeatedly denied any plans to regain control of separatist-held areas using force, including the Crimean peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014. More than 14,000 people have been killed in fighting between Ukraine's army and Russia's proxies.

It comes as Ukraine's army claimed today a soldier had been killed in the separatist east and Volodymyr Zelensky is heading to the Munich Security Conference, despite President Joe Biden's warning not to leave Ukraine through fear of an imminent invasion.

Yesterday Biden said he is now 'convinced' Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and assault the capital.

After weeks of saying that Washington was not sure if Putin had made the final decision, the US President said that his judgment had changed, citing American intelligence. He reiterated that the assault could occur in the 'coming days'.

His comments followed a day of rising violence that included a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling and a car bombing in the eastern city of Donetsk.

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas. A woman says goodbye to her father through a bus window in Donetsk

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released.

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic are placed in tents in the refugee camp in Rostov on Don, Rostov region, Russia

A boy looks through a bus window waiting to be evacuated to Russia, in Donetsk, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, eastern Ukraine

Huge convoys of buses were laid on the for the refugees, after the evacuation was announced in video addresses by the leaders of the breakaway Republics

An explosion was heard in rebel-held Luhansk, one of the main cities in Ukraine's breakaway region of People's Republic of Luhansk, according to reports

In this photo made from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on February 19, 2022, a Russian marine takes his position during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus

People board a bus during the evacuation of residents to Russia, in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, February 19, 2022

A car bomb sparked 'false flag' fears after it exploded near the headquarters of the pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic. Just hours later a fireball was seen lighting up the sky after an international oil pipeline running through the key rebel-held city of Luhansk blew up. The blast rocked the Druzhba pipeline which runs from Russia to various points in eastern and central Europe. On Thursday a shell blew a hole through the wall of kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska

People look at a memorial dedicated to late Euromaidan activists along the Alley of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes on February 18, 2022 in Kiev, Ukraine

US President Joe Biden delivers a national update on the situation at the Russia-Ukraine border at the White House in Washington, DC, February 18, 2022

The West must show unity against Putin amid Ukraine war scare, Boris Johnson insists Boris Johnson has called for western leaders to unite against Vladimir Putin and show the Russian leader he will pay a 'high price' if he sends his troops into Ukraine. The Prime Minister will head to the Munich Security Conference on Saturday to make a plea for 'unnecessary bloodshed' to be avoided by pursuing a diplomatic route to prevent a conflict in eastern Europe. Only hours before Biden's statement, the UK Foreign Office announced it had decided to 'temporarily' move its diplomats out of Kyiv, relocating them to the west of the country. The department said British embassy officials will relocate to Lviv, situated near the border with Poland. With estimates that 150,000 Russian troops are posted around Ukraine's borders, Johnson has previously called the situation 'very grim'. But in comments made before embarking on his trip to Germany, the Prime Minister said 'diplomacy can still prevail' if the West puts on a united front in terms of agreeing punishing sanctions to slap on Moscow. '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. '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. That is the message I will take to Munich today as we redouble our efforts to prevent a grave miscalculation which would devastate Ukraine, Russia and the rest of Europe.' The Bavarian summit will take place against the backdrop of Putin continuing to parade Russia's military might. The Russian defence ministry has announced it will be carrying out fresh exercises on Saturday involving its strategic nuclear forces. 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. There are concerns among western allies that the Kremlin could use 'disinformation' and a possible 'false flag' operation to justify an offensive, particularly with growing activity in separatist-held areas of Ukraine. Advertisement

Pro-Russian rebels began evacuating civilians from the conflict zone with an announcement that appeared to be part of Moscow's efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead.

One of Vladimir Putin's closest allies, parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin vowed that Russia would 'defend' its compatriots in the Donbas, hinting at military intervention.

He said: 'Russia doesn't want war.

'Our president Vladimir Putin repeatedly said this earlier and is saying this these days.'

But 'if danger arises to the lives of Russians and compatriots living in the DPR and LPR, our country will defend them.'

This came as pro-Moscow rebels claimed a water-pumping station in Vasilievka was hit by Ukrainian fire.

Ukraine has denied any such attacks.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has 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 crushing economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia if it does invade, and pressed Putin to reconsider. He said the US and its Western allies were more united than ever to ensure Russia pays a steep price for any invasion.

He said: 'We're calling out Russia's plans. Not because we want a conflict, but because we are doing everything in our power to remove any reason Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine.

'If Russia pursues its plans, it will be responsible for a catastrophic and needless war of choice.'

Earlier on Friday, Biden said he believed Putin had already made up his mind to invade Ukraine.

He said: 'As of this moment, I'm convinced he's made the decision. We have reason to believe that.'

He said it was based on Washington's 'significant intelligence capability.' But he insisted Putin could change course if he wanted to.

'Russia can still choose diplomacy,' he said. 'It is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table.'

As further indication that the Russians are preparing for a major military push, a US defence official said an estimated 40 per cent to 50 per cent of the ground forces deployed in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border have moved into attack positions closer to 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 official also said the number of Russian ground units known as battalion tactical groups in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each group has 750 to 1,000 soldiers.

Lines of communication remain open. The US and Russian defence chiefs spoke on Friday, and US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov agreed to meet next week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will attend the Munich Security Conference on Saturday and return home later the same day, a statement from his office said.

Zelenskiy's trip had been under scrutiny due to concern in Western countries that Russia is poised to launch a military offensive against Ukraine and could do so while the president is out of the country.

Boris Johnson has called for western leaders to unite against Putin and show the Russian leader he will pay a 'high price' if he sends his troops into Ukraine.

The Prime Minister will head to the Munich Security Conference on Saturday to make a plea for 'unnecessary bloodshed' to be avoided by pursuing a diplomatic route to prevent a conflict in eastern Europe.

Only hours before Biden's statement, the UK Foreign Office announced it had decided to 'temporarily' move its diplomats out of Kyiv, relocating them to the west of the country. The department said British embassy officials will relocate to Lviv, situated near the border with Poland.

With estimates that 150,000 Russian troops are posted around Ukraine's borders, Johnson has previously called the situation 'very grim'.

But in comments made before embarking on his trip to Germany, the Prime Minister said 'diplomacy can still prevail' if the West puts on a united front in terms of agreeing punishing sanctions to slap on Moscow.

'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.

'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. That is the message I will take to Munich today as we redouble our efforts to prevent a grave miscalculation which would devastate Ukraine, Russia and the rest of Europe.'

The Bavarian summit will take place against the backdrop of Putin continuing to parade Russia's military might.

The Russian defence ministry has announced it will be carrying out fresh exercises on Saturday involving its strategic nuclear forces.

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.

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees are streaming into Russia today after Putin's allies ordered a mass evacuation

People sit in a bus for their evacuation in Donetsk on February amid fears of an imminent invasion with troops massed on the border

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic arrive to the refugee camp in Rostov on Don, Rostov region

The head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin announced a general mobilisation

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait in a bus to enter Russia at the customs post 'Matveev Kurgan' in Rostov region

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

The destroyed UAZ military jeep belonged to Denis Sinenkov, head of regional security in Donetsk, in what Russian state media suggested was an assassination attempt

Russia's President Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks during a press conference with his Belarus counterpart, following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on February 18, 2022

An hour before the car bomb went off, separatist leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk had ordered an evacuation of civilians because of what they said was the threat of Ukrainian invasion (pictured, children are evacuated from an orphanage)

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

There are concerns among western allies that the Kremlin could use disinformation and a possible 'false flag' operation to justify an offensive, particularly with growing activity in separatist-held areas of Ukraine.

Putin will hold a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday as tensions spike in the crisis over Ukraine, Moscow said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the call was 'on the president's schedule'.

With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops now posted around Ukraine's borders, the long-simmering separatist conflict could provide the spark for a broader attack.

Fears of such escalation intensified amid Friday's violence. A bombing struck a car outside the main government building in the rebel-held city of Donetsk. 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.

Shelling and shooting are common along the line that separates Ukrainian forces and the rebels, but targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities.

Adding to the tensions, two explosions shook the rebel-controlled city of Luhansk early on Saturday. The Luhansk Information Centre 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.

Monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported more than 600 explosions in the war-torn east of Ukraine on Friday.

Separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that form Ukraine's industrial heartland known as the Donbas announced they were evacuating civilians to Russia.

Pushilin said women, children and the elderly would go first, and that Russia has prepared facilities for them. He alleged in a video statement that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky 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.

US authorities have alleged that the Kremlin's disinformation campaign could include staged, pre-recorded 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 has ordered the government to offer a payment of 10,000 rubles (about 95) to each evacuee, equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in the war-ravaged Donbas region.

By Saturday morning, more than 6,600 residents of the rebel-controlled areas were evacuated to Russia, according to separatist officials, who have announced plans to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people.

The explosions and the announced evacuations were in line with US warnings of so-called false flag attacks that Russia could use to justify an invasion.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the threat to global security is 'more complex and probably higher' than during the Cold War.

He told a security conference in Munich 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 US officials said they saw no sign of a pullback and instead observed more troops moving toward the border with Ukraine.

The Kremlin also sent a reminder to the world of its nuclear might, announcing drills of its nuclear forces for the weekend.

Putin will monitor the exercise Saturday that will involve multiple practice missile launches.

Asked about Western warnings of a possible Russian invasion on Wednesday that did not materialise, the Russian strongman said: 'There are so many false claims, and constantly reacting to them is more trouble than it's worth.

'We are doing what we consider necessary and will keep doing so. We have clear and precise goals conforming to national interests.'
Prime Minister Scott Morrison diced with danger when he lifted the safety mask covering his eyes just as he unleashed a blinding flash from a welding torch

The PM wore a regulation welding safety visor during a visit to a workshop in Alice Springs.

But he lifted the protective helmet moments before he touched the blazing arc of the welding torch to a metal beam.

His face lit up with the intense white light from the searing flame, which should only be viewed from behind the specially darkened screen.

Video showed a bystander desperately reaching out to try to bring down the mask but couldn't manage it in time as the 6000C spark erupted in his face.

The Prime Minister donned PPE including a safety visor during a visit to a workshop in Alice Springs but lifted the mask as he touched the blazing arc of a welding torch to a metal beam

Seconds earlier Morrison had cheerfully assured the tradie with him 'I've done this before, up in the Hunter'

Seconds earlier Morrison had cheerfully assured the tradie with him 'I've done this before, up in the Hunter.'

'On the tools again!' he added.

Eye damage from burns is a huge risk in welding and precautions to prevent it are taken extremely seriously.

The blunder saw Morrison roasted on social media and earned comparisons with Donald Trump's defiant gazing at the eclipse without protective eyewear from the balcony of the White House in August 2017.

He looked three times, despite White House aids shouting, 'Don't look!'

After Morrison casually said he'd welded before, while pulling on PPE and a visor, he was asked, 'So you used to be a tradesman before?'

Morrison's answer wasn't audible.

Scott Morrison was visiting a factory in Alice Springs when he made the blunder

Scott Morrison earned comparisons to Donald Trump's infamous direct gaze at an eclipse after a gaffe that saw him welding without a safety mask covering his eyes

But what he did next laid bare the risks of playing to the blue collar voters by dressing just like them.

He made a rookie error of the kind that would get an apprentice marched into the boss's office for a safety lecture - and possibly ribbed for days by colleagues.

Morrison lifted his visor to get a better look and touched the white hot arc to a metal beam.

On social media the Prime Minister's critics jumped at the chance to pile on.

'Stupid, dangerous, and probably illegal,' said Lynne on twitter.

'Trump looking at the eclipse was iconic and telling, but Scott Morrison welding without a helmet is probably funnier,' wrote another man.

John quipped 'If only Scott Morrison had used the welding torch on the ukulele,' referring to the PM's awkward rendition of 70s hit April Sun in Cuba during a recent television interview.

Another suggested Morrison's gaffe deserved to become a meme.

SafeWork guidelines state 'workers should always have their eyes, face and/or head protected whenever they are welding.'

'Burns occur frequently on hands and other exposed skin, but also in eyes from sparks and metal fragments.'

The hazards are 'light, radiation, burns from hot debris and sparks'.

A NSW safety manager Glen, who didn't want to provide his surname, said Morrison's blunder would be mocked in a workplace as 'a failure of common-sense.'

'You just don't do it. They have welder's masks to put on for a reason. It's common-sense.'

'The next thing that happens is the guy who did that will be coming to his boss saying 'I've got sore eyes and I need to go home.

'That would be lesson learned.

Scott Morrison is well known for wearing fluoro to connect with voters. He is pictured with his wife Jenny visiting the Sydney Markets before the last election

'The kind of injury you're going to get is an ulceration on the back of your eyes, if he gets the welders flash, you just don't do that.'

It was Mr Morrison's second blunder in a week after a tricky tongue twister saw him accidentally swear on live television.

The prime minister was speaking to reporters about funding for Adelaide's North-South Corridor when he became unexpectedly tongue-tied.

'This brings to completion the full financial commitment of the Commonwealth government to this sh*tty, city, ship, city shaping,' he fumbled.

'Gotta be careful with that,' the PM laughed awkwardly. 'Sure that'll get a run.'
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In numbers: Storm Eunice, which shattered wind speed records and claimed at least four lives 4 deaths in the UK and Ireland

122mph record wind speed for England

1.1million properties suffer power cuts

435,000 properties still affected last night

20million told to stay at home

10 severe flood warnings

10,000 cancelled rail services

1,000 people evacuated from O2 Arena

36,000 pupils sent home in Swansea Advertisement

Fierce 70mph winds will batter the UK over the coming days, forecasters have warned, as nearly 200,000 homes across Britain remain without power.

Travel chaos caused by Storm Eunice is set to continue in the coming days as strong winds are expected to hamper the 500million clean-up effort.

At least four people have been killed in the UK and Ireland as record-breaking gales of 122mph howled through the country yesterday in one of the worst storms to have smashed the isles in decades.

Parts of England are set to be hit by up to 8in of snow this weekend and forecasters have warned that fierce winds of up to 70mph are set to sweep the UK in the coming days.

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst urged Britons to brace for more windy weather, saying it could impact recovery efforts.

Speaking on Saturday, he added: 'We will see a slight easing in the wind over the evening time tonight, but it's not long before they pick up again tomorrow to lead to another windy day across the UK.

'This will have an impact on the clearing up process over the course of the day.'

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for wind covering most of the UK on Sunday and Monday, after northern England faced blizzard-like conditions on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, around a quarter of a million people are still without power. As of last night, the number of households without power listed by providers was: 6,000 in Northern Power, 112,000 in Western Power, 260 in Electricity North West, 156,000 in UK Power Networks and 120,000 in the Scottish & Southern networks.

And more than 430 flights were cancelled or diverted and London City Airport was closed for most of Saturday. An estimated five million were gripped by livestream video of aircraft attempting to land at London's Heathrow Airport during 70mph winds.

At the height of the storm on Friday, dramatic scenes saw the roof of The O2 in Greenwich, London torn apart, while trees were ripped up, debris was sent flying, shoppers were blown over, and the spire of St Thomas Church in Wells, Somerset came crashing to earth.

Saturday brought snowy weather to parts of Yorkshire and strong winds to the south coast, with a calmer evening forecast, but the Met Office issued a yellow warning for rain from midnight until 6pm on Sunday in Cumbria, Lancashire and West Yorkshire.

'A short period of heavy snow may cause some temporary disruption on roads, mainly across higher ground such as the Peak District,' the Met Office said.

In the UK and Ireland on Friday, a gust of 122mph was provisionally recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, which would be the strongest ever in England, if verified. The previous record was in 1979, for 118mph winds at Gwennap Head in Cornwall.

As the clean-up effort gets underway, the Association of British Insurers warned previous storms similar to Eunice cost around 360million in repairs.

A spokesman said: 'It is too early to estimate the likely insured cost of Storm Eunice, when insurers will be focusing on assessing damage and helping their customers recover.

'No two storms are the same. The last significant storms to hit the UK - Ciara and Dennis - led to insurers paying out over 360 million.'

In an update on Saturday, the Energy Networks Association said about 195,000 customers remained without power in the South, Wales and East, while some 1.2million had been reconnected.

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said on Saturday afternoon that 190,000 customers still had no electricity and restoration efforts were being impacted by continued strong winds across southern England.

He tweeted: 'Storm Eustice update: 1.2 million customers have had power restored. 190k are off-supply 8,000 field staff and engineers are working day and night to restore power.

'We expect most customers to have supplies restored promptly. Strong winds across southern England are impacting restoration efforts.

'This morning I spoke to @SSENcommunity to ensure customers have their power restored as quickly as possible.

'I would like to thank our emergency services and engineers who are working tirelessly.'

At least four people were killed amid the fierce winds on Friday, including an Irish council worker who died after being hit by a falling tree. He has been named locally as Billy Kinsella.

The father-of-one was clearing debris from a road close to his home in Co Wexford when he was hit as a tree came down during Storm Eunice.

Tributes have been paid to the 59-year-old, from Clonroe in Gorey. Mr Kinsella, an employee of Wexford County Council, had been attending the scene of another fallen tree in Ballythomas when he was fatally injured.

Another man in his 20s was killed in Alton, Hampshire after a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter pick-up collided with a tree in Old Odiham Road just before midday. He has been named locally as Jack Bristow, 23.

Mr Bristow, who has a one-year-old son, was described as a 'proud' and 'loving' father as heartbreaking tributes flooded in from his loved ones online, while a GoFundMe page was also set up in his memory.

Elsewhere, a woman in her 30s died after a tree fell on a car in Haringey, north London on Friday afternoon, the Metropolitan Police said. A man in his 50s died in Netherton, Merseyside after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in.

A member of the public suffered 'serious injuries' after being struck by debris from a roof in Henley-on-Thames. Two men were hospitalised following similar, separate incidents in south London.

As the country recovers from the carnage of Eunice, it emerged:

The total clean-up bill could cost up to 500million as insurers start estimating the financial scale of the damage;

London's O2 Arena could be closed for several months after part of the roof was ripped apart;

Tributes have been paid to Billy Kinsella, 59, who was killed in Co Wexford, Ireland during the storm;

A woman in her 30s died after a tree fell on a car in Haringey, north London on Friday afternoon;

A man in his 50s died in Netherton, Merseyside after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in;

Another man in his 20s was killed in Alton, Hampshire after a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter pick-up collided with a tree in Old Odiham Road just before midday;

A member of the public suffered 'serious injuries' after being struck by debris from a roof in Henley-on-Thames. Two men were hospitalised following similar, separate incidents in south London.

The Met Office put out a yellow weather warning for heavy snow across parts of northern England and the Midlands today;

Weathermen described Eunice as one of the worst storms to have battered the UK in decades.

Members of the public brace the wind and wet weather in Westminster in central London following yesterday's storm

Heavy snow in York in Yorkshire, after Storm Eunice brought damage, disruption and record-breaking gusts of wind to the UK and Ireland, leading to the deaths of at least four people

Cars make their way through heavy rain on the A14 in Suffolk, after Storm Eunice brought damage, disruption and record-breaking gusts of wind to the UK and Ireland

Dramatic scenes on Friday saw large sections of the canvas domed roof of the O2 arena ripped to shreds, with the damage still being visible on Saturday

A man takes a photo of the O2 Arena in London on Saturday, after parts of its roof were ripped off in high winds as Storm Eunice struck

A fallen tree blocks a road on February 19, 2022 in Southwick, England

An unlucky car is damaged by a fallen tree lying in the path of Storm Eunice on February 19, 2022 in Southwick, England

A catamaran washed up along the seafront in Brighton, Sussex, after Storm Eunice brought damage, disruption and record-breaking gusts of wind to the UK and Ireland, leading to the deaths of at least four people

A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter flatbed van which was crushed by a 40ft tree in Alton, Hampshire

Passengers wait at Waterloo station, London, for cancelled or delayed trains in the aftermath of Storm Eunice

Passengers wait at Waterloo station, London, for cancelled or delayed trains in the aftermath of Storm Eunice

Revellers go on a fancy dress pub crawl in Leeds as they battle rain and sleet after yesterday's storm

Revellers in Leeds pose for photos as they embark on a fancy dress pub crawl amid the rain and sleet

A tree blocks the B3273 road after Storm Eunice, in St Austell, Cornwall, February 19, 2022

The O2 arena remained closed on Saturday (pictured) after large sections of its canvas roof were damaged during Storm Eunice on Friday

Many train services remained suspended on Saturday morning and 'do not travel' notices are in place for routes including the Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern networks. Passengers are still being asked to avoid travelling where possible.

National Rail has warned there is still 'major disruption' to train services 'across most of Great Britain'.

South Western Railway said the strong winds had caused more than 40 fallen trees to block routes across its network, with work ongoing to clear them. Several Great Western Railway services have returned, with other operators able to run a partial service, but some long-distance routes are still facing suspension.

Routes on the Greater Anglia and Stansted Express network have also been suspended due to fallen trees.

Meanwhile, Avanti West Coast expects some routes to remain closed until mid-morning with some rail replacement bus services, while LNER has announced 'possible disruption' through Saturday morning and Southeastern is cancelling services throughout possibly the whole day due to more trees having fallen onto lines overnight.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told broadcasters this morning that the public should expect disruption for the rest of the day.

He said: 'Teams have working through the night to try to get road and rail reopened. But of course, expect disruption today trains are in the wrong locations, there's still debris being removed from our roads, airports are expected to be very busy with people catching up with flights.

'So expect disruption, do check before you travel... but things are returning to normal.'

London Fire Brigade said it took 1,958 calls on Friday as Eunice hit the capital  three times more than the previous day.

The service tweeted: 'Although the worst of #StormEunice is over its affect may extend into the coming days. Please be aware of the potential for loose structures or falling debris.'

A street cleaner sweeps up in Leicester Square in the aftermath of Storm Eunice

The white-domed roof of the O2 Arena is seen this morning after it was damaged during Storm Eunice

A family enjoy a snowball fight in heavy snow in York in Yorkshire today, after Storm Eunice brought damage, disruption and record-breaking gusts of wind to the UK and Ireland

Heavy snow in York in Yorkshire today, after Storm Eunice brought damage, disruption and record-breaking gusts of wind

Heavy snow in York in Yorkshire today, after one of the worst storms to have battered the UK in decades

A snow plough on the Buttertubs Pass near Hawes, North Yorkshire, after Storm Eunice brought damage, disruption and record-breaking gusts of wind to the UK and Ireland

A snow plough on the Buttertubs Pass near Hawes, North Yorkshire this morning

A Twitter user posted a video of heavy snowfall in Blackburn this morning amid Met Office warnings

The Met Office has now issued a yellow warning for snow covering parts of northern England and the Midlands, in place from 11am until 3pm

Around 250,000 people across the UK are still without power, according to power suppliers SSEN, UK Power Networks, Western Power, Northern Power and SP Energy (power outage maps pictured above)

Tributes have been paid to an Irish council worker father-of-one who was one of four people in the UK and Ireland killed during Storm Eunice. Billy Kinsella, 59, was clearing debris from a road close to his home in Co Wexford, Ireland when he was crushed by a tree as it came tumbling down during yesterday's carnage

Jack Bristow (pictured) , 23, died on Friday when the flat-bed truck he was travelling in was crushed by a 40ft tree in Alton, Hampshire, amid Storm Eunice

A chimney has collapsed at a Power Plant on the Isle of Graint in Kent due to winds from Storm Eunice. There should be three chimneys (before photo, right)

A roadside filled with debris from the rooftops of three houses which were torn off during storm Eunice, on Kilburn Park Road in north west London

General view of wind damage to a construction site alongside the river Thames, in London after high winds

People wait at Waterloo station, as trains are delayed and cancelled after Storm Eunice

The departures board at Waterloo station, London, displaying cancelled and delayed trains in the aftermath of Storm Eunice

A noticeboard warns of disruption to the train network after Storm Eunice, in St Austell, Cornwall

A person walks past a fallen tree in Cemetery Park after Storm Eunice, in St Austell, Cornwall

A mobile home is seen completely destroyed after Storm Eunice tore through St Albans in Hertfordshire on Friday

Many train services will remain unopened this morning and 'do not travel' notices have been reissued for a number of services, according to National Rail Enquiries

The Met Office has issued a less-severe yellow wind warning for today (left) and tomorrow (right)

The Environment Agency has kept flood warnings across much of England in place this morning

Strongest wind speeds on record in Britain Storm Eunice is set to sweep across much of the UK, with warnings issues over very high wind speeds. The storm has sparked disruption in travel and business, with schools closed and some homes left without power. Here are some of the strongest wind speeds on record in the UK, according to Met Office data: 98mph: The strongest gust recorded during Storm Arwen on the night of November 26-27 2021, at Brizlee Wood, Northumberland. Before Storm Eunice, Arwen was the most recent example of a red weather warning being issued in the UK.

105mph: The strongest gust during Storm Gertrude on January 29 2016, at Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. This storm saw a red weather warning issued for the whole of the Shetlands.

115mph: The peak wind speed reached during the 'Great Storm' of the night of October 15-16 1987, at Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex. Gusts also reached 99mph at Gatwick Airport and 94mph in central London.

118mph: The strongest gust recorded at a low-level location in England, at Gwennap Head in Cornwall on December 15 1979.

142mph: The strongest gust recorded at any low-level location in the UK, at Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire, on February 13 1989.

173mph: This was the strongest gust ever recorded in the UK, at Cairngorm summit in the Highlands of Scotland on March 20 1986. Advertisement

As of early Saturday morning the National Rail website still listed no services for: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, Grand Central, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, Heathrow Express, South Western Railway, Stansted Express and Transport for Wales.

Meanwhile, CrossCountry Trains has asked passengers not to travel on Saturday 'following cancelled strike action'.

The provider wrote on Twitter: 'Whilst a strike has been called off, we have not been able to reinstate our timetable. An amended timetable runs today.'

Cancellations are in place between the following stations: Aberdeen and Edinburgh; Glasgow Central and Edinburgh; Derby and Nottingham; Peterborough and Stansted; Cheltenham Spa and Cardiff Central; Newton Abbot and Paignton; Exeter St David's and Penzance; Reading and Bournemouth.

Millions of people were urged to stay at home on Friday due to safety fears over the impact of Eunice, while transport woes meant many were unable to travel.

O2 Arena 'could be closed for MONTHS' after 122MPH Storm Eunice 'whipped off' its dome roof - as gigs are cancelled and music fans face uncertainty over coming performances The O2 could be closed 'for months' as music fans face uncertainty over upcoming performances at the venue after Storm Eunice ripped the dome's roof apart. The popular arena in London 's Greenwich was hard-hit by Friday's fierce winds, which hit a record 122mph, with large sections of the canvas roof being torn away. Dramatic photographs and videos appear to show that at least six sections of the roof, which measures 1200ft (365m) in diameter, have been shredded. Around 1,000 people were evacuated from the venue on Friday as firefighters rushed to the scene to make sure 'no one was injured by any further falling debris'. After The O2 closed due to the damage, an employee told The Mirror that they had been warned the venue could be closed 'for a few months' while repairs are underway. Advertisement

Do not travel alerts were issued across railways in England and Wales on Friday, as seven operators suspended all services, with footage showing a building roof being blown on to tracks.

The train operators which stopped running all services on Friday afternoon were: c2c, Chiltern Railways, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, South Western Railway, Southeastern and Transport for Wales.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Ofgem published interim reports into the fallout from Arwen this week. It criticised the response from energy companies and accused them of providing 'overly optimistic' estimates for when supplies could be restored.

Ministers yesterday scrambled to reassure the public that lessons had been learnt. Damian Hinds told Sky News: 'Over the longer term, a lot of learning has been done from Storm Arwen, particularly on welfare issues, staying in touch with people, staying in touch with customers for the networks.'

More than 430 flights due to take off or land at UK airports were also cancelled on Friday.

An estimated 5million people watched video of aircraft battling with high winds while they attempted to land at Heathrow. Jerry Dyer, who runs the YouTube channel Big Jet TV, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Yesterday, when the whole Storm Eunice, and prior to that Storm Dudley... I said in the morning... I wonder if we can possibly reach 30,000 people watching live, as many as we did during Storm Ciara.

'Every now and then you'd glance at the number of people watching and you're like, 88,000 people... 105,000 people  it was just going mad.

'At the end of the day we ended up with... normally we'd have about 100,000-plus views, and we had, from when I went to sleep last night, it was 5.5million views.'

Mr Dyer said at one point there were 238,000 viewers watching live during the channel's peak popularity on Friday.

Both the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge and the M48 Severn Bridge, which link England and Wales across the River Severn, were closed due to high winds on Friday. It is believed to be the first time both crossings have been closed simultaneously. Earlier, Network Rail closed all routes in Kent while every line in south-east London was blocked by trees.

On Saturday, the M48 Severn Bridge reopened, with operators saying they would continued to monitor wind speeds over the crossing. The M4 Prince of Wales Bridge reopened to traffic on Friday.

Preston train station also closed to passengers, with rail engineers inspecting sections of metal roof panelling that came off due to the winds.

The Port of Dover announced it was closed 'in the interests of customer and staff safety', meaning no ferries could operate between Dover and Calais. Several sailings across the Irish Sea were also cancelled.

Traffic Wales, the Welsh Government's traffic information service for motorways and trunk roads, warned that 'many HGVs are ignoring the safety advice on Britannia Bridge'.

Revellers in Leeds pose for photos as they brave the elements while on a fancy dress pub crawl

Revellers go on a fancy dress pub crawl in Leeds as they battle rain and sleet after yesterday's storm

Precarious masonry and missing tiles on the roof Trowbridge Town Hall, near Bath

Reading's iconic cartwheeling boy statue has been damaged by ferocious Storm Eunice gales

The roof of Hughenden Village Hall in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire has blown off

A view of part of a flat roof from a nearby block of flats which was blown off and landed on a house in Bitterne, Southampton

Oliver Le Besque said there was a 'river of blood running down the road' after the cab of the flatbed truck was 'completely crushed' by the huge tree in Alton, Hampshire yesterday

Mr Le Besque was one of several hero rescuers who sprang into action when the 'enormous' tree fell on the vehicle in Alton

Large trees have fallen on the long walk in Windsor Great Park after Storm Eunice hits the UK

A roadside filled with debris from the rooftops of three houses which were torn off during storm Eunice, on Kilburn Park Road in north west London

Parts of the roof of The O2 arena were damaged by high winds brought on by Storm Eunice yesterday

Sven Good, 23, with girlfriend Anna Parnanen. was at home at his parents' house in Brentwood Essex when the Oak Tree smashed through his bedroom window during storm Eunice

A surfer rides a wave after Storm Eunice, in Padstow, Cornwall

A surfer rides a wave after Storm Eunice, in Padstow, Cornwall

Handout photo taken with permission from the Twitter feed of @john_morgan_wal showing a trampoline flying mid air during Storm Eunice in Builth Wells, mid Wales

Switch Island closed yesterday after debris hit a van windscreen, leaving a man injured

A fallen tree rests against a house blocking a road in Sudbury, Suffolk

Taking a tumble: A shopper struggles to negotiate a pedestrian crossing on London's Euston Road, and is rescued by a passer by

Astonishing footage from Croydon shows pedestrians being knocked to their feet and propelled across the tarmac by the powerful gusts

Debris from the rooftops of three houses torn off during Storm Eunice litter the pavement on Kilburn Park Road, north west London

Strong winds blew a tree into the front of a bus in Biggin Hill in London, adding to the clean-up bill for Storm Eunice. There were no reported injuries from the incident

Handout photo taken with permission from the Twitter feed of @thisissandbanks, of the scene at the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Poole, during Storm Eunice

Foo Fighter Dave Grohl cancels BBC appearance due to Eunice Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl cancelled his appearance on Saturday Kitchen Live after getting stuck in Hollywood following Storm Eunice. The rocker was planning to travel from America to appear as a guest on the BBC Two cooking show but was forced to cancel. Bastille lead singer Dan Smith stepped in at the last minute to 'save the day', show host Matt Tebbutt said. Tebbutt said: 'Our special guest was supposed to be the legendary Dave Grohl. Unfortunately, thanks to Storm Eunice, Dave is stuck in LA. 'Thankfully at the last minute, and I really mean the last minute, the lead singer of the brilliant Brit Award-winning band Bastille has come to save the day, and I could not be happier that he is here. I'm relieved.' Hundreds of flights to and from the UK were cancelled on Friday as planes struggled to land at airports due to high winds. Many were diverted or required several attempts before touching down as Eunice battered the country. Advertisement

The bridge, which connects the island of Anglesey with mainland Wales, is closed to all traffic except cars and car-derived vans.

There were one-hour delays on the M25 due to the closure of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge, which is part of the Dartford Crossing.

The RAC said the number of call-outs to broken-down vehicles was lower than normal, indicating that many people were 'taking the weather warnings seriously and not setting out'.

It added: 'The fact many roads are so clear is a sign that today is not a safe day to be driving.'

Transport for London urged people to avoid non-essential journeys in the capital.

As of Friday afternoon there were severe delays on to the tube's District Line, Jubilee Line and Piccadilly line, while TfL Rail was suspended.

The M4 Prince of Wales Bridge reopened on Friday afternoon. It was believed to be the first time both crossings had been closed at the same time due severe winds.

Areas affected by the warning could experience more bridge closures, travel delays and further power cuts.

Icy stretches are also expected widely across Northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, with some snow in the regions. Five flood warnings were also still in place.

Winds of 122mph were provisionally recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight on Friday, which, if verified, would be the highest ever recorded in England. The previous record was 118mph at Gwennap Head in Cornwall in 1979.

Yesterday, the Environment Agency issued 10 'danger to life' flood warnings for parts of the River Severn and the Wye Estuary. There were also 26 flood warnings and 101 flood alerts in force.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued one flood warning from Ayr to Troon, with five other flood alerts and one flood warning. And the Coastguard service urged people to stay at home.

The O2 could be closed 'for months' as music fans face uncertainty over upcoming performances at the venue after Eunice ripped the dome's roof apart. The popular arena in Greenwich was hard-hit by Friday's fierce winds, with large sections of the canvas roof being torn away. Upcoming gigs scheduled include rapper Dave on Monday and Tuesday, and UB40 on Friday.

In a post on Twitter, The O2 said it would remain closed this weekend.

'Due to adverse weather conditions, we can confirm that there has been some damage caused to the tent fabric in our roof at The O2', the statement said.

'The affected areas have been cleared and The O2 will remain closed tomorrow morning whilst urgent repairs take place.'

The venue's website said Friday's postponed show by Indian singer and rapper AP Dhillon in the Indigo At The O2 performance space had been rescheduled to Tuesday. There have been no updates yet as to whether Dave's shows in the main arena will go ahead.

Storm Eunice's 122mph winds blow down an 801ft-high chimney stack at gas-fired power station in Kent that supplies electricity to one million homes A chimney stack collapsed at a power station that supplies electricity to one million homes because of extreme winds during Storm Eunice. The central tower, one of three at Grain Power Station near Rochester, Kent, crumbled yesterday. The 500million gas-fired power station, which is a little more than a mile from the Kent coast, on the Isle of Grain, was forced to close temporarily. It has an operational capacity of 1,275 megawatts, which can power up to one million homes in the area. A chimney collapsed at a power plant on the Isle of Grain in Kent due to winds from Storm Eunice There are usually three towers (pictured) at the 500million Grain Power Station near Rochester The collapse came as at least four people were killed by falling trees and debris as Storm Eunice battered the UK with winds of up to 122mph It came as at least four people were killed by falling trees and debris as Storm Eunice battered the UK with winds of up to 122mph - causing widespread damage and travel chaos for millions across the country. The top wind speed of 122mph is provisionally highest gust ever in England - even higher than in the 1987 Great Storm. Uniper UK, which owns the plant, said there were no casualties and no risk to the public. It said: 'A weather-related incident has occurred at Grain power station, during storm Eunice. 'We can confirm that there are no casualties and there is no risk to the local community.'However, it has caused some damage on site and the power station has been temporarily taken offline as a precaution.' Advertisement

What those Big Jet TV landings looked like from INSIDE the cockpit as planespotter becomes a celebrity after 6.3million tuned in to his livestream of aircraft battling Storm Eunice

This is the incredible cockpit footage of a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 landing during yesterday's Storm Eunice at Heathrow Airport yesterday combined with Big Jet TV's animated commentary.

More than 200,000 people were watching the YouTube channel hosted by Jerry Dywer who was standing on his van at the end of Heathrow Airport's Runway 27 as aircraft battled the terrible conditions.

Qatar Airways captain Khalifa Al Thani had set up a camera in his cockpit ahead of his arrival in Heathrow which filmed him as he kept his aircraft lined up with the runway.

Ex Formula One World Champion Damon Hill saw footage of Captain Al Thani's aircraft handling and said: 'This commands respect.'

Ex Formula One World Champion Damon Hill saw Captain Al Thani's footage and said: 'This commands respect'

Captain Khalifa Al Thani, pictured, posted footage from inside the cockpit of his Boeing 777 as he battled with the controls to keep the jet lined up with Heathrow Airport's Runway 27L

Captain Al Thani combined his footage with Big Jet TV's dramatic excited commentary

Inside the cockpit, it was like an ordinary day in the office with no major drama, though on the ground Jerry Dyer of Big Jet TV said: 'Ooh easy... you've got to get it down soon, mate... ah ha ha, nicely done'

Dozens of aircraft had to abandon their approaches to Heathrow yesterday because the wind exceeded safe levels - making the Jet TV footage utterly compelling.

The eight-hour marathon broadcast showed one jet floating over the runway, prompting Mr Dyer: 'Ooh easy... you've got to get it down soon, mate... ah ha ha, nicely done.'

From inside the cockpit, the footage shows Captain Al Thani with one hand on the control yoke. His other hand was firmly on the massive jet's throttles.

Captain Al Thani was forced to make constant adjustments as he made his approach moving the yoke rapidly to counter the buffeting winds.

As the jet made its approach, Captain Al Thani's co-pilot monitored the instruments while he kept his eyes out of the cockpit and on the runway.

Captain Al Thani posted his in cockpit video on Instagram. He said: 'Huge thanks to 'Big Jet Tv' for the awesome coverage today and the exterior footage.'

As Mr Dwyer calls on the pilot to 'jump on the reversers', you can see Captain Al Thani's hands move to operate the thrust reversers which force the engine power forward to assist braking.

In total, more than five million people tuned into Big Jet TV's footage yesterday.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Dyer said: 'Yesterday, when the whole Storm Eunice, and prior to that Storm Dudley... I said in the morning... I wonder if we can possibly reach 30,000 people watching live, as many as we did during Storm Ciara.

Despite being buffeted by strong winds, Captain Al Thani was able to touch down on the runway's centre line in what has been described as a 'text book cross wind landing'

More than five million people watched BigJetTV's footage from Heathrow Airport yesterday

Aviation fan Jerry Dyer, pictured, hoped some 30,000 people would log onto his live feed yesterday. At one stage more than 220,000 people were watching the footage

'Every now and then you'd glance at the number of people watching and you're like, 88,000 people... 105,000 people - it was just going mad.

'At the end of the day we ended up with... normally we'd have about 100,000-plus views, and we had, from when I went to sleep last night, it was 5.5 million views.'

Mr Dyer said at one point there were 238,000 viewers watching live during the channel's peak popularity on Friday.

Today presenter Nick Robinson said: 'They dream of that at GB News, I'll tell you that. It was an extraordinary number of people watching.'

Britain's obsession with Big Jet TV's coverage yesterday spawned hundreds of memes

For an hour, the nation was obsessed whether a Qatar Airways Airbus A380 was going to be able to land on Runway 27L or would have to divert

Who is Jerry Dyer, the inspiration behind new internet sensation Big Jet TV? The maverick planespotter whose live feed and hilarious commentary as planes landed at Heathrow in the teeth of Storm Eunice yesterday 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 seven 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. 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' Jerry Dyer has a specially modified van which allows him to stand on the roof to provide a superior view of the runway 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 , Jerry replied: 'There's a group of them who have been doing it for 4 years! I think they secretly love us'. And yesterday'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. Advertisement

Power prices plunge after Storm Eunice's 122mph winds cause some of the highest-EVER output from Britain's wind turbines

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 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.

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, 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.

Yesterday'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'.

Damage to the roof of the O2 Arena - known as the Millennium Dome when it opened in 2000 - in South East London

Picture shows the missing brickwork from the rooftops of three houses torn off during Storm Eunice, on Kilburn Park Road in north west London

Isle of Man government is slammed for sexism after 'offensive' post saying Storm Eunice had 'changed her mind like most women'

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.'

How 1987 Great Storm claimed 18 lives, flattened 15million trees and caused 1.5billion worth of damage - after forecaster Michael Fish infamously told the nation 'don't worry, there isn't a hurricane on the way'

It was the 'hurricane' that made one BBC weatherman a household name, claimed 18 lives in Britain and caused damage costing 1.5billlion.

The Great Storm of October 1987 was brushed off by forecaster Michael Fish hours before it arrived, as he told viewers worried that a hurricane was on the way: 'don't worry if you're watching, there isn't'.

In the hours that followed, winds peaked at more than 120mph, damaging buildings, destroying entire forests as 15million trees were felled in the south-east of England and ultimately leading to tragedy as lives were lost.

Millions of homes were left without power, some for days, and a Channel ferry was driven ashore in what turned out to be the worst storm for nearly 300 years.

At some treasured visitor hotpots, including Emmetts Garden in Kent and Chartwell, the home of Sir Winston Churchill, thousands of trees were lost. At the former, only five per cent of woodland survived.

Elsewhere, entire forests - such as Sandlings Forest in East Anglia - lost nearly all their trees.

Highlighting the unprecedented nature of the storm, the Met Office 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'.

MailOnline readers today recalled their memories of the storm, with one, then aged 14, describing her fear as 'all the lights went out and it was pitch black in the house and outside'.

Another said: 'I was living in a tower block on an estate in Battersea on the 14th floor and it was terrifying watching other blocks swaying and the water in the toilet bowl splashing around.'

The phenomenon that made the weather event so fierce was a small area of highly intense wind known as a 'sting jet'.

It had been expected to form during today's Storm Eunice, before the Met Office later that the phenomenon will not develop after all.

The Met Office last night issued a rare 'red warning' for 100mph winds over southern England and urged millions of Britons to stay at home.

The Great Storm of October 1987 made one BBC weatherman a household name, claimed 18 lives in Britain and caused damage costing 1.5billlion. Above: A man in south-west London leaves a phone box knocked over by a falling tree after the famous storm

Winds peaked at more than 120mph, damaging buildings and felling 15million trees in the south-east of England. Millions of homes were left without power, some for days, and a Channel ferry was driven ashore in what turned out to be the worst storm for nearly 300 years

The 1987 storm took place over two nights, October 15 and 16. Signs that danger was developing in the Bay of Biscay off the coast of Spain emerged at midday on October 15.

When it started to move towards Britain, the job of explaining what might happen fell to Mr Fish on BBC One.

He told viewers shortly after 1pm: 'Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way; well, if you're watching, don't worry, there isn't.

'But having said that, actually, the weather will become very windy, but most of the strong winds, incidentally, will be down over Spain and across into France.'

As people went to bed that night, there was no warning of what was about to happen.

Shortly before midnight, weatherman Bill Giles said in the BBC's final weather forecast for the day: 'It looks like most of the strong winds will stay away, although it's still going to be very breezy up through the Channel and on the eastern side of the country.'

In the hours that followed, the storm swept across Britain, causing severe damage everywhere it went.

It was the Channel Islands that first felt the storm's full force, with trees falling and blocking roads.

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.

When the storm started to move towards Britain, the job of explaining what might happen fell to Mr Fish on BBC One. He told viewers shortly after 1pm: 'Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way; well, if you're watching, don't worry, there isn't

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. Above: A car crushed by a falling tree in London during the 1987 storm

The 1987 storm damaged the homes of thousands of Britons. Above: A homeowner observes the damage to his property

As for the millions of fallen trees, they forced the National Trust to embark on the biggest outdoor repair job in its history as it planted 500,000 replacement plants across the country. At Emmetts Garden (pictured) in Kent, only five per cent of the woodland escaped the battering

The hill behind Winston Churchill's family home of Chartwell lost most of its trees  but has since been restored

How 'sting jet' was defining feature of 1987 Great Storm The Great Storm in October 1987 is the most famous example of a sting jet forming, the forecaster said. In that instance wind speeds reached 120 mph and an estimated 15 million trees were brought down by gusts, the Met Office said. The jets get their name from their resemblance to the sting in a scorpion's tail, with the Met Office describing how they can be spotted as they develop on satellite images, where the end of the so-called cold conveyor is marked by a hook-shaped cloud with a point at the end. Explaining how these 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 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.' Advertisement

Thousands of homes were left without power for more than 24 hours, and trees fell onto roads and railway lines, causing severe disruption.

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.

In the aftermath of the storm, questions were raised over how the forecasters got it so wrong.

The Daily Mail's front page reflected the nation's anger as it asked: 'Why weren't we warned?'

However, Mr Fish was unrepentant immediately afterwards, as he referred to the woman who initially phoned in to express fears that a hurricane was on the way.

He said: 'The lady was form Wales, which didn't get the winds, and it was a deep depression, not a hurricane, so I was right'.

The Met Office's marketing director said afterwards: 'I don't think you can call it a mistake  we did forecast stormy weather, we just didn't get the detail right'.

The AA said that, had they had accurate forecasts, they would have warned motorists to get off the roads.

Instead, thousands of cars were crushed by trees, some with people inside.

The Daily Mail's original report said: 'The storm had struck with awesome indifference to human frailty or strength, affluence or poverty.

'Old age pensioners in seaside nursing homes were bundled out of their ripped-apart wards, weeping in the wind.

'Drivers of high-priced cars found them crushed and broken, side by side with old bangers equally destroyed.

'Death struck impartially, it claimed one victim here in a soft hotel bed, another there, sleeping rough on a vagrant's pavement.

'It took young and old. People died in their homes, in their cars or doing their jobs in the battle, against the storm's ravages.'

Kent was one of the worst hit areas, with winds of up to 120mph lashing the county.

In Chatham, a woman was crushed to death in her bed by a falling beech tree, while another victim in the village of Biddenden was killed when two chimney stacks collapsed on his roof and crushed him.

At Howletts Zoo in Canterbury, two leopards escaped when a tree fell on their compound, while looters in Brighton stole electrical goods from the city's main shopping area after outlets had their windows shattered.

The storm also forced thousands of shops, factories and offices to close, costing the British economy millions of pounds in lost profits.

As for the millions of fallen trees, they forced the National Trust to embark on the biggest outdoor repair job in its history as it planted 500,000 replacement plants across the country.

At Emmetts Garden in Kent, only five per cent of the woodland escaped the battering.

In the aftermath of the storm, questions were raised over how the forecasters got it so wrong. The Daily Mail's front page reflected the nation's anger as it asked: 'Why weren't we warned?'

The Daily Mail's original report said: 'The storm had struck with awesome indifference to human frailty or strength, affluence or poverty. 'Old age pensioners in seaside nursing homes were bundled out of their ripped-apart wards, weeping in the wind

The newspaper also recorded the immense economic cost of the storm, which hit thousands of businesses and the financial system itself

'It was like a battle zone,' gardener Alan Comb recalled in 2014. 'There were isolated trees sticking up like totem poles.'

At Knole, near Sevenoaks, Kent, sweet chestnuts and other trees fell like dominoes or were stripped of their leaves and branches.

The hill behind Winston Churchill's family home of Chartwell lost most of its trees  but has since been restored.

And the disruption stretched as far as the City of London's financial system, with cheques failing to clear  meaning that some Britons were left with their money in limbo.

The failure to accurately forecast the storm led to an internal inquiry in the Met Office, with refinements made to computer models and the training of weathermen.

The storm caused so much damage partly because of the sting jet which formed during it. At the time, forecasters were not aware that the jets existed.

They get their name from their resemblance to the sting in a scorpion's tail, with the Met Office describing how they can be spotted as they develop on satellite images, where the end of the so-called cold conveyor is marked by a hook-shaped cloud with a point at the end.

A light aircraft is seen lying upside down at Stapleford Abbotts airfield near Epping in Essex after the Great Storm in 1987

A Volkswagen Beetle is trapped under a fallen in the aftermath of the storm. 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

This shaken Briton is seen looking at what may have been his car, which had been crushed by a falling tree in the 1987 storm

The Daily Mail's original report said: 'The storm had struck with awesome indifference to human frailty or strength, affluence or poverty'. Above: A car surrounded by fallen scaffolding after the 1987 storm

Damage in London after the Great Storm, which was made so severe by the 'sting jet' phenomenon that is set to strike again today

A red Routemaster bus is seen driving past a broken tree in London in the aftermath of the October 1987 storm

This home was one of the many which was severely damaged by falling trees in the 1987 storm. The failure to accurately forecast the storm led to an internal inquiry in the Met Office, with refinements made to computer models and the training of weathermen

The forecaster defines a sting jet as a small area of very intense winds, which can be as strong as 100mph or more, that can form in powerful weather systems crossing the UK.

While the strongest winds usually take place for a short period of time, perhaps around four hours, and across an area as small as 30 miles, the Met Office said the phenomenon can cause 'significant damage and risk to life'.

Explaining how these 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 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.'
A journalist has punched a pro-Russian politician in the face on live TV in Ukraine and put him in a headlock in front of the former prime minister in a debate over Vladimir Putin.

The shocking brawl broke out between lawmaker Nestor Shufrych from the pro-Russian party Opposition Platform - For Life, and journalist Yuriy Butusov.

The politician was attacked by his fellow guest after he refused to condemn Vladimir Putin, as Russian troops amasses troops on the border for a potential invasion.

A Ukrainian journalist has punched a pro-Russian politician in the face on live TV and put him in a headlock

Shufrych was left bloodied after Butusov walked up to him and hit him in the face, with former PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk and ex-president Petro Poroshenko watching on.

Shufrych stood up to fight back and the two fell to the ground in the violent scrap before Butusov put his opponent in a headlock while the horrified guests pleaded with them to stop.

The two were eventually pulled apart and continued the discussion on Savik Shuster's Freedom of Speech talk show.

Shufrych had been asked if Putin is a murderer and a criminal but he refused to answer and said: 'Let Ukraine's authorities deal with that.'

The shocking brawl broke out between lawmaker Nestor Shufrych from the pro-Russian party Opposition Platform - For Life, and journalist Yuriy Butusov

The politician was attacked by his fellow guest after he refused to condemn Vladimir Putin, as Russian troops amasses troops on the border for a potential invasion

Former president Poroshenko slammed him for the remarks, saying: 'There's a Russian agent right here in the studio.'

The bitter spat comes as thousands of Ukrainian refugees are starting to stream into Russia today after Vladimir Putin's allies ordered a mass evacuation of two separatist republics as part of a suspected 'false flag' operation to provide the pretext for an invasion.

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas.

Hours later a car bomb rocked Donetsk in an alleged 'assassination attempt' of a top Putin-allied official, which Western intelligence agencies believe was faked as part of the 'false flag' deception.

Shufrych was left bloodied after Butusov walked up to him and hit him in the face, with former PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk and ex-president Petro Poroshenko watching on

Shufrych stood up to fight back and the two fell to the ground in the violent scrap before Butusov put his opponent in a headloc

Later two explosions at a 'gas pipeline' rocked the separatist city of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine in another suspected false flag attack.

Last night, US President said he is convinced the Russian premier has made up his mind to launch an invasion after amassing almost 200,000 troops on the border.

In a televised address from the White House, Mr Biden said he has reason to believe it will occur in the coming days and will include an assault on the capital Kyiv.

After weeks of saying the US was not sure if Mr Putin had made the final decision to launch a widespread invasion, Mr Biden said that assessment had changed.

As of this moment Im convinced hes made the decision, Mr Biden said. We have reason to believe that.

The two were eventually pulled apart and continued the discussion on Savik Shuster's Freedom of Speech talk show

He cited the United States significant intelligence capability for the assessment.

The Ukrainian civilian refugees will be housed in tent cities provided by Putin's government in Russia where they will receive a gift of $132.

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released.

Huge convoys of buses were laid on the for the refugees, after the evacuation was announced in video addresses by the leaders of the breakaway Republics which have also ordered a general mobilisation of all men to the army.

Multiple explosions could be heard on Saturday morning in the north of the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, a Reuters witness said. The origin was not immediately clear. Ukraine said earlier that one of its soldiers had been killed.

Denis Pushilin, the leader of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, has called on all men 'who are in the reserves to come to military conscription offices' following a mass evacuation of women and children in Ukraine's breakaway provinces to southern Russia.

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas. A woman says goodbye to her father through a bus window in Donetsk

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released.

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released.

Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the Luhansk separatist region in Ukraine, ordered a general mobilisation shortly afterwards.

Pushilin claimed his region's forces had prevented attacks he said were planned by Ukraine, and that the Ukrainian army had continued manoeuvres.

Separatist authorities on Friday announced plans to evacuate around 700,000 people, citing fears of an imminent attack by Ukrainian forces  an accusation Kiev flatly denied.

Less than 7,000 people had been evacuated from Donetsk as of Saturday morning, the local emergencies ministry said.

The Ukrainian military said it had recorded 12 ceasefire violations by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in the morning after 66 cases in the previous 24 hours. Separatist authorities also reported what they said was shelling by Ukrainian forces of several villages on Saturday. Both sides regularly trade blame for ceasefire violations.

An explosion was heard in rebel-held Luhansk, one of the main cities in Ukraine's breakaway region of People's Republic of Luhansk, according to reports

A car bomb sparked 'false flag' fears after it exploded near the headquarters of the pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic. Just hours later a fireball was seen lighting up the sky after an international oil pipeline running through the key rebel-held city of Luhansk blew up. The blast rocked the Druzhba pipeline which runs from Russia to various points in eastern and central Europe. On Thursday a shell blew a hole through the wall of kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska

Kiev has repeatedly denied any plans to regain control of separatist-held areas using force, including the Crimean peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014. More than 14,000 people have been killed in fighting between Ukraine's army and Russia's proxies.

It comes as Ukraine's army claimed today a soldier had been killed in the separatist east and Volodymyr Zelensky is heading to the Munich Security Conference, despite President Joe Biden's warning not to leave Ukraine through fear of an imminent invasion.

Yesterday Biden said he is now 'convinced' Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and assault the capital.

After weeks of saying that Washington was not sure if Putin had made the final decision, the US President said that his judgment had changed, citing American intelligence. He reiterated that the assault could occur in the 'coming days'.

His comments followed a day of rising violence that included a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling and a car bombing in the eastern city of Donetsk.
It is Mr Johnson's third trip to Europe for talks over a potential conflict breaking out in eastern Europe

ummit comes as President Biden warned Russian forces 'intend to attack' Ukraine in coming days

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Boris Johnson has warned an invasion of Ukraine appear to be 'in motion' and could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state' and 'the shock will echo around the world'.

The Prime Minister said that aggression in separatist-held areas in the east of Ukraine had the potential be a 'prelude to bigger action', with the West fearing a so-called 'false flag' operation that could give Moscow cover to wage war on Kyiv.

Mr Johnson made the comments to broadcasters following his speech to the Munich Security Conference, where he is meeting world leaders to discuss the tension in eastern Europe.

Speaking at the summit today, Mr Johnson said the 'omens are grim' from Russia on the possibility of an invasion in the coming days, and that the world could not 'underestimate the gravity of this moment'.

While in Munich, Mr Johnson has held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy - to whom he offered the UK's 'unequivocal support' - and has met German chancellor Olaf Scholz and the leaders of Latvia and Estonia.

Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mr Johnson said: 'If Ukraine is invaded and if Ukraine is overwhelmed, we will witness the destruction of a democratic state, a country that has been free for a generation, with a proud history of elections.

Mr Boris jetted to the annual conference in Bavaria to make a plea to avoid 'unnecessary bloodshed' by diplomatic means if the West speaks with 'one voice'.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told world leaders at the Munich Security Conference that an invasion of Ukraine by Russia would bring about the 'destruction of a democratic state', as he called for unity among the West in reacting to any attack

Mr Boris jetted to the annual summit in Bavaria to make a plea to avoid 'unnecessary bloodshed' by diplomatic means if the West speaks with 'one voice'. Pictured: The Prime Minister meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Johnson used the summit to address the rising tensions over a potential war breaking out with a Russian invasion of Ukraine

While in Munich, Mr Johnson has met with new German chancellor Olaf Scholz (pictured together) and the leaders of Latvia and Estonia

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson pose for media prior to their meeting

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference today, the Prime Minister said the 'omens are grim' from Russia on the possibility of an invasion in the coming days, and that the world could not 'underestimate the gravity of this moment'

In a video posted on social media, the Mr Johnson said: 'Unity is absolutely vital if we are going to deter what I think would be an absolutely catastrophic act of aggression by Vladimir Putin'

'And every time Western ministers have visited Kyiv, we have reassured the people of Ukraine and their leaders that we stand four-square behind their sovereignty and independence.

'How hollow, how meaningless, how insulting those words would seem if at the very moment when their sovereignty and independence is imperilled we simply look away.

'If Ukraine is invaded, the shock will echo around the world, and those echoes will be heard in East Asia they will be heard in Taiwan.

Speaking about Ukraine tensions, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the 'omens are grim' from Russia.

He added: 'We should not underestimate the gravity of this moment and what is at stake.

'As I speak to you today, we do not fully know what President Putin intends, but the omens are grim and that is why we must stand strong together.

Mr Johnson was joined in Munich by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who met with counterparts including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Speaking at the summit, Ms Truss said Uraine could face the worst-case scenario of a Russian invasion as soon as next week, and that Europe was facing one of its most perilous security situations since the early 20th century.

'The reality is that Russia does want to turn the clock back,' said Truss.

'In the last week alone, we've seen a doubling of disinformation, and we've seen false flag operations in the Donbass region. I'm afraid that Russia has shown that they are not serious about diplomacy.'

The Prime Minister has arrived at the Munich Security Conference where he will make a plea for 'unnecessary bloodshed' to be avoided by pursuing a diplomatic route to prevent a conflict in eastern Europe

Boris Johnson met with Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Latvian President Egils Levits during the summit

Before his arrival at the security conference in Germany, Mr Johnson posted a video on social media from his plane in which he said: 'Unity is absolutely vital if we are going to deter what I think would be an absolutely catastrophic act of aggression by Vladimir Putin.

'My message today is that there is still time to avert a disaster, that diplomacy will prevail.'

It is Mr Johnson's third trip to Europe this month to meet allies to discuss the situation in Ukraine, having met NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg and Poland's leaders last week.

He also held a meeting with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on February 1, where Mr Johnson said: 'A further Russian invasion of Ukraine would be a political disaster, a humanitarian disaster, and in my view it would also be for Russia and the world a military disaster.'

Whitehall figures are now said to be convinced Vladimir Putin is planning to order Russian forces to attack.

Melinda Simmons, the British ambassador to Ukraine, has said she hopes to be working in the Ukrainian capital again 'as soon as possible' after it was announced the UK's embassy was being 'temporarily' relocated to the west of the country, near the border of Poland.

World leaders are convening in Bavaria as fears grow that instability in Russian separatist-held areas of Ukraine could spark an invasion by Moscow forces.

The annual summit comes against a backdrop of President Joe Biden warning that the US has reason to believe Russian forces 'intend to attack' Ukraine in the coming days, including targeting the capital Kyiv - a city with a population of 2.8 million people.

Mr Biden told a White House press briefing on Friday he was 'convinced' Mr Putin had 'made the decision' to move his military across the border, having spent weeks saying he thought the Russian leader was undecided.

Mr Johnson was joined in Munich by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who met with counterparts including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Speaking at the summit, Ms Truss said that Russia actions in the last week showed that they 'were not serious about diplomacy'

World leaders are convening in Bavaria as fears grow that instability in Russian separatist-held areas of Ukraine could spark an invasion by Moscow forces. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is also at the summit, pictured here with other foreign ministers

The annual summit comes against a backdrop of President Joe Biden warning that the US has reason to believe Russian forces 'intend to attack' Ukraine in the coming days, including targeting the capital Kyiv - a city with a population of 2.8 million people

Only hours before his statement, the UK Foreign Office announced it had decided to 'temporarily' move its diplomats out of Kyiv, relocating them to the west of the country.

The department said British embassy officials will relocate to Lviv, situated near the border with Poland.

With estimates that 150,000 Russian troops are posted around Ukraine's borders, Mr Johnson has previously called the situation 'very grim'.

But in comments made before embarking on his trip to Germany, the Prime Minister said 'diplomacy can still prevail' if the West puts on a united front in terms of agreeing punishing sanctions to slap on Moscow.

'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.

'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.

'That is the message I will take to Munich today as we redouble our efforts to prevent a grave miscalculation which would devastate Ukraine, Russia and the rest of Europe.'

The Bavarian summit will take place against the backdrop of Mr Putin continuing to parade Russia's military might. Pictured: Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko oversee joint military drills from the situation room in the Kremlin

Tank army units loaded onto a troop train return from recent routine drills to permanent deployment sites

The Bavarian summit will take place against the backdrop of Mr Putin continuing to parade Russia's military might.

Vladimir Putin today personally oversaw a series of the nuclear as he sends a MIG armed with a hypersonic missile over the Mediterranean amid increasing fears of an imminent invasion of Ukraine.

Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko joined Putin in the Kremlin's situation to watch over the strategic drills on screens.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today's drills 'should not cause anyone concern' and said Russia had informed the proper channels.

Russia holds huge strategic drills every year but today's manoeuvres include the Black Sea Fleet, based on the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

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.

There are concerns among western allies that the Kremlin could use 'disinformation' and a possible 'false flag' operation to justify an offensive, particularly with growing activity in separatist-held areas of Ukraine.

Mr Biden said claims by Russian separatists that Ukraine is planning to launch an offensive into the battle-torn Donbas region 'defies basic logic', given the country is currently surrounded by foreign troops.

The annual summit comes against a backdrop of President Joe Biden warning that the US has reason to believe Russian forces 'intend to attack' Ukraine in the coming days, including targeting the capital Kyiv - a city with a population of 2.8 million people. Pictured: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the conference today

The US leader also said suggestions made in the Russian state media that a genocide is taking place in the Donbas were 'phoney'.

Tensions in separatist areas have increased with reports of separate explosions in recent days.

Two explosions shook the rebel-controlled city of Luhansk early on Saturday, while another was reported to have occurred in the centre of the city of Donetsk on Friday.

The Luhansk Information Centre 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.

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.
The National Archives said Friday that records taken from the White House by former President Donald Trump in early 2021 included classified national security material, and that it has informed the Justice Department about the situation.

Items labeled as classified national security information within the boxes that Trump kept at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, according to the NSA. The National Archives and Records Administration wrote to Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, informing her of the situation.

The letter also stated that since NARA discovered classified information in the boxes, NARA personnel has been in discussion with the Department of Justice, according to David S. Ferriero, the national archivist.

Donald Trump Takes Classified Items to Mar-a-Lago

The Archives did not provide any information on its interactions with Justice Department authorities or the nature of the sensitive materials maintained in Florida by Trump, as per USA Today.

Maloney, the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, has urged the National Archives and the Justice Department to look into whether Trump broke the Presidential Records Act. When a chief executive leaves office, he or she is required by law to give over all official records.

According to The Washington Post, it's still unknown how many secret documents were found in the 15 boxes of materials, or what the Justice Department will do about it. A spokeswoman for the FBI declined to comment, and a Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a message.

According to Ferriero, the National Archives was inventorying the contents of the boxes and anticipated to finish by Feb. 25. He also stated that the agency has requested former President Trump's representatives to continue their search for any further Presidential documents that have not been delivered to NARA, as required by the Presidential Records Act.

The National Archives had identified certain social media records that were not captured and preserved by the Trump Administration, according to Ferriero, who also discovered that some White House staffers were conducting official business using non-official messaging accounts and not copying those records to official channels as required.

Read Also: Poll: Most Democrats Urge To Investigate Hillary Clinton Over Russiagate Scandal

FBI May Investigate for Leak of Sensitive Materials

Trump's years of defiance of the Presidential Records Act, which requires the preservation of memoranda, letters, notes, emails, faxes, and other written communications pertaining to a president's official duties, as well as other unorthodox record-keeping methods, have long been a source of controversy. Taking boxes to Mar-a-Lago, on the other hand, may put Trump in legal trouble.

When sensitive materials are leaked into the public domain, the FBI is usually called in to investigate. Prosecutors, on the other hand, have a high legal hurdle in proving criminal charges since they must show that someone purposefully mismanaged the evidence or was extremely negligent in doing so.

As president, Trump would have had unrestricted power to declassify information, perhaps making establishing a case against him even more difficult. During his presidential campaign, Trump raged at Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state, for her handling of confidential information, claiming she should be imprisoned.

Clinton was investigated by the FBI for possibly mishandling classified information when she was Secretary of State, but she was never indicted because investigators found they couldn't establish she meant to mishandle sensitive information.

The archivists' letter also noted that the Trump administration failed to capture and preserve some social media information. It was also stated that the CIA discovered the White House officials used unofficial messaging accounts and personal phones to perform official work.

Maloney said in a statement announcing the probe last week that Trump was obliged by law to turn over the records to the National Archives before leaving office and that legislators are interested in knowing more about the contents of the boxes found at Mar-a-Lago. In response to her request for information on the contents of the boxes, the agency cited the records as a barrier to disclosure, SCMP reported.

Related Article: Donald Trump-Stormy Daniels Issue: Secret Service Agent "Not Pleased" After Ex-POTUS Used Phone To Call Melania Trump

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The Australian Defence Department has strongly condemned 'unsafe military conduct' after an incident involving a defence force aircraft and a Chinese vessel.

The lives of Australian Defence Force personnel could have been in danger after an aircraft detected a laser coming from a Chinese ship, the Australian Defence Department says.

On Thursday February 17, the P-8A Poseidon detected a laser illuminating the aircraft while in flight over Australia's northern approaches, Defence says.

On Thursday February 17, the P-8A Poseidon detected a laser illuminating the aircraft from this boat pictured while in flight over Australia's northern approaches, Defence says.

The vessel was in the company of another Chinese ship and sailing east through the Arafura Sea at the time of the incident. Pictured is the defence department's trace of their movements

The laser was detected coming from a People's Liberation Army Navy vessel, a statement on Saturday said.

'Illumination of the aircraft by the Chinese vessel is a serious safety incident,' it says.

'We strongly condemn unprofessional and unsafe military conduct.

'These actions could have endangered the safety and lives of the ADF personnel.'

The vessel was in the company of another Chinese ship and sailing east through the Arafura Sea at the time of the incident.

Both ships have since passed through the Torres Strait and are in the Coral Sea.

The laser was detected coming from a People's Liberation Army Navy vessel (pictured), a statement on Saturday said
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The NATO chief has warned the signals coming out of Russia suggest that Moscow is readying for a 'full-fledged attack' on Ukraine, after Vladimir Putin put on a show of military strength today with huge new nuclear drills.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO chief, warned that the risk of an attack is 'very high', echoing US warnings that Russian troops dotted along Ukraine's border are 'uncoiling' and 'poised to strike'.

'Every indication indicates that Russia is planning a full-fledged attack against Ukraine,' Stoltenberg told German broadcaster ARD on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

'We all agree that the risk of an attack is very high.'

The United States dominates NATO, and US President Joe Biden on Friday said he was "convinced" Russia was going to invade Ukraine within the week, and have its forces target Ukraine's capital Kyiv.

NATO is relocating staff from Kyiv to Lviv, in the west of the country, and to the Belgian capital Brussels, which houses NATO's headquarters, for their safety, an alliance official said Saturday.

'The safety of our personnel is paramount, so staff have been relocated to Lviv and Brussels. The NATO offices in Ukraine remain operational,' the official told AFP, without giving numbers.

Several Western countries have already moved diplomats from Kiev to Lviv, located near the border with Poland, in anticipation of Russian military action.

Fears of tensions boiling over were backed up by figures released Saturday by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which showed there were more than 1,400 explosions in the rebel held regions of Donetsk and Luhansk on Friday.

The OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission that is deployed in the conflict zone said it had logged 553 explosions in Donetsk and a further 860 in neighbouring Luhansk - adding that it had confirmed one civilian casualty in a government-controlled area of Donetsk.

It put the total number of ceasefire violations on Friday at more than 1,500, compared with 870 the day before, suggesting an upwards trajectory of gunfire and mortars.

Ukraine's Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskiy experienced the clashes first-hand Saturday, ducking for cover as mortar shells fell within a few hundred metres of him while he toured the frontline with reporters.

It came as US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Saturday during a visit to Lithuania that Russian troops dotted along Ukraine's border are 'uncoiling' and 'poised to strike'.

He added that troops were 'moving into the right kinds of positions to be able to conduct an attack'.

Meanwhile, Putin put on a show of military strength today with huge new nuclear drills involving ballistic missiles, submarines, tank convoys and ship-based missiles.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg (pictured) warned that the risk of an attack is 'very high', echoing US warnings that Russian troops dotted along Ukraine's border are 'uncoiling' and 'poised to strike'

Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko oversee joint military drills from the situation room in the Kremlin

Huge flames and smoke fill the air after a gas pipeline was struck in the Lugansk region of Ukraine, amid fears of a Russian invasion 'within days'

Dramatic moment militants open fire on the Ukrainian interior minister and journalists in eastern Ukraine on Saturday

Radio Liberty's Ukrainian service correspondent Maryan Kushnir (pictured), who filmed the clip, could be heard shouting: 'Lie down, lie down,' then 'run, run!....to the car, to the car!'

A breathless Kushnir (pictured) says to the camera: 'Right now, we're with the minister of internal affairs and they started shooting with mortars, as you can see.'

A mixed air striking group performs a bomb strike during the Allied Resolve 2022 joint military drills held by Belarusian and Russian troops at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground

In a released photo, the Russian president and Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko - often dubbed the 'Europe's last dictator' - can be seen watching the sabre-rattling drills from a situation room in the Kremlin.

It came as world leaders gathered at the Munich Security Conference in Germany today - where Boris Johnson warned a Russian invasion of Ukraine could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state', adding that 'the shock will echo around the world'.

The Prime Minister said the 'omens are grim' from Russia on the possibility of an invasion in the coming days, and that the world could not 'underestimate the gravity of this moment'.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Western powers at the conference to stop their 'appeasement' of Russia and warned sanctions will not work on Moscow once the bombing starts - which earned him a standing ovation from world leaders.

The conference had echoes of the 1938 summit in Munich in which leaders agreed a policy of appeasement against Adolf Hitler's Germany in an effort to prevent an imminent war.

Mr Zelensky said today: 'Ukraine has received security guarantees for abandoning the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal. We have no weapons. And no security ...

'But we have a right - a right to demand a shift from a policy of appeasement to one ensuring security and peace.'

He added: 'For eight years, Ukraine has been a shield. For eight years, Ukraine has been holding back one of the greatest armies in the world.'

Elsewhere, NATO is relocating staff from Kyiv to Lviv, in the west of the country, and to the Belgian capital Brussels, for their safety, an alliance official said Saturday.

Ukraine is not a member of NATO, and the alliance does not have any forces there, but since the late 1990s it has maintained two offices in Kyiv - a NATO Liaison Office and a NATO Information and Documentation Centre.

The liaison office's job is keep up dialogue between NATO and Ukraine's government while encouraging a democratic transformation of Ukraine's defence and security sector.

According to NATO's website, it consisted of a civilian head leading a mixed team of NATO military and civilian personnel. The web page, last updated in 2016, said there were a total of 16 staff.

A view of a gas pipeline hit by a blast in Frunze Street, Lugansk, Ukraine on Saturday night. Several gas pipelines were blown up in the region amid escalating tensions in the east of the country

Close up shows flames bursting from an exploded gas pipeline in Lugansk, Ukraine, as tensions with Russia escalated to new heights on Saturday

Boris Johnson has warned an invasion of Ukraine could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state' and 'the shock will echo around the world'. Pictured: The Prime Minister meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian soldier rests a rocket launcher on his shoulder during a military drill at an unknown location in Ukraine on Saturday - as tensions with Russia reach boiling point

A tank travels through mud during a Ukrainian military drill on Saturday as the country braces for a potential Russian invasion

Residents of the Lugansk People's Republic get on a bus at the Lugansk bus terminal before evacuation to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region late on Friday night

Ukrainian troops patrol at the frontline outside the town of Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine, on February 19, 2022

Ukrainian troops patrol the town of Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine, on February 19 - after two soldiers were reportedly killed Saturday by Russian-backed separatists

The NATO Information and Documentation Centre's number of personnel was not disclosed. Its job was to inform the Ukrainian public about NATO and support Ukrainian institutions in their communications.

Stoltenberg has previously said that the alliance will not deploy any forces into Ukraine to defend it from any Russian aggression.

But NATO members have sent forces to neighbouring countries which are alliance members, and Stoltenberg has said NATO member countries will vigorously react to any Russian action in those territories, under its collective defence pact.

It comes as the Russians are continuing their 'false flag' operations in Eastern Ukraine, seemingly designed to provoke conflict.

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees are starting to stream into Russia today after Vladimir Putin's allies ordered a mass evacuation of two separatist republics as part of a suspected 'false flag' operation to provide the pretext for an invasion.

Up to 700,000 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas.

Hours later a car bomb rocked Donetsk in an alleged 'assassination attempt' of a top Putin-allied official, which Western intelligence agencies believe was faked as part of the 'false flag' deception.

Evacuees from the Donetsk People's Republic arrive Saturday at a refugee camp organised at the Kotlostroitel children's health centre in the village of Krasny Desant, Neklinovsky, Russia

Photos released Saturday show Ukrainian paratroopers taking part in exercises in an undisclosed location in Ukraine

Ukrainian troops patrol at the frontline outside the town of Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine, on February 19, 2022

Ukrainian Soldiers in camouflaged gear huddle in front of an armoured vehicle during a military drill in Ukraine

A militant of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) reads out names of men registered at a military mobilisation point in a school in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, on Saturday

Reservists queue at a mobilisation centre for citizens of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine on Saturday

Civilians take part in a military training course conducted by a Christian Territorial Defence Unit on February 19, 2022 in Kiev, Ukraine

Using wooden guns modelled on Kalashnikovs, residents in Kiev receive military training in the event of Russian invasion

Russia's Acting Emergencies Minister Alexander Chupriyan (right) visits a tent camp set up by the Russian Emergencies Ministry at the Matveyev Kurgan border checkpoint for evacuees from the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine

A woman evacuated from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine kisses a child in a tent camp set up by the Russian Emergencies Ministry at the Matveyev Kurgan border checkpoint

Buses carrying evacuees from Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, arrive at a refugee camp organised at the Kotlostroitel children's health centre in the village of Krasny Desant, Neklinovsky District, Russia

Russian Emergencies Ministry employees set up a tent camp for people evacuated from Donetsk at the Matveyev Kurgan border checkpoint

Russian Emergencies Ministry employees transport a bunk bed as they set up a tent camp for people evacuated from the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, at the Matveyev Kurgan border checkpoint

Civilians of all ages receive military training at an old industrial plant in the Desnianskyi district, outside Kiev, on Saturday

A Ukrainian soldier takes aim while training residents in Kiev in the event of a Russian invasion

Ukrainian soldiers in camouflaged gear take a break while training civilians in how to defend against a Russian invasion, near Kiev on Saturday

A Ukrainian soldier peers through binoculars while helping to train civilians in Desnianskyi, just outside Kiev on Saturday

Ukrainian soldiers don balaclavas while training citizens in a district just outside Kiev on Saturday

Civilians receive training from the Ukrainian military at an old industrial plant in the Desnianskyi district outside Kiev on Saturday

A rebel soldier from the self-declared Donetsk Peoples Republic watches on as residents are evacuated and shipped off to Russia on Saturday

A woman waves from a train carriage to be evacuated to Russia, at the railway station in Debaltseve, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine

Residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait for a train at the Donetsk-2 railway station as they evacuate to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region on Saturday

A man helps a small child put on a glove as they wait for a train at the Donetsk-2 railway station as they evacuate to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region on Saturday

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk (pictured: evacuation in Donetsk on Saturday) and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas

Volunteers are seen during mobilisation process in military, at pro-Russian separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine on Saturday

Local residents of pro-Russian separatist-controlled city of Donetsk are seen during evacuation process in Rostov region on Saturday

Women take part in a military exercise for civilians conducted by veterans of the Ukrainian National Guard Azov battalion in Kharkiv, Ukraine on February 19, 2022

Reservists take part in a tactical training and individual combat skills conducted by the Territorial Defense of the Capital in Kyiv on Saturday

Later two explosions at a 'gas pipeline' rocked the separatist city of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine in another suspected false flag attack.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's president has called on the West to stop their 'appeasement' of Russia and warned sanctions will not work on Moscow once the bombing starts, to a standing ovation from world leaders.

Volodymyr Zelensky told a security forum in Munich that his country deserves stronger international support after acting as a buffer against Russian expansion.

The conference had echoes of the 1938 summit in Munich in which leaders agreed a policy of appeasement against Adolf Hitler's Germany in an effort to prevent an imminent war.

Zelensky said today: 'Ukraine has received security guarantees for abandoning the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal. We have no weapons. And no security...

'But we have a right - a right to demand a shift from a policy of appeasement to one ensuring security and peace.'

He added: 'For eight years, Ukraine has been a shield. For eight years, Ukraine has been holding back one of the greatest armies in the world.'

The Kremlin nuclear drills also involved Mig fighter bombers armed with hypersonic missiles patrolling over the Mediterranean from their bases in Syria.

The Russian leader is personally overseeing the nuclear exercises involving 'strategic forces' which will include practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko is joining Putin in the situation room in the Kremlin to watch over the strategic drills.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today's drills 'should not cause anyone concern' and said Russia had informed the proper channels.

Russia holds huge strategic drills every year but today's manoeuvres include the Black Sea Fleet, based on the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

Meanwhile, top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine and were forced to flee to a bomb shelter before leaving the area.

A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is launched during Russian training drills as part of the strategic exercises today

Tanks move during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Smoke and flame rise over a field during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

A handout still image taken from handout video made available by the Russian Defence ministry press-service shows launch of a cruise missile of the operational-tactical missile system 'Iskander' from at the Kapustin Yar training ground, Russia, 19 February 2022

Two Tu-22M3 bombers escorted by Su-35 fighters of the Russian air force fly during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills

A Russian nuclear submarine sails in an unknown location during exercises by nuclear forces involving the launch of ballistic missiles, in this still image taken from video released February 19, 2022

Russian guided missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov fires the Tsirkon hypersonic missile during the exercises by nuclear forces in an unknown location

A Russian Tu-95MS air-launched cruise missile is tested as part of a planned exercise of strategic deterrence forces

Russian and Belarusian multi-role combat helicopters Mi-35M attend the joint operational exercise of the armed forces

Reservists take part in a tactical training and individual combat skills conducted by the Territorial Defense of the Capital in Kyiv on Saturday

A resident learns how to point and shoot with a wooden stick as she takes part in a military exercise for civilians conducted by Christian Territorial Defence in Ukraine

Russian and Belarusian multi-role combat helicopters Mi-35M attend the joint operational exercise of the armed forces of Belarus and Russia

A Tu-22M3 Russian bomber flies over the Mediterranean after taking off from the Hemeimeem air base in Syria in Putin's latest show of force

Military helicopters fly over tanks and armored vehicles moving during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas. A woman says goodbye to her father through a bus window in Donetsk

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic are placed in tents in the refugee camp in Rostov on Don, Rostov region, Russia

Russian and Belarusian servicemen conduct joint drills at a firing range in the Brest region of Belarus

Tank army units loaded onto a troop train return from recent routine drills to permanent deployment sites

Fighter jets fly during the joint military drills of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus at a firing range in the Brest Region

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait in a bus to enter Russia at the customs post 'Matveev Kurgan' in Rostov region

The head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin announced a general mobilisation

Boris Johnson warns Russian invasion will 'echo around the world' Boris Johnson has warned an invasion of Ukraine could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state' and 'the shock will echo around the world'. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference today, the Prime Minister said the 'omens are grim' from Russia on the possibility of an invasion in the coming days, and that the world could not 'underestimate the gravity of this moment'. Boris jetted to the annual summit in Bavaria to make a plea to avoid 'unnecessary bloodshed' by diplomatic means if the West speaks with 'one voice'. In a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mr Johnson said: 'If Ukraine is invaded and if Ukraine is overwhelmed, we will witness the destruction of a democratic state, a country that has been free for a generation, with a proud history of elections. 'And every time Western ministers have visited Kyiv, we have reassured the people of Ukraine and their leaders that we stand four-square behind their sovereignty and independence. 'How hollow, how meaningless, how insulting those words would seem if at the very moment when their sovereignty and independence is imperilled we simply look away. 'If Ukraine is invaded, the shock will echo around the world, and those echoes will be heard in East Asia they will be heard in Taiwan.' Advertisement

Russia has also sent a MIG-31K and a Tu-22M3 bomber over the Mediterranean in another show of force amid the rising tensions.

The warplane is deployed with the new ultra high speed Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles.

The 24-foot-long, one-ton Kinzhal - or Dagger - can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, and Russia boasts it has no match among Western defences.

The hypersonic Kinzhal has a range of 1,250 miles and could pummel Ukrainian troops and defences without flying close to the country.

Russia is believed to have around 20 Kinzhal-compatible MiG-31Ks in total.

Video footage has also emerged which graphically demonstrates the sheer intensity of the bombardment that Russian-backed forces have unleashed on Ukraine in the last two days.

In night-time footage taken from the port city of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, just a few miles from the front line, shells could be heard raining down almost incessantly on Ukrainian positions for five hours.

The distant flashes from the exploding 122mm and 152mm heavy artillery and mortars on the video posted on censor.net were reminiscent of WW1 trench warfare.

One resident of the city posted on Facebook: 'No-one in Mariupol is sleeping tonight.'

According to the Ukrainian government there were a total of 66 ceasefire violations by the pro-Russian rebels overnight, involving hundreds of shells.

In a separate incident at a front-line checkpoint at Schastia, which ironically means 'Happiness' in Ukrainian, more incoming shells blasted onto a car park in daytime CCTV footage provided by the Ukraine government.

Shelling also damaged a pumping station in Donetsk Oblast, threatening water supply to 46 towns and villages in the Ukrainian-controlled parts of the region, Ukraine's authorities reported.

Amid the new drills today, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said the troops on the border are 'uncoiling' and 'poised to strike' during a visit to Lithuania.

This photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, shows a MiG-31K fighter of the Russian air force carrying a Kinzhal hypersonic cruise missile parked at an air field during a military drills

An airman checks a Russian Air Force MiG-31 fighter jet prior a flight with Kinzhal hypersonic missile during a drill in an unknown location in Russia, in this still image taken from video released February 19, 2022

A Belarusian Army military helicopter flies over tanks and armored vehicles moving during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Military jets drop bombs flying over a field during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Smoke rise over a field during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

A military helicopter flies next to a flock of birds in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol, Crimea

Tanks move during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

A Russian paratrooper takes part in a force inspection at the Obuz-Lesnovsky firing range in Belarus today

Tanks and armoured vehicles move during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground

Russian Tu-95MS bomber aircraft flies during the Grom-2022 Strategic Deterrence Force exercise amid threat of an invasion

The Russian leader is personally overseeing the nuclear exercises involving 'strategic forces' which will include practice launches

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today's drills 'should not cause anyone concern' and said Russia had informed the proper channels

Civilians train with members of the Georgian Legion, a paramilitary unit formed mainly by ethnic Georgian volunteers, to fight against the Russian aggression in Ukraine

Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine have ordered a full military mobilisation amid growing fears in the West that Russia is planning to invade the neighbouring country

'They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike,' he said, adding that troops were 'moving into the right kinds of positions to be able to conduct an attack'.

Meanwhile Boris Johnson warned an invasion of Ukraine could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state' and 'the shock will echo around the world'.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference today, the Prime Minister said the 'omens are grim' from Russia on the possibility of an invasion in the coming days, and that the world could not 'underestimate the gravity of this moment'.

Mr Boris jetted to the annual summit in Bavaria to make a plea to avoid 'unnecessary bloodshed' by diplomatic means if the West speaks with 'one voice'.

In a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mr Johnson said: 'If Ukraine is invaded and if Ukraine is overwhelmed, we will witness the destruction of a democratic state, a country that has been free for a generation, with a proud history of elections.

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic arrive to the refugee camp in Rostov on Don, Rostov region

People sit in a bus for their evacuation in Donetsk on February amid fears of an imminent invasion with troops massed on the border

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees are streaming into Russia today after Putin's allies ordered a mass evacuation

It comes as thousands of Ukrainian refugees are streaming into Russia today after Putin's allies ordered a mass evacuation of two separatist republics as part of a suspected 'false flag' operation to provide the pretext for an invasion.

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas.

Hours later a car bomb rocked Donetsk in an alleged 'assassination attempt' of a top Putin-allied official, which Western intelligence agencies believe was faked as part of the 'false flag' deception.

Later two explosions at a 'gas pipeline' rocked the separatist city of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine in another suspected false flag attack.

Last night, US President said he is 'convinced' the Russian premier has made up his mind to launch an invasion after amassing almost 200,000 troops on the border.

In a televised address from the White House, Mr Biden said he has 'reason to believe' it will occur in the 'coming days' and will include an assault on the capital Kyiv.

After weeks of saying the US was not sure if Mr Putin had made the final decision to launch a widespread invasion, Mr Biden said that assessment had changed.

'As of this moment I'm convinced he's made the decision,' Mr Biden said. 'We have reason to believe that.'

He cited the United States' 'significant intelligence capability' for the assessment.

The Ukrainian civilian refugees will be housed in tent cities provided by Putin's government in Russia where they will receive a gift of $132.

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released.

Huge convoys of buses were laid on the for the refugees, after the evacuation was announced in video addresses by the leaders of the breakaway Republics which have also ordered a general mobilisation of all men to the army.

Multiple explosions could be heard on Saturday morning in the north of the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, a Reuters witness said. The origin was not immediately clear. Ukraine said earlier that one of its soldiers had been killed.

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas. A woman says goodbye to her father through a bus window in Donetsk

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released.

A boy looks through a bus window waiting to be evacuated to Russia, in Donetsk, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, eastern Ukraine

Denis Pushilin, the leader of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, has called on all men 'who are in the reserves to come to military conscription offices' following a mass evacuation of women and children in Ukraine's breakaway provinces to southern Russia.

Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the Luhansk separatist region in Ukraine, ordered a general mobilisation shortly afterwards.

Pushilin claimed his region's forces had prevented attacks he said were planned by Ukraine, and that the Ukrainian army had continued manoeuvres.

Separatist authorities on Friday announced plans to evacuate around 700,000 people, citing fears of an imminent attack by Ukrainian forces  an accusation Kiev flatly denied.

Less than 7,000 people had been evacuated from Donetsk as of Saturday morning, the local emergencies ministry said.

The Ukrainian military said it had recorded 12 ceasefire violations by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in the morning after 66 cases in the previous 24 hours. Separatist authorities also reported what they said was shelling by Ukrainian forces of several villages on Saturday. Both sides regularly trade blame for ceasefire violations.

Kiev has repeatedly denied any plans to regain control of separatist-held areas using force, including the Crimean peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014. More than 14,000 people have been killed in fighting between Ukraine's army and Russia's proxies.

It comes as Ukraine's army claimed today a soldier had been killed in the separatist east and Volodymyr Zelensky is heading to the Munich Security Conference, despite President Joe Biden's warning not to leave Ukraine through fear of an imminent invasion.

Yesterday Biden said he is now 'convinced' Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and assault the capital.

After weeks of saying that Washington was not sure if Putin had made the final decision, the US President said that his judgment had changed, citing American intelligence. He reiterated that the assault could occur in the 'coming days'.

His comments followed a day of rising violence that included a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling and a car bombing in the eastern city of Donetsk.

Huge convoys of buses were laid on the for the refugees, after the evacuation was announced in video addresses by the leaders of the breakaway Republics

An explosion was heard in rebel-held Luhansk, one of the main cities in Ukraine's breakaway region of People's Republic of Luhansk, according to reports

In this photo made from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on February 19, 2022, a Russian marine takes his position during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus

People board a bus during the evacuation of residents to Russia, in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, February 19, 2022

A car bomb sparked 'false flag' fears after it exploded near the headquarters of the pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic. Just hours later a fireball was seen lighting up the sky after an international oil pipeline running through the key rebel-held city of Luhansk blew up. The blast rocked the Druzhba pipeline which runs from Russia to various points in eastern and central Europe. On Thursday a shell blew a hole through the wall of kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska

People look at a memorial dedicated to late Euromaidan activists along the Alley of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes on February 18, 2022 in Kiev, Ukraine

US President Joe Biden delivers a national update on the situation at the Russia-Ukraine border at the White House in Washington, DC, February 18, 2022

The West must show unity against Putin amid Ukraine war scare, Boris Johnson insists Boris Johnson has called for western leaders to unite against Vladimir Putin and show the Russian leader he will pay a 'high price' if he sends his troops into Ukraine. The Prime Minister will head to the Munich Security Conference on Saturday to make a plea for 'unnecessary bloodshed' to be avoided by pursuing a diplomatic route to prevent a conflict in eastern Europe. Only hours before Biden's statement, the UK Foreign Office announced it had decided to 'temporarily' move its diplomats out of Kyiv, relocating them to the west of the country. The department said British embassy officials will relocate to Lviv, situated near the border with Poland. With estimates that 150,000 Russian troops are posted around Ukraine's borders, Johnson has previously called the situation 'very grim'. But in comments made before embarking on his trip to Germany, the Prime Minister said 'diplomacy can still prevail' if the West puts on a united front in terms of agreeing punishing sanctions to slap on Moscow. '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. '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. That is the message I will take to Munich today as we redouble our efforts to prevent a grave miscalculation which would devastate Ukraine, Russia and the rest of Europe.' The Bavarian summit will take place against the backdrop of Putin continuing to parade Russia's military might. The Russian defence ministry has announced it will be carrying out fresh exercises on Saturday involving its strategic nuclear forces. 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. There are concerns among western allies that the Kremlin could use 'disinformation' and a possible 'false flag' operation to justify an offensive, particularly with growing activity in separatist-held areas of Ukraine. Advertisement

Pro-Russian rebels began evacuating civilians from the conflict zone with an announcement that appeared to be part of Moscow's efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead.

One of Vladimir Putin's closest allies, parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin vowed that Russia would 'defend' its compatriots in the Donbas, hinting at military intervention.

He said: 'Russia doesn't want war.

'Our president Vladimir Putin repeatedly said this earlier and is saying this these days.'

But 'if danger arises to the lives of Russians and compatriots living in the DPR and LPR, our country will defend them.'

This came as pro-Moscow rebels claimed a water-pumping station in Vasilievka was hit by Ukrainian fire.

Ukraine has denied any such attacks.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has 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 crushing economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia if it does invade, and pressed Putin to reconsider. He said the US and its Western allies were more united than ever to ensure Russia pays a steep price for any invasion.

He said: 'We're calling out Russia's plans. Not because we want a conflict, but because we are doing everything in our power to remove any reason Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine.

'If Russia pursues its plans, it will be responsible for a catastrophic and needless war of choice.'

Earlier on Friday, Biden said he believed Putin had already made up his mind to invade Ukraine.

He said: 'As of this moment, I'm convinced he's made the decision. We have reason to believe that.'

He said it was based on Washington's 'significant intelligence capability.' But he insisted Putin could change course if he wanted to.

'Russia can still choose diplomacy,' he said. 'It is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table.'

As further indication that the Russians are preparing for a major military push, a US defence official said an estimated 40 per cent to 50 per cent of the ground forces deployed in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border have moved into attack positions closer to 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 official also said the number of Russian ground units known as battalion tactical groups in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each group has 750 to 1,000 soldiers.

Lines of communication remain open. The US and Russian defence chiefs spoke on Friday, and US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov agreed to meet next week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will attend the Munich Security Conference on Saturday and return home later the same day, a statement from his office said.

Zelenskiy's trip had been under scrutiny due to concern in Western countries that Russia is poised to launch a military offensive against Ukraine and could do so while the president is out of the country.

Boris Johnson has called for western leaders to unite against Putin and show the Russian leader he will pay a 'high price' if he sends his troops into Ukraine.

The Prime Minister will head to the Munich Security Conference on Saturday to make a plea for 'unnecessary bloodshed' to be avoided by pursuing a diplomatic route to prevent a conflict in eastern Europe.

Only hours before Biden's statement, the UK Foreign Office announced it had decided to 'temporarily' move its diplomats out of Kyiv, relocating them to the west of the country. The department said British embassy officials will relocate to Lviv, situated near the border with Poland.

With estimates that 150,000 Russian troops are posted around Ukraine's borders, Johnson has previously called the situation 'very grim'.

But in comments made before embarking on his trip to Germany, the Prime Minister said 'diplomacy can still prevail' if the West puts on a united front in terms of agreeing punishing sanctions to slap on Moscow.

'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.

'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. That is the message I will take to Munich today as we redouble our efforts to prevent a grave miscalculation which would devastate Ukraine, Russia and the rest of Europe.'

The Bavarian summit will take place against the backdrop of Putin continuing to parade Russia's military might.

The Russian defence ministry has announced it will be carrying out fresh exercises on Saturday involving its strategic nuclear forces.

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.

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

The destroyed UAZ military jeep belonged to Denis Sinenkov, head of regional security in Donetsk, in what Russian state media suggested was an assassination attempt

Russia's President Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks during a press conference with his Belarus counterpart, following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on February 18, 2022

An hour before the car bomb went off, separatist leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk had ordered an evacuation of civilians because of what they said was the threat of Ukrainian invasion (pictured, children are evacuated from an orphanage)

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

There are concerns among western allies that the Kremlin could use disinformation and a possible 'false flag' operation to justify an offensive, particularly with growing activity in separatist-held areas of Ukraine.

Putin will hold a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday as tensions spike in the crisis over Ukraine, Moscow said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the call was 'on the president's schedule'.

With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops now posted around Ukraine's borders, the long-simmering separatist conflict could provide the spark for a broader attack.

Fears of such escalation intensified amid Friday's violence. A bombing struck a car outside the main government building in the rebel-held city of Donetsk. 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.

Shelling and shooting are common along the line that separates Ukrainian forces and the rebels, but targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities.

Adding to the tensions, two explosions shook the rebel-controlled city of Luhansk early on Saturday. The Luhansk Information Centre 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.

Monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported more than 600 explosions in the war-torn east of Ukraine on Friday.

Separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that form Ukraine's industrial heartland known as the Donbas announced they were evacuating civilians to Russia.

Pushilin said women, children and the elderly would go first, and that Russia has prepared facilities for them. He alleged in a video statement that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky 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.

US authorities have alleged that the Kremlin's disinformation campaign could include staged, pre-recorded 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 has ordered the government to offer a payment of 10,000 rubles (about 95) to each evacuee, equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in the war-ravaged Donbas region.

By Saturday morning, more than 6,600 residents of the rebel-controlled areas were evacuated to Russia, according to separatist officials, who have announced plans to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people.

The explosions and the announced evacuations were in line with US warnings of so-called false flag attacks that Russia could use to justify an invasion.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the threat to global security is 'more complex and probably higher' than during the Cold War.

He told a security conference in Munich 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 US officials said they saw no sign of a pullback and instead observed more troops moving toward the border with Ukraine.

Ukraine's president condemns Western 'appeasement' of Putin in blistering address in MUNICH and vows to protect the country 'with or without support' from Europe - before leaders give him standing ovation with Russia expected to invade in days

By Jack Newman for Mailonline

Ukraine's president has called on the West to stop their 'appeasement' of Russia and warned sanctions will not work on Moscow once the bombing starts, to a standing ovation from world leaders.

Volodymyr Zelensky told a security forum in Munich that his country deserves stronger international support after acting as a buffer against Russian expansion.

The conference had echoes of the 1938 summit in Munich in which leaders agreed a policy of appeasement against Adolf Hitler's Germany in an effort to prevent an imminent war.

Zelensky said today: 'Ukraine has received security guarantees for abandoning the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal. We have no weapons. And no security ...

'But we have a right - a right to demand a shift from a policy of appeasement to one ensuring security and peace.'

He added: 'For eight years, Ukraine has been a shield. For eight years, Ukraine has been holding back one of the greatest armies in the world.'

Ukraine's president has called on the West to stop their 'appeasement' of Russia and warned sanctions will not work on Moscow once the bombing starts

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait in a bus to enter Russia at the customs post 'Matveev Kurgan' in Rostov region

The Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces, the military reserve of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, take part in a military drill outside Kyiv

What happened at the 1938 Munich conference? The Munich Agreement was signed by Neville Chamberlain, Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler and Edouard Daladier in 1938. It was designed to stop Germany invading Czechoslovakia. The agreement by the leaders agreed the annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland, occupied mainly by German speaking people. Upon his return home, Chamberlain declared the agreement had secured 'peace in our time'. However a year later Hitler invaded Poland, sparking the beginning of the Second World War. Advertisement

Zelensky also said he wants a 'clear' timeframe for when Ukraine can join the NATO alliance.

'What can we do? We can continue forcefully supporting Ukraine and its defences. Present... clear, feasible timeframes for membership of the Alliance,' he said.

The president also called for a meeting with Putin in order to avoid any conflict.

He said: 'I do not know what the Russian president wants. For this reason, I propose that we meet.'

Zelensky was warned not to travel to Munich today through fear that Russia may launch an attack in his absence.

Putin is putting on a show of military strength with new nuclear drills as he sends a MIG armed with a hypersonic missile over the Mediterranean.

The Russian leader is personally overseeing the nuclear exercises involving 'strategic forces' which will include practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko is joining Putin in the situation room in the Kremlin to watch over the strategic drills.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today's drills 'should not cause anyone concern' and said Russia had informed the proper channels.

Russia holds huge strategic drills every year but today's manoeuvres include the Black Sea Fleet, based on the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

Tanks move during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Smoke and flame rise over a field during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko oversee joint military drills from the situation room in the Kremlin

A handout still image taken from handout video made available by the Russian Defence ministry press-service shows launch of a cruise missile of the operational-tactical missile system 'Iskander' from at the Kapustin Yar training ground, Russia, 19 February 2022

A Russian nuclear submarine sails in an unknown location during exercises by nuclear forces involving the launch of ballistic missiles, in this still image taken from video released February 19, 2022

A Tu-22M3 Russian bomber flies over the Mediterranean after taking off from the Hemeimeem air base in Syria in Putin's latest show of force

Military helicopters fly over tanks and armored vehicles moving during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Russian and Belarusian servicemen conduct joint drills at a firing range in the Brest region of Belarus

Tank army units loaded onto a troop train return from recent routine drills to permanent deployment sites

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait in a bus to enter Russia at the customs post 'Matveev Kurgan' in Rostov region

The head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin announced a general mobilisation

Russia has also sent a MIG-31K and a Tu-22M3 bomber over the Mediterranean in another show of force amid the rising tensions.

The warplane is deployed with the new ultra high speed Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles.

The 24-foot-long, one-ton Kinzhal - or Dagger - can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, and Russia boasts it has no match among Western defences.

The hypersonic Kinzhal has a range of 1,250 miles and could pummel Ukrainian troops and defences without flying close to the country.

Russia is believed to have around 20 Kinzhal-compatible MiG-31Ks in total.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was mobbed by a huge crowd as he attended an opening ceremony for the construction of a greenhouse farm.

The supreme leader of North Korea opened construction of the project as he hailed attempts to modernise agriculture in the country.

Kim Jong-Un, who is thought to be 38, was the first to thrust a shovel into the earth to mark the start of creating the Ryonpho Greenhouse Farm in Hamju County, in South Hamgyong province.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was surrounded by a large crowd as he waved from a car at the opening ceremony of a huge farm

The Supreme Leader helped shift the first soil at the Ryonpho Greenhouse Farm in Hamju County, in South Hamgyong province

Kim Jong Un, who is thought to be 38, said the greenhouse farm would prove a vital food source

A general view of the ground-breaking ceremony for construction of Ryonpho Greenhouse Farm

The farm will be 250 acres and will take eight months to finish. The ceremony included fireworks, explosions and a tractor display.

Kim said the massive greenhouse would prove essential to providing the east coast with vegetables.

He also hailed the need to modernise agriculture for rural development.

It comes amid continued food shortages and economic troubles for the so-called Hermit Kingdom.

The opening ceremony included explosions and fireworks and was seemingly attended by thousands of people

Tractors were on show in front of explosions during the opening ceremony for the construction of the Ryonpho Greenhouse Farm

North Koreans waving flags watched on as the explosions marked the start of construction

Just last month the dictator penned a letter to North Koreas Union of Agricultural Workers requesting farmers stop selling food on the black market.

Pyongyang also confirmed the Ministry of Agriculture would be reorganised into an Agricultural Commission.

Experts suggested the move was similar to Chinese attempts to boost the economy in the 1980s with large state-funded projects as opposed to creating subsidies to incentivise farmers.

Kim Jong Un addressed the crowd before he took the first shovel to the earth

The ceremony was attended by other top North Korean military officials as well as the Supreme Leader of the so-called Hermit Kingdom

North Korea has faced massive food shortages and usually relies heavily on support from China

North Koreas economy has struggled following international sanctions over its testing of nuclear weapons.

The countrys mountainous landscape is largely unsuitable for farming and as such North Korea relies heavily on imports from China.

Border closures owing to Covid during the pandemic meant this food source was cut off.
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Ghislaine Maxwell's family have said they are 'scared' for her safety after Jeffrey Epstein's French modelling agent friend Jean-Luc Brunel, who allegedly procured more than a thousand women and girls for the paedophile financier to sleep with, died today in an alleged prison suicide.

Prosecutors in Paris confirmed Brunel, who is not believed to have been on suicide watch, was found hanging in his cell in La Sante, in the south of the capital city, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

It comes days after Prince Andrew, 62, agreed to settle Virginia Roberts's lawsuit accusing him of sex abuse after they met allegedly through Epstein and Maxwell. In the settlement, there was no admission of liability by Andrew, who has always denied the specific allegations.

Roberts accused Brunel, 76, of procuring more than a thousand women and girls for Epstein to sleep with and he was awaiting trial in France for raping minors.

Following Brunel's death, Maxwell's family described the news as 'shocking' and said they are scared for Maxwell's safety at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where she is currently being held.

Speaking from his home in London, Maxwell's brother Ian told the New York Post: 'Another death by hanging in a high-security prison. My reaction is one of total shock and bewilderment.'

Mr Maxwell claimed that despite her psychiatrist advising 'to the contrary', his sister was 'deemed a suicide risk' and said she is woken up every 15 minutes in the night. He described it as 'complete violation of prisoner rights and human rights', insisting that Maxwell is not suicidal.

He added that it was 'ironic' that his sister was on suicide watch in prison, but Epstein and Brunel were not.

In December of last year, Maxwell was found guilty of sex trafficking minors, giving way to federal prosecutors to bring her to justice for her involvement in helping Epstein with luring underage girls before he would sexually assault them.

Her team of four lawyers requested a federal judge to grant her a new trial, saying questions asked to a juror about sexual abuse violated Maxwell's right to a fair trial, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Brunel's death in an alleged hanging will fuel conspiracy theories around the Epstein affair after the financier also died in prison while awaiting trial in what authorities concluded was a hanging.

Controversy over Epstein's death has been fueled by the fact that prison video cameras at Manhattan's Metropolitan Correction Center were not running at the time Epstein died in the cell he shared with another inmate.

Brunel is thought to have been alone at the time of his death and there were no cameras to record his final hours, according to an investigating source at La Sante  one of the toughest jails in France.

'A night patrol found his lifeless body at about 1am,' said an investigating source. 'A judicial enquiry has been launched, and early evidence points to suicide.'

Prosecutors in Paris confirmed that Jean-Luc Brunel (pictured), 76, was found hanging in his cell in La Sante, in the south of the capital city, in the early hours of Saturday morning

His death in an alleged hanging will fuel conspiracy theories around the Epstein affair after he also died in prison while awaiting trial in what authorities say was a hanging. Pictured, Brunel with Maxwell and Epstein on a private jet

Following Brunel's death, Maxwell's family described the news as 'shocking' and said they are scared for Maxwell's (pictured in a courtroom sketch) safety at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where she is currently being held

Following the news of his death, Virginia Roberts said she was 'disappointed' that she was not able to face Brunel at a 'final trial to hold him accountable' and added that his alleged suicide 'ends another chapter'.

Taking to Twitter following the news of his death on Saturday, she wrote: 'The suicide of Jean-Luc Brunel, who abused me and countless girls and young women, ends another chapter.

'I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to face him in a final trial to hold him accountable, but gratified that I was able to testify in person last year to keep him in prison.'

Another alleged victim, former Dutch model Thysia Huisman, said: 'It makes me angry, because I've been fighting for years.

'For me, the end of this was to be in court. Now that whole ending  which would help form closure  is taken away from me.'

It was in December 2020 that Brunel was indicted after two days of interviews by an examining magistrate and specialist police from an anti-paedophilia unit.

He was arrested at the city's Charles de Gaulle airport on while trying to board a plane to Dakar, Senegal, telling detectives 'I'm going on holiday'.

While CCTV is commonplace in the corridors and gateways of French prisons, the vast majority of cells are not under video surveillance. This is ensure a degree of privacy, and to make sure that European human rights legislation is not violated.

Inmates are sometimes known to record events using devices including mobile phones, but Brunel is thought to have been in a single occupancy cell, said the source.

'There is an investigation going on to confirm all this, but at the moment it looks like he killed himself alone, and it was a routine patrol that found his body hanging,' he said.

The source added: 'There were no obvious fears for the prisoner's health, and he was not on a suicide watch, having already been in prison for many months.'

The official enquiry into Brunel's sudden death was on Saturday being carried out by offices from the 3rd Judicial Police district in Paris. An autopsy was set to be carried out, to establish the exact cause of death.

Forensic officers were meanwhile examining the cell where Brunel died. La Sante, which was built in the 19th Century, has housed some of the most dangerous prisoners in recent French history.

There is a so-called 'VIP section' where inmates include 'super terrorist' and mass killer Carlos the Jackal, whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchez.

Brunel was originally indicted and placed in pre-trial detention in December 2020 for the 'rape of a minor over 15 years old' and harassing two other women.

He was also suspected of being a 'pimp' for Epstein, after becoming a close friend of the billionaire financier.

Brunel had been placed under the intermediate status of assisted witness for acts of 'human trafficking' and 'exploiting minors for the sexual purposes.'

Brunel committed suicide because he was 'crushed' by the allegations against him, his defence lawyers said in a joint statement.

'His distress was that of a 75-year-old man crushed by a media-judicial system which it should be time to question,' said Mathias Chichportich, Marianne Abgrall and Christophe Ingrain.

'Jean-Luc Brunel has continued to proclaim his innocence. He multiplied his efforts to prove it. His decision [to end his life] was not driven by guilt, but by a deep sense of injustice.'

Others involved in the ring include Epstein's ex-girlfriend, the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, 59, who is currently in prison in the USA after being found guilty of sex trafficking. Pictured, Brunel with Manwell on Epstein's private island

The Dutch model, Thysia Huisman (pictured), who was 18 when she first stayed with Brunel, said she was raped by him in 1991. Huisman is now one of at least four alleged victims represented by Anne-Claire Le Jeune, a Paris barrister, who said Brunel being in custody was a huge relief, because their complaints now 'take on meaning'

A French judicial enquiry into Brunel's conduct was opened in August 2019, when prosecutors heard allegations that Brunel and the Queen's second son shared a lover. Pictured, Brunel with models he scouted

Brunel is pictured with models who worked for his agency. The model scout's name appears frequently in the flight logs kept for Epstein's private jets and prison records show he visited Epstein 67 times when he was in jail

A Dutch model, Thysia Huisman, who was 18 when she first stayed with Brunel, said she was raped by him in 1991.

She is now one of at least four alleged victims represented by Anne-Claire Le Jeune, a Paris barrister, who said Brunel being in custody was a huge relief, because their complaints now 'take on meaning,' she said.

After news of Brunel's death broke Ms Huidman said she felt disappointed by the 'completely different ending without any real justice for his victims.

Brunel was suspected of having been part of a global underage sex ring organised by the late American multi-billionaire Epstein, who committed suicide in 2019, while awaiting trial for numerous sex crimes.

Others involved in the ring include Epstein's ex-girlfriend, the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, 59, who is currently in prison in the USA after being found guilty of sex trafficking.

Billionaire paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein's jail cell suicide: Jeffrey Epstein hanged himself inside his New York City jail cell in August 2019. The billionaire paedophile was found in cardiac arrest shortly before 7am on Saturday, August 10 at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in lower Manhattan. He was rushed to nearby New York Downtown Hospital where he was pronounced dead. In a statement, Metropolitan Correctional Center told DailyMail.com that the FBI is now launching an investigation into Epstein's death. The former financier, 66, was awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy and sex trafficking and was being held at the high-security complex without bail. Epstein - who once boasted an array of high-profile friends including Prince Andrew and President Bill Clinton - was arrested on July 6, accused of arranging to have sex with dozens of underage girls at his residences in New York City and Florida between 2002 and 2005. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Epstein's suicide comes just two weeks after he was hospitalised following what may have been an initial attempt to take his own life. Advertisement

A French judicial enquiry into Brunel's conduct was opened in August 2019, when prosecutors heard allegations that Brunel and the Queen's second son Prince Andrew shared a lover.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an American, has told lawyers she was employed as a 'sex slave' when she was forced to sleep with the Duke of York after being trafficked to him at least three times when she was 17.

Almost all of the accusations leveled against Brunel were from the 1970s, 80s and 90s, meaning they fell outside the 20-year limit for prosecuting sex crimes in France.

This meant that Brunel was considered 'untouchable' by police who nicknamed him 'The Ghost' as he carried on living and working in the French capital, while frequently traveling abroad on scouting assignments and holidays.

But in November 2020, Giuffre responded to an online English language appeal by French magistrates for alleged victims to come forward.

Ms Roberts Giuffre said she had 'sexual relations with Brunel on several occasions', between the ages of 16 and 19, according to legal papers filed in America and France.

'Ms Giuffre now lives in Australia but responded to the appeal,' said an investigating source. 'She was interviewed remotely, and provided considerable evidence against Brunel.

'She said that she was raped by Brunel in the early 2000s, including in 2001. This was a considerable breakthrough for the enquiry.'

It meant that the alleged crime was well within the statute of limitations, and therefore prosecutable.

Officers were set to arrest Brunel in January 2020 following further enquiries, but on December 16 he was intercepted at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris with a one-way ticket to Dakar, capital of Senegal, in West Africa.

'This led to his immediate arrest and he was placed in custody,' said the source. 'The multiple rape charges solely relate to the testimony of Virginia Giuffre, and not any of the other alleged rape victims.

'The sexual harassment indictment is nothing to do with the Epstein case, and instead relates to incidents in 2016 following a complaint by another woman who has not gone public.'

The 'multiple rapes' of Giuffre  now a mother of three who was called Virginia Roberts before her marriage  were said to have mainly taken place at Epstein's home on the private island of Little Saint James, in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Giuffre had produced sworn testimonies saying that both Brunel and Prince Andrew attacked her there.

According to French law, a French citizen such as Brunel can be tried in France for offences committed abroad.

Both Prince Andrew and Brunel vehemently denied these claims, with the Prince considered a key witness who both the Americans and the French wanted to interview in person.

Prosecutors in Paris confirmed Brunel was found hanging in his cell in La Sante, in the south of the capital city, in the early hours of Saturday morning. Pictured, a cell at the prison

Jeffrey Epstein hanged himself inside his New York City jail cell in August 2019. Pictured, Epstein's cell after his body was found by prison guards

Allegations made against Jeffrey Epstein's friend and modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel Modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel was arrested at the city's Charles de Gaulle airport on while trying to board a plane to Dakar, Senegal, telling detectives 'I'm going on holiday'. He was indicted in September 2021 on a single count of rape. Other allegations against him include: Ms Roberts Giuffre, 37, said that she had had sex with Mr Brunel several times when she was between the ages of 16 and 19;

Notified on Friday, December 18, 2020 of the preliminary charges of raping girls between 15 and 18 years old;

Preliminary charges of sexually harassing a 16-year-old girl in 2016;

Suspected of having organised the transport and lodging of girls or young women on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein. Advertisement

Despite vowing to fight the allegations and repeatedly protesting his innocence, the prince has agreed to pay a large sum to settle the case before it ever reaches a jury.

Reports suggested the Queen herself will provide money to pay for the settlement, according to the Telegraph.

The paper reported the total amount that the victim and her charity will receive will actually exceed 12m, with the funds coming from her private Duchy of Lancaster estate, which recently increased by 1.5m to more than 23m.

Although the agreement contained no formal admission of liability from Andrew, or an apology, it said he now accepted Miss Roberts was a 'victim of abuse' and that he regretted his association with Epstein, the disgraced financier who trafficked countless young girls.

'He has never met Brunel. No ifs, no buts,' a source close to Andrew told the Royal Observer.

The rape of a minor is punishable by up to 15 years in prison in France, while aggravated sexual harassment comes with a three-year prison sentence and a fine equivalent to around 40,000.

Giuffre said Epstein told her he had slept with 'over a thousand women that Brunel brought in', in an NBC Dateline special that aired in 2019.

Brunel, who denied any wrongdoing, was being held in custody until a criminal trial on a date to be fixed.

In 2015, Brunel denied involvement 'directly or indirectly' in any of Epstein's offences in a statement issued in 2015. It said: 'I strongly deny having committed any illicit act or any wrongdoing in the course of my work.'

Brunel was also suspected of using his contacts in the fashion industry to provide victims to Epstein and his friends.

He is said to have flown three 12-year-old sisters from a Paris housing estate to America so they could be abused by Epstein as 'a birthday present'.

Pictured: Prince Andrew, Virginia and Ghislaine Maxwell at Maxwell's London flat

Virginia Giuffre, 37, (pictured) is now the key witness in the prosecution of Brunel, 75, after claiming that both him and Prince Andrew, 60, used her as their 'sex slave'

Epstein  an old friend of Andrew's and a business associate of Brunel's  committed suicide in his prison cell in New York on August 10 2019, while awaiting trial for a range of offences, including trafficking minors for sex, and multiple rapes

Brunel was the founder of MC2, the model agency that prosecutors believe was used as a cover for the sex trafficking ring. The out-of-time evidence against Brunel comes from a number of former models, who  like Giuffre  have waived their anonymity to make their allegations public

It was in December 2020 that Brunel was indicted after two days of interviews by an examining magistrate and specialist police from an anti-paedophilia unit. Pictured, the prison where Brunel was found dead

Epstein  an old friend and business of associate of Brunel's  committed suicide in his prison cell in New York on August 10 2019, while awaiting trial for a range of offences, including trafficking minors for sex, and multiple rapes.

Among his alleged victims, it is claimed in court documents, were the 12-year-old triplets from Paris.

Brunel was the founder of MC2, the model agency  one that prosecutors believe was used as as a cover for Epstein's sex trafficking ring.

Brunel started his career as a model scout, and has worked with celebrities including Jerry Hall, Sharon Stone, and Monica Bellucci.

Corinne Dreyfus-Schmidt, Mr Brunel's lawyer, has insisted her client is innocent of any wrongdoing.

Evidence against Brunel came from a number of former models, who had waived their anonymity to make their allegations public.

New Zealander Zoe Brock has claimed in statements made to French investigators that she was abused in his Paris home in the early 1990s.

The hellhole prison where Epstein's pimp Jean-Luc Brunel 'hanged himself': Infamous 19th century Le Sante jail houses some of France's most dangerous criminals and has so-called 'VIP wing' where inmates include Carlos the Jackal

By Peter Allen and Emer Scully for MailOnline

The hellhole prison where Jeffrey Epstein's pimp 'hanged himself' is one of the toughest jails in France and boasts a so-called 'VIP section' where 'super terrorist' Carlos the Jackal is housed.

Jean-Luc Brunel, 76, was imprisoned in the infamous La Sante in Paris after his arrest at the city's Charles de Gaulle airport while he was trying to board a plane to Dakar, Senegal, telling detectives 'I'm going on holiday' in December 2020.

Brunel is thought to have been in a single occupancy cell at the time of his death inside the 19th Century prison. 'There is an investigation going on to confirm all this, but at the moment it looks like he killed himself alone, and it was a routine patrol that found his body hanging,' a source said.

They added: 'There were no obvious fears for the prisoner's health, and he was not on a suicide watch, having already been in prison for many months.'

The hellhole prison was inaugurated in 1867 with 500 cells, expanding to 1,000 to eventually house up to 2,000 convicts within the jail's walls.

Before the banning of public executions in 1939, deaths by guillotine were regularly held outside its walls. The last execution  by guillotine  took place in 1972.

In modern days there is a so-called 'VIP section' where inmates include 'super terrorist' and mass killer Carlos the Jackal, whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchez.

The 72-year-old Venezuelan was convicted of terrorist crimes, and is serving a life sentence for the 1975 murder of an informant for the French government and two French counterintelligence agents.

Jean-Luc Brunel is thought to have been alone at the time of his death and there were no cameras to record his final hours, according to an investigating source at La Sante in Paris. Pictured, the prison's corridor

Many of the rooms inside the prison are single-occupancy, but others feature bunk-beds for cellmates to share. The cells also have a metal toilet and desk area

Brunel (pictured) is thought to have been in a single occupancy cell at the time of his death inside the 19th Century prison. 'There is an investigation going on to confirm all this, but at the moment it looks like he killed himself alone, and it was a routine patrol that found his body hanging,' he said

The prison is split into two levels, an upper and lower, with prisoners racially segregated until 2000. There used to be a block for 'Western Europe', 'Black Africa', 'North Africa', and 'The Rest of the World'

Other infamous inmates include the businessman Bernard Tapie, rogue financier Jerome Kerviel, Manuel Noriega and the gangster Jacques Mesrine.

Mesrine, a French bank robber and kidnapper nicknamed 'the man of a thousand faces' and declared 'public enemy number one', climbed over the prison's walls and went on the run in 1978.

The most daring escape from the prison was performed by Michel Vaujour in 1986, when his wife, Nadine, piloted a helicopter into the courtyard to snatch him up. A few months later he was shot down and crippled in a vengeful stand-off.

During the Second World War the Germans executed French Resistance fighters at the prison. Eighteen were either guillotined or shot by firing squad before the occupation ended with a riot during which 28 prisoners were shot on the orders of the German regime.

The prison is split into two levels, an upper and lower, with prisoners racially segregated until 2000. There used to be a block for 'Western Europe', 'Black Africa', 'North Africa', and 'The Rest of the World'.

The maximum-security cells have been described as boxes where you can almost stretch your arms and touch both walls at the same time.

In 2000, Veronique Vasseur, La Sante's chief medical officer, published a book, Medecin-chef a la prison de la Sante, to reveal what life inside the prison's walls was really like.

She claimed the prison was infested with rats and cockroaches, with suicidal prisoners left in chains.

Severe wounds including trench foot and other skin infections raged and the place was known as a 'city within a city' with its own rules and a morality governed by violence.

In 2014, the prison closed for four years for renovations.

The official enquiry into Brunel's sudden death was on Saturday being carried out by offices from the 3rd Judicial Police district in Paris. An autopsy was set to be carried out, to establish the exact cause of death.

Forensic officers were meanwhile examining the cell where Brunel died in La Sante. While CCTV is commonplace in the corridors and gateways of French prisons, the vast majority of cells are not under video surveillance.

The prison was inaugurated in 1867 with 500 cells, expanding to 1,000 to eventually house up to 2,000 convicts within the jail's walls

The prison, which boasts a VIP section for its worst criminals is pictured, left, in 1931, and right, in 1934. Brunel is thought to have been alone at the time of his death and there were no cameras to record his final hours, according to an investigating source at La Sante  one of the toughest jails in France

French bank robber and kidnapper Jacques Mesrine, nicknamed 'the man of a thousand faces' and declared 'public enemy number one', in the high-security quarters of Sante Prison, from which he managed to escape

There is a so-called 'VIP section' where inmates include 'super terrorist' and mass killer Carlos the Jackal (pictured left, in 1975, and right, in 2000), whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchez. The 72-year-old Venezuelan was convicted of terrorist crimes, and is serving a life sentence for the 1975 murder of an informant for the French government and two French counterintelligence agents

Brunel was originally indicted and placed in pre-trial detention in December 2020 for the 'rape of a minor over 15 years old' and harassing two other women.

He was also suspected of being a 'pimp' for Epstein, after becoming a close friend of the billionaire financier.

Brunel had been placed under the intermediate status of assisted witness for acts of 'human trafficking' and 'exploiting minors for the sexual purposes.'

His death in an alleged hanging will fuel conspiracy theories around the Epstein affair after the financier also died in prison while awaiting trial in what authorities concluded was a hanging.

Controversy over Epstein's death has been fueled by the fact that prison video cameras at Manhattan's Metropolitan Correction Center were not running at the time Epstein died in the cell he shared with another inmate.

Prosecutors in Paris confirmed Brunel, who is not believed to have been on suicide watch, was found hanging in his cell in La Sante, in the south of the capital city, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Brunel is thought to have been alone at the time of his death and there were no cameras to record his final hours, according to an investigating source at La Sante  one of the toughest jails in France.

'A night patrol found his lifeless body at about 1am,' said an investigating source. 'A judicial enquiry has been launched, and early evidence points to suicide.'

It was in December 2020 that Brunel was indicted after two days of interviews by an examining magistrate and specialist police from an anti-paedophilia unit.

Prince Andrew marks quietest birthday in modern royal history as he faces fresh controversy after Jeffrey Epstein's 'pimp' Jean-Luc Brunel dies in prison 'suicide' a week after settling Virginia Roberts' sex claim for 12m

By William Cole and Laurence Dollimore For Mailonline

Prince Andrew marked the quietest royal birthday in modern history on Saturday as he looks to lay low after settling his sex abuse case with Virginia Roberts.

The muted celebration of his 62nd birthday came just hours after the death of Jeffrey Epstein's 'pimp', who was accused of trafficking hundreds of girls to the paedophile financier.

French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, 76, who allegedly procured more than a thousand women and girls for Epstein to sleep with, was found hanged in his prison cell in an alleged suicide on Saturday morning.

The death risks causing fresh embarrassment for the Duke of York as he attempts to draw a line under the scandal.

It comes as there was no tolling of the bells or hoisting of flags to celebrate the Queen's son's birthday - both of which were scrapped by Westminster Abbey and the Government respectively.

The Duke will mark the day privately at Royal Lodge, reports the Telegraph, following his out-of-court settlement with Ms Roberts, estimated to be in the region of 12million.

Pictures taken today showed flowers and cards destined for Andrew being collected from the gatehouse at Royal Lodge and being placed into the back of a Range Rover.

The death of Jeffrey Epstein's 'pimp' - on Prince Andrew's birthday - will cause fresh embarrassment for the Duke (pictured) as he attempts to draw a line under the scandal

The muted celebration of his 62nd birthday came just hours after the death of Jeffrey Epstein 's 'pimp', who was accused of trafficking hundreds of girls to the paedophile financier. (Pictured: Flowers and cards are collected from the gatehouse at Royal Lodge for Prince Andrew)

There was no tolling of the bells or hoisting of flags to celebrate the Queen's son's birthday - both of which were scrapped by Westminster Abbey and the Government respectively. (Pictured: Gifts for Andrew being collected at Royal Lodge today)

Following Andrew's scandal and in consultation with Buckingham Palace, the Queen and Prince of Wales are now the only members of the Royal Family who will have their birthdays marked by official flags and bells.

A spokeswoman for Westminster Abbey said: 'Due to the financial challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Westminster Abbey will ring its bells only for the birthdays of HM The Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales.'

In 2020, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it was 'no longer a requirement' for them to fly the flag in Andrew's honour.

However February 19 remained on its 'designated days' list before being discreetly removed on February 11 this year.

A government spokeswoman said: 'Since 2021 the default position in Great Britain is that the Union Flag flies all year round unless another flag is being flown.

'However we routinely review the list of designated days for flying the Union Flag on UK Government Buildings.

'These changes make the days consistent with other commemorative events, such as gun salutes.'

A source told the Telegraph Andrew will be spending today 'quietly at home'.

His birthday fell on the same day that Brunel, Epstein's alleged 'pimp', was reportedly found hanged in his cell in France.

Brunel had been facing preliminary charges of raping girls between 15 and 18 years old.

Among those who spoke out against him was Epstein victim Virginia Roberts, who said that she had had sex with Brunel several times when she was between the ages of 16 and 19, while she said she was being trafficked by Epstein.

Ms Roberts has also said that she had been forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions starting when she was 17.

French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, 76, who allegedly procured more than a thousand women and girls for paedophile financier Epstein to sleep with, was found hanged in his prison cell today in an alleged suicide

It comes just days after the Duke of York agreed a significant out-of-court settlement with Ms Roberts, which could reportedly end up costing 12 million.

It was believed that a settlement between Andrew and Ms Roberts ahead of a jury trial in their civil case would end the prospect of embarrassing the royal family during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year celebrations.

However, the settlement has raised serious questions over whether the Queen is helping Andrew to fund the agreement.

And now Brunel's suicide is likely to pile further controversy onto the Duke.

It was reported in 2020 that French investigators could consider questioning Prince Andrew about his links with Brunel, who had shared Epstein as a mutual acquaintance.

Remy Heitz, the Paris prosecutor, said that Mr Brunel was 'suspected of having organised the transport and lodging of girls or young women on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein', and were seeking to establish the nature of his alleged activities on behalf of Epstein who killed himself in a New York prison the year before.

Brunel had been facing preliminary charges of raping girls between 15 and 18 years old. Among those who spoke out against him was Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, who said that she had had sex with Brunel several times when she was between the ages of 16 and 19, while she said she was being trafficked by Epstein. Giuffre had become a key witness in the prosecution of Brunel

Brunel had denied all allegations against him.

The French inquiry had also conducted a video interview Ms Roberts, a victim of Epstein, according to The Times.

She said in court papers that Brunel had offered modelling jobs to girls as young as 12 and took them to the United States to 'farm them out to his friends, especially Epstein'.

Ms Roberts alleged that she had had sex with Brunel several times, and that she had been forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, which Andrew denied.

Brunel was then arrested at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris with a one-way ticket to Dakar, capital of Senegal, in West Africa.

Giuffre alleged that she had had sex with Brunel several times, and that she had been forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, which Andrew denied. Pictured: Prince Andrew, Virginia and Ghislaine Maxwell at Maxwell's London flat

Following the arrest, Ms Roberts taunted Prince Andrew on social media. 'Are you sweating yet, Prince Andrew?' she wrote.

'You should be. Your buddy Jean-Luc Brunel is behind bars. Remember those girls he supplied to you on the island?'

According to French law, a French citizen such as Brunel can be tried in France for offences committed abroad.

The French investigation however suffered obstacles because of a statute of limitations that covers rape prosecutions that are 20 years old or 30 years old in the case of minors.

Both Prince Andrew and Brunel vehemently denied the claims, with a source close to Andrew telling the Royal Observer: 'He has never met Brunel. No ifs, no buts.'

Despite vowing to fight Ms Roberts' allegations directed against him in the civil case filed in New York - and repeatedly protesting his innocence - Andrew last week agreed to pay a large sum to settle the case before it reaches a jury.

The Telegraph reported the total amount that the victim and her charity will receive will actually exceed 12m, with the funds coming from her private Duchy of Lancaster estate, which recently increased by 1.5m to more than 23m.

It was believed that a settlement between Andrew and Ms Giuffre ahead of a jury trial in their civil case would end the prospect of embarrassing the royal family during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year celebrations. However, the settlement has raised serious questions over whether the Queen is helping Andrew to fund the agreement

Although the agreement contained no formal admission of liability from Andrew, or an apology, it said he now accepted Ms Roberts was a 'victim of abuse' and that he regretted his association with Epstein, the disgraced financier who trafficked countless young girls.

A statement announcing the settlement read: '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.'
A kind-hearted fugitive who was on the run for 30 years reunited a family with their lost treasure as a final good deed before giving himself up.

Darko 'Dougie' Desic was recently returned to jail to serve out the rest of his sentence for supplying marijuana after breaking out of prison in 1992.

Desic handed himself in to Sydney police after being left penniless, homeless and jobless when his cash-only handyman work dried up during Covid.

But before he surrendered to Dee Why police, he asked a friend to trace the owner of a gold medal he had discovered while living rough on Avalon Beach.

And as a result, he made sure the treasured medal found its way back to an Anzac war hero's family.

Fugitive Darko Desic asked a friend to find the owner of a gold medal he stumbled across while sleeping rough on Avalon Beach. It was found to belong to the family of war hero Ernest May (pictured)

Darko Desic, 64, (pictured) escaped from Grafton jail in 1992 and fled to Avalon on Sydney's Northern Beaches where he worked for cash as a stonemason known as 'Dougie' and escaped detection for decades

The Great War victory medal was awarded in 1919 to Ernest Charles May who was inspired to enlist by the sacrifice of Anzacs at Gallipoli, A Current Affair reported.

Mr May earned the medal after being wounded three times while fighting on the frontlines in France and miraculously survived being buried for two days in a collapsed trench.

He was then gassed with poison mustard gas, badly injuring him again before he went deaf from helping fire huge shells from massive cannons.

In 1962, 50 years after his return from France, Mr May gave his medals to his nephew, John Paul Bell, in Melbourne.

Mr Bell moved to Sydney as an adult and lost the prized victory medal, which by now was on his keyring, while walking on Avalon Beach.

When Desic became destitute in 2020, he lived on the sand at Avalon and happened to find the medal in the dunes where he was sleeping.

Before he was locked up again, his last act was to ask friend Scott Mathewson, who lives at Whale Beach, to find who the medal belonged to.

'He said: 'I think this belonged to a very, very brave man",' revealed Mr Mathewson.

Ernest May (pictured) earned the medal after being wounded three times fighting on the French frontline and miraculously survived being buried for two days in a collapsed trench

Darko Desic used a metal hacksaw to cut through the bars on his jail cell windows at Grafton prison (pictured) before stealing bolt cutters from a shed to get through the fence to freedom

Mr Matthewson asked for the help of Northern Beaches media which led to Mr Bell opening his local Pittwater Life magazine to see a photo of his uncle's war medal staring back at him.

Darko Desic, 64, (pictured 30 years ago) has a minimum of just over one year and a one month to serve of his outstanding sentence before he can apply for parole

Desic, now 64, is set to be released on parole as early as August 2022, but there are concerns he will be deported to Serbia - even though he fears for his safety there.

It was the fear of being sent back to his homeland which first sent him on the run and turned him into a fugitive for three decades.

In the middle of the night on August 1, 1992, he used a metal hacksaw to cut through the bars on his jail cell windows and squeezed out into the prison yard.

He then broke into a workshop and grabbed a pair of bolt cutters to get through the prison fence to freedom.

He then went on the run before ending up in Avalon where he worked cash-in-hand doing odd jobs for the beachside suburb's wealthy locals, earning their love and respect in the process.

Both Mr Mathewson and Mr Bell believe Mr May would have understood Desic's choices and see the unlikely intersection of their long stories as a tale of 'mateship'.

They hope Desic will be allowed to remain in Australia when he is released.

Friends of Desic, who was well regarded during his time living around Avalon, have raised $34,000 to help fund his legal costs via GoFundMe in the hope he will be allowed to stay in Australia when he is finally released.
Prince Andrew marked the quietest royal birthday in modern history on Saturday as he looks to lay low after settling his sex abuse case with Virginia Roberts.

The muted celebration of his 62nd birthday came just hours after the death of Jeffrey Epstein's 'pimp', who was accused of trafficking hundreds of girls to the paedophile financier.

French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, 76, who allegedly procured more than a thousand women and girls for Epstein to sleep with, was found hanged in his prison cell in an alleged suicide on Saturday morning.

The death risks causing fresh embarrassment for the Duke of York as he attempts to draw a line under the scandal.

It comes as there was no tolling of the bells or hoisting of flags to celebrate the Queen's son's birthday - both of which were scrapped by Westminster Abbey and the Government respectively.

The Duke will mark the day privately at Royal Lodge, reports the Telegraph, following his out-of-court settlement with Ms Roberts, estimated to be in the region of 12million.

Pictures taken today showed flowers and cards destined for Andrew being collected from a Range Rover at the gatehouse at Royal Lodge, where he lives.

The death of Jeffrey Epstein's 'pimp' - on Prince Andrew's birthday - will cause fresh embarrassment for the Duke (pictured) as he attempts to draw a line under the scandal

The muted celebration of his 62nd birthday came just hours after the death of Jeffrey Epstein 's 'pimp', who was accused of trafficking hundreds of girls to the paedophile financier. (Pictured: Flowers and cards are collected from the gatehouse at Royal Lodge for Prince Andrew)

There was no tolling of the bells or hoisting of flags to celebrate the Queen's son's birthday - both of which were scrapped by Westminster Abbey and the Government respectively. (Pictured: Gifts for Andrew being collected at Royal Lodge today)

Following Andrew's scandal and in consultation with Buckingham Palace, the Queen and Prince of Wales are now the only members of the Royal Family who will have their birthdays marked by official flags and bells.

A spokeswoman for Westminster Abbey said: 'Due to the financial challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Westminster Abbey will ring its bells only for the birthdays of HM The Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales.'

In 2020, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it was 'no longer a requirement' for them to fly the flag in Andrew's honour.

However February 19 remained on its 'designated days' list before being discreetly removed on February 11 this year.

A government spokeswoman said: 'Since 2021 the default position in Great Britain is that the Union Flag flies all year round unless another flag is being flown.

'However we routinely review the list of designated days for flying the Union Flag on UK Government Buildings.

'These changes make the days consistent with other commemorative events, such as gun salutes.'

A source told the Telegraph Andrew will be spending today 'quietly at home'.

His birthday fell on the same day that Brunel, Epstein's alleged 'pimp', was reportedly found hanged in his cell in France.

Brunel had been facing preliminary charges of raping girls between 15 and 18 years old.

Among those who spoke out against him was Epstein victim Virginia Roberts, who said that she had had sex with Brunel several times when she was between the ages of 16 and 19, while she said she was being trafficked by Epstein.

Ms Roberts has also said that she had been forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions starting when she was 17.

French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, 76, who allegedly procured more than a thousand women and girls for paedophile financier Epstein to sleep with, was found hanged in his prison cell today in an alleged suicide

It comes just days after the Duke of York agreed a significant out-of-court settlement with Ms Roberts, which could reportedly end up costing 12 million.

It was believed that a settlement between Andrew and Ms Roberts ahead of a jury trial in their civil case would end the prospect of embarrassing the royal family during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year celebrations.

However, the settlement has raised serious questions over whether the Queen is helping Andrew to fund the agreement.

And now Brunel's suicide is likely to pile further controversy onto the Duke.

It was reported in 2020 that French investigators could consider questioning Prince Andrew about his links with Brunel, who had shared Epstein as a mutual acquaintance.

Remy Heitz, the Paris prosecutor, said that Mr Brunel was 'suspected of having organised the transport and lodging of girls or young women on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein', and were seeking to establish the nature of his alleged activities on behalf of Epstein who killed himself in a New York prison the year before.

Brunel had been facing preliminary charges of raping girls between 15 and 18 years old. Among those who spoke out against him was Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, who said that she had had sex with Brunel several times when she was between the ages of 16 and 19, while she said she was being trafficked by Epstein. Giuffre had become a key witness in the prosecution of Brunel

Brunel had denied all allegations against him.

The French inquiry had also conducted a video interview Ms Roberts, a victim of Epstein, according to The Times.

She said in court papers that Brunel had offered modelling jobs to girls as young as 12 and took them to the United States to 'farm them out to his friends, especially Epstein'.

Ms Roberts alleged that she had had sex with Brunel several times, and that she had been forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, which Andrew denied.

Brunel was then arrested at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris with a one-way ticket to Dakar, capital of Senegal, in West Africa.

Giuffre alleged that she had had sex with Brunel several times, and that she had been forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions, which Andrew denied. Pictured: Prince Andrew, Virginia and Ghislaine Maxwell at Maxwell's London flat

Following the arrest, Ms Roberts taunted Prince Andrew on social media. 'Are you sweating yet, Prince Andrew?' she wrote.

'You should be. Your buddy Jean-Luc Brunel is behind bars. Remember those girls he supplied to you on the island?'

According to French law, a French citizen such as Brunel can be tried in France for offences committed abroad.

The French investigation however suffered obstacles because of a statute of limitations that covers rape prosecutions that are 20 years old or 30 years old in the case of minors.

Both Prince Andrew and Brunel vehemently denied the claims, with a source close to Andrew telling the Royal Observer: 'He has never met Brunel. No ifs, no buts.'

Despite vowing to fight Ms Roberts' allegations directed against him in the civil case filed in New York - and repeatedly protesting his innocence - Andrew last week agreed to pay a large sum to settle the case before it reaches a jury.

The Telegraph reported the total amount that the victim and her charity will receive will actually exceed 12m, with the funds coming from her private Duchy of Lancaster estate, which recently increased by 1.5m to more than 23m.

It was believed that a settlement between Andrew and Ms Giuffre ahead of a jury trial in their civil case would end the prospect of embarrassing the royal family during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year celebrations. However, the settlement has raised serious questions over whether the Queen is helping Andrew to fund the agreement

Although the agreement contained no formal admission of liability from Andrew, or an apology, it said he now accepted Ms Roberts was a 'victim of abuse' and that he regretted his association with Epstein, the disgraced financier who trafficked countless young girls.

A statement announcing the settlement read: '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.'
'Real Time' host Bill Maher slammed mask mandates for school children on Friday, warning that such rules are creating a generation of 'little germ-paranoid munchkins.'

Maher and the panel discussed the recent recall efforts in San Francisco against liberal district attorney Chesa Boudin, which ultimately led to the ousting of three 'woke' school board members for prioritizing issues such as renaming schools instead of reopening them over the student's well-being.

Maher asked Brooke Jenkins, the former assistant San Francisco district attorney leading the recall effort against Boudin, if it was 'about time to chuck' the mask mandates for kids, to which Jenkins agreed.

'Having a 5-year-old in school right now, I would like to see them go,' Jenkins told the panel.

'They don't need them,' Maher replied, in reference to the COVID-19 face coverings.

'I mean, kids are the least, least vulnerable. To make these little children into Howie Mandels is what you're doing,' he added. That was a reference to the America's Got Talent judge and St Elsewhere actor, who is a famed germaphobe.

Studies show that children are less likely to get sick than adults, and make up just 14 percent of all COVID-19 cases in the US but only 0.1 percent of all deaths.

'Real Time' host Bill Maher slammed mask mandates for school children on Friday, warning that such rules are creating a generation of 'little germ-paranoid munchkins'

Maher asked Brooke Jenkins, right, the former assistant San Francisco district attorney leading the recall effort against Boudin, if it was 'about time to chuck' the mask mandates for kids

'Having a 5-year-old in school right now, I would like to see them go,' Jenkins told Friday's panel

Liberal San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin speaks at a press conference

'No, it's true!' Maher said.

'Youre creating a generation of Howie Mandels, of little germ-paranoid munchkins. Its so ridic.'

'Its a huge chunk of their lives,' fellow panelist and CNN analyst John Avlon added.

'I mean, weve got young kids-'

'Especially when theyre young,' Maher exclaimed.

'I mean, thats the first thing they remember and its going to get imprinted on them. I mean, kids are gross to begin with, you have to let them be gross They need also to get germs in their body!'

'Up to a point,' Avlon noted.

'But its true!' Maher rebuffed.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released new guidance on Monday saying that all students above age 2 and staff in schools should wear masks regardless of vaccination status. Pictured: Students wearing face masks at St Joseph Catholic School in La Puente, California, November 2020

Masks in schools have become one of the most controversial remaining Covid policies in America, with parents and teachers largely divided on the issue

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

Cases were down nationwide another 42 percent over the past week, with the U.S. now averaging 128,989 new cases every day

'Its how you get healthy! Its how you live with You cant live in a world by getting rid of all germs or avoiding them! Its insane!'

States which continue to impose school mandates say they're doing so because vaccines are not yet available for under fives.

But many parents cite the extremely low risk of a COVID infection as reason not to have their youngsters vaccinated. Young boys also run the risk of potentially fatal heart inflammation as a side effect. And while rare, many families have decided they'd rather take their chances with a likely-harmless COVID infection than a potentially serious vaccine-induced heart condition.

Maher's panel comes just days after three woke San Francisco school board members who invested more time on social justice issues - like the botched renaming of 44 schools - instead of reopening them during the pandemic have been ousted in a rare recall election funded largely in part by Silicon Valley billionaires and millionaires.

In a hot-button election, 70 percent of parents in the liberal city voted to recall the board members on Tuesday, according to the San Francisco Department of Elections.

The school board has seven members, all Democrats, but only three were eligible to be recalled: school board President Gabriela Lopez, Vice President Faauuga Moliga and Commissioner Alison Collins.

San Francisco School Board Commissioner Alison Collins was voted out during Tuesday's recall election

School Board President Gabriela Lopez (left) and Vice President Faauuga Moliga (right), both Democrats, were ousted by parents angered over their prioritizing of progressive initiatives over school reopening

The effort was well-funded by some of Silicon Valley's billionaires and millionaires, led by early Apple investor Arthur Rock, who poured more than $500,000 of his billion-dollar fortune into the recall.

PayPal CEO David Sacks - who has three children and opposes mask mandates and school closures - donated $75,000, and venture capitalist Garry Tan donated $26,000.

Among parents' main frustrations were that the school board failed to address reopening schools during the pandemic, and instead focused their efforts on renaming 44 because they claimed they were named after 'problematic' American icons, like Paul Revere and Abraham Lincoln.

But committee members embarrassed themselves after it was revealed they did not consult historians and used inaccurate Wikipedia entries and other non-scholarly sources to determine which personalities were racist and problematic.

'The city of San Francisco has risen up and said this is not acceptable to put our kids last,' said Siva Raj, a parent who helped launch the recall effort.
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The family of a British diving instructor who was killed by a great white in Sydneys first fatal shark attack in 60 years have paid tribute to him, calling him a wonderful human being who had the rare gift of connecting with people.

Cornish-born Simon Nellist, a former RAF gunner who survived two tours of Afghanistan, died just 500ft from horrified beachgoers off Little Bay, east of the Australian city, on Wednesday.

His devastated family have now paid tribute, calling him a proud Cornishman who had made Australia his home with his fiancee Jessie.

They said: Simon had a great passion for nature and the sea, as well as being a very talented photographer. Saying they would miss him terribly, they added: Simon was a gentle, kind and wonderful human being. He was a cherished fiancee, son, brother, uncle and friend.

Simon was funny, compassionate and always had time for people. He had a rare gift of instantly being able to connect with others, gaining their trust and respect.

Yesterday it emerged that Mr Nellist 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.

Cornish-born Simon Nellist, a former RAF gunner who survived two tours of Afghanistan, died just 500ft from horrified beachgoers off Little Bay, east of the Australian city, on Wednesday

Yesterday it emerged that Mr Nellist 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

His devastated family said he was a proud Cornishman who had made Australia his home with his fiancee Jessie

Mr Nellist was the first person to be killed by a shark in the Sydney area since the 1960s

Heartbreaking reason shark attack victim never got to marry the girl of his dreams - before he was mauled to death by a Great White in front of shocked fishermen A diving expert killed by a monster great white shark was never able to marry the love of his life because of Covid lockdowns. British expat Simon Nellist, 35, was engaged to Jessie Ho when he was mauled to death at Buchan Point, near Little Bay in the city's east, on Wednesday afternoon. Heartbroken friends revealed 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. Advertisement

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 theyre okay. If they managed to escape, I hope we can look after as many of them as possible.

Most city beaches were shut after the attack with swimmers banned from the water.

The shark victims 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 cant stop thinking about him, his family, the love of his life Jessie and the pain they are feeling.

Mr Nellists family told MailOnline 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. His aunt Jacqui Seager, 62, said: I dont think Simon would want the shark to be killed. He loved nature.

He swam with sharks before. This isnt the first time hes gone out and seen them but he would still go out swimming. Thats brave. I dont think he ever thought they would hurt him. Sadly, this time it managed to get to him.

Its 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 cant 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.

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)

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'

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. Theyre around the same age and instantly hit it off. Theyve 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.

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.'

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.

Mr Nellists friend Della Ross described the diving communitys 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 Pennsylvania mother-of-four driving for Uber could be heard begging for her life on das cam footage before her passenger fatally shot her in what police believe was a robbery attempt that took the worst turn possible last Friday.

A transcript of 38-year-old Christi Spicuzza's pleas were published in a criminal complaint against alleged killer Calvin Crew of Penn Hills, 22, charging him with homicide, robbery and tampering with evidence. The clip of their encounter has not yet been released. Crews is an ex-convict who'd been arrested and freed on recognizance on a firearms charge days before Spicuzza's killing

In the complaint, police said Crew used his girlfriend's phone, 22-year-old Tanaya Mullen, to order an Uber to 139 Brinton Avenue in Pitcairn around 9.14 pm on February 11, then held a gun, which belonged to Mullen, to Spicuzza's head and told her to keep driving.

She reached back four seconds after the gun was raised to her head, felt the weapon, and incredulously said 'you've got to be joking,' according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Crew told her again to keep driving, and she told him that she had a family: 'I'm begging you. I have four kids.'

'I got a family too,' Crew retorted. 'Now drive.'

Calvin Crew, 22, allegedly shot Uber driver Christina Spicuzza, 38, in the back of the head after he ordered a ride from her on February 10 - a transcript of dash camera footage from her vehicle shows that Spicuzza begged for her life before Crew grabbed the camera off her dashboard

Christina Spicuzza (left), 38, is pictured with three of her four children, two other relatives and her fiance, Brandon Marto (right) in a picture from 2015. Spicuzza was found dead with a single bullet wound to the back of her head on February 12

Spicuzza was a mother to four children - Andrea, Drew, Scotty and Tori - who 'was taken from her family,' her obituary says

'Christi was first and foremost a loving mother,' her obituary reads

Repeatedly, he told her to 'complete the trip.' She asked him multiple times to put the gun down, but he kept it pointed at the back of her neck.

'Please take that off of me,' she said. He reached up into the front seat and grabbed her phone from the dashboard, according to the complaint.

'Do what I say and everything will be all right,' he told her.

The video cuts after Crew grabs Spicuzza's dash cam and turns it off, the complaint alleges. It is unclear what happened next, although the ride ended with the driver's brutal murder.

During the drive, according to the complaint, Mullen of Pitcairn, sent him a message saying, '[Im] not going to jail if we get caught,' the complaint reads.

Spicuzza, of Turtle Creek, was found dead with a single gunshot wound to the back of her head and a 9mm shell casing near her body in a wooded area near the 500 block of Rosecrest Drive. Pictured is a police care at the crime scene

A police officer is pictured beside the wooded area where Spicuzza was found shot dead

Before her body was recovered, her silver Nissan Sentra was found nearby on the 500 block of Fourth Street in Pitcairn (pictured) with the dash cam missing and her purse still inside

Spicuzza, of Turtle Creek, was found dead with a single gunshot wound to the back of her head and a 9mm shell casing near her body in a wooded area near the 500 block of Rosecrest Drive.

Before her body was recovered, her silver Nissan Sentra was found nearby on the 500 block of Fourth Street in Pitcairn with the dash cam missing and her purse still inside.

Since it was launched on Tuesday, a GoFundMe for Spicuzza's four children and her funeral expenses has raised more than $50,000.

Spicuzza's fiance Brandon Marto, who frantically posted to Facebook asking for help after reporting his partner missing on February 11.

'Im holding out hope that Christi will be home soon, but Im so scared because inside the car was her purse, and she NEVER NEVER EVER would leave her purse in the car. This pain is unreal,' he wrote.

Generally, he wrote, she would check in with him every hour while she drove for Uber, but he said he hadn't heard from her - he said that he put their four kids to bed after their last correspondence around 9 a.m., then awoke at 4 a.m. to discover that she hadn't reached out.

On Facebook, Spicuzza's fiance Brandon Marto wrote that he was 'completely broken and horrified.' But he said that he was determined to get through the painful loss to support his children

'She ALWAYS checks in with me every hour. ALWAYS. EVERY HOUR,' he wrote.

'This is incredibly out of character for her. She would never not check in. And now close to 24 hours later, I would have heard from her if everything was OK,' he wrote.

Ultimately, Spicuzza's dashboard camera was recovered one-tenth of a mile from the spot where she picked up Crew, and police viewed the footage from a mini SD card in the camera, which recorded audio and video from the front and back of the car, court paperwork says.

Crew was arrested around 7 pm on February 17th, and arraigned the next day before District Judge Robert P. Dzvonick. He is currently being held without bail at Allegheny County before a preliminary court hearing scheduled for February 25.

It is unclear whether Mullen will face charges.

Crew is an ex-convict who was not allowed to possess a firearm, according to the criminal complaint, due to serious offenses he committed as a juvenile, according to Heavy.

Days before the homicide warrant was filed, on February 15, he was arrested by the Northern Regional Police Department for a felony related to the sale and transfer of firearms and a misdemeanor of falsification to authorities. That case was filed on December 8 for crimes that authorities allege took place on September 10, 2020.

At a press conference, Allegheny County Police Department Superintendent Christopher Kearns said Crew had no prior relationship with Spicuzza, which he said was unusual in a homicide case.

The Uber driver's death comes as violent crime is on the rise in Pittsburgh. In 2021, there were 227 aggravated assaults with guns, compared to 181 in 2020 and 161 in 2019. Non-fatal shootings were also up, with 176 reported incidents in 2021 compared to 154 in 2020 and 146 in 2019, according to the Pittsburgh Police Department.

Police dispatched to reports of shots fired shot up to 3,889 last year, in comparison to 2,415 in 2020 and 3,323 in 2019.

Spicuzza was a mother to four children - Andrea, Drew, Scotty and Tori - who 'was taken from her family,' her obituary says.

'Christi was first and foremost a loving mother,' the obituary reads.

She is survived by three brothers and a sister, and also leaves behind her parents and other family members. In her free time, she enjoyed crafting and bible study.

'Anyone who knew Christi knew her smile could light up every room she was in. No matter what was going on in her life, Christi was always smiling, always positive, and always loving,' her obituary says.

On Facebook, Marto wrote that he was 'completely broken and horrified.' But he said that he was determined to get through the painful loss to support his children.

Spicuzza will be laid to rest on Monday, February 21 in her hometown of Monroeville.
New York City subway stabbings have skyrocketed by 35 percent in a year, with a Trader Joes' worker being one of the latest victims after being horrifically slashed across face for standing up to a rude passenger.

The subway stabbings and slashings have spiked 29 percent in the last last year, with 182 incidents compared to 141 a year before in 2020.

And 2022 is squaring up to be even worse. So far this year, there have been 27 subway attacks on passengers - a 35 per cent increase on the 20 reported for the same period of 2021.

One straphanger, a Trader Joe's employee named Kevin Young, was repeatedly slashed across the face, hand and behind the ear after accidentally bumping into into a disturbed passenger on February 12.

The incident occurred around 5:45 am at the Union Square subway station on East 14th street as Young tried to step off a southbound Q train on his way to work to begin his 6 am shift.

'Subway crime is out of control,' fumed Young, 36, to the New York Post.

'He's trying to get on the train and Im trying to get out and after a shoving match he goes for his blade,' Young recalled.

'I tried to defend myself as much as possible. As soon as I held him down, he got his blade and went to work.'

A Trader Joe's employee was slashed across the face, hand and behind the ear by a disturbed passenger on February 12 while en route to work at the Union Square store, pictured above

Young required 25 stitches to close his wounds, and underwent surgery at Bellevue Hospital on Thursday to fix some nerve damage in his left middle finger that he sustained during the attack.

'And I have to get pin plates inserted into my right index finger so the bones could grow back,' he groaned.

His assailant, who has yet to be identified or arrested as of Saturday, was last seen wearing a black jacket, black jeans, black Adidas bag and eyeglasses, police said.

The attack on Young comes just days after a 39-year-old woman was slashed in the forehead by another woman with a boxcutter while traveling on a 5 train at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue.

Meanwhile, Mayor 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.
Bill Gates stated on Friday that the chance of serious disease from COVID-19 has "dramatically decreased," but a new pandemic is likely to occur.

Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, told CNBC's Hadley Gamble at Germany's annual Munich Security Conference that a hypothetical new pandemic would likely be caused by a disease other than the coronavirus family.

Gates: Omicron Variant Delivers More Immunity Than the Vaccines

However, he noted that if investments are made now, breakthroughs in medical technology could enable the world to do a better job of combating it. Gates said that the worst impacts of the coronavirus pandemic have faded after large swaths of the world population had developed some level of protection two years later. With the current Omicron variant, the severity has also decreased.

However, according to Gates, this is due to the virus itself, which generates immunity and has "done a better job of spreading out to the whole population than what we have with vaccinations" in many locations.

By mid-2022, Gates believes it will be "too late" to accomplish the World Health Organization's objective of vaccinating 70% of the world's population. Currently, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to 61.9 percent of the world's population.

He went on to say that the world should move quicker in developing and distributing vaccinations in the future and that countries should spend money today for it. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has teamed with the Wellcome Trust in the United Kingdom to provide $300 million to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which helped develop the Covax vaccine delivery program in low- and middle-income countries. The CEPI hopes to fund $3.5 billion to reduce the time it takes to produce a new vaccine to only 100 days.

Bill Gates warned about pandemics worse than the present one a month ago when COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant spread over the world. His remarks came as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust, a British biomedical charity, both contributed $150 million to CEPI in the battle against COVID-19 and to prepare for future pandemics.

During the Ebola epidemic, the worldwide cooperation CEPI was co-founded. It is a co-leader of Covax, a project to provide COVID-19 vaccinations throughout the underdeveloped countries. The CEPI also financed 14 vaccine studies, including the ones from AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Novavax, as per The Independent.

Gates encouraged nations to pay billions of dollars to prevent future pandemics from spreading, which might result in many more deaths than the COVID-19 pandemic. He went on to say that it was on philanthropists and wealthy countries to solve vaccine disparities, and he urged governments to do more.

Read Also: Donald Trump's Improperly Taken White House Records Contain "National Security Information" - US National Archives

Bill Gates Hopeful Polio Will End in Pakistan

Meanwhile, following a quick but fruitful visit to Pakistan, Bill Gates has expressed confidence in the country's ability to eradicate the polio virus soon. It's worth noting that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest donor to polio eradication in Pakistan and throughout the world.

Per Daily Times, during his visit to Islamabad on Thursday, the internet mogul praised Pakistan's polio-eradication efforts, saying that despite COVID-19 constraints, the government has done "great" work in eliminating the disease.

After several engagements, Gates arrived at the federal capital early in the morning and left the same evening. He met with senior government officials, including a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan and a National Task Force on Polio Eradication meeting.

On the fringes of the tour, the dignitary paid visits to the National Command and Operation Center and the National Command and Emergency Center headquarters, as well as attending a luncheon given by Prime Minister Imran Khan for federal ministers. Furthermore, President Arif Alvi presented Gates with the Hilal-e-Pakistan, Pakistan's second-highest civil honor, in appreciation of his distinguished services to Pakistan's people, notably in the fight against polio.

Related Article: Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates Talks About His Life Over the Past Year, Details Foundation's Progress

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Ukraine's president has called on the West to stop their 'appeasement' of Russia and warned sanctions will not work on Moscow once the bombing starts, to a standing ovation from world leaders.

Volodymyr Zelensky told a security forum in Munich that his country deserves stronger international support after acting as a buffer against Russian expansion.

The conference had echoes of the 1938 summit in Munich in which leaders agreed a policy of appeasement against Adolf Hitler's Germany in an effort to prevent an imminent war.

Zelensky said today: 'Ukraine has received security guarantees for abandoning the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal. We have no weapons. And no security ...

'But we have a right - a right to demand a shift from a policy of appeasement to one ensuring security and peace.'

He added: 'For eight years, Ukraine has been a shield. For eight years, Ukraine has been holding back one of the greatest armies in the world.'

Ukraine's president has called on the West to stop their 'appeasement' of Russia and warned sanctions will not work on Moscow once the bombing starts

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait in a bus to enter Russia at the customs post 'Matveev Kurgan' in Rostov region

The Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces, the military reserve of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, take part in a military drill outside Kyiv

What happened at the 1938 Munich conference? The Munich Agreement was signed by Neville Chamberlain, Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler and Edouard Daladier in 1938. It was designed to stop Germany invading Czechoslovakia. The agreement by the leaders agreed the annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland, occupied mainly by German speaking people. Upon his return home, Chamberlain declared the agreement had secured 'peace in our time'. However a year later Hitler invaded Poland, sparking the beginning of the Second World War. Advertisement

Zelensky also said he wants a 'clear' timeframe for when Ukraine can join the NATO alliance.

'What can we do? We can continue forcefully supporting Ukraine and its defences. Present... clear, feasible timeframes for membership of the Alliance,' he said.

The president also called for a meeting with Putin in order to avoid any conflict.

He said: 'I do not know what the Russian president wants. For this reason, I propose that we meet.'

Zelensky was warned not to travel to Munich today through fear that Russia may launch an attack in his absence.

Putin is putting on a show of military strength with new nuclear drills as he sends a MIG armed with a hypersonic missile over the Mediterranean.

The Russian leader is personally overseeing the nuclear exercises involving 'strategic forces' which will include practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko is joining Putin in the situation room in the Kremlin to watch over the strategic drills.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today's drills 'should not cause anyone concern' and said Russia had informed the proper channels.

Russia holds huge strategic drills every year but today's manoeuvres include the Black Sea Fleet, based on the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

Tanks move during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Smoke and flame rise over a field during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko oversee joint military drills from the situation room in the Kremlin

A handout still image taken from handout video made available by the Russian Defence ministry press-service shows launch of a cruise missile of the operational-tactical missile system 'Iskander' from at the Kapustin Yar training ground, Russia, 19 February 2022

A Russian nuclear submarine sails in an unknown location during exercises by nuclear forces involving the launch of ballistic missiles, in this still image taken from video released February 19, 2022

A Tu-22M3 Russian bomber flies over the Mediterranean after taking off from the Hemeimeem air base in Syria in Putin's latest show of force

Military helicopters fly over tanks and armored vehicles moving during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Russian and Belarusian servicemen conduct joint drills at a firing range in the Brest region of Belarus

Tank army units loaded onto a troop train return from recent routine drills to permanent deployment sites

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait in a bus to enter Russia at the customs post 'Matveev Kurgan' in Rostov region

The head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin announced a general mobilisation

Russia has also sent a MIG-31K and a Tu-22M3 bomber over the Mediterranean in another show of force amid the rising tensions.

The warplane is deployed with the new ultra high speed Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles.

The 24-foot-long, one-ton Kinzhal - or Dagger - can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, and Russia boasts it has no match among Western defences.

The hypersonic Kinzhal has a range of 1,250 miles and could pummel Ukrainian troops and defences without flying close to the country.

Russia is believed to have around 20 Kinzhal-compatible MiG-31Ks in total.
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The hellhole prison where Jeffrey Epstein's pimp 'hanged himself' is one of the toughest jails in France and boasts a so-called 'VIP section' where 'super terrorist' Carlos the Jackal is housed.

Jean-Luc Brunel, 76, was imprisoned in the infamous La Sante in Paris after his arrest at the city's Charles de Gaulle airport while he was trying to board a plane to Dakar, Senegal, telling detectives 'I'm going on holiday' in December 2020.

Brunel is thought to have been in a single occupancy cell at the time of his death inside the 19th Century prison. 'There is an investigation going on to confirm all this, but at the moment it looks like he killed himself alone, and it was a routine patrol that found his body hanging,' a source said.

They added: 'There were no obvious fears for the prisoner's health, and he was not on a suicide watch, having already been in prison for many months.'

The hellhole prison was inaugurated in 1867 with 500 cells, expanding to 1,000 to eventually house up to 2,000 convicts within the jail's walls.

Before the banning of public executions in 1939, deaths by guillotine were regularly held outside its walls. The last execution  by guillotine  took place in 1972.

In modern days there is a so-called 'VIP section' where inmates include 'super terrorist' and mass killer Carlos the Jackal, whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchez.

The 72-year-old Venezuelan was convicted of terrorist crimes, and is serving a life sentence for the 1975 murder of an informant for the French government and two French counterintelligence agents.

Jean-Luc Brunel is thought to have been alone at the time of his death and there were no cameras to record his final hours, according to an investigating source at La Sante in Paris. Pictured, the prison's corridor

Many of the rooms inside the prison are single-occupancy, but others feature bunk-beds for cellmates to share. The cells also have a metal toilet and desk area

Brunel (pictured) is thought to have been in a single occupancy cell at the time of his death inside the 19th Century prison. 'There is an investigation going on to confirm all this, but at the moment it looks like he killed himself alone, and it was a routine patrol that found his body hanging,' he said

The prison is split into two levels, an upper and lower, with prisoners racially segregated until 2000. There used to be a block for 'Western Europe', 'Black Africa', 'North Africa', and 'The Rest of the World'

Other infamous inmates include the businessman Bernard Tapie, rogue financier Jerome Kerviel, Manuel Noriega and the gangster Jacques Mesrine.

Mesrine, a French bank robber and kidnapper nicknamed 'the man of a thousand faces' and declared 'public enemy number one', climbed over the prison's walls and went on the run in 1978.

The most daring escape from the prison was performed by Michel Vaujour in 1986, when his wife, Nadine, piloted a helicopter into the courtyard to snatch him up. A few months later he was shot down and crippled in a vengeful stand-off.

During the Second World War the Germans executed French Resistance fighters at the prison. Eighteen were either guillotined or shot by firing squad before the occupation ended with a riot during which 28 prisoners were shot on the orders of the German regime.

The prison is split into two levels, an upper and lower, with prisoners racially segregated until 2000. There used to be a block for 'Western Europe', 'Black Africa', 'North Africa', and 'The Rest of the World'.

The maximum-security cells have been described as boxes where you can almost stretch your arms and touch both walls at the same time.

In 2000, Veronique Vasseur, La Santes chief medical officer, published a book, Medecin-chef a la prison de la Sante, to reveal what life inside the prison's walls was really like.

She claimed the prison was infested with rats and cockroaches, with suicidal prisoners left in chains.

Severe wounds including trench foot and other skin infections raged and the place was known as a 'city within a city' with its own rules and a morality governed by violence.

In 2014, the prison closed for four years for renovations.

The official enquiry into Brunel's sudden death was on Saturday being carried out by offices from the 3rd Judicial Police district in Paris. An autopsy was set to be carried out, to establish the exact cause of death.

Forensic officers were meanwhile examining the cell where Brunel died in La Sante. While CCTV is commonplace in the corridors and gateways of French prisons, the vast majority of cells are not under video surveillance.

The prison was inaugurated in 1867 with 500 cells, expanding to 1,000 to eventually house up to 2,000 convicts within the jail's walls

The prison, which boasts a VIP section for its worst criminals is pictured, left, in 1931, and right, in 1934. Brunel is thought to have been alone at the time of his death and there were no cameras to record his final hours, according to an investigating source at La Sante  one of the toughest jails in France

French bank robber and kidnapper Jacques Mesrine, nicknamed 'the man of a thousand faces' and declared 'public enemy number one', in the high-security quarters of Sante Prison, from which he managed to escape

There is a so-called 'VIP section' where inmates include 'super terrorist' and mass killer Carlos the Jackal (pictured left, in 1975, and right, in 2000), whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchez. The 72-year-old Venezuelan was convicted of terrorist crimes, and is serving a life sentence for the 1975 murder of an informant for the French government and two French counterintelligence agents

Brunel was originally indicted and placed in pre-trial detention in December 2020 for the 'rape of a minor over 15 years old' and harassing two other women.

He was also suspected of being a 'pimp' for Epstein, after becoming a close friend of the billionaire financier.

Brunel had been placed under the intermediate status of assisted witness for acts of 'human trafficking' and 'exploiting minors for the sexual purposes.'

His death in an alleged hanging will fuel conspiracy theories around the Epstein affair after the financier also died in prison while awaiting trial in what authorities concluded was a hanging.

Controversy over Epstein's death has been fueled by the fact that prison video cameras at Manhattan's Metropolitan Correction Center were not running at the time Epstein died in the cell he shared with another inmate.

Prosecutors in Paris confirmed Brunel, who is not believed to have been on suicide watch, was found hanging in his cell in La Sante, in the south of the capital city, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Brunel is thought to have been alone at the time of his death and there were no cameras to record his final hours, according to an investigating source at La Sante  one of the toughest jails in France.

'A night patrol found his lifeless body at about 1am,' said an investigating source. 'A judicial enquiry has been launched, and early evidence points to suicide.'

It was in December 2020 that Brunel was indicted after two days of interviews by an examining magistrate and specialist police from an anti-paedophilia unit.
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Heavily-armed police and riot cops were in control of downtown Ottawa streets late Saturday after a two-day military-style operation to smash the Freedom Convoy truck occupation.

At least 170 protestors have now been arrested since the start of the operation Friday morning and nearly 50 trucks and other vehicles have been towed off.

Scores of big rigs that had been lining the protests core area of Wellington Street beside the Parliament buildings are gone  some towed but most finally being driven away after truckers were given five-minute warnings before they would be arrested.

They vanished after police dramatically overran the central location, beside Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus office, which has been the epicenter of the paralyzing three-week Freedom Convoy blockade by more than 300 trucks and which had a stage with a video screen and assorted food tents.

A smaller number of protest supporters were mingling around other streets into the night, some in small stand-offs against police lines but others just wandering around.

Ottawa's interim police chief Steve Bell said of the operation: 'It is going at this point exactly as we anticipated.'

On Saturday, the debate on whether Trudeau should have enacted the draconian Emergency Powers Act resumed, after being suspended Friday over claims the nearby protests had compromised Canadian MPs' safety.

Some arrests were made as the line moved steadily from the Chateau Launier hotel  which had been the overnight holding position  and up Wellington Street to the Parliament buildings area.

Cops now easily outnumber the remaining protestors, who gathered after the first police thrust near their makeshift stage in what felt like a last stand in freezing temperatures and snowfall.

Within an hour they were also shunted from that area - which has been crucial to them - as a second wave of police action dispersed them to nearby streets.

Ottawas city cops were even more heavily armed than when the clearance operation began Friday. They were all carrying batons and were helmeted. Others had rubber bullet guns.

A protester lies on the ground after being apprehended during Saturday's Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa

The protester was apprehended as 47 people were arrested Saturday, with 38 vehicles impounded

Mounted cops were snapped patrolling through snowy Ottawa as they moved to clear away the last of the protesters

Two protesters were filmed remonstrating with cops as officers moved to clear them away

Cops are filmed shoving protesters during Saturday's operation to break up the remaining Freedom Convoy

This protester ended up face down in the show after he was detained by cops, with 47 arrests made on Saturday

Canadian flags were waved in the air as police prepared to move in and break-up the final few protesters

One protester said his prayers on a mat with the Canadian Bill of Rights sat on its top corner while cops stood just feet away from him

Cops impounded this truck on Saturday, one of 38 vehicles towed by officials during the final hours of the Freedom Convoy

Another protester held up a placard saying 'Hold the line' in a rallying cry to his fellow Freedom Convoy members

As the line halted almost under the window of Trudeaus office, other ranks of the fearsome Surete du Quebec riot police  dressed in military-style green fatigues and with tear gas guns  assembled in the rear.

Also waiting in the background were several police horses, which were used Friday evening to storm through protestors after cops said officers were being attacked.

Ottawa police had said they believe the bulk of the operation could be achieved Saturday.

By 11 a.m., the protesters stage and community area which had food stands was overrun by police.

It was the central focus of the blockade outside Parliament buildings on Wellington Street - with a video screen and other facilities.

Farther down Wellington Street, police squads arrived and gave truckers and demonstrators there five minutes to get out - or be arrested. All three trucks there and one RV left. One of them was driven by a woman sobbing at the wheel.

As the trucks left, a small crowd cheered and applauded, calling them heroes.

The police operation on Saturday moved much faster than on Friday. Before lunchtime, they had taken control of the main area and were left with mopping up the side streets - which still contained a lot of vehicles at that point.

A freedom convoy protester is hit with pepper spray Saturday as cops in Canada clear the final Freedom Convoy protesters away from the Parliament building in Ottawa

Pro-convoy protesters linked arms with one another as they faced off with police during the final hours of the Ottawa protest

A female protester was snapped on the ground with a cop behind her during what appeared to be an apprehension

Ottawa interim police chief Bell updated the total number of arrests over two days to 170.

And he added of the operation: It is going at this point exactly as we anticipated.

Bell, who took over when former chief Peter Sloly resigned, said at a press conference: This is tough work.

These officers are doing what they have been trained to do. They have demonstrated unparalleled discipline, restraint and the upmost professionalism.

He said of the protestors: At every step in the this operation we have been upfront and clear with the unlawful protestors that they must leave the area.

We have advised them of our enforcements efforts to they could continue to make informed decisions.

We backed up those warning with a deliberate and methodical operation using lawful and safe tactics.

Bell said his teams had faced a barrage of resistance, shoving and vitriol at every stage.

We all saw the protestors were aggressive with the officers and we needed to use horses at one point, he added.

As a result we responded this morning by adding helmets and batons to our equipment for the safety of our officers.

Our officers continued to face resistance. At one point a flare was ignited by a protestor. Officers used a chemical irritant also known as pepper spray unlawful demonstrators who were resisting police orders.

Bell condemned parents who are bringing children to the front line of the protest.

Sadly we again saw young children being brought to the front of our police operation, he said.

This is dangerous and is putting young children at risk.

Another protester lay in the snow on Saturday morning in an apparent bid to make it harder for police to move him away

Cops armed with batons could be seen clashing with another protester as they advanced to break-up the remaining members of the Freedom Convoy

A bearded man wearing a blanked and gloves could be seen grimacing as he was tackled by police

Ottawa riot police are pictured scuffling with a Freedom Convoy protester during Saturday's so-called last stand next to the Canadian Parliament building

Freedom Convoy organizers had issued a statement saying they have now asked truckers to move their rigs from the Parliament Hill area.

It was the first signal from the nerve center of the protest that they are accepting they are in the final stages of the blockade.

Leaders also condemned police action against their protest.

A statement said: The Freedom Convoy 2022 is shocked at the abuses of power by the low enforcement in Ottawa.

The police have horse-trampled on demonstrators and deployed riot control agents. They have beaten peaceful protestors with batons and with the stock of their guns.

We have therefore asked out truckers to move from Parliament Hill to avoid further brutality. To move trucks we will need time. This has been communicated to Ottawa police, and we hope that they will judicious restraint.

'The truckers are moving, and the use of more force will only be used to punish people and it to preserve establish order.

A protester squares up to armed riot police in Ottawa Saturday morning, as cops continued to clear away the Freedom Convoy

Officers were armed with batons and rubber bullet guns, and managed to clear protesters from the front of the Canadian Parliament building

At one point, cops were seen bursting through a snow mound constructed by protesters to try and slow their progress. A masked man was seeing trying to flee from then

A couple of protesters danced close to a police barricade in Ottawa Saturday, with police saying they anticipated the rest of the protest being cleared away within hours

This group of protesters represent the final stand of the Freedom Convoy, and are expected to be cleared away by Saturday afternoon

A female protester was filmed looking upset with police officers as they cleared the Freedom Convoy away on Saturday

Around 9:15 a.m., cops issued a tweet aimed at demonstrators still near Chateau Laurier saying: Protestors: we told you to leave. We have you time to leave.

We were slow and methodical, yet you were assaultive and aggressive with officers and the horses.

Based on your behavior, we are responding by including helmets and batons for our safety.

Five minutes later they began their latest push.

One protestor launched a gas canister at the cops, according to another official tweet. It added: Police response will be with public and officer safety in mind. Police remind protestors to remain peaceful.

Dozens of truckers have now abandoned the protest and driven their rigs away from the area  despite earlier saying they were going nowhere.

Numbers of demonstrators, who made the same vow to media, have also dwindled drastically in the face of patient but determined police action.

Seven law enforcement agencies are involved in the swoop to regain the streets.

Most of the area has now been cleared, and the protest is likely to be moved completely by Saturday afternoon

Freedom Convoy protesters are snapped facing-off against Quebec's riot police on Saturday morning

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 10:20 p.m. 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. on Friday 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.

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.
Police in Birmingham have launched a murder inquiry after a man was found in a car with fatal injuries in the early hours of this morning.

Police have set up a cordon on Wright Road, Saltley, Birmingham as they investigate the shocking discovery.

Emergency services were alerted at 12.45am after the man, who was in his 30s, had been found with serious injuries inside a car.

A man in his 30s was found dead in a car in Birmingham at 12.45am after police were called to the scene on Wright Road, Saltley, pictured

Scenes of crime officers have been searching for evidence since the discovery of the man's body

Unfortunately, the unnamed man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are currently speaking to a number of people in the local area and sourcing CCTV camera's that could help them piece together what happened.

Detective Inspector Michelle Thurgood, from Force CID, said: 'We're at the early stages of this investigation and our thoughts are with the man's family.

'We are working to find out what happened and a large number of officers are at the scene and in the area to establish the facts.

'Anyone who saw anything or has dashcam, CCTV or doorbell camera footage from around the time of the incident, should please let officers at the scene know or call us on 101.'

The man's family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

Officers are appealing for anyone with dashcam or doorbell footage from the scene to come forward
Britain's Covid-19 cases have fallen by a quarter percent on last week's figures to 34,377 positive tests in the last 24 hours.

Deaths are also down, by 23 percent on last week, to 128, as figures continue to show the Covid-19 outbreak appears to be shrinking in the country.

It comes as the Prime Minister is set to unveil his blueprint for 'living with Covid' on Monday, with ministers set to finalise the the strategy over the weekend.

When unveiling his intention to get rid of the last restrictions  including the need for infected people to self-isolate, the PM last week claimed it would only happen if the outbreak continued to recede.

Today's figures will inevitably give him even more confidence, with cases, deaths and hospitalisations having been in freefall for over a fortnight.

The daily figures show 34,377 positive Covid tests were registered in the last 24 hours, down 25 percent on the 46,025 cases last Saturday.

NHS chiefs call for free virus tests and self-isolation rules to stay Free Covid tests and self-isolation rules must continue, NHS leaders said today in a last ditch attempt to persuade Boris Johnson against dropping all remaining restrictions next week. Matthew Taylor, chief executive of NHS Confederation  an organisation that represents leaders across the health service, warned uncertainty over long-term immunity from vaccines and previous infection and the risk of future variants meant it was still too early to drop the final measures. He urged ministers 'now is not the time to take risks', saying the last restrictions should only be relaxed gradually and on the basis of evidence to avoid any sudden flare-ups, even though cases, hospitalisations and deaths have all been trending downwards for weeks as the Omicron wave recedes. Calling for the brakes to be slammed onto No10's 'living with Covid' plans, Mr Taylor  Tony Blair's former policy adviser  said: 'The Government cannot wave a magic wand and pretend the threat has disappeared entirely.' He added the move to exit the acute phase of the pandemic 'must not be driven by political expediency'. Other healthcare leaders also urged the Prime Minister to re-consider his plans today, saying he should ease the last restrictions 'gradually'. Advertisement

It comes after it was revealed that Mr Johnson's top scientific advisers fear that next week's bonfire of the remaining Covid rules could leave Britain battling a variant that kills up to a third of people it infects.

Documents released from the panel's last meeting warned that any sudden change to the rules carries the potential to accelerate the pandemic.

One paper discussed by SAGE, which delved into potential scenarios that could emerge over the next few years, dismissed the milder nature of Omicron as being a 'chance' event and argued that it's a 'common misconception' that viruses evolve to become weaker.

It warned of a 'realistic possibility' that a variant could spawn that is just as lethal as other coronaviruses known to strike humans, such as MERS, which has a 35 per cent case fatality rate. Mutations are more likely while circulation of the virus is high, the panel said.

Referencing the document in its minutes, SAGE warned that the scenario  which they've already floated before  remained a 'valid' possibility.

Three new papers from the influential group's last meeting on February 10 were put into the public domain today while three others were published last Friday, including one warning dropping the remaining restrictions would 'increase anxiety'.

The PM's announcement last week was widely seen as a desperate ploy to appease hardline anti-lockdown Tory backbenchers and fend off a flurry of no-confidence letters following a spate of allegations about illegal lockdown parties in Downing Street.

Mr Johnson's blueprint will be checked over again by ministers on Sunday, Whitehall sources say, before being announced on Monday when Parliament returns from recess.

He has already faced vocal opposition to his plans, with the chief executive of NHS Confederation today saying the Government could not 'wave a magic wand' and pretend the virus had disappeared.

Matthew Taylor, who heads up the organisation which represents hospital bosses, urged ministers 'now is not the time to take risks'.

He said the last restrictions should only be relaxed gradually and on the basis of evidence to avoid any sudden flare-ups, even though cases, hospitalisations and deaths have all been trending downwards for weeks as the Omicron wave recedes.

Matthew Taylor, chief of the NHS Confederation which represents hospital trusts, said ministers could not 'wave a magic wand' and pretend the virus had disappeared (Pictured left on Preston on Sunday). Professor Dame Helen-Stokes Lampard, who chairs the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, called on ministers to lift restrictions more gradually

The Government's 'Living Safely With Covid' strategy', due to be unveiled next week, will see free lateral flow swabs dumped from next month, Whitehall sources say (Pictured: Covid testing site in London)

Boris Johnson pictured yesterday visiting RAF Waddingdon, in Lincolnshire. The Prime Minister is currently thrashing out his plan to 'live with' Covid

Free Covid tests for universities axed 'from today', in first sign swabbing drive is being scaled back Free Covid tests for universities were stopped today in the first sign Britain's testing scheme is being scaled back, it was suggested. Currently students are advised to take two lateral flow swabs a week to check for the virus. But deliveries of the kits from NHS Test and Trace and the UK Health Security Agency were stopped today, reports The Guardian. Education leaders only found out about the termination on Wednesday, they reported. From Saturday they will also no longer be allowed to distribute their stocks on campus. It comes as Boris Johnson thrashes out his plan for 'living with' the virus, which is expected to be a bonfire of the final restrictions. Set to be announced on Monday when Parliament returns from recess, the Prime Minister has already said it will see the end of self-isolation. But Whitehall sources have also suggested free lateral flow tests will come to an end under the plans. Asked about the reports today, ministers said people should 'wait and see'. Advertisement

Separate papers from SAGE advisers warned Covid transmission could increase by up to 80 per cent if the Government abandons the last restrictions.

The scientists on the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M-O) said: 'A sudden change, such as an end to testing and isolation, has the scope to lead to a return to rapid epidemic growth.'

They warned a quick uptick could lead to current projections of Covid deaths dropping below 100 a day by March being proved inaccurate, with deaths instead starting to rise again.

SAGE advisers on the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) warned it was likely the next variant could be just as dangerous as Alpha and Delta  which triggered waves last winter and summer.

They said it was a 'realistic possibility' that a more dangerous variant could emerge either through mutations or a hybrid between two variants emerging  in a process scientifically known as recombination.

In another scenario, they said Covid could jump into animals and the mutate before crossing back to humans.

The virus emerged in an animal host  thought likely to be bats  before spreading to humans. There are also suggestions that the Omicron variant evolved in rodents, although these are yet to be stacked up with evidence.

The committee admitted, however, that over the next few years it was likely the virus would become 'less virulent'.

They said this would happen as it became 'fully adapted' to humans, stopping it triggering serious disease.

Other scientists have already predicted it is likely that no variant will be able to set the UK back to the same position it was in in March 2020 when the virus first emerged.

Professor Francois Balloux, a geneticist at University College London, said last week: 'Some variants will be intrinsically more severe than others, but once everyone has been vaccinated and/or infected multiple times, no variant can set us back to levels of Covid hospitalisation and death we experienced during the pandemic.'

Some SAGE scientists have already called for Britain to start 'living with' Covid the same way as with the flu. Professor Graham Medley, No10's chief modeller, warned the virus 'can't be an emergency forever'.

He said last month: 'At some point it will have to stop being an emergency but that is likely to be a phase out rather than an active point in time where somebody can declare the epidemic over.'

Boris Johnson is preparing to lay out his plan for 'living with' the virus on Monday when Parliament returns from recess. He has already announced self-isolation will go from next week, and the plan is also expected to see the end of free lateral flow tests from next month.

But the plans are already facing opposition, with NHS chief Mr Taylor warning uncertainty over long-term immunity from vaccines and previous infection and the risk of future variants mean it was still too early to drop the final measures.

He urged ministers 'now is not the time to take risks', saying the last restrictions should only be relaxed gradually and on the basis of evidence to avoid any sudden flare-ups, even though cases, hospitalisations and deaths have all been trending downwards for weeks as the Omicron wave recedes.

Calling for the brakes to be slammed onto No10's 'living with Covid' plans, Mr Taylor  Tony Blair's former policy adviser  said: 'The Government cannot wave a magic wand and pretend the threat has disappeared entirely.' He added the move to exit the acute phase of the pandemic 'must not be driven by political expediency'.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul heaped praise Attorney General Letitia James - citing her 'passion and heart' for battling ex-President Donald Trump - but failed to mention James' probe into Andrew Cuomo that landed Hochul the governorship.

Hochul, who made the comments during the 2022 New York State Democratic Convention, named several Democratic leaders in the Empire State, while singling out AG James for her ongoing fight against Trump.

'And talk about passion and heart, our Attorney General Letitia James. What a tireless fighter she is. She is amazing. We are so blessed to have her.'

'Not just here in New York but as a national leader in fighting for justice, and fighting against Donald Trump-ism every place it rears its ugly head, she has been out there for us and Im so proud of her.'

Hochul was referring to James' ongoing probe into alleged financial mismanagement at the Trump Organization. This week, the AG was permitted to force Donald Trump, Ivanka and Don Jr to testify for her probe into claims the family firm inflated the value of its assets to obtain more favorable loan terms. They deny wrongdoing.

But the governor made zero mention of James' vital role in landing her the top political job in New York State, thanks to the AG's probe into claims former Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women.

That led to Cuomo resigning in August 2021, with former Lt Governor Hochul taking over the role.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks during the 2022 New York State Democratic Convention

Attorney General Letitia James, pictured, who received praised from Hochul for her work against Donald Trump

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference at New York's Yankee Stadium, July 26, 2021

Cuomo resigned from office in August after investigators working for James authored a report concluding he had sexually harassed 11 women, making way for Hochul to claim the state's highest office.

James eventually announced her own campaign for governor after ousting Cuomo, but ended up dropping out of the race in late December.

Cuomo has denied James' claims of sexual impropriety, and long maintained her campaign against him was done with one eye on enhancing her own prospects for a gubernatorial run.

Hochul would likely have been less forthcoming with praise had James not dropped out of the governor's race, with that election scheduled for November 8 this year.

She went on to tell the crowd that the GOP's biggest nightmare was a 'united Democrat party' and urged warring progressive and liberal factions to make peace ahead of the November midterms.

Hochul added: 'A united Democratic Party, thats what theyre worried about. Even on issues we dont agree, come election time, we cannot allow ourselves to be divided, and never lose sight of the fact that as New York Democrats, we know we need to go,' Hochul responded to her own question, to the crowd's delight.'

Hochuls remarks come just days after a judge ruled that Trump, Donald Trump Jr, and Ivanka Trump must testify in AG James' investigation into Trump's businesses.

Meanwhile, that same judge, Arthur Engoron, delivered a withering put down to Donald Trump's lawyer's claim that the former president was being unfairly targeted by James on Thursday, saying she had every right to go after him if 'he's just a bad guy.'

New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron dismissed arguments made by former President Donald Trump's lawyer that he was being unfairly discriminated against

At the end of the Thursday hearing Engoron ruled that former President Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump all must provide depositions in a civil fraud case

At the end of the hearing, New York Supreme Court Judge 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.

She had previously opened the door to the line of attack with some of her past statements about Trump during her own campaigns, calling him an 'illegitimate president' and said 'we need to find out where he is laundering his money,' statements the Trump team has used to accuse her of misconduct.
Aldo Alushi, 29, was arrested after Class A drugs were seized at Stansted Airport

A drug smuggler has admitted importing cocaine into the UK in golden duck statues.

Aldo Alushi, 29, was arrested after Class A drugs were seized at Stansted Airport.

The National Crime Agency launched an investigation when Border Force officers x-rayed a package that arrived on a flight from Cali, in Colombia.

The package - a wooden box containing a hollow gold-coloured duck statue - showed a number of irregularities that led officers to drill holes into it.

A drugs test was performed which showed a positive result for cocaine.

The substance was found laced within the whole material of the duck, which when extracted would have been broken down into the powdered version of the drug.

On 7 January, NCA officers tracked the package to an address in Milwards, Harlow, where they arrested 29-year-old Aldo Alushi from Albania.

A search of Alushi's rented bedroom led to the discovery of five mobile phones, and a variety of identity documents in different names.

Alushi had been living illegally in the UK and initially stated that the statue did not belong to him.

The substance was found laced within the whole material of the duck, which when extracted would have been broken down into the powdered version of the drug

He said he was receiving the parcel on behalf of another Albanian man who had helped him get in the country.

Yesterday (18 February) at Chelmsford Crown Court, Alushi pleaded guilty to importing drugs into the UK - and he will be sentenced on 11 March.

Alushi had been living illegally in the UK and initially stated that the statue did not belong to him

Lydia Bloomfield, Branch Commander at the NCA, said: 'This is certainly one of the most unusual attempts to smuggle drugs we've seen, and it shows the lengths that organised crime groups are willing to go in an attempt to avoid detection.

'The cocaine trade fuels significant further criminality, most notably serious violence, both upstream where the drug is sourced and here on the streets of the UK.

'Our work with partners like Border Force is key to disrupting class A supply chains and dismantling those groups behind the trade.'

Martin Hendy, Deputy Director of Border Force for Central Region, said: 'Drug supply chains are violent and exploitative, degrading neighbourhoods across our country.

'Border Force's work with the NCA to stop drugs entering the UK is a core part of the Government's 10-year drug strategy to cut crime and save lives.

'Those involved can be proud of their work and particularly those officers that intercepted and stopped this harmful drug from entering our communities.'
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Virginia Roberts said she is 'disappointed' that she wasn't able to face Jeffrey Epstein's friend Jean-Luc Brunel, who allegedly procured more than a thousand women and girls for the paedophile financier to sleep with, 'in a final trial' after he died today in an alleged prison suicide.

Prosecutors in Paris confirmed Brunel, who is not believed to have been on suicide watch, was found hanging in his cell in La Sante, in the south of the capital city, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Ms Roberts said Brunel's alleged suicide 'ends another chapter', speaking just days after Prince Andrew, 62, agreed to settle her lawsuit accusing him of sex abuse after they met allegedly through Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. In the settlement, there was no admission of liability by Andrew, who has always denied the specific allegations.

Ms Roberts, also known by her married name Giuffre, has accused the French modelling agent, 76, of procuring more than a thousand women and girls for Epstein to sleep with and he was awaiting trial in France for raping minors.

Taking to Twitter following the news of his death on Saturday, she said she was 'disappointed' that she was not able to face Brunel at a 'final trial to hold him accountable'.

She wrote: 'The suicide of Jean-Luc Brunel, who abused me and countless girls and young women, ends another chapter.

'I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to face him in a final trial to hold him accountable, but gratified that I was able to testify in person last year to keep him in prison.'

His death in an alleged hanging will fuel conspiracy theories around the Epstein affair after the financier also died in prison while awaiting trial in what authorities concluded was a hanging.

Controversy over Epstein's death has been fueled by the fact that prison video cameras at Manhattan's Metropolitan Correction Center were not running at the time Epstein died in the cell he shared with another inmate.

Brunel is thought to have been alone at the time of his death and there were no cameras to record his final hours, according to an investigating source at La Sante  one of the toughest jails in France.

'A night patrol found his lifeless body at about 1am,' said an investigating source. 'A judicial enquiry has been launched, and early evidence points to suicide.'

It was in December 2020 that Brunel was indicted after two days of interviews by an examining magistrate and specialist police from an anti-paedophilia unit.

He was arrested at the city's Charles de Gaulle airport on while trying to board a plane to Dakar, Senegal, telling detectives 'I'm going on holiday'.

Prosecutors in Paris confirmed that Jean-Luc Brunel (pictured), 76, was found hanging in his cell in La Sante, in the south of the capital city, in the early hours of Saturday morning

His death in an alleged hanging will fuel conspiracy theories around the Epstein affair after he also died in prison while awaiting trial in what authorities say was a hanging. Pictured, Brunel with Maxwell and Epstein on a private jet

Taking to Twitter following the news of his death on Saturday, Virginia Roberts (pictured with lawyer David Boies) said she was 'disappointed' that she was not able to face Brunel at a 'final trial to hold him accountable'

It comes days Prince Andrew , 62, agreed to settle her lawsuit accusing him of sex abuse after they met allegedly through Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. In the settlement, there was no admission of liability by Andrew (pictured with the Queen)

While CCTV is commonplace in the corridors and gateways of French prisons, the vast majority of cells are not under video surveillance. This is ensure a degree of privacy, and to make sure that European human rights legislation is not violated.

Inmates are sometimes known to record events using devices including mobile phones, but Brunel is thought to have been in a single occupancy cell, said the source.

'There is an investigation going on to confirm all this, but at the moment it looks like he killed himself alone, and it was a routine patrol that found his body hanging,' he said.

The source added: 'There were no obvious fears for the prisoner's health, and he was not on a suicide watch, having already been in prison for many months.'

The official enquiry into Brunel's sudden death was on Saturday being carried out by offices from the 3rd Judicial Police district in Paris. An autopsy was set to be carried out, to establish the exact cause of death.

Forensic officers were meanwhile examining the cell where Brunel died. La Sante, which was built in the 19th Century, has housed some of the most dangerous prisoners in recent French history.

There is a so-called 'VIP section' where inmates include 'super terrorist' and mass killer Carlos the Jackal, whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchez.

Brunel was originally indicted and placed in pre-trial detention in December 2020 for the 'rape of a minor over 15 years old' and harassing two other women.

He was also suspected of being a 'pimp' for Epstein, after becoming a close friend of the billionaire financier.

Brunel had been placed under the intermediate status of assisted witness for acts of 'human trafficking' and 'exploiting minors for the sexual purposes.'

Brunel committed suicide because he was 'crushed' by the allegations against him, his defence lawyers said in a joint statement.

'His distress was that of a 75-year-old man crushed by a media-judicial system which it should be time to question,' said Mathias Chichportich, Marianne Abgrall and Christophe Ingrain.

'Jean-Luc Brunel has continued to proclaim his innocence. He multiplied his efforts to prove it. His decision [to end his life] was not driven by guilt, but by a deep sense of injustice.'

Others involved in the ring include Epstein's ex-girlfriend, the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, 59, who is currently in prison in the USA after being found guilty of sex trafficking. Pictured, Brunel with Manwell on Epstein's private island

The Dutch model, Thysia Huisman (pictured), who was 18 when she first stayed with Brunel, said she was raped by him in 1991. Huisman is now one of at least four alleged victims represented by Anne-Claire Le Jeune, a Paris barrister, who said Brunel being in custody was a huge relief, because their complaints now 'take on meaning'

A French judicial enquiry into Brunel's conduct was opened in August 2019, when prosecutors heard allegations that Brunel and the Queen's second son shared a lover. Pictured, Brunel with models he scouted

Brunel is pictured with models who worked for his agency. The model scout's name appears frequently in the flight logs kept for Epstein's private jets and prison records show he visited Epstein 67 times when he was in jail

A Dutch model, Thysia Huisman, who was 18 when she first stayed with Brunel, said she was raped by him in 1991.

She is now one of at least four alleged victims represented by Anne-Claire Le Jeune, a Paris barrister, who said Brunel being in custody was a huge relief, because their complaints now 'take on meaning,' she said.

After news of Brunel's death broke Ms Huidman said she felt disappointed by the 'completely different ending without any real justice for his victims.

Brunel was suspected of having been part of a global underage sex ring organised by the late American multi-billionaire Epstein, who committed suicide in 2019, while awaiting trial for numerous sex crimes.

Others involved in the ring include Epstein's ex-girlfriend, the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, 59, who is currently in prison in the USA after being found guilty of sex trafficking.

Billionaire paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein's jail cell suicide: Jeffrey Epstein hanged himself inside his New York City jail cell in August 2019. The billionaire paedophile was found in cardiac arrest shortly before 7am on Saturday, August 10 at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in lower Manhattan. He was rushed to nearby New York Downtown Hospital where he was pronounced dead. In a statement, Metropolitan Correctional Center told DailyMail.com that the FBI is now launching an investigation into Epstein's death. The former financier, 66, was awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy and sex trafficking and was being held at the high-security complex without bail. Epstein - who once boasted an array of high-profile friends including Prince Andrew and President Bill Clinton - was arrested on July 6, accused of arranging to have sex with dozens of underage girls at his residences in New York City and Florida between 2002 and 2005. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Epstein's suicide comes just two weeks after he was hospitalised following what may have been an initial attempt to take his own life. Advertisement

A French judicial enquiry into Brunel's conduct was opened in August 2019, when prosecutors heard allegations that Brunel and the Queen's second son Prince Andrew shared a lover.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an American, has told lawyers she was employed as a 'sex slave' when she was forced to sleep with the Duke of York after being trafficked to him at least three times when she was 17.

Almost all of the accusations leveled against Brunel were from the 1970s, 80s and 90s, meaning they fell outside the 20-year limit for prosecuting sex crimes in France.

This meant that Brunel was considered 'untouchable' by police who nicknamed him 'The Ghost' as he carried on living and working in the French capital, while frequently traveling abroad on scouting assignments and holidays.

But in November 2020, Giuffre responded to an online English language appeal by French magistrates for alleged victims to come forward.

Ms Roberts Giuffre said she had 'sexual relations with Brunel on several occasions', between the ages of 16 and 19, according to legal papers filed in America and France.

'Ms Giuffre now lives in Australia but responded to the appeal,' said an investigating source. 'She was interviewed remotely, and provided considerable evidence against Brunel.

'She said that she was raped by Brunel in the early 2000s, including in 2001. This was a considerable breakthrough for the enquiry.'

It meant that the alleged crime was well within the statute of limitations, and therefore prosecutable.

Officers were set to arrest Brunel in January 2020 following further enquiries, but on December 16 he was intercepted at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris with a one-way ticket to Dakar, capital of Senegal, in West Africa.

'This led to his immediate arrest and he was placed in custody,' said the source. 'The multiple rape charges solely relate to the testimony of Virginia Giuffre, and not any of the other alleged rape victims.

'The sexual harassment indictment is nothing to do with the Epstein case, and instead relates to incidents in 2016 following a complaint by another woman who has not gone public.'

The 'multiple rapes' of Giuffre  now a mother of three who was called Virginia Roberts before her marriage  were said to have mainly taken place at Epstein's home on the private island of Little Saint James, in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Giuffre had produced sworn testimonies saying that both Brunel and Prince Andrew attacked her there.

According to French law, a French citizen such as Brunel can be tried in France for offences committed abroad.

Both Prince Andrew and Brunel vehemently denied these claims, with the Prince considered a key witness who both the Americans and the French wanted to interview in person.

Prosecutors in Paris confirmed Brunel was found hanging in his cell in La Sante, in the south of the capital city, in the early hours of Saturday morning. Pictured, a cell at the prison

Jeffrey Epstein hanged himself inside his New York City jail cell in August 2019. Pictured, Epstein's cell after his body was found by prison guards

Allegations made against Jeffrey Epstein's friend and modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel Modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel was arrested at the city's Charles de Gaulle airport on while trying to board a plane to Dakar, Senegal, telling detectives 'I'm going on holiday'. He was indicted in September 2021 on a single count of rape. Other allegations against him include: Ms Roberts Giuffre, 37, said that she had had sex with Mr Brunel several times when she was between the ages of 16 and 19;

Notified on Friday, December 18, 2020 of the preliminary charges of raping girls between 15 and 18 years old;

Preliminary charges of sexually harassing a 16-year-old girl in 2016;

Suspected of having organised the transport and lodging of girls or young women on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein. Advertisement

Despite vowing to fight the allegations and repeatedly protesting his innocence, the prince has agreed to pay a large sum to settle the case before it ever reaches a jury.

Reports suggested the Queen herself will provide money to pay for the settlement, according to the Telegraph.

The paper reported the total amount that the victim and her charity will receive will actually exceed 12m, with the funds coming from her private Duchy of Lancaster estate, which recently increased by 1.5m to more than 23m.

Although the agreement contained no formal admission of liability from Andrew, or an apology, it said he now accepted Miss Roberts was a 'victim of abuse' and that he regretted his association with Epstein, the disgraced financier who trafficked countless young girls.

'He has never met Brunel. No ifs, no buts,' a source close to Andrew told the Royal Observer.

The rape of a minor is punishable by up to 15 years in prison in France, while aggravated sexual harassment comes with a three-year prison sentence and a fine equivalent to around 40,000.

Giuffre said Epstein told her he had slept with 'over a thousand women that Brunel brought in', in an NBC Dateline special that aired in 2019.

Brunel, who denied any wrongdoing, was being held in custody until a criminal trial on a date to be fixed.

In 2015, Brunel denied involvement 'directly or indirectly' in any of Epstein's offences in a statement issued in 2015. It said: 'I strongly deny having committed any illicit act or any wrongdoing in the course of my work.'

Brunel was also suspected of using his contacts in the fashion industry to provide victims to Epstein and his friends.

He is said to have flown three 12-year-old sisters from a Paris housing estate to America so they could be abused by Epstein as 'a birthday present'.

Pictured: Prince Andrew, Virginia and Ghislaine Maxwell at Maxwell's London flat

Virginia Giuffre, 37, (pictured) is now the key witness in the prosecution of Brunel, 75, after claiming that both him and Prince Andrew, 60, used her as their 'sex slave'

Epstein  an old friend of Andrew's and a business associate of Brunel's  committed suicide in his prison cell in New York on August 10 2019, while awaiting trial for a range of offences, including trafficking minors for sex, and multiple rapes

Brunel was the founder of MC2, the model agency that prosecutors believe was used as a cover for the sex trafficking ring. The out-of-time evidence against Brunel comes from a number of former models, who  like Giuffre  have waived their anonymity to make their allegations public

It was in December 2020 that Brunel was indicted after two days of interviews by an examining magistrate and specialist police from an anti-paedophilia unit. Pictured, the prison where Brunel was found dead

Epstein  an old friend and business of associate of Brunel's  committed suicide in his prison cell in New York on August 10 2019, while awaiting trial for a range of offences, including trafficking minors for sex, and multiple rapes.

Among his alleged victims, it is claimed in court documents, were the 12-year-old triplets from Paris.

Brunel was the founder of MC2, the model agency  one that prosecutors believe was used as as a cover for Epstein's sex trafficking ring.

Brunel started his career as a model scout, and has worked with celebrities including Jerry Hall, Sharon Stone, and Monica Bellucci.

Corinne Dreyfus-Schmidt, Mr Brunel's lawyer, has insisted her client is innocent of any wrongdoing.

Evidence against Brunel came from a number of former models, who had waived their anonymity to make their allegations public.

New Zealander Zoe Brock has claimed in statements made to French investigators that she was abused in his Paris home in the early 1990s.
BLM protesters took to the streets outside a building said to be home to a judge who sentenced a white cop who killed a black man to just 14 months in prison.

The crowd of around 100 people protested outside what they believe to be Judge Regina Chu's Minneapolis condo building on Friday night.

That protest began hours after Chu sentenced Kim Potter to 14 months behind bars for shooting and killing black suspect Daunte Wright in April 2021.

Potter was convicted of first-degree manslaughter after claiming she'd meant to reach for her taser, only to pull her gun on Wright and fatally-shoot him instead.

She had been expected to receive around seven years behind bars, with state laws permitting a maximum sentence of 15 years.

Protesters say that the Brooklyn Center cop, 49, who killed 20-year-old Wright after he tried to flee when she and another officer pulled him over for expired plates on April 11, got off easy - Minnesota's sentencing guidelines recommend 86 months of jail time for first and second degree manslaughter, the charges of which Potter was found guilty.

After a 4.30pm news conference outside the Hennepin County Government Center, protesters moved to what they said was Chu's home the Loring Park neighborhood near downtown Minneapolis. It is unclear whether they had the correct address.

Scroll down for video

About 100 protesters gathered outside Judge Regina Chu's home on Friday, the day after she sentenced Kim Potter to 14 months in prison, far less than the state guidelines for first and second-degree manslaughter recommend

Katie Wright (pictured center), Daunte Wright's mother, was among protesters outside Chu's home, belting 'No Justice, No Peace,' and a call-and-response chant of 'What's his name?' and 'Daunte Wright'

On Thursday, Judge Regina Chu (pictured) explained her decision to downgrade Potter's prison sentence, saying there was no question that Potter 'did not intend to hurt anyone' and 'was trying to do the right thing' when she shot Daunte Wright dead.

Kim Potter (left), 49, a 26-year veteran of the force, claimed she accidentally shot Daunte Wright (right) when she reached for her gun instead of her Taser during a traffic stop over his expired plates in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota on April 11

Katie Wright, the slain black man's mother, was among protesters outside Chu's home, belting 'No Justice, No Peace,' and a call-and-response chant of 'What's his name?' and 'Daunte Wright.'

'We are very disappointed in the outcome. This isn't okay. This is the problem with our justice system today,' Katie Wright said after Potter was sentenced.

'White women tears trump  trump  justice. And I thought my white woman tears would be good enough because theyre true and genuine.'

They also cried out the name of Kobe Dimock-Heisler, 21, another young man who they said Potter played a role in killing in 2019.

Heisler, who was on the autism spectrum, was shot six times by other Brooklyn Center officers during a domestic disturbance call after he lunged at police with a knife. Police were called to the scene at a Minneapolis Wendy's restaurant after Heisler allegedly threatened his grandparents with the knife and a hammer.

Potter arrived at the scene after Heisler was shot, and advised officers conducting an investigation, according to Newsweek.

Members of the New Black Panthers are pictured at the protest on Friday

Protesters also cried out the name of Kobe Dimock-Heisler, 21, another young man who they said Potter played a role in killing in 2019.

Counter-protesters calling for Potter's release on probation also gathered outside the Hennepin County Government Building on Friday

Please try to empathize with Ms. Potters situation  Judge Regina Chu defended her decision to sentence Kim Potter to 24 months in prison for killing Daunte Wright pic.twitter.com/LNEV28T9jd  NowThis (@nowthisnews) February 18, 2022

Protesters also cried out the name of Kobe Dimock-Heisler, 21 (pictured), another young man who they said Potter played a role in killing in 2019

According to one protester who addressed the crowd with a bullhorn, although Chu 'said that incarceration wasn't going to solve Kim Potter [sic] because she's not likely to do something like this again,' she's 'done it before.'

'Daunte Wright isn't the first person that she's had a part in killing,' the man said to the electrified crowd. 'There are no good cops in a racist system, because it doesn't matter who they are. This is what they do. They end black, brown and indigenous lives, over and over and over again. But incarceration isn't going to do her any good.'

'I can guarantee that she can't do anything behind bars... but once she's out here in these streets after serving less than two years, who knows what she's going to do. She's probably going to get a book deal. She probably going to be some right-wing superstar.'

Group is now moving from the Government Center, reportedly heading to the home of Judge Regina Chu. https://t.co/0ZcpUCHmG7  Mary McGuire (@mcguirereports) February 18, 2022

Hennepin County Court Judge Chu took time at Potters sentencing to explain her reasoning for giving Potter a lesser sentence than the state recommends, with 16 months in prison including the 58 days she has already served during trial and a subsequent eight months on supervised release.

She said there are four reasons to send someone to prison: 'retribution, incapacitation, deterrence and rehabilitation.'

But she said Potter doesnt need to be prevented or deterred from committing future crimes and does not require rehabilitation to become law-abiding. Only retribution to pay for the harm she caused applies, she said.

Hennepin County Court Judge Chu said there was no question that Potter 'did not intend to hurt anyone' and 'was trying to do the right thing' when she shot Daunte Wright dead.

'This is the problem with our justice system today,' Katie Wright, Daunte's mother (pictured with Daunte's father, Aubrey Wright) said after Potter was sentenced. 'White women tears trump  trump  justice. And I thought my white woman tears would be good enough because theyre true and genuine'

Potter, pictured at Friday's sentencing, sobbed heavily and tearfully addressed Wright's family

Diamond Wright, Daunte's sister, was put in handcuffs. There were confused reports that she had been fighting with Chyna Whitaker, the mother of Daunte's two-year-old son. Some reported that she was trying to protect Whitaker from an attack from someone else

Daunte Wright's sister Diamond was put on the ground and handcuffed after the sentencing. CBS reports she had been fighting with the mother of his toddler son

Daunte Wright's mother Katie said outside court on Friday after the sentence was handed down: 'We're very disappointed in the outcome. This isn't OK. This is the problem with our justice system. White woman tears trump justice. I thought my white woman tears would be good enough'

Damik Wright (in plaid suit, right) got into a screaming match with a man who was there to support Kim Potter. Damik called him a 'b***h a**' and a 'f***ot'

The charges and penalties in the Kim Potter trial FIRST-DEGREE MANSLAUGHTER PREDICATED ON RECKLESS USE/HANDLING OF FIREARM AND SECOND-DEGREE MANSLAUGHTER: Potter was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter meaning she caused Wright's death while committing a misdemeanor - the 'reckless handling or use of a firearm so as to endanger the safety of another with such force and violence that death or great bodily harm to any person was reasonably foreseeable.'

She was also found guilty of second-degree manslaughter after she caused his death 'by her culpable negligence,' meaning that Potter 'caused an unreasonable risk and consciously took a chance of causing death or great bodily harm' to Wright, while using or possessing a firearm. POTENTIAL PENALTIES: The maximum for first-degree manslaughter is 15 years; for second-degree, it's 10 years. But Minnesota judges follow sentencing guidelines that normally call for less - just over seven years for first-degree, and four years for second-degree.

Prosecutors have said they will seek a longer sentence due to aggravating factors, which is what they did in former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin's murder trial for killing George Floyd.

The longest sentences that could conceivably stick on appeal are double the top of the guidelines range. But that's more than the statutory maximum of 15 years for first-degree manslaughter, so 15 years would be the cap for Potter if she's convicted. The realistic maximum on the lesser charge would be 9 1/2 years.

Presuming good behavior, Minnesota offenders typically serve two-thirds of their time in prison and one-third on supervised release. Source: AP Advertisement

'To those that disagree and feel a longer prison sentence is appropriate, as difficult as it may be, please try to empathize with Ms. Potter's situation,' Chu said, her voice wavering with emotion.

She said that Potter's actions were not driven by personal animosity toward Wright.

'This is not a cop found guilty of murder for using his knee to pin down a person for nine 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 to kill an unarmed woman as she approached his car,' Chu said.

'This is a cop who made a tragic mistake. She drew her firearm thinking it was a taser, and ended up killing a young man.

'That I granted a significant downward departure does not in any way diminish Daunte Wright's life,' she said. 'His life mattered.'

After the sentence was read out, some of Potter's supporters stayed around the courthouse as did Daunte Wright's supporters.

It led to clashes inside with Daunte's brother Damik squaring off against a Potter supporter. He called the man a 'b**** a**' and a 'f***ot' and challenged him to 'go outside'.

Diamond Wright, Daunte's sister, was put in handcuffs. There were confused reports that she had been fighting with Chyna Whitaker, the mother of Daunte's two-year-old son. Some reported that she was trying to protect Whitaker from an attack from someone else.

Chu has been a judge since her 2002 appointment by then-Gov. Jesse Ventura and previously worked in private practice and the attorney generals office.

Before Potters trial, she was the target of a protest by a Minneapolis man who entered a condominium building he thought was hers, then filmed himself making comments meant to pressure her into allowing broadcast coverage of the trial.

Potter, sobbed heavily during Friday's sentencing, and tearfully addressed Wright's family.

'Katie, I understand a mothers love and I am sorry I broke your heart,' Potter said. 'My heart is broken for all of you.'

She has now been transferred to Minnesota Correctional Facility - Shakopee, a five-level security prison located about 25 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis.

The facility cares for about 650 female prisoners and offers a variety of in-prison programs designed to help in rehabilitation, according to Prison Fellowship. The inmates are invited to participate in a 5K runs, further their education and grow their relationship with God.

Promotional materials show inmates studying, sewing and planting produce that is then donated to community members in need. One inmate is even trying to pursue a law degree while behind bars.

The facility is also the first prison to offer a pipeline program that allows inmates to pursue a law degree while behind bars.

As of Friday, Potter's release date is April 24, 2023.
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Ukraine's interior minister and a group of journalists came under a terrifying burst of shellfire from pro-Russian militants today.

Denys Monastyrsky, and several deputies (MPs), were on a tour of the Ukrainian front line, hosted by the government to show the international media that nearly all the bombardments were coming from the rebel side, when a salvo of mortars, followed by artillery, landed only 300m away from them.

As they ran for the cover of their cars and the army's armoured vehicles, Radio Liberty's Ukrainian service correspondent Maryan Kushnir, who filmed the clip, could be heard shouting: 'Lie down, lie down,' then 'run, run!....to the car, to the car!'

A breathless Kushnir says to the camera: 'Right now, we're with the minister of internal affairs and they started shooting with mortars, as you can see.

Dramatic moment militants open fire on the Ukrainian interior minister and journalists in eastern Ukraine on Saturday

Radio Liberty's Ukrainian service correspondent Maryan Kushnir (pictured), who filmed the clip, could be heard shouting: 'Lie down, lie down,' then 'run, run!....to the car, to the car!'

A breathless Kushnir (pictured) says to the camera: 'Right now, we're with the minister of internal affairs and they started shooting with mortars, as you can see.'

Huge flames and smoke fill the air after a gas pipeline was struck in the Luhansk region of Ukraine, amid fears of a Russian invasion 'within days'

Servicemen of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic commandant's office watch on during an evacuation of residents to Russia

Residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait for a train at the Donetsk-2 railway station as they evacuate to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region on Saturday

Explosions could be heard late on Saturday and early on Sunday in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, according to a Reuters reporter. Pictured: People walk towards a monument to the Liberators of Donbass in Donetsk

A mixed air striking group performs a bomb strike during the Allied Resolve 2022 joint military drills held by Belarusian and Russian troops at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground

Russian and Belarusian armed forces take part in Allied Determination-2022 military drill in Gomel, Belarus on Saturday

Russian and Belarusian armed forces take part in Allied Determination-2022 military drill in Gomel, Belarus on Saturday. The exercise is being held from February 10 to 20 as part of the second phase of testing response forces of Russia and Belarus

A helicopter is seen flying as Russian and Belarusian armed forces take part in Allied Determination-2022 military drill in Gomel, Belarus on Saturday

A mixed air striking group performs a bomb strike during the Allied Resolve 2022 joint military drills held by Belarusian and Russian troops at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground

'That's the situation, we are being evacuated..we have hidden behind a shelter.'

Then another voice is heard shouting: 'Down! There! Lie Down! Bursting there, quickly! Going out!'

No-one was hurt in the incident and the officials fled to a bomb shelter before leaving the area.

Later, the Ukraine government revealed that two soldiers were killed and five others wounded in shelling by pro-Russian forces in separate incidents along the line of contact during the day.

Defence minister Oleksil Reznikov said: 'As of 5pm, two of our soldiers were killed and five others were wounded in shelling by Russian forces.

'The Russian side will continue to evade its ceasefire commitments.

'The Armed Forces of Ukraine have been given all the necessary orders to act in case of danger to our soldiers and civilians.

'We do not plan any offensives, but we will not allow the firing on the positions of our troops and human settlements with impunity.

'I express my condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

'I am proud of the resilience of our army. Thank you to the soldiers and commanders for their dedication and courage.'

Ukrainian troops patrol the town of Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine, on February 19 - after two soldiers were reportedly killed Saturday by Russian-backed separatists

Ukrainian troops patrol at the frontline outside the town of Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine, on February 19, 2022

Denys Monastyrsky, and several deputies (MPs), were on a tour of the Ukrainian front line on Saturday, hosted by the government to show the international media that nearly all the bombardments were coming from the rebel side, when a salvo of mortars, followed by artillery, landed only 300m away from them. (Pictured: Ukrainian troops patrol at the frontline outside the town of Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine, on February 19, 2022)

Civilians receive training from the Ukrainian military at an old industrial plant in the Desnianskyi district outside Kiev on Saturday

Ukrainian soldiers don balaclavas while training citizens in a district just outside Kiev on Saturday

Tanks move during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is launched during Russian training drills as part of the strategic exercises today

Reservists queue at a mobilisation centre for citizens of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine on Saturday

A militant of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) reads out names of men registered at a military mobilisation point in a school in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, on Saturday

A woman evacuated from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine kisses a child in a tent camp set up by the Russian Emergencies Ministry at the Matveyev Kurgan border checkpoint

Russian Emergencies Ministry employees transport a bunk bed as they set up a tent camp for people evacuated from the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, at the Matveyev Kurgan border checkpoint

A rebel soldier from the self-declared Donetsk Peoples Republic watches on as residents are evacuated and shipped off to Russia on Saturday

A man helps a small child put on a glove as they wait for a train at the Donetsk-2 railway station as they evacuate to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region on Saturday

Women take part in a military exercise for civilians conducted by veterans of the Ukrainian National Guard Azov battalion in Kharkiv, Ukraine on February 19, 2022

Earlier Saturday, separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilisation, amid a spike of violence in the war-torn region and fears in the West that Russia might it as a pretext for an invasion.

Ukraine and the two regions held by the Russia-backed rebels each accused the other of escalation.

Russia on Saturday said at least two shells fired from a government-held part of eastern Ukraine landed across the border.

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed the claim as 'a fake statement'.

Ukraine's military said shelling killed a soldier early Saturday in the government-held part of the Donetsk region and that separatist forces were placing artillery in residential areas to try to provoke a response.

On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians to Russia with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscow's efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.

Denis Pushilin, head of the pro-Russian separatist government in the Donetsk region, released a statement on Saturday announcing a full troop mobilisation and urging reservists to show up at military enlistment offices.

A similar announcement quickly followed from Leonid Pasechnik, separatist leader in the Luhansk region.

Mr Pushilin cited an 'immediate threat of aggression' from Ukrainian forces, accusations that Ukrainian officials vehemently denied earlier.

He said: 'I appeal to all the men in the republic who can hold weapons to defend their families, their children, wives, mothers. Together we will achieve the coveted victory that we all need.'

Photos released Saturday show Ukrainian paratroopers taking part in exercises in an undisclosed location in Ukraine

A Russian nuclear submarine sails in an unknown location during exercises by nuclear forces involving the launch of ballistic missiles, in this still image taken from video released February 19, 2022

Two Tu-22M3 bombers escorted by Su-35 fighters of the Russian air force fly during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills

A Ukrainian serviceman speaks to his comrade walking along a trench on a position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote

A man is seen lying down holding a gun as reservists take part in tactical training and individual combat skills conducted by the Territorial Defense of the Capital in Kyiv

A Ukrainian serviceman walks in a yard of a destroyed house on a position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote

A tank travels through mud during a Ukrainian military drill on Saturday as the country braces for a potential Russian invasion

Ukrainian soldier rests a rocket launcher on his shoulder during a military drill at an unknown location in Ukraine on Saturday - as tensions with Russia reach boiling point

A view of a gas pipeline hit by a blast in Frunze Street, Lugansk, Ukraine on Saturday night. Several gas pipelines were blown up in the region amid escalating tensions in the east of the country

Close up shows flames bursting from an exploded gas pipeline in Lugansk, Ukraine, as tensions with Russia escalated to new heights on Saturday

Russian and Belarusian servicemen conduct joint drills at a firing range in the Brest region of Belarus

Military helicopters fly over tanks and armored vehicles moving during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Russia's Acting Emergencies Minister Alexander Chupriyan (right) visits a tent camp set up by the Russian Emergencies Ministry at the Matveyev Kurgan border checkpoint for evacuees from the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine

Buses carrying evacuees from Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, arrive at a refugee camp organised at the Kotlostroitel children's health centre in the village of Krasny Desant, Neklinovsky District, Russia

Local residents of pro-Russian separatist-controlled city of Donetsk are seen during evacuation process in Rostov region on Saturday

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk (pictured: evacuation in Donetsk on Saturday) and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas

Volunteers are seen during mobilisation process in military, at pro-Russian separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine on Saturday

This photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, shows a MiG-31K fighter of the Russian air force carrying a Kinzhal hypersonic cruise missile parked at an air field during a military drills

A military helicopter flies next to a flock of birds in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol, Crimea

The announcement came as a mass evacuation of women, children and the elderly from the rebel-held territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions to neighbouring Russia got under way.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him and seek a resolution to the crisis.

'I don't know what the president of the Russian Federation wants, so I am proposing a meeting,' Mr Zelenskyy said at the Munich Security Conference.

Mr Zelenskyy said Russia could pick the location for the talks.

'Ukraine will continue to follow only the diplomatic path for the sake of a peaceful settlement.'

Meanwhile, an alliance official confirmed on Saturday that NATO is relocating staff from Ukraine's capital Kyiv to Lviv, in the west of the country, and to the Belgian capital Brussels, which hosts NATO's headquarters, for their safety.

'The safety of our personnel is paramount, so staff have been relocated to Lviv and Brussels. The NATO offices in Ukraine remain operational,' the official told AFP, without giving numbers.

Several Western countries have already moved diplomats from Kiev to Lviv, located near the border with Poland, in anticipation of Russian military action.

'Every indication indicates that Russia is planning a full-fledged attack against Ukraine,' NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Saturday.

'We all agree that the risk of an attack is very high,' he told German broadcaster ARD on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

The United States dominates NATO, and US President Joe Biden on Friday said he was 'convinced' Russia was going to invade Ukraine within the week, and have its forces target Kyiv.

After weeks of saying the US was not sure if Mr Putin had made the final decision, Mr Biden said that his judgment had changed, citing American intelligence.

Using wooden guns modelled on Kalashnikovs, residents in Kiev receive military training in the event of Russian invasion

Civilians take part in a military training course conducted by a Christian Territorial Defence Unit on February 19, 2022 in Kiev, Ukraine

Residents of the Lugansk People's Republic get on a bus at the Lugansk bus terminal before evacuation to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region late on Friday night

Evacuees from the Donetsk People's Republic arrive Saturday at a refugee camp organised at the Kotlostroitel children's health centre in the village of Krasny Desant, Neklinovsky, Russia

A car bomb sparked 'false flag' fears after it exploded near the headquarters of the pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic. Just hours later a fireball was seen lighting up the sky after an international oil pipeline running through the key rebel-held city of Luhansk blew up. The blast rocked the Druzhba pipeline which runs from Russia to various points in eastern and central Europe. On Thursday a shell blew a hole through the wall of kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg (pictured) warned that the risk of an attack is 'very high', echoing US warnings that Russian troops dotted along Ukraine's border are 'uncoiling' and 'poised to strike'

The Russian leader is personally overseeing the nuclear exercises involving 'strategic forces' which will include practice launches

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees are streaming into Russia today after Putin's allies ordered a mass evacuation

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released.

In this photo made from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on February 19, 2022, a Russian marine takes his position during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus

'As of this moment, I'm convinced he's made the decision,' the US leader said. 'We have reason to believe that.'

He reiterated that the assault could occur in the 'coming days'.

Ukraine is not a member of NATO, and the alliance does not have any forces there, but since the late 1990s it has maintained two offices in Kyiv - a NATO Liaison Office and a NATO Information and Documentation Centre.

The liaison office's job is keep up dialogue between NATO and Ukraine's government while encouraging a democratic transformation of Ukraine's defence and security sector.

According to NATO's website, it consisted of a civilian head leading a mixed team of NATO military and civilian personnel. The web page, last updated in 2016, said there were a total of 16 staff.

The NATO Information and Documentation Centre's number of personnel was not disclosed.

Its job was to inform the Ukrainian public about NATO and support Ukrainian institutions in their communications.

NATO chief Stoltenberg has previously said that the alliance will not deploy any forces into Ukraine to defend it from any Russian aggression.

But NATO members have sent forces to neighbouring countries which are alliance members, and Stoltenberg has said NATO member countries will vigorously react to any Russian action in those territories, under its collective defence pact.
World Health Organization (WHO) officials announced their plans to hand out mRNA technology to six African countries in an attempt to boost coronavirus vaccine production on the continent amid the health crisis.

In a statement on Friday, WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the list of countries would include Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia. The official said during a ceremony hosted by the European Council, France, South Africa, and the WHO, that the world has never relied on only a few companies before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sharing mRNA Technology

Ghebreyesus said that it was best for the long-term if authorities are able to address health emergencies and reach universal health coverage by significantly increasing the capacity of all regions to manufacture the health products needed. He added that this should include equitable access as the primary endpoint.

The global mRNA technology transfer hub, which was established in 2021, was set up to ensure that low- and middle-income countries received all the operating procedures and know-how to produce their own coronavirus vaccines at scale and according to international standards, as per Aljazeera.

Currently, Africa only produces roughly 1% of coronavirus vaccines in the world, and based on WHO data, only 11% of the region's population was fully vaccinated against the virus. The number comes in comparison to about 50% as the global average.

Ghebreyesus added in the Brussels summit meeting that while there were more than 10 billion doses of the coronavirus vaccines that have been administered worldwide, billions of people are still left unvaccinated and unprotected from the infection. The health official said that the tragedy of the situation is that the life-saving tools are unable to reach billions of people around the world.

Read Also: Stealth Omicron BA.2 Stronger Than Other COVID-19 Variants, Can Cause More Serious Illness: Japan Study

According to ABC News, the WHO chief argued that the situation called for an urgent increase of local production of vaccines in poorer countries. The decision becomes the first time that the health organization has supported efforts to reverse-engineer a commercially-sold vaccine.

Extending Vaccine Reach

WHO's announcement also comes as BioNTech, which is manufacturing Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, revealed plans to deliver factory facilities built out of shipping containers to several African countries. The decision was made to allow the Pfizer vaccine to be produced on the continent.

On top of increasing production of the coronavirus vaccine, the global mRNA hub has the potential to expand manufacturing capacity for other treatments, including insulin, cancer medicines, and potentially even vaccines for diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV.

The WHO established the global mRNA technology transfer hub after what it called a "hoarding" of coronavirus vaccines by wealthy countries and issues with supply from India. The situation was a result of companies prioritizing sales to governments who were willing to pay the highest price. This meant that low- and middle-income countries, including South Africa, were pushed back in the queue to receive the life-saving vaccines.

While BioNTech shortened the supply chain to Africa, many criticized the pharmaceutical company for not sharing technological know-how. Ghebreyesus added that the benefits of the WHO's decision extend far beyond the coronavirus pandemic, The Guardian reported.



Related Article: HIV Cure Found? Scientists Claim To Heal Female HIV Patient For the First Time

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Most television crime dramas are the same: a bloody footprint at the scene of a murder takes us directly to the suspect, or perhaps there's DNA beneath the fingernails of a victim or a careless fingerprint left on a door handle. Case closed.

But real forensics work is more painstaking  and fascinating. It involves a combination of laser-like observation and testing.

And the evidence we work with can come from almost anything, anywhere.

It's just waiting to be found

A TINY STAIN ON A BAG, BUT A VITAL CLUE TO STEPHEN'S MURDERERS

For all the recent advances in forensic technology, old-fashioned dust and fluff remain two of our most valued informants.

We use sticky tape to pick it up from surfaces, shake items in the lab to dislodge particles and use a disposable toothbrush to recover tiny traces from inside pockets, the seams of clothing and even from the inner seams of storage bags where debris has collected.

At the start of my career in the 1970s, the fashion for turn-ups on trousers proved useful. They trapped all sorts of evidence.

A meticulous search for debris was used to great effect in the cold-case investigation into the murder of 19-year-old Stephen Lawrence (pictured)

They could catch tiny shavings of sawdust used as internal packing in the construction of safes, for example. When the safe was blown open, the shavings would be scattered.

A meticulous search for debris was used to great effect in the cold-case investigation into the murder of 19-year-old Stephen Lawrence.

Stephen was waiting for a bus on a street in South-East London in April 1993 when he was attacked and stabbed to death by a group of white youths.

It was two weeks before police made any arrests, and all five suspects were then released without charge.

An inquiry commissioned by the Home Secretary found there was only weak evidence connecting any of the suspects' clothing with Stephen.

So when I was asked to look again at the evidence, among other things we focused on a search for textile fibres that could have been transferred between the clothing Stephen had been wearing and that belonging to the original suspects.

After some success, we extended our search to the packaging in which some of the items had been stored  and discovered a tiny flake of blood in an exhibit bag containing one of the suspects' jackets.

Clothing had been searched for blood before, but no one had thought to examine the packaging.

The flake was found to contain DNA that matched Stephen's. Then, we found that two blue textile fibres encased within the flake of blood matched fibres from the cardigan that Stephen had been wearing.

Going back to the jacket, we were then able to locate the remains of a tiny bloodstain  indicating where the flake had come from.

It was the 'golden nugget' of scientific evidence that helped to solve the case.

RED SWEATSHIRT THAT CAUGHT SARAH'S KILLER

Textile fibres played an important part in convicting sex offender Roy Whiting for the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne.

Sarah was abducted on July 1, 2000, while playing with her siblings near her grandparents' house in West Sussex.

Her body was found 16 days later, partially buried at the edge of a field.

Whiting was questioned within hours, but with insufficient evidence he was released after two days.

Sarah Payne (pictured) was abducted on July 1, 2000, while playing with her siblings near her grandparents' house in West Sussex

But that was not the end of the matter. Whiting was indeed connected to the killing  by a red sweatshirt and a printed cotton curtain in his van.

Red polyester fibres matching the sweatshirt were found in combings from Sarah's hair, and on her shoe.

A single cotton fibre with three colours along its length, caught in the Velcro fastening of the shoe, could have come from the curtain, while fibres matching a seat cover and curtain respectively were found on her body.

The dye from the sweatshirt was analysed by micro-spectrophotometry (MSP), which looks in detail at the wavelength of the colours.

The graph it produced showed the colour was largely of one type, but with an additional 'hump' indicating the trace presence of another colour.

Looking at other garments of the same type, none had this extra hump, which meant the batch of dye used for Whiting's shirt was unusual. The prosecution's case was even stronger.

Whiting was convicted in December 2001 and sentenced to life in prison, later reduced to 40 years.

HOW FLUFF FROM A SHED SOLVED DOUBLE MURDER

It was more fluff, including sweepings from the floor of a suspect's shed, that helped solve another high-profile case.

Peter Dixon and his wife Gwenda were killed on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path in June 1989  a notorious crime dramatised last year in ITV's The Pembrokeshire Murders.

The couple had been forced to disclose their cash card number, then shot at close range with a sawn-off shotgun. There were no witnesses.

In 2011 John Cooper (pictured) was given a life sentence for four murders, rape and a serious sexual assault

But amid the shed sweepings were fibres that linked a local man called John Cooper to a number of crimes.

First, it emerged that the fibres matched items of clothing that Cooper had abandoned in hedgerows after committing burglaries in the area, one of which had left two people dead.

Next, a spot of Peter Dixon's blood was found on Cooper's shorts.

Finally, the analysts discovered a trace of DNA matching that of the Dixons' daughter hidden inside the upturned hem of the shorts.

The logical explanation for this was that, after the killing, Cooper had exchanged his own blood-stained shorts for a pair taken from the Dixons' rucksack  spare clothing from the bag had been strewn about the scene.

In 2011, he was given a life sentence for four murders, rape and a serious sexual assault.

WHEN INSECTS ARE CALLED AS WITNESSES

It's one of the very earliest crime mysteries: the fully clothed body of a farmer has been found at the side of the road with wounds to his head that appeared to have been caused by a sickle.

Gathering together the 70 men of the village, the local police officer instructs them to place their sickles on the ground at their feet.

It is a hot day, and flies are circulating. But soon they start landing on just one of the sharp sickle blades. They have been attracted by the smell of the blood.

Just as fingerprints can be identified by the shape and pattern of their loops, whorls and arches, ear prints also have identifying characteristics (stock photo used)

Told by writer Sung Tz'u, this incident took place in rural China in the 13th Century and is generally recognised as the first recorded case that used what we now describe as forensic entomology.

Today, the study of insects found on or around decomposing bodies is an essential tool in the forensic science armoury.

Often, it's used to help estimate the amount of time that has passed since death, for example.

Insects begin to colonise a body once it has started to decompose. Their life cycle develops in four distinct phases: egg, larva or maggot, pupa and adult.

Depending on what we find, and what the weather reports say, we can work out how long the insects  and therefore the body  have been there.

WHY DETECTIVES CAN'T ALWAYS RELY ON EAR SAY

Just as fingerprints can be identified by the shape and pattern of their loops, whorls and arches, ear prints also have identifying characteristics, which include the length, width and shape of the outer ear and its constituent parts.

Sometimes an ear print is found at the scene of a crime, left during a struggle, for instance, or where a perpetrator listened at a door or window.

But there are limitations to their reliability. Appearances can be deceptive. Tests have shown it's possible for the same ear to leave significantly different prints, and for different ears to leave very similar prints.

The killer of 94-year-old Dorothy Wood in Huddersfield in 1996 had apparently left ear prints on the window of her downstairs bedroom before climbing in and suffocating her with a pillow.

They formed a central plank of the evidence against Mark Dallagher at his trial two years later.

Dutch police officer Cornelis Van Der Lugt, a specialist in ear-print analysis, said he was convinced they were Dallagher's. So Dallagher was convicted.

Dallagher protested his innocence throughout, and DNA profiling evidence presented at a retrial in 2003 proved the marks had, in fact, been made by someone else.

Dallagher was acquitted.

Ear prints are interesting, but they need to be better understood before they can be considered as evidence.

 Professor Angela Gallop and Jane Smith, 2022
Ghislaine Maxwell's brother says he fears for his pedophile sister's safety after hearing that Jeffrey Epstein's alleged pimp was found hanged in a Paris jail cell.

Epstein's French modelling agent friend Jean-Luc Brunel, 75, who allegedly procured more than a thousand women and girls for the pedophile financier to sleep with, died on Saturday in an apparent prison suicide. Epstein himself was found hanging in a Manhattan jail in August 2019 while awaiting child sex charges aged 66.

'It's really shocking,' Ian Maxwell told the New York Post. 'Another death by hanging in a high-security prison. My reaction is one of total shock and bewilderment.'

Maxwell, who is based in London, said that although his sister, who is awaiting sentencing for child sex trafficking at a Brooklyn jail, is not suicidal, she is on suicide watch by the jail.

Ghislaine Maxwell (pictured) was found guilty of sex trafficking minors, giving way to federal prosecutors to bring her to justice for her involvement in helping Epstein with luring underage girls before he would sexually assault them

Jeffrey Epstein, left, was found hanged in his New York jail cell in August 2019 while his alleged pimp Jean-Luc Brunel, pictured right, was found hanged in his Paris jail cell February 19

'Despite the psychiatrist advising to the contrary, she was deemed a suicide risk and they are continuing to wake her up every 15 minutes in the night. It's a complete violation of prisoner rights and human rights,' Ian Maxwell said.

Maxwell added that it was 'ironic' that Maxwell is subjected to suicide watch while Epstein and Brunel were not.

Brunel was found hanging in his cell in La Sante, Paris days after Prince Andrew, 62, agreed to settle Virginia Roberts's lawsuit accusing him of sex abuse after they met allegedly through Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, 60.

His death has triggered fresh conspiracies over whether he and Epstein were murdered to keep them quiet about powerful friends who also joined in with their child sex abuse, although there is no indication of foul play in either death.

The death has shaken Maxwell's family, including her brother Ian Maxwell, 65, who said he worries for his sister's safety inside Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Maxwell is currently being jailed in the infamous MDC which she has repeatedly complained about, calling it a 'living hell' where she has been 'assaulted and abused'

Brunel's death has shaken Maxwell's family, including her brother Ian Maxwell, 65, (pictured) who said he worries for his sister's safety inside Metropolitan Detention Center

In December of last year, Maxwell was found guilty of sex trafficking minors, giving way to federal prosecutors to bring her to justice for her involvement in helping Epstein with luring underage girls before he would sexually assault them.

She is now facing 65 years behind bars in a federal prison - prompting speculation she could now 'flip' and discuss the actions of others within Epstein's circle in a bid to receive a lighter sentence.

Brunel's death in an alleged hanging will fuel conspiracy theories around the Epstein affair after the financier also died in prison while awaiting trial in what authorities concluded was a hanging (Maxwell, Epstein and Brunel pictured together)

Jean-Luc Brunel is thought to have been alone at the time of his death and there were no cameras to record his final hours, according to an investigating source at La Sante in Paris. Pictured, the prison's corridor

Shortly after she was found guilty, Maxwell's family rallied to grant her a new trial.

Prosecutors themselves have expressed concerns after one juror later revealed he was the victim of child sex abuse.

That juror, Scotty David, insisted he answered all questions honestly, although it is still unclear if he disclosed he'd been sexually abused - a fact that could have seen him excluded from the jury pool.

'This is a shocking result, which reflects the fact that Ghislaine has been denied the right to a fair trial, starting with the appalling conditions in which she has been held for over 18 months and which seriously impacted her ability to participate in her own defense,' her big brother Ian said at the time.

Allegations made against Jeffrey Epstein's friend and modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel Modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel was arrested at the city's Charles de Gaulle airport on while trying to board a plane to Dakar, Senegal, telling detectives 'I'm going on holiday'. He was indicted in September 2021 on a single count of rape. Other allegations against him include: Ms Roberts Giuffre, 37, said that she had had sex with Mr Brunel several times when she was between the ages of 16 and 19;

Notified on Friday, December 18, 2020 of the preliminary charges of raping girls between 15 and 18 years old;

Preliminary charges of sexually harassing a 16-year-old girl in 2016;

Suspected of having organised the transport and lodging of girls or young women on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein. Advertisement

He added: 'I am confident of the strong grounds for appeal both legal and evidential and that my sister will be vindicated and ultimately found innocent.

'These were (Jeffrey) Epstein's crimes and he's not here to pay that price, and she has been made to pay the price that he should have paid.'

Maxwell is currently being jailed in the infamous MDC which she has repeatedly complained about, calling it a 'living hell' where she has been 'assaulted and abused.'

Maxwell - the jet-setting daughter of a wealthy British newspaper tycoon; a glamorous society darling who mingled with former presidents, billionaires and royals - complained that her treatment in the MDC amounted to torture.

Her family wanted to take the case to the United Nations, claiming that she was subjected to inhumane treatment - fed rotten food, kept in excessively hot and cold conditions, and living in a cell that flooded with raw sewage.

Brunel's death in an alleged hanging will fuel conspiracy theories around the Epstein affair after the financier also died in prison while awaiting trial in what authorities concluded was a hanging.

Controversy over Epstein's death has been fueled by the fact that prison video cameras at Manhattan's Metropolitan Correction Center were not running at the time Epstein died in the cell he shared with another inmate.

Brunel is thought to have been alone at the time of his death and there were no cameras to record his final hours, according to an investigating source at La Sante  one of the toughest jails in France.

'A night patrol found his lifeless body at about 1am,' said an investigating source. 'A judicial enquiry has been launched, and early evidence points to suicide.'

Following the news of his death, Virginia Roberts said she was 'disappointed' that she was not able to face Brunel at a 'final trial to hold him accountable' and added that his alleged suicide 'ends another chapter'.

Taking to Twitter following the news of his death on Saturday, she wrote: 'The suicide of Jean-Luc Brunel, who abused me and countless girls and young women, ends another chapter.

'I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to face him in a final trial to hold him accountable, but gratified that I was able to testify in person last year to keep him in prison.'

It was in December 2020 that Brunel was indicted after two days of interviews by an examining magistrate and specialist police from an anti-pedophilia unit.

He was arrested at the city's Charles de Gaulle airport on while trying to board a plane to Dakar, Senegal, telling detectives 'I'm going on holiday'.

While CCTV is commonplace in the corridors and gateways of French prisons, the vast majority of cells are not under video surveillance. This is ensure a degree of privacy, and to make sure that European human rights legislation is not violated.

Inmates are sometimes known to record events using devices including mobile phones, but Brunel is thought to have been in a single occupancy cell, said the source.

'There is an investigation going on to confirm all this, but at the moment it looks like he killed himself alone, and it was a routine patrol that found his body hanging,' he said.

The source added: 'There were no obvious fears for the prisoner's health, and he was not on a suicide watch, having already been in prison for many months.'

The official enquiry into Brunel's sudden death was on Saturday being carried out by offices from the 3rd Judicial Police district in Paris. An autopsy was set to be carried out, to establish the exact cause of death.

Forensic officers were meanwhile examining the cell where Brunel died. La Sante, which was built in the 19th Century, has housed some of the most dangerous prisoners in recent French history.

There is a so-called 'VIP section' where inmates include 'super terrorist' and mass killer Carlos the Jackal, whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchez.

Brunel was originally indicted and placed in pre-trial detention in December 2020 for the 'rape of a minor over 15 years old' and harassing two other women.

He was also suspected of being a 'pimp' for Epstein, after becoming a close friend of the billionaire financier.

Brunel had been placed under the intermediate status of assisted witness for acts of 'human trafficking' and 'exploiting minors for the sexual purposes.'

Epstein  an old friend and business of associate of Brunel's  committed suicide in his prison cell in New York on August 10 2019, while awaiting trial for a range of offences, including trafficking minors for sex, and multiple rapes.
The British government is set to drop plans to place a ban on imports of fur and foie gras within new animal welfare legislation because of opposition from some members of cabinet.

The measures, which were set to be included in the new Animals Abroad Bill, look set to be put to one side to allow other elements of the bill to progress amid disagreement among some cabinet ministers, according the BBC.

The bill has been proposed in a bid to tackle animal cruelty and support conservation efforts overseas, and will include bans on the trade in hunting trophies from threatened species and the sale and advertising of experiences, such as elephant rides, overseas.

Foie gras production is illegal in the UK, but around 200 tonnes of foie gras are imported into the country each year mostly from France where it is considered a heritage product

Within the bill was a ban on the importing of foie gras, made mainly in France and Spain by force-feeding corn to ducks or geese with a tube - a process also known as gavage - but can occasionally be produced using natural feeding.

Foie gras production is already illegal in the UK, but around 200 tonnes of foie gras are imported into the country each year, mostly from France where it is considered a heritage product.

Fur farming was outlawed in the UK in 2003, and more than 800m worth of animal fur has been imported to Britain since then, according to figures from HM Revenue and Customs.

Fur is often used in hat bobbles, boots and slippers, hood trims and in some coats from high-end stores.

Campaigners have long called for a ban on such products being brought from overseas.

After Life stars Ricky Gervais and Peter Egan recently wrote to the Government, calling foie gras a 'cruel and unnecessary product.'

Animal protection organisation Animal Equality launched a petition to ban the importation of such products, and have since surpassed 250,000 signatures.

Black bear fur used in the Queen's Guard is sourced in a Canadian Government run cull, but campaigners maintain the process still involves cruelty

Which products would be affected by fur ban? Ermine Ermine is used to trim the red robes worn by members of the House of Lords to indicate rank. The cape is made of miniver pure, an unspotted white fur, and ermine rows. Royal robes Robes worn by members of the Royal Family are trimmed with Ermine, which are worn on major state occasions and for royal portraits. Bearskin hats Traditionally, bearskin hats were worn by grenadiers as a headgear. They are still used by grenadier and guards regiments in various armies Shtreimel A hat made of fur which is worn by many married Haredi Jewish men on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Fur coats Popular high street brands have accounted for a huge rise in the importation of fur, with fur-trimmed coats available to purchase. Vintage Any ban on selling fur would also impact second-hand coats and clothes which have been handed down through generations of families. Advertisement

The bill has been delayed after concerns were raised by ministers about the personal choice of consumers in the UK, and issues around how the ban could be enforced.

Brexit Minister Jacob Rees Mogg is one cabinet member who believes the government should not be imposing restrictions on what consumers can and cannot purchase, according to the BBC.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace raised concerns about banning imports of black bear fur, used by military Guardsmen.

It comes after it was revealed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had backed the use of real black bear fur in making ceremonial hats worn by the Queen's Guard.

Mr Wallace has said black bear fur is responsibly sourced in a Canadian Government run cull, but campaigners maintain the process still involves cruelty.

Claire Bass, executive director at the Humane Society International UK, said a 'very large number of people will be disappointed' if the Government do not follow through with the ban.

Frank Zilberkweit of the British Fur Trade Association added it would be difficult for the government to enforce a ban and said: 'If the public agree that fur is not a suitable product to wear, they won't buy it.'

Last year, the government pledged to deliver the 'highest standards of animal welfare' in the UK in the Queen's speech in 2021.

In the Action Plan for Animal Welfare, Number 10 committed to recognise the capacity of animals to have feelings, including pain and suffering, via the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, and to bring in 'more effective powers' to tackle livestock worrying in the Kept Animals Bill.

The Government also wanted to use the bill to put a stop to people keeping primates as pets, to improve standards in zoos and crack down on puppy smuggling, as well as introducing mandatory cat microchipping.

A spokesperson for the government told the BBC no final decision on imports has yet been made.

They said the government is 'united in its commitment to upholding its world-leading standards in animal welfare'.
One of former Labour leader Neil Kinnocks grandchildren has announced he has changed gender.

Milo Kinnock, who was born as Camilla, revealed the news on Danish television.

The 22-year-old, whose parents are Labour MP Stephen Kinnock and the former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, told the DR1 channel: It just felt just right to me and it has really given me a lot of freedom.

I am so lucky to have a lot of friends, a partner and my family who support me and have always backed me up on everything.

Milo Kinnock, who was born as Camilla, revealed the news on Danish television

Lord Kinnock, 79, who led the Labour Party for nine years before working for the European Commission, last night spoke of his pride in his grandchilds decision.

He told The Mail on Sunday: Milo is a beloved grandchild with a great personality and strong, mature judgment. Were a very close family who cherish him and wish him all the best.

The peers son Stephen, 52, who is the Shadow Immigration Minister, said: Helle and I are very proud of the way in which Milo has spoken out about being non-binary and using the pronoun he/him.

'It takes real courage to go on the journey that Milos been on, and by talking about it so publicly hes helped many others who are having similar experiences to discuss it more openly with their families and friends.

A family friend said that Milo  who gave the MoS his approval to use the family snap  had privately discussed his gender many times with his relatives but took the decision to go public over Christmas.

Milo was out as gay a long time ago and had a first gay relationship when he was around 15 or 16, said the friend.

That was the first round of conversations when Milo told his immediate family about his sexuality.

Then a little bit further down the track, he said, I want to change my name from Camilla to Milo. Then a little bit further down the track again, he said, Id like to use the pronouns he/him. By the time the family got to the he/him thing, theyd already been on quite the journey.

The peers son Stephen, 52, who is the Shadow Immigration Minister, said: Helle and I are very proud of the way in which Milo has spoken out about being non-binary and using the pronoun he/him.'

Lord Kinnock, 79, who led the Labour Party for nine years before working for the European Commission, last night spoke of his pride in his grandchilds decision

After that they sat down with Helles mother, who is in her 80s, and with Neil, whose reaction was, Oh, OK, I need to take this away and think about it for a while. But at the end of the day, Neil knows that Milo is a very strong person with good judgment so he is on board. Hes a very loving grandad whos proud of what Milo is doing.

Writing on social media, Milo, who has a sister named Johanna, told his 2,300 followers: Its been so great to hear from people about how the interview helped them to speak with their parents and grandparents about pronouns, gender and the patriarchy  something theyd never done before. Its clear that people want to change and help the queers around them, but even so theres still a long way to go.Trans and non-binary folks are still being discriminated against, and queer people of colour are particularly marginalised and disadvantaged. Im grateful that Im able to speak up  especially on mainstream television.

Very few have that privilege, and Im ready to join the fight.
Boris Johnson is set to call time tomorrow on the era of national lockdowns and Covid restrictions as he announces that self-isolation rules are to end this week for England.

The Prime Minister is poised to unveil his 'Living with Covid Plan', with Thursday earmarked as Freedom Day from virus-related rules.

Mr Johnson is expected to tell MPs upon their return from Parliament's February recess that the vaccine programme, testing and new treatments can be relied upon to keep the public safe.

He is also set to announce a timetable to end free lateral flow and PCR tests  which cost the taxpayer 2billion a week.

In a compromise between the Treasury and Department of Health, free tests are still likely to be available for more vulnerable and older age groups.

But to the anger of many Tory MPs, Mr Johnson is not expected this week to cut the red tape which bedevils UK citizens travelling abroad.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured) is poised to unveil his 'Living with Covid Plan', with Thursday earmarked as Freedom Day from virus-related rules

Sources say the issue of passenger locator forms, which travellers have to fill in before they return to the UK, will be addressed later in the spring.

He is also not expected to ease concerns that hospitals will still limit visits to patients, with Government sources saying that is a matter for individual hospital trusts.

The Freedom Day plans come despite warnings from his scientific advisers that Covid cases could soar if the self-isolation rules are ditched.

But ministers said new variants of the virus are expected to follow a similar pattern to Omicron in being more mild than early Covid-19 mutations.

Government sources stressed that although lockdowns were necessary to save lives, the restrictions had also taken 'a significant toll'.

In future, the emphasis would be on people to show 'personal responsibility' by staying at home if they have Covid  just as they would if they had flu.

Mr Johnson yesterday admitted that 'Covid will not suddenly disappear', but added: 'We need to learn to live with this virus and continue to protect ourselves without restricting our freedoms.

'We've built up strong protections against this virus over the past two years through the vaccine rollouts, tests, new treatments, and the best scientific understanding of what this virus can do.

'Thanks to our successful vaccination programme and the sheer magnitude of people who have come forward to be jabbed, we are now in a position to set out our plan for living with Covid this week.'

He is set to confirm that the legal duty introduced in 2020 requiring self-isolation for people who test positive will expire later this week.

In future, the emphasis would be on people to show 'personal responsibility' by staying at home if they have Covid  just as they would if they had flu. (Pictured: Commuters, some wearing masks, arrive at Waterloo train station in London)

Powers to order national lockdowns will also end, with sources saying it would instead be up to local authorities to manage outbreaks.

The PM is also expected to leave open the prospect that further Covid jabs could be given, saying he will be guided by expert vaccines body the JCVI.

Responding to the Prime Minister's future blueprint for dealing with Covid, Labour said people should not be asked to pay for coronavirus tests.

Armed forces minister James Heappey suggested on Thursday that Mr Johnson was likely to announce an end to free lateral flow tests as he called on the public to 'worry less about the need to have tested ourselves'.

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said: 'Boris Johnson is declaring victory before the war is over, in an attempt to distract from the police knocking at his door.

'Labour doesn't want to see restrictions in place any longer than they need to be.

'The Government should publish the evidence behind this decision, so the public can have faith that it is being made in the national interest.

'Now is not the time to start charging for tests or weaken sick pay, when people are still being asked to behave responsibly.'

Meanwhile, No 10 sources stressed testing 'surveillance systems and contingency measures' would be retained for use if required.

Downing Street said pharmaceutical interventions will 'continue to be our first line of defence', with the vaccine programme remaining 'open to anyone who has not yet come forward'.

With 85 per cent of the UK's population double-vaccinated, and 38million booster jabs administered, No 10 said it had concluded 'Government intervention in people's lives can now finally end'.

But it appeared to keep the door open to state-funded infection sampling remaining in place, following reports that Covid studies could be withdrawn as part of the plan.

Officials said Monday's 'living with Covid' plan will maintain 'resilience against future variants with ongoing surveillance capabilities'.

It comes after senior statistician Sir David Spiegelhalter argued that the Office for National Statistics' Covid-19 study should remain in place in some form.

The Cambridge University professor, who is a non-executive director for the ONS and chairman of the advisory board for the Covid Infection Survey, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the results had been vital for monitoring people's behaviour.

'It has been absolutely so important as we have gone along,' he said on Saturday.

'It has been running since April 2020, and so, as I said, I do have a bias here but it is not just me - I think lots of people are saying how important it is, particularly the statistical community.'

UK's daily Covid cases plunge by a QUARTER on last week to 34,377 as deaths fall by 23% to 128

By Emer Scully for MailOnline

Britain's Covid-19 cases have fallen by a quarter percent on last week's figures to 34,377 positive tests in the last 24 hours.

Deaths are also down, by 23 percent on last week, to 128, as figures continue to show the Covid-19 outbreak appears to be shrinking in the country.

It comes as the Prime Minister is set to unveil his blueprint for 'living with Covid' on Monday, with ministers set to finalise the the strategy over the weekend.

When unveiling his intention to get rid of the last restrictions  including the need for infected people to self-isolate, the PM last week claimed it would only happen if the outbreak continued to recede.

Today's figures will inevitably give him even more confidence, with cases, deaths and hospitalisations having been in freefall for over a fortnight.

The daily figures show 34,377 positive Covid tests were registered in the last 24 hours, down 25 percent on the 46,025 cases last Saturday.

NHS chiefs call for free virus tests and self-isolation rules to stay Free Covid tests and self-isolation rules must continue, NHS leaders said today in a last ditch attempt to persuade Boris Johnson against dropping all remaining restrictions next week. Matthew Taylor, chief executive of NHS Confederation  an organisation that represents leaders across the health service, warned uncertainty over long-term immunity from vaccines and previous infection and the risk of future variants meant it was still too early to drop the final measures. He urged ministers 'now is not the time to take risks', saying the last restrictions should only be relaxed gradually and on the basis of evidence to avoid any sudden flare-ups, even though cases, hospitalisations and deaths have all been trending downwards for weeks as the Omicron wave recedes. Calling for the brakes to be slammed onto No10's 'living with Covid' plans, Mr Taylor  Tony Blair's former policy adviser  said: 'The Government cannot wave a magic wand and pretend the threat has disappeared entirely.' He added the move to exit the acute phase of the pandemic 'must not be driven by political expediency'. Other healthcare leaders also urged the Prime Minister to re-consider his plans today, saying he should ease the last restrictions 'gradually'. Advertisement

It comes after it was revealed that Mr Johnson's top scientific advisers fear that next week's bonfire of the remaining Covid rules could leave Britain battling a variant that kills up to a third of people it infects.

Documents released from the panel's last meeting warned that any sudden change to the rules carries the potential to accelerate the pandemic.

One paper discussed by SAGE, which delved into potential scenarios that could emerge over the next few years, dismissed the milder nature of Omicron as being a 'chance' event and argued that it's a 'common misconception' that viruses evolve to become weaker.

It warned of a 'realistic possibility' that a variant could spawn that is just as lethal as other coronaviruses known to strike humans, such as MERS, which has a 35 per cent case fatality rate. Mutations are more likely while circulation of the virus is high, the panel said.

Referencing the document in its minutes, SAGE warned that the scenario  which they've already floated before  remained a 'valid' possibility.

Three new papers from the influential group's last meeting on February 10 were put into the public domain today while three others were published last Friday, including one warning dropping the remaining restrictions would 'increase anxiety'.

The PM's announcement last week was widely seen as a desperate ploy to appease hardline anti-lockdown Tory backbenchers and fend off a flurry of no-confidence letters following a spate of allegations about illegal lockdown parties in Downing Street.

Mr Johnson's blueprint will be checked over again by ministers on Sunday, Whitehall sources say, before being announced on Monday when Parliament returns from recess.

He has already faced vocal opposition to his plans, with the chief executive of NHS Confederation today saying the Government could not 'wave a magic wand' and pretend the virus had disappeared.

Matthew Taylor, who heads up the organisation which represents hospital bosses, urged ministers 'now is not the time to take risks'.

He said the last restrictions should only be relaxed gradually and on the basis of evidence to avoid any sudden flare-ups, even though cases, hospitalisations and deaths have all been trending downwards for weeks as the Omicron wave recedes.

Matthew Taylor, chief of the NHS Confederation which represents hospital trusts, said ministers could not 'wave a magic wand' and pretend the virus had disappeared (Pictured left on Preston on Sunday). Professor Dame Helen-Stokes Lampard, who chairs the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, called on ministers to lift restrictions more gradually

The Government's 'Living Safely With Covid' strategy', due to be unveiled next week, will see free lateral flow swabs dumped from next month, Whitehall sources say (Pictured: Covid testing site in London)

Boris Johnson pictured yesterday visiting RAF Waddingdon, in Lincolnshire. The Prime Minister is currently thrashing out his plan to 'live with' Covid

Free Covid tests for universities axed 'from today', in first sign swabbing drive is being scaled back Free Covid tests for universities were stopped today in the first sign Britain's testing scheme is being scaled back, it was suggested. Currently students are advised to take two lateral flow swabs a week to check for the virus. But deliveries of the kits from NHS Test and Trace and the UK Health Security Agency were stopped today, reports The Guardian. Education leaders only found out about the termination on Wednesday, they reported. From Saturday they will also no longer be allowed to distribute their stocks on campus. It comes as Boris Johnson thrashes out his plan for 'living with' the virus, which is expected to be a bonfire of the final restrictions. Set to be announced on Monday when Parliament returns from recess, the Prime Minister has already said it will see the end of self-isolation. But Whitehall sources have also suggested free lateral flow tests will come to an end under the plans. Asked about the reports today, ministers said people should 'wait and see'. Advertisement

Separate papers from SAGE advisers warned Covid transmission could increase by up to 80 per cent if the Government abandons the last restrictions.

The scientists on the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M-O) said: 'A sudden change, such as an end to testing and isolation, has the scope to lead to a return to rapid epidemic growth.'

They warned a quick uptick could lead to current projections of Covid deaths dropping below 100 a day by March being proved inaccurate, with deaths instead starting to rise again.

SAGE advisers on the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) warned it was likely the next variant could be just as dangerous as Alpha and Delta  which triggered waves last winter and summer.

They said it was a 'realistic possibility' that a more dangerous variant could emerge either through mutations or a hybrid between two variants emerging  in a process scientifically known as recombination.

In another scenario, they said Covid could jump into animals and the mutate before crossing back to humans.

The virus emerged in an animal host  thought likely to be bats  before spreading to humans. There are also suggestions that the Omicron variant evolved in rodents, although these are yet to be stacked up with evidence.

The committee admitted, however, that over the next few years it was likely the virus would become 'less virulent'.

They said this would happen as it became 'fully adapted' to humans, stopping it triggering serious disease.

Other scientists have already predicted it is likely that no variant will be able to set the UK back to the same position it was in in March 2020 when the virus first emerged.

Professor Francois Balloux, a geneticist at University College London, said last week: 'Some variants will be intrinsically more severe than others, but once everyone has been vaccinated and/or infected multiple times, no variant can set us back to levels of Covid hospitalisation and death we experienced during the pandemic.'

Some SAGE scientists have already called for Britain to start 'living with' Covid the same way as with the flu. Professor Graham Medley, No10's chief modeller, warned the virus 'can't be an emergency forever'.

He said last month: 'At some point it will have to stop being an emergency but that is likely to be a phase out rather than an active point in time where somebody can declare the epidemic over.'

Boris Johnson is preparing to lay out his plan for 'living with' the virus on Monday when Parliament returns from recess. He has already announced self-isolation will go from next week, and the plan is also expected to see the end of free lateral flow tests from next month.

But the plans are already facing opposition, with NHS chief Mr Taylor warning uncertainty over long-term immunity from vaccines and previous infection and the risk of future variants mean it was still too early to drop the final measures.

He urged ministers 'now is not the time to take risks', saying the last restrictions should only be relaxed gradually and on the basis of evidence to avoid any sudden flare-ups, even though cases, hospitalisations and deaths have all been trending downwards for weeks as the Omicron wave recedes.

Calling for the brakes to be slammed onto No10's 'living with Covid' plans, Mr Taylor  Tony Blair's former policy adviser  said: 'The Government cannot wave a magic wand and pretend the threat has disappeared entirely.' He added the move to exit the acute phase of the pandemic 'must not be driven by political expediency'.
Nick Clegg is at the centre of a Whitehall leak inquiry after Ministers raised concerns he was receiving secret information about Government plans to regulate Facebook.

The former Deputy Prime Minister has just been promoted to president of global affairs at the 400 billion tech giant, where he will lobby against tough new regulations that could affect its business.

But Whitehall officials fear he is being fed sensitive details about what is being planned, and have launched a major hunt to track down the suspected mole.

Sources say the alarm was raised when Sir Nick cited classified information in a Zoom call with Government officials as long ago as June 2020.

And fears were exacerbated last week when a newspaper article mentioned a 'tech industry executive who has seen the proposals' about regulation  which should only have been circulated among a handful of senior aides.

Nick Clegg is at the centre of a Whitehall leak inquiry after Ministers raised concerns he was receiving secret information about Government plans to regulate Facebook

Officials fear Sir Nick  whose salary is believed to have risen to 15 million a year following his promotion last week  has retained a Government contact or contacts from his time as Deputy Prime Minister which has allowed the flow of classified information.

However a spokesman for Facebook  now called Meta  last night strongly denied he had sought information from officials, describing such claims as 'absurd and false'.

The hunt for the Whitehall mole will span the Treasury, Foreign Office and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Hypocrisy as sons sent to top private school Nick Clegg and his wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez are paying 70,000 a year to send their sons to a top private school in California. The former Deputy Prime Minister previously spoke about the 'corrosive' gap between state and private education in the UK. But he appears to be keen to ensure his sons are on the right side of that divide in America, sending Miguel, 12, and Alberto, 17, to the elite school close to the family's 7million mansion. His oldest son, Antonio, 20, recently graduated from the same school, which we are not naming to protect the boys' privacy, where annual day fees are 34,500. A source said: 'The school... is level with Eton in status.' A decade ago, Sir Nick warned: 'There is a great rift in our education system between our best schools, most of which are private, and the schools ordinary families rely on. That is corrosive for our society and damaging to our economy.' His wife also appears to have had a change of heart. In 2014, she said of her sons: 'As far as I know they will always go to state school. You cannot buy your place into the elite. You have to earn it.' The Cleggs did not respond to a request for comment last night. Advertisement

A security source said: 'We don't know if Clegg himself is getting this information, or the company has other sources, but they seem to know what we are up to almost before we do.'

Facebook is facing legislation on a number of fronts, including the tax it pays, the responsibility for the content it carries, and whether it should pay media organisations for using their news stories.

Potential reforms had been contained in confidential letters called 'write-rounds' which are passed between a handful of Ministers' officials as they draw up agreements on what action they should take..

The source said that concerns were first expressed after Sir Nick cited information from such a confidential letter in his Zoom call of June 2020

But the leak probe was only triggered last week following a story in the Financial Times about the Online Safety Bill, which aims to clamp down on harmful content on digital platforms.

The article quoted a tech executive 'who has seen the proposals'  even though they were contained in another restricted ministerial write-round. Last night a spokesman for Meta said it was 'not aware' of any Government leak inquiry.

Sir Nick, who joined Facebook in 2018, was on Wednesday promoted to the powerful position of president of global affairs at Meta, which also owns Instagram, WhatsApp and the virtual reality headset maker Oculus.

Company founder Mark Zuckerberg said Sir Nick would become a 'senior leader at the level of myself', with responsibility for 'all policy matters'  leading him to be dubbed the 'Master of the Metaverse', the vitual reality future the company is hoping to build.

The former Liberal Democrat leader, who was Deputy PM in David Cameron's Coalition Government, lives with his wife Miriam and their three sons in a 7 million faux house in Atherton, a Silicon Valley town known as 'the most expensive postcode in America'.

The property boasts five bedrooms, six bathrooms, swimming pool, outdoor hot tub and 'patio fireplace'. The new Online Safety Bill will require internet firms to seek out and remove 'illegal content and [legal] content which is harmful to children'.

Critics worry the move  which puts more liability on social media firms to police content on their platforms  could lead to severe restrictions on freedom of expression.

It is feared Silicon Valley corporations will err too much on the side of removing content on sensitive topics rather than considering the nuance of what is said and the credentials of who is saying it.

For example, Facebook previously removed evidence that Covid may have originally leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan  a theory which is finally being accepted as the most credible by experts.

The former Liberal Democrat leader, who was Deputy PM in David Cameron's Coalition Government, lives with his wife Miriam and their three sons in a 7 million faux house in Atherton, a Silicon Valley town known as 'the most expensive postcode in America'

The Financial Times story which triggered the leak probe said any requirement for tech giants  and smaller companies hosting user-generated content such as travel review sites  to take extra responsibilities for what was posted on their platforms would be a 'huge red line' for the industry, in the words of the unnamed executive.

However, a source at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said that the claims were a 'garbled' version of the write-round, and insisted that 'publishers' exemptions' would protect freedom of expression.

Separately, the Government is planning to force tech giants to pay media outlets for using their stories, if such deals cannot be directly negotiated.

The proposals, based on an Australian system, address fears tech companies are dominating online advertising to the detriment of consumers and businesses.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries is pushing No 10 to include the legislation in the next Queen's Speech, arguing that struggling regional papers would benefit in particular from the boost to their revenues.

In 2020, the most recent year for which records are available, Facebook's UK arm paid 36.8 million on 190 million of profits  a rate of 19 per cent. Globally, according to the Fair Tax Foundation, the firm paid just $16.8 billion income taxes on revenues of $328 billion in the last decade, equivalent to 5 per cent.

A Meta spokesperson said: 'Any insinuation or suggestion that due to Nick Clegg's previous role in Government he is now seeking or soliciting documents from officials is absurd and false.

'We are not aware of any inquiry into this issue by the Government and that is a matter for them.

'As for the alleged content of a Zoom call involving Nick Clegg in June 2020, we have no idea what this is specifically referring to and would need more substantiated detail to respond in full.'
Twice weekly rapid antigen tests for Covid-19 in schools will end in NSW within days as the Omicron outbreak wanes and kids get vaccinated.

The NSW Government will instead hand out eight kits per student to use as required, and the same number to every school employee.

The packs, which are already arriving at schools, will be given out in two drops starting this week.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet thanked parents, teachers and school administrators for getting children into their classrooms on day one of term one.

The NSW government will offer an extra eight RAT kits per student and staff member to use when families need them

'It was vital we got our students back in the classroom after two years of disruption to their education, social lives and well-being, and RATs have played an important part in enabling their safe return,' he said.

'The packs are there for families and staff to use at their discretion for their own peace of mind, for example, when a student is feeling unwell with a sore throat or cough, or if family members are sick.'

About 8.2 million kits were distributed in the first two weeks of the 2022 school year to more than 3,000 schools and early childhood centres across the state.

Though testing was never mandatory, parents and teachers were encouraged to do a test twice a week, and those who tested positive were required to stay at home.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said more than 90 per cent of parents complied with the testing request.

'It is important we help students, staff and families retain their levels of confidence as we get back to a more normal school life,' she said.

'We know our measures work; transmission in schools is extremely low, and there have been no school closures since students returned this year, despite the levels of community transmission.'

NSW Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said more than 90 per cent of parents have been using the RATs provided

Ms Mitchell acknowledged that testing children twice a week was not an easy task and said more free tests would allow parents to stay vigilant.

Early childhood staff will also receive the additional rapid antigen kits to be used when necessary.

The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance found that in term four last year, three to four per cent of people exposed to a positive case in schools and early childhood education contracted Covid-19 compared to about 70 per cent in homes.

Nurse Emma Ahearn administers the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to Isabelle Delany at Sydney Road Family Medical Practice in Balgowlah, NSW

This research is backed up by James Cook University epidemiologist Professor Emma McBryde, who said the fear of schools reopening was unnecessary as the spread of Covid is a 'biological thing, not a sociological thing'.

She said Australians don't have to get 'too concerned about what's going to happen with schools'.

'Schools have always been a relatively low risk environment anyway,' Professor McBryde told Daily Mail Australia.

'I think the fact that Queensland delayed the start of school by two weeks was just totally an overreaction.

'Schools have always been a relatively low risk environment anyway,' Professor Emma McBryde (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia

'It's not like the children have gone from nowhere to being somewhere. They've gone from holidays where they're still hanging out with each other and their parents and others, to school.

'So I don't see school as a high risk environment compared to kids going to shopping centres or the cinema.'

Along with rapid antigen tests, NSW's back-to-school plan also entailed mandatory mask-wearing and limited interaction between year groups.

The state government is reviewing these measures, along with whether parents can return to school grounds.
Prince Harry severed ties with a Saudi billionaire at the centre of his father's 'cash for honours' probe over concerns about the tycoon's motives, leaked emails have revealed.

Police are currently investigating whether Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz was offered honours or a path to citizenship in return for donations he made to Prince Charles' charities.

A formal investigation was launched after The Mail on Sunday's revelation last September of a letter written by Charles' aide Michael Fawcett in August 2017 to a representative of Mahfouz.

In his letter to aide Busief Lamlum, Mr Fawcett wrote: 'In light of the ongoing and most recent generosity of His Excellency... I am happy to confirm to you, in confidence, that we are willing and happy to support and contribute to the application for citizenship.'

It also offered to upgrade Mahfouz's CBE 'for services to charities in the UK' to a knighthood, or KBE.

Now emails passed to the Times reveal Mahfouz had also offered Harry's HIV charity Sentebale - which helps children affected by HIV in Lesotho, southern Africa - a huge 1million donation in 2014.

Prince Harry met Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz in 2013. The Saudi billionaire donated 50,000 to his charity

But Harry's team became concerned it was entering 'cash for access' territory when Mahfouz demanded a private meeting with the prince in Saudi Arabia - potentially 'within days' - as a precondition for the donation.

On May 31, 2014, Mark Dyer, 54, a Sentebale trustee, responded with concern to Mahfouz's aide, writing: 'Are we really saying that if PH [Prince Harry] commits to a trip to Saudi, Sentebale will receive the donation?

'If that is the case I need to now brief the board as the accounts have all been revised and signed off on the back of receiving 1m donation.

'I am seeing PH today at Windsor; I will brief him on the situation and see if he now wants to commit to a trip, but this certainly was not our understanding ... it is starting to bring into question 'cash-for-access'.'

Mahfouz's representative responded by insisting the proposed Saudi visit had been suggested and encouraged by Prince Charles at an event in Clarence House weeks earlier.

Harry was prepared to deal with Mahfouz at the time and, according to the Times, is alleged to have joked: 'Has father beaten me to it and got the money?'

On June 1, 2014, Mr Dyer told Mahfouz's fixer he had spoken to the prince and had a 'long chat' with his private secretary.

He wrote via email: 'There is a concern and we have to be very careful going forward.

'At no stage have we committed to a visit, we discussed maybe in the future meeting privately for a weekend on a boat.

'The POW [Prince of Wales] obviously mentioned it in passing conversation; that does not mean PH comes next week. He is keen for his son to see that part of the world, but not next week.

'What has now happened is a promise of a 1m donation but it now comes with a commitment to a visit ... that was not my understanding.

'I then discussed with PH and quite rightly he has a major concern that we are loosing [sic] touch with what all this is about ... it's not about M [Mahfouz] meeting PH and introducing him to his friends and [Mahfouz's adviser] having as many photos as possible of PH on his desk ... its [sic] about the children of Lesotho and Sentebale making a difference to their lives.'

Mr Dyer, who is a godfather to Harry's son, Archie, continued: 'There is a possibility of a visit to Saudi and if this happens PH will visit M, but to be held over a barrel, I think is wrong.

'It would be a real shame if this falls through and I think we need to start again and remember the first meeting with PH. What is now on the table is very different.'

While Mahfouz donated at least 50,000 to Sentebale, the million-pound offer fell through, and Harry never made the visit to the Middle East.

Mahfouz then ramped up his donations to Prince Charles' charities - after aides hinted they would entertain the tycoon's desire for access.

A friend of Prince Charles last night insisted the heir to the throne had been 'outraged' when he discovered his closest aide had offered honours and British citizenship to the wealthy Saudi donor in return for donations to his charity.

Dr Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, pictured meeting Prince Charles, is one of Britain's most generous benefactors

Speaking days after police launched a formal investigation into the scandal  which centres on The Mail on Sunday's revelation last September of a letter written by Michael Fawcett in August 2017 to an aide of Mahfouz  the friend said: 'Charles is adamant that he knew absolutely nothing about Michael Fawcett's activities.

'He was absolutely furious and outraged. It was an earthquake. When Charles was first told that The Mail on Sunday had the letter from Michael Fawcett, he didn't believe it, but once it was established to be true, he was even more furious and demanded something was done about it.

'It was also a lesson that this must never happen again.'

In his letter to aide Busief Lamlum, Mr Fawcett wrote: 'In light of the ongoing and most recent generosity of His Excellency... I am happy to confirm to you, in confidence, that we are willing and happy to support and contribute to the application for citizenship.

'I can further confirm that we are willing to make [an] application to increase His Excellency's honour from Honorary CBE to that of KBE in accordance with Her Majesty's Honours Committee.'

The Metropolitan Police are investigating potential offences under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 following 'media reporting alleging offers of help were made to secure honours and citizenship for a Saudi national'.

No arrests are thought to have been made.

Mr Fawcett resigned as chief executive of the Prince's Foundation charity in November ahead of an independent investigation that found he had coordinated with 'fixers' in a bid to land an honour for a donor.

Mr Mahfouz, who denies any wrongdoing and did not obtain either a knighthood or citizenship, had been granted a CBE 'for services to charities in the UK' in 2016  before the Fawcett letter was sent.

Mr Fawcett resigned as chief executive of the Prince's Foundation charity in November ahead of an independent investigation that found he had coordinated with 'fixers' in a bid to land an honour for a donor

He received the honour from Charles and, the MoS can reveal, was given a separate award by a Russian society at St James's Palace, the most senior royal palace in the UK.

The Prince's Foundation is based at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, and offers education and training programmes in construction and traditional crafts.

The charity has launched a major damage limitation exercise.

One plan is to make more use of Highgrove, the Prince's Gloucestershire home, for events because Dumfries House is now synonymous with the scandal.

The Mail on Sunday has also learned that Dmitry Leus, a former Russian banker who lost 500,000 when money he had pledged to Dumfries House went missing, has received a letter of apology from Charles's charity.

Mr Leus gave the money to William Bortrick, the editor of Burke's Peerage who acted as a middleman for the charity.

The foundation later rejected the donation but the money was never returned to Mr Leus.

Ex-valet who could hold Charles's fate in his hands faces a Herculean test of loyalty, writes Prince of Wales's biographer TOM BOWER

Prince Charles's fate hangs in the balance, with his smooth accession to the Throne in jeopardy.

Central to his destiny will be the testimony of his former valet. As the long-time Keeper of the Secrets, Michael Fawcett is the only person who can tell the Metropolitan Police whether Charles knew that a Saudi billionaire gave 1.5 million to support the Prince's charity, eventually in exchange for a written promise that he would be nominated for a KBE.

For more than 40 years, the lives of Charles and Fawcett have been inextricably linked. Known as 'The Fixer', Fawcett has been responsible for countless personal arrangements, including loading the Prince's guns, organising parties and charity fund-raising, and taking special care of Camilla Parker Bowles during and after Charles's marriage to Diana.

There are few secrets in Charles's complicated life to which Fawcett is not privy. Not surprisingly, perhaps, he has been distrusted by the Queen, Diana and many courtiers. Accused of bullying and worse in a succession of scandals, he was fired twice, only to be re-hired by Charles, who pleaded that Fawcett was indispensable.

Tom Bower is the author of Rebel Prince, The Power, Passion and Defiance of Prince Charles.

In truth, Charles was also terrified of making an outsider of Fawcett, the ultimate insider.

Having watched how Paul Burrell, Diana's one-time valet and 'rock', has made a career out of divulging secrets about her life, Charles has been determined to keep Fawcett onside.

If he ever wrote a confessional book, Fawcett would earn at least 20 million. It is no exaggeration to say there are possible parallels between the present case and what happened in 2002 when Burrell was on trial at the Old Bailey, accused of stealing 310 items from Diana's estate, and from Charles and Prince William.

The case collapsed when it was revealed that Burrell had apparently told the Queen he was keeping some of the Princess's possessions  and therefore that Her Majesty's evidence might be relevant. Saving the monarchy's reputation was clearly considered more important than proceeding with a criminal case.

The evidence against Fawcett, 59, has been widely discussed since a Mail on Sunday investigation last year claimed that he worked with 'fixers' to secure an honour for the Saudi tycoon.

Among questions the police will undoubtedly ask Fawcett is who he meant by 'we' when he wrote a letter to an aide of the Saudi businessman in 2017, saying that 'in the light of the ongoing and most recent generosity' to Charles's charities by the Saudi, 'we are willing' to support his application for British citizenship.

Was Fawcett writing on Charles's behalf? Certainly, there is mounting circumstantial evidence about the Prince. Without doubt, for 25 years, cash-for-access to Charles was a source of income for his charities, with Fawcett travelling the world to meet billionaires willing to contribute in exchange for meeting the Prince.

Another key figure is Robert Higdon  the chief executive of the Prince's charity foundation in America  who once crudely confessed: 'I was the money whore.'

For 14 years, Higdon lured US billionaires to lunches and dinners. He took donations of 250,000 to secure a seat next to Charles, with smaller amounts getting less cherished seats.

Rather than shepherding dozens of starry-eyed Americans into Charles's presence, Fawcett lured a motley bunch of foreign businessmen and their wives into the Prince's money-web.

These included controversial billionaires from Russia, Turkey and other eastern outposts who sought respectability by paying to sit with the Prince and receiving a photo of the encounter.

Prince Charles's fate hangs in the balance, with his smooth accession to the Throne in jeopardy

It is hard to believe that Charles did not ask about the source of the millions raised on his behalf. Indeed, at one such fund-raising event, as guests handed over cheques following a speech by Charles, the pieces of paper were scrutinised by the Prince.

Deeming one cheque to be insufficient, Charles suggested: 'Another nought?' The cheque was duly returned and, under the Prince's watchful gaze, the extra digit was inserted.

A natural corollary of Charles's close interest in each individual donation  which, after all, formed his charities' lifeblood  was his impatience with any warnings about the character of some donors.

Charles's staff feared that any negative advice might lead to their instant dismissal.

That said, there were concerns he was running too many charities. When told by an accountant that a particular charitable project was 'unaffordable', Charles famously retorted: 'I never want to see that man again!'

The challenge for Scotland Yard officers will be to prove that Charles knew of Fawcett's promise to lobby to 'increase' the Saudi donor's CBE into a KBE.

If Fawcett denies that Charles had any notion about his written promise, any police investigation against the Prince would be stymied. But that could still mean Fawcett facing prosecution.

The test of character for the former footman will be herculean.

Make no mistake, Prince Charles, the Heir to the Throne, finds himself in the firing line and must be praying that his long-time servant remains loyal  and tight-lipped.
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Explosions shook eastern Ukraine late on Saturday, after the NATO chief warned the signals coming out of Russia suggest that Moscow is readying for a 'full-fledged attack' on Ukraine, and Vladimir Putin put on a show of military strength today with huge new nuclear drills.

Multiple explosions could be heard late on Saturday and early on Sunday in the centre of the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, according to a Reuters reporter.

The origin of the explosions was not clear. There was no immediate comment from separatist authorities or from Kyiv.

Two regions in eastern Ukraine, where government and separatist forces have been fighting since 2014, were hit by more than 1,400 explosions on Friday, monitors for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said, pointing to a surge in shelling.

And up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas.

It comes after Jens Stoltenberg, NATO chief, warned that the risk of an attack is 'very high', echoing US warnings that Russian troops dotted along Ukraine's border are 'uncoiling' and 'poised to strike'.

'Every indication indicates that Russia is planning a full-fledged attack against Ukraine,' Stoltenberg told German broadcaster ARD on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

'We all agree that the risk of an attack is very high.'

The United States dominates NATO, and US President Joe Biden on Friday said he was 'convinced' Russia was going to invade Ukraine within the week, and have its forces target Ukraine's capital Kyiv.

NATO is relocating staff from Kyiv to Lviv, in the west of the country, and to the Belgian capital Brussels, which houses NATO's headquarters, for their safety, an alliance official said Saturday.

'The safety of our personnel is paramount, so staff have been relocated to Lviv and Brussels. The NATO offices in Ukraine remain operational,' the official told AFP, without giving numbers.

Several Western countries have already moved diplomats from Kiev to Lviv, located near the border with Poland, in anticipation of Russian military action.

Fears of tensions boiling over were backed up by figures released Saturday by the OSCE, which showed there were more than 1,400 explosions in the rebel held regions of Donetsk and Luhansk on Friday.

The OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission that is deployed in the conflict zone said it had logged 553 explosions in Donetsk and a further 860 in neighbouring Luhansk - adding that it had confirmed one civilian casualty in a government-controlled area of Donetsk.

It put the total number of ceasefire violations on Friday at more than 1,500, compared with 870 the day before, suggesting an upwards trajectory of gunfire and mortars.

Ukraine's Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskiy experienced the clashes first-hand Saturday, ducking for cover as mortar shells fell within a few hundred metres of him while he toured the frontline with reporters.

It came as US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Saturday during a visit to Lithuania that Russian troops dotted along Ukraine's border are 'uncoiling' and 'poised to strike'.

He added that troops were 'moving into the right kinds of positions to be able to conduct an attack'.

Meanwhile, Putin put on a show of military strength today with huge new nuclear drills involving ballistic missiles, submarines, tank convoys and ship-based missiles.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg (pictured) warned that the risk of an attack is 'very high', echoing US warnings that Russian troops dotted along Ukraine's border are 'uncoiling' and 'poised to strike'

Explosions could be heard late on Saturday and early on Sunday in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, according to a Reuters reporter. Pictured: People walk towards a monument to the Liberators of Donbass in Donetsk

Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko oversee joint military drills from the situation room in the Kremlin

Huge flames and smoke fill the air after a gas pipeline was struck in the Lugansk region of Ukraine, amid fears of a Russian invasion 'within days'

A Tu-22M3 Russian bomber flies over the Mediterranean after taking off from the Hemeimeem air base in Syria in Putin's latest show of force

A mixed air striking group performs a bomb strike during the Allied Resolve 2022 joint military drills held by Belarusian and Russian troops at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground

Russian and Belarusian armed forces take part in Allied Determination-2022 military drill in Gomel, Belarus on Saturday

Dramatic moment militants open fire on the Ukrainian interior minister and journalists in eastern Ukraine on Saturday

Radio Liberty's Ukrainian service correspondent Maryan Kushnir (pictured), who filmed the clip, could be heard shouting: 'Lie down, lie down,' then 'run, run!....to the car, to the car!'

A breathless Kushnir (pictured) says to the camera: 'Right now, we're with the minister of internal affairs and they started shooting with mortars, as you can see.'

Volunteers are seen during mobilisation process in military, at pro-Russian separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine on Saturday

Local residents of pro-Russian separatist-controlled city of Donetsk are seen during evacuation process in Rostov region on Saturday

Volunteers are seen during mobilisation process in military, at pro-Russian separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine on Saturday

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk (pictured: evacuation in Donetsk on Saturday) and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas

Local residents of pro-Russian separatist-controlled city of Donetsk are seen during evacuation process in Rostov region on Saturday

Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine have ordered a full military mobilisation amid growing fears in the West that Russia is planning to invade the neighbouring country. Pictured: Volunteers are seen during mobilisation process in Donetsk

Volunteers are seen during mobilization process in military, at pro-Russian separatist-controlled city of Donetsk on Saturday

In a released photo, the Russian president and Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko - often dubbed the 'Europe's last dictator' - can be seen watching the sabre-rattling drills from a situation room in the Kremlin.

It came as world leaders gathered at the Munich Security Conference in Germany today - where Boris Johnson warned a Russian invasion of Ukraine could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state', adding that 'the shock will echo around the world'.

Boris warns Russia is planning 'the biggest war in Europe since 1945' The Prime Minister has warned that evidence suggests that Russia is planning 'the biggest war in Europe since 1945' and said there are signs the plan has 'in some senses' begun. Speaking to the BBC's Sophie Raworth, Boris Johnson said intelligence suggests that Russia intends to launch an attack to encircle Kyiv. 'All the signs are that the plan has already in some senses begun,' he said. 'People need to understand the sheer cost in human life that could entail. Mr Johnson's comments came after he met with Western leaders and Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky in Munich, where he warned an invasion of Ukraine could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state'. Advertisement

The Prime Minister said the 'omens are grim' from Russia on the possibility of an invasion in the coming days, and that the world could not 'underestimate the gravity of this moment'.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Western powers at the conference to stop their 'appeasement' of Russia and warned sanctions will not work on Moscow once the bombing starts - which earned him a standing ovation from world leaders.

The conference had echoes of the 1938 summit in Munich in which leaders agreed a policy of appeasement against Adolf Hitler's Germany in an effort to prevent an imminent war.

Mr Zelensky said today: 'Ukraine has received security guarantees for abandoning the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal. We have no weapons. And no security ...

'But we have a right - a right to demand a shift from a policy of appeasement to one ensuring security and peace.'

He added: 'For eight years, Ukraine has been a shield. For eight years, Ukraine has been holding back one of the greatest armies in the world.'

Foreign ministers from the G7 group of rich nations said on Saturday they saw no evidence that Russia is reducing military activity near Ukraine's borders and remain 'gravely concerned' about the situation.

'We call on Russia to choose the path of diplomacy, to de-escalate tensions, to substantively withdraw military forces from the proximity of Ukraine's borders and to fully abide by international commitments,' the countries said in a joint statement released by Britain's foreign ministry.

'As a first step, we expect Russia to implement the announced reduction of its military activities along Ukraine's borders. We have seen no evidence of this reduction,' they added.

Elsewhere, NATO is relocating staff from Kyiv to Lviv, in the west of the country, and to the Belgian capital Brussels, for their safety, an alliance official said Saturday.

Russian and Belarusian armed forces take part in Allied Determination-2022 military drill in Gomel, Belarus on Saturday

A mixed air striking group performs a bomb strike during the Allied Resolve 2022 joint military drills held by Belarusian and Russian troops at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground

A T-72B tank takes part in the Allied Resolve 2022 joint military drills held by Belarusian and Russian troops at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground

Russian and Belarusian armed forces take part in Allied Determination-2022 military drill in Gomel, Belarus on Saturday. The exercise is being held from February 10 to 20 as part of the second phase of testing response forces of Russia and Belarus

A helicopter is seen flying as Russian and Belarusian armed forces take part in Allied Determination-2022 military drill in Gomel, Belarus on Saturday

A view of a gas pipeline hit by a blast in Frunze Street, Lugansk, Ukraine on Saturday night. Several gas pipelines were blown up in the region amid escalating tensions in the east of the country

Close up shows flames bursting from an exploded gas pipeline in Lugansk, Ukraine, as tensions with Russia escalated to new heights on Saturday

Military hardware takes part in the Allied Resolve 2022 joint military drills held by Belarusian and Russian troops at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground

A mixed air striking group performs a bomb strike during the Allied Resolve 2022 joint military drills held by Belarusian and Russian troops at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground

Russian and Belarusian armed forces take part in Allied Determination-2022 military drill in Gomel, Belarus on Saturday

The military exercise is being held from February 10 to 20 as part of the second phase of testing response forces of the Union State of Russia and Belarus

Boris Johnson has warned an invasion of Ukraine could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state' and 'the shock will echo around the world'. Pictured: The Prime Minister meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian soldier rests a rocket launcher on his shoulder during a military drill at an unknown location in Ukraine on Saturday - as tensions with Russia reach boiling point

A tank travels through mud during a Ukrainian military drill on Saturday as the country braces for a potential Russian invasion

Reservists take part in a tactical training and individual combat skills conducted by the Territorial Defense of the Capital in Kyiv on Saturday

Reservists take part in a tactical training and individual combat skills conducted by the Territorial Defense of the Capital in Kyiv on Saturday

Residents of the Lugansk People's Republic get on a bus at the Lugansk bus terminal before evacuation to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region late on Friday night

Ukrainian troops patrol at the frontline outside the town of Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine, on February 19, 2022

A Ukrainian serviceman speaks to his comrade walking along a trench on a position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote

Ukrainian troops patrol the town of Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine, on February 19 - after two soldiers were reportedly killed Saturday by Russian-backed separatists

A Ukrainian serviceman walks in a yard of a destroyed house on a position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote

Reservists take part in tactical training and individual combat skills conducted by the Territorial Defense of the Capital in Kyiv

A man is seen lying down holding a gun as reservists take part in tactical training and individual combat skills conducted by the Territorial Defense of the Capital in Kyiv

Ukraine is not a member of NATO, and the alliance does not have any forces there, but since the late 1990s it has maintained two offices in Kyiv - a NATO Liaison Office and a NATO Information and Documentation Centre.

The liaison office's job is keep up dialogue between NATO and Ukraine's government while encouraging a democratic transformation of Ukraine's defence and security sector.

According to NATO's website, it consisted of a civilian head leading a mixed team of NATO military and civilian personnel. The web page, last updated in 2016, said there were a total of 16 staff.

The NATO Information and Documentation Centre's number of personnel was not disclosed. Its job was to inform the Ukrainian public about NATO and support Ukrainian institutions in their communications.

Stoltenberg has previously said that the alliance will not deploy any forces into Ukraine to defend it from any Russian aggression.

But NATO members have sent forces to neighbouring countries which are alliance members, and Stoltenberg has said NATO member countries will vigorously react to any Russian action in those territories, under its collective defence pact.

It comes as the Russians are continuing their 'false flag' operations in Eastern Ukraine, seemingly designed to provoke conflict.

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees are starting to stream into Russia today after Vladimir Putin's allies ordered a mass evacuation of two separatist republics as part of a suspected 'false flag' operation to provide the pretext for an invasion.

Up to 700,000 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas.

Hours later, a car bomb rocked Donetsk in an alleged 'assassination attempt' of a top Putin-allied official, which Western intelligence agencies believe was faked as part of the 'false flag' deception.

Evacuees from the Donetsk People's Republic arrive Saturday at a refugee camp organised at the Kotlostroitel children's health centre in the village of Krasny Desant, Neklinovsky, Russia

Photos released Saturday show Ukrainian paratroopers taking part in exercises in an undisclosed location in Ukraine

Ukrainian troops patrol at the frontline outside the town of Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine, on February 19, 2022

Ukrainian Soldiers in camouflaged gear huddle in front of an armoured vehicle during a military drill in Ukraine

A militant of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) reads out names of men registered at a military mobilisation point in a school in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, on Saturday

Reservists queue at a mobilisation centre for citizens of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine on Saturday

Civilians take part in a military training course conducted by a Christian Territorial Defence Unit on February 19, 2022 in Kiev, Ukraine

Using wooden guns modelled on Kalashnikovs, residents in Kiev receive military training in the event of Russian invasion

Russia's Acting Emergencies Minister Alexander Chupriyan (right) visits a tent camp set up by the Russian Emergencies Ministry at the Matveyev Kurgan border checkpoint for evacuees from the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine

A woman evacuated from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine kisses a child in a tent camp set up by the Russian Emergencies Ministry at the Matveyev Kurgan border checkpoint

Buses carrying evacuees from Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, arrive at a refugee camp organised at the Kotlostroitel children's health centre in the village of Krasny Desant, Neklinovsky District, Russia

Russian Emergencies Ministry employees set up a tent camp for people evacuated from Donetsk at the Matveyev Kurgan border checkpoint

Russian Emergencies Ministry employees transport a bunk bed as they set up a tent camp for people evacuated from the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, at the Matveyev Kurgan border checkpoint

Civilians of all ages receive military training at an old industrial plant in the Desnianskyi district, outside Kiev, on Saturday

A Ukrainian soldier takes aim while training residents in Kiev in the event of a Russian invasion

Ukrainian soldiers in camouflaged gear take a break while training civilians in how to defend against a Russian invasion, near Kiev on Saturday

A Ukrainian soldier peers through binoculars while helping to train civilians in Desnianskyi, just outside Kiev on Saturday

Ukrainian soldiers don balaclavas while training citizens in a district just outside Kiev on Saturday

Civilians receive training from the Ukrainian military at an old industrial plant in the Desnianskyi district outside Kiev on Saturday

A rebel soldier from the self-declared Donetsk Peoples Republic watches on as residents are evacuated and shipped off to Russia on Saturday

A Russia-bound train with citizens of the Lugansk People's Republic is seen before its departure from a station in Lugansk, east Ukraine. The train is the first to depart for Russia from the Lugansk People's Republic since 2014

A woman waves from a train carriage to be evacuated to Russia, at the railway station in Debaltseve, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine

Residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait for a train at the Donetsk-2 railway station as they evacuate to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region on Saturday

A man helps a small child put on a glove as they wait for a train at the Donetsk-2 railway station as they evacuate to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region on Saturday

Women take part in a military exercise for civilians conducted by veterans of the Ukrainian National Guard Azov battalion in Kharkiv, Ukraine on February 19, 2022

Later two explosions at a 'gas pipeline' rocked the separatist city of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine in another suspected false flag attack.

Elsewhere, the Russian leader is personally overseeing nuclear exercises involving 'strategic forces' which will include practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

The Kremlin nuclear drills also involved Mig fighter bombers armed with hypersonic missiles patrolling over the Mediterranean from their bases in Syria.

Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko is joining Putin in the situation room in the Kremlin to watch over the strategic drills.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today's drills 'should not cause anyone concern' and said Russia had informed the proper channels.

Russia holds huge strategic drills every year but today's manoeuvres include the Black Sea Fleet, based on the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

Meanwhile, top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine and were forced to flee to a bomb shelter before leaving the area.

A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is launched during Russian training drills as part of the strategic exercises today

A Ukrainian serviceman digs a trench on a positions at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote

Tanks move during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Smoke and flame rise over a field during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

A handout still image taken from handout video made available by the Russian Defence ministry press-service shows launch of a cruise missile of the operational-tactical missile system 'Iskander' from at the Kapustin Yar training ground, Russia, 19 February 2022

Two Tu-22M3 bombers escorted by Su-35 fighters of the Russian air force fly during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills

A Russian nuclear submarine sails in an unknown location during exercises by nuclear forces involving the launch of ballistic missiles, in this still image taken from video released February 19, 2022

Russian guided missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov fires the Tsirkon hypersonic missile during the exercises by nuclear forces in an unknown location

A Russian Tu-95MS air-launched cruise missile is tested as part of a planned exercise of strategic deterrence forces

Russian and Belarusian multi-role combat helicopters Mi-35M attend the joint operational exercise of the armed forces

A resident learns how to point and shoot with a wooden stick as she takes part in a military exercise for civilians conducted by Christian Territorial Defence in Ukraine

Russian and Belarusian multi-role combat helicopters Mi-35M attend the joint operational exercise of the armed forces of Belarus and Russia

Military helicopters fly over tanks and armored vehicles moving during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas. A woman says goodbye to her father through a bus window in Donetsk

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic are placed in tents in the refugee camp in Rostov on Don, Rostov region, Russia

Russian and Belarusian servicemen conduct joint drills at a firing range in the Brest region of Belarus

Tank army units loaded onto a troop train return from recent routine drills to permanent deployment sites

Fighter jets fly during the joint military drills of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus at a firing range in the Brest Region

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait in a bus to enter Russia at the customs post 'Matveev Kurgan' in Rostov region

The head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin announced a general mobilisation

Boris Johnson warns Russian invasion will 'echo around the world' Boris Johnson has warned an invasion of Ukraine could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state' and 'the shock will echo around the world'. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference today, the Prime Minister said the 'omens are grim' from Russia on the possibility of an invasion in the coming days, and that the world could not 'underestimate the gravity of this moment'. Boris jetted to the annual summit in Bavaria to make a plea to avoid 'unnecessary bloodshed' by diplomatic means if the West speaks with 'one voice'. In a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mr Johnson said: 'If Ukraine is invaded and if Ukraine is overwhelmed, we will witness the destruction of a democratic state, a country that has been free for a generation, with a proud history of elections. 'And every time Western ministers have visited Kyiv, we have reassured the people of Ukraine and their leaders that we stand four-square behind their sovereignty and independence. 'How hollow, how meaningless, how insulting those words would seem if at the very moment when their sovereignty and independence is imperilled we simply look away. 'If Ukraine is invaded, the shock will echo around the world, and those echoes will be heard in East Asia they will be heard in Taiwan.' Advertisement

Russia has also sent a MIG-31K and a Tu-22M3 bomber over the Mediterranean in another show of force amid the rising tensions.

The warplane is deployed with the new ultra high speed Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles.

The 24-foot-long, one-ton Kinzhal - or Dagger - can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, and Russia boasts it has no match among Western defences.

The hypersonic Kinzhal has a range of 1,250 miles and could pummel Ukrainian troops and defences without flying close to the country.

Russia is believed to have around 20 Kinzhal-compatible MiG-31Ks in total.

Video footage has also emerged which graphically demonstrates the sheer intensity of the bombardment that Russian-backed forces have unleashed on Ukraine in the last two days.

In night-time footage taken from the port city of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, just a few miles from the front line, shells could be heard raining down almost incessantly on Ukrainian positions for five hours.

The distant flashes from the exploding 122mm and 152mm heavy artillery and mortars on the video posted on censor.net were reminiscent of WW1 trench warfare.

One resident of the city posted on Facebook: 'No-one in Mariupol is sleeping tonight.'

According to the Ukrainian government there were a total of 66 ceasefire violations by the pro-Russian rebels overnight, involving hundreds of shells.

In a separate incident at a front-line checkpoint at Schastia, which ironically means 'Happiness' in Ukrainian, more incoming shells blasted onto a car park in daytime CCTV footage provided by the Ukraine government.

Shelling also damaged a pumping station in Donetsk Oblast, threatening water supply to 46 towns and villages in the Ukrainian-controlled parts of the region, Ukraine's authorities reported.

Amid the new drills today, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said the troops on the border are 'uncoiling' and 'poised to strike' during a visit to Lithuania.

This photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, shows a MiG-31K fighter of the Russian air force carrying a Kinzhal hypersonic cruise missile parked at an air field during a military drills

An airman checks a Russian Air Force MiG-31 fighter jet prior a flight with Kinzhal hypersonic missile during a drill in an unknown location in Russia, in this still image taken from video released February 19, 2022

A Belarusian Army military helicopter flies over tanks and armored vehicles moving during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Military jets drop bombs flying over a field during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Smoke rise over a field during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

A military helicopter flies next to a flock of birds in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol, Crimea

Tanks move during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

A Russian paratrooper takes part in a force inspection at the Obuz-Lesnovsky firing range in Belarus today

Tanks and armoured vehicles move during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground

Russian Tu-95MS bomber aircraft flies during the Grom-2022 Strategic Deterrence Force exercise amid threat of an invasion

The Russian leader is personally overseeing the nuclear exercises involving 'strategic forces' which will include practice launches

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today's drills 'should not cause anyone concern' and said Russia had informed the proper channels

Civilians train with members of the Georgian Legion, a paramilitary unit formed mainly by ethnic Georgian volunteers, to fight against the Russian aggression in Ukraine

Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine have ordered a full military mobilisation amid growing fears in the West that Russia is planning to invade the neighbouring country

'They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike,' he said, adding that troops were 'moving into the right kinds of positions to be able to conduct an attack'.

Meanwhile Boris Johnson warned an invasion of Ukraine could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state' and 'the shock will echo around the world'.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference today, the Prime Minister said the 'omens are grim' from Russia on the possibility of an invasion in the coming days, and that the world could not 'underestimate the gravity of this moment'.

Mr Boris jetted to the annual summit in Bavaria to make a plea to avoid 'unnecessary bloodshed' by diplomatic means if the West speaks with 'one voice'.

In a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mr Johnson said: 'If Ukraine is invaded and if Ukraine is overwhelmed, we will witness the destruction of a democratic state, a country that has been free for a generation, with a proud history of elections.

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic arrive to the refugee camp in Rostov on Don, Rostov region

People sit in a bus for their evacuation in Donetsk on February amid fears of an imminent invasion with troops massed on the border

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees are streaming into Russia today after Putin's allies ordered a mass evacuation

It comes as thousands of Ukrainian refugees are streaming into Russia today after Putin's allies ordered a mass evacuation of two separatist republics as part of a suspected 'false flag' operation to provide the pretext for an invasion.

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas.

Hours later a car bomb rocked Donetsk in an alleged 'assassination attempt' of a top Putin-allied official, which Western intelligence agencies believe was faked as part of the 'false flag' deception.

Later two explosions at a 'gas pipeline' rocked the separatist city of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine in another suspected false flag attack.

Last night, US President said he is 'convinced' the Russian premier has made up his mind to launch an invasion after amassing almost 200,000 troops on the border.

In a televised address from the White House, Mr Biden said he has 'reason to believe' it will occur in the 'coming days' and will include an assault on the capital Kyiv.

After weeks of saying the US was not sure if Mr Putin had made the final decision to launch a widespread invasion, Mr Biden said that assessment had changed.

'As of this moment I'm convinced he's made the decision,' Mr Biden said. 'We have reason to believe that.'

He cited the United States' 'significant intelligence capability' for the assessment.

The Ukrainian civilian refugees will be housed in tent cities provided by Putin's government in Russia where they will receive a gift of $132.

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released.

Huge convoys of buses were laid on the for the refugees, after the evacuation was announced in video addresses by the leaders of the breakaway Republics which have also ordered a general mobilisation of all men to the army.

Multiple explosions could be heard on Saturday morning in the north of the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, a Reuters witness said. The origin was not immediately clear. Ukraine said earlier that one of its soldiers had been killed.

Up to 700,00 civilians are being evacuated from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after rebel leaders yesterday claimed Ukraine was about to attack the areas. A woman says goodbye to her father through a bus window in Donetsk

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released

False flag suspicions were also fueled by time stamps on the videos announcing the evacuations, that show they were taped by rebel leaders two days before being released.

A boy looks through a bus window waiting to be evacuated to Russia, in Donetsk, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, eastern Ukraine

Denis Pushilin, the leader of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, has called on all men 'who are in the reserves to come to military conscription offices' following a mass evacuation of women and children in Ukraine's breakaway provinces to southern Russia.

Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the Luhansk separatist region in Ukraine, ordered a general mobilisation shortly afterwards.

Pushilin claimed his region's forces had prevented attacks he said were planned by Ukraine, and that the Ukrainian army had continued manoeuvres.

Separatist authorities on Friday announced plans to evacuate around 700,000 people, citing fears of an imminent attack by Ukrainian forces  an accusation Kiev flatly denied.

Less than 7,000 people had been evacuated from Donetsk as of Saturday morning, the local emergencies ministry said.

The Ukrainian military said it had recorded 12 ceasefire violations by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in the morning after 66 cases in the previous 24 hours. Separatist authorities also reported what they said was shelling by Ukrainian forces of several villages on Saturday. Both sides regularly trade blame for ceasefire violations.

Kiev has repeatedly denied any plans to regain control of separatist-held areas using force, including the Crimean peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014. More than 14,000 people have been killed in fighting between Ukraine's army and Russia's proxies.

It comes as Ukraine's army claimed today a soldier had been killed in the separatist east and Volodymyr Zelensky is heading to the Munich Security Conference, despite President Joe Biden's warning not to leave Ukraine through fear of an imminent invasion.

Yesterday Biden said he is now 'convinced' Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and assault the capital.

After weeks of saying that Washington was not sure if Putin had made the final decision, the US President said that his judgment had changed, citing American intelligence. He reiterated that the assault could occur in the 'coming days'.

His comments followed a day of rising violence that included a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling and a car bombing in the eastern city of Donetsk.

Huge convoys of buses were laid on the for the refugees, after the evacuation was announced in video addresses by the leaders of the breakaway Republics

An explosion was heard in rebel-held Luhansk, one of the main cities in Ukraine's breakaway region of People's Republic of Luhansk, according to reports

In this photo made from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on February 19, 2022, a Russian marine takes his position during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus

People board a bus during the evacuation of residents to Russia, in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, February 19, 2022

A car bomb sparked 'false flag' fears after it exploded near the headquarters of the pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic. Just hours later a fireball was seen lighting up the sky after an international oil pipeline running through the key rebel-held city of Luhansk blew up. The blast rocked the Druzhba pipeline which runs from Russia to various points in eastern and central Europe. On Thursday a shell blew a hole through the wall of kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska

People look at a memorial dedicated to late Euromaidan activists along the Alley of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes on February 18, 2022 in Kiev, Ukraine

US President Joe Biden delivers a national update on the situation at the Russia-Ukraine border at the White House in Washington, DC, February 18, 2022

The West must show unity against Putin amid Ukraine war scare, Boris Johnson insists Boris Johnson has called for western leaders to unite against Vladimir Putin and show the Russian leader he will pay a 'high price' if he sends his troops into Ukraine. The Prime Minister will head to the Munich Security Conference on Saturday to make a plea for 'unnecessary bloodshed' to be avoided by pursuing a diplomatic route to prevent a conflict in eastern Europe. Only hours before Biden's statement, the UK Foreign Office announced it had decided to 'temporarily' move its diplomats out of Kyiv, relocating them to the west of the country. The department said British embassy officials will relocate to Lviv, situated near the border with Poland. With estimates that 150,000 Russian troops are posted around Ukraine's borders, Johnson has previously called the situation 'very grim'. But in comments made before embarking on his trip to Germany, the Prime Minister said 'diplomacy can still prevail' if the West puts on a united front in terms of agreeing punishing sanctions to slap on Moscow. '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. '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. That is the message I will take to Munich today as we redouble our efforts to prevent a grave miscalculation which would devastate Ukraine, Russia and the rest of Europe.' The Bavarian summit will take place against the backdrop of Putin continuing to parade Russia's military might. The Russian defence ministry has announced it will be carrying out fresh exercises on Saturday involving its strategic nuclear forces. 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. There are concerns among western allies that the Kremlin could use 'disinformation' and a possible 'false flag' operation to justify an offensive, particularly with growing activity in separatist-held areas of Ukraine. Advertisement

Pro-Russian rebels began evacuating civilians from the conflict zone with an announcement that appeared to be part of Moscow's efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead.

One of Vladimir Putin's closest allies, parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin vowed that Russia would 'defend' its compatriots in the Donbas, hinting at military intervention.

He said: 'Russia doesn't want war.

'Our president Vladimir Putin repeatedly said this earlier and is saying this these days.'

But 'if danger arises to the lives of Russians and compatriots living in the DPR and LPR, our country will defend them.'

This came as pro-Moscow rebels claimed a water-pumping station in Vasilievka was hit by Ukrainian fire.

Ukraine has denied any such attacks.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has 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 crushing economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia if it does invade, and pressed Putin to reconsider. He said the US and its Western allies were more united than ever to ensure Russia pays a steep price for any invasion.

He said: 'We're calling out Russia's plans. Not because we want a conflict, but because we are doing everything in our power to remove any reason Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine.

'If Russia pursues its plans, it will be responsible for a catastrophic and needless war of choice.'

Earlier on Friday, Biden said he believed Putin had already made up his mind to invade Ukraine.

He said: 'As of this moment, I'm convinced he's made the decision. We have reason to believe that.'

He said it was based on Washington's 'significant intelligence capability.' But he insisted Putin could change course if he wanted to.

'Russia can still choose diplomacy,' he said. 'It is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table.'

As further indication that the Russians are preparing for a major military push, a US defence official said an estimated 40 per cent to 50 per cent of the ground forces deployed in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border have moved into attack positions closer to 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 official also said the number of Russian ground units known as battalion tactical groups in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each group has 750 to 1,000 soldiers.

Lines of communication remain open. The US and Russian defence chiefs spoke on Friday, and US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov agreed to meet next week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will attend the Munich Security Conference on Saturday and return home later the same day, a statement from his office said.

Zelenskiy's trip had been under scrutiny due to concern in Western countries that Russia is poised to launch a military offensive against Ukraine and could do so while the president is out of the country.

Boris Johnson has called for western leaders to unite against Putin and show the Russian leader he will pay a 'high price' if he sends his troops into Ukraine.

The Prime Minister will head to the Munich Security Conference on Saturday to make a plea for 'unnecessary bloodshed' to be avoided by pursuing a diplomatic route to prevent a conflict in eastern Europe.

Only hours before Biden's statement, the UK Foreign Office announced it had decided to 'temporarily' move its diplomats out of Kyiv, relocating them to the west of the country. The department said British embassy officials will relocate to Lviv, situated near the border with Poland.

With estimates that 150,000 Russian troops are posted around Ukraine's borders, Johnson has previously called the situation 'very grim'.

But in comments made before embarking on his trip to Germany, the Prime Minister said 'diplomacy can still prevail' if the West puts on a united front in terms of agreeing punishing sanctions to slap on Moscow.

'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.

'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. That is the message I will take to Munich today as we redouble our efforts to prevent a grave miscalculation which would devastate Ukraine, Russia and the rest of Europe.'

The Bavarian summit will take place against the backdrop of Putin continuing to parade Russia's military might.

The Russian defence ministry has announced it will be carrying out fresh exercises on Saturday involving its strategic nuclear forces.

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.

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

The destroyed UAZ military jeep belonged to Denis Sinenkov, head of regional security in Donetsk, in what Russian state media suggested was an assassination attempt

Russia's President Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks during a press conference with his Belarus counterpart, following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on February 18, 2022

An hour before the car bomb went off, separatist leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk had ordered an evacuation of civilians because of what they said was the threat of Ukrainian invasion (pictured, children are evacuated from an orphanage)

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

There are concerns among western allies that the Kremlin could use disinformation and a possible 'false flag' operation to justify an offensive, particularly with growing activity in separatist-held areas of Ukraine.

Putin will hold a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday as tensions spike in the crisis over Ukraine, Moscow said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the call was 'on the president's schedule'.

With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops now posted around Ukraine's borders, the long-simmering separatist conflict could provide the spark for a broader attack.

Fears of such escalation intensified amid Friday's violence. A bombing struck a car outside the main government building in the rebel-held city of Donetsk. 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.

Shelling and shooting are common along the line that separates Ukrainian forces and the rebels, but targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities.

Adding to the tensions, two explosions shook the rebel-controlled city of Luhansk early on Saturday. The Luhansk Information Centre 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.

Monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported more than 600 explosions in the war-torn east of Ukraine on Friday.

Separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that form Ukraine's industrial heartland known as the Donbas announced they were evacuating civilians to Russia.

Pushilin said women, children and the elderly would go first, and that Russia has prepared facilities for them. He alleged in a video statement that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky 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.

US authorities have alleged that the Kremlin's disinformation campaign could include staged, pre-recorded 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 has ordered the government to offer a payment of 10,000 rubles (about 95) to each evacuee, equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in the war-ravaged Donbas region.

By Saturday morning, more than 6,600 residents of the rebel-controlled areas were evacuated to Russia, according to separatist officials, who have announced plans to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people.

The explosions and the announced evacuations were in line with US warnings of so-called false flag attacks that Russia could use to justify an invasion.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the threat to global security is 'more complex and probably higher' than during the Cold War.

He told a security conference in Munich 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 US officials said they saw no sign of a pullback and instead observed more troops moving toward the border with Ukraine.

Ukraine's president condemns Western 'appeasement' of Putin in blistering address in MUNICH and vows to protect the country 'with or without support' from Europe - before leaders give him standing ovation with Russia expected to invade in days

By Jack Newman for Mailonline

Ukraine's president has called on the West to stop their 'appeasement' of Russia and warned sanctions will not work on Moscow once the bombing starts, to a standing ovation from world leaders.

Volodymyr Zelensky told a security forum in Munich that his country deserves stronger international support after acting as a buffer against Russian expansion.

The conference had echoes of the 1938 summit in Munich in which leaders agreed a policy of appeasement against Adolf Hitler's Germany in an effort to prevent an imminent war.

Zelensky said today: 'Ukraine has received security guarantees for abandoning the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal. We have no weapons. And no security ...

'But we have a right - a right to demand a shift from a policy of appeasement to one ensuring security and peace.'

He added: 'For eight years, Ukraine has been a shield. For eight years, Ukraine has been holding back one of the greatest armies in the world.'

Ukraine's president has called on the West to stop their 'appeasement' of Russia and warned sanctions will not work on Moscow once the bombing starts

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait in a bus to enter Russia at the customs post 'Matveev Kurgan' in Rostov region

The Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces, the military reserve of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, take part in a military drill outside Kyiv

What happened at the 1938 Munich conference? The Munich Agreement was signed by Neville Chamberlain, Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler and Edouard Daladier in 1938. It was designed to stop Germany invading Czechoslovakia. The agreement by the leaders agreed the annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland, occupied mainly by German speaking people. Upon his return home, Chamberlain declared the agreement had secured 'peace in our time'. However a year later Hitler invaded Poland, sparking the beginning of the Second World War. Advertisement

Zelensky also said he wants a 'clear' timeframe for when Ukraine can join the NATO alliance.

'What can we do? We can continue forcefully supporting Ukraine and its defences. Present... clear, feasible timeframes for membership of the Alliance,' he said.

The president also called for a meeting with Putin in order to avoid any conflict.

He said: 'I do not know what the Russian president wants. For this reason, I propose that we meet.'

Zelensky was warned not to travel to Munich today through fear that Russia may launch an attack in his absence.

Putin is putting on a show of military strength with new nuclear drills as he sends a MIG armed with a hypersonic missile over the Mediterranean.

The Russian leader is personally overseeing the nuclear exercises involving 'strategic forces' which will include practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko is joining Putin in the situation room in the Kremlin to watch over the strategic drills.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today's drills 'should not cause anyone concern' and said Russia had informed the proper channels.

Russia holds huge strategic drills every year but today's manoeuvres include the Black Sea Fleet, based on the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

Tanks move during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Smoke and flame rise over a field during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko oversee joint military drills from the situation room in the Kremlin

A handout still image taken from handout video made available by the Russian Defence ministry press-service shows launch of a cruise missile of the operational-tactical missile system 'Iskander' from at the Kapustin Yar training ground, Russia, 19 February 2022

A Russian nuclear submarine sails in an unknown location during exercises by nuclear forces involving the launch of ballistic missiles, in this still image taken from video released February 19, 2022

Military helicopters fly over tanks and armored vehicles moving during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022

Russian and Belarusian servicemen conduct joint drills at a firing range in the Brest region of Belarus

Tank army units loaded onto a troop train return from recent routine drills to permanent deployment sites

Local residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic wait in a bus to enter Russia at the customs post 'Matveev Kurgan' in Rostov region

The head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin announced a general mobilisation

Russia has also sent a MIG-31K and a Tu-22M3 bomber over the Mediterranean in another show of force amid the rising tensions.

The warplane is deployed with the new ultra high speed Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles.

The 24-foot-long, one-ton Kinzhal - or Dagger - can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, and Russia boasts it has no match among Western defences.

The hypersonic Kinzhal has a range of 1,250 miles and could pummel Ukrainian troops and defences without flying close to the country.

Russia is believed to have around 20 Kinzhal-compatible MiG-31Ks in total.
Vladimir Putin will keep waging war on neighbouring countries if he is allowed to invade Ukraine, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has warned.

As the Russian President put on a huge show of military strength with nuclear drills involving ballistic missiles, submarines and tank convoys yesterday, Ms Truss issued a last-ditch plea for the international community to unite to face down Moscow's aggression.

Ms Truss used an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday to argue that if Putin attacked Ukraine it would be a precursor to Russia using force to annex more former Soviet states.

'We need to stop Putin because he will not stop at Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin will keep waging war on neighbouring countries if he is allowed to invade Ukraine, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has warned

As the Russian President (above) put on a huge show of military strength with nuclear drills involving ballistic missiles (left), submarines and tank convoys yesterday, Ms Truss issued a last-ditch plea for the international community to unite to face down Moscow's aggression

As tension escalated in east Ukraine on Friday, the leaders of the Lugansk People's Republic and the Donetsk People's Republic announced a mass evacuation of civilians to Russia

Citizens of the Donetsk People's Republic are seen at a railway station in Debaltsevo during a mass evacuation to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region

Ukrainian civilians are trained by the armed forces to join a new military branch: the Territorial Defense Force in a training ground in Dnipro on Saturday

Volunteers are seen at a mobilisation station as tension escalated in east Ukraine on Saturday when a mass evacuation of civilians to Russia was announced

Citizens of the Donetsk People's Republic are seen outside a train at a railway station in Debaltsevo during a mass evacuation to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region

A Ukrainian serviceman points to the direction of the incoming shelling next to a building which was hit by a large caliber mortar shell in the frontline village of Krymske, Luhansk region, in eastern Ukraine

'He's been very clear  his ambition doesn't just lead to him taking control of Ukraine, he wants to turn the clock back to the mid 1990s or even before then,' she said.

'The Baltic States are at risk the Western Balkans as well.

'Putin has said all this publicly, that he wants to create the Greater Russia, that he wants to go back to the situation as it was before where Russia had control over huge swathes of Eastern Europe.

'So it's so important that we and our allies stand up to Putin. It could be Ukraine next week but then which country will it be next?'

The Foreign Secretary's words came as Boris Johnson warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state' and 'the shock will echo around the world'.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference today, the Prime Minister said the 'omens are grim' from Russia on the possibility of an invasion in the coming days, and that the world could not 'underestimate the gravity of this moment'.

Ukrainian soldiers taking part in military exercises on February 18, 2022 as fears of a Russian invasion persist

Volunteers are seen at a mobilisation station in east Ukraine on Saturday after a mass evacuation of civilians to Russia was announced as tensions escalate

Citizens of the Lugansk People's Republic arrive to a railway station to board a Russia-bound train during mass evacuation from Lugansk, east Ukraine. The train is the first to depart for Russia from the Lugansk People's Republic since 2014

Volunteers receive uniform at a military compound of the people's police of the Lugansk People's Republic on Saturday

Citizens of the Donetsk People's Republic are seen at a railway station in Debaltsevo during a mass evacuation to Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region

Volunteers receive uniform at a military compound of the people's police of the Lugansk People's Republic as tensions escalate in east Ukraine

Ukrainian civilians are trained by the armed forces to join a new military branch: the Territorial Defense Force in a training ground in Dnipro on Saturday

Mr Johnson, who met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the summit, said: 'If Ukraine is invaded and if Ukraine is overwhelmed, we will witness the destruction of a democratic state, a country that has been free for a generation, with a proud history of elections.

'And every time Western ministers have visited Kyiv, we have reassured the people of Ukraine and their leaders that we stand four-square behind their sovereignty and independence.

'How hollow, how meaningless, how insulting those words would seem if at the very moment when their sovereignty and independence is imperilled we simply look away.

A police officer stands guard at a railway station as citizens of the Lugansk People's Republic board a Russia-bound train during a mass evauation from Lugansk, east Ukraine

Volunteers receive uniform at a military compound of the people's police of the Lugansk People's Republic on Saturday

The formation of the Territorial Defense Force is to harness well-trained civilian reservists around the country, led by professional soldiers, to help combat Russia's possible invasion

Ukrainian male civilians were seen wearing camouflage gear and firing guns as they were trained by the armed forces to join a new military branch: the Territorial Defense Force in a training ground in Dnipro on Saturday

Police officers stand guard at a railway station as citizens of the Lugansk People's Republic board a Russia-bound train during a mass evacuation from Lugansk, east Ukraine

Boris Johnson has warned an invasion of Ukraine could cause 'the destruction of a democratic state' and 'the shock will echo around the world'. Pictured: The Prime Minister meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

A Tu-22M3 Russian bomber flies over the Mediterranean after taking off from the Hemeimeem air base in Syria in Putin's latest show of force

Volunteers receive uniform at a military compound of the people's police of the Lugansk People's Republic as tension escalated in east Ukraine this weekend

'If Ukraine is invaded, the shock will echo around the world.' Mr Johnson added that new legislation allowing the UK to widen its sanctions against the country would 'open up the matryoshka dolls' of Russian-owned companies and make it impossible for them to raise finance in London.

The Russian military exercises involved Mig fighter bombers armed with hypersonic missiles patrolling over the Mediterranean from their bases in Syria, and included practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the manoeuvres, which included the Black Sea Fleet, based on the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, 'should not cause anyone concern'.

It came as Ukraine's Russian-backed breakaway eastern territories have ordered military mobilisations, with men of fighting age in the self-declared people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk being put on stand-by.

Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and four injured by shelling on Saturday, as international monitors reported a 'dramatic increase' in attacks along the line dividing rebel and government forces.

EXCLUSIVE: Foreign Secretary Liz Truss insists we're facing the fight of our generation as war in Europe looms... and Britain is standing up to be counted

By Glen Owen, Political Editor for the Mail on Sunday

As the winds from Storm Eunice whip around the Foreign Office's Victorian edifice, Liz Truss warns Vladimir Putin that if he invades Ukraine it could trigger the end of his 23-year rule over the Russian people.

'The Ukrainians will fight back, and they will see coffins going back to Russia,' says Ms Truss.

'This could be the end of Putin if there is an invasion into Ukraine. The Russians don't like hearing that message, but they have to hear it.'

When we spoke on Friday afternoon, the Foreign Secretary had just returned from a flying visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiev, and was preparing to speak at yesterday's Munich Security Conference on the threat posed by Moscow.

It is clear that Western intelligence 'chatter'  once it has been purged of Russian disinformation ploys  points to an imminent conflict, and one which she fears could be the precursor to wider land grabs.

'We need to stop Putin because he will not stop at Ukraine.

'He's been very clear  his ambition doesn't just lead to him taking control of Ukraine, he wants to turn the clock back to the mid-1990s or even before then,' says Ms Truss, who believes Putin is trying to restore the borders of the old Soviet Union.

'The Baltic states are at risk ... the western Balkans as well. Putin has said all this publicly, that he wants to create the Greater Russia, that he wants to go back to the situation as it was before where Russia had control over huge swathes of Eastern Europe. So it's so important that we and our allies stand up to Putin,' she says.

'It could be Ukraine next week but then which country will it be next?'

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss speaks with the Mail on Sunday's Glen Owen at her Westminster Office. Ms Truss believes Putin is trying to restore the borders of the old Soviet Union

Since her appointment last September, Ms Truss has racked up an air miles tally which is impressive even by the standards of her job as she has combined shuttle diplomacy with trade talks and Brexit negotiations  while still holding the women and equalities brief.

Does she ever sleep, or get to see her affable husband Hugh and their two daughters?

'Maybe I sleep slightly less than I used to, but this is what I want to be doing,' says Ms Truss, 46, who has recently recovered from a 'very mild' brush with Covid.

'What we are seeing taking place in Europe could be the fight of our generation. Britain is standing up and being counted at this point. This is what I want to be doing in the job, and this is what the Prime Minister wants to be doing, so it is worthwhile.'

Ms Truss, who along with Chancellor Rishi Sunak is regarded as a frontrunner to succeed Boris Johnson, regularly tops polls of Tory party members who are attracted to her neo-Thatcherite, low-tax, free-market political ideology.

Civilians with all ages receive military training at an old industrial plant to defend their country as the Ukraine-Russia crisis continue in Desnianskyi district outside Kiev, Ukraine

How does she think Margaret Thatcher would have dealt with the Ukraine crisis?

'I think she would have done exactly what Boris Johnson is doing, which is showing leadership, working with our American allies, working with our European allies,' says Ms Truss  at pains to convey loyalty by associating the Prime Minister rather than herself with his predecessor.

The tensions over Putin's military build-up on Ukraine's borders have been compounded by confusion in the West over whether it is just a bluff designed to intimidate Kiev into dropping plans to join Nato, with the intelligence picture complicated by Russian disinformation campaigns  including claims about the withdrawal of Russian troops.

To counter the propaganda, Ms Truss revealed that she is establishing a new Russia-Ukraine Government Information Cell (GIC), which will draw on expertise from across government to expose disinformation and rebut fake narratives

'There was false information put into the public domain that there was some kind of withdrawal; there was never any withdrawal, all we've seen is the building up of troops on the border and we still believe that it's highly likely that Putin will invade, and we need to prepare for that'.

Western governments are primed for a so-called 'false flag' excuse for an invasion, such as last week's claim that Ukraine had shelled a nursery, as well as supposed abuses of the human rights of Russian citizens in the country, with Moscow using the pretext of protecting its citizens.

To counter the propaganda, Ms Truss revealed that she is establishing a new Russia-Ukraine Government Information Cell (GIC), which will draw on expertise from across government to expose disinformation and rebut fake narratives.

It will be the first time such a unit has operated since the Cold War.

It is clear that Western intelligence 'chatter'  once it has been purged of Russian disinformation ploys  points to an imminent conflict, and one which she fears could be the precursor to wider land grabs. Pictured: Russian and Belarusian servicemen in mock military drills in Brest, Belarus on February 19, 2022

The UK has supplied defensive weapons to the Ukrainians and has helped to put together a package of sanctions against the Russian regime  which the Kremlin has claimed they 'don't give a s*** about'. Pictured: More Russian-Belarusian military drills being conducted on February 19, 2022

She says: 'Since the start of this month there have already been 40 pieces of Russian false information that have been put out.

'We've done a lot to rebut that, so we exposed the plot that the Russians were seeking to install a puppet government into Kiev and the false flag operation claiming that the Ukrainians had attacked when that wasn't true.

'We have seen a doubling of the amount of disinformation activity in the last week, so we know that the Russians are gearing up.'

Speaking in her expansive office overlooking St James's Park  and under the gaze of a Churchill bust  she adds: 'At the end of the Cold War we disbanded our information unit, but the Russians didn't disband theirs, so we faced years and years of Russian disinformation.

'We are fighting back, we're working with our allies so that Putin cannot continue trying to claim things that aren't true. We're pushing him out into the open so the world will know if Putin invades over the next days or weeks that this is an aggressive act by the Russian government, and there is no excuse for it, there is no provocation.'

A satellite image taken by Maxar Technologies shows a Russian deployment at Zyabrovka airfield in Gomel, Belarus, less than 15 miles from the border with Ukraine

A Russian video of air defence crews taking up position during joint military exercises with Belarus that began on Thursday, further raising the stakes

Ms Truss has had to tolerate treatment which can border on the patronising from her male counterparts: a fraught trip to Moscow this month ended with the Kremlin's Sergey Lavrov declaring that his exchange with Ms Truss was 'like talking to a deaf person'.

She tactfully describes him as 'very old school ... he's been around for years and years since the USSR'.

She says: 'I made very clear to him that it would be a huge mistake for Russia to invade Ukraine  and the Ukrainians will fight back.

'I'm afraid there has been a decade of drift where the threat from Russia hasn't been taken seriously enough by some of our allies. We need to strengthen our resolve'.

The UK has supplied defensive weapons to the Ukrainians and has helped to put together a package of sanctions against the Russian regime  which the Kremlin has claimed they 'don't give a s*** about'.

'They would say that wouldn't they? Of course they would,' she says.

'Nevertheless, I think Putin could do this anyway and I think the impact of the coffins coming back to Russia will be as big as the impact of the sanctions, because the Russian people will not want to see their own friends and family die in a conflict with their fellow men and women in Ukraine.

'The Russians and Ukrainians as peoples are very close, so this is why I think it will be a huge mistake for Putin. I fear he is determined to make this mistake ,but I think it could be the end of Putin.'

Ms Truss is one of the leading hawks in the Cabinet over the UK's relations with China, and is particularly concerned by the burgeoning axis between Beijing and Moscow.

'I am concerned that we are seeing China and Russia apparently acting together  I think it's extraordinary that China is now commenting on who should and shouldn't be a member of Nato. Of course we need to trade with China but we shouldn't become strategically dependent on them'.

Some of her more envious colleagues accused Ms Truss of 'overplaying her hand' in terms of unsubtle leadership positioning as Mr Johnson has been buffeted by the Partygate saga, holding drinks meetings with backbench MPs in a Mayfair members' club, dubbed 'fizz with Liz' events.

Would she, in Mr Johnson's words, 'grab the ball' of leadership if it came free from the scrum?

'The job of Foreign Secretary is very absorbing, it's an incredibly important time, both for the world and the United Kingdom post-Brexit, and I 100 per cent support the Prime Minister, I work very very closely with him and believe me, it takes up all of the hours in my day and more,' she says without missing a beat.

'The Prime Minister is going to fight the next Election, he is going to win the next Election, we have positive momentum and we are getting things done, we have had a very successful rollout of the vaccine, we've had a very successful opening up of the economy and things are motoring.'
A video ostensibly showing President Joe Biden addressing a new round of stimulus checks is a scam.

According to a video on Facebook, President Joe Biden stated that a new batch of stimulus checks will be available to Americans in the coming weeks.

The video shows a split-screen view of Biden giving a speech at the top and signing an executive order at the bottom. Americans expecting another wave of stimulus checks will be disappointed since the video is fake and did not appear on any recent broadcast.

The voice in the video isn't Biden's, but rather an imposter copying his manner. The audio in Biden's video clip, which loops every four seconds, does not match his mouth motions. Biden's speech and executive order videos have nothing to do with stimulus checks.

News About Fourth Stimulus Check, Medicare Are Fake

Per Digital Market News, the speech clip was taken from a video of a speech he gave on climate change on November 1, 2021, at the COP26 gathering in Glasgow, Scotland. In reaction to the worldwide scarcity of electrical chips, Biden issued an executive order on February 24, 2021, as shown in the video.

The voiceover is based on statements made by White House press secretary Jen Psaki on March 11, 2021, on the American Rescue Plan Act. Psaki's words were also repurposed as proof of a new round of stimulus payments, which had been marked False earlier.

The federal government has made three rounds of COVID-19 relief payments to Americans. Several MPs have sought the fourth round of stimulus payments, but it has not been provided. The Facebook post also states that Medicare recipients would receive $2,800, but no evidence could be found to back up this claim.

The website of the Internal Revenue Service only has information on the first three stimulus checks, with no indication that a fourth stimulus check will be sent by the federal government. A fourth stimulus check has yet to be approved by Congress.

According to Jackson Hewitt, a tax preparation agency, the third stimulus payment was really an advance on a tax credit called the Recovery Rebate Credit, as VERIFY previously revealed. The Recovery Rebate Credit, according to the IRS, is for persons who missed the stimulus payment or didn't get the full amount they were entitled to. The IRS offers information about stimulus eligibility on their website.

According to the Facebook post, Medicare beneficiaries will get more than $2,800. A "free $2,880 Medicare flex card" was also advertised in a variety of web adverts in 2021 while VERIFY earlier stated that Medicare does not give a free flex card. While some Medicare Advantage plans include "flex cards," they aren't worth nearly as much as the $2,880 card and aren't free. Medicare Advantage programs frequently require one to pay an extra payment.

Read Also: Tax Refund Tracker, Calculator: Here Are Tools You May Use To Locate Your Money!

Stimulus Checks Related to Opioid-Related Deaths

Researchers in Ohio discovered that the state's record number of opioid-related deaths corresponded with the issuance of COVID-19 stimulus payments, according to a new study.

The Ohio Attorney General's Center for the Future of Forensic Science examined data from the Ohio Department of Health to find that the sharp rise in mortality began shortly after the first stimulus checks were distributed.

According to a news release from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, the state had more opioid-related fatalities in the second quarter of 2020 than it has seen since 2010.

Between April 2020 and April 2021, more than 100,000 Americans died as a result of an opioid overdose, a 28 percent increase over the previous year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Since the CDC began recording statistics on the opioid crisis in 1999, this was the highest documented number of opioid-related fatalities.

Fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine overdose deaths have all increased, according to the data. After the first 16 weeks of 2020, researchers revealed that the rate of opioid-related mortality was much higher. A closer look revealed that between weeks 17 and 32 of 2020 there were over 203 fatalities each week. In April 2020, the first stimulus check was sent, Newsweek via MSN reported.

Related Article: Stimulus Check 2022 Update: $35,000 in Mortgage Assistance Available for Homeowners; $1800 Child Tax Credit Coming Soon

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As we left the car, there was a loud thump, followed quickly by two more thuds from the edge of the small town. That is shelling, said the Ukrainian soldier beside me, stating the obvious. We entered the kindergarten, with its brightly coloured walls and cheery cartoon stickers on the lockers for the coats of pupils.

But the children were at home, still recovering from the missile that ripped through their classroom wall last week.

There was an explosion and glass flew, smoke, all that, said Natalya Slesareva, 54, one of three adults rushed to hospital with concussion after Thursdays attack. Then we realised that it was shelling. It was during breakfast time.

Ian Birrell in Ukraine pictured with the helicopters in MI8 belonging to the Armed Forces

The attack on children at the start of the school day in Stanytsia Luhanska highlighted the escalation of conflict along the 173-mile frontline that runs through eastern Ukraine between areas run by the Kiev government and Moscow-backed separatists.

Yesterday saw scores more shells fired over the border, killing two Ukrainian soldiers and wounding four more  the first reported deaths for several weeks in a struggle that has bubbled away here for eight years before flaring up again.

And as sounds of incoming fire repeatedly pounded out yesterday, this building with a grotesque hole blown through teddy bear patterned lime-green wallpaper has come to symbolise the information war raging ahead of a feared Russian invasion.

So I had come to see the damage at Fairytale, a kindergarten for children aged three to seven, in a bid by the Ukrainian authorities to counter the flood of disinformation pouring out of Russia and its allies in two self-declared republics.

Russia keeps spreading lies this kindergarten was shelled by Ukraine, said deputy prime minister Iryna Vereschuk as I stood on the rubble still littering the classroom floor. Now you can tell that there was no threat from us to childrens lives.

She added: This is very important. We need to protect people from their hybrid war. We do not want warfare, we want peace. We are not planning to attack anyone. We just want to spread the truth because peoples lives are at risk.

Vereschuk, a former military officer, had no doubt who was to blame for the rising tensions that are causing such alarm. Its the Russian Federation that is behind this, she said. Ukraine has no offensive plans.

n Ukrainian soldier stands guard near debris after the reported shelling of a kindergarten in the settlement of Stanytsia Luhanska

This might seem obvious. Ukraine, a democracy with far smaller armed forces, is encircled on three sides by 190,000 Russian troops, who are bristling with weapons from missile launchers to tanks and backed by an array of aircraft, field hospitals, helicopters, landing craft and warships.

Yet the Kremlin and its stooges in the self-declared republics of Donetsk and Luhansk claim they are the ones under threat of attack as they seek to find a pretext to launch a possible invasion. There are claims  devoid of evidence  of genocide, mass graves and explosions inside the two seized republics. The separatists say they must evacuate women, children and elderly people from the terrain that they grabbed in 2014 because Ukraine is set to invade.

Yesterday, Russia claimed two shells had been fired from the territory of Ukraine into the Rostov region of their country. Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed this claim at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. These are all pure lies, he said. Its just such cynicism.

Moscows state-run media is alleging also that a Ukrainian spy has been caught in Donetsk after passing information to Kiev about a militia leader whose car exploded on Friday.

Russia claimed two shells had been fired from the territory of Ukraine into the Rostov region of their country. Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky (pictured) dismissed this claim at the Munich Security Conference

Moscows state-run media is alleging also that a Ukrainian spy has been caught in Donetsk (Pictured Russian President Vladimir Putin)

A Ukrainian serviceman walks inside a destroyed house near the frontline village of Krymske, Luhansk region

To counter these claims, I was flown with other journalists to frontline Stanytsia Luhanska to see the damaged kindergarten.

We travelled by military aircraft from Kiev, then flew about 150ft over the fields and forests in an Mi8 helicopter, armed with a machine gun in its nose and rocket launchers on each side as we rattled along close to the Russian border.

At the towns border checkpoint with the Luhansk republic, deputy prime minister Vereschuk took me to meet the head of the guard unit to deny reports spread by Russian media that it had been shelled by Ukraine.

Eugeni Litvinenko showed me it was open and unscathed, saying 850 people had passed through that day from Luhansk  mainly women, children and older people since men aged 18 to 55 were not being allowed to leave. We get this information from people crossing the border, he said.

So was this officer nervous about the threat of war since he might be among the first to confront an invasion? Im not an expert but I believe everything will be all right, he said with a smile.

In the town, everyone seem dismayed by the escalation in shelling. The situation is not good because the shelling has intensified, said Sergei, 25, climbing on his motorbike. It started again three days ago and is the worst it has been for several years. But I am not scared. Why should I leave my home?

General Oleksii Paviluk, commander of Ukrainian frontline forces, said the number of shellings in breach of a ceasefire agreed in 2020 had risen from an average of five a day over recent months to 60 on Thursday, 66 on Friday and 98 by 6pm yesterday.

To avoid feeding Moscows propaganda, his forces are under strict orders not to respond to any attacks unless lives are at risk. The enemys artillery is using civilian settlements to open fire. We do not respond to such attacks, he said.

In the town, everyone seem dismayed by the escalation in shelling

Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk region, said they had drawn up plans for the evacuation of frontline towns

Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk region, said they had drawn up plans for the evacuation of frontline towns such as Stanytsia Luhanska but would not activate them unless the violence worsened.

In a further sign of disinformation warfare, the Kiev government denied the validity of posters and leaflets purportedly from the military warning of imminent shelling, although certainly some residents in the town fear their enemies are really in Kiev and the West.

Before I left, I met an elderly woman called Valentina, 83, who could remember the Nazis taking over Stanytsia Luhanska.

As tears ran down her face, she told a tale of thwarting the rape of her mother by a German soldier by screaming when she was tied to a tree, attracting other soldiers who ordered her mothers release.

I was born during the war, she said. And most likely I am going to die during a war.

Additional reporting: Kate Baklitskaya
Do you want Nick Clegg to be the supreme censor of what you write online? Because that could be the accidental effect of the Government's new Online Safety Bill.

It could make the former Deputy Prime Minister  now a multi-million-dollar-a-year Facebook executive  the overall arbiter of whether your views are acceptable or 'legal but harmful', and thereby subject to being censored.

Protecting people when online is undoubtedly a major issue, one defining this era of politics.

The generation heading into workplaces and higher education today is one of the first that has grown up entirely online.

It is abundantly clear that we must address the challenges of the internet.

Anyone who has spent just ten minutes online will know of the problems that need to be tackled.

Given the stakes are so high, it is vital we get the big calls right.

DAVID DAVIS (pictured): Protecting people when online is undoubtedly a major issue, one defining this era of politics

Comments in response to my tweets, for example, can range from the sanctimonious to the sociopathic. I tend not to read them.

Some colleagues have it much worse, however, especially female MPs and those from ethnic minorities.

For some, the problem is so great and so traumatic that they have been forced to quit their careers.

The Online Safety Bill, which the Government will introduce into Parliament in the coming weeks, will not fix that. But it will have potentially disastrous results.

The Government plan is to force platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram to remove content that is not illegal, but is deemed harmful all the same.

Government press releases talk of suppressing material which encourages suicide, promotes eating disorders or exposes children to pornography.

Worthy aims. No one would argue that we should not be tackling these challenges.

But the Bill also gives unelected Silicon Valley tech giants  headed up by people like Nick Clegg  the power to decide exactly what content crosses the line between safe and harmful.

The implications for free speech are potentially disastrous. Do we really want 20-something whizzkids sitting in a plush Californian office 5,000 miles away to be deciding whether a comedy routine from the 1970s crosses that line?

Or deciding whether those questioning the consensus on Covid policy are raising concerns or pushing disinformation?

Or whether a public figure writing about transgender issues has crossed into hate speech?

These are matters of nuance that we cannot outsource to big tech zealots and their fashionable opinions.

What could be deemed 'harmful' for one set of users might be completely fine for another.

Yet both can co-exist on the same platform  and should be allowed to do so.

Are we really suggesting that we erect digital Berlin Walls to prevent one section of society from seeing something that might  only might  upset them?

If it is not careful, Downing Street risks introducing a Government-sponsored online cancel culture by the back door.

DAVID DAVIS: The Government's new Online Safety Bill could make the former Deputy Prime Minister (Nick Clegg, pictured)  now a multi-million-dollar-a-year Facebook executive  the overall arbiter of whether your views are acceptable or 'legal but harmful', and thereby subject to being censored

The incentives are perverse. There is nothing in the Bill to punish companies for erring on the side of suppression, of taking an overly strict view of harmful content. Yet for platforms found to be hosting legal but harmful content, the proposed penalties are huge.

The risk is obvious  that companies will take an extremely cautious approach in deciding what content can remain online. And free speech will be the casualty.

I know only too well what massive overreach these West Coast bullies have.

In October last year I gave a speech to a Big Brother Watch event at the Conservative Party Conference. I spoke against domestic vaccine passports, challenging the supposed wisdom of introducing such a policy.

Big Brother Watch uploaded a video of my speech to their YouTube channel  and it was quickly taken down by the YouTube management! I was accused, quite outrageously, of spreading 'medical misinformation'.

After the initial shock of being censored had passed, I went through the video line by line, cross-checking everything I had said. It all stood up. It was accurate, fair, and based on the latest scientific evidence.

Eventually, after being challenged, YouTube U-turned and my speech was back online.

But this made it plain that the big platform providers cannot be trusted with our freedom of speech. If I hadn't been a well-known MP, would the objections have been heard so quickly, if at all?

Challenging conventional wisdom is a core premise of science, as is maintaining a constant vigorous debate. When YouTube removed my speech, they shut down that debate.

The past few days have seen the promotion of Nick Clegg to be president of global affairs at Meta, the new name for Facebook.

In this role, he will take the lead on 'all policy matters' including, ultimately, what is legal but harmful.

So it is worth being aware of Clegg's background in this area.

During the debates around the Leveson inquiry into the conduct of the press, Clegg pushed for stronger state regulation of newspapers.

A wholly unwise move which would have eroded press freedom in the UK.

The Government's current proposals see Ofcom taking on the role as regulator to protect people when they are online.

We cannot expect much help from its unelected and largely unaccountable bureaucrats who, as we know from experience, are just as susceptible to political fashion as West Coast tech moguls.

Just last year, Ofcom was criticised for taking the same view as YouTube and labelling anyone sceptical about the UK's pandemic response as spreading 'misinformation'.

How can we trust the tech giants to get these calls right if even the regulator fails to uphold free speech?

Ofcom is wholly unequipped to deal with the difficulties in regulating the online world and should be allowed nowhere near this area.

So what is the way forward?

The most straightforward way to deal with online misdemeanours is for Parliament to decide whether or not they should be made illegal.

Websites promoting self harm to children should be illegal in my view. And the platform providers can be trusted to enforce the law, because if they get it wrong they can be challenged in court.

Parliament should have a new Bill, every year, to consider these issues. There will be plenty of new potential offences to consider, and Parliament can do that, carefully, in public, with proper challenge and debate. And the whole process will be democratic.

As it stands, however, the Online Safety Bill is a disastrous piece of legislation that will inadvertently introduce a censor's charter. It will leave Big Tech as the global arbiter of truth and free speech.

If you happen to be ideologically aligned with the West Coast Democrats that run these companies, perhaps you'll be OK with that.

But for the rest of us here in the free-thinking world, we should resist any move that shuts down debate or tells us what we should be thinking.

We must make massive amendments to the Online Safety Bill.
Prince Harry tried to keep details of his legal battle to reinstate his police protection secret from the public, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

High Court documents show he sought a far-reaching confidentiality order on documents and witness statements surrounding his case against the Government.

But the Home Office argued for transparency, saying 'there must be a sufficiently good reason, in the wider public interest, to justify the departure from open justice that such an order involves'.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Rotorua, New Zealand, in 2018. Prince Harry tried to keep details of his legal battle to reinstate his police protection secret from the public

Both sides then agreed that some papers would be made public with the Home Office agreeing to carry out a 'confidentiality exercise' to determine what would be kept secret, even though it caused 'an unprecedented expenditure of time and resources'.

When The Mail on Sunday last month revealed that Harry was suing the Government, his spin-doctors swung into action, briefing journalists that Harry was being denied the right to pay for bodyguards.

It led to inaccurate reports across the media, such as the BBC headline: 'Prince Harry in legal fight to pay for UK police protection.'

As documents lodged at the High Court last week show, no such offer to pay was made in the Prince's initial 'pre-action' letters to the Home Office, suggesting he expected British taxpayers to cover it.

The Sussexes pictured with their children. High Court documents show he sought a far-reaching confidentiality order on documents and witness statements surrounding his case against the Government

The revelations are a crushing rebuttal to Harry's initial public statement that implied he had always been willing to foot the bill.

Nor did he offer to pay when he visited the UK last June to unveil a statue to his mother, Princess Diana.

Home Office lawyers state that it was only in later correspondence that the offer was made.

That led to fury last night that aides acting for Harry sought to confuse the mainstream media's response to the story, ironic given the Prince now has a role with a Silicon Valley firm tackling 'misinformation' online.

As royal author David McClure, tweeted: 'Once more confusion about the accuracy of messages coming out of the Sussex camp. First Harry offers to pay, then when he visits the UK, he does not.'

The Duke launched his claim in September, more than 18 months after the Government's RAVEC (Royal and VIP Executive Committee) decided he would be stripped of his full state-funded security.

Harry, pictured with Meghan, argues that 'while his role within the institution has changed, his profile as a member of the Royal Family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family'

But court papers reveal that Harry still maintains 'exceptional status', which means he could be afforded protection depending on the nature of his visits, assessed on a 'case-by-case basis'.

Harry argues that 'while his role within the institution has changed, his profile as a member of the Royal Family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family.'

Yet his initial bid to get the decision overturned did not mention he would pay anything. Court papers say: 'The offer [to pay] is now advanced in the Claimant's witness statement...but notably was not advanced to RAVEC in June 2021 or in any of the pre-action correspondence which followed.'

It adds that Harry's recent offer to pay is nevertheless 'irrelevant' because 'personal protective security by the police is not available on a privately financed basis, and RAVEC does not make decisions...on the basis that any financial contribution could be sought or obtained to pay for it'.

When The Mail on Sunday first broke the story, lawyers and PR advisers acting for the Sussexes sought to put their own gloss on it.

The revelations are a crushing rebuttal to Harry's initial public statement that implied he had always been willing to foot the bill

Just six minutes after The Mail on Sunday's world exclusive, the Press Association, apparently having been given an advanced briefing by Harry's camp, reported that the Duke had offered 'to pay personally for UK police protection' and quoted his lawyer saying: 'He remains willing to cover the cost of security.'

Omid Scobie, a journalist known to be supportive of the Sussexes, also appeared to have been briefed by Harry's team.

Five hours after this newspaper told the Prince's aides we were planning a story, Scobie told his 76,000 Twitter followers: 'Prince Harry has applied for a judicial review of a Home Office decision not to allow him to personally pay for police protection for himself and his family when they are in the UK, a legal representative for the Sussexes confirms.'

Harry's team only responded to this newspaper after this inaccurate version of events had been tweeted.

Further questions were raised last night about the legal fight.

Former Minister Norman Baker said: 'The police are not a commodity to buy like a pack of biscuits.

If Harry has concerns about a specific threat, he should share those with the police.

Otherwise, it is open to him to engage security staff on any visits. Personally, I would have thought he was at more risk in gun-mad America than over here.'

Home Office QC Robert Palmer has said that if Harry loses, the Government will 'seek the costs incurred in full, including those of the confidentiality exercise'.

Duke expected to miss Philip memorial

Prince Harry is not expected to attend the memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh next month as he continues his legal battle over security.

On Friday, a court heard that Harry did not 'feel safe' in Britain without the protection of Scotland Yard officers, who he believes offer superior protection to privately hired bodyguards.

Members of the Royal Family now believe that his latest comments rule out a return for the March 29 service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey.

Harry returned without his wife Meghan and children Lilibet, aged eight months, and Archie, two, in April to attend his grandfather's funeral, which was restricted to close family and friends at Windsor due to Covid restrictions.

But a source close to the Royal Family said: 'They don't think it's likely he'll come back because it would undermine his position that it's too much of a threat.'

It is believed to be even more unlikely that Meghan and their children would return.

Harry's grandmother still hasn't met the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes' daughter, who was born last June in California and named Lilibet after the Queen's childhood nickname.

A no-show from Harry at such an important event, particularly one which will honour his beloved grandfather, will no doubt add further tension to the strained relationship with his family.

When the Queen recently announced that it was her 'sincere wish' that Camilla would become Queen when her husband Charles is King, Harry made no publicly supportive comment to his step-mother in response to the news.

And the Royal family is braced for further Harry bombshells when he publishes his memoirs, which are said to have been pushed back to the end of this year.

Yet Harry is still in touch with some members of the family.

Last weekend he was seen watching the Super Bowl in America with his cousin Eugenie, daughter of Prince Andrew, who had flown out to LA for a visit that combined a work event with a trip to see Harry.
Prince Charless fate hangs in the balance, with his smooth accession to the Throne in jeopardy.

Central to his destiny will be the testimony of his former valet. As the long-time Keeper of the Secrets, Michael Fawcett is the only person who can tell the Metropolitan Police whether Charles knew that a Saudi billionaire gave 1.5 million to support the Princes charity, eventually in exchange for a written promise that he would be nominated for a KBE.

For more than 40 years, the lives of Charles and Fawcett have been inextricably linked. Known as The Fixer, Fawcett has been responsible for countless personal arrangements, including loading the Princes guns, organising parties and charity fund-raising, and taking special care of Camilla Parker Bowles during and after Charless marriage to Diana.

There are few secrets in Charless complicated life to which Fawcett is not privy. Not surprisingly, perhaps, he has been distrusted by the Queen, Diana and many courtiers. Accused of bullying and worse in a succession of scandals, he was fired twice, only to be re-hired by Charles, who pleaded that Fawcett was indispensable.

Michael Fawcett is the only person who can tell the Metropolitan Police whether Charles knew that a Saudi billionaire gave 1.5 million to support the Princes charity, eventually in exchange for a written promise that he would be nominated for a KBE

Tom Bower is the author of Rebel Prince, The Power, Passion and Defiance of Prince Charles.

In truth, Charles was also terrified of making an outsider of Fawcett, the ultimate insider.

Having watched how Paul Burrell, Dianas one-time valet and rock, has made a career out of divulging secrets about her life, Charles has been determined to keep Fawcett onside.

If he ever wrote a confessional book, Fawcett would earn at least 20 million. It is no exaggeration to say there are possible parallels between the present case and what happened in 2002 when Burrell was on trial at the Old Bailey, accused of stealing 310 items from Dianas estate, and from Charles and Prince William.

The case collapsed when it was revealed that Burrell had apparently told the Queen he was keeping some of the Princesss possessions  and therefore that Her Majestys evidence might be relevant. Saving the monarchys reputation was clearly considered more important than proceeding with a criminal case.

The evidence against Fawcett, 59, has been widely discussed since a Mail on Sunday investigation last year claimed that he worked with fixers to secure an honour for the Saudi tycoon.

Among questions the police will undoubtedly ask Fawcett is who he meant by we when he wrote a letter to an aide of the Saudi businessman in 2017, saying that in the light of the ongoing and most recent generosity to Charless charities by the Saudi, we are willing to support his application for British citizenship.

Was Fawcett writing on Charless behalf? Certainly, there is mounting circumstantial evidence about the Prince. Without doubt, for 25 years, cash-for-access to Charles was a source of income for his charities, with Fawcett travelling the world to meet billionaires willing to contribute in exchange for meeting the Prince.

Another key figure is Robert Higdon  the chief executive of the Princes charity foundation in America  who once crudely confessed: I was the money whore.

For 14 years, Higdon lured US billionaires to lunches and dinners. He took donations of 250,000 to secure a seat next to Charles, with smaller amounts getting less cherished seats.

Rather than shepherding dozens of starry-eyed Americans into Charless presence, Fawcett lured a motley bunch of foreign businessmen and their wives into the Princes money-web.

These included controversial billionaires from Russia, Turkey and other eastern outposts who sought respectability by paying to sit with the Prince and receiving a photo of the encounter.

Prince Charless fate hangs in the balance, with his smooth accession to the Throne in jeopardy

It is hard to believe that Charles did not ask about the source of the millions raised on his behalf. Indeed, at one such fund-raising event, as guests handed over cheques following a speech by Charles, the pieces of paper were scrutinised by the Prince.

Deeming one cheque to be insufficient, Charles suggested: Another nought? The cheque was duly returned and, under the Princes watchful gaze, the extra digit was inserted.

A natural corollary of Charless close interest in each individual donation  which, after all, formed his charities lifeblood  was his impatience with any warnings about the character of some donors.

Charless staff feared that any negative advice might lead to their instant dismissal.

That said, there were concerns he was running too many charities. When told by an accountant that a particular charitable project was unaffordable, Charles famously retorted: I never want to see that man again!

The challenge for Scotland Yard officers will be to prove that Charles knew of Fawcetts promise to lobby to increase the Saudi donors CBE into a KBE.

If Fawcett denies that Charles had any notion about his written promise, any police investigation against the Prince would be stymied. But that could still mean Fawcett facing prosecution.

The test of character for the former footman will be herculean.

Make no mistake, Prince Charles, the Heir to the Throne, finds himself in the firing line and must be praying that his long-time servant remains loyal  and tight-lipped.
As the winds from Storm Eunice whip around the Foreign Offices Victorian edifice, Liz Truss warns Vladimir Putin that if he invades Ukraine it could trigger the end of his 23-year rule over the Russian people.

The Ukrainians will fight back, and they will see coffins going back to Russia, says Ms Truss.

This could be the end of Putin if there is an invasion into Ukraine. The Russians dont like hearing that message, but they have to hear it.

When we spoke on Friday afternoon, the Foreign Secretary had just returned from a flying visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiev, and was preparing to speak at yesterdays Munich Security Conference on the threat posed by Moscow.

It is clear that Western intelligence chatter  once it has been purged of Russian disinformation ploys  points to an imminent conflict, and one which she fears could be the precursor to wider land grabs.

We need to stop Putin because he will not stop at Ukraine.

'Hes been very clear  his ambition doesnt just lead to him taking control of Ukraine, he wants to turn the clock back to the mid-1990s or even before then, says Ms Truss, who believes Putin is trying to restore the borders of the old Soviet Union.

The Baltic states are at risk ... the western Balkans as well. Putin has said all this publicly, that he wants to create the Greater Russia, that he wants to go back to the situation as it was before where Russia had control over huge swathes of Eastern Europe. So its so important that we and our allies stand up to Putin, she says.

It could be Ukraine next week but then which country will it be next?

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss speaks with the Mail on Sunday's Glen Owen at her Westminster Office. Ms Truss believes Putin is trying to restore the borders of the old Soviet Union

Huge flames and smoke fill the air after a gas pipeline was struck in the Lugansk region of Ukraine, amid fears of a Russian invasion 'within days'

Since her appointment last September, Ms Truss has racked up an air miles tally which is impressive even by the standards of her job as she has combined shuttle diplomacy with trade talks and Brexit negotiations  while still holding the women and equalities brief.

Does she ever sleep, or get to see her affable husband Hugh and their two daughters?

Maybe I sleep slightly less than I used to, but this is what I want to be doing, says Ms Truss, 46, who has recently recovered from a very mild brush with Covid.

What we are seeing taking place in Europe could be the fight of our generation. Britain is standing up and being counted at this point.

'This is what I want to be doing in the job, and this is what the Prime Minister wants to be doing, so it is worthwhile.

Ms Truss, who along with Chancellor Rishi Sunak is regarded as a frontrunner to succeed Boris Johnson, regularly tops polls of Tory party members who are attracted to her neo-Thatcherite, low-tax, free-market political ideology.

Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko oversee joint military drills from the situation room in the Kremlin

Civilians with all ages receive military training at an old industrial plant to defend their country as the Ukraine-Russia crisis continue in Desnianskyi district outside Kiev, Ukraine

How does she think Margaret Thatcher would have dealt with the Ukraine crisis?

I think she would have done exactly what Boris Johnson is doing, which is showing leadership, working with our American allies, working with our European allies, says Ms Truss  at pains to convey loyalty by associating the Prime Minister rather than herself with his predecessor.

The tensions over Putins military build-up on Ukraines borders have been compounded by confusion in the West over whether it is just a bluff designed to intimidate Kiev into dropping plans to join Nato, with the intelligence picture complicated by Russian disinformation campaigns  including claims about the withdrawal of Russian troops.

To counter the propaganda, Ms Truss revealed that she is establishing a new Russia-Ukraine Government Information Cell (GIC), which will draw on expertise from across government to expose disinformation and rebut fake narratives

There was false information put into the public domain that there was some kind of withdrawal; there was never any withdrawal, all weve seen is the building up of troops on the border and we still believe that its highly likely that Putin will invade, and we need to prepare for that.

Western governments are primed for a so-called false flag excuse for an invasion, such as last weeks claim that Ukraine had shelled a nursery, as well as supposed abuses of the human rights of Russian citizens in the country, with Moscow using the pretext of protecting its citizens.

To counter the propaganda, Ms Truss revealed that she is establishing a new Russia-Ukraine Government Information Cell (GIC), which will draw on expertise from across government to expose disinformation and rebut fake narratives.

It will be the first time such a unit has operated since the Cold War.

It is clear that Western intelligence chatter  once it has been purged of Russian disinformation ploys  points to an imminent conflict, and one which she fears could be the precursor to wider land grabs. Pictured: Russian and Belarusian servicemen in mock military drills in Brest, Belarus on February 19, 2022

The UK has supplied defensive weapons to the Ukrainians and has helped to put together a package of sanctions against the Russian regime  which the Kremlin has claimed they dont give a s*** about. Pictured: More Russian-Belarusian military drills being conducted on February 19, 2022

She says: Since the start of this month there have already been 40 pieces of Russian false information that have been put out.

'Weve done a lot to rebut that, so we exposed the plot that the Russians were seeking to install a puppet government into Kiev and the false flag operation claiming that the Ukrainians had attacked when that wasnt true.

'We have seen a doubling of the amount of disinformation activity in the last week, so we know that the Russians are gearing up.

Speaking in her expansive office overlooking St Jamess Park  and under the gaze of a Churchill bust  she adds: At the end of the Cold War we disbanded our information unit, but the Russians didnt disband theirs, so we faced years and years of Russian disinformation.

'We are fighting back, were working with our allies so that Putin cannot continue trying to claim things that arent true. Were pushing him out into the open so the world will know if Putin invades over the next days or weeks that this is an aggressive act by the Russian government, and there is no excuse for it, there is no provocation.

A satellite image taken by Maxar Technologies shows a Russian deployment at Zyabrovka airfield in Gomel, Belarus, less than 15 miles from the border with Ukraine

A Russian video of air defence crews taking up position during joint military exercises with Belarus that began on Thursday, further raising the stakes

Ms Truss has had to tolerate treatment which can border on the patronising from her male counterparts: a fraught trip to Moscow this month ended with the Kremlins Sergey Lavrov declaring that his exchange with Ms Truss was like talking to a deaf person.

She tactfully describes him as very old school ... hes been around for years and years since the USSR.

She says: I made very clear to him that it would be a huge mistake for Russia to invade Ukraine  and the Ukrainians will fight back.

Im afraid there has been a decade of drift where the threat from Russia hasnt been taken seriously enough by some of our allies. We need to strengthen our resolve.

The UK has supplied defensive weapons to the Ukrainians and has helped to put together a package of sanctions against the Russian regime  which the Kremlin has claimed they dont give a s*** about.

They would say that wouldnt they? Of course they would, she says.

Nevertheless, I think Putin could do this anyway and I think the impact of the coffins coming back to Russia will be as big as the impact of the sanctions, because the Russian people will not want to see their own friends and family die in a conflict with their fellow men and women in Ukraine.

The Russians and Ukrainians as peoples are very close, so this is why I think it will be a huge mistake for Putin. I fear he is determined to make this mistake ,but I think it could be the end of Putin.

As the Russian President (above) put on a huge show of military strength with nuclear drills involving ballistic missiles (left), submarines and tank convoys yesterday, Ms Truss issued a last-ditch plea for the international community to unite to face down Moscows aggression

Ukrainian soldiers taking part in military exercises on February 18, 2022 as fears of a Russian invasion persist

Ms Truss is one of the leading hawks in the Cabinet over the UKs relations with China, and is particularly concerned by the burgeoning axis between Beijing and Moscow.

I am concerned that we are seeing China and Russia apparently acting together  I think its extraordinary that China is now commenting on who should and shouldnt be a member of Nato. Of course we need to trade with China but we shouldnt become strategically dependent on them.

Some of her more envious colleagues accused Ms Truss of overplaying her hand in terms of unsubtle leadership positioning as Mr Johnson has been buffeted by the Partygate saga, holding drinks meetings with backbench MPs in a Mayfair members club, dubbed fizz with Liz events.

Would she, in Mr Johnsons words, grab the ball of leadership if it came free from the scrum?

The job of Foreign Secretary is very absorbing, its an incredibly important time, both for the world and the United Kingdom post-Brexit, and I 100 per cent support the Prime Minister, I work very very closely with him and believe me, it takes up all of the hours in my day and more, she says without missing a beat.

The Prime Minister is going to fight the next Election, he is going to win the next Election, we have positive momentum and we are getting things done, we have had a very successful rollout of the vaccine, weve had a very successful opening up of the economy and things are motoring.
NHS hospitals have spent tens of thousands of pounds painting pedestrian crossings in the rainbow colours of the LGBT+ movement during the pandemic, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

MPs last night accused NHS bosses of pandering to woke nonsense and said the money should have been spent on patient care.

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust in Wiltshire spent 11,000 on four rainbow crossings in 2020-21 and South West Yorkshire paid 5,000 for nine crossings.

More than 20 Trusts have spent 46,000 on the rainbow crossings since 2019, data released under Freedom of Information requests has shown.

A new rainbow Pride pedestrian crossing is unveiled at Maidstone Hospital in 2019

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust in Nottinghamshire, which spent 2,780 repainting a crossing in 2021, said it was the latest addition to the trusts equality, diversity and inclusivity agenda as well as a symbol of the difficult 15 months weve all had in the NHS.

Sherwood cited a 2018 report by the charity Stonewall that concluded one in seven LGBT+ people avoid seeking healthcare for fear of discrimination.

However, North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust said it chose not to install rainbow crossings because they were not deemed value for money.

Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group of Conservative MPs, said: This is another example of a public sector organisation pandering to woke nonsense.

Crossing the road is not about your sexual orientation.

It is about being safe. The fact some clown in the NHS has chosen to spend money that could have been spent on patients on this kind of stuff is disgraceful. The idea a gay person would be more likely to go to hospital if they were in need of care because of the colour of a crossing  if it wasnt so disturbing, it would be the stuff of a Monty Python sketch.

Some hospitals have already reversed their decision. Belfast Health and Social Care Trust spent 2,824 on two rainbow crossings in the past year, both of which have now been removed.

MPs last night accused NHS bosses of pandering to woke nonsense and said the money should have been spent on patient care

But Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which painted two crossings in August 2020, said they were intended to send a positive message to members of LGBT+ community. It has also hired someone to lead an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion committee.

It is understood the trusts were not acting on NHS England guidance and made the decision individually to spend the money on rainbow crossings.

Duncan Simpson, research director at the TaxPayers Alliance, which submitted the Freedom of Information requests, said: NHS managers should not be splashing out on pointless paint jobs.

With working households facing the looming health and social care levy, patients expect to see hospital bosses focus their funds on the frontline. Not a penny more of taxpayers cash should be wasted on rainbow crossings.

A spokesman for NHS England said: While it is for individual trusts to decide how they allocate funding, the NHS is one of the most efficient health services in the world.
Just when some cladding victims thought there was light at the end of the tunnel, a second nightmare has emerged for some.

Many have seen their financial struggles eased after a financial cap was announced on the amount they would pay towards repairs on their dangerous buildings.

It means they no longer have to worry about how to pay for the building works.

But residents in some tower blocks where the remediation works have now begun reveal it is no longer the financial nightmare that is the problem.

Some cadding hit flat owners have waited years for remediation works to begin - but now they are happening, they can prove to be a new 'second nightmare'

Instead, it is their extreme living conditions, which they explain are cold, dark and noisy - and they are having to endure the distressing environments for months on end.

They are also concerned about soaring energy bills as they double the length of time their heating is on to try to compensate for the cold conditions they are in.

We spoke to one flat owner who bought his two-bedroom flat in London's Canary Wharf in 2011. His block has a total of 559 flats.

Arturo Martinez explained that his flat has limited access to daylight due to the building being covered in scaffolding and Monarflex sheeting, and is cold due to the tiles being removed on the outside of the building.

It has left him feeling claustrophobic and struggling to breath freely in what he describes as 'like a panic attack'.

He said: 'It is dark, cold and very depressing. I have to step outside of the building as I feel I can't breathe sometimes. It feels like I am in prison. It is dreadful.'

He explained that the terracotta tiles on the outside of the building are being removed. Underneath is insulation in the walls.

He said: 'The tiles started coming off in November. I don't know when it is going to be fixed. Originally, we were told that all workers would be off the site and finished by May 2022, but now we have been told the scaffolding will come down in November this year.

'It is extremely cold. There doesn't seem to be much more than some plasterboard and some insulation between me and the outside. I used to have my heating on for a maximum of three hours a day in the winter, but now need it on for eight hours when I am not at work.'

Mr Martinez explained that his fixed tariff ends this month and he is expecting his heating bill to be significantly higher.

'I am dreading the bill as my heating consumption is so much more than it was.'

He has not yet paid any money towards the remediation works, although he had received his service charge highlight the amount due.

'I have had a service charge bill but was told not to pay it and it was only for future budgeting purposes.'

We speak to Arturo Martinez about the cold and dark living conditions at his cladding-hit flat in London where the remediation works have begun

The terracotta tiles on the outside of the building in Canary Wharf are being removed

Meanwhile, another resident in the same block said the noise from the remediation works is 'deafening' while the cold has seen her resorting to wearing a hat and gloves in bed.

Natalie Carter said: 'Work starts at 8am, six days a week. The noise, when works is actually ongoing, can be deafening. It is at times impossible to work from home.

'Since the tiles started being removed the temperatures in our flats have dropped. Two nights ago I wore a hat and gloves in bed.

'But the worst is the Monarflex, the complete absence of natural light. The toll that takes on your health and well-being, which you don't really notice at first, but is a significant and insidious problem.

'If you have a busy work day, you can go the full day without any natural light. It's deeply depressing.'

It comes after the Government announced an amendment to the Building Safety Bill, which is currently being scrutinised by the House of Lords. It is expected to become law later this spring.

No-one living in a building more than 11 metres tall - or with five storeys or more - will have to pay anything for remediating flammable cladding.

And no-one living in a building more than 11 metres tall - or with five storeys or more - will have to pay more than 10,000 - or 15,000 in London - to remediate non-cladding defects.

Meanwhile, no-one living in a building where the freeholder or head lessor is an associated company of the developer will have to pay anything, for cladding or non-cladding costs.

There is a higher limit of up to 25,000 for properties worth between 1million and 2million, wherever situated. A still higher limit of 50,000 applies for properties worth more than 2million, again wherever situated.

The caps can be spread over five years, in equal instalments. For someone living outside of London in a property valued at less than 1million, that would mean contributions of 2,000 a year for 5 years.

Remediation and waking watch costs paid by leaseholders in the period of five years before these new provisions are commenced - so roughly back to June or July 2017 - will count against the limits.

It means that those living in a building requiring further work who have already paid to the limit of their contribution cap, will not have to pay anything further.

Leaseholders in buildings under 11 metres tall, or with fewer than five storeys, get no assistance for cladding or non-cladding remedial works. The Government's view is that such buildings are not of sufficient risk to justify remediation.
Amir Khan would not be fighting Kell Brook in his grudge match at the Manchester Arena unless he had obeyed his wife's orders to hire the trainer of the American superstar who beat him in his last big fight.

Even though the feisty Bryan McIntyre hurled insults at her husband before pound for pound champion Terence Crawford stopped him with a low blow almost three years ago, Faryal Khan said she would not permit Amir to fight Brook unless he trained properly.

And 'training properly' included going to Crawford's gym in Omaha, Nebraska and, as he puts it now: 'Being pushed beyond limits I never thought I would even be able to reach.'

Amir Khan (left) says he would not be fighting Kell Brook unless he hired Bryan McIntyre (right)

The boxer said his wife Faryal (right) insisted he would have to gear up for the fight properly

He also spent some weeks training at altitude in the Colorado mountains, which also had Mrs K's blessing.

Khan has reached the late stage of his career in which he does not agree to yet another fight without his wife's approval.

He says: 'Faryal is concerned for me and decides whether I should fight again. She knew I wanted to finally deal with Kell after all the insults but her condition was that I had to go work in Crawford's gym.

McIntyre took charge of Terence Crawford's preparations ahead of him beating Khan in 2019

'I wasn't thrilled at first as there were a lot harsh words when I fought Terence. But I was in Dubai and she talked with McIntyre who agreed to take me on.

'Then she called me to say it was all organised and that she would only let me fight Kell if I went over there and did the job properly.

'I've never worked so hard in my entire career. You're not being pushed by one trainer. There's three. Between them they watch over everything you do.

Khan will look to settle his grudge with fierce rival Brook (right) in Manchester this weekend

'Whether it's sparring or just hitting the punch ball they keep saying one more, one more, one more. There were times when I felt like giving up but I kept telling myself I wouldn't let them break me. Now I thank them. At 35 I'm in the best shape of my life.'

And when he is pressed on whether once he has finished his long-delayed business with Brook he will retire he says: 'If I prove this weekend what I'm saying about my condition, I will ask Faryal if I can go on for one more fight. Maybe two.'

Brook is not so clear about whether he will hang up the gloves, win or lose, but does insist: 'I've done all the hard miles as well. Khan thinks I'm half-broken (after both eye sockets were fractured in damaging fights) but that is the biggest mistake of his life.'
Accusations about their desire to finish in the top four cannot be aimed at Arsenal right now.

As their rivals have faltered in recent weeks the race for the final coveted Champions League place has looked like one nobody wants to win.

But successive victories since their return after the international break have signalled Arsenal's intention.

Bukayo Saka was on target for Arsenal as they beat Brentford 2-1 at the Emirates on Saturday

Saka scored his seventh Premier League goal in 22 appearances this season for the Gunners

Having started the season with a 2-0 humbling at Brentford and three defeats without scoring Mikel Arteta's side have clawed their way back into contention.

This victory, secured following goals from their two home-grown heroes Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, took them to within a point of fourth-placed Manchester United.

They will have three games in hand too once this latest weekend of action is completed.

Arteta may have swerved the subject when the suggestion was put to him but you can understand why Gunners legend Thierry Henry claimed this week that it would be a failure if they failed to make the top four.

Emile Smith Rowe opened the scoring for the Gunners shortly after the half-time interval

For his part, Arteta has urged his players to 'maximise' the position they have got themselves into. They seem to be doing just that.

Goals had been hard to come by for Arsenal so far this year and the pattern initially continued against Brentford though it was not for a want of trying.

Arsenal racked up the possession, attempts on goal, corners and penalty shouts though for 48 minutes a breakthrough evaded them.

Ben White had the first of many Arsenal efforts with a blocked near-post header three minutes in.

Smith Rowe is Arsenal's top scorer this year after getting his ninth league goal of the campaign

Arsenal are now level on points with West Ham and just one point behind Manchester United

Arsenal then had two spot-kick shouts, following Josh Dasilva's challenge on White and Kristoffer Ajer and Pontus Jansson's double tackle on Alexandre Lacazette, dismissed.

The Frenchman then had a goal ruled out for offside before he and the impressive Martin Odegaard were left ruing wrong decisions.

When a shooting opportunity emerged as he drove into the Brentford box Odegaard unselfishly, but ultimately unwisely, decided to pass to Saka instead and the move fizzled out.

Soon after, Lacazette then did shoot when he had two better placed runners, Emile Smith Rowe and Saka, either side of him.

Alexandre Lacazette reacts to his first half strike being ruled out for offside by VAR

There were some important defensive interventions from Brentford too to keep Arsenal out, including an early interception of Saka's cross by Kristoffer Ajer and a Pontus Jansson block to deflect Odegaard's effort wide.

Yoane Wissa was also a little fortunate that the officials chose not to punish him when he appeared to block Cedric Soares' shot with his hand.

With their back five sitting deep and midfield patrolling not too far in front of that Brentford struggled for an outlet and to get out of their half for sustained periods, though Bryan Mbeumo got two blocked shots off at the end of a couple of rare counters.

The Arsenal pressure was near constant and their final total of 16 first-half attempts was a Premier League record for the season. When the half-time whistle blew, Brentford were no doubt relieved to have reached that point unscathed.

Mikel Arteta's side have two games in hand on Manchester United and are one point behind

It was a disappointing afternoon in the end for his opposite number Thomas Frank

But they remained so for just three minutes after the break. Arsenal finally managed to pull Brentford's defence out of position and create a situation where they did not have a back five to break down. Lacazette played the ball wide to Smith Rowe who drove at Ajer, cut inside and bent the ball around Jansson and beyond David Raya to score his 10th goal of the season.

Brentford's need to alter their approach and take off the shackles led to more gaps appearing for Arsenal to try and exploit.

Smith Rowe had a spring in his step after scoring and Saka tested Raya from distance. There was a momentary scare for the home side when Mbeumo almost latched onto a through ball but could not quite gather it in as the game headed into the final 20 minutes.

Martin Odegaard was particularly impressive throughout the game at the Emirates

Arsenal's failure to put the game to bed left Brentford with sufficient hope and they enjoyed a spell of increased confidence that suggested they still believed.

Christian Noorgard's scrambling challenge to stop substitute Nicolas Pepe tapping in after Odegaard's effort had been saved kept those hopes alive.

But they were finally extinguished with 10 minutes left when Arsenal broke, Thomas Partey released Saka and he thumped in Arsenal's second off the far post.

Norgaard tapped in an injury-time consolation to deny Arsenal a clean sheet but it was too little too late

Re-live the game as it happened with Sportsmail's full live coverage.
We know that love stories and break-ups are the backbone of soap, but there's also nothing an audience likes more than a good old Let's Get Back Together tale.

Reunions warm the heart: they tell us that nothing is insurmountable (serial killer spouses aside), and that everyone can learn from the past and move towards a happier future (until the next time, of course).

The on/off marriage between EastEnders' Ben and Callum has been the talk of social media recently.

The hashtag #Ballum (a little one-sided?) has been trending, and the collective relief was palpable when the pair made up. It's surely only a matter of time before Kat and Phil follow, but for the moment we must wait to see whether love will triumph over all their adversity.

It took forever for Corrie's Eileen and George to hit an even keel, but a partner who buys you a funeral plan for Christmas is going to put a dampener on a relationship.

As for Emmerdale, we all know Charity and Cain are soulmates, despite both doing an awful lot of soul-flitting over the years. Time to start giving to Charity again, Cain!

EASTENDERS: BLADE RUNNER

Phil Mitchell and Kat Moon. 'I ain't no grass.' How many times have we been subjected to Phil uttering this? Big mistake. Should have gone for being the grass, Phil; several lawns, in fact, because now you're in a mess

'I ain't no grass.' How many times have we been subjected to Phil uttering this? Big mistake. Should have gone for being the grass, Phil; several lawns, in fact, because now you're in a mess.

Where he's concerned, a single blade of grass is always going to be greener on the uvver side, especially when Kat discovers he's been keeping Tommy's bullying secret.

Instead of running a mile, though, she realises what she has to lose, goes down on one knee (pictured) and proposes.

Eggzackly wot she finks she 'as ter lose is anybody's guess, because from where I'm standing it's nothing more than someone keeping the fridge stocked in orange juice, and the occasional bit of rumpy pumpy after an oil change.

As losses go, they wouldn't fill an eye bath.

Phil decides to toughen up Tommy by teaching him to box  think of Phil as the poor (very, very poor) man's Tyson Fury.

But when Tommy legs it from bullies, he takes refuge in the Argee Bhajee (a name in competition with 'I ain't no grass' for most frequently uttered words).

We know what lurks beneath the floorboards there  and it's not a stale naan bread.

CORONATION STREET: CARELESS WHISPERS

Limpet Lydia stood no chance holding on to Daniel while clingfish Daisy was around, but she wasted no time in diverting her attention back to Adam in Coronation Street

Limpet Lydia stood no chance holding on to Daniel while clingfish Daisy was around, but she wasted no time in diverting her attention back to Adam.

Goodness knows what he did in their previous incarnation, but she's really going for it on the revenge front.

Having set Adam up with seeming evidence to make it look as if they're having an affair, it has the desired effect when Sarah tracks down receipts from various gifts and an alleged night of hotel passion involving Champagne and oysters.

Adam, don't you check your credit card spend online? And why doesn't the bank block your card if you're splashing out of character?

Mine gets a security alert when it clocks that, instead of a bus, I'm catching an Uber (yegods! The extravagance!).

While Adam is accused of cheating by Sarah (pictured), Abi confesses to Sally that she cheated on Kevin. It all goes wrong when the women have a conversation, little knowing that it is being broadcast via Bluetooth to Kevin in his rented camper van.

For someone who can easily find her way around a car engine, you'd think that Abi would know how Bluetooth operates, but no, and Kevin roars off into the sunset.

Imran is keen to know how much Abi has told Kevin (the cat isn't just out of the bag; the cattery is running wild). Time for another 'I'm devastated but still smirking' look from Toyah, methinks.

EMMERDALE: DON'T HOLD THE FRONT PAGE

Will Rhona confess to Marlon before Marcus arrives in the village? Maybe not, and Marlon's surprised when, after seeing Pierce's death in the Hotten Courier, Rhona and Vanessa tell him they already knew

Marlon has some catching up to do, but will Rhona have time to confess all before Marcus (pictured with her) turns up?

Maybe not, and Marlon's surprised when, after seeing Pierce's death in the Hotten Courier, Rhona and Vanessa tell him they already knew.

The biggest surprise in all this is that the Hotten Courier has managed to report anything, having missed the Serial Killer on the Loose story.

Woodward and Bernstein they ain't; they couldn't scoop a spoonful of sugar if their lives depended on it. Chances are, they have the death wrong, too. Is anyone else not buying Marcus's story?
Over 200 duty-free shops to participate in China consumer products expo

Xinhua) 14:11, February 19, 2022

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.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Prince Andrew faces a lot of pressure as the Royal family might ban him over his sexual abuse settlement with the accuser Virginia Giuffre.

The FBI will never question Prince Andrew about his associations with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

The Duke of York had been under immense pressure to talk with investigators about the friendships before settling rape charges against him with an estimated $16 million payment to complainant Virginia Giuffre.

Prince Andrew Settles Lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre

Despite accusing him of "zero cooperation," investigators dropped the case, and the file is said to be "gathering dust." While his civil case may have shed new light on his friendships with the two, the Duke is now believed to be convinced that his settlement will have no bearing on the stalled FBI investigation.

The financial details of the settlement would never be divulged, according to royal advisers, and Prince Andrew would retain his titles of Duke of York, Queen's Counselor or State, and Vice-Admiral.

However, there are rising calls for the disgraced Duke's final remaining functions to be removed from him, as well as the pomp and perks that continue to surround him, as per The Sun. There are also calls for the settlement's finances to be made public, with major doubts being raised about whether taxpayer money was used directly or indirectly to have the rape accusations withdrawn.

Virginia Giuffre may be forced to reveal details of her settlement with Prince Andrew after a lawyer who is suing her requested that she hand over documents to a court.

Alan Dershowitz, who worked for Jeffrey Epstein as an attorney, has been accused of sexually assaulting Virginia Roberts Giuffre, and the two are currently involved in a defamation dispute.

Dershowitz, 83, who has also represented Harvey Weinstein and former President Donald Trump, claims that Giuffre defamed him with sexual assault charges that were rejected last year by a New York judge.

Giuffre, who was 17 at the time of the allegations, was not a victim of Epstein's, but rather a recruiter of young women for the financier to exploit, he claims. The news of Prince Andrew's settlement had been made public the day before. The total sum is $16 million, with $13.9 million going to Giuffre, 38, and $2.72 million going to her sex abuse charity, according to the Telegraph.

Read Also: Meghan Markle Allegedly Controls Prince Harry When Duchess Wants Duke To Stop Talking; Former 'Suit' Star May Never Come Back to the UK

Prince Andrew Will Disappear From Public Life

Dershowitz may be calculating the amount of compensation he should seek if he wins his own lawsuit, which is due to be tried in the Eastern District of New York next year, according to legal experts.

The Duke of York and Giuffre are thought to have signed a non-disclosure agreement, which means neither party may speak publicly about the lawsuit or the claims.

However, it is uncertain if they would be disclosed following the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, as has been reported. Giuffre's attorneys stated yesterday that there is nothing in the settlement that prevents her from addressing the claims against Prince Andrew as evidence in Dershowitz's case.

Despite being compelled to stand away from royal duties, Prince Andrew believes he still has a lot to give the public, according to an expert. Following a humiliating appearance on BBC Newsnight in which he discussed his relationship with sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein, the Duke of York withdrew from public life in 2019. Prince Andrew expressed his regrets for his involvement with Epstein in a statement filed in court records, and committed to help sex trafficking victims.

Russell Myers, royal editor of the Daily Mirror, claimed this might have been Andrew's method of preparing himself for a return to public life. However, Russell stated it was "impossible" for him to play a public role in the future. It comes as York council members consider revoking Prince Andrew's honorary freedom of the city.

Related Article: Prince Andrew Prevents Damage to Royal Family With Virginia Giuffre Settlement, Says He 'Regrets' Friendship With Jeffrey Epstein

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Rebel Wilson credits her impressive 35kg weight loss to taking up walking in 2020.

And the Australian actress appears to be firm in routine as she stepped out for a hike Los Angeles on Friday.

The slimmed-down beauty, 41, showed off her trim pins and fit physique in a pair of black leggings.

Keeping fit: On Friday, Rebel Wilson showed off her fit physique as she stepped out for a scenic hike in Los Angeles - after crediting walking to helping her shed an impressive 35kg

Meanwhile, she paired them with a white over-sized hoodie.

To accessories, Rebel donned black sneakers and large sunglasses.

She tied her blonde locks back into a pony-tail, before adding a pop of colour to her outfit with a pink cap.

Quick call? In between strides, she also managed to make a quick phone call

The Pitch Perfect star opted to go makeup free for her outdoor workout.

In between strides, she also managed to make a quick phone call.

The sighting comes a month after Rebel admitted that walking - rather than doing endless high intensity workouts - has actually been her secret weapon for weight loss.

In an interview for Apple Fitness+ in January, Rebel said a doctor at a health retreat had advised her to take up walking, insisting it was the 'best way' for her to shed the kilos.

How she did it: Rebel Wilson credits her impressive 35kg weight loss to taking up walking in 2020. Pictured before and after

'The doctor said to me, ''Rebel, the best way for you to lose unwanted body fat is just simply walking,'' she explained at the time.

''Doesn't have to be high-intensity, doesn't have to be uphill, just moderate walking an hour a day. And if you can do that, for you, for your body type, it's, like, the best way to lose unwanted body fat.''

Rebel made headlines around the world after declaring 2020 her 'Year of Health', and has since lost around 35kgs.

'The doctor said to me, ''Rebel, the best way for you to lose unwanted body fat is just simply walking,'' she explained at the time

In May, Rebel candidly admitted to feeling 'sad' that she'd waited until the age of 40 to embrace a healthier lifestyle.

'Now that I know I can do it, sometimes I feel sad that I didn't do it earlier,' she told InStyle.

Admitting she's always been 'a bit of a late developer,' Rebel said she wished she 'tried when I was 30, not 40'.

'But everybody's journey is different, and it's not a race or competition.'

'I have a natural empathy for anyone who struggles with weight issues because that's something I've always struggled with.'

Rebel said that 'anyone can go on walks and drink more water and do little, consistent things that'll improve their lives,' - and it's never too late to start.
Madeleine West revealed on Friday that she had been hospitalised for a mystery operation and urged her Instagram followers to take care of their mental health.

And days prior on Wednesday, the Neighbours actress was spotted enjoying a morning walk with a friend in the coastal town of Byron Bay in New South Wales.

The 41-year-old showed off her lithe arms in a sleeveless purple tank top, which she teamed with tiny patterned workout shorts that drew attention to her lean legs.

Coastal stroll: Madeleine West (pictured), 41, showed off her incredibly toned figure in vibrant activewear while enjoying a morning stroll with a pal in the coastal town of Byron Bay in New South Wales on Wednesday

Madeleine added pale pink sneakers to the look and swept her long brunette tresses back off her face.

She looked to have worn minimal makeup, showing off a radiant complexion.

The sighting comes two days before Madeleine was hospitalised for a mystery operation.

Sporty: The former Neighbours star donned a sleeveless purple tank top that showed off her lithe arms, teamed with tiny patterned shorts that accentuated her lean legs. She added light pink sneakers to the look

Beaming: Madeleine swept her brunette tresses back off her face, and looked to have worn minimal makeup for the outing. She appeared to be in great spirits as she caught up with a pal

The mother-of-six 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, Madeleine insisted that she was 'fine' but admitted that the whole process had scared her.

'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.

Hospital stay: The sighting comes just two days before Madeleine revealed that she had been hospitalised for a mystery operation. Pictured in an Instagram photo shared to the site on Friday

'A big part of that is taking better care of ourselves. Which we are all pretty bad at doing. Particularly safeguarding our mental health,' Madeleine 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 you're ok beauty?' before adding, 'Feel better love.'

Madeleine responded, 'Thank you darling I'll 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,' Madeleine 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.

Madeleine separated from her partner, celebrity chef Shannon Bennett, 46, in 2018. They share six children: Phoenix, Hendrix, Xascha, Xanthe, Xahlia and Margaux.

Fresh start: It comes after the soap star purchased a new $4.6million home in celebrity hotspot Byron Bay (pictured)
Vanessa Hudgens looked sensational in a barely-there lime green crop top as she made a stop at Bristol Farms to grab a quick refresher.

The High School Musical star, 33, was seen picking up a can of cactus fruit flavor water from her own brand of beverages, Caliwater.

She was joined on the outing by her business partner, actor Oliver Trevena, 40, who also held a can of their product in his hand.

Wow! Vanessa Hudgens looked sensational in a barely-there lime green crop top as she made a stop at Bristol Farms

The dark-haired beauty showed off her quirky sense of style with cow-print high-waisted pants.

The fashion-forward star also added a pair of chunky white sneakers to her edgy daytime look.

Her luscious shoulder-length brunette hair was styled into glamorous locks that gently fell down her shoulders.

Promoting her brand: The High School Musical star, 33, was seen picking up a can of cactus fruit flavor water from her own brand of beverages, Caliwater

Stunner: The dark-haired beauty showed off her quirky sense of style with cow-print high-waisted pants

Glam: Her luscious shoulder-length brunette hair was styled into glamorous locks that gently fell down her shoulders

Vanessa accessorized her look with a beachy white coral necklace as well as a variety of golden jewelry adorning her arms.

To shield her eyes from the sun she sported cheetah print brown shades. On her arm she carried a simple black Prada bag.

Meanwhile Trevena opted for a plaid shirt and matching pants, which he paired with a white t-shirt underneath, sneakers and a red trucker hat.

Partners: She was joined on the outing by her business partner, actor Oliver Trevena, who also held a can of their product in his hand

The pair launched the healthy beverage line - which boasts only 25 calories per can - in the Spring of 2021.

They were inspired by the cactus fruit flavor in the prickly pear margaritas they enjoyed while traveling together in Mexico.

Their line is available in two vegan, kosher and non-GMO flavors, including Organic Wild Prickly Pear and Organic Wild Prickly Pear with Ginger and Lime.
Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell took some time away from Australia Zoo earlier this week to enjoy a family beach trip with daughter Grace Warrior.

And on Saturday, Bindi, 23, shared a sweet reel on Instagram showcasing their seaside adventures.

In the footage, the tiny tot can be seen frolicking in the sea with her dad and walking along the sand beaming from ear to ear.

Too cute! On Saturday, Bindi Irwin shared sweet footage of her 'ray of sunshine' Grace Warrior enjoying a day at the beach with her doting family

Also documented in the home video was Uncle Robert Irwin, 18, photographing Grace's day by the water.

Grace also cheekily ripped his sunglasses off as the family posed for a photo with their surfboards.

Elsewhere in the reel, Bindi's brother and mum Terri joined in on the seaside fun, helping the baby collect shells while watching the surf.

'Beach day with this ray of sunshine,' Bindi captioned her clip.

Family fun: Also documented in the home video was uncle Robert Irwin, 18. Grace cheekily snatched his sunglasses off as the family posed for a photo with their surfboards

Grandma duties! Elsewhere in the reel, Bindi's brother and mum Terri joined in on the seaside fun, helping the baby collect shells while watching the surf

Gang's all here! Another snap showed the group sitting underneath a beach tent with family matriarch Terri in the background

Earlier in the day, Bindi also shared pictured on her Instagram Stories and her grid, showing the tot taking in the sun's rays, while happily standing between her proud parents.

'Our little beach baby. Girl loves the ocean and watching her Dada surf. Also note the tiny shell she collected,' Bindi wrote on a separate post on Instagram the same day.

Another snap also showed the group sitting underneath a beach tent.

'Our little beach baby. Girl loves the ocean and watching her Dada surf. Also note the tiny shell she collected,' Bindi wrote on a separate post on Instagram the same day

Dad and daughter time: Pictured baby Grace walking along the shore with her dad Chandler

For their outing, Bindi dressed her little one in a pair of burnt-orange shorts with daisies printed all over them, paired with a white singlet.

She also kept sun-safe in a sweet cap which covered her neck.

Meanwhile, Bindi wore a pair of khaki trousers teamed with an over-sized black T-shirt.

Her wakeboarder husband Chandler, 25, also looked to be in his element, sporting board shorts and fitted rash shirt.

Bindi and Chandler announced their daughter's birth on March 26 last year, just one day after she was born on their first wedding anniversary.

The couple met in 2013, when the young American athlete went on a guided tour of Australia Zoo in Queensland.
Scott Eastwood recalled an allegedly 'volatile' on-set moment with fellow actor Shia LaBeouf in a new interview with Insider.

The actor, 35, co-starred with the Honey Boy actor in the 2014 war movie Fury alongside Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman and Jon Bernthal.

The incident allegedly occurred after Eastwood spat on a war tank during a scene  an action which the LaBeouf was not aware would happen.

Volatile: Scott Eastwood opened up about a 'volatile' on-set moment with fellow actor Shia LaBeouf in an interview withInsider

'[LaBeouf] got mad at me and it turned into a volatile moment that Brad Pitt ultimately got in the middle of,' Eastwood claimed.

Pitt talked about the issue on-set in an interview with British GQ in 2014, and he chalked it up to an actor really connecting with a set piece.

'I said, in the scene with the cameras rolling, 'You're going to clean that sh*t up,'' Pitt said. 'Shia clocks it, and you have to understand, we've been through severe boot camp already, we've been through a lot in this tank. Shia saw it and felt he's disrespecting our home. So Shia had the same reaction I did, and started having some words.'

Catalyst: The incident occurred after Eastwood spat on a war tank during a scene  an action which the LaBeouf was not aware would happen; (L-R) Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Pena, Jon Bernthal, and Scott Eastwood in Fury (2014)

However, Eastwood's more recent comments make it seem pretty clear that the Wrath of Man actor feels LaBeouf took things too far.

'I never think your process as an actor should ever hinder how people are treated on set,' he told Insider. 'It should always enhance the production, not take away and put people in a situation where it's a shitty work environment or you're rude or people have to be in an uncomfortable situation.'

He continued, 'You got to put things in perspective. This is make-believe, it's fun, and at times it's serious and you're doing emotional work and you give people space to do that in, but everything has to have its parameters.'

Stepping in: '[LaBeouf] got mad at me and it turned into a volatile moment that Brad Pitt ultimately got in the middle of,' Eastwood said; Pitt pictured in 2020

Too far: 'I never think your process as an actor should ever hinder how people are treated on set,' he told Insider of Shia's alleged behavior; Eastwood pictured in Fury (2014)

In the years since shooting Fury, Eastwood's acting career has flourished.

His new movie I Want You Back, co-starring Charlie Day and Jenny Slate, was released on February 11.

It centers around two strangers who were recently dumped as they try to help one another get their exes back.

Eastwood will also star in April 29, 1992, a film set during the Los Angeles riots that took place after the Rodney King verdict in 1992.

Thriving: In the years since shooting Fury, Eastwood's acting career has flourished; Eastwood pictured in 2018
She arrived in Sydney on Monday after jetting back to Australia from the US.

And Lara Worthington, 34, showed absolutely no signs of jet lag while out in the Harbour City with her manager Patrick Devlin on Friday.

The mother-of-three revealed her model figure in a strapless chic black jumpsuit, that accentuated her petite upper frame and cinched in at her trim waist.

Model look: Lara Worthington (pictured), 34, revealed her enviable figure in a strapless chic black jumpsuit while out and about in Sydney on Friday

Worthington (nee Bingle) teamed the look with black heeled boots and oozed confidence as she turned the streets into her own runway.

Her cropped blonde locks were styled to perfection, and she was simply glowing, drawing attention to an elegant makeup palette that highlighted her features.

Lara attended an event for Swisse Beauty, having been announced as the brand's newest ambassador back in July.

Gorgeous: The mother-of-three showed absolutely no signs of jet lag, having arrived back in Australia on Monday from the US, as she turned the streets into her own runway

In profile: Worthington (nee Bingle) was simply glowing, drawing attention to an elegant makeup palette that highlighted her striking facial features

Prized bling: Her signature cropped blonde locks were styled to perfection, and she also showed off her stunning wedding ring from actor husband Sam Worthington, 45

'Swisse is all about an integrated approach to wellness  and this reflects the approach I take to my personal health; balancing mindfulness, good nutrition and finding time for that daily movement,' she told Russh magazine at the time.

Lara is married to Avatar actor Sam Worthington, 45, and the couple share three young sons; Rocket, six, Racer, four, and River, one.

The family moved back to Australia temporarily in January last year, after spending the better part of a decade living in New York and Los Angeles.

Latest gig: Lara attended an event for Swisse Beauty, having been announced as the brand's newest ambassador back in July

In good company: The blonde beauty is pictured with her manager Patrick Devlin

The right fit: 'Swisse is all about an integrated approach to wellness  and this reflects the approach I take to my personal health; balancing mindfulness, good nutrition and finding time for that daily movement,' she told Russh magazine back in July

The fiercely private couple tied the knot in December 2014 in a low-key ceremony, saying 'I do' in front of just 10 people at a private house in Melbourne.

'It was very intimate, we just popped in to Melbourne where Sam's family is from. It was just our families, less than 10 people,' she told the Kyle and Jackie O radio show in October 2015.

'We wrote the whole celebration, we wrote all our vows. I was pregnant as well.'

Describing her wedding day look, Lara added: 'It was super chilled.

Family: Lara and her Avatar actor husband Sam share three young sons; Rocket, six, Racer, four, and River, one

Stateside: The family moved back to Australia temporarily in January last year, after spending the better part of a decade living in New York and Los Angeles

'Just before the wedding I was in London, it was really cold at the time and finding a dress at six months pregnant was difficult.

'I found something at Louis Vuitton, it was white.'

In 2018, Lara reflected on how getting married and having children had completely changed her life.

Nuptials: The fiercely private couple tied the knot in December 2014 in a low-key ceremony, saying 'I do' in front of just 10 people at a private house in Melbourne

Details: 'It was very intimate, we just popped in to Melbourne where Sam's family is from. It was just our families, less than 10 people,' she told the Kyle and Jackie O radio show in October 2015

'Five years ago I felt like a different person to what I am now, and it's nice to be able to grow,' she told Popsugar.

'When you get married and have children it's not all about you anymore, you have a responsibility to make your family proud and I really cherish that,' she continued.

'That's probably the most important thing to me.'
Melanie Griffith showcased her sensational figure when she was spotted stepping out to lunch in Los Angeles this week.

The 64-year-old actress, who comes from a Hollywood family, headed to the elite showbiz hangout the San Vicente Bungalows.

She cut a casual figure while heading over to the private club but managed to emphasize her enviably svelte frame in her skintight ensemble.

Out and about: Melanie Griffith showcased her sensational figure when she was spotted stepping out to lunch in Los Angeles this week

Warding off the wintertime chill in a clinging black turtleneck, Melanie slipped into a pair of silver leggings for her latest outing.

Melanie, who first shot to fame as a movie star in the 1980s, brought back that decade's style with shoulder pads.

The Working Girl star swept her signature blonde hair up into a high bun and kept away the California rays with a pair of sunglasses.

She added an extra stylish touch to her outfit by pulling on a pair of black lace half-fingered gloves and accessorizing with a tiny handbag.

Place to be: The 64-year-old actress, who comes from a Hollywood family, headed to the elite showbiz hangout the San Vicente Bungalows

On the move: Melanie, who first shot to fame as a movie star in the 1980s, brought back that decade's style with shoulder pads

Sharpening her unmistakable features with makeup, the Crazy In Alabama actress added an extra dash of sparkle with a pair of earrings.

Melanie, whose mother is The Birds star Tippi Hedren, rounded off her latest leggy ensemble with a pair of black leather boots.

She could be seen chitchatting with a couple of girlfriends while out on the sidewalk and sharing an affectionate hug with one gal pal.

Off she goes: The Working Girl star swept her signature blonde hair up into a high bun and kept away the California rays with a pair of sunglasses

Dazzle: Sharpening her unmistakable features with makeup, the Crazy In Alabama actress added an extra dash of sparkle with a pair of earrings

Her latest outing comes after her daughter Dakota Johnson saw her new movie The Lost Daughter nominated for multiple Oscars.

Although Dakota herself did not get a nod, her co-stars Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley are up for best actress and best supporting actress respectively.

Olivia and Jessie play the same character at different ages in the film, which is directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and adapted from a novel by Elena Ferrante.

All that sweet affection: She could be seen chitchatting with a couple of girlfriends while out on the sidewalk and sharing a hug with one gal pal

Both of Dakota's parents are famous - not only is her mother Melanie Griffith but her father is Don Johnson of Miami Vice fame.

Melanie has been married four times - first to Don, then to Scarface heartthrob Steven Bauer, then to Don again and then to Antonio Banderas.

All four marriages ended in divorce but did give her three children, who along with Dakota include Alexander Bauer, 26, and Stella Banderas, 25.
Former Bond girl Jane Seymour made a very stylish arrival at Sydney Airport on Saturday ahead of the Australian premiere of her new film Ruby's Choice next week.

The British-American actress, 71, was a vision in red as she donned a chic floor-length frock, teamed with a black fedora hat and a red and white statement scarf.

Joined by a member of what appeared to be her entourage, the star finished off the airport look with comfy black loafers and delicate jewellery.

Hollywood legend: Jane Seymour (pictured), 71, was a vision in red as she donned a stylish floor-length frock at Sydney Airport on Saturday, ahead of the Australian premiere of her film Ruby's Choice

Jane's chestnut tresses were styled sleek and straight underneath her round-rimmed hat, and she ensured safety by wearing a face mask.

She offered a glimpse of her glamorous makeup, which included defined brows, a subtle smoky eye and a radiant complexion.

The Hollywood legend has just arrived in Sydney ahead of the premiere for her film Ruby's Choice, which was filmed in Sydney during the 2020 Covid lockdown.

Glamorous airport arrival: The former Bond girl, who appeared to have been joined by a member of her entourage, teamed the chic frock with black loafers, a black fedora hat and a statement red and white scarf

Details: The British-American actress ensured safety with a face mask and accessorised with delicate jewellery

Beauty: Her chestnut tresses were styled sleek and straight underneath her fedora hat, and she offered a glimpse of her glamorous makeup which included a subtle smoky eye

The premiere will be held next week at the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, before the film hits screens across the country on March 3rd.

Jane plays the titular character in Ruby's Choice, which is about a loving grandmother who is suffering from dementia.

It is a poignant tale that follows three generations of strong Australian women, bonded by shared moments of wisdom and joy.

Work mode: The Hollywood legend has just arrived in Sydney ahead of the premiere for her film Ruby's Choice, which was filmed in Sydney during the 2020 Covid lockdown

Not long: The premiere will be held next week at the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, before the film hits screens across the country on March 3rd

Secrets from the family's past are revealed as Ruby's illness threatens to push them apart, and the family struggles to make a big decision.

Jane opened up about the role in an interview with Channel Seven's The Morning Show back in July 2020.

'It's about a woman with dementia, and about family, and how they deal with it,' she explained.

Lead role: Jane plays the titular character in Ruby's Choice, which is about a loving grandmother who is suffering from dementia

Powerful: It is a poignant tale that follows three generations of strong Australian women, bonded by shared moments of wisdom and joy

Challenges: Secrets from the family's past are revealed as Ruby's illness threatens to push them apart, and the family struggles to make a big decision

'It's three generations having to help her, trying to live with her and her circumstances and making choices for her.

'And basically, in her dementia, she ends up solving their issues and their problems, and all the elephants in their room, as it were,' she continued.

'I think it's also really important because dementia and Alzheimer's are the number one cause of death for Australian women. I didn't know that.

'A lot of people don't know how to deal with people who have dementia and Alzheimer's. It shows you from the inside what that's about.'
Orlando Bloom was seen sweetly kissing his one-year-old daughter Daisy as he held her in a baby carrier in Hawaii this week.

The duo were on the set of American Idol, where Daisy's mother and Orlando's fiancee Katy Perry was hard at work as a judge.

Katy could be spotted on the set glammed up for the camera, flashing her midriff in a dazzling orange ensemble.

So sweet: Orlando Bloom was seen sweetly kissing his one-year-old daughter Daisy as he held her in a baby carrier in Hawaii this week

Her signature dark hair was swept up into a small beehive reminiscent of the 1960s for her latest appearance at the judges table.

She was settled on an outdoor sofa with a wicker frame, apparently in a nod to the warm tropical location of the latest American Idol shoot.

Accentuating her unmistakable features with makeup, Katy added a touch of glitz to the look with a large pair of earrings from Emma Pills.

Meanwhile Orlando showcased his musclebound arms in a white t-shirt and flashed his sculpted legs in a pair of matching shorts.

On the job: The duo were on the set of American Idol, where Daisy's mother and Orlando's fiancee Katy Perry was hard at work as a judge

Workaday: Her signature dark hair was swept up into a small beehive reminiscent of the 1960s for her latest appearance at the judges table

Place to be: Katy, who wore Emma Pills hoop earrings, was settled on an outdoor sofa with a wicker frame, apparently in a nod to the tropical location of the latest American Idol shoot

The Lord Of The Rings dreamboat cut a casual figure while standing amid the crew, rounding off his look with slippers.

At one point he brought Daisy over to the edge of the stage, where Katy sank to a crouch to enjoy a tender moment with her toddler.

Katy first joined American Idol in 2017 amid a swirl of reports that she would be making a whopping $25 million a season.

She and Orlando have been engaged since Valentine's Day 2019 when he proposed with a ring that was reported to be worth $5 million.

Meanwhile: Orlando showcased his musclebound arms in a white t-shirt and flashed his sculpted legs in a pair of matching shorts

All together now: At one point he brought Daisy over to the edge of the stage, where Katy sank to a crouch to enjoy a tender moment with her toddler.

Daisy is Katy's first child but Orlando shares a son called Flynn, 11, with his ex-wife Miranda Kerr who is now married to Snap Inc. co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel.

Meanwhile Katy previously was briefly married to Russell Brand, with whom she had a Hindu wedding in 2010 at a tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan.

They were married for just 14 months before separating in 2011 and she has since told 60 Minutes Australia their relationship was a 'tornado.'
Natarsha Belling has revealed what she misses the most amid the Covid pandemic.

In a preview for her Stellar interview published in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, the veteran journalist, 51, said that she's 'missed cuddling people'.

'I miss that human connection and with borders closed I can't begin to imagine how difficult that has been for some people,' the 51-year-old told the publication.

'I've missed cuddling people': Veteran journalist Natarsha Belling (pictured), 51, revealed how she has longed for human connection amid the Covid pandemic

'I'm always hugging but my teenage boys thought (social distancing) was great... because they don't want to hug me right now,' Natarsha, who shares teenage sons Harrison, 15, and Hugo, 13, with husband Glen Sealey, went on to joke.

Natarsha was sacked from Channel Ten in a brutal round of budget cuts back in August 2020.

However four months on from losing her gig of more than 20 years with the network, Natarsha returned to TV, but this time for a competitor.

Like many others: 'I miss that human connection and with borders closed I can't begin to imagine how difficult that has been for some people,' Natarsha revealed in a preview for her Stellar interview in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday. Pictured with Craig Bennett

Family: 'I'm always hugging but my teenage boys thought (social distancing) was great... because they don't want to hug me right now,' Natarsha, who shares teenage sons Harrison, 15, and Hugo, 13, with husband Glen Sealey, went on to joke. Pictured with her sons back in 2013

She began freelancing at the Seven Network, and fills in for The Morning Show host Kylie Gillies while she is on leave.

Her start was also celebrated on The Morning Show's official Instagram account, which uploaded a picture of Natarsha and co-host Larry Emdur on set and smiling ear-to-ear.

In an Instagram post about her joining Seven, Natarsha said she and Larry would 'have the latest on border closures, new Health alerts and COVID restrictions.'

Moving on: Natarsha was sacked from Channel Ten in a brutal round of budget cuts back in August 2020

First time for everything: Natarsha began freelancing at Channel Seven just four months later, and fills in for The Morning Show host Kylie Gillies while she is on leave alongside Larry Emdur (pictured)

Perfect end to 2020: Natarsha's arrival was celebrated on The Morning Show's official Instagram account, which uploaded a picture of the duo on set and smiling ear-to-ear

'It's been heartbreaking to watch the events unfold over the weekend and thinking of the many people who are really struggling at the moment and the thousands who will miss out on spending Christmas with their family and friends after such a tough year,' she wrote at the time.

'I'm filling in for @kyliegillies and will be co-hosting with the lovely @larryemdur... We'll have the latest on border closures, new Health alerts and COVID restrictions.'

Natarsha is also the host of the Morning Agenda podcast and is an Australia Today radio host.
Brad Pitt poses at the press room of the Oscars, in the 93rd Academy Awards in Los Angeles, in this April 25, 2021, file photo. 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 Thursday. Reuters-Yonhap





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 Thursday.







Performers and presenters at the film industry's highest honors must also 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 March 27 event 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. (Reuters)






AFL WAG Rebecca Judd was all dressed up on Friday night, as she enjoyed an evening out with friends.

The 39-year-old shared a picture of her outfit to Instagram before heading out, slipping her slender figure into a sequined minidress.

Bec's party frock didn't come cheap, with it being available for purchase from the brand DIIDA for $899.

Fab! Rebecca Judd showed off her slender figure in an $899 sequin minidress on Friday as she enjoyed a night out in Melbourne

'Now that's a party dress,' Bec captioned her mirror selfie.

The frock featured a one-shoulder design and was mini in length.

Bec showed off a deep golden glow and wore her long locks out and over her shoulders in tousled curls.

Party time: Bec headed to an event in Melbourne that appeared to be hosted by stylist and shoe designer Lana Wilkinson

Her makeup was completed with a deep nude lip, matte foundation and a smokey bronzed eye.

Bec teamed the look with silver accessories including a silver quilted clutch and a watch.

Bec headed to an event in Melbourne that appeared to be hosted by stylist and shoe designer Lana Wilkinson.

It comes after Bec gave women half her age a run for their money on Tuesday.

Gorgeous and glowing: It comes after Bec gave women half her age a run for their money on Tuesday. The mother-of-four, who turned 39 last month, looked incredible as she posed up on set of a photo shoot for her activewear brand, Jaggad

The mother-of-four, who turned 39 last month, looked incredible as she posed up on set of a photo shoot for her activewear brand, Jaggad.

Rebecca shared a stunning selfie on her Instagram story, looking gorgeous as she showed off her age-defying and flawless visage on set.

She previously revealed she relies on a $365 skincare routine to maintain her flawless visage.

In the past, Bec has shared her other beauty secrets, including drinking green tea - which is a well-known skin aid.
Rob Kardashian has filed to dismiss his assault lawsuit against his ex girlfriend Blac Chyna.

The former reality TV star, 34, ended the legal proceedings for the sake of the former couple's daughter Dream, five, Page Six reported.

'My love for Dream far outweighs my desire to proceed with my claims against her mother in a public trial,' Rob told the publication on Friday.

Exes: Rob Kardashian has filed to dismiss his assault lawsuit against his ex girlfriend Blac Chyna

'Now that the court has ruled that there is sufficient evidence to warrant a jury trial on my claim for assault, for our daughter's sake, I am dismissing the action and focusing on my co-parenting relationship with Chyna,' he added.

News of the dismissal follows a judge's recent denial of Kardashian's motion to delay the commencement of the trial.

Kardashian originally sued Chyna in September 2017 for assault and the case was set to begin next week.

On Friday evening Blac Chyna shared a new photo with her 16.3 million Instagram followers and said, 'Life's good.'

Good news: On Friday evening Blac Chyna shared a new photo with her 16.3 million Instagram followers and said, 'Life's good'

Rob previously filed the lawsuit and claimed his former girlfriend attempted to strangle him with an iPhone charger cord while they were staying at a home of his sister Kylie Jenner's.

He added that Chyna had done it after consuming 'copious amounts' of drugs and alcohol.

In his filing, Rob claimed in addition to suffering injuries to his neck, head and face, Chyna also extensively damaged Jenner's home.

Chyna has denied the allegations and said her actions were made in self-defense.

Update: News of the dismissal follows a judge's recent denial of Kardashian's motion to delay the commencement of the trial

Chyna's lawyer Lynne Ciani told Page Six, 'Rob Kardashian should have thought of his daughter Dream before he filed his malicious and baseless assault and battery lawsuit.

'Rob has sought to use his wealth and power via this vexatious lawsuit to smear Chyna as a mother and even as a human being for more than four years.

'Rob dropped his case on the eve of trial, not because he suddenly wanted to drop the case 'for the sake of his daughter,' but because he knew his assault and battery accusations against Chyna were false. In other words, Rob's avoidance of the serious consequences of an adverse jury verdict is why he dropped his case, not his supposed 'concern' for his daughter.

'Chyna will now seek relief from the court to make sure that Rob cannot refile his lawsuit and to make him pay for her substantial litigation costs,' she finished.

Their baby: Rob and Chyna split in February 2017 and agreed to joint custody of their five-year-old daughter Dream in September 2017

Chyna previously unsuccessfully attempted to have the lawsuit dropped after claiming to have proof she never attacked her ex. A judge denied her request to have the suit dismissed.

Chyna claimed Rob told the Los Angeles Department Of Children and Family Services she never attacked him in 2016, according to legal documents obtained by Blast.

Rob and Chyna split in February 2017 and agreed to joint custody of Dream in September 2017.
Kim Kardashian's four sisters have unfollowed Kanye West on Instagram after he shared private texts from the star and ranted about her beau Pete Davidson.

Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, and Kylie all followed sister Kim's lead after she stopped following her estranged husband first.

Their mom Kris Jenner, however, still follows the rapper.

Solidarity: Kim Kardashian's four sisters have unfollowed Kanye West on Instagram following his aggressive rants toward Pete Davidson; (L-R) Kourtney Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner pictured

The social media switch up from the 'Kar-Jenners' follows Ye's incessant cyber attacks on his soon-to-be ex wife's new boyfriend.

In his latest Instagram posting binge last weekend, the musician shared a private message from Pete, called him a d***head, and mocked one of his tattoos.

The string of posts have since been deleted from the Yeezy designer's account, where he has 14.3 million followers.

The SNL comedian had politely reached out to West to clear the air and said he hoped to one day meet Kim and Kanye's children.

The music artist took a screenshot and shared the message, then added: 'NO YOU WILL NEVER MEET MY CHILDREN.'

He's upset: The social media switch up from the 'Kar-Jenners' follows Ye's incessant cyber attacks on his soon-to-be ex wife's new boyfriend; Kanye pictured in 2020

Days ago Kim had asked her former spouse to end his attacks on the Staten Island-born entertainer.

The SKIMS founder said in a text that Kanye was 'creating a dangerous and scary environment' and added that if Pete were to get hurt it would 'all be your fault.'

The Monster rapper appeared to have reached a turning point when he admitted in a since-deleted post that his behavior toward his ex had been 'harassing,' while he also vowed to 'take accountability.'

But not long after, 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.

'No users found': Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, and Kylie all followed sister Kim's lead after she stopped following her estranged husband first

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.

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.

Strained relationship: Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, and Kylie all followed sister Kim's lead after she stopped following her estranged husband first; seen in February 2020

'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.

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.

New couple: Pete and Kim have been dating since November of last year, shortly after they appeared together during her hosting debut on SNL in October

End it: Days ago Kim had asked her former spouse to end his attacks on the Staten Island-born entertainer. The SKIMS founder said in a text that Kanye was 'creating a dangerous and scary environment' and added that if Pete were to get hurt it would 'all be your fault'

Not letting up: 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

Pete and Kim have been dating since November of last year, shortly after they appeared together during her hosting debut on SNL in October.

In February 2021, Kardashian filed for divorce from West after nearly seven-years of marriage.

The former couple shares four children: North, eight, Saint, six, Chicago, four, and Psalm, two.
Donald Glover and the Atlanta crew claim they were harassed because of their race while filming the third season of the show in London.

The Community actor, 38, his brother Stephen Glover, 31, and their co-writer Stefani Robinson, 29, discussed the incident during the Television Critics Association's virtual winter press conference on Thursday.

According to their account, the group was standing outside a closed bar in the city when they were approached by a small group.

Racism across the Atlantic: Donald Glover and the Atlanta crew claim they were harassed because of their race while filming the third season of the show in London (pictured 2019)

'It was the first night there,' Stephen recalled. 'This group of people walks up. And maybe one of them kind of notices Donald or recognizes him. And she stops and they start asking if they know anywhere around here to get something to drink. I think we were talking to them for a second. It's this girl and two or three guys.'

While the conversation seemed to start innocently enough, one member of the group that approached them quickly began to say offensive statements to the three Atlanta writers, all of whom are Black.

Stephen said that one of the men claimed the writers could break into a bar because 'you guys all carry hammers.' Hammer is a slang word that refers to a gun.

Dealing with it as a group: The Community actor, 38, his brother Stephen Glover, 31, and their co-writer Stefani Robinson, 29, discussed the incident on Thursday (Stephen pictured 2018)

Slang words: Stephen relayed that one person they talked to said 'you guys all carry hammers,' a slang term for guns (pictured 2017)

'Mind you, all of the writers on Atlanta are Black,' Stephen explained. 'So, he's making a reference that we all have hammers, and we can just break into this place, which we kind of ignored.'

Stefani Robinson said that it took a while for the three to realize what was actually being said to them. Then, the racially-charged language began to escalate.

'It was so insulting, but not insulting at the same time because it took us five minutes to fully understand,' Robinson remarked. 'He got to a point of like if the insinuation was lost on us, he got specific and he was like, "You guys are Black, you've gone to jail and you do things like that." Like he kept doubling down on it.'

Stephen explained most of the group walked away, but one girl continued to chat with them. The statements got even worse when one of her friends came back to collect her.

Things started to escalate: Stefani Robinson said the insinuation faded away and the man became more explicit saying, 'You guys are Black, you've gone to jail and you do things like that' (pictured 2020)

Really offensive: At one point, one of the men picked up a girl the group was talking to and said something like 'Run. They are going to rape you, like, rape you' (pictured 2017)

'She's talking to us. And then, after a minute, the guy just runs back down the street and grabs her and throws her over his shoulder, and he's like "Run. They are going to rape you, like, rape you,"' Stephen said. 'The girl was literally, like, "I'm sorry," as she's being taken away. So, it was pretty bad.'

Donald seemed to describe the whole conversation as very confusing and more than a bit shocking.

'We are just standing there, like, "What just happened?"' he said.

Season three of Atlanta will premiere on March 24.

The fourth, and final season, of the show has already been shot and will come out this fall.
Selina Chhaur enjoyed Valentine's Day this year - without her 'groom' Cody Bromley.

The Married at First Sight star enjoyed a lunch on the romantic date with her girlfriends in Adelaide, despite Cody being in town at the time.

The 32-year-old appeared in great spirits during the outing, laughing and joking with her pals.

Stepping out: Married at First Sight's Selina Chhaur (pictured) enjoyed Valentine's Day this year - without her 'groom' Cody Bromley

She arrived at the lunch in a chic outfit that included a sheer, lace top that showed off glimpses of skin.

The South Australian hairdresser paired the top with bright lime green trousers with a high waist.

Selina added a pair of strappy black heels to the ensemble and carried dark purse under one arm.

Lunch date: The star enjoyed a lunch on the romantic date with her girlfriends in Adelaide, despite Cody being in town at the time

Looking good: She arrived at the lunch in a chic outfit that included a sheer, lace top that showed off glimpses of skin

Details: The South Australian hairdresser paired the top with bright lime green trousers with a high waist

A look: Selina added a pair of strappy black heels to the ensemble and carried dark purse under one arm

She opted for a warm makeup look with a pink lipstick and wore her hair pulled off her face but for a few loose tendrils.

Once seated with her friends, she laughed heartily and appeared to be having a great time.

Selina clutched a number of long-stemmed roses which it seems she was gifted by her friends.

Good mood: The 32-year-old appeared in great spirits during the outing

Fun! Once seated with her friends, she laughed heartily and appeared to be having a great time

Funny friends: The stunner was laughing and joking with her female friends

The reality show bride broke down in tears during last week's episode when Cody, 30, confessed he wasn't attracted to her because she was Asian.

Just moments after the gut-wrenching moment unfolded behind closed doors, the beauty as spotted taking a walk outside her apartment.

Daily Mail Australia captured photos of Selina looking much more cheery as she took a 45-minute stroll after shooting her difficult chat with Cody on September 27.

The sighting came just moments after Selina stormed out of her apartment in tears after Cody broke her heart when he confessed he isn't sexually attracted to her.

A rose by any other name: Selina clutched a number of long-stemmed roses which it seems she was gifted by her friends

Pretty: She opted for a warm makeup look with a pink lipstick and wore her hair pulled off her face but for a few loose tendrils

Heartbreak: The reality show bride broke down in tears during last week's episode when Cody confessed he wasn't attracted to her because she was Asian

Oh no: Sitting on the floor in a cabin, Selina asked Cody: 'Are you attracted to me?'

Sitting on the floor in a cabin, Selina asked Cody: 'Are you attracted to me?'

Cody responded: 'So this is one I'm struggling with. I do feel like there is something there to work on honestly. I do think you are a gorgeous girl.'

'I don't know why I'm struggling a bit with the sexual attraction.'

'And I'm not sure what it is. It's like my schl*ng isn't coordinating with my head,' he added as Selina wiped tears away.
Madeleine West shocked her fans on Friday when she revealed that she'd been hospitalised for a mystery operation.

And now the Neighbours actress has shared more details about her hospital stay.

On Saturday, the 41-year-old posted a 'pre-surgery selfie' of herself in a hospital gown, mask and cap.

'Regular breast checks': Madeleine West shared more details about her hospital stay in an Instagram post on Saturday

'Pre-surgery chic!' she jokingly captioned it, before adding: 'I wanna say I only did it for the #fashion but seriously people CHECK YOUR BOOBS!!!'

She included the hashtags, '#allclear #oneoftheluckyones #regularbreastchecks #nothingtoseehere.'

On Friday, the mother-of-six 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, Madeleine insisted that she was 'fine' but admitted that the whole process had scared her.

Tough times: Madeleine shocked her fans on Friday when she revealed that she'd been hospitalised 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,' Madeleine 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.

Mystery: '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

Actress Rebecca Gibney commented on the post, writing, 'Hope you're ok beauty?' before adding, 'Feel better love.'

Madeleine responded, 'Thank you darling I'll be fine!!! Couple of days in bed is the best gift ever!!!'

The soap star separated from her partner, celebrity chef Shannon Bennett, 46, in 2018. They share six children: Phoenix, Hendrix, Xascha, Xanthe, Xahlia and Margaux.
Cody Bromley caught up with some friends in Adelaide last week and his 'bride' Selina Chhaur was nowhere to be seen.

Despite the couple both being in the city at the same time, they appeared to avoid one another.

The NSW personal trainer appeared in good spirits as he joined a group of pals for drinks.

Party time: Cody Bromley (pictured) caught up with some friends in Adelaide last week

The group headed to a beachside bar decorated with bright umbrellas, with Cody beaming as he chatted to his friends.

Cody was casually chic in a black, button up shirt that was opened to show off a glimpse of his chest.

The 30-year-old added a pair of black skinny jeans to the ensemble, along with a brown belt.

Solo: His 'bride' Selina Chhaur was nowhere to be seen as he headed out

Dodged? Despite the couple both being in the city at the same time, they appeared to avoid one another

Friends: The NSW personal trainer appeared in good spirits as he joined a group of pals for drinks

Fun: The group headed to a beachside bar decorated with bright umbrellas

He completed the look with dark sunglasses and a pair of dress shoes worn without socks.

After enjoying drinks, the group went for a stroll with Cody engaging in an animated discussion with his friends.

It seems that Cody and his 'wife' haven't been spending much time together.

Happy days! Cody was beaming and seemed in a good mood

Cool: Cody was casually chic in a black, button up shirt that was opened to show off a glimpse of his chest

Details: The 30-year-old added a pair of black skinny jeans to the ensemble, along with a brown belt

Chic: He completed the look with dark sunglasses and a leather necklace

Two days after Cody was spotted having drinks in Adelaide, Selina enjoyed Valentine's Day in the same city without her 'groom'.

The Married at First Sight star enjoyed a lunch on the romantic date with her girlfriends in Adelaide, despite Cody being in town at the time.

The 32-year-old appeared in great spirits during the outing, laughing and joking with her pals, who gifted her some roses.

Al smiles: Cody was engaging in an animated discussion with his friends

Friends indeed: He enjoyed what appeared to be a cocktail

Off they go: After enjoying drinks, the group went for a stroll

Best foot forward: The reality star had on a pair of dress shoes worn without socks

It comes after reality show bride broke down in tears during last week's episode when Cody confessed he wasn't attracted to her because she was Asian.

Just moments after the gut-wrenching moment unfolded behind closed doors, the beauty as spotted taking a walk outside her apartment.

Daily Mail Australia captured photos of Selina looking much more cheery as she took a 45-minute stroll after shooting her difficult chat with Cody on September 27.

The sighting came just moments after Selina stormed out of her apartment in tears after Cody broke her heart when he confessed he isn't sexually attracted to her.

Say cheese: He couldn't stop smiling as he walked along with his pals

Time apart: It seems that Cody and his 'wife' haven't been spending much time together

Not there: Two days after Cody was spotted having drinks in Adelaide, Selina enjoyed Valentine's Day in the same city without her 'groom'

Skipped: The Married at First Sight star enjoyed a lunch on the romantic date with her girlfriends in Adelaide, despite Cody being in town at the time

Sitting on the floor in a cabin, Selina asked Cody: 'Are you attracted to me?'

Cody responded: 'So this is one I'm struggling with. I do feel like there is something there to work on honestly. I do think you are a gorgeous girl.'

'I don't know why I'm struggling a bit with the sexual attraction.'

'And I'm not sure what it is. It's like my schl*ng isn't coordinating with my head,' he added as Selina wiped tears away.
Rihanna draped her baby bump in a Mets T-shirt when she was spotted dining out in New York City this Friday.

The 33-year-old pop star is pregnant with her firstborn child by her boyfriend A$AP Rocky, who was spotted with her during her night on the town.

During their night on the town, the expectant parents were also accompanied by Rihanna's younger brother Rorrey Fenty and a mystery woman.

Mother to be: Rihanna draped her baby bump in a Mets T-shirt when she was spotted dining out in New York City this Friday

Rihanna's bump was thrown into relief when she adjusted her T-shirt, causing it to tighten around her burgeoning belly.

The Umbrella hitmaker warded off the northeastern wintertime chill by bundling up in a burnt-orange anorak hoodie.

Slipping into a pair of fashionably faded jeans, she sharpened her screen siren features with makeup including a slick of scarlet lipstick.

Rihanna opted for an open-toed shoe and added a touch of glitz to the look with a necklace that dazzled under the city lights.

Father to be: The 33-year-old pop star is pregnant with her firstborn child by her boyfriend A$AP Rocky, who was spotted with her during her night on the town

All together: During their night on the town, the expectant parents were also accompanied by Rihanna's younger brother Rorrey Fenty and a mystery woman

Meanwhile her sizzling beau opted for a white ensemble with crimson accents, including a puffer jacket and matching shoes.

The family outing comes after The Sun claimed that Rihanna may finally drop her long-awaited ninth studio album sometime this year.

She has not released a studio album since Anti in 2016 and her fans have been eagerly anticipating her next offering ever since.

In the intervening time the Barbadian bombshell has been devoting her energies to projects including beauty products and lingerie.

On the go: Rihanna's bump was thrown into relief when she adjusted her T-shirt, causing it to tighten around her burgeoning belly

'Pregnancy makes me look at being more sustainable - with everything, all around,' she said during a recent interview with Allure.

'We've done a great job at that with Fenty Skin, so now we want to make sure we're doing that with Fenty Beauty as well,' she argued.

Rihanna unveiled her pregnancy when she stepped out in New York last month with A$AP Rocky, her blossoming baby bump in full view.

Her $8,000 hot pink vintage Chanel coat was open from just below the bust, putting her bare bump on display during her outing.

Baby on board: The Umbrella hitmaker warded off the northeastern wintertime chill by bundling up in a burnt-orange anorak hoodie

After the news broke an insider gushed to People that Rihanna 'couldn't be happier and is so excited to be a mom.'

Said the source: ''Having a baby is something she was never focused on, but being with Rocky opened her up to the idea.'

The insider continued: 'She's loving all the changes to her body during pregnancy and has always celebrated pregnant women in her runway shows for Fenty.'

According to the source: 'Everything Rihanna does, she does it her own way on her own time table, and having a baby is no different.'

Glam: Rihanna opted for an open-toed shoe and added a touch of glitz to the look with a necklace that dazzled under the city lights

Rihanna and Rocky are 'just like any other pair of parents-to-be. Yes, they happen to be famous but they're just the cutest, giddiest young couple that's expecting kids.'

To hear the insider tell it: 'A lot of guys have tried to sweep her off her feet, but Rocky actually managed to do it.'

Rocky is 'over-the-top romantic and sends her rooms full of flowers all the time. She's never felt this way before and this relationship has changed her.'

Pregnancy rumors went into overdrive in late November when Rihanna briefly placed her hands on her belly during a ceremony where she was named a 'national hero' by Barbados, which had just become a republic.

Meanwhile: Her sizzling beau opted for a white ensemble with crimson accents, including a puffer jacket and matching shoes

During an interview with GQ last year Rocky called Rihanna 'The One' and spilled that: 'She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones.'

Rocky, whose own father was an immigrant to America from Barbados, called Rihanna 'The love of my life' in the interview.

Rocky also spoke about the feeling of 'homecoming' he experienced during his trip to Barbados with his girlfriend.

'It was crazy. I always imagined what it would be like for my dad, before he came to America,' the Babushka Boi rapper shared. 'And I got to visit those places, and believe it or not, there was something nostalgic about it. It was foreign but familiar.'
She's known for hosting Britain's Next Top Model.

And Lisa Snowdon proved she's still quite the expert as she posed up a storm for Kaleidoscope's SS22 drop, on Friday.

The former radio host, 50, looked sensational as she modelled the latest collection, slipping into a range of dresses for the fashion brand.

Stunning: Lisa Snowdon, 50, looked sensational in a plunging maxi dress as she worked her best angles for her latest fashion shoot for Kaleidoscope on Friday

Lisa worked her best angles in a beaded maxi dress with a plunging wrapped neckline and delicate floaty sleeves.

She wore her brunette locks loose in a soft tousled style and opted for a simple makeup palette to showcase her natural beauty.

To complete her look she added height to her frame with a pair of swirl metallic sandals in a shade of rose pink.

Sensational: In another photo, Lisa put on an elegant display in a chic black jumpsuit with flowing chiffon side panels and a leather belt to showcase her waist

In another photo, Lisa put on an elegant display in a chic black jumpsuit with flowing chiffon side panels and a leather belt to showcase her waist.

She accessorised with a pair of hoop earrings, a gold necklace and three thin bangles and added a pair of strappy sandals.

Modelling a different striking look, the This Morning star nailed smart casual in form fitting leather trousers with a vibrant green blouse and a white blazer layered over the top.

Gorgeous: In another very striking look, she nailed smart casual in form fitting leather trousers with a vibrant green blouse and a white blazer layered over the top

All smiles: Elsewhere she slipped into a mixed animal print midi dress and green suede shoes

Her latest shoot comes as Lisa looked on cloud nine as she enjoyed a romantic trip to Iceland with her fiance George Smart to celebrate her 50th birthday, last month.

The TV star showcased her incredible figure in a black bikini as she and her partner, 41, went for a dip at the Sky Lagoon Iceland thermal spa.

The former Britain's Next Top Model host enjoyed a beer with George as they soaked up the breathtaking views on their trip.

Radiant: In another look Lisa wore a spot print dress with a snake leather clutch

Incredible: Slipping on a leather jacket, the television star nailed the perfect Spring look with a sweater and pleated skirt

Styling her brunette locks into an updo, Lisa sported a gold necklace and matching earrings for the outing.

Alongside the post, Lisa wrote: 'And just like that.. I am 50!! What a way to celebrate here in Iceland at the @skylagooniceland

'As far as the best places we have ever had a beer, this has to top the list! (we might have had a few!) -8 degrees, snow storm, 40mph winds, the most exhilarating experience of our lives!!

Birthday girl: Her latest shoot comes as Lisa looked on cloud nine as she enjoyed a romantic trip to Iceland with her fiance George Smart, 41, to celebrate her 50th birthday, last month

'Before the drinking began Sky Lagoon's 7 step ritual took us on the most relaxing skin smoothing session.

'Lagoon bathing, cold plunging, the most stunning sauna I have ever seen with the biggest window looking out at the North Atlantic Ocean- cool mist, body scrubs with sea salt & oil, steam room, showers and back into the lagoon.

'This day will forever be ingrained in our memories, Iceland we love you!
Hugh Grant has allegedly signed up to play an Oompa Loompa in the Charlie And The Chocolate Factory prequel film, Wonka, which is set to be released next year.

The actor, 61, is thought to have began filming his part within University Of Oxford's Hertford College, which has required students to take their meetings elsewhere.

It is unclear how the 5' 11" star will transform into one of the miniature factory workers, however film bosses have reportedly refused to cast actors with Dwarfism in a bid to avoid offence.

Exciting: Hugh Grant has allegedly signed up to play an Oompa Loompa in the Charlie And The Chocolate Factory prequel, Wonka, which is set to be released next year (pictured in 2020)

The Oompa Loompas' part in the movie had previously been undetermined, since studio executives feared they had a 'racist' connotation, The Sun continued.

In the 1964 children's novel, Willy Wonka claimed he 'imported' them from the 'very deepest darkest part of the African jungle where no white man had been before'.

Author Roald Dahl stood by his decision to include them in 1973, stating: 'It didn't occur to me that my depiction of the Oompa-Loompas was racist.'

Despite this, he re-wrote their descriptions as 'white hippies' in the revised edition later that year, but they already been portrayed with orange skin and green hair in the 1971 film adaptation.

Iconic: It is unclear how Hugh will play one of the miniature factory workers, however bosses have 'refused to cast actors with Dwarfism n a bid to avoid offence' (unknown actor pictured in 1971)

Hugh's representatives have been contacted for comment by MailOnline.

Timothee Chalamet is currently busy filming the upcoming Paul King-directed picture, in his role as the eccentric chocolatier.

The actor, 26, was seen on set with young actress Calah Lane in Oxford on Wednesday, sporting a purple velvet tailcoat, brown top hat and a mustard yellow silk scarf.

Timothee layered the coat atop of a brown waistcoat and also wore lace-up boots and pinstripe trousers as part of his costume.

Throwback: The Oompa Loompas' part in the movie had previously been undetermined due to fears of a 'racist' connotation, according to reports (Gene Wilder, centre, pictured in 1971)

In-between takes the actor talked to the crew and larked around with 12-year old Calah, who takes a yet to be announced supporting role in the new film.

The Academy Award nominee was previously seen alongside Matt Lucas in October as the pair filmed in Lyme Regis, Dorset.

The town was transformed in to a 1900's snowy set for two days, before the team moved to the Warner Brothers studios in Leavesden.

Highly anticipated film Wonka includes an all-star cast line up of Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman, Keegan-Michael Key and Sally Hawkins.

First look! Timothee Chalamet is currently busy filming the upcoming Paul King-directed picture, in his role as the eccentric chocolatier in Oxford (pictured in October 2021)

The movie is scheduled to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures in March 2023.

The musical, it will focus on a young Willy Wonka's adventures, before he became a chocolatier.

Timothee is the third actor to portray Willy Wonka on screen following Gene Wilder in the 1971 film and Johnny Depp in 2005.

In November filming was temporarily suspended after a Covid scare.

According to The Sun, filming stopped for five days while the cast, including lead actor Timothee, were forced to self-isolate.

A source said: 'Despite the strict Covid protocols everyone had been abiding with, as soon as there was a positive test on Thursday the whole production shut down immediately as bosses didn't want to take any chances.

'There's a huge amount of money tied up in filming so any delays can become incredibly costly. On site medical staff are monitoring the situation and won't make anyone come back until it's safe.

'Most people involved are double vaccinated anyway, but it shows that Covid can still find a way.'
A scene from the Chinese film "Fly, Skating Star" / Captured from Instagram



By Dong Sun-hwa



A Chinese movie has caused a stir for depicting Korean speedskaters as being dirty or unethical, leading a Korean professor to take the issue to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for violating the Olympic spirit.



"Fly, Skating Star," which was released on the Chinese platform iQiyi on Feb. 12, revolves around a Chinese country boy, who later becomes a member of the national speedskating team. However, in the film, his rivals from Korea are portrayed as rule breakers, who intentionally trip him with their feet and hurt his eye with a skate blade.



This has led Seo Kyung-duk, a professor of general education at Sungshin Women's University who has been actively promoting Korea worldwide, to accuse Beijing city authorities of stirring up hatred against Korea. According to him, Beijing city was in charge of producing and distributing the controversial movie.





Professor Seo Kyung-duk / Korea Times file




Beauty pageant contestants are no stranger to flashing their physiques in public.

But Miss World Australia 2019 Sarah Marschke took things to another level at the BYD Experience Centre for the launch of the ATTO 3 in Sydney on Saturday.

The 23-year-old left little to the imagination in a purple skirt with an extremely high split up the side.

Risky! Miss World Australia 2019 Sarah Marschke dared to bare at the BYD Experience Centre for the launch of the ATTO 3 in Sydney on Saturday

The leggy blonde almost revealed more than she bargained for in the daring skirt.

She paired it with a matching halterneck top, and opted for a pair of shiny red heels on her feet.

Sarah's taught abs were on full display, and she wore her blonde hair in loose, glamorous waves.

The pageant princess mingled with the other VIP guests at the event, including former Bachelor star Emma Roche.

Oops: The leggy blonde almost revealed more than she bargained for in the daring skirt

Other notable names that attended included DJ Helena Ellis, Australian Survivor's George Mladenov, and Sydney socialite Suzan Mutesi.

Sarah made headlines last year when it was revealed that she had insured her long legs for a staggering $1million after partnering up with celebrity agent Max Markson.

Speaking to the Herald Sun at the time, the bombshell boasted: 'I am all legs, a little belly and then shoulders.'

The stunner went on to state that she was 'flattered' by the attention her pins have received.

Gal pal: The pageant princess mingled with the other VIP guests at the event, including former Bachelor star Emma Roche (pictured together)

'I got teased always when I was younger with other kids saying 'you are such a lank', 'you are too tall', and now to hear that everyone loves my legs and that they are being insured for $1 million is flattering, it really is flattering,' she said.

Sarah currently boasts 18,000 followers on her Instagram page, where she often shares racy modelling photos of herself.

She also has her own sunglasses line called SM Sunnies, which she promotes on social media.
Dame Judi Dench has revealed she feels 'frightened' when she finishes an acting job.

The actress, 87, admitted despite her legendary reputation, she is always worried no one will want to hire her again.

Judi detailed how grateful she is to still be 'employed' and the relief that comes with being cast in a new project.

'I always get frightened at the end of the job': Dame Judi Dench, 87, revealed that she is grateful to 'still be employed' in a recent interview

In an interview with Readers Digest magazine she confessed: 'Ive always thought, one is very lucky to be employed.

'I always get frightened at the end of the job because I think Im not going to be employed again and then feel very relieved at the beginning of the next one.'

Despite her decades of success, Judi, who most recently starred in the coming of age drama Belfast, admitted that she still feels nervous when she lands a new job.

On set: Judi, who most recently starred in the coming of age drama Belfast, said: 'I think Im not going to be employed again and then feel very relieved at the beginning of the next one'

She exclaimed: 'Ill say! I get more anxious now. Oh yes, much more anxious. Theres more things to consider and more things to find out and more things to learn about. And you think, "Oh God, have I got the energy to do this?"

When it comes to looking for new roles, the Belfast star is always on the hunt for something different to anything shes done before.

She said: 'I just, really, always hope that I will be asked to do something different. And perhaps not expected. Or something that has no reference to anything Ive done before.

In Belfast, Judi worked with director Sir Kenneth Branagh for the 12th time and confessed how much she loves their collaborations.

She said: 'I just love working with him. I just love it. Its very varied, all the things Ive done with Ken. And Ive directed him and been directed by him and been in things with him. Its always different.'

In Belfast, Judi worked with director Sir Kenneth Branagh for the 12th time and confessed how much she loves their collaborations

This comes as Judi made history with her Oscar nod - her eighth overall - becoming the oldest nominee ever for Best Supporting Actress.

The veteran actress has been nominated for her role as Granny in the Irish drama, which marks her seventh Academy Award nomination.

She received her first nomination in 1999 for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love.

Judi's latest role sees her play grandmother to young lad Buddy (11-year-old Jude Hill) whose parents (Caitriona Balfe and Jamie Dornan) are struggling to decide whether to remain in Belfast as the city descends into a state of war.

Set in 1969, the movie is inspired by Kenneth's early childhood growing up in Northern Ireland during the troubles.

The film continues to dominate awards season as it also landed a spot in the coveted Best Picture list.
Amber Davies looked sensational on Saturday as she took to Instagram to share a slew of bikini snaps while holidaying in the Maldives.

The former Love Island contestant, 25, relaxed by the swimming pool, as she soaked in the sun's rays and ate breakfast from a floating table in the water.

She recently checked into the swanky five-star Ayada Maldives hotel, where rooms can set guests back by up to an eye-popping 1,500 per night.

Flawless: Amber Davies looked sensational on Saturday, as she took to Instagram to share a slew of bikini snaps while holidaying in the Maldives

Living the high life: Captioning the stunning shots, she wrote: 'Brekky in the pool?? Oh.. go on then'

Amber showed off her incredible body and golden tan as she posed up a storm in the turquoise two-piece.

Her toned legs and taut midriff were on full display as she lounged in the sun, and flashed her ample cleavage.

Her brunette tresses were swept back in an elegant bun on top of her head, with several locks down to frame her lovely face.

Captioning the stunning shots, she wrote: 'Brekky in the pool?? Oh.. go on then' (sic).

Incredible: The former Love Island contestant, 25, relaxed by the swimming pool, as she soaked in the sun's rays and ate breakfast from a floating table in the water

Amber's sun-soaked trip comes after she was left heartbroken when the touring production of Bring It On: The Musical was cancelled last month.

The cheerleader-themed show became a casualty of the pandemic after many theatres temporarily shut in January due to rising Covid cases.

Sharing the news with fans, Amber - who had been starring as Squad Captain, Campbell in the musical - posted a slew of snaps from her time in the production.

The star posted a mirror selfie while in costume on Instagram, while another snap showed her on stage.

Sad: Amber's sun-soaked trip comes after she was left heartbroken when the touring production of Bring It On: The Musical was cancelled last month

Alongside the photos, Amber penned: 'I post this with a heavy, heavy heart. The producers of @bringitonuktour are sadly announcing that due to self-isolation requirements, resulting in 13 cancelled shows at @southbankcentre the show will no longer be able to continue on tour.'

'I dont think Ive ever really felt the true meaning of gutted until now, but I know one thing for sure, we will be leaving this show on a HIGH.

'I am going to cherish every single second I have left on stage and feel eternally grateful to have worked with such an unbelievably talented cast, creatives & crew - friends which I have made for life.'

She continued: 'Its a hard pill to swallow, I feel like its ending before its even truly begun but I just want to say a big thank you to each and every one of you who have come to watch the show  its been a blast.

'So, heres to the beginning of the end of what I can only describe as truly some of the best months of my entire life.

'WE HAVE TWO WEEKS LEFT IN LONDON. Grab your tickets and lets HAVE FUN. The arts industry is suffering, its tougher than ever before - for us 7 months of work has just disappeared. @nadinedorries the sector youre responsible for is crumbling. Theres ZERO support. Please DO SOMETHING!

'For anyone else going through turbulence just remember times WILL change. If youre struggling, no matter what your journey is in life, you are not alone. Our worst days are temporary & with every bad day we will gain 10 better days. Keep smiling.'
Alice Evans is seeking full custody of her children with Ioan Gruffudd.

Just days after Ioan, 48, filed a restraining order against his estranged wife, 53, she applied for legal and physical custody of their daughters Ella, 12 and Elsie, eight.

In court documents obtained by People, the actress asked that visitation rights be granted to Ioan.

Escalating: Alice Evans is requesting custody of her daughters Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, with her estranged husband Ioan Gruffudd... after he filed a restraining order

She is also requesting 'spousal support, termination of the court's ability to award spousal support to Gruffudd, and for her attorney fees to be paid by her estranged husband', while citing 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for their split.

The 102 Dalmatians star has asked the court to determine the rights to their family home in Los Angeles.

Alice and Ioan's representatives have been contacted for comment by MailOnline.

It comes after the actress laid into his new girlfriend Bianca Wallace in a series of abusive texts, calling her a 'vixen' and telling him she has 'your nuts stuck in her veneers' - according to a bombshell court filing.

Happier times: Just days after Ioan, 48, filed a restraining order against her, 53, Alice applied for legal and physical custody of their daughters Ella, 12 (left) and Elsie, eight (right)

Shock: The 102 Dalmatians star has asked the court to determine the rights to their family home in Los Angeles (L-R: Elsie and Ella)

The Welsh actor submitted 113 pages of abusive text messages, emails and social media posts as he applied for a restraining order against his ex on Tuesday, claiming she threatened to do to him 'what Amber Heard did to Johnny Depp' and paint him as a drug-addicted abuser.

Ioan had been married to Alice for 14 years before he filed for divorce in March.

Their messy split centres around his new relationship with Bianca. Ioan was seen sporting a cap with the letter 'B' on it on Wednesday, in a possible show of support for his girlfriend.

In his court filing, Ioan claims he told Alice he wanted out of the marriage in August 2020 and since then, she has harassed him with hundreds of unanswered text messages, abusive emails and social media posts - many of which he included in the filing.

Back then: In court documents, the actress asked that visitation rights be granted to Ioan

'If you throw me out of the house, I will call all the tabloids in the UK. There is NO going back now though. I just think you should know what you've gotten yourself into. You think you have a bad reputation now? Lol! You think once it's over I will stop talking? I am going to dedicate the rest of my life to spreading awareness of what you have done,' she said in one text.

She went on to allege that he'd told her of times castmates bought cocaine, and that he never gave her sexual pleasure. 'Your face and body now look hideous to me. I am starting on dating apps...,' one text read, while in another she writes: 'I have no idea why the hell I fell in love with you.'

At other times she appears apologetic, writing: 'I'm sorry I sent ranting texts last night, I'll try really hard not to do it any more.' But the messages quickly revert again to being abusive, but then quickly flips back to insulting him.

In a written statement, Ioan claims she verbally threatened to tell the media he had abused her and do 'what Amber Heard did to Johnny Depp'.

Family drama: She is also requesting 'spousal support, termination of the court's ability to award spousal support to Gruffudd'

'Alice told me verbally multiple times that she would do to me what Amber Heard did to Johnny Depp.

'Alice threatened to tell people I had abused her and our daughters; she threatened to call the police on me if I did not comply with her demands; she threatened to tell people I am a drug addict and put me in prison; she threatened to write a fake diary that reflected an abused victim, and to have the diary published; and she threatened to destroy my mother.

'Alice told me she would win, and everyone would believe her over me,' Gruffudd said.

In her response in court, Alice said she had 'never threatened' him with slanderous statements or harassed him. Her representatives have not responded to requests for comment about the texts and emails contained in the lawsuit.

New woman: Ioan had been married to Alice for 14 years before he filed for divorce in March. Their messy split centres around his new relationship with Bianca Wallace (pictured)

In the declaration, Ioan goes on to claim Alice had already made 'false and harassing' posts about him on social media', as well as sending 'hundreds' of abusive emails, texts and video calls.

Dozens of messages were included in the court documents, in which Alice appeared to criticize the star for not working.

'It' embarrassing now that everybody is telling me you are done. That nobody wants to [employ] you. That Dom West is at the top of the lists because he 'did the right thing'. And by the way it doesn't matter what is really going on in the relationship, for god's sake. It's about appearances. Jesus Christ think of Cary grant and Rock Hudson.

'Why on EARTH do you think Tom Cruise and John Travolta went to such extents? I'm increasingly angry that you have sabotaged your career. Insanely angry. I GAVE UP my career for this.

Bombshell: Texts from Alice to Ioan include many about their kids, custody agreements and her ranting about other portions of their lives

At odds: In her court filing, Alice said she that had never 'threatened or harassed' Ioan. Her attorneys and reps have not commented on the texts that were submitted

'And you throw it away because you feel a stronger connection to [your parents] than you do to your own brethren? It's just o confusing. . . You KNOW your Mum is a mental case. Why on earth do you want to give up everything we've established for the sake of somebody who doesn't even love you?'

She added: 'Your face and body now look hideous to me. I am starting on dating apps ( not had the balls to actually go live yet) because I want to find a man who really loves me after being deprived of that for 20 whole years.

'I am convinced I still have time, and my personality will shine through. I have no idea why the hell I fell in love with you. Biggest mistake if my life. ( except for the kids)'

The actor claimed she had also turned on his new girlfriend, Bianca, such as by publishing private information about her.

He continued: 'It was extremely upsetting and stressful for me to continuously receive these types of hostile and aggressive text messages from Alice. On July 22, 2021, I blocked Alice's phone number on my phone.'

Serious: Alice is also requesting 'for her attorney fees to be paid by her estranged husband', while citing 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for their split

One of the examples appeared to show Alice saying: 'Dude your film with Bianca is the most embarrassing thing I have EVER seen in Deadline. . . You have left a family you were providing for. You had SPECIFICALLY asked this loving family to wait for you while you worked abroad. We did.

'Then you met the most psychopathic succubus ever minnow to man, and fell for her. even Prince Harry... whatever. No NO NO NO nO.

'Find some financing then make whatever film you want. But don't take away everything you have because some vixen has your nuts between her veneers. PS: There is already betting on how long until she leaves you! PROPER BETTING! Now THAT'S famous.'

Alice rejected all the claims made by Ioan in the restraining order application.

She wrote: 'I believe that Petitioner is filing this request merely as a ploy to gain some sort of advantage over me in our divorce proceedings.

Eek! It comes after she laid into his new girlfriend in a series of abusive texts, calling her a 'vixen' and telling him she has 'your nuts stuck in her veneers' - according to a bombshell court filing (Alice and Ioan pictured in 2016)

Hollywood carcrash: Amber Heard publicly accused Johnny Depp of beating her and emotionally abusing her during their marriage. She won the case in court and was found to be telling the truth (pictured in 2015)

'As Petitioner has not seen our children for over 8 months, I believe he is trying to set some type of record that I am a horrible mother.'

Alice and Ioan confirmed their split in a series of furious tweets posted in January 2021.

She has since documented every toxic turn in their subsequent divorce proceedings across social media, and repeatedly slated him for being in a relationship with Bianca Wallace.

Gruffudd and Alice's lawyers are due in court on March 11 for a hearing on the restraining order.
Kanye West was spotted catching a flight out of LAX airport in Los Angeles on Saturday, alongside Kim Kardashian lookalike Chaney Jones.

The rapper, 44, was recognisable in his signature full face mask, as well as a Balenciaga bomber jacket and dark jeans as he made his way into the airport - ahead of the release of his Donda 2 album.

Chaney, 24, followed him inside, wearing a skintight black top and figure-hugging matching trousers that clung to her Kardashian-esque curves.

Jetting off: Kanye West was spotted getting a flight from LAX airport in Los Angeles on Saturday, alongside Kim Kardashian lookalike Chaney Jones

She elevated her height in a pair of metallic gold boots, and shielded her eyes behind a pair of black sunglasses.

Her raven tresses were styled in neat waves and she carried her essentials in a small black handbag as she prepared to join Kanye on his flight.

Little is known about Kanye's new friend Chaney, aside from she is a model who boasts nearly 100k followers on Instagram, but she has been spotted hanging out with the likes of Travis Scott and Kendall Jenner in recent weeks.

Seeing double: Chaney followed him inside, wearing a skintight black top and figure-hugging matching trousers that clung to her Kardashian-esque curves

It comes after Kim's four sisters have unfollowed Kanye on Instagram after he shared private texts from the star and ranted about her beau Pete Davidson.

Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, and Kylie all followed sister Kim's lead after she stopped following her estranged husband first.

Their mother Kris Jenner, however, still follows the rapper.

We see you! The rapper, 44, was recognisable in his signature full face mask, as well as a Balenciaga bomber jacket and dark jeans as he made his way into the airport.

Stylish: She elevated her height in a pair of metallic gold boots, and shielded her eyes behind a pair of black sunglasses

Unfollowed: It comes after Kim's four sisters have unfollowed Kanye on Instagram after he shared private texts from the star and ranted about her beau Pete Davidson

The social media switch up from the 'Kar-Jenners' follows Ye's incessant cyber attacks on his soon-to-be ex wife's new boyfriend.

In his latest Instagram posting binge last weekend, the musician shared a private message from Pete, called him a d***head, and mocked one of his tattoos.

The string of posts have since been deleted from the Yeezy designer's account, where he has 14.3 million followers.

Solidarity: Kim's four sisters all followed sister Kim's lead after she stopped following her estranged husband first.; (L-R) Kourtney, Khloe, Kim, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner

The SNL comedian had politely reached out to West to clear the air and said he hoped to one day meet Kim and Kanye's children.

The music artist took a screenshot and shared the message, then added: 'NO YOU WILL NEVER MEET MY CHILDREN.'

Days ago Kim had asked her former spouse to end his attacks on the Staten Island-born entertainer.

He's upset: The social media switch up from the 'Kar-Jenners' follows Ye's incessant cyber attacks on his soon-to-be ex wife's new boyfriend; Kanye pictured in 2020

The SKIMS founder said in a text that Kanye was 'creating a dangerous and scary environment' and added that if Pete were to get hurt it would 'all be your fault.'

The Monster rapper appeared to have reached a turning point when he admitted in a since-deleted post that his behavior toward his ex had been 'harassing,' while he also vowed to 'take accountability.'

But not long after, 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 modelled off the MAGA hat that he wore to signal his support for former President Donald Trump.

'No users found': Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, and Kylie all followed sister Kim's lead after she stopped following her estranged husband first

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.

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.

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.

New couple: Pete and Kim have been dating since November of last year, shortly after they appeared together during her hosting debut on SNL in October

End it: Days ago Kim had asked her former spouse to end his attacks on the Staten Island-born entertainer. The SKIMS founder said in a text that Kanye was 'creating a dangerous and scary environment' and added that if Pete were to get hurt it would 'all be your fault'

Not letting up: 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

Pete and Kim have been dating since November of last year, shortly after they appeared together during her hosting debut on SNL in October.

Meanwhile Kanye recently split from actress Julia Fox, 32, after meeting on New Year's Eve and then moving at warp speed into a full-blown relationship, with the actress even penning an essay about their romance.

Earlier Monday morning, Fox took to Instagram to deny that she was in tears following her split with West.

Taunting: On Thursday Ye posted a shot of Pete wearing a 'Make Kanye 2006 Again' hat and said, 'HI SKETE YOU GOT ANYMORE MENTAL HEALTH JOKES FOR ME?'

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.

'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?!'

In February 2021, Kardashian filed for divorce from West after nearly seven-years of marriage.

The former couple shares four children: North, eight, Saint, six, Chicago, four, and Psalm, two.
Hana Cross commanded attention as she attended the Poster Girl AW22 show during London Fashion Week on Friday.

The model, 24, flashed her toned legs in a thigh-split glittery pink midi skirt which she teamed up with a coordinating crop top.

She added inches to her enviable frame with a pair of unmissable orange heels, while toting her essentials around in a matching miniature handbag.

Wow! Hana Cross commanded attention as she attended the Poster Girl AW22 show during London Fashion Week on Friday

Before entering the venue, the influencer ensured to wrap up in a chic black leather jacket amid the chilly weather, as she posed up a storm for photographers.

Her gorgeous walnut locks had been tucked behind her ears with orange clips and she accessorised her look with a pair of shimmering silver drop earrings.

Hana recently enjoyed a romantic double date night with her rumoured new love interest Scott Disick and some pals at Nobu Malibu.

Looking good: Her gorgeous walnut locks had been tucked behind her ears with orange clips and she accessorised her look with a pair of shimmering silver drop earrings

Hot stuff: The model, 24, flashed her toned legs in a thigh-split glittery pink midi skirt which she teamed up with a coordinating crop top

Scott, 38, was first linked to the model in November after being dumped by Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin's daughter Amelia Hamlin.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians alum shares three children - Mason, 11, Penelope, 9, and Reign, 6 - with Kourtney Kardashian, who he split from in 2015 after more than a decade together.

Following their date night, Scott has since been spotted out and about with a mystery woman and his model ex Christine Burke.

Stunning: Before entering the venue, the influencer ensured to wrap up in a chic black leather jacket amid the chilly weather, as she posed up a storm for photographers

Stunning: She added inches to her enviable frame with a pair of unmissable orange heels, while toting her essentials around in a matching miniature handbag

Hana was previously linked to actor Rafferty Law, 25, when they were spotted 'kissing and cuddling' at the All Points East festival in East London in August.

The new couple attended the festival with pals and weren't shy about hiding their affection for each other as they packed on the PDA, before the actor broke away to smoke a cigarette.

The pair were first linked in October after being seen snogging passionately at a trendy pub in Notting Hill.

New man? Hana recently enjoyed a romantic double date night with her new boyfriend Scott Disick and some pals at Nobu Malibu

A witness told MailOnline at the time: 'They were kissing like no one was looking.'

Prior to Rafferty, brunette beauty Hana was in a relationship with Brooklyn Beckham, who is now engaged to Nicola Peltz.

Hanna and the budding photographer dated from November 2018 until August 2019 but they split in the wake of a string of explosive public rows.

Back in September 2019, reports surfaced that Brooklyn's parents Victoria and David were relieved when the couple split.

A source told The Sun at the time: 'Brooklyn and Hana have called off their romance for good. David and Victoria are very glad and relieved and are backing him 100 per cent.'

During an interview with Tatler magazine in May, Rafferty, whose parents divorced in 2003, claimed he was single.
Kanye West could be facing legal trouble following last month's incident where he was accused of pushing and punching a fan seeking an autograph.

Los Angeles law enforcement have nearly completed their investigation into the case and will be forwarding it to the L.A. City Attorney's Office, who will then decide whether to file criminal charges against the 44-year-old rapper, per TMZ.

Though West was not interviewed by the police  allegedly due to his busy schedule  sources believe that paparazzi video of the incident and witness statements could provide enough evidence for a criminal charge.

Legal trouble: Kanye West could be facing criminal charges following last month's incident where he was accused of pushing and punching a fan seeking an autograph; Seen in January

Meanwhile, the controversial musician was back to posting on his Instagram Friday night.

He shared a numerical rundown of his $2million income since launching a $200 Stem Player where his new album Donda 2 will be exclusively available.

West then shared a list of all the people he has alleged 'beefs' with, including Taylor Swift, his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, and most shockingly, American abolitionist Harriet Tubman, among many others.

Ye also shared a black and white photo of himself, writing, 'There are two kinds of people People on my team or losers.'

Back to posting: Ye, 44, shared a black and white photo of himself to Instagram, writing, 'There are two kinds of people People on my team or losers'

The list, which was originally shared by Hip Hop By The Numbers, was not accurate according to Ye, who declared in the caption that it should be longer.

'Come on guys... This list is twice as long,' he wrote, adding more names that included, music streaming platforms Apple and Spotify, chief executive officer of Universal Music Group Lucian Grainge, as well as Hillary Clinton.

The Donda hitmaker also couldn't resist taking a swipe at Kim's new boyfriend, SNL comedian Pete Davidson, whom he has nicknamed Skete.

'And of course Skete and any and all corny sh** in general,' he stated, adding, 'Can somebody from Chicago let these people know what Skete meant when we was growing up. It's up for everybody!!!!!'

New ventures: He also posted a number rundown that showed he made over $2million since launching a $200 Stem Player where his new album Donda 2 will be exclusively available

Beefs: The Donda hitmaker then shared a list naming all the people he has 'beefs' with, which shockingly included American abolitionist Harriet Tubman

The Atlanta native also added Kris Jenner's boyfriend, Corey Gamble into the mix, and then made a separate post, calling him, 'godless.'

'God has a plan to remove the godless Corey needed to never be here anyway,' he started his disjointed post.

'And I think he's a nice person Not a great person A nice person who used to be around Puff's family then got around Justin Bieber and then when Kris got divorced he slid in.'

Kanye continued his post saying that he had Gamble 'removed' from his daughter's birthday party because he had told Kim 'he knew what music she should be listening to.'

New enemy: West added Kris Jenner's boyfriend, Corey Gamble to the list, and then made a separate post, calling him 'godless'

West went on, saying, 'We still never met his family And I guess we never will.'

He also blamed Gamble for getting Kim involved with 'liberals' writing, 'He got my wife linked with the liberals in a deep way. That was his Job.'

Though he did save some kind words for his ex mother-in-law, writing that she is a 'hero' and has done what 'she's had to do to protect her family and make sure they prosper.'

He also added that he respects 'her grind and hustle' and that she is 'the best to ever do it.'

Kim filed for divorce from Kanye in February 2021 and has since requested a judge to declare her single as West has fought back against the divorce, both in court and on social media. The couple has four children.
She's a multihyphenate with a bustling real estate career after finding fame on reality television following a stint on the Real Housewives of New York.

And Kelly Bensimon gave back to her community as she participated in a local food bank at Yankee Stadium in New York on Thursday morning.

The 53-year-old supermodel was in great spirits as she handed out supplies to those in need outside of the stadium in the Bronx.

Giving back: Kelly Bensimon gave back to her community as she participated in a local food bank at Yankee Stadium in New York on Thursday morning

Bensimon sported a dark orange jacket to stay warm in the brisk winter weather which she paired with distressed black skinny jeans.

She laced up a pair of dark green low-top Converse trainers to match a Yankees hat worn on top of her caramel colored tresses while passing out packaged goods to members of the community.

Kelly rocked a black T-shirt under her warm coat and made sure to stay safe amid COVID-19 by wearing a black face mask.

Great work: The 53-year-old supermodel was in great spirits as she handed out supplies to those in need outside of the stadium in the Bronx

She's long been a supporter of the Food Bank for New York City and regularly campaigns for the nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.

She recently beamed with pride earlier this month at the launch of her fourth outerwear collection, EnVille by Pologeorgis, at the newest Blue & Cream location on Madison Avenue with former RHONY co-star Luann de Lesseps.

'The spirit behind this 4 collection is reflective of my extensive travels,' Bensimon said. 'The places I've been, the environments I've explored, the colors I love, and the people I've come to adore.'

Helping out: She laced up a pair of dark green low-top Converse trainers to match a Yankees hat worn on top of her caramel colored tresses while passing out packaged goods to members of the community

She added: 'EnVille is an elevated casual line that resonates with a lot of my clients who have a casual lifestyle. During their downtime, they want to still feel and look good.'

Kelly became a household name after starring as a main character on three seasons of RHONY between 2009-11 before taking on a guest role for seasons six and seven, and is now a top-selling agent with Douglas Elliman.

She shares her two daughters, Sea and Thaddeus, with photographer ex-husband Giles Bensimon.
She recently returned from a holiday to Dubai.

And Georgia Steel, 23, posed up a storm as she showcased her sun-kissed skin in some sultry snaps as she enjoyed a night out in York on Friday.

The former Love Island contestant looked sensational as she flashed her taut abs in a skimpy halter neck top and skirt

Georgia Steel, 23, showcased her taut abs in a skimpy satin two piece with a daring thigh-high split as she stepped out in York on Friday

She leaned provocatively on the bar as she slipped into the pink and orange satin two piece.

Georgia showcased her figure in bra top and low rise skirt with thigh high split as she gave a glimpse of her toned legs.

She wore her brunette locks loose in a sleek style and opted for a soft makeup palette with bronzed cheeks and a nude lip gloss.

Incredible: Georgia showcased her figure in bra top and low rise skirt with thigh high split as she gave a glimpse of her toned legs

Earlier this week, Georgia sent temperatures soaring whilst treating her Instagram followers with a racy slew of snaps from her Dubai getaway.

She flashed her cleavage as she suggestively tugged at her white bikini top which she combined with a skimpy pair of matching bottoms.

Posing inside the swanky beach club Twiggy By La Cantine, Georgia wore a delicate gold chain around her svelte waist and smouldered up a storm for the camera.

Stunning: Earlier this week Georgia sent temperatures soaring whilst treating her Instagram followers with a racy slew of snaps from her Dubai getaway

Her walnut locks had been styled into a chic fringe and she enhanced her natural beauty by flawlessly applying a full face of make-up.

Her sun-kissed glow, from soaking in the sun for the past several days, was on full display in the two-piece.

In her caption, the influencer wrote: Every day bikini dayyy @fashionnova ad.'
When James Middleton and his new wife Alizee moved to a tiny hamlet last year, they planned to escape city life for good.

But the couple have become embroiled in a planning row with neighbours who want to build a modern Cubist building in the heart of the Berkshire countryside.

When James Middleton and his new wife Alizee (pictured) moved to a tiny hamlet last year, they planned to escape city life for good

David Alderton and his wife Karen, who live close to James and Alizees 1.5 million Grade II listed farmhouse near Bucklebury, want to demolish their bungalow and replace it with a Grand Designs-style home.

The proposal has divided the village, and the Middletons, who married in the South of France in September, say it is not compatible with the surroundings.

They have employed a planning consultant to object on their behalf.

The Aldertons have made three applications to rebuild their home, which have all been rejected.

But the couple have become embroiled in a planning row with neighbours who want to build a modern Cubist building in the heart of the Berkshire countryside near their 1.5m Grade II listed farmhouse in Bucklebury (pictured)

Its the Mayfair restaurant where you go to be seen.

So Im surprised that Poppy Delevingne opted to go to Scotts, giving her the chance to parade this new mystery man after we reported that she and her fun-loving husband, James Cook, are living apart.

They dined together, with no one else, Im told.

As I revealed earlier this month, Poppy has recently returned to the UK after a trip to re-balance her life at a top spa resort in Thailand.

Was he a Valentines treat, Poppy?

Petra Ecclestone just cant shift her Chelsea home which was put on the market for 170 million. Its been four months now and shes yet to find a buyer.

Her husband Sam, who flogs high-end properties, has released a series of glitzy promotional videos showcasing the house  but it hasnt had any impact.

Petra Ecclestone just cant shift her Chelsea home which was put on the market for 170 million. Its been four months now and shes yet to find a buyer

Petra and fiance Sam Palmer (pictured) are selling their 170 million home 'off-market' and have recorded a revealing ten-minute video offering potential buyers the ultimate Through The Keyhole-style tour of their Chelsea mansion

The palatial home features countless crystal chandeliers, a custom-made gold bar in the entrance hall and a 16ft-long fish tank in the kitchen.

My property expert tells me: It is vastly overpriced and the decor is, putting it diplomatically, unique.
NH NongHyup Financial Group's digital finance chief Lee Sang-rae holds this year's first online supreme council meeting on digital transformation at the group's headquarters in central Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of NH NongHyup Financial Group





By Anna J. Park







The country's major financial groups are accelerating efforts for digital transformation, which has become key for survival in the industry.







NH NongHyup Financial Group reaffirmed its priority goal of pursuing digital transformation at its first supreme council meeting this week.







The meeting led by the group's digital finance chief Lee Sang-rae decided that the group's banking affiliate will focus on improving its online-only process for customers, while its securities affiliate will put its utmost effort into digitalization of customer services as well as the introduction of online services.







The bank aims to improve online banking procedures, laying solid foundations for the next 10 years of digital development.







NH Securities' priority of enhancing digital customer consultation services includes a 24-hour chatbot service and expansion of digital services in its mobile trading system as well as wealth management centers.







KB Financial Group, which solidified its top position among the country's major financial groups with last year's strong net profit of 4.4 trillion won ($3.7 billion), also declared earlier this month that strengthening its financial platform would be one of its key strategic goals.







The group aims to increase the number of monthly active users (MAU) on its mobile app to 15 million, up from 9 million as of last month.







Shinhan Financial Group, which came in second in terms of annual net profit last year, also vows to strengthen its digital services, in particular by expanding its market share in digital platforms compared to other financial companies. In addition, the bank's affiliate is looking to provide more diverse financial services at its metaverse-based digital branch.







Woori Financial Group is also aiming to further innovate its digital platform services through its affiliates, including Woori Bank. Chairman Son Tae-seung has pointed out that the group's fast decision-making process in its digital innovation taskforce teams would bring more efficient results in realizing an advanced digital financing environment.


Tost cities would take notice if this pair breezed in because the late Princess Dianas twin nieces Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza are not only armed with aristocratic glamour  theyre oozing with chutzpah too!

The 29-year-old daughters of Dis brother Charles and his former wife Victoria popped over to the Big Apple and penned a breathless piece for society bible Tatler headlined The Spencer Twins Take New York.

But the citys natives may be less than impressed with some of their, er, less than incisive insights.

Lady Amelia (right) and Lady Eliza Spencer arrive at the Michael Kors Show for New York Fashion Week on February 15

The late Princess Dianas twin nieces Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza are not only armed with aristocratic glamour  theyre oozing with chutzpah too!

New York has incredible landmarks, they gush before informing readers that their hotel boasts beautiful rooms while their hair and make-up was done by incredible artists.

The climax of their trip comes when they opt for different eyeshadows  Eliza having a cats eye and Amelia going for similar but with a little more shimmer.

The twins also write glowingly of the fashion show they attended hosted by Michael Kors.

Eliza and Amelia see him as such a warm, incredible presence that they mention his name 11 times in the article.

Crush of the week... Amber Le Bon

How refreshing to come across someone who is fed up with the rose-tinted lives portrayed on social media.

I bumped into Amber Le Bon, the model daughter of Duran Duran frontman Simon and his supermodel wife Yasmin, at celebrity photographer Dave Benetts private exhibition launch at JD Malat Gallery in Mayfair last week, where she told me: The whole world bombards you with You have to be positive all the time and I think theres such a weight that comes along with that.

It can make you feel worse, so Im all about accepting that there are days where I feel bad.

'There are days when I really just want to lie in a duvet and not see a single person. Bad days happen.

Well said, Amber  after all , who doesnt like a duvet day?
It is a double Oscar-winning classic of American cinema that defined Audrey Hepburns reputation as a screen icon.

But now Breakfast At Tiffanys is at the centre of a censorship row after Channel 5 cut every scene featuring co-star Mickey Rooney.

His portrayal of Japanese character Mr Yunioshi has long been condemned as racist, but critics say the broadcasters decision to consign the entire role to the cutting-room floor was a dangerous rewriting of history.

Rooney wore yellowface make-up and buck teeth, taped his eyes and delivered the lines in an exaggerated accent for the role of landlord to Hepburns Holly Golightly.

Rooney wore yellowface make-up and buck teeth, taped his eyes and delivered the lines in an exaggerated accent for the role of landlord to Hepburns Holly Golightly

It was considered a crude caricature even at the time of the films 1961 release. Broadcasters, including Sky have in recent years slapped a content warning on the film before airing it, but Channel 5 exorcised Rooney completely,

Monty Python star turned film director Terry Gilliam criticised the decision.

Censorship seems to be a growth industry in Britain these days, but to remove scenes of characters from films that had already survived the critical eye of past official censors seems absurd and dangerous, he said. Who are the new censors? Who has given them the right to bowdlerise?

Hepburns son Sean Hepburn Ferrer, a successful film producer, said: You have to look at it from the perspective of people then.

That is the big problem today. Everything is looked at within the scope of one lifetime... as if we were the most important point in the story. The film is what it is and you should put a warning at the beginning saying it was made in 1961 and these were the decisions made at the time.

The axing of Rooneys character has the effect of removing one of Golightlys most famous lines. When she locks herself out of her apartment block, she wakes Mr Yunioshi by ringing his buzzer. With his annoyed response gone, so too is Golightly saying: Dont be angry you dear little man. I wont do it again. If you promise not to be angry, I might let you take those pictures we mentioned.

The axing of Rooneys character has the effect of removing one of Golightlys famous lines

Further footage of Rooney was removed from a sequence in which Golightly climbs out of her bathroom window to escape an unwanted admirer. In the original, she begins her escape in an evening gown before changing into a bathrobe. In the version aired earlier this month by Channel 5, however, Golightly is already in the robe.

Further scenes which feature Mr Yunioshi on the phone, in the bath and watching Golightly being arrested have also been excised.

Even when the film was released, Rooneys portrayal prompted criticism, which has grown over the years. Recent commentators have branded it one of the most offensive portrayals of an Asian character ever on the big screen.

Before his death in 2014, Rooney admitted he would have played the role differently had he known the anger it would spark.

The movies director Blake Edwards, who died in 2010, agreed, once saying: Looking back, I wish I had never done it. I would give anything to be able to recast it, but its there...

Breakfast At Tiffanys is listed in the US National Film Registry for being culturally, historically or aesthetically significant but not everyone is keen.

Sir Richard Eyre, a former director of the National Theatre, said: It is terrible apart from Audrey Hepburn. Mickey Rooneys performance was preposterously offensive. The kindest thing would be to burn the film.

Channel 5 said it made the cuts but declined to comment further.
Jason Momoa showed off his toned upper body as he went shirtless while filming the upcoming reality show The Climb in Mallorca, Spain on Friday.

The 42-year-old performer met with the production's crew members before heading onto a boat, where he took off his shirt and sized up the getaway destination's rock-climbing areas.

The filming of Jason's new show took place after his split from estranged wife Lisa Bonet, and its premiere will mark the first time that he will lead a program since their separation.

Baring it all: Jason Momoa showed off his toned upper body as he went shirtless while filming the upcoming reality show The Climb in Mallorca, Spain on Friday

Momoa kept it casual in a light yellow crewneck sweater and gray pants while working on the forthcoming program.

The Dune actor tied his lengthy hair back into a loose bun and he sported a ring on a chain worn around his neck.

Jason accessorized with a dark pair of sunglasses and kept a camera with him as he sailed with the show's cast and crew.

Development on The Climb was initially announced last July, when it was revealed that Momoa and renowned rock climber Chris Sharma would headline the program.

Showing off: The 42-year-old performer met with the production's crew members before heading onto a boat, where he took off his shirt and sized up the getaway destination's rock-climbing area

Comfortable clothing: Momoa kept it casual in a light yellow crewneck sweater and gray pants while working on the forthcoming program

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the climb will showcase 'a visually arresting and life-changing adventure that represents the foundations of rock climbing and the exploration of the human spirit.'

It was also reported that amateur climbers would be 'put through a rigorous series of mental and physical challenges, utilizing the most intimidating ascents in the world to crown the world's best amateur climber.'

Momoa himself also issued a statement where he expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming production.

'It's a dream come true to create a show with one of my idols, my good friend, and legendary climber Chris Sharma. I'm thrilled to...bring you this incredible show about my favorite sport, rock climbing,' he said.

Heading to work: Development on The Climb was initially announced last July, when it was revealed that Momoa and renowned rock climber Chris Sharma would headline the program

Moving upward: According to The Hollywood Reporter, the climb will showcase 'a visually arresting and life-changing adventure that represents the foundations of rock climbing and the exploration of the human spirit'

The show's two leads will also serve as producers on the forthcoming program.

The Climb currently does not have a scheduled release date, although it will premiere on the HBO Max streaming service.

Although Momoa appears to be keeping busy with the new project, he is still dealing with his split from Bonet, 54.

The former couple initially began dating in the mid-2000s, and the actress gave birth to their first child, Lola, in 2007.

Dual roles: The show's two leads will also serve as producers on the forthcoming program

Future release: The Climb currently does not have a scheduled release date, although it will premiere on the HBO Max streaming service

The pair expanded their family with the birth of their son Nakoa-Wolf, which occurred the following year.

The two then waited for just under ten years before they decided to tie the knot during a wedding ceremony that was held in 2017.

Momoa and Bonet remained together for another five years before they shocked many after announcing their split last month.

The news about the separation was revealed with a now-deleted post that was shared to the actor's Instagram account, and they added a statement to make their feelings known to the public.

Personal life: Although Momoa appears to be keeping busy with the new project, he is still dealing with his split from Bonet, 54; they are seen in 2019

They noted via The Hollywood Reporter that they wanted to make the announcement 'not because we think it's newsworthy, But so that  as we go about our lives we may do so with dignity and honesty.'

However, they pointed out that 'the love between us carries on' and that their connection was constantly 'evolving in ways it wishes to be known and lived.'

The pair concluded their message by adding 'May Love Prevail.'
Alessandra Ambrosio put her spectacular model figure on display in sultry bikini shots taken in Malibu, California, and posted to her Instagram account on Saturday.

The 40-year-old model looked sensational in a baby blue crinkle texture two-piece from her swimwear brand GAL Floripa, proving once again that she is her own best advertisement.

'Sunny hunny' the Victoria's Secret star captioned the sun-kissed snaps that showed off her perfectly trim stomach and toned arms.

Sun-kissed: Alessandra Ambrosio put her spectacular model figure on display in sultry bikini shots posted to her Instagram account

The runway phenomenon - born Alessandra Corine Ambrosio - paired her look with a multi-color bohemian bucket hat and brown shades to shield her eyes from the sun.

Her voluminous brunette beach-wave tresses remained free-flowing and cascaded onto her shoulders and back.

The mother-of-two spruced up her laid-back beach outfit by accessorizing with gold bracelets and a beaded necklace.

Beach vibe: The 40-year-old model looked sensational in a baby blue two-piece from her swimwear brand GAL Floripa, proving once again that she is her own best advertisement

The star's 10.8M followers responded positively to the sizzling hot photos, with photographer Andre Schiliro commenting, 'SOS' and adding four fire emojis.

Alessandra launched GAL Floripa in 2019 alongside her sister Aline Ambrosio and friend Gisele Coria, intending to 'inspire women to embrace their femininity with a holistic approach.'

The brand's name symbolizes the friendship between the three women and the location their swimwear brand was inspired by: Florianopolis - nicknamed Floripa.

Sun lover: 'Sunny hunny' she captioned the sun-kissed snaps that showed off her perfectly trim stomach and toned arms

'Growing up in Brazil, Gisele, Aline and I spent most of our summers together by the beach, immersed in the natural beauty of Florianopolis, known as "The Magic Island", and spending almost every moment of the day in our swimwear,' Alessandra explained in the mission statement of her brand.

'It makes sense that swimwear became like a second skin,' she added.

The Brazilian-American fashion designer and businesswoman has been very hands-on in advertising her brand, and she is often featured in its promotional materials.

Getting ready: Earlier in the day, the dark-haired beauty also posted a video to her Instagram Story getting all glammed-up for the photoshoot

Earlier in the day, the dark-haired beauty also posted a video to her Instagram Story getting all glammed-up for the photoshoot.

Alessandra sported a fluffy white robe and patiently waited as a hairstylist curled her brown tresses.

'Prep time...' she wrote on the video, which sees her gazing into the camera and showing a closer look at her smokey eye makeup.
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People wait for COVID-19 tests outside a public health center in Seoul, Feb. 17. AP-Yonhap





Korea saw more than 100,000 new COVID-19 infections for the second day in a row Friday amid the rapidly spreading the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus.







The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 102,211 cases, including 102,072 local ones, raising the total caseload to 1,858,009.







The death toll from COVID-19 reached 7,354, up 71 from Thursday for a fatality rate of 0.4 percent, the KDCA said.







The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 408, up 23 from a day earlier.






Of this, up to 40 acres of encroached land is in the vicinity of Visakhapatnam railway station and other parts of the city. (Representational image/DC)

Visakhapatnam: Nearly 70 acres of railway land under the city-based Waltair railway division is said to be currently under encroachment, information obtained by Deccan Chronicle shows. The market value of the land is estimated to be more than Rs 150 crore, according to sources.

Of this, up to 40 acres of encroached land is in the vicinity of Visakhapatnam railway station and other parts of the city, railway officials told this newspaper.

The illegal occupants have built religious structures in the occupied land and developed permanent establishments like flower shops and tea kiosks around them.

In fact, a plot of encroached railway land at Gajuwaka has been transferred to the states endowments department without the knowledge of the railways. Besides, this newspaper found that 63 railway personnel had sublet their allotted residential houses in the railway quarters. Of them, about 10 railway personnel in the city leased their allotted houses to others for rents ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month.

A railway employee may get eight to 12 per cent of the basic as house rent allowance, which will be around `5,000 to `6000 per month. If the employee sublets the house, the rental amount would easily be `10,000 to `15,000 per month, a railways source told DC.

Though the practice is going on for years, the administration has not been able to take action due to political pressure or intervention of employee, sources said. Sometimes, the administration just did not notice the issue.

When contacted, Waltair divisional railway manager Anup Kumar Satpathy said, We are on the job of taking appropriate action against the illegal activities. It includes serving notices and taking up criminal proceedings as per the law.

The railways has a right to take any action under Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971 (PPE Act, 1971).
The doctor who examined the child, intervened following which a police case was registered. While announcing the verdict, the court ruled that the accused deserved no leniency as he had sexually abused his own child.  Representational image/DC

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A fast-track special court in Thiruvananthapuram sentenced a man to rigorous imprisonment for life and fined Rs 50,000, who sexually abused his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter.

The incident pertaining to the case occurred in February 2018. The accused used to sleep along with his wife and child. His in-laws also stayed with them.

When the mother found the child crying frequently and complaining of pain while passing urine, she grew suspicious. On further examination it was found that the child had injuries on its private parts.

The woman suspected the involvement of her husband since he used to frequently quarrel with her saying that the child wasnt his. He had even sought a DNA test to determine the fatherhood of the child.

One night she was shocked to find her husband abusing the child. When she raised an alarm, the man threatened her with dire consequences. Due to the repeated sexual abuse the child had sustained serious injuries and was admitted to a hospital.

The doctor who examined the child, intervened following which a police case was registered. While announcing the verdict, the court ruled that the accused deserved no leniency as he had sexually abused his own child.

The court heard 13 witnesses and examined 17 documents in connection with the case. Special public prosecutor R S Vijaymohan appeared for the prosecution.
The Navy may also showcase its Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel capabilities meant to rescue submarines in distress. (DC Image/V. Kamalakara Rao)

Visakhapatnam: Indian Navy is getting set to showcase its technological prowess and indigenization forays at Milan, the high-profile international naval exercises beginning both onshore and offshore here from February 25 to

March 4.

On display, among others, will be the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle developed by DRDOs NSTL, Visakhapatnam, torpedoes, mines and other equipment, which were mostly indigenously developed.

The Autonomous Underwater Vehicles will be used for reconnaissance and collection of data from the seabed.

AUVs will also sense, track, identify, target and destroy an enemy vessel. It will condition the monitoring of underwater assets and pave the way for sustainable ocean resource exploration and ocean environment monitoring.

The Navy may also showcase its Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel capabilities meant to rescue submarines in distress. India is one of the few countries in the region that possesses this capability.

This years Milan will see the participation of all Quad countries. The US is participating for the first time. Eastern Naval Command official said the invitation was sent to 45 countries.

This biennial, multilateral naval exercise started in 1995. It was so far held at Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar but has now been shifted to Visakhapatnam that offers more infrastructure as well as sea space for the exercise. It has several themes such as anti-submarine warfare along with deliberations involving subject matter experts.

The areas of cooperation for the exercise include capacity building, marine domain awareness, training, hydrography, technical assistance and operational exercises.

The main event, the international parade, a carnival-like event, would be held at RK Beach on February 27. Chief minister Jagan would be the chief guest. Chief of Naval staff Harikumar, governor Biswabhushan Harichandan, central ministers and a host of foreign delegates would be present.
Of the envisaged six nuclear power reactors of 1000 Megawatt capacity each, two units had already been commissioned and two others were under construction. (DC)

Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to transport back to Russia the Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) from the nuclear power reactors in Kudankulam or permanently store it in a Deep Geological Repository in an uninhabited and ecologically non-sensitive area.

Making the appeal on behalf of eight crore people of Tamil Nadu, Stalin, in his letter to Modi on Friday, said the request was being made in the interest of public safety, health and welfare of the people of the State.

Drawing the Prime Ministers attention to the public concern regarding SNF disposal at the Kudankulam Nuclear Project located in Tirunelveli District, he said the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd had proposed to construct Away from Reactor (AFR) facilities in the site itself for the storage of the SNF generated from the six reactors there.

Of the envisaged six nuclear power reactors of 1000 Megawatt capacity each, two units had already been commissioned and two others were under construction.

When the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change had earlier accorded permission to Units 1 & 2, the agreement was to collect and store the spent fuel temporarily within the units premises (At Reactor) and then send it back to the country of origin, Russia, he said.

Subsequently, without consulting the State government it was decided to store the SNF in the AFR facility inside the unit, which had caused deep concern and apprehension among the people of Tamil Nadu, including various political parties.

The fears were over the hazards and potential danger of the AFR storage facility within the plant premises as several such facilities across the world had faced accidents leading to disastrous impacts on the environment and the people residing in and around such plants.

'The local people are apprehensive of the fallouts and have been protesting against the AFR facilities within the complex,' Stalin said.
Hyderabad: All eyes are on TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's meeting his Maharashtra counterpart and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai on Sunday. He is also expected to meet Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar in the evening.

This is Raos first visit to any state after he had announced on Sunday last that he would try to bring regional parties together against the BJP before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

TRS sources said this would be a 'luncheon meeting' at Thackerays official residence Varsha. There was no clarity on whether or not Sharad Pawar and the Congress leaders would be part of this meeting.

He is likely to visit Pawar at 4 pm at his residence in Mumbai after meeting Thackeray, and discuss national politics. Rao and his delegation would leave by a special flight from Begumpet airport at 11 am and return in the night, sources said.

Finance minister T. Harish Rao is likely to accompany Rao to Mumbai, as also legislative affairs minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy, TRS Parliamentary Party leader K. Keshava Rao, TS Planning Board vice-chairman B. Vinod Kumar, Rajya Sabha member J. Santosh Kumar, Rythu Bandhu Samiti chairman Palla Rajeshwar Reddy.

The Shiv Sena heads the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government consisting of the NCP and the Congress and if leaders from the two parties attend the meeting, it may throw up new political equations at the state and national levels.

Party sources said Rao has remained totally focused for the last three days on the issues that need to be discussed in Sunday's meeting with Thackeray, and for that reason could not make it to the Medaram Jatara on Friday and also Kalyana Mahotsavams in all 108 Divya Desams at Chinna Jeeyar Swamy ashram at Muchintal on Saturday.

Chandrashekar Rao is learnt to have decided to take up the issue of BJP's 'communal and disruptive politics' in the meeting apart from the Centre 'discriminating' against states that are opposing the BJP and attempting to destabilise or topple such state governments.

The CM has also been accusing the BJP of misusing power and the government machinery by letting loose various Central investigating agencies like CBI, ED and I-T against top leaders and family members of regional parties and all these issues will be discussed in the meeting, it is learnt.

Although Rao launched a political war against the BJP-led government at the Centre over paddy procurement issue soon after the Huzurabad Assembly bypoll debacle in the first week of November last, he started making attempts to unite regional parties against the BJP with his meetings with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on December 14 and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on January 11.

Rao further intensified his attack on the BJP after the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1 and for the first time he announced his plans of playing a key role in national politics on February 13 by meeting Chief Ministers and chiefs of regional parties.
The government has received proposals from five companies for setting up electronic chip and display manufacturing plants with investment of Rs 1.53 lakh crore, an official statement said on Saturday.

Vedanta Foxconn JV, IGSS Ventures, ISMC propose to set-up electronic chip manufacturing plants with $13.6 billion investment and have sought support of $5.6 billion from the Centre under the Rs 76,000 crore Semicon India Programme.

"The applications have been received for setting up 28 nanometer (nm) to 65 nm semiconductor fabs with capacity of approximately 120,000 wafers per month," the statement said. The government is providing financial support of up to 40 per cent for chips above 28 nm to 45 nm and up to 30 per cent for setting up manufacturing units for 45 nm to 65 nm wafers.

Also Read | Vedanta to invest up to Rs 1.49 lakh crore in semiconductors in India, roll out by 2025

Vedanta and Elest have proposed to set up display manufacturing units -- used in mobile phones, laptops etc -- with projected investment of $6.7 billion. They have sought support of $2.7 billion from the Centre under the scheme for setting up of display fabs in India, the statement said.

"Indian semiconductor market stands at $15 Bn in 2020 and is estimated to reach $63 billion by 2026. The semiconductor manufacturing process is a complex, capital and technology intensive process of fabricating semiconductor wafers.

"India Semiconductor Mission, which has been set up as a dedicated institution for Semicon India Programme, has received 5 applications for Semiconductor and Display Fabs with total investment to the tune of $20.5 Bn (Rs 153,750 crore)," the statement said.

The government closed the first round of application window for the Semicon Programme on February 15 but will start another round based on interest from the industry.

The government expects investments of around Rs 1.7 lakh crore and 1.35 lakh jobs to be created in the next four years under the incentive scheme for semiconductors approved by the Cabinet.

Besides electronic chip and display plants, four companies -- SPEL Semiconductor, HCL, Syrma Technology and Valenkani Electronics -- have registered for semiconductor packaging. Ruttonsha International Rectifier has registered for compound semiconductors.

Three companies -- Terminus Circuits, Trispace Technologies and Curie Microelectronics -- have submitted applications under the Design Linked Incentive Scheme.

"India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) will coordinate with the applicant companies who have also reached out to states to provide access to world class infrastructure.

"It will work closely with the state governments to establish high-tech clusters with 300 - 500 acres of developed land, 100 KVA Power, 50 MLD (millions of liter per day) water, availability of natural gases and common facility centres for testing and certification," the statement said.

The government will negotiate the structure and quantum of fiscal support with the applicants. The fiscal support under the scheme shall be provided on pari-passu basis for a period of six years from the date of approval.

Apart from fiscal support, semiconductor fabs set up in India will be supported through purchase preference in procurement of electronic products by the government under the Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order.

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A 19-year-old engineering student has single-handedly invented a prototype of a mini-oxygen plant that produces up to 94.5 per cent pure oxygen and can be used in homes, hospitals as well as industries.

Called OxiPlant, the device works on the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process. Its 0.6 metres deep, half-metre wide and 0.7 metres high. It produces a maximum throughput of 11 litres per minute. Its different from oxygen concentrators available in the market in terms of configuration, flexibility, scalability and ability to monitor.

It took Tejas P Karanji, a first-year student of electronics and communication engineering at PES University, all of eight months to conceptualise, design, fabricate and develop the product. For this, he read several research papers and carried out a number of experimental studies. The prototype has the potential to be developed into a marketable product, Tejas says.

The student was driven by extreme oxygen shortages during the second wave of the Covid-19 last year. I had volunteered with friends to arrange oxygen. The oxygen concentrators from China werent working as well as people hoped they would, he adds. Tejas decided to try his hand at making a mini-oxygen plant that can work better. It was a complicated process, no doubt, but I decided to give it a shot, he says.

Tejass achievement has amazed Dr Chandrashekar, head of the Department of Critical Care Medicine at the state-run Institute of Gastroenterology Sciences and Organ Transplant. I was surprised to see a student single-handedly developing this at home when a group of researchers at the IISc have been working together to develop an oxygen concentrator at the premier institute, Dr Chandrashekar said.

He found the machine working well during a review at the students home. It gave the required oxygen purity and pressure at the same cost of Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000, the doctor said.

Oxygen concentrators are generally noisy, bulky and have a condensation problem. OxiPlant did not have any, he added.

Bangalore South MP, L S Tejavi Surya, praised the student in a letter that he wrote him on February 16. I am happy to note that as a first-semester engineering student, you have done commendable work in conceptualising, designing and building a working prototype of the OxiPlant...

I am informed that the OxiPlant... functions at a professional standard of being used in a medical setting, which is an extraordinary achievement of enterprise and execution, the letter added.

Surya also sent a graphic designer and a mechanical engineer to check out the product recently.

How it works

Two cylinders are filled with zeolite, and compressed atmospheric air is passed through it. The zeolite absorbs carbon dioxide, nitrogen and unwanted gasses in the air. The output oxygen has 94 per cent purity at a flow rate of 11 litres per minute.

Whats next?

Since getting such a device certified by the relevant authorities is a long-drawn-out and expensive process, Tejas wants to make the design open-source so that those interested can take it forward commercially.

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PM Narendra Modi met Afghan Sikh-Hindus at his residence on Saturday, ahead of the Punjab elections. Meanwhile, 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. Stay tuned for live updates.
Kim Hong-nuik circa 1896-98 / Robert Neff Collection



By Robert Neff



Arguably, one of the most hated men in Seoul in 1898 was Kim Hong-nuik, the interpreter at the Russian legation. Horace N. Allen, the American minister to Korea, described Kim as "a very common and uneducated man, unable to read or write the official Chinese characters used in Korea"  but he had a skill that was needed: having been born near the Russian border, Kim was able to speak Russian. According to Allen, none of the Russians in the legation spoke Korean so Kim became "the mouthpiece, counselor, and general informant of the [Russian] Minister as to things Korean."



The British representative, John N. Jordan, echoed Allen's sentiment. He described Kim as a simple "water coolie on the streets of Seoul" who managed to achieve "the most influential position in the country, [and] has earned a reputation for high-handed and unscrupulous action which has made his name a (byword) throughout Korea."



He was a true Machiavellian  unafraid to use "violent and threatening language" to the Korean monarch because he knew he was supported by his Russian employers. He was an almost permanent fixture in the palace  meeting with the emperor almost daily  but his abuse eventually reached a point where the emperor reportedly requested the Russians use a different interpreter. This was refused and caused increased hostility between Kim and the other members of the Korean court  many of whom ascribed much of their bad fortune to Kim. He was also despised by the Independence Club.



Kim was more than willing to use his position for personal gain (including appointing members of his family to various high positions) and he was not afraid to remove obstacles. In the last week of January, a rumor circulated that Kim was planning to arrange the execution or banishment of at least 11 high-ranking officials  his enemies. Apparently, his enemies decided to strike first.





The Russian legation in the late 1890s / Robert Neff Collection



On the evening of Feb. 22 at about 8:30 p.m. Kim (followed at a short distance by two Korean policemen who acted as his security) was returning to the Russian legation when he was attacked by three men in the lane that ran from the British legation to the Russian legation. Two of the attackers pounced upon the policemen and knocked them down while the third attacker slashed at Kim with a sword.



Kim, defending himself with his cane, ran toward the little gate at the rear of the palace  his policemen ran the other way. As Kim ran for the gate, his attacker continued to pursue and slash at him. Apparently, the gateman did not open the gate immediately but his screams did attract the attention of the British marines who were quartered nearby and the Korean soldiers within the palace. The would-be assassins disappeared into the night quickly.



Fortunately for Kim, the thick fur wrap around his neck prevented him from being seriously injured  sustaining only scratches to his arm and ear. The Independent  an English-language newspaper in Seoul  denounced the act and declared, "The revival of the contemptible practice of assassination must be nipped in the bud."



The Russian representative, Alexis de Speyer, promptly sent a letter of protest to the Korean government. He described Kim as the legation's "meritorious interpreter" who was attacked "by a band of scoundrels who intended to kill him." Speyer was appalled at the unheard-of audacity of the gang and beseeched the Korean emperor to "search out the conspirators" and added that "it is necessary not only to punish the actual culprits but to find out the instigators of the crime. Even if the instigators be high in rank, their stations must not be considered in the proper administration of justice."



Emperor Gojong responded: "How is it that police authorities permit the swords to appear in the darkness of nightif the police perform its duties in such a careless manner, what is the use of maintaining the so-called Police Department?" He warned that if the police were not able to find the assassins within three days, the chief of police would be "severely punished."





Deoksu Palace circa 1904 / Robert Neff Collection
All is set for the multi-cornered Punjab Assembly polls on Sunday with over 2.14 crore voters to decide the fate of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women, on 117 seats.

Polling will be held from 8 am till 6 pm, said an official of the chief electoral office. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

Punjab is witnessing a multi-cornered contest among the Congress, AAP, SAD-BSP alliance, BJP-PLC-SAD (Sanyukt) and the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, a political front of various farmer bodies.

Also Read | Punjab polls: SAD-BSP alliance will win over 80 seats, claims Sukhbir Badal

The ruling Congress, which is seeking to retain power, has come under severe attack from its political opponents over various issues, including drug menace and corruption.

The Congress is banking on decisions like reducing electricity tariff and fuel prices, taken during current CM Charanjit Singh Channi's 111-day tenure.

The Aam Aadmi Party, which has emerged as a major contender, is eyeing to wrest power while projecting the Delhi model of governance.

The stakes are also high for the Shiromani Akali Dal which is contesting the polls in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party after breaking ties with the BJP in 2020 over the farm laws issue.

With Sukhbir Singh Badal in the driving seat, the SAD called itself Punjab's own party and promised all-around development of the state.

Also Read | Bhagwant Mann, Sidhu have 'brighter future' in comedy, says Hardeep Singh Puri

The BJP, which used to be a junior partner during its previous alliance with the SAD, is fighting the elections as a major partner.

Entering into an alliance with Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD (Sanyukt), the saffron party has asked voters to go for a double-engine government for Nawan (new) Punjab.

The Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, comprising various Punjab farmer bodies, which had taken part in the stir against the Centre's now-repealed farm laws, is contesting the polls in alliance with Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni-led Sanyukt Sangharsh Party.

Prominent faces who are in the fray are Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Aam Aadmi Party's chief ministerial face Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, former CMs Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal, and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma and former Union minister Vijay Sampla are also fighting the elections.

Also Read | Youth Congress protests near Kejriwal residence over allegation of connection with Punjab separatist

All major political parties have promised a host of freebies to woo voters.

While AAP has promised Rs 1,000 for all women, Congress has also promised Rs 1,100 per month for needy women.

The SAD-BSP alliance has promised Rs 2,000 per month to all women heads of blue cardholder families (BPL beneficiaries).

The Congress and the SAD-BSP alliance have promised one lakh government jobs.

The SAD-BSP promised 75 per cent reservation for state youth in public and private sectors. The BJP led alliance has made a similar promise, but for the government sector only.

AAP has promised up to 300 units of free power while the SAD-BSP promised 400 units of free electricity.

The high-pitched campaigning, which saw the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union minister Smriti Irani, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, came to an end on Friday.

Modi, who held three rallies at Jalandhar, Pathankot and Abohar, covering Punjab's Doaba, Majha and Malwa regions, had accused the Congress and the AAP of pretending to fight against each

Rahul Gandhi had cautioned people against going for any "experiment" in the Punjab polls, saying that maintaining peace was most important for the state and only his party was capable of it.

There are a total of 2,14,99,804 voters, including 1,02,00,996 women. There are 24,740 polling stations, of which 2,013 have been identified as critical, said an official.

Adequate security arrangements have been made for ensuring free and fair polling, said the official.

In the wake of elections, the state government has declared a paid holiday for employees working in shops, commercial establishments and factories on Sunday.

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Congress had ended the SAD-BJP combines 10-year-regime by bagging 77 seats.

The AAP had managed to get 20 seats while the SAD-BJP had won 18 and two seats went into the kitty of the Lok Insaaf Party.

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Sixteen districts from western, Bundelkhand and Awadh regions of Uttar Pradesh will go to polls on Sunday during the third phase, with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav looking to sweep the Yadav belt while the BJP will be eyeing a repeat of its 2017 performance.

Yadavs, SCs, and Muslims are in sizeable numbers in western and Awadh regions, and their votes will be crucial if Akhilesh has to have any chance of dethroning Yogi Adityanath.

The BJP deployed almost all its top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, for campaigning in the three places to battle the perception that it had not done well in Jat-dominated districts during the first two phases.

Read | UP CM Yogi Adityanath says BJP will win 300-plus seats

The saffron party had won 49 seats in the 2017 assembly polls in the regions.

State BJP leaders admit that the third phase is going to be crucial for the party as it could offset setbacks, if any, in the western region. We will have to repeat our last performance if we are to nurture any hopes of forming the next government in view of the reports that we may be losing some seats in the western region, said a state BJP leader while speaking to DH.

The saffron party appeared confident of sweeping the Bundelkhand region once again but Awadh and western districts may hold surprises.

Of the 16 districts going to the polls in the third phase, five  Firozabad, Etah, Kasganj, Mainpuri and Hathras  fall in the western region.

Other districts going to the polls in the third phase include Kanpur, Kanpur Dehat, Auriaya, Kannauj, Etawah, Farrukhabad in Awadh region and Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, Hamirpur and Mahoba in Bundelkhand region.

Akhilesh himself in the fray from the party bastion of Karhal, from where the BJP has fielded Union minister SP Singh Baghel.

SP leaders exuded confidence that the situation in the region had changed completely since 2017 and now the party is in a position to bag more than half of the seats. We are getting support from the OBCs and upper caste as well besides Yadavs and Muslims, claimed a senior SP leader in Lucknow.

The BSP, which had drawn a blank last time in these regions, has made the contest three-cornered at some places, especially on seats with a sizeable presence of SC voters.

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Forty-year-old Rajwati Devi, a resident of Raipur village in Sitapur district, about 90 kilometres from the state capital of Lucknow, who owned a small piece of agricultural land, burst out angrily the moment she was asked about the stray cattle problem as is 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 has been destroyed by the stray cattle,'' she said. Similar is the story of many others in her village.

A little farter from her village one could finds 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 UP's 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 fid 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.



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Launching a scathing attack on BJP turncoats, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the small-time leaders who ditched the saffron party are now struggling to secure seats.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Adityanath touched upon several issues, including his 80-20 remark, the Samajwadi Party's poll promises, Jinnah and Hijab rows, and forming the government in the state with 300-plus seats.

He claimed that the saffron party will win 80 per cent of the seats in the state Assembly polls. "We are fighting the poll on the planks of nationalism, development and good governance," he told IANS.

"Those who have left the party are finding it difficult to secure a seat. If these people had a mass base, then they should have fought from their traditional seats, like I am contesting. All of them are leaving their seats and running," the chief minister said.

Also Read | Battle for UP: They moved from campus politics to state elections

On the charge that the Yogi government takes action against criminals on the basis of their caste, the chief minister, in a veiled attack on the Samajwadi Party, asked: "Who has given tickets to professional criminals in Kairana, Rampur and Mau?"

Yogi claimed that SP is no longer Samajwadi, but it has become 'mafiawadi', 'dangawadi' and 'parivaarwadi' (the party which supports the mafia, riots and dynastic politics).

On SP promising free ration for five years, the chief minister told IANS: "Uttar Pradesh has not forgotten the misgovernance of SP. A food scam occurred during SP's regime. At that time, rations meant for the poor were usurped by SP's goons. When they could not distribute regular ration, how would they distribute it for free? People have seen SP's work and its adventures. Now, nobody will be influenced by them."

On SP promising money for the development of temples and maths, the chief minister said: "Saints of Ayodhya, people of the nation and 'Ram bhakts' (Ram devotees) have not forgotten the time when the SP regime ordered police firing on Kar Sevaks.

"The truth is that their party's name is Samajwadi, but they are 'dangawadi' (provoking riots) and their mentality is 'parivarwadi' (dynastic). They don't have holistic and inclusive thinking, so development, good governance and establishing the rule of law are like a daydream for them."

Also Read | Stray cattle may devour saffron votes in UP

When asked that opposition parties are teaming up to defeat the BJP, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also supporting them, Adityanath said that in 2019, the SP, BSP and RLD stitched an alliance but at that time too, the saffron party won 80 per cent seats. This time the alliance is not that big and people have also seen the work of the double engine government."

When asked that though the BJP talks about 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas' (inclusive growth for all), it has not given a ticket to any Muslim, the chief minister said that elections are based on the support and trust of people.

"Those who apply for a ticket are reviewed at the district and region levels and then their names are recommended to the high command. Those who are able to earn public trust are given tickets," he pointed out.

When IANS asked him pointedly whether the BJP will get Muslim votes this time, the chief minister said: "The Prime Minister has played a major role in helping Muslim women get rid of malpractices such as triple talaq. Benefits of all welfare schemes under which gas connections are provided, PM Awas Yojana and doubling rations are being extended to Muslim families too.

Also Read | Re-emergence of Jat-Gurjar alliance in western Uttar Pradesh

"Rising above caste and religion, people have voted for the BJP in the first two phases of the polls. The trend is continuing. At a few places, fanatics are trying to stop Muslim women from casting votes. The Election Commission should take cognisance of the matter."

On the performance of SP, BSP and the Congress in the polls, the chief minister exuded confidence that the BJP will win 80 per cent of the seats, while the three opposition parties are engaged in a triangular contest for 20 per cent of the votes.

On the stray cattle nuisance, the chief minister pointed out that "5,500 cow shelters have been opened in the state".

He added: "Stray cattle increased in the state as they give less milk. We are working on improving the breeds. In organic farming, cattle play an important role. The double-engine government will solve the problem. We will not let cattle go to slaughterhouses and at the same time will not let stray cows harm what the farmers produce."

On the Jinnah and Hijab rows gathering momentum just prior to elections, the chief minister said during his conversation with IANS that to divert people's attention from good governance and development, SP made a 'sick' effort to honour Jinnah on the birth anniversary of the Iron Man Sardar Patel.

Also Read | Have sent 'Bulldozer' for repairing, it will silence all 'garmi' after March 10: Yogi's warning to Opposition

"It is an insult to the freedom fighters of the country," the chief minister told IANS. "When we were discussing welfare schemes to be extended to the sugarcane farmers of the state, SP was busy glorifying Jinnah. When we were talking about rural development, they were talking about Pakistan. SP is making futile attempts to rake up such issues and divert people's attention from the main issues, which are development and good governance."

On the restoration of old-age pension, the chief minister said the new pension scheme has been introduced during SP's tenure. In the eight years they spent ruling the state, they treated government employees unjustly. They did not submit the employees' contributions and even did not open their accounts.

On the issue of power shortages, the chief minister recalled how their genesis could be dated back to the SP-led government. "It was in their regime that there was a power shortage and now they are promising people 300 free units," the chief minister said. "People will not get influenced by them."

He added: "Government employees know they got an opportunity to work with a government that's transparent. Even during the Corona pandemic, their dearness allowance and transport allowance were not deducted. The employees are with the BJP."

Also Read | Battle for Uttar Pradesh: Khaki gets closer to Khadi

When asked if there's anything for the middle class, the chief minister said: "Our strategy for the next five years is ready. We will provide free electricity by installing a solar panel on each tubewell. Common consumers are getting electricity at slashed rates."

When it was pointed out that the people are not angry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but with the public representatives of the party, the chief minister said: "Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, we have taken several important steps. In Uttar Pradesh, everyone is getting security and the benefits of development schemes, but we don't believe in an appeasement policy."

He added: "The government's intentions are clear. The people have admired the government's work. Public representatives who have done good work in their areas are getting people's love, and those who could not live up to the expectations of common folk face their wrath.

"But the elections are being conducted to elect a government. In such circumstances, every seat is important and the BJP will get people's love."

On the '80 versus 20' remark, the chief minister said those who think positively, are nationalists and support welfare schemes come in the 80 per cent bracket, while those who like mafia rule, crime, anarchy and corruption come in the 20 per cent. He reiterated that the BJP is getting 80 per cent of the votes.

Replying to another question, he said the BJP was getting 80 per cent of the seats in the first two phases. People's excitement shows that the BJP is getting their blessings. When the results are announced on March 10, the party will bag more than 300 seats.

The chief minister said that people are happy with the work done in the state relating to security, law and order, development, good governance, and public welfare schemes, and the unprecedented work in the field of respect for faith.

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China's foreign minister on Saturday urged the West to respect Russia's concerns over Ukraine and questioned if an eastward NATO expansion would guarantee peace.

"Ukraine should be a bridge linking East and West, not a frontline," Wang Yi told the Munich Security Conference on video-link.

Also read: Russian troops 'poised to strike' Ukraine: US defence chief

"All parties have the right to raise their concerns, while the reasonable concerns of Russia should also be respected and heeded," he said, speaking through an interpreter.

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A prominent French modelling agent who was a former close associate of disgraced American billionaire Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead in his Paris prison cell, prosecutors said on Saturday.

Epstein, who was arrested in New York in July 2019 on charges of trafficking underage girls for sex, was found hanged in his New York jail cell the following month while awaiting trial over abuses involving girls at his Palm Beach home and on his private island in the Caribbean.

His former associate Jean-Luc Brunel, in his mid 70s, had been charged with the rape of minors and held in prison since December 2020.

A souce close to the investigation told AFP that he had been found dead overnight Friday to Saturday. Paris prosecutors later confirmed he had died.

Police are now investigating the cause of the death, added the source, who asked not to be named. Brunel's death means that his case is now closed, unless other suspects are implicated in the same case in the future.

Brunel had denied the charges against him.

His ownership of an apartment in an upmarket Paris district and allegations from women who say they were abused in France prompted French prosecutors to open their own investigation.

That probe focused on Brunel, who was accused in American court documents of rape and of procuring young girls for his friend.

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Germany's foreign ministry said Saturday that German citizens were "urgently requested to leave (Ukraine) now," as fears mounted that Russia could invade its neighbour in the coming days.

National carrier Lufthansa also said it was suspending regular flights to the cities of Kyiv and Odessa from Monday until the end of February "due to the current situation."

Also Read | Russia's test missiles 'hit targets' in strategic drills as tensions soar over Ukraine

The airline said it would operate a limited number of flights to the two cities on Saturday and Sunday before pausing the services.

Flights to the western city of Lviv would continue and Lufthansa remained in "close contact with national and international authorities," it said.

The announcements came as the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Munich for the annual Security Conference with the aim of shoring up Western support for the country.

Speaking earlier in the day after a meeting of G7 foreign ministers on the fringes of the conference, Germany's Annalena Baerbock said the group was "united" in their support for Ukraine.

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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 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 Joe 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.

Also Read | War fears mount as Putin to oversee drills, Zelensky to meet allies

Without outright declaring war or taking action that would trigger the harsh sanctions promised by the West, Russias president, Vladimir Putin, has once again succeeded in destabilizing Ukraine and making clear that Russia could wreck the countrys economy. The evacuation announced last week of U.S., 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.

As for real estate?

The number of requests is fewer and fewer every day, Kaliuk said.

The anxiety coursing through Kyiv is exactly what Putin hopes to achieve, according to Pavlo Kukhta, an adviser to Ukraines minister of energy. What they want to do is the equivalent of winning the war without firing a single bullet, by causing massive panic here, Kukhta said.

Timofiy Mylovanov, president of the Kyiv School of Economics and a former minister of economic development, said his institution has estimated that the crisis has already cost Ukraine several billion dollars, just in the past few weeks. War or a long siege would only worsen the situation.

Also Read | Rebel leader in east Ukraine announces civilian evacuation

You either get an invasion or your economy hurts, he said.

The first major blow came Monday when two Ukrainian airlines said they were unable to acquire insurance for their flights, forcing Ukraines government to create a $592 million insurance fund to keep planes flying. On Feb. 11, London-based insurers had warned aviation companies that they would be unable to insure flights to Ukraine or those flying above its airspace. KLM Airlines, a Dutch company, responded by saying it would halt flights. Many Dutch passengers were on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 when it was shot down above territory controlled by pro-Moscow rebels in 2014. German airline Lufthansa said it was considering a suspension.

On Tuesday, Ukraine was subjected to a massive cyberattack, as hackers flooded the servers hosting websites until the servers became overloaded and shut down. Officials blamed Russia, although the Kremlin denied involvement. Still, Ukrainian officials said it was the largest distributed denial-of-service attack in the countrys history and targeted government ministries and state banks.

They want people to start running on the banks, Kukhta said. The war is a hybrid the Russians are playing in several domains, the economy included.

Also Read | Shellfire as Putin turns up heat on Ukraine and West

Earlier in the week, Irina Gorovaya and other entrepreneurs in Kyiv organized a Stay In Ukraine campaign to try to rally people behind local businesses that are being hit by the economic upheaval. Gorovaya, CEO of Mozgi Group, a creative agency, said festivals and other events were losing money rapidly because people are too hesitant to buy tickets.

People are sitting at home thinking about what will come tomorrow, she said.

On Ukraines southern coastline, the arrival of the Russian navy to conduct exercises in the Black Sea has been another reminder of Ukraines vulnerability, militarily and economically, since in the event of war the countrys critical ports could face a blockade. So far, Russia has allowed a corridor to remain open for commercial shipping, and there have been no disruptions to operations at Ukrainian ports.

We dont have any guarantees, but for now were operating normally, said Alexander Mukhin, who works in the development office at the port in Mykolaiv, in southern Ukraine.

On a visit to the port this week, the sweet, burned smell of sunflower oil, one of Ukraines primary exports, hung in the air. The oil was being pumped through a series of pipes into a bright red Italian vessel, the Saracena. Ukraine exports about 300,000 tons of sunflower oil a year.

Also Read | Ukraine-Russia crisis: What to know as tensions hit new high

During World War II, the port was the scene of fierce fighting; a portion of it has still not been repaired from the heavy bombing that occurred when Soviet forces fought to retake it from the Nazis.

The port of Odessa, the countrys largest oil and gas terminal and a major hub for grain exports, is also considered a possible target, especially given the significant sympathy in the city for pro-Russian separatists in 2014. Some military analysts have warned that Russia might try to take Odessa if the military invades.

But even without an all-out blockade or attack, the ports can still be hobbled by fear of risk among international insurers. Londons marine insurance market Tuesday listed the Russian and Ukrainian waters in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov as high risk, making it more expensive to ship goods to and from the ports. This will add more economic pressure to Ukraine, which relies on its Black Sea ports to export grain.

A retired U.S. Army lieutenant general, Ben Hodges, recently compared the Russian land and naval forces encircling the country to a boa constrictor around Ukraine, choking its economy and further threatening its sovereignty.

Also Read | Russia says it is withdrawing military forces around Ukraine

The Kremlin aims to make Ukraine a failed state, which they believe they can achieve by applying constant pressure, he posted on Twitter, without actually launching a new offensive.

But the US response to the crisis has also infuriated some people, whether by creating panic with alarmist warnings of an imminent invasion or the decision to evacuate some embassy staff from Kyiv and set up a temporary office in the western city of Lviv, close to the border with Poland.

When someone decides to move the embassy to Lviv, they must understand that such news will cost the Ukrainian economy several hundred million dollars, David Arakhamia, leader of the governing Servant of the People party, said in a television interview, adding: Every day we count the losses of the economy. We cant borrow in foreign markets because the rates there are crazy. Many exporters refuse us.

Olena Bilan, the chief economist of Dragon Capital, an investment firm, said Ukraines economy had been expected to grow by almost 4% this year, but the military crisis has shaved that prediction almost by half.

Also Read | Shelling by pro-Russian rebels raises fears in Ukraine

Even so, Bilan said, Ukraine is far better prepared economically than when Russian aggression began in 2014. Its foreign currency reserves are at historic highs, and it has largely decoupled its economy from Russia, aside from imports of oil and coking coal for the steel industry.

Ukraine is also preparing to separate itself from the Russian power grid, said Kuhta, and financial assistance from the European Union and the United States is helping to reassure investors and worried insurance companies.

We live in such conditions which are not so stable for eight years already, said Kaliuk, the real estate agent. Ive gotten used to it and try to be flexible.

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The chances of reviving the Iran nuclear accord are dwindling and the "moment of truth" has arrived for Tehran's leadership, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Saturday.

"We now have the chance to reach an agreement that will allow sanctions to be lifted. But if we do not succeed very quickly, the negotiations risk failing," Scholz told the Munich Security Conference.

"The Iranian leadership has a choice. Now is the moment of truth."

The 2015 Iran nuclear agreement had offered Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, but the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump and reimposed heavy economic sanctions.

This in turn prompted Iran to start ramping up its nuclear activities.

The outline of a new deal appears to be on the table in talks which have been held in Vienna since late November between signatories Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia -- and the United States indirectly.

A US State Department spokesperson told AFP on Thursday that "substantial progress has been made in the last week".

"If Iran shows seriousness, we can and should reach an understanding on mutual return to full implementation of the JCPOA within days," the spokesperson said, using an acronym for the 2015 deal.

But "anything much beyond that would put the possibility of return to the deal at grave risk," the spokesperson added.

Experts believe Iran is only a few weeks away from having enough fissile material to build a nuclear weapon -- even if it would take several more complicated steps to create an actual bomb.

President Joe Biden has said he is willing to return to the deal and ease some of the US sanctions, provided Tehran resumes its commitments under the agreement.

The Iranian foreign minister is due to address the Munich Security Conference later on Saturday.

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Russia test fired nuclear-capable missiles on Saturday as President Vladimir Putin oversaw a dramatic military exercise and as the United States again warned that it believes Moscow plans to invade Ukraine within days.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile arrived in Germany to shore up support among Western allies, despite a significant increase in shelling in the country's east in which a Ukrainian soldier was killed.

The fierce US warnings and the evacuation of civilians from Russian-backed rebel regions in Ukraine have brought fears of a major conflict in Europe to their highest level after weeks of tensions.

Read more: How a Russia-Ukraine conflict might hit global markets

The Kremlin insists it has no plans to attack its neighbour, which has angered Moscow by seeking closer ties with NATO and the European Union.

But Moscow is doing nothing to reduce fears, with state media accusing Kyiv of plotting an assault on the rebel-held pro-Russia enclave in eastern Ukraine.

Russian television showed images of Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko sitting at a round table in the Kremlin situation room, in front of a bank of screens showing military commanders as they test-fired their latest hypersonic, cruise and nuclear-capable ballistic missiles.

"All the missiles hit their targets, confirming their performance objectives," the Kremlin said, adding that the drills included Tu-95 bombers and submarines.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had made a reference to nuclear launch codes.

"Such test launches, of course, are impossible without the head of state. You know about the famous black suitcase and the red button," he said.

Russia's defence ministry said the exercise involved nearly all branches of the armed forces, including its strategic rocket forces, as well the Northern and Black Sea fleets, which have nuclear-armed submarines.

The United States insists that, with some 150,000 Russian troops on Ukraine's borders -- as many as 190,000, when including the Russian-backed separatist forces in the east -- Moscow has already made up its mind to invade.

Some of the Russian forces, around 30,000 troops, are in Belarus for an exercise which is due to end on Sunday. Moscow has said that these forces will return to barracks, but US intelligence is concerned that they could take part in an invasion of Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden said Friday that he was sure Putin had made the call to invade, regardless of warnings that it would trigger huge Western sanctions, and the attack could come in the next days with targets that would include the capital Kyiv.

On Saturday, visiting NATO ally Lithuania, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Russian forces "are now poised to strike" and "moving into the right kinds of positions to be able to conduct an attack".

Russia has announced a series of withdrawals of its forces from near Ukraine in recent days, saying they were taking part in regular military exercises and accusing the West of "hysteria" with claims of an invasion plan.

But Putin has also stepped up his rhetoric, demanding written guarantees that Ukraine will never be allowed to join NATO and that the US-led military alliance roll back deployments in eastern Europe to positions from decades ago.

The volatile frontline between Ukraine's army and separatists in the Moscow-backed breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk has seen a "dramatic increase" in ceasefire violations, international monitors from the OSCE said.

Hundreds of artillery and mortar attacks were reported in recent days, in a conflict that has rumbled on for eight years and claimed the lives of more than 14,000 people.

Ukraine's armed forces accused the rebels of a huge new wave of attacks on Saturday, saying there had been dozens of exchanges of fire by 7:00 am (0400 GMT), with one soldier dying from shrapnel wounds.

The soldier, a captain in an intelligence unit, was the fourth Ukrainian soldier to die in the first seven weeks of this year. At least 66 were killed in 2021, according to official sources.

The rebels, who also accused Ukrainian forces of new attacks on Saturday, declared general mobilisations in the two regions, calling up men to fight even as they announced mass evacuations of women and children into Russia.

The governor of the neighbouring Russian region of Rostov declared a state of emergency as the first busloads of several thousand crossed the border, followed by Russian state media camera crews.

Moscow and the rebels have accused Kyiv of planning an assault to retake the regions, claims fiercely denied by Ukraine and dismissed by the West as part of Russian efforts to manufacture a pretext for war.

Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it had opened an investigation into media reports that a shell fired by Ukrainian forces exploded about a kilometre across the border in Russia's Rostov region.

Russian news agencies earlier quoted anonymous sources as saying the shell had landed in the region but had not caused any injuries or damage.

Despite the invasion warnings, Zelensky's office said he would not change plans to personally attend Saturday's Munich Security Conference.

"Volodymyr Zelensky expects concrete agreements concerning the delivery to our country of additional military and financial support," his office said, adding that he would return to Kyiv later Saturday.

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U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about Ukraine in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Feb. 18. AP-Yonhap





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 militarized border with attacks that the West called ''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. wasn't sure if Putin had made the final decision to invade, Biden said that assessment had changed, citing American intelligence.







''As of this moment I'm convinced he's 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 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.







With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops posted around Ukraine's 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 percent to 50 percent 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.







Service members of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces take part in tactical drills at a training ground in an unknown location in Ukraine, in this handout picture released Feb. 18. Reuters-Yonhap





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.






British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday that if Western nations failed to fulfil their promises to support Ukraine's independence, it would have damaging consequences worldwide, including for Taiwan.

Russian troops are massed near Ukraine's borders and President Vladimir Putin has launched exercises by strategic nuclear missile forces, but Russia rejects Western concerns that it is poised to invade.

"We do not fully know what President Putin intends, but the omens are grim," Johnson told a security conference in Munich.

"If Ukraine is endangered, the shock will echo around the world. And those echoes will be heard in east Asia, will be heard in Taiwan," he added. "People would draw the conclusion that aggression pays, and that might is right."

Also read: Chinese official declares 'one China' in reference to Taiwan at Beijing Games

China views Taiwan as part of its territory, and has not ruled out the use of force to regain control of the island, which has governed itself since 1949.

Johnson said Western nations had repeatedly told Ukraine that they would support its independence.

"How hollow, how meaningless, how insulting those words would seem, if at the very moment when their sovereignty and independence is imperilled, we simply look away," he said.

On Tuesday, Britain said it could block Russian companies from raising capital in London and has passed legislation to widen sanctions on Russian businesses and individuals if the country invades Ukraine.

"We will sanction Russian individuals and companies of strategic importance to the Russian state and we will make it impossible for them to raise finance on the London capital markets," Johnson said.

Europe must also wean itself off Russian oil and gas supplies to stop being at the risk of being blackmailed, he added.

Johnson predicted Russia would pay a heavy military price if it invaded Ukraine.

"I fear that a lightning war would be followed by a long and hideous period of reprisals and revenge and insurgency. And Russian parents would mourn the loss of young Russian soldiers," he said.
On the edge of Europe and thousands of miles from the United States, the relevance of Ukraine extends far beyond its borders.

First and foremost, a Russian invasion would upend the lives of 44 million Ukrainians. But its fate has huge implications for the rest of Europe, the health of the global economy and Americas place in the world.

It would increase fears over the security of other former Soviet countries in Eastern Europe. It would heighten fears over the strength of the post-1989 international order and Americas ability to influence it. And it would risk raising fuel prices across the world.

Heres how Ukraine ended up at the centre of a global crisis.

Also Read | 'Don't try to guess' Russian decisions on Ukraine: German minister

Why do Russia, the US and Europe care so much about Ukraine?

Both Russia and the West see Ukraine as a potential buffer against each other.

Russia considers Ukraine within its natural sphere of influence. Most of it was for centuries part of the Russian Empire, many Ukrainians are native Russian speakers and the country was part of the Soviet Union until winning independence in 1991.

Russia was unnerved when an uprising in 2014 replaced Ukraines Russia-friendly president with an unequivocally Western-facing government.

Most former Soviet republics and allies in Europe had already joined the European Union or NATO. Ukraines lurch away from Russian influence felt like the final death knell for Russian power in Eastern Europe.

To Europe and the United States, Ukraine matters in part because they see it as a bellwether for their own influence, and for Russian intentions in the rest of Europe. Ukraine is not part of the European Union or NATO. But it receives considerable financial and military support from Europe and the United States. If Russia invades, it suggests that Moscow might feel empowered to raise tensions with other former Soviet republics that are now members of the Western alliance, like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Any Russian incursion would also further threaten US dominance over world affairs. By winning the Cold War, the United States established great influence over the international order, but that influence has waned in the past decade, and a Russian invasion might accelerate that process. By reinvigorating NATO, the United States may hope to slow that process down, or even reverse it.

Also Read | Convinced that Russia would invade Ukraine: US President Biden

Ukraine was often in the news during the Trump administration. Why?

Ukraine was central to the impeachment of former President Donald Trump in 2020.

Several months before impeachment proceedings, Trump had blocked $391 million in military aid to Ukraine. Soon after, Trump asked the newly elected Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to investigate discredited corruption allegations involving Joe Biden, then the likeliest Democratic challenger to Trump.

As a result, Trump was accused of illegally asking a foreign entity  Ukraine  to intervene in the US political system, and of changing state policy to help him personally. The impeachment vote narrowly failed.

Ukraine was also at the heart of a scandal involving Trumps former campaign manager, Paul Manafort. In 2018, Manafort was jailed for concealing more than $30 million worth of consultancy fees he received from Ukrainian oligarchs and government officials to promote the political fortunes of Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian Ukrainian president ousted in the 2014 uprising. Manafort advised Yanukovych between 2006 and 2014, before the latter fled to Russia, and before Manafort began working for Trump.

Didnt Russia already invade parts of Ukraine?

Yes. After the uprising in 2014, Russian troops wearing unmarked uniforms invaded Crimea, a strategically important peninsula on the Black Sea. In a referendum condemned as illegal by most of the world, the region was then voted by an overwhelming majority to join Russia.

Later in 2014, pro-Russian separatists backed by Russian troops and military hardware captured parts of eastern Ukraine, setting up two rebel republics  in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions  that remains unrecognised by any other state.

Also Read | Russia's test missiles 'hit targets' in strategic drills as tensions soar over Ukraine

Fighting continues today between the Ukrainian state and the separatists. To many Ukrainians, the threat of a broader Russian intervention in Ukraine is therefore merely the latest episode of an unfinished eight-year war. And that war is likely to continue, whether Russia invades in the coming days or not.

What do Ukrainians want?

The threat of another Russian invasion has consolidated a growing sense of national pride and unity among Ukrainians, even among those who grew up speaking Russian.

As recently as 2001, opinion polls suggested that roughly half of Ukrainians supported the countrys departure from the Soviet Union. Today, more than 80 per cent support Ukraines independence, and more than half are back from joining NATO.

Though anxiety courses through the country, life continues more or less as normal in most of it. Both civilians and government leaders say that they remain calm amid foreign reports of an imminent invasion, and some even say they doubt that Russia will actually invade. But at the same time, many civilians have increasingly joined volunteer defense units and signed up for first-aid courses.

How might Ukraine and its supporters stop another Russian invasion?

Ukraine could promise to abandon any effort to join NATO or carry out a never-enforced pair of peace agreements signed in 2014 and 2015 that were considered favourable to Russia.

Under the agreements, known as the Minsk Accords, the two separatist territories would rejoin Ukraine  but only in a federal system that could give the territories a veto over Ukrainian foreign policy.

Also Read | Germany asks citizens to leave Ukraine 'urgently'

But the Ukrainian governments hands are tied, at least in the short term. Abandoning NATO aspirations would contravene the Ukrainian Constitution. And a poll in December found that three-quarters of Ukrainians either entirely reject carrying out the Minsk Accords, or want them amended.

The United States and Europe have more cards up their sleeve. Washington could cut off Russias largest financial institutions from the global financial system, crippling the Russian economy. Germany could halt the implementation of Nord Stream 2, a major new pipeline transporting Russian gas to Europe. The United Kingdom may place restrictions on Russian oligarchs with property and assets in Britain.

And then there is the diplomatic path: The Kremlin insists this crisis is not just about Ukraine but also about the NATO military presence in Eastern Europe, which President Vladimir Putin of Russia describes as an existential threat to Russias security.

He wants NATO to pull back from the region and guarantee that neither Ukraine nor any other countries there will ever join the alliance. President Joe Biden insists that the United States is ready to keep talking, but that it will remain committed to the idea that every country should be free to choose its own alliances.

Why is Ukraine so vulnerable?

Though given money and arms by the West, Ukraine is not actually a NATO member and so cannot count on the direct US military support and of US allies. Its military, though the recipient of hundreds of millions of dollars in Western aid in recent years, is still no match for Russias.

It is also surrounded by Russian allies and proxies  and by Russia itself. Russian troops are massed not only along Ukraines eastern border with Russia but also along the Belarusian border, just over 50 miles north of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. Russian troops are also stationed in Transnistria, a small and unrecognized breakaway region from Moldova, to Ukraines west. If Russian troops invaded from some or all of these locations, Ukraines army might be stretched too thin to mount an effective defense.

Would-be allies like Germany may also be wary of enacting economic measures to deter Russia. Europe is highly dependent on Russian fuel, and Russia is a major trading partner of Germany.

What are the possible economic effects of an invasion?

Some of the worlds main grain supplies are routed through the Black Sea, which borders both Russia and Ukraine, two major wheat producers. Military action could disrupt both grain production and distribution, raising food costs for consumers across the world.

Russia supplies about one-third of Europes gas, much of which is currently shipped through Ukraine. Any disruption at either end of that supply chain would force European countries to look elsewhere for fuel, most likely raising world oil prices.

Is an invasion certain?

Not necessarily.

The United States and other countries say an invasion is possible within days, and have evacuated staff from the Ukrainian capital in preparation. But Ukraine and the United States could still take measures to placate Russia. And Russia may still avoid an invasion.

The economic damage of Western sanctions, and the potential death toll of an extended war in Ukraine, might be too great a cost for Moscow to stomach.

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Russia's leader will oversee major military drills along Ukraine's borders on Saturday, further escalating tensions after Washington said Moscow would invade within days, and Ukraine's president headed to Europe to drum up support.

Artillery shelling in the east of Ukraine and orders from Russian-backed separatists for civilians to evacuate the region Friday inflamed an already febrile situation as Washington insisted Moscow was encircling its pro-Western neighbour.

The Kremlin continues to say it has no plans to attack.

US President Joe Biden said that the invasion would come in the next week or days and that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had "made the decision" to invade. But Biden left the door open for a diplomatic resolution.

Also Read | Rebel leader in east Ukraine announces civilian evacuation

"Russia has a choice between war and all the suffering it will bring or diplomacy that will make a future for everyone," Biden said at the White House Friday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was due to travel to Germany Saturday to meet Western leaders, with talks between him and US Vice President Kamala Harris expected.

Biden said it "may not" be wise for Ukraine's leader to leave his country as war fears reached a fever pitch.

The United States says that with an estimated 149,000 Russian troops on Ukraine's borders -- as many as 190,000, when including the Russian-backed separatist forces -- an attack is inevitable.

Also Read | Shellfire as Putin turns up heat on Ukraine and West

The Russians have never given a figure for the deployment along the border with Ukraine nor how many are taking part in ongoing drills with neighbouring Belarus.

Compounding fears, Russia's defence ministry announced that President Vladimir Putin would personally oversee previously scheduled drills involving nuclear-capable missiles on Saturday.

"He's focussed on trying to convince the world he has the ability to change the dynamics in Europe in a way that he cannot," Bided added.

There were growing fears that a spark, which Washington warns could be a deliberate "false flag" incident orchestrated by Moscow, could set off the largest military confrontation in Europe since World War II.

Also Read | Ukraine-Russia crisis: What to know as tensions hit new high

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, attending the Munich Security Conference, warned the size of the assembled Russian force far exceeded that needed for military drills and that Russia had the capacity to invade without warning.

France and Germany have urged Russia to use its influence on rebels in Ukraine's disputed east to "encourage restraint and contribute to de-escalation".

But on the ground, a spike in clashes has fed a growing sense of dread.

An AFP reporter near the front between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in the Lugansk region heard explosions and saw damaged civilian buildings on Kyiv's side of the line.

Also Read | Russia says it is withdrawing military forces around Ukraine

Monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said Saturday they had seen a significant rise in the number of attacks along the front line, particularly in the separatist areas of Donetsk and Lugansk.

Attempting to reverse the aggressor narrative, Moscow-backed leaders have accused Kyiv of planning an offensive to retake the eastern territories. The evacuations of civilians there were said to be in response to worries about a government attack.

There were also reports in Russian media that an oil pipeline had exploded in Lugansk.

But US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who will meet his Russian counterpart for talks Thursday according to Biden, accused the Kremlin of mounting a propaganda campaign to create an excuse for war.

Biden again ruled out sending US troops into Ukraine, but his administration reiterated that it would hit Moscow with costly sanctions that would transform Russia into "a pariah to the international community".

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The government on Thursday summoned Singapore's envoy to New Delhi to the Ministry of External Affairs and lodged a protest after the city state's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong lauded Jawaharlal Nehru, and said that half of the parliamentarians in Nehru's India had criminal charges pending against them.

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The Enforcement Directorate has arrested the prime accused in the multi-crore cross-border cattle smuggling racket in connection with a money-laundering probe into the illegal trade that takes place across the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.

The accused has been identified as Mohd Enamul Haque, who was first arrested by the CBI in November 2020 and now out on bail since last month. The ED has based its case on the CBI FIR.

Haque was taken into custody under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Earlier, the CBI had filed a charge sheet before a special court in West Bengal's Asansol alleging that Haque was the mastermind of the illegal cattle trade.

It is also alleged that he was assisted by Trinamool Congress youth leader Vinay Mishra and his brother Vikas Mishra, who was also arrested, in connivance with BSF Commandant Satish Kumar, who was posted in Murshidabad and Malda regions.

In a statement, the ED had earlier claimed that Vinay Mishra and Vikas Mishra had received funds amounting to Rs 6.1 crore from alleged cattle smuggler Haque between October 2016-March 2017. The ED had attached the house of Mishra brothers in Kolkata by the ED March last year.

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President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday began his two-day tour of Odisha, during which he is scheduled to visit Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri.

He will also inaugurate the celebration marking the 150th birth anniversary of Goudiya Mission founder Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada.

The President was received at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here by Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik among other dignitaries.

This is the President's third visit to Puri. Earlier, he had visited Jagannath temple on March 18, 2018, and March 22 last year.

As per his schedule, President Kovind will visit the 12th-century shrine on Saturday evening, and spend the night at Raj Bhavan in Puri.

On the next day, he will visit Shree Chaitanya Goudiya Mutt in the morning, following which he will reach Saradhabali in front of Gundicha Temple to attend a programme.

He will then inaugurate the celebration marking the 150th birth anniversary of Srimad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada, after which he will leave for Bhubaneswar, and from there to Delhi.

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Leading teachers bodies - All Bengal Teachers Association (ABTA), and All Bengal Primary Teachers Association (ABPTA) - took to the streets in Kolkata on Saturday to oppose a draft policy of the West Bengal government that intends to explore a public-private partnership (PPP) model in the state's school education system. While the Left-affiliated students wing has also protested about the same, the state education minister has clarified that no such decision has been taken by the government.

An officially unacknowledged development, that got reported in a section of the media, and also got attention on social media, has hinted that the state government school education department intends to operate schools in the public-private partnership model. This is expected to help in utilising the government's unused resources. Administrative sources hinted that the idea may have been just at a preliminary level. State education minister Bratya Basu, however, has clarified that no such decision has been taken, as of now. Such an important decision involves the chief minister, and there has been no discussion with the CM over this, he said.

Meanwhile, in Kolkata, teachers' bodies protested against this proposed policy. We have been able to convince the government to have the schools opened. Now, the government is trying to hand over education to the corporates. Our fight is to protect schools. We feel that in private hands teachers appointments, and students fees will be affected. Teachers job security will also be affected, Sukumar Pain, general secretary, ABTA, said.

Mohandas Pandit, general secretary, ABPTA, said that a PPP model is a frightening one, and it means that the schools properties built with public initiatives, at times with contributions, may go to private developers. The Students Federation of India state secretary, Srijan Bhattacharya said that the move (if made) will be to withdraw government responsibilities from school education in the state.

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The government Saturday dismissed as "speculative" media reports related to LIC IPO data claiming that Covid-related deaths in 2021 could be much higher than those recorded officially.

The country endured the devastating second wave of the pandemic during 2021 April and May.

The Union Health Ministry said on Saturday that India has a very transparent and efficient system of reporting Covid-19 deaths, right from the gram panchayat level to the district and the state level.

Read more: Uttar Pradesh lifts Covid-19 curbs as cases drop

The process of reporting deaths is monitored and carried out transparently, it said in a statement.

It said that the media report related to IPOs proposed to be issued by the LIC has mentioned the details of policies and claims settled by the insurer to make a speculative and biased" interpretation that Covid-related mortalities could be more than those recorded officially.

"It is clarified that these reports are speculative and baseless," it said.

While claims settled by LIC relate to life insurance policies taken by policy holders for deaths due to all causes, the news reports conclude that this would imply Covid deaths were underreported, the statement said.

"A flawed interpretation like this is not based on facts and highlights the bias of the author."

It also reveals a lack of understanding of how Covid deaths in India have been collated and published daily in public domain since the beginning of pandemic, it stated.

The government has adopted a globally recognised categorisation to classify Covid deaths with the sole objective of reporting deaths in a transparent manner, it said.

In the model so adopted, the compilation of the total deaths is undertaken by the Centre based on the independent reporting by the states, the statement said.

Furthermore, the government has time and again exhorted states to periodically update their mortality figures as this exercise would accentuate the efforts of public health response to Covid-19 by giving a true picture of the pandemic, it said.

In addition to this, it must be noted that there is an added incentive in India to report Covid-19 deaths as it entitles one to monetary compensation which further makes the likelihood of underreporting scarce, the statement said.

Therefore, jumping on any conclusion regarding underreporting of deaths is tantamount to mere speculation and conjecturing, it added.

Thus, it is highlighted that quoting issues as sensitive as death during a global public health crisis like pandemic Covid -19 should be dealt with utmost sensitivity and authenticity," the statement said.

India has a robust Civil Registration System (CRS) and Sample Registration System (SRS) which was in place even before the Covid-19 pandemic and covers all states and union territories, the government said.

It is also highlighted that the registration of deaths in the country has a legal backing, it said, adding the registration is done under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act (RBD Act, 1969) by functionaries appointed by state governments.

Thus, data generated through CRS has utmost credibility and should be used rather than depending on unauthenticated data, the statement said.

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India on Saturday delivered 2.5 tons of medical assistance and winter clothing to Afghanistan as part of its humanitarian aid to the war-torn country.

It was the fifth consignment of humanitarian aid to that country by India in over two months.

"Continuing our special partnership with the Afghan people. India delivered the fifth shipment of 2.5 tons of medical assistance and winter clothing to Afghanistan today," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

Continuing our special partnership with the Afghan people. India delivered the fifth shipment of 2.5 tons of medical assistance and winter clothings to Afghanistan today. pic.twitter.com/JtW5EEwJF0  Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) February 19, 2022

India is also likely to start the supply of 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan by road transport through Pakistan from next week.

India has been pressing for providing unimpeded humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country.

India has not recognised the new regime in Afghanistan and has been pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul, besides insisting that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.

India has been concerned over the recent developments in Afghanistan.

It hosted a regional dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10 that was attended by National Security Advisors of Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The participating countries vowed to work towards ensuring that Afghanistan does not become a safe haven for global terrorism and called for the formation of an "open and truly inclusive" government in Kabul with representation from all sections of Afghan society.

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Gangster-turned-activist Lakha Sidhana, who is in the fray from the Maur Assembly seat in Punjabs Bathinda district, appeals to people to read newspapers, pool funds to open libraries while saying he wants to promote the Punjabi language.

Sidhana is one of the accused in the last years Delhi Republic Day violence and has been fielded by the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, a political outfit of various farmer bodies.

Forty-two-year-old Sidhana, who is facing several criminal cases, was quite active in the farmers agitation against the Centres farm laws, which were later repealed.

I am a fearless person who can raise voice for my people. You all have seen my contribution to the farmers agitation, says Sidhana wherever he goes for campaigning.

Sidhana invariably mentions the need to promote maa boli Punjabi (Punjabi language) and Punjabiyat.

He is demanding Punjabi be made a compulsory subject in all convent schools of the state.

During campaigning, Sidhana appeals to villagers to read newspapers and pool funds to open libraries. He also tries to create awareness among people about air pollution and depleting underground water. He asks people to fight against private healthcare facilities for overcharging patients during the pandemic.

He also does not shy away from discussing his criminal past.

I suffered three bullet injuries during electioneering about a decade ago. After having a brush with death, I realised my blunder. I deeply regret my criminal past, Sidhana says.

While appreciating AAP's CM face Bhagwant Mann, he quickly expresses his strong difference with Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

Kejriwal wants to control Punjab, whereas we need a leader from our own state for good governance. I admire Bhagwant. But he is powerless before an autocrat like Kejriwal, he alleges.

In 2012, Sidhana had contested his first election unsuccessfully from Rampura Phul Assembly segment as a candidate of Peoples Party of Punjab (PPP) that was floated by Manpreet Singh Badal before it was merged with the Congress.

The Shiromani Akali Dal has fielded ex-MP Jagmeet Singh Brar while the Congress partys candidate is Manoj Bala Bansal and AAP has nominated Sukhveer Singh. The BJP has fielded Dayal Sodhi.

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A service member of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces takes part in tactical drills at a training ground in an unknown location in Ukraine, in this handout picture released Feb. 18. Reuters-Yonhap





Ukraine's armed forces accused Moscow-backed rebels Saturday of launching a huge new wave of attacks that have intensified fears of a Russian invasion of its western neighbor.







The joint military command for east Ukraine reported 66 exchanges of fire by 7:00 am (local time)  a high number compared to recent stages of the conflict  while the rebels called the situation "critical."







The statement said the rebels had resorted to using banned 82 and 120 millimeter-caliber mortar shells in towns across the front in the eastern regions of Lugansk and Donetsk.







"There have been no losses among members of the armed forces as a result of the enemy's attacks," it said.






The National Investigative Agency (NIA) conducted fresh raids at eight locations in Kashmir and Rajasthan on Saturday in connection with a terrorism conspiracy case.

A spokesperson of the NIA said the premier probe agency sleuths carried out separate raids in Sopore, Kupwara, Shopian, Rajouri, Budgam, Ganderbal of Kashmir and Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, with police and CRPF personnel.

"The case relates to planning and conspiracy for undertaking violent terrorist acts in J&K and other major cities including New Delhi by cadres of proscribed terrorist organisations Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al Badr and their affiliates such as The Resistance Front (TRF), People Against Fascist Forces (PAFF) etc. NIA has arrested 28 accused persons in the case so far, he said.

During the searches conducted, various incriminating documents, digital devices, SIM cards, digital storage devices were seized, the spokesperson added.

On Thursday, the NIA had carried out raids at multiple locations in Kashmir in a case pertaining to "radicalising, motivating and recruiting" of J&K youth by the LeT and recovery of an IED at Bhatindi in Jammu.

Since early 2017, the NIA has continuously carried out raids in Kashmir in connection with alleged terror funding, fidayeen (suicide) attack cases and the agency has arrested and questioned dozens of people in the last five years.

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Deaths caused by drug overdose, especially among youngsters, are on the rise as Heroin addiction has assumed horrifying proportions in Kashmir.

Doctors at the drug de-addiction centre of the Institute of Mental health & Neurosciences (IMHANS) in Srinagar said that the facility has been flooded with patients taking deadly drugs like Heroin in recent years.

Over 90 per cent of the people seeking treatment for substance abuse are taking Intravenous (IV) Heroin, a serious, life-threatening substance. The chances of an overdose in Heroin are very high, they said.

We need to do a study about the deaths among young people and then only we may be able to find exact details about deaths happening due to drug overdose, Dr Arshid Hussain, a professor of Psychiatry at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, told DH.

Dr Hussain who is among the first doctors in Kashmir to work on drug addiction said the fact that IV drug abuse has shot up is reason enough to believe that the deaths due to drugs have increased. It is very difficult to prevent overdose, very difficult to revive patients who have suffered an overdose, he added.

Dr Saleem Khan, Head Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at GMC Srinagar said he was aware of many cases where patients have died in intensive care units and the deaths have been tagged as heart attacks.

We as a community have a tendency to cover up drug-related deaths. It is causing a wrong perception and also creating hurdles in the proper estimate of overdose-related deaths, he said.

The GMC Srinagar runs two outpatient departments (OPDs) for people seeking treatment of various substance addictions, including lethal Heroin. In 2020, nearly 7500 addiction cases were reported at these two centres while in 2021, nearly 14000 people abusing various drugs were registered.

The IV abuse of Heroin, as per doctors treating for addiction, is the last nail in the coffin for the youth due to its difficult withdrawal process and highly dangerous nature.

The proportion of people seeking treatment for heroin abuse is just the tip of the iceberg. Easy availability of heroin is one of the major reasons for a steep rise in such cases in the last two or three years, said Dr Yasir Rather, in charge of the drug de-addiction centre at GMC Srinagar.

Law enforcement agencies blame Pakistan for pumping huge quantities of narcotics into Kashmir. Lot of drugs and narcotics are being pumped into the Valley from across the border. Pakistan is targeting youngsters by making them habitual to drugs, Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh said.

Pakistan is repeating the same dirty game in Kashmir that they played in Punjab - first giving arms training and later spoiling the youth with drugs, he added.

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A government school teacher was arrested on charges of poaching and carcass of a female Himalayan Monal, a rainbow-coloured bird locally named Haam, who was seized in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri on Saturday, officials of the wildlife department said.

Mukhtar Ahmad was arrested near Panar bridge on Mughal Road, which falls under the jurisdiction of Tatakutti Wildlife Sanctuary, while his three associates managed to escape, the officials said.

A team headed by the Surankote control room in charge Mohammad Yaqoob intercepted Ahmads car based on specific inputs. Efforts are on to nab the three men who escaped, the officials said.

The carcass of the bird which is native to the Himalayas, about 2.5 kg meat, a 12-bore gun barrel, three live cartridges and an empty cartridge of a 12-bore gun were seized, they said.

The officials said they have secured Ahmad's custody till February 24 for further investigation.

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Two soldiers and a militant affiliated with Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT outfit were killed in an encounter between security forces and ultras in south Kashmirs Shopian district on Saturday.

A police official said the gun battle erupted after armys 1-Rashtriya Rifles and J&K police a cordon-and-search-operation (CASO) in Chermarg, Zainpora in Shopian, 60 kms from, here, during wee hours of Saturday following a tip-off about the presence of ultras there.

As the security forces were conducting searches in the area, the hiding militants fired upon them in which two soldiers were injured, he said and added the injured soldiers later succumbed to their injuries. The deceased soldiers were identified as Santosh Yadav and Chavan Romit Tanaji, from the 1-Rashtriya Rifles.

The hiding militant was killed in the retaliatory firing by the security forces, police said and identified him as Abdul Qayoom Dar, a local affiliated with the LeT.

The house owner, who misled search party of security forces, was arrested in a terror law for providing shelter to militant and misleading security forces, a police spokesperson said.

24 militants, including eight from Pakistan, have been killed in Kashmir this year in over a dozen encounters while last year 171 ultras were neutralized.

According to police figures, 156 ultras, including 73 foreigners, were active in Kashmir on December 31. This is for the first time that the number of active militants in the Valley has come down to less than 200 since the insurgency erupted in Kashmir in 1990.

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The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to lift the Covid night curfew as the state has witnessed a sustained decline in Covid-19 cases.

The night curfew in the state was imposed between 10.00 pm to 6.00 am, which was relaxed by an hour from February 13.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said the decision to end night curfew was taken following the decline in Covid-19 cases.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday paid tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary.

Paying homage to the great Maratha king, the Prime Minister said that his outstanding leadership and emphasis on social welfare has been inspiring people for generations.

"I bow to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti. His outstanding leadership and emphasis on social welfare have been inspiring people for generations. He was uncompromising when it came to standing up for the values of truth and justice. We are committed to fulfilling his vision," Modi tweeted.

Also taking to Twitter, the Vice President said, "My tributes to legendary Maratha warrior king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary. Known for his undaunted courage and exceptional warfare strategies, Shivaji Maharaj was a ruler ahead of his time. His love for our motherland continues to inspire every Indian."

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The Shiv Sena has urged the Centre to withdraw the recent amendment to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2021, which will ensure that no FIRs are registered in serious offences against children except with special permission from a judicial magistrate.

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has written to Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani urging her to rectify the amendment and restore cognisable status of such offences.

"The amendment will have a devastating impact on children, as it shields perpetrators who employ and exploit children for begging, labour and smuggling drugs," Chaturvedi said.

The Sena leader lamented that these grave offences will not attract registration of FIRs and automatic investigation because of the amendment.

"On one hand, the Centre talks of 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao', and on the other hand, it brings forward an amendment that ensures that no FIRs are registered for serious offences against children, except with special permission from a judicial magistrate," she said.

The Central government had made changes in the Juvenile Justice Act 2015 through an amendment in 2021, which makes serious offences against children non-cognisable. Serious offences can attract three to seven years of imprisonment.

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Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Friday faced criticism from both the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front and the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front for allegedly playing bargaining tactics.

While many leaders of the ruling front, including some ministers, accused the Governor of playing bargaining politics over his Constitutional obligation of delivering the government's policy statement in the Assembly, the opposition UDF boycotted the Governor's policy address 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 an agitated Governor said that it was not the time for protest and went ahead with the address. Subsequently, the opposition boycotted the house.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan later told reporters that the Governor and 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, general administration department principal secretary K R Jyothilal, allegedly after the Governor insisted that he would sign on the policy statement of the government only if action was taken against the officer.

In the order issued by Jyothilal appointing BJP state leader Hari S. Kartha as Governor's personal assistant, it was mentioned that there was no precedent of appointing persons with political affiliation in Raj Bhavan. This irked the Governor.

CPM and CPI leaders, including a couple of ministers, also flayed the Governor's stand. CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran accused the Governor of playing a bargaining tactics over his Constitutional obligation of delivering the policy statement in the Assembly. He also said that the government need not have succumbed to the Governor's pressure tactics.

Meanwhile, in the policy statement, the Governor accused the centre of neglecting the state's demands with regard to the GST compensation and budget allocations. He also accused the centre of bringing in legislation against the state's interests without consultations. He also backed the semi-high-speed rail project mooted by the state government and sought central approval for the project.

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Polling in the elections to urban local bodies in Tamil Nadu was largely peaceful on Saturday with an estimated 60.70 per cent of voters exercising their franchise till 3 pm.

No incidents of major poll violence were reported from anywhere in the state, while sporadic events of malfunctioning of EVMs, the verbal duel between party cadres, and allegations of party men canvassing for votes among people standing outside booths were reported from a few places.

The elections to urban local bodies are being held for the first time since 2011 and enthusiastic voters in a majority of the towns and cities turned up in large numbers, while the voting percentage in Chennai was the lowest at 43.59 per cent. Dharmapuri recorded the highest percentage at 80.49.

A polling agent belonging to the BJP was detained in Melur town in the Madurai district after he created a ruckus inside a booth raising objections to women voting with their hijab.

Also Read | Tamil Nadu urban local body polls: Row over hijab disrupts voting at polling booth in Madurai

In Chennai, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai alleged that the vote of Union Minister of State L Murugan was cast by someone else. A few hours later, Murugan exercised his franchise at the same booth with officials blaming a clerical error. However, Annamalai refused to accept the explanation and insisted that Murugan was allowed to vote only after BJPs protests.

Annamalai termed the elections as a drama enacted by the SEC for the ruling DMK, while AIADMK demanded repolling in booths where DMK men were involved in irregularities.

Elections are being held to 648 urban local bodies  21 corporations, 138 municipalities, and 489 town panchayats  to elect over 12,800 councillors. While counting of votes polled in Saturdays election will be held on February 22, the newly elected members will choose mayors, deputy mayors, chairpersons and deputy chairpersons, and presidents and vice-presidents through indirect elections on March 4.

The State Election Commission (SEC) made elaborate arrangements for the elections by setting up 31,029 polling stations across the state with the deployment of 1.06 lakh EVM units. As many as 1.37 crore men, 1.42 crore women and 4,324 persons from the transgender community are eligible to vote in the elections.

The elections to urban local bodies are the first popularity test for the DMK, which stormed to power in May 2021 after a decade. While DMK is facing the election with its alliance intact, the AIADMK entered the fray with just a couple of allies, and BJP and PMK are contesting alone.

For the AIADMK, which has been facing a string of electoral losses, the election is very crucial with the party hoping that the high-voltage campaign by its top leadership comprising O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami help put up a decent show. BJP, which broke away from the AIADMK alliance, has fielded candidates in just 45 per cent of the seats and is using the election to demonstrate its individual vote bank.

Chief Minister M K Stalin, who voted in Chennai, expressed the hope that the DMK alliance will sweep the urban local body elections. We have fulfilled the majority of the promises made during the 2021 assembly elections and we are certain that people will vote for us again after witnessing our work for nine months, Stalin told reporters after casting his vote.

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The hijab issue had its resonance in the urban local body elections in Tamil Nadu on Saturday when a polling agent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) objected to women voting with their faces covered at a booth in Melur municipality in Madurai district.

Girirajan, the BJP agent, was later arrested by police which booked him under various sections of the IPC, including obstructing government servants from performing their duties.

Polling officers and polling agents of all other parties, including ruling DMK and principal Opposition AIADMK, did not agree with the objection raised by Girirajan, the BJP agent, following which voting at the booth was disrupted for 30 minutes. He raised the issue when a woman wearing a hijab was inside the booth.

Following the intervention of the police, Girirajan was sent out of the polling station and another BJP functionary replaced him as the partys polling agent for the booth. Later, Girirajan was detained by police and was being interrogated.

State Election Commissioner (SEC) V Palanikumar took objection to the incident, saying India was a democratic country and every citizen has the right to wear what they wish. He also said an inquiry has been ordered into the incident. A video of Girirajan, holding the voters' list in his hand, shouting at the officers for allowing women to vote with their hijab. How do we know their face? Can you match the picture on the voters' list with that of the people (women) who come to vote? Girirajan is heard asking.

The video also shows officers and polling agents objecting to Girirajans action. We have verified and cross-checked. That is enough. We have allowed her to vote. There is no need for you to check, one of the officers said. As the BJP functionary showed no signs of relenting and officers threatened to leave the hall, police intervened and asked Girirajan to leave the booth following which voting resumed.

The incident took place at a polling booth in ward no. 8 of the Melur municipality in Madurai when scores of Muslim women wearing hijabs were waiting outside the booth to cast their vote. The incident comes close on the heels of a major controversy in Karnataka over schools and educational institutions asking girls to remove their hijab.

DMK MP Kanimozhi and MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin condemned the action of the BJP agent, saying such people have no place in Tamil Nadu.

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Jinghai district in northern China is hardly a rice-growing paradise. Located along the coast of the Bohai Sea, over half of the regions land is made of salty, alkaline soil where crops cant survive. Yet, last autumn, Jinghai produced 100 hectares of rice.

The secret to the bountiful harvest is new salt-tolerant rice strains developed by Chinese scientists in the hope of ensuring food security thats been threatened by rising sea levels, increasing grain demand and supply chain disruptions.

Known as seawater rice because its grown in salty soil near the sea, the strains were created by over-expressing a gene from selected wild rice thats more resistant to saline and alkali. Test fields in Tianjinthe municipality that encompasses Jinghairecorded a yield of 4.6 metric tons per acre last year, higher than the national average for the production of standard rice varieties.

The breakthrough comes as China searches for ways to secure domestic food and energy supplies as global warming and geopolitical tensions make imports less reliable. The nation has one-fifth of the worlds population, and that many mouths to feed, with less than 10 per cent of the Earths arable land. Meanwhile, grain consumption is rising quickly as the country grows more wealthy.

Seeds are the chips of agriculture, said Wan Jili, a manager at Qingdao Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Research and Development Center, drawing a parallel between the crucial role semiconductors play in the development of new technologies and their role in the ongoing trade war between the US and China. Seawater rice could help improve Chinas grain production in the face of an extremely complicated situation regarding climate change and global food security, she said.

China has been studying salt-tolerant rice since at least the 1950s. But the term seawater rice only started to gain mainstream attention in recent years after the late Yuan Longping, once the nations top agricultural scientist, began researching the idea in 2012.

Yuan, known as the father of hybrid rice, is considered a national hero for boosting grain harvests and saving millions from hunger thanks to his work on high-yielding hybrid rice varieties in the 1970s. In 2016, he selected six locations across the country with different soil conditions that were turned into testing fields for salt-tolerant rice. The following year, China established the research centre in Qingdao where Wan works. The institutes goal is to harvest 30 million tons of rice using 6.7 million hectares of barren land.

We could feed 80 million more people with salt-tolerant rice, Yuan said in a documentary broadcast in 2020. Agricultural researchers like us should shoulder the responsibility to safeguard food security, he told a local newspaper in 2018.

Climate change has made the task more urgent. Chinas coastal waters have risen faster than the global average over the last 40 years, a worrying trend given the countrys deep reliance on its long and low eastern coast for grain production. Successfully growing salt-tolerant rice on a large scale would allow the country to utilize more of the increasingly salty land in the area.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, sea levels around the world could rise as much as 59 centimetres by the end of the century if the planet warms by two degrees Celsius. Oceans surrounding the US will swell faster within the next three decades than they did in the past century, according to a report this week led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

President Xi Jinping has stressed in several recent meetings with top government officials that ensuring the supply of primary goods is a major strategic issue given climate and geopolitical pressures. The food of the Chinese people must be made by and remain in the hands of the Chinese, he said at a gathering of the Politburo Standing Committee meeting in December.

Chinese scientists are betting that land once dismissed as barren can be turned into productive grain-producing plots. About 100 million hectares of land in the country, about the size of Egypt, is high in saline and alkaline. Meanwhile arable land has decreased six per cent from 2009 to 2019 because of urbanization, pollution and overuse of fertilizers.

To make use of salty soil, farmers traditionally dilute their fields with large amounts of freshwater. The approach is still commonly used in some coastal regions. But the method requires vast amounts of water and often doesnt improve yields enough to make sense economically.

China is looking at another method now, to develop grain varieties that can withstand the soils saltiness, said Zhang Zhaoxin, a researcher with Chinas agricultural ministry. While seawater rice has mostly been planted on trial fields so far, Zhang said he believes commercial cultivation will soon take off with the governments support.

The research team in Qingdao said last October that it can meet the goal of growing 6.7 million hectares of seawater rice within ten years. In 2021, the group was put in charge of 400,000 hectares of land to expand the production of seawater rice.

If China can be more self-sufficient in staple foods, it would be a contribution to the world's food security too, said Zhang. The less China imports, the more other countries will have.

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Like many things, editorial cartoons and illustrations have gone digital. Sketches are now made with a stylus (digital pen) on tablets. But how has this evolution changed the art form and the field of editorial cartoons? We asked artists who have seen the change happen through the 80s till now.

Nibs to clicks

B G Gujjarappa aka Gujjar says the transition from drawing on paper to drawing digitally hasnt impacted the storytelling aspect of cartoons, illustrations and caricatures or the multimedia works he does now. But it has opened up a world of possibilities.

While working with paper and ink, one has to retouch the changes with white paint or draw lines again. On the computer, one can simply undo changes, and paper wastage is minimal, he explains.

He would earlier work with rotary pens and crow quill nibs on newsprint (it absorbed the colour well). Today, the digital medium offers him a variety of materials, brushes and colours to choose from. Flash or Photoshop were his go-to software initially but now he uses Creta and Medibang as they lend to finer lines.

Likewise, until the 2000s, freelance illustrator and creative design consultant G S Naganath used to make black and white drawings on paper. He started out by using the black Pilot Hi-Tech Point pen and switched to calligraphy nibs dipped in waterproof ink later to achieve thin and thick strokes.

Talking of the perks of technology, professional cartoonist Satish Acharya says one can experiment with the size of their canvas when it comes to drawing cartoons for websites. In newspapers, the size is determined by column space, he explains.

B&W v/s colour

With the advent of technology, it has become easier to add colours. Earlier, a paper drawing had to be scanned and sent for printing, points out Satish.

Editorial cartoons are ideally black and white artworks but the popularity of graphic software has made it possible to have colourful, attractive and crisp-looking cartoons, he adds.

Not everybody is happy with this change though. Colour schemes used in most publications are not ideal for printing, says Naganath.

Mind over medium

Technology has improved the speed, precision and quality of their work, say cartoonists.

Satish says, I have been making cartoons with a digital pen for the last few years. But I practice enough on paper using a pencil or pen too.

The dexterity of hands is key. He explains, Whether you work on a tablet or on a computer, you have to draw with your hands. If your drawing skills are not good, no technology can deliver good results.

Gujjar says even today, many cartoonists in the West draw their artwork on paper first. There is always an originality about drawing on paper.

Cartoonist and illustrator Nanjunda Swamy Y S agrees and says that the experience of drawing on paper is unique.

Global influences

Indian cartoons used to be simple back in the day. They had minimal lines and colours and speech bubbles were the high points. Indian culture and politicians were common subjects as seen in the works by R K Laxman, B V Ramamurthy, Bal Thackeray, K Shankar Pillai and Mario Miranda.

On the contrary, the works abroad were detailed and powerful, says illustrator G S Naganath. Modern influences have changed our styles, which can now resonate with everyone across the world, he says.

Print vs social media

Some artists are concerned about the dwindling number of political cartoons. Gujjar, who worked as a cartoonist in newspapers for 15 years, says, Most newspapers and publications do not encourage political cartoons now.

Nanjunda says the size of editorial political cartoons has come down from four to two columns and are rarely seen on the front page. The pocket cartoon has almost disappeared from newspapers, he says.

However, Gujjar sees social media as a worthy alternative. Posts like political cartoons go viral easily now, he explains.

Elements of a good cartoon

According to these experts, the artwork, the quotes and conversations used, and the humour intended must be in sync. Composition and colours are just as integral to overall messaging.

Quotes and conversations should be grammatically correct.

More artwork and fewer words are ideal.

Dont add too many elements around the subject as it can be distracting.

The balance of white space and black lines in black-and-white cartoons is important.

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Karoshi and Maddin, Muslim families from Bagalkots Mahalingpur, refrain from cooking and consuming meat every Monday.

Just like other meat shops in the town, they keep their eateries closed on the first day of each week, out of respect for Mahalingeshwara.

All the Muslim families here have been voluntarily following this practice for centuries. Like their Hindu neighbours, they worship Mahalingeshwara at the temple every Monday. And Muharram celebrations see the Hindus stepping forward.

It is due to such a culture that the people here consider Mahalingeshwara and Muhammad synonymous. And this is not restricted to words but is reflected in the deeds of the residents of the village as well.

Mahalingpur, a town renowned for its jaggery and weaving, has maintained communal co-existence for well over two centuries.

Originally called Naragatti and later Varagatti, this town located on the banks of the Ghataprabha drew its present name from Shivayogi Mahalingeshwara, a mystical seer (Shivayogi), in the early 1800s.

Ashok Narode, a Kannada professor at Mahalingpur says the Mahalingeshwar seer not only came to the rescue of the people by his mystical powers but also preached brotherhood. He had followers from all communities including the Adil Shahi kings of Bijapur.

Inspired by the Shivayogis knowledge and social work, Maloji Ghorpade, the ruler of Mudhol, granted Mahalingpur to him.

The seeds of communal co-existence that were planted by Mahalingeshwar were later watered by Sadhu Niranjana Avadhoota, Basavananda and other seers.

Karnatakas Kabir Padma Shri Ibrahim Sutar, who passed away recently, hailed from a weavers family in the town. He further nurtured this culture.

Having learnt the essence of the Quran and also the folk songs (Tatva Pada), Vachanas and the Bhavadgita, Sutar went on to propagate human values throughout his life.

Bhavaikya (harmony) became his favourite word and he named his Bhajana Mandal, his house at Mahalingpur and even his car as Bhavaikya.

Even to this day, people of all communities together worship Mahalingeshwara at the temple.

As Ibrahim Sutars son Humayun puts it, Here, all communities work together. While the nekars (weavers) play the Karadi Vadya, bhajantris play the Shahanayi and Harijans the Khani. Patrotes and Bandivaddars look after the ratha, Lingayats perform the pallakki seva (palanquin procession) and Veerashaivas look after mass feeding. During every programme, Muslims of the Maldar family take the responsibility of inviting people of the village.

Unique Muharram

Muharram observation is unique in Mahalingpur as it sees the participation of every community. The tabuts (Dolis, as it is called as in Urdu) installed in all the four directions of the town first meet at a central point and then proceed to the Mahalingeshwar Math. The Peethadhyaksha (head) of the math ceremoniously welcomes the Dolis and pays respect to it. Later, sweets like Chonge are prepared and relished in every household.

Humanyun recalls the time when Sidagireppanna Belaxgali, a social leader of the town, led the Banashankari Temple Yuvak Mandal which hosted an Iftar during the Ramzan in the temple premises.

When my father explained to them that Muslims have to perform mass Namaz just after the Iftar, arrangements were made to perform Namaz in the Kalyan mantap of the temple, he says, reiterating his fathers words that it is human values that matter more.

During every Navaratri Utsav, Muslims worship the deity when the idol is taken out in a grand procession on the streets of Mahalingpur.

While the annual Vedantha Parishat and other programmes arranged during the Punyaradhane (death anniversary) of Shivanand Mahaswami sees the participation of scholars from all communities, the Isthama (a religious meet of Muslims) held here a few years back saw Muslims honouring the head of the Mahalingeshwar Math.

The annual Mahalingeshwar fair that draws people from all communities is another classic example of the communal calm and mutual acceptance at Mahalingpur.

Strong roots

The culture has such strong roots that while Hindus observe Roza, Muslims perform Deednamaskar around the Mahalingeshwar Temple that has some Muslims as its trustees.

While a seer of the Neelkantheshwara Math offered land for the construction of the Haji Malang Baba Darga where Hindus offer puja each day, Muslims hoisted a saffron flag along with the green flag on Laal Saab Ali Darga in 2018 and even worshipped Lord Shrikrishna there.

While Muslim auto drivers name their auto stand after Mahalingeshwar and shower flower petals from a mosque when Hindus take out some processions, Hindus make their children stand in front of the mosques with folded hands during Namaz.

It is due to such community celebrations and co-operation that peace is still standing tall in Mahalingpur. If this model of Mahalingpur is followed across the country, there would be no clashes due to communal hatred, says Prof Ningappa Mudenoor, who hails from the town.
Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti on Saturday felt that chaos is stalling the legislature proceedings and not holding the session is nothing but doing injustice to the people.

He told reporters here, I am personally hurt with this development. Both parties (BJP and Congress) are not ready to compromise and it is like the child suffering due to parents quarrel. As a citizen, I feel that we are insulting and betraying the people.

Crores of rupees of taxpayers money are spent to run the session. I will perform my duty as the Council Chairman, he noted.

In reply to the speculation that he would be the BJP candidate in the forthcoming MLC elections, Horatti said, I will not decide anything till May, he added.

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Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka said that the government will extend the drive of disposing of pending files in the government offices to all the districts in the state.

It is unfortunate that the files as old as 20 years are still pending in government offices for disposal. I will visit each district along with the state-level officials to take steps to clear pending files, he said after inaugurating the week-long drive to clear pending files in Dakshina Kannada.

Stressing the need for accelerating administrative mechanisms in government offices, he lauded Dakshina Kannada District-in-Charge Minister V Sunil Kumar, who initiated the file disposal week in the district.

Top rank officials should consider the problems faced by the people at the lower strata of the society. Even physically challenged are also put to hardships. Serving the society is the real worship of God, Ashoka said.

Those who visit government offices for old-age pensions and other benefits should not be made to wait for years, he said. The file disposal drive should give emphasis to all such files of economically weaker sections. It should not be done only for the namesake.

82,000 files pending

Kumar said there are nearly 82,000 pending files in Dakshina Kannada. While there are 28,728 files pending in 45 departments in the district, 51,000 files are related to pension schemes. In addition, there are about 2,000 complaints pending in various government offices.

There may be several reasons, including technical, Covid-19 pandemic or laxity on part of the officials concerned, for the delay in clearing the files. All government officials, starting from the gram panchayats to the district administration, should be involved in the file disposal drive. Officials should not avail holidays for the next 10 days and ensure all pending files are cleared, the minister said.

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A 30-year-old man allegedly caught by the police on charges of theft died after suffering from chest pain while in custody of the Mangaluru North Police on Friday.

According to City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar, the deceased is Rajesh (30), a resident of Urwa Market. The beat police on noticing two persons moving suspiciously and stealing iron rods, belonging to Smart City project at Ambedkar Circle in Mangaluru, informed the higher officials who in turn rushed to the spot and arrested the duo along with the stolen iron rods at 3.30 am on Friday.The arrested were taken to Bunder (Mangaluru North) Station and were given food in the morning and noon. One of the arrested, Rajesh, complained of chest pain and excessive sweating at 3.20 pm. The police immediately rushed him to Wenlock Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

The Commissioner said that the family members were informed about his death. The family members have told the police that Rajesh was into such activities since he turned 18. The family and community leaders have asked the police to conduct an impartial inquiry to know the cause of the death. Accordingly, a complaint has been registered and North ACP Mahesh Kumar will be the investigation officer.

A panel of doctors who will conduct post mortem will be video recorded as a part of the procedure. A magisterial inquest will be held. Since it was a death in police custody the case will be handed over to the CID, added the Commissioner.

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The ongoing hijab row in the state took a new turn on Friday with a college in Vijayapura district refusing entry to a student who had come to the campus sporting kumkum.

In the government degree college at Indi, the staff did not allow the student to attend class. Protesting, the student argued with the teacher that the prohibition was only for saffron shawl and hijab and not for kumkum/tilak. As an argument ensued between the teacher and the student, police had to arrive at the spot to intervene.

Meanwhile, protests continued across the state on different college campuses. In SRS Education Institute in Chitradurga, PU girl students staged a protest demanding their right to wear hijab. Countering this, some students inside the college raised slogans of Jai Sri Ram. More than 10 Muslim students of Girls Government PU College returned home as they were not allowed to enter the classrooms wearing hijabs.

Students of Vijaya Institute of Paramedical Sciences in Belagavi continued to remain outside classrooms for the second consecutive day demanding that they be allowed to wear hijab in classrooms. They did not heed even to interventions by the Deputy Commissioner M G Hiremath and faculty members. At least 12 students came out of the campus after the faculty asked them to remove their hijab. Since the authorities failed to convince the students, Hiremath said they would reach out to the parents and hold a meeting with them.

In Sirsi, schools and colleges conducted classes amid tight police security. Prohibitory orders were issued within 200 metres of educational institutions. Police officials monitored the situation in front of prominent colleges. Several Muslim girl students did not turn up for classes. Some came wearing hijab, only to return home as they were denied entry. A few removed the hijab and entered classes.

In Yadgir, students protested in front of New Kannada College, demanding permission for hijab. Since the college administration refused, the students returned home.

Boys support girls

Muslim male students at the Field Marshal K M Cariappa College in Madikeri boycotted classes saying they will not enter the campus unless girls wearing the hijab are allowed. A video of their argument with the police was widely

shared.

Meanwhile, in Dakshina Kannada, Muslim students boycotted classes on Friday after the hijab-clad students were prevented from attending classes, for the third consecutive day, at Milagres degree college in Kallianpura and Government First Grade college in Kavoor in Mangaluru.

Farhan and Azad studying in Milagres degree college told DH that the college has been treating girls unfairly and harassing them for wearing hijab. Though the examinations are underway, the boys have decided to boycott exams and express solidarity with the girls.

Udupi college peaceful

At MGM College in Kundapur, classes resumed after a 10-day closure over hijab row. The college had witnessed a pitched verbal battle between supporters of hijab and saffron shawl. Police personnel deployed at the college ensured that no outsider was allowed into the campus.

Watch the latest DH Videos here:
The Karnataka High Court bench, hearing petitions on hijab row, on Friday directed the state government to see to it that its interim order is not violated.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, gave this direction after an advocate for students brought to the notice of the bench that Muslims are being troubled over the interim order.

Also Read: Karnataka mulls tweaking order banning hijabs: Report

Advocate Tahir submitted before the court to provide clarity on the interim order prohibiting any religious symbols in the premises of colleges, contending that the order is also being implemented in Urdu schools, where all students and teachers are Muslims.

He further stated that students are being asked to remove hijabs and burqas outside such colleges and schools, following orders of the Minority Welfare Department. Teachers wearing hijab are also being stopped by officials saying that they are carrying out the interim orders of the High Court. All departments are passing orders in this regard, he said.

The bench, which also comprises Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice Khaji Jaibunnesa Mohiyuddin, asked the advocate to give a written submission on the matter and directed the government to see to it that interim orders are not violated.

Advocate General Prabhuling Navadagi, representing the government assured the court that it will be seen to it that not an iota of the interim order is violated.

Meanwhile, Navadagi, while countering arguments of counsels for the petitioners who vehemently argued that the government has no right to indulge in religious matters, argued that under Article 25 (1), the state has powers to restrict religious matters.

During Covid crisis, the government has ordered the closure of the temples, churches and mosques. And, it can't be said that wearing of hijab is absolutely right, he said.

The bench questioned Navadagi about the sanctity of the College Development Committee (CDC), and also why the government referred to various judgments of the Supreme Court and High Courts while issuing the order on the matter.

Also Read: Hijab not essential practice of Islam, Karnataka govt tells High Court

"It appears that they (government) have not consulted you (AG Navadagi) while issuing the order," Chief Justice Awasthi remarked.

The bench also asked the AG whether the order issued by the government is premature.

"The government has issued order and they have constituted a high-level committee, which is waiting for the order of the court on the matter. The government order is issued in the name of the Secretary. Does this order has the consent of the Education Minister? This is not the order by one person," it observed.

"Without the consent of the government, the appointment of the legislator to the committee is not possible. There are allegations on MLA. Is it right for the MLA to go inside academic institutions... we are not asking about MLA of a particular party," the bench said.

Navadagi stated that the practice of wearing hijab is not an essential part of Islam, and that prevention of wearing of hijab does not amount to the violation of Article 19 (A). He submitted before the bench the sequence of events from 2014 to the present which led to the creation of the hijab crisis in the state.

The bench then adjourned the matter to Monday, when the government counsel will continue his arguments.

Counsel for petitioners have so far argued for the lifting of interim order prohibiting the wearing of hijab and saffron shawls to classes. However, the bench has not acceded to the demand.

Watch the latest DH Videos here:
State Wakf Board Chairman N K Muhammed Shafi Sa Adi said that there is a need to sort out the hijab issue harmoniously.

The issue has been blown out of proportion. Attempts were made to sort out the issue amicably when it cropped up in Government Junior College in Udupi, he told mediapersons.

He asserted that miscreants from all the communities are behind escalating the issue to this level.

We have to unite and put an end to the vested interests who are taking advantage of the issue and ensure peace prevails in the state, he said and added: there is a need to work towards establishing sarvajanangada shanthiya thota as mentioned by Kuvempu.

It is sad that such an incident of controversy over hijab has taken place in the premises of educational institutions. Efforts were made to sort out the issue with the interference of khazi, Ulemas in Udupi. We should not allow miscreants to divide the harmony in the society. We can not keep quiet when efforts are being made to disrupt harmony in the society. We want 'Sauharda Karnataka', wherein people from all religions are allowed to practice the religion of their choice as enshrined in the Constitution. If somebody feels it as a threat, we can not do anything.

I have been meeting all the religious heads in the state. I have already met Siddaganga Mutt pontiff Sri Siddalinga Swamiji and discussed the ways to sort out the issue. I will meet Pejawar seer Vishwaprasanna Theertha Swamiji in Bengaluru, said Shafi Sa Adi.

As a leader of the community, I am concerned about my community. Students should also focus on their academics along with practicing the religion and help maintain communal harmony in the state, he said.

Watch the latest DH videos:
The unemployed youth in rural Karnataka will soon get free skill-based training at their doorsteps.

The department of skill development, employability and entrepreneurship is launching a unique programme called Skill on Wheels (Kaushalya Ratha). It will reach various villages across the state and train youngsters on board.

For this purpose, eight vehicles are ready to travel across the state.

In the first phase, the department has identified four districts: Mysuru, Bagalkot, Uttara Kannada and Chamarajanagar. All the taluks in these districts will be covered under the programme.

Youths, aged 18 years and above with a grade 8 pass certificate, can avail the benefit of the programme.

The department officials said the Union government is providing financial assistance under the Sankalp programme.

All these years, we used to have physical training centres at the taluk levels which were not accessible to many interested and eligible youngsters. Considering this, we have designed a programme where we reach them and train them, said Ashwin Gowda, managing director of the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation.

The training is for 208 hours with the cost of Rs 42 per hour per candidate. The department is planning to train 15 members in each batch. For the training purpose, it has tied up with two partners who will provide resource persons on board to train the candidates.

After the completion of the training, we will also issue them certificates after assessing their training knowledge by a third party, Ashwin Gowda said.

Higher Education, Skill Development, Employability and Entrepreneurship Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said the programme will be extended to other districts soon after completing the four

districts.

Our aim to train rural youths and make them employable, he added.

The candidates will be trained in several skills from basic electrician technician to assistant beauty therapist. According to officials, these skills will help the candidates to get employability at the local level and the training is completely free of cost.

Domestic wiring, motor winding and repair, repair fan, mixer, submersible pump, repair geyser, stove and electric iron. Along with this, makeup services, manicure, pedicure, common hairdos and Mehendi/Henna designing skills will also be taught.

Watch the latest DH Videos here:
The hijab controversy continued in several parts of Karnataka with a section of girl students remaining steadfast on wearing headscarves to educational institutions on Saturday.

Despite the government order and the Karnataka High Court passing an interim order, restricting students from wearing hijab or saffron scarves, the girls came to schools and colleges donning hijab.

Colleges and schools where girl students came wearing hijab were asked to remove it in order to be allowed entry.

However, they did not budge. In the SJVP College at Harihar in Davangere, girls with hijab were not denied entry.

Also read: Hijab row: Outsiders creating confusion, says Bommai

The pupils refused to go inside without the scarf, stressing that it was as important as education and they cannot give up their right. In Vijay Paramedical College in Belagavi, students complained to the reporters that a holiday was announced by the institution for indefinite period due to the hijab issue.

"We will not sit without scarves. Let the college realise how it affects our education. The Principal is not listening to us," a student told the media.

In Ballari, a group of girls were not allowed inside the Sarala Devi College, which has been witnessing protest from the day the controversy erupted and the government ordered no one should wear clothes that could disturb peace, harmony and, law and order.

The Government college at Gangavathi in Koppal district too faced a similar situation where girls were not allowed inside the college.

In Kudur village in Ramanagara district, some students staged a demonstration on the college ground after they were not allowed to enter the classrooms.

On January 1, six girl students of a college in Udupi attended a press conference held by Campus Front of India (CFI) in the coastal town protesting against the college authorities denying them entry into the classroom by wearing hijab. This was four days after they requested the principal permission to wear hijabs in classes which was not allowed.

Till then, students used to wear hijab to the campus and entered the classroom after removing the scarves, the college principal Rudre Gowda had said.

The institution did not have any rule on hijab-wearing as such and since no one used to wear it to the classroom in the last 35 years. The students who came with the demand had the backing of outside forces, Gowda had said.

Check out latest videos from DH:
Star running club will be hosting a walk/run in Derry as part of wider organised runs across the island to raise awareness and funds against gender based violence on March 6.

Her Sport Ireland have launched the #SheWasGoingForARun Campaign which aims to actively combat violence against women by awareness raising, fundraising, online content and community building.

The funds raised on the day across the island will be donated to Womens Aid.

Since 1996, 244 women have been killed on the island with 87% of resolved cases being perpetrated by a man known to the victim.

Aisling Murphy was sadly killed after she was attacked whilst running along a popular canal route in Tullamore, County Offaly, on January 12 this year.

People across the island will walk or run in her memory and to raise funds for women and girls everywhere currently facing abuse.

Announcing the multiple runs scheduled to go ahead, Her Sport wrote: "Girls and women should not live in fear. Every person who takes part is standing up for all women and making a difference.

"In 2020 there were 24,893 disclosures of abuse against women. We are coming together to take a stand and start conversation against the real fears women face on a daily basis.

"All funds raised will go towards Womens Aid to help offer confidential information, support and understanding to women who are being abused by current or former boyfriends, partners or husbands."

The Derry leg of the organised run will begin at the Famine statues at Sainsbury's in Derry at 1:45 for a start time of 2pm.

The run is open to anyone and everyone who donates 15 or more will receive a #SheWasGoingForARun T-shirt. Carol Doherty, who is organising the Derry leg said: "We would welcome everyone to join us and show support to end violence against women.

"Unfortunately Aisling Murphys murder is not a one off event. Every day women are abused, and often killed. Aislings murder has highlighted once again that the narrative needs to change."

To donate or participate visit: https://run.hersport.ie/
Minister Coveney to attend Munich Security Conference

Press release

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney, will travel this weekend to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference.

During the Conference, Minister Coveney will meet with a number of his counterparts to discuss a range of foreign policy issues in which Ireland has played an active role on the UN Security Council.

Minister Coveney will participate in events focused on ongoing negotiations on a full return to the Iranian nuclear deal (JCPoA), and stability in the Horn of Africa. He will meet with partners, including the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, to discuss ongoing coordination of efforts towards the de-escalation of security tensions in Europe.

On the margins of the Conference, the Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with a number of key partners and counterparts from the UN, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Ahead of travelling to the conference, Minister Coveney said:

At the Munich Security Conference I will be putting forward Irelands positions on a number of key issues and areas where we have active at the Security Council. This meeting comes at a critical juncture.

Ireland plays a clear and constructive role in support of international peace and security. The Munich Security Conference is an opportunity to meet a range of leaders to advance this essential work.

Obviously the ongoing situation in Ukraine will be to the forefront of the agenda and I look forward to engaging with key partners, including the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, on how we can move towards de-escalation, stabilisation and diplomacy.

At the UN Security Council this week, we underlined that we need to see sustained and credible moves on the ground toward de-escalation. Diplomacy and dialogue through existing mechanisms, including the Normandy format and the OSCE is the only way forward.

One of the most significant roles allocated to Ireland on the UN Security Council was Facilitator of Resolution 2231, which underpins the Iranian nuclear deal. Returning to full implementation of the agreement was the focus of my discussions with the leadership in Tehran last week and I look forward to updating my counterparts on my recent engagements.

"Peace and stability in the Horn of Africa and ensuring humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict is a priority for Ireland. We continue to lead efforts to address the crisis at the Security Council and I look forward to further dialogue on the situation in Munich.

ENDS

Press Office

18 February 2022

Notes to editor The Munich Security Conference brings together more than 450 senior decision-makers and influential thinkers, including heads of state, ministers and figures from business, media, academia, and civil society to debate pressing issues of international security policy.

The 58th Munich Security Conference is running from February 18 to 20, 2022, at its usual venue in Munich, the Hotel Bayerischer Hof.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Munich Security Conference was held in a virtual format in 2021.

During the Munich Security Conference a large number of official bilateral and multilateral meetings take place in addition to the Conferences own events.

Amongst the topics to be discussed in the main programme are global challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic and climate crises, the protection of democracy, the regulation of technology as well as regional challenges such as revitalising the transatlantic alliance, the growing tensions in Eastern Europe, and the situation in some of the worlds most dire conflict zones.

The last day of the conference is dedicated to the European Union and how it can contribute to addressing all these challenges.

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NEWS RELEASE Release Number: 2022-21 Date: February 18, 2022

Labor Commissioner Publishes 2022 COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Poster and Resources

OaklandThe Labor Commissioner has published a required workplace poster and FAQs on 2022 COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave. The new law goes into effect on February 19 for employers with 26 or more employees.

One goal of my office is to ensure workers in California know their rights and employers have the resources they need to comply with the states labor laws, said Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower. Supplemental Paid Sick Leave is a critical tool to stop the workplace spread of COVID-19 and save lives.

The resources available include:

Required Workplace Poster (English, Spanish)

Frequently Asked Questions on the new law (English, Spanish coming soon)

On February 9, 2022, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 114 which requires employers with 26 or more employees to provide Supplemental Paid Sick Leave for specific COVID-19 related reasons. The law is retroactive to January 1, 2022 and will remain in effect until September 30, 2022. Qualifying employers are required to provide up to 80 hours of COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick leave, with 40 of those hours available only when the employee or their family member tests positive for COVID-19. COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave is in addition to regular paid sick leave.

The Department of Industrial Relations Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (California Labor Commissioners Office) combats wage theft and unfair competition by investigating allegations of illegal and unfair business practices.

The Labor Commissioners Office in 2020 launched an interdisciplinary outreach campaign, Reaching Every Californian. The campaign amplifies basic protections and builds pathways to affected populations so workers and employers understand legal protections and obligations, and the Labor Commissioners enforcement procedures. Californians can follow the Labor Commissioner on Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact: Communications@dir.ca.gov, (510) 286-1161
Harrisonburg, VA (22801)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 59F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 59F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
The leader of the DUP has hit back at accusations the party is not opposed to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said its political critics were claiming the DUP is not against the controversial protocol.

TUV leader Jim Allister had to intervene during DUP MP Sammy Wilsons speech at an anti-protocol rally after the crowd booed and jeered him. Jim Allister urged the crowd to listen to him but said to make their anger known on Election Day. pic.twitter.com/6RjK5y2Qg2  Cate McCurry (@CateMcCurry) February 18, 2022

In a letter to party members, Sir Jeffrey said that its political unionist opponents need to wise up.

The letter comes hours after senior DUP MP Sammy Wilson was loudly booed and jeered as he addressed a loyalist rally against the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Mr Wilson was repeatedly interrupted as he attempted to deliver a speech at the event at Markethill in Co Armagh on Friday evening.

During his address, Mr Wilson compared the EUs handling of Northern Ireland in the Brexit process to Vladimir Putins annexation of Crimea in Ukraine.

However, his comments were often drowned out as angry crowd members accused his party of botching the Brexit process.

Thousands of people attended the rally, with dozens of bands from across Northern Ireland taking part.

At one point in Mr Wilsons speech, Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister intervened and appealed to those in attendance to hear him out.

On Saturday, Sir Jeffrey said in a letter: Some of our political critics are attempting to claim the DUP is not opposed to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The continued opposition of @duponline to the protocol is not in question. Our seven tests are and will be the basis for judging any alternative arrangements that may replace the protocol. This includes full reinstatement of Article 6 of the Acts of Union and our place in the UK. pic.twitter.com/ZWSsYIHvgz  Jeffrey Donaldson MP (@J_Donaldson_MP) February 18, 2022

At a time when I am trying to encourage greater unity in opposition to the protocol, they are seeking to undermine such unity for purely party political reasons.

They need to wise up and recognise that our strength is in our unity.

We have taken decisive action in our opposition to the protocol.

It is the actions of this party in withdrawing ministers from the North South Ministerial Council, in challenging and attempting to frustrate the checks at ports and ultimately in the resignation of the First Minister, that has highlighted that the protocol is not compatible with stable local arrangements.

The Irish Sea Border is divisive, destabilising and undemocratic. A negotiated solution which does not remove the Irish Sea Border is unacceptable. The Government must act to restore our place within the UK Internal Market. I look forward to tonights rally in Markethill. https://t.co/YxSD046Ce3  Sammy Wilson MP (@eastantrimmp) February 18, 2022

It is this party that has made clear that if the long shadow of the Northern Ireland Protocol is not removed from Stormont then we will not have the stable basis, supported by both unionists and nationalists, to form an Executive.

The protocol has created new economic barriers on trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

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.

When I addressed party members on Thursday February 3 on the announcement of the resignation of the First Minister I said that if the protocol is left in place, then the divergence between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom will grow and without a single vote cast, the protocol will have re-oriented our supply chains and our economy away from Great Britain, Sir Jeffrey added.

Laws will be made and implemented that impact every citizen without any local representative having shaped them or voted upon them.

There comes a moment when we have to take tough decisions if we are to build for the future.

While others talk about what they will do, the DUP took action.
Top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The officials fled to a bomb shelter before leaving the area, according to a journalist from The Associated Press who was on the tour.

Earlier Saturday, separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilisation, amid a spike of violence in the war-torn region and fears in the West that Russia might it as a pretext for an invasion.

Ukraine and the two regions held by the Russia-backed rebels each accused the other of escalation.

Russia on Saturday said at least two shells fired from a government-held part of eastern Ukraine landed across the border.

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed the claim as a fake statement.

Ukraines military said shelling killed a soldier early Saturday in the government-held part of the Donetsk region and that separatist forces were placing artillery in residential areas to try to provoke a response.

On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians to Russia with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscows efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.

#Zakharova: @NATO is once again using its escalation for de-escalation tactic.  The military-political situation in Europe continues to deteriorate. Russias proposals on security guarantees are aimed at improving this situation. https://t.co/UT2FF88Keu pic.twitter.com/I03zbtHMcr  MFA Russia (@mfa_russia) February 19, 2022

Denis Pushilin, head of the pro-Russian separatist government in the Donetsk region, released a statement on Saturday announcing a full troop mobilisation and urging reservists to show up at military enlistment offices.

A similar announcement quickly followed from Leonid Pasechnik, separatist leader in the Luhansk region.

Mr Pushilin cited an immediate threat of aggression from Ukrainian forces, accusations that Ukrainian officials vehemently denied earlier.

He said: I appeal to all the men in the republic who can hold weapons to defend their families, their children, wives, mothers. Together we will achieve the coveted victory that we all need.

The announcement came as a mass evacuation of women, children and the elderly from the rebel-held territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions to neighbouring Russia got under way.

US president Joe Biden said on Friday he is now convinced his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and assault the capital, Kyiv.

After weeks of saying the US was not sure if Mr Putin had made the final decision, Mr Biden said that his judgment had changed, citing American intelligence.

As of this moment, Im convinced hes made the decision, the US leader said.

We have reason to believe that.

He reiterated that the assault could occur in the coming days.

We're calling out Russias plans. Not because we want a conflict, but because we are doing everything in our power to remove any reason Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine. If Russia pursues its plans, it will be responsible for a catastrophic and needless war of choice.  President Biden (@POTUS) February 19, 2022

The presidents comments at the White House followed a day of rising violence that included a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling and a car bombing in the eastern city of Donetsk.

Pro-Russian rebels began evacuating civilians from the conflict zone with an announcement that appeared to be part of Moscows efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead.

Russia has also conducted massive nuclear drills on Saturday. The Kremlin had said that Mr Putin, who pledged to protect Russias national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats, would watch the drills and personally oversee the display of his countrys nuclear might from the situation room at the Russian defence ministry.

Notably, the planned exercise involves the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014.

Mr Biden reiterated his threat of crushing economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia if it does invade, and pressed Mr Putin to reconsider. He said the US and its Western allies were more united than ever to ensure Russia pays a steep price for any invasion.

As further indication that the Russians are preparing for a major military push, a US defence official said an estimated 40% to 50% of the ground forces deployed in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border have moved into attack positions closer to the border.

That shift has been under way for about a week, other officials have said, and does not necessarily mean Mr Putin has decided to begin an invasion.

The official also said the number of Russian ground units known as battalion tactical groups in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each group has 750 to 1,000 soldiers.

Lines of communication remain open. The US and Russian defence chiefs spoke on Friday, and US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergei 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.

#Putin: We had a discussion on strengthening the common defence space of Russia & Belarus. We have agreed to continue taking the necessary collective measures to ensure the security of our states in light of the growing military activity of @NATO. https://t.co/tAHOfu7BFe pic.twitter.com/vdxnOEC56K  MFA Russia (@mfa_russia) February 18, 2022

With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops now posted around Ukraines borders, the long-simmering separatist conflict could provide the spark for a broader attack.

Fears of such escalation intensified amid Fridays violence. A bombing struck a car outside the main government building in the rebel-held 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.

Shelling and shooting are common along the line that separates Ukrainian forces and the rebels, but targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities.

Adding to the tensions, two explosions shook the rebel-controlled city of Luhansk early on Saturday. The Luhansk Information Centre 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.

Overall, monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported more than 600 explosions in the war-torn east of Ukraine on Friday.

Separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that form Ukraines industrial heartland known as the Donbas announced they were evacuating civilians to Russia.

Mr Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk rebel government, said women, children and the elderly would go first, and that Russia has prepared facilities for them.

He alleged in a video statement that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky 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.

US authorities have alleged that the Kremlins disinformation campaign could include staged, pre-recorded 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.

Mr Putin has ordered the government to offer a payment of 10,000 rubles (about 95) to each evacuee, equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in the war-ravaged Donbas region.

By Saturday morning, more than 6,600 residents of the rebel-controlled areas were evacuated to Russia, according to separatist officials, who have announced plans to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people.

The Ukrainian people are proud  proud of their country, their democratic values, and their community. Nataliya has had to rebuild her life even as she works each and every day to help empower fellow displaced Ukrainians. Truly a remarkable voice of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/LQlomYnfbS  Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) February 18, 2022

The explosions and the announced evacuations were in line with US warnings of so-called false flag attacks that Russia could use to justify an invasion.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the threat to global security is more complex and probably higher than during the Cold War.

He told a security conference in Munich 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 US officials said they saw no sign of a pullback and instead observed more troops moving toward the border with Ukraine.

Geopolitical divides continue to deepen as conflicts proliferate & become more fragmented. At the Munich Security Conference I urged leaders to back a surge in diplomacy for peace, a surge in political will for peace, and a surge in investment in peace. https://t.co/cDXYTVirxB  Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) February 18, 2022

The Kremlin also sent a reminder to the world of its nuclear might, announcing drills of its nuclear forces for the weekend.

Mr Putin will monitor the exercise Saturday that will involve multiple practice missile launches.

Asked about Western warnings of a possible Russian invasion on Wednesday that did not materialise, Mr 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.

We have clear and precise goals conforming to national interests.
ADA [ndash] Memorials services for Clifford Brent Hall, 63, of Ada are 10:00 A.M. Thursday, May 5, 2022 at Trinity Baptist Church, Doug Brewer will officiate. Mr. Hall passed away Monday, April 25, 2022 at a local nursing home surrounded by family. He was born August 8, 1958 in Shawnee, OK t
Chinese mainland reports 80 new local COVID-19 cases

Xinhua) 14:17, February 19, 2022

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Friday reported 80 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said on Saturday.

Of the new local infections, 46 were reported in Inner Mongolia, 19 in Jiangsu, eight in Liaoning, three each in Guangdong and Yunnan, and one in Zhejiang, the commission said in its daily report.

Friday also saw reports of 57 imported COVID-19 cases in 10 provincial-level regions, said the commission.

Four 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 37 asymptomatic cases were newly reported Friday, 22 of whom arrived from outside the mainland, according to the commission.

As of Friday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported on the Chinese mainland, both local and imported, had reached 107,512.

There were 1,482 patients still under treatment on Friday, of whom eight 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: Hongyu, Bianji)
Some of the best years of my life  I miss those people.

Good times and memories, but I have moved on.

Not my best days, but I have made peace with them.

Glad to be away from those people  I dont miss the high school experience.

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Photo: Representing Louth at Showcase 2022 are local makers Caoilfionn Murphy OHanlon of Cushla of Gullion, Maria Morgan of Esker Fields, Niamh Gillespie of Tidings, Designer Sophie Hunter and Lisa Heeney of AromaBuff. Supported by Sarah Mallon and Riona McCoy of Local Enterprise Office Louth. Photographer: Jenny Callanan

Showcase is back at the RDS from 27th February  2nd March. This event is an incredible opportunity for Irelands designers and makers to connect with buyers from all over the world, explains Sarah Mallon from Louths Local Enterprise Office.

They know that they will find the very best of Irish design and crafts at Showcase. This year we are delighted to have five superb makers from Louth displaying at Showcase, she adds.

Louth County Council and the Local Enterprise Office Louth will use the event to showcase five emerging creative businesses from Louth.

Esker Fields, founded by Maria Morgan, is a range of natural skincare products inspired by nature. Each product is made using natural ingredients and pure essential oils. They improving the appearance of skin, relieve stress and anxiety, ease muscle aches and aid sleep. Visit Eskerfields.ie to learn more.

Visual artist Caoilfhionn Murphy OHanlon creates stunning wall art and home accessories celebrating the myth, magic and rugged beauty of Irish landscapes. Her pieces hang in homes all over the world, using memories and nostalgia to evoke memories of home. Visit cushlaofgullion.com to see her work.

Tidings is a luxury fashion accessories brand, created by Niamh Gillespie. Her works tell stories, each one a statement of positivity, dreamy optimism in a luxury, spirited silk garment. From stunning scarves to suave pocket squares, Niamhs vibrant, colourful collection is a gift of optimism in complicated times. See for yourself on tidings.ie

Lisa Heeneys AromaBuff collection of balms, oils and butters smell good, feel good and do good. Designed for both men and women, the collection aims to support daily physical and mental wellness by incorporating aromatherapy fragrances into every day life. Aromatherapist. Lisa has also created a special collection to support women during pregnancy. Discover AromaBuff here: aromabuff.com

Millner Sophie Hunter has a stellar reputation for headpieces. But at Showcase 2022, she will present her stunning home collection of framed botanicals and feathers. Sophie responsibly sources, presses and frames each piece to capture and celebrate the simply beauty of nature. Discover more on: instagram.com/sophiehunterdesign

In addition, other Louth designers exhibiting in the Showcase Design and Craft Council zone include print-maker Martina Scott Designs and Garrett Mallon Jewellery.

Riona McCoy of LEO Louth says, Buyers at Showcase are looking for unique, handcrafted, Irish products to sell to their customers all over the world. She adds, We are so proud of the local enterprises that are attending Showcase this year and hope that this events opens up new opportunities for them and their products.

Discover more about this years Showcase event on: www.showcaseireland.com
Louth Volunteer Centre is now back open to the public from their offices at County Hall and Manager Kayleigh Mulligan has said that with over 40 new volunteer opportunities posted on I-VOL, the National Volunteering Database, from Louth organisations recently, it is clear that volunteering is re-opening and organisations are keen to welcome volunteers back.

Louth Volunteer Centre is open to the public from 9.30am to 5pm Monday, Wednesday & Thursday in Dundalk and can be accessed at any time at www.volunteerlouth.ie.

While there was a slow start to January, despite the easing of government COVID-19 restrictions, there are now a wide variety of roles available for potential volunteers to view on I-VOL and in particular a strong return to in-person volunteering.

It is clear from the breadth of new roles available that there is a big demand for new volunteers within community groups and it is great to see so many services re-engaging with volunteering, says Kayleigh. Examples of roles currently available include; volunteer youth workers, befriending services, office administration, tidy towns, fund raising and Special Olympics.

Louth Community Volunteers

Louth Volunteer Centre are also registering volunteers for the new Louth Community Volunteers programme. Launched last September by the Minister of State for Charities Joe OBrien, the programme gives volunteers a great opportunity to get involved in their local community by supporting local events and initiatives while also supporting more urgent needs that arise unexpectedly.

The programme will help organisations respond effectively to needs in our communities by allowing them to engage enthusiastic, local Community Volunteers who have raised their hand to say they want to get involved and help out.

Louth Community Volunteers began their volunteering last Christmas Day when they visited people across the county that had been identified as not having a visit or a dinner on Christmas Day.

Louth Volunteer Centre also host regular online information sessions for volunteers, the next of which will be taking place on Saturday 12th March at 11am.

To get involved in Louth Community Volunteers, or to find out more about volunteering in general please visit www.volunteerlouth.ie or call Louth Volunteer Centre on 042 9392934.
Claremont, NH (03743)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 46F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 46F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low around 45F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low around 45F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
By The Staff of The News

Eastern New Mexico Universitys 11th president will be retiring July 1.

Patrice Caldwell informed the universitys board of regents of her plans during an executive session Friday in Ruidoso.

In a news release following the meeting, Caldwell expressed appreciation for her 42-year career at ENMU.

The talent and commitment of the Regents and the Portales, Roswell, and Ruidoso administration, faculty and staff impress me every day. I greatly appreciate the ENMU students across our System and our three great communities that generously support our campuses, she stated in the release.

Regents President Lance Pyle said the universitys search for Caldwells successor has begun.

Our search timeline will allow the Regents to (receive) campus and community input, advertise the position, identify candidates, and bring in finalists for campus and community interviews, Pyle stated in the release.

Caldwells ENMU career had spanned four decades when she announced plans to retire July 31, 2020, as vice president for planning, analysis and governmental relations.

University regents asked her to delay that retirement and accept the role as interim chancellor for the university system following the unexpected resignation of Jeff Elwell for health reasons.

Caldwell agreed to the interim role, but initially insisted she had no interest in the job long-term. Two months later, citing her encyclopedic knowledge of ENMU, regents convinced her to accept a two-year deal to be president. Last April, her contract was extended through the 2022-2023 school year.

Caldwell first joined the university in 1980 as an assistant professor and was dean of the college of liberal arts and sciences for nearly a decade before being asked to fill the chancellor position on an interim basis.

News of her appointment was met with widespread approval from the university community.

On the same day that our nation was saying its final goodbyes and honoring Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg for her legacy advocating for gender equality and womens rights, ENMU appointed its first female chancellor. I must admit, I teared up with joy when I learned this momentous news, Noelle Bartl, executive director of the ENMU Foundation, wrote in an Op-ed for The Eastern New Mexico News.

She may not be an alumna herself, but after 40 years serving ENMU students, faculty, and staff in various roles, not to mention endless hours of volunteering in the community, Caldwell bleeds just as green and silver as those of us with ENMU degrees. This remarkable woman has left a mark on nearly every aspect of this campus.
By the Staff of The News

Products will soon carry the Eastern New Mexico University brand.

PORTALES - A list of snack foods and drinks that help finance scholarships at Eastern New Mexico University continues to grow.

To coffee, wine and salsa, ENMU has added pistachios, flavored popcorn, and cookies to its list of treats that will carry the ENMU brand and contribute to scholarship funds, but the nuts, popcorn and cookies lack names.

The coffee is called Greyhound Grind, the wine is called Eastern Sunrise, and the salsa is branded Silver Dawg salsa, but names for the newer products are the object of a contest.

The new products are ENMU-branded garlic-and-green-chile flavored pistachio and pistachio-caramel popcorn, concocted by Heart of the Desert, based in Alamagordo; and a spicy date with pecan cookie, made by Snugglecubs Cookies in Albuquerque.

Proposed names for these treat items can be entered in ENMU's naming contest by visiting http://www.enmu.edu/PistachioNaming or http://www.enmu.edu/Cookie before Friday.

ENMU-branded coffee and salsa have been on the market for about six months, according to John Houser, ENMU's assistant vice president of marketing and communications.

The coffee and salsa, he said, have raised $1,616.82 for the university's scholarship fund.

"The wine just rolled out before Christmas so we do not have numbers available yet; those should come available later this spring," he said

The idea of ENMU-branded comestibles came about as a result of brainstorming between ENMU's Office of Communication Services and the President's Office, Houser said.

The goal was "to come up with new ways to both support scholarships at ENMU and to support businesses in New Mexico as we come out of COVID-19."

ENMU is still scouting for more products that can carry the ENMU brand.

Houser said the product-branding team looks at four qualifications: "1. That they are based in New Mexico. 2. If possible, they are New Mexico True-certified. 3. That the products are something that our alumni and friends might be interested in purchasing. 4. That the business wants to help support scholarships at ENMU."

The coffee, salsa, pistachios and popcorn are all New Mexico True-certified, Houser said.

At present, he said, Enchantment Vineyards in Portales is developing a red wine to carry the ENMU brand.

Companies that make the products must become officially licensed vendors of ENMU, Houser said, like the makers of ENMU apparel.

ENMU's product-branding efforts, Houser said, are led by the college's Office of Communication Services through a licensing agreement with the Collegiate Licensing Association.
Mesa state Sen. Tyler Pace compared public schools need for money to the computer game Tetris, saying, You can never win.
FILMED in the newly renovated Sea Church venue located in the fishing village of Ballycotton in East Cork, The Ballycotton Sessions features some of Irelands best known and loved artists.

The eclectic line-up in the second episode of the show on RTE2 on Thursday, February 24, at 11pm includes The Academic, Robert Grace, Damien Dempsey, Wallis Bird, Rapper J Yellow L, Saint Sister, Jack L and The Coronas.

Each episode features one act and between songs, presenter Louise Duffy chats to the various artists about their music.

The east Cork villages newly renovated Sea Church will provide the backdrop for the series.

The Sea Church is a unique venue housed in the fully refurbished former Church of Ireland, which first opened in 1835 and has been lovingly restored as a multi-purpose entertainment venue.

Each episode will spotlight an artist who will join Louise for an interview and perform in the intimate venue.

A unique and picturesque laid-back fishing village, 40km from Cork City, Ballycotton was chosen as the ideal location for chat and music framed by its magnificent ocean views.
Soul DLysh, a popular food truck serving Southern comfort food with a twist, is set to open its first brick-and-mortar location in April at 500 W. Broad St. in Quakertown. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / SOUL DLYSH)

Downtown Quakertown will score a little bit of soul this spring.

Soul DLysh, a popular food truck serving Southern comfort food with a twist, is set to open its first brick-and-mortar location in April at 500 W. Broad St.

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The eatery, accommodating 20 customers indoors and another 20 outdoors, will occupy a renovated space that previously housed Clean Roots Vegetarian & Vegan Cuisine, which moved to Telford in November.

Soul DLysh, a popular food truck serving Southern comfort food with a twist, is set to open its first brick-and-mortar location in April at 500 W. Broad St. in Quakertown. (RYAN KNELLER / The Morning Call)

Owner Allysha Holmes, a former nurse, launched Soul DLysh as a mobile operation in 2017, two years after being struck by a car that jumped a curb and left her with extensive injuries.

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I was in turmoil because here I am a nurse, who takes care of everyone else, and the tables were turned in the blink of an eye, Holmes recalled. I had to hire a home health care agency, and they had to teach me how to walk, how to talk, how to go to the bathroom on my own, everything. I started getting depressed, and my husband said to me, Dont be sad. Do something that you love. You always throw great family parties, and you always bring everyone together. All you have to do is cook some food, and you know people will come.

Holmes, a 2008 graduate of North Penn High School and current resident of Hatfield, began selling platters to family, friends and neighbors during the early months of her recovery before purchasing a food truck and building an even larger following on the campus of Temple University in Philadelphia from 2017 to 2020.

Soul DLysh, a popular food truck serving Southern comfort food with a twist, is set to open its first brick-and-mortar location in April at 500 W. Broad St. in Quakertown. The business is operated by Allysha Holmes, a former nurse with a passion for cooking. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / SOUL DLYSH)

Then COVID came, and I thought to myself, Youve got to be kidding me, Holmes said. Im coming from the lowest point in my life, climbing up that mountain and finally starting to see that little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, and then boom, COVID comes and just takes me down again.

As universities and schools across the state transitioned to virtual classes in response to the pandemic, Holmes had to switch gears.

The mostly self-taught chef, who credits her parents, grandparents and childhood hero Emeril Lagasse, with her love of cooking, began relying on catering gigs and festivals, but even those were becoming increasingly sparse due to the changing health guidelines related to gatherings.

The Quakertown restaurant arose primarily because I was tired of chasing the money and trying to find jobs, said Holmes said.

At her new eatery, Holmes plans to offer platters and hand-held items, including chicken and salmon wraps and her most popular food truck offering, pasta with homemade alfredo sauce and grilled jerk chicken.

Soul DLysh, a popular food truck serving Southern comfort food with a twist, is set to open its first brick-and-mortar location in April at 500 W. Broad St. in Quakertown. Pictured is a Soul D'Lysh wing platter with macaroni and cheese and collard greens. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / SOUL DLYSH)

Other menu highlights will include Caribbean dishes such as curry goat, oxtails and rice and peas; sides such as macaroni and cheese, collard greens and whipped sweet potatoes; and homemade desserts such as banana pudding, Oreo mousse cake and triple layer cream cheese carrot cake.

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Soul DLysh, which is continuing mobile operations and catering, will likely be open for lunch and dinner Sunday through Friday in Quakertown. Stay up-to-date on the eaterys progress by following the business social media pages, facebook.com/SoulDlysh and instagram.com/souldlysh.

More in Quakertown

From soul food to sushi, Bang Bang Hibachi Grill & Sushi, which opened in November 2020 at 1519 Lehigh St. in Allentown, on Jan. 31 opened a second location at 1465 W. Broad St. in Quakertown (former Yogurtree Frozen Dessert Cafe space).

Bang Bang, owned and operated by Jimmy Wang, serves appetizers such as edamame, vegetable spring rolls and fried or steamed pork dumplings; and nigiri and sashimi such as mackerel, octopus and red snapper.

Dozens of sushi rolls include include special selections such as Soy Kingdom (tuna, salmon, crab and avocado rolled in soy paper) and Shrimp Love (tempura shrimp, cucumber and cream cheese topped with boiled shrimp).

Bang Bang Hibachi Grill & Sushi, which opened in November 2020 at 1519 Lehigh St. in Allentown, on Jan. 31 opened a second location at 1465 W. Broad St. in Quakertown. (Bang Bang Hibachi Grill & Sushi/Contributed photo)

Hibachi dishes (most under $15), featuring fried rice, vegetables and yum yum sauce, include chicken, steak, scallop, shrimp, salmon, tilapia, lobster tail, noodles, vegetables and various combinations.

Bang Bang also serves soups, salads and specialty drinks, including bubble tea, fruit green tea and smoothies. Info: bangbangpa.com.

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Also in Quakertown, Mexican restaurant Tijuana Tacos moved earlier this month from 216 W. Broad St. to 95 S. West End Blvd. (former Don Patron Mexican Grill spot).

Its former location was adjacent to the Bush House Hotel, which Quakertown officials condemned in November  declaring the property unfit for human occupancy  before lifting the condemnation in January.

Tijuana Tacos new location, with seating for around 45 customers, serves Mexican favorites like fajitas, tostadas and chimichangas. Info: 215-536-0444.

Shopping center changes

A business recently closed, and another is readying to open soon at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.

Footaction, the longstanding sneaker store chain, closed in late January on the malls second level (near Macys), while Cloud City, a locally-owned business selling games, comics and toys, is planning to open in a couple of weeks on the malls second level (near J.C. Penney).

Footaction, which opened at the mall in 2015, closed its Whitehall location last month as part of parent company Foot Locker, Inc.s larger plan to better serve its customers in a post-COVID marketplace.

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In a May 21 statement regarding its 2021 first-quarter results, Foot Locker announced that it is taking action, in partnership with its suppliers, to position its store fleet for the future by converting one third of its Footaction stores into other existing banner concepts and closing the majority of its remaining Footaction stores as leases expire over the next two years.

Cloud City, which opened a location at the Palmer Park Mall in April 2021, on March 1 will move its store at 1438 Chestnut St. in Emmaus to the former Disney Store space at the Lehigh Valley Mall.

Cloud City owner Aaron Garitillo bags and boards comic books to protect them at his Emmaus store in January 2019. The business, which opened a location at the Palmer Park Mall in 2021, on March 1 will move its Emmaus store the the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township. (DAVID GARRETT / SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL)

The upcoming move is a really positive deal that includes more growth opportunities for Cloud City, owner Aaron Garritillo said.

The new store totals nearly 5,000 square feet  about 1,000 square feet larger than the Emmaus location  and is a more central jumping off point for possible future locations, Garritillo said.

Cloud City offers a variety of comics, graphic novels, toys and games, including board games, card games and video games. In Whitehall, Garritillo plans to expand the business offerings to include more pop culture items like posters, plush toys and Funko Pop! figurines, along with more playabale arcade games.

Cloud Citys move will follow two Lehigh Valley Mall additions: eyewear retailer Warby Parker and Almost Vegan Pescatarian Cafe, which both opened earlier this month.

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About eight miles southwest of the Lehigh Valley Mall, Fortunoff Backyard Store, a chain of stores specializing in outdoor furniture and decor, is coming soon to the Hamilton Crossings shopping center at North Krocks Road and Hamilton Boulevard in Lower Macungie Township, according to signs posted on the storefront.

The space previously housed home goods retailer Pier 1 Imports, which closed in 2020.

A tentative opening date has not yet been announced, and a company spokesperson did not immediately return messages seeking more information.

An employee at the Fortunoff store in Montgomeryville, Montgomery County, however, said the Lower Macungie location should open within the next few months.

Fortunoff, with more than two dozen locations in five states, was founded as a home, jewelry and furniture retailer in New York in 1922 by Max and Clara Fortunoff, according to the business website.

Fortunoff Backyard Store, a chain of stores specializing in outdoor furniture and decor, is coming soon to the Hamilton Crossings shopping center at North Krocks Road and Hamilton Boulevard in Lower Macungie Township. (Ryan Kneller/The Morning Call)

Today, there are more than two dozen Fortunoff Backyard Store locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

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Stores offer high-quality outdoor furniture, including Adirondack chairs, benches, sofas, ottomans and lounge sets, along with accessories such as cushions, pillows and umbrellas. Other items include fire pits, patio heaters and pool accessories. Info: fortunoffbys.com.

A final bit of shopping center news: A month after longtime tenant Under Armour Bethlehem Factory House called it quits at The Outlets at Wind Creek Bethlehem, two more stores are readying to close at the Bethlehem outlet mall.

First, Corningware Corelle & More, selling dinnerware, cooking utensils and other kitchen items from popular brands like Pyrex, Corningware, Snapware, Corelle, Chicago Cutlery and more, is expected to close its Bethlehem location within the next few days, an employee said.

The company is transitioning to a primarily e-commerce platform, the employee said. All merchandise is discounted 75% off its original pricing.

Instant Brands, which oversees the portfolio of Corningware, Corelle and other iconic brands, did not immediately return a message seeking more details.

Womens clothing and accessories retailer Charming Charlie plans to close its store at The Outlets at Wind Creek Bethlehem in the coming months. (Ryan Kneller/The Morning Call)

Second, the return of womens clothing and accessories retailer Charming Charlie to The Outlets will be short-lived.

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The street-level store, which reopened in mid-December following a two-year hiatus, is expected to close in about six weeks, an employee said. All merchandise is discounted 25%-40% off its original pricing.

Charming Charlie in 2019 closed all of its 261 stores  including another area location at The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley  after going bankrupt for the second time in less than two years.

In March of 2021, however, the company announced a nationwide expansion, with plans to open approximately 14 new locations in the coming months.

A company representative did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Closing notes

Ill finish with a couple of departing dining destinations:

First, Little Miss Korea, an authentic Korean concept, on Feb. 24 will close its 2.5-year-old location at the Downtown Allentown Market.

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Business Buzz Daily The daily update for the Lehigh Valley business person. >

The business primary reason for closing its downtown Allentown location is owner Lobynn Chas plans to move out of the Lehigh Valley later this year.

Chas father oversees operations at the business original location at the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market, and he will continue to do so after she moves.

We wish [Lobynn] well in her move out of state, said Jill Wheeler, vice president of sales and marketing for City Center Investment Corp., which owns the market. We have several businesses interested in the space and look forward to announcing the next great Downtown Allentown Market offering.

Lastly, Milans Bistro, specializing in Mediterranean cuisine such as chicken shawarma, kofta kabobs, babaganouj and tabbouleh salad, recently closed at 554 N. New St. in downtown Bethlehem.

The restaurants window signage has been removed, its phone number is no longer in service, and its website is no longer active.

No closing notices have been posted on the restaurants door or Facebook page, but the eaterys been shuttered for at least the past couple of weeks, according to some neighbors and former customers.

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Retail Watch, appearing every weekend, keeps track of retail and restaurant news in the Lehigh Valley. Contact Ryan Kneller at 610-820-6597 or retailwatch@mcall.com.
A CORK city heroin dealer operating under the alias of Casper was jailed for 18 months. The 32-year-old travelled to Dublin to buy 17,000 worth of heroin, but he was arrested by gardai when he stepped off the train in Cork.

This occurred one year ago at Kent railway station and now at Cork Circuit Criminal Court the accused man has been sentenced to three years with half of it suspended. Alan Morey was arraigned on the charge of having Diamorphine (heroin) at Kent railway station for sale or supply on November 1, 2020, and he pleaded guilty to that charge.

Defence barrister, Sinead Behan, said: He has previous District Court matters  nothing of particular significance. He went to Dublin to collect heroin. He owed a debt.

Morey, with an address at 31, Orchard Court, Blackpool, was charged with having heroin for sale or supply on November 1, 2020, at Kent Railway Station. He was caught with 17,000 worth of heroin on that date.

Detective Garda Paul Leahy testified that Morey was arrested as passengers disembarked from the Dublin train in Cork. Morey had the heroin with a street value of more than 17,000.

He was interviewed on three occasions. At first he said it was for personal use. He said he was a chronic drugs user. Later he said he was feeding a habit and had ten customers. He said he travelled to Dublin two or three times before, Det. Garda Leahy said.

In a search of his home, drug-dealing paraphernalia was located.

The detective said that what they found was consistent with very active and high-end drug-dealing. He accepted he was weighing heroin of different amounts and discussed different price lists he had.

He lodged 4,550 in an AIB bank account. He said he took money once a month up to Dublin. He went under the alias, Casper, and was heavily involved in the sale or supply of heroin in the city, Det. Garda Leahy said.

Judge Helen Boyle noted that the probation service deemed him to be at a high risk of reoffending. She said the relatively large quantity of heroin in this case was an aggravating factor, as was the fact that he was operating at a relatively high level in the drugs trade, bringing large sums of money to buy heroin on a regular basis.

His traumatic family circumstances which sent him spiralling into deeper drug dependency was regarded by the judge as a mitigating factor.
Irelands National Autism Charity has introduced a new free telephone information line, email and webchat service providing information and guidance to support autistic people and their support networks.

AsIAms support team is made up of a small number of appropriately qualified and trained staff, providing an individualised response to each enquiry as quickly as possible.

The line has been piloted over a two-month period and has dealt with over 700 queries in this time.

The hours of the service and the number of people operating it will now be increased due to the support of the HSE.

CEO of AsIAm, Adam Harris, said: We are so proud to have developed this new Information Line Service to support our community at a critical time. Autistic people simply want the same chance to go to school, access healthcare services, gain employment and to be accepted in the community for who we are.

Too often autistic people and their families do not have timely access to information and support or face structural barriers to inclusion which leave families unsure of where to turn to.

We see the Information Line providing a space where community members are met where they are at, listened to and receive useful guidance for specific challenges that they may face.

The Information Line is by no means a substitute for timely, individualised support but will provide concrete, practical support at a time when queries to our organisation have risen by over 300% and many people are waiting lengthy periods to access the professional support they so need and deserve.

Minister of State for Disabilities Anne Rabbitte said she was delighted to see the information line become a reality.

Minister for Disability, Anne Rabbitte T.D., CEO of AsIAm, Adam Harris, and Niamh Mellerick, Sarah Moorhead and Nicola OBrien from the Information Line support team, are pictured launching Irelands new National Autism Information Line.JULIEN BEHAL PHOTOGRAPHY.

As the Minister for Disability, I really do believe that the support this line will offer cannot be underestimated and I think will be a majorly useful resource to people across the country. Im delighted that I am able to support the work AsIAm are doing with the Information Line through the relationship they have with the HSE.

Its clear to me that autistic people and their families can often have so many questions, but we dont have a clearly signposted system in place to help support people with clear, concise information.

I hope this will be the first step of many towards developing a more streamlined approach to how we can support autistic people overcome whatever obstacles they are facing day to day, she said.

The new information line is a key part of AsIAms aim to support and empower autistic people and build the capacity of community members to address the day-to-day challenges and barriers which they encounter.

Minister for Disability, Anne Rabbitte T.D., CEO of AsIAm, Adam Harris, and Niamh Mellerick, Sarah Moorhead and Nicola OBrien from the Information Line support team, are pictured launching Irelands new National Autism Information Line. JULIEN BEHAL PHOTOGRAPHY.

The new service is supported by Eithne and Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Fund, The Ireland Fund, The Community Foundation for Ireland and The Keith Duffy Foundation.

HSE Assistant National Director, Disability Operations Bernard ORegan said the new service is one of a range of initiatives we are supporting to improve the experiences of autistic people, their families and staff.

People can call 0818 234 234 on Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am-4pm or email support@asiam.ie. The instant messaging service is currently being piloted and open on Monday and Thursday from 9am-12 noon.




Arrests made in Netherlands over alleged meat fraud





A number of people have been arrested in the Netherlands as part of a fraud investigation involving meat.

The Intelligence and Investigation Service of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA-IOD) is investigating document fraud involving exported chicken.

Authorities visited two business premises and two homes in late January. Seven people have been arrested so far.

Searches also took place in Belgium and Spain at three companies that may be working with the suspected Dutch firm.

Investigators believe a company based in the east of the Netherlands has been listing frozen chicken meat as other products, such as fish, in documents and then exporting it to countries mainly in Africa.

They are looking into official veterinary certificates and consignment information as well as other business records. Dutch media named the company that was searched as Wegdam Food Link in the town of Haaksbergen.

The purpose of the suspected fraud is thought to be to reduce import duties for the recipient by up to 70%.

NVWA-IOD officials said this type of fraud also poses a risk to food safety. When something is wrong with a food, it must be possible to find out where the product came from and to whom it was delivered. Such traceback is not possible if official documents are not accurate.

Spanish ham seizures



In a different incident, the Spanish Guardia Civil has seized nearly 2,000 pieces of meat in an operation against food fraud in the province of Caceres.

The action led to four people being arrested and another five were investigated. Confiscated products include ham, sausages and frozen pig meat. As well as almost 2,000 pieces of meat, authorities blocked 760 kilogrammes of sausages and 4,500 kilogrammes of frozen meat.

Operation Sekai began in November 2020 after activity was detected at a closed meat factory on an industrial estate in the town of Malpartida de Plasencia.

Officials found operations including storage, distribution and marketing of food products of animal origin were being carried out without controls by local authorities as the site was not registered.

An inspection discovered meat products with the date of consumption modified or exceeded, non-existent numbers of producers or packers, and issues with records, labeling and traceability.

Products were sent to commercial establishments in the provinces of Caceres, Badajoz, Salamanca and Toledo. The company also had links with firms based in Salamanca, Toledo, Badajoz, Vizcaya and Madrid.



- Food Safety News
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Elkhart, IN (46516)

Today

Overcast. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 45F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Overcast. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 45F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
Snow squalls reduced visibility and created dangerous travel conditions across the Lehigh Valley Saturday afternoon.

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly, N.J. first issued a snow squall warning for the area shortly before 1 p.m. after locating a dangerous snow squall at 12:51 p.m. along a line extending from Mount Cobb, Lackawanna County to McAdoo, Schuylkill County, moving east at 45 mph.

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The snow squall warnings, which continued through 3 p.m., were issued for Berks, Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton, Montgomery, Carbon and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania, along with Warren, Sussex, Somerset, Hunterdon, Morris and Middlesex counties in New Jersey.

The National Weather Service warned of wind gusts greater than 40 mph and extremely poor visibility in snow and blowing snow, leading to dangerous life-threatening travel conditions. Motorists were advised to reduce their speed and turn on their vehicles headlights.

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Local sections of several highways, including Interstate 78, Interstate 80 and the Pennsylvania Turnpikes Northeast Extension, were impacted.

In Schuylkill and Luzerne counties, a multi-vehicle crash closed the northbound lanes of Interstate 81, between Exits 138 (Route 309-McAdoo/Tamaqua) and 141 (Route 424-Greater Hazleton), shortly before 2 p.m., PennDOT reported.

A woman stuck behind the I-81 accident described unforeseen blinding snow squall conditions as a complete whiteout.

Visibility was next to nothing the woman said. Two tractor trailers jack-knifed across the road forcing a chain reaction of cars and trucks behind them trying to stop.

Initial reports noted that more than 40 vehicles were involved in the Kline Township crash.

Lisa Marie Halecky, a spokeswoman for Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton, told the Pottsville Republican-Herald that the facility is caring for five crash victims. All of them, she said, have minor injuries.

This morning, the National Weather Service had stated the primary risk for snow squalls, which are intense bursts of snow and wind that are short in duration, existed between noon and 4 p.m. in areas along and north of Interstate 78.

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Snow squalls, often connected with strong cold fronts, are a prime wintertime weather hazard, the National Weather Service states. They move in and out quickly, typically lasting less than an hour.

Although snow accumulations are usually an inch or less, the added combination of gusty winds, dropping temperatures and rapid reductions in visibility can lead to very dangerous conditions for motorists.

The sudden white-out conditions combined with falling temperatures produce icy roads in just a few minutes, the National Weather Service states. Squalls can occur where there is no large-scale winter storm in progress and might only produce minor accumulations. Snow squalls can cause localized extreme impacts to the traveling public and to commerce for brief periods of time. Unfortunately, there is a long history of deadly traffic accidents associated with snow squalls.

In response to the warning, PennDOT District 5, which is responsible for the state-maintained transportation network in Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton and Schuylkill counties, reminded motorists to slow down, pay attention and use caution on area roadways, especially during snow squalls or low-visibility conditions.

Motorists always should be alert for sudden squalls which can strike with little or no warning and quickly cause roads to become snow covered, PennDOT stated. Heavy squalls also can cause whiteout conditions, virtually eliminating a drivers visibility. Additionally, falling temperatures and blowing and drifting snow can cause icy areas on roadways, including overpasses and bridges.

While avoiding or delaying unnecessary travel during winter storms is the safest choice, PennDOT offers this advice if motorists must travel and encounter snow squalls or blowing or drifting snow:

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 Slow down gradually and drive at a speed that suits conditions.

 Turn on your headlights. If caught in a snow squall, turn on your hazard lights.

 Stay in your lane and increase your following distance.

 Stay alert, keep looking as far ahead as possible and be patient.

 Do not drive distracted; your full attention is required.

 Use your defroster and wipers.

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 Keep windows and mirrors free of snow and ice.

 During whiteouts, come to a complete stop only when you can safely pull off the roadway.

 Do not stop in the flow of traffic since this could cause a chain-reaction collision.

 Do not pass a vehicle moving slowly or speed up to get away from a vehicle that is following too closely.

 Always buckle up and never drive impaired

The National Weather Service also issued a wind advisory, in effect from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. Saturday, for the Lehigh Valley region.

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West winds of 20 to 30 mph and gusts of up to 50 mph are expected in Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon and Monroe counties along with Warren and Sussex counties in New Jersey.

Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects, and tree limbs could be blown down, resulting in power outages, the National Weather Service cautions.

Individuals should use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high-profile vehicle, and secure outdoor objects.

The strongest winds will likely occur right along and just behind a cold front as it moves through the area around midday, the advisory states. Snow showers and even brief snow squalls will also be possible along this front and this could result in visibility quickly dropping to a half mile or less. Also, within any squalls peak winds could locally exceed 50 mph.

Partly sunny skies and a high temperature of 39 degrees are expected in the Allentown area Saturday afternoon, according to the National Weather Services forecast.

Saturday night is expected to be mostly clear with a low around 16 degrees. Northwest winds of 15 to 20 mph should decrease to 10 to 15 mph after midnight.

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On Sunday, Lehigh Valley residents should anticipate sunny skies, a high temperature near 38 degrees and west winds of 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon, the National Weather Service states.

The Lehigh Valleys extended forecast is as follows:

Sunday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 54. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Monday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33.

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Tuesday: Rain, mainly after 8 a.m. High near 55. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

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Tuesday night: Rain before 8 p.m., then showers, mainly between 8pm and 2am. Low around 49. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Wednesday: A chance of showers before 8 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Wednesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 27.

Thursday: A chance of snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 39. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday night: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Friday: Rain and snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
U.S Rep. Billy Long announced that he is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Roy Blunt last August.
The Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership (the Partnership) removed 9,857 feral hogs from the landscape in 2021, making the total number of feral hogs eliminated more than 54,000 since 2016.
Washington, MO (63090)

Today

Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 65F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Low 48F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
U.S. Rep. Billy Long is accusing Sen. Josh Hawley of lying to his face about whether or not 
FILE - In this April 27, 2021, file photo, a rally attendee props up a sign with her hand while listening to speakers at the Medicaid expansion rally at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City. The Missouri Supreme Court has vacated a lower court's decision in the state's Medicaid expansion case, agreeing that the voter-approved plan to offer Medicaid to more people should stand. The unanimous decision on Thursday, July 22, 2021, sends the case back to Cole County Circuit Court. (Liv Paggiarino/The Jefferson City News-Tribune via AP, File)
Athens, AL (35611)

Today

Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly late. Low 63F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly late. Low 63F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
HARRISBURG  Gov. Tom Wolf says its time for lawmakers to get on board with his proposed college scholarship program, saying its urgently needed because of difficulties finding workers across industries.

In an interview Wednesday, Wolf said the program makes sense because Pennsylvanias state government is currently in a strong financial position, and because of a growing demand for workers, including college graduates.

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When you think about the challenges that were going to be facing in the next couple of years, its going to be not, Where can we get jobs? Its Where can we get skills? Wolf said.

Wolfs first scholarship proposal two years ago came just before the pandemic, which dominated activity in the state Capitol and drowned out just about everything else. It also failed to get traction with Republicans who control the Legislature, and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Stan Saylor, R-York, said Wednesday that the plan is dead on arrival.

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But, by just about every measure there is, Pennsylvania is still ranked at the bottom among states in the level of state aid for higher education, size of student debt and affordability of its colleges.

Meanwhile, Dan Greenstein, chancellor of the 14-university Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, has warned repeatedly that Pennsylvania is not graduating enough college students to keep up with demand, putting the state at risk of losing industries that go elsewhere in search of talent.

Wolf is floating the plan again, with some differences.

The governors proposal involves drawing $200 million a year, the same amount. But hes scaling back its reliance on money from state taxes on casino gambling  money that currently goes to subsidize the horse-racing industry. Instead, he wants to use federal coronavirus relief funds, at least for the first couple years.

Wolfs new plan also makes students at Pennsylvanias 15 public community colleges eligible, not just those at the 14 state system universities.

Students must meet certain family income limits, graduate from a high-demand degree program and then stay in Pennsylvania after they graduate for the same number of years they received the aid.

In addition to tuition, the money could be used for student fees, campus housing, books, supplies, and other expenses.

Wolfs administration has not outlined precise income guidelines, qualifying degree programs or even how much money might be available to an individual student.

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While the scholarship plan has gotten support from top Democratic lawmakers, Saylor said Republicans have told Wolf the idea doesnt work for them.

For one thing, it takes tax money that goes to the horse-racing industry. Thats not the states money to take, Saylor said. Republicans have opposed other efforts to divert money from the horse-racing industry in the past.

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For another, Saylor said Wolfs plan leaves out Pennsylvania students who go to other colleges and universities in Pennsylvania  albeit private institutions.

If Wolf wants to discuss putting more money into grants through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, that is something lawmakers can discuss, Saylor said.

Enrollment at state system schools has dropped more than 20% since 2010, driven by steep declines of students from families whose annual incomes are below $110,000, according to system data.

The problem, of course, is terrible for those students because post-secondary education is the key to the future, said Greenstein, the state university systems chancellor.

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But its also terrible for the state, he said, which needs more college graduates to remain economically competitive with other states, especially as billions of dollars in federal infrastructure cash begins to flow.

You dont have the people with the skills to do the work, Greenstein said. So we have really got to address this challenge going forward and its across all industries. You see it in health care, education, agribusiness, supply chain, I.T. Its all over. And the only way to address it is to make higher education more affordable.
It's not just Amazon and Google workers hoping to organize. Sources speaking to The Washington Post claim workers at six or more US Apple Store locations are quietly planning to unionize, with "at least" two stores already garnering the support of national unions and prepping submissions to the National Labor Relations Board.

As you might guess, the central issue is pay. Employees talking to The Post said their pay was similar to what other stores offered, but wasn't keeping up with rising costs of living. Apple's corporate success also hasn't translated to better wages, the staffers said.

The pro-union workers have reportedly organized in secret to avoid possible eavesdropping and retaliation from Apple, using encrypted chats and even Android phones to keep communications private. The employees have supposedly been informally canvassing coworkers to gauge support and potentially secure majorities in the event of union votes.

We've asked Apple for comment. The company previously said it took all employee concerns "seriously" and "thoroughly" investigated issues when they came up, but didn't discuss particular employee issues as a matter of "respect for the privacy" of those involved. Apple appears to already be aware of unionization efforts, though. Much like Amazon, Apple is apparently using managers to issue anti-union warnings, such as claims workers may see reduced pay and benefits.

This isn't the first time Apple has dealt with team members unhappy about working conditions. Last year's #AppleToo campaign gathered hundreds of stories of toxic workplaces from both retail and corporate employees. Apple hasn't shown clear signs of addressing those concerns, though, and allegedly pushed out and fired #AppleToo organizers. There's no guarantee unions will improve conditions, but it's increasingly clear staffers want better treatment.
From domestication and selective breeding to synthetic insulin and CRISPR, humanity has long sought understand, master and exploit the genetic coding of the natural world. In The Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology authors Amy Webb, professor of strategic foresight at New York Universitys Stern School of Business, and Andrew Hessel, co-founder and chairman of the Center of Excellence for Engineering Biology and the Genome Project, delve into the history of the field of synthetic biology, examine today's state of the art and imagine what a future might look like where life itself can be manufactured molecularly.

PublicAffairs

Excerpted from THE GENESIS MACHINE: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology by Amy Webb and Andrew Hessel. Copyright  2022. Available from PublicAffairs, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Its plausible that by the year 2040, many societies will think its immoral to eat traditionally produced meat and dairy products. Some luminaries have long believed this was inevitable. In his essay Fifty Years Hence, published in 1931, Winston Churchill argued, We shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing, by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium.

That theory was tested in 2013, when the first lab-grown hamburger made its debut. It was grown from bovine stem cells in the lab of Dutch stem cell researcher Mark Post at Maastricht University, thanks to funding from Google cofounder Sergey Brin. It was fortuitous that a billionaire funded the project, because the price to produce a single patty was $375,000. But by 2015, the cost to produce a lab-grown hamburger had plummeted to $11.43. Late in 2020, Singapore approved a local competitor to the slaughterhouse: a bioreactor, a high-tech vat for growing organisms, run by US-based Eat Just, which produces cultured chicken nuggets. In Eat Justs bioreactors, cells taken from live chickens are mixed with a plant-based serum and grown into an edible product. Chicken nuggets produced this way are already being sold in Singapore, a highly regulated country thats also one of the worlds most important innovation hotspots. And the rising popularity of the product could accelerate its market entry in other countries.

An Israel-based company, Supermeat, has developed what it calls a crispy cultured chicken, while Finless Foods, based in California, is developing cultured bluefin tuna meat, from the sought-after species now threatened by long-standing overfishing. Other companies, including Mosa Meat (in the Netherlands), Upside Foods (in California, formerly known as Memphis Meats), and Aleph Farms (in Israel), are developing textured meats, such as steaks, that are cultivated in factory-scale labs. Unlike the existing plant-based protein meat alternatives developed by Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, cell-based meat cultivation results in muscle tissue that is, molecularly, beef or pork.

Two other California companies are also offering innovative products: Clara Foods serves creamy, lab-grown eggs, fish that never swam in water, and cows milk brewed from yeast. Perfect Day makes lab-grown dairy productsyogurt, cheese, and ice cream. And a nonprofit grassroots project, Real Vegan Cheese, which began as part of the iGEM competition in 2014, is also based in California. This is an open-source, DIY cheese derived from caseins (the proteins in milk) rather than harvested from animals. Casein genes are added to yeast and other microflora to produce proteins, which are purified and transformed using plant-based fats and sugars. Investors in cultured meat and dairy products include the likes of Bill Gates and Richard Branson, as well as Cargill and Tyson, two of the worlds largest conventional meat producers.

Lab-grown meat remains expensive today, but the costs are expected to continue to drop as the technology matures. Until they do, some companies are creating hybrid animal-plant proteins. Startups in the United Kingdom are developing blended pork products, including bacon created from 70 percent cultured pork cells mixed with plant proteins. Even Kentucky Fried Chicken is exploring the feasibility of selling hybrid chicken nuggets, which would consist of 20 percent cultured chicken cells and 80 percent plants.

Shifting away from traditional farming would deliver an enormous positive environmental impact. Scientists at the University of Oxford and the University of Amsterdam estimated that cultured meat would require between 35 and 60 percent less energy, occupy 98 percent less land, and produce 80 to 95 percent fewer greenhouse gases than conventional animals farmed for consumption. A synthetic-biology-centered agriculture also promises to shrink the distance between essential operators in the supply chain. In the future, large bioreactors will be situated just outside major cities, where they will produce the cultured meat required by institutions such as schools, government buildings and hospitals, and perhaps even local restaurants and grocery stores. Rather than shipping tuna from the ocean to the Midwest, which requires a complicated, energy-intensive cold chain, fish could instead be cultured in any landlocked state. Imagine the worlds most delicate, delicious bluefin tuna sushi sourced not from the waters near Japan, but from a bioreactor in Hastings, Nebraska. Synthetic biology will also improve the safety of the global food supply. Every year, roughly 600 million people become ill from contaminated food, according to World Health Organization estimates, and 400,000 die. Romaine lettuce contaminated with E. coli infected 167 people across 27 states in January 2020, resulting in 85 hospitalizations. In 2018, an intestinal parasite known as Cyclospora, which causes what is best described as explosive diarrhea, resulted in McDonalds, Trader Joes, Kroger, and Walgreens removing foods from their shelves. Vertical farming can minimize these problems. But synthetic biology can help in a different way, too: Often, tracing the source of tainted food is difficult, and the detective work can take weeks. But a researcher at Harvard University has pioneered the use of genetic barcodes that can be affixed to food products before they enter the supply chain, making them traceable when problems arise.

That researchers team engineered strains of bacteria and yeast with unique biological barcodes embedded in spores. Such spores are inert, durable, and harmless to humans, and they can be sprayed onto a wide variety of surfaces, including meat and produce. The spores are still detectable months later even after being subjected to wind, rain, boiling, deep frying, and microwaving. (Many farmers, including organic farmers, already spray their crops with Bacillus thuringiensis spores to kill pests, which means theres a good chance youve already ingested some.) These barcodes could not only aid in contact tracing, but be used to reduce food fraud and mislabeling. In the mid-2010s, there was a rash of fake extra virgin olive oil on the market. The Functional Materials Laboratory at ETH Zurich, a public research university in Switzerland, developed a solution similar to the one devised at Harvard: DNA barcodes that revealed the producer and other key data about the oil.
Russia is responsible for the cyberattacks that took down the websites for Ukraine's government agencies and major banks back in January, according to The White House. Anne Neuberger, the administration's deputy national security adviser, said the government has "technical information that links the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate or GRU" to the hacks. Neuberger added that "GRU infrastructure was seen transmitting high volumes of communication to Ukraine based IP addresses and domains."

According to AP and Reuters, Britain has also publicly attributed the incident to Russia, saying that the country's GRU military intelligence agency is almost certainly involved. While the attacks managed to take down the targeted Ukrainian websites, Neuberger said they had "limited impact," thanks to the the country's officials that quickly secured and restored them.

Ukraine's defense and foreign ministries were among the affected websites, and a message in Ukrainian, Russian and Polish left by the attackers on the latter translated to: "Ukrainians! All your personal data has been uploaded to the public network. All data on the computer is destroyed, it is impossible to restore them." The message also referenced the "historical land" and showed crossed-out versions of the Ukraine map and flag.

The Ukrainian Information Ministry said back then that there were early indications Russia carried out the attacks. In addition, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy also suggested that references to Ukrainian ultra-nationalist groups were merely an attempt by the Russians to mask their footprint.

Neuberger said the White House is publicly calling out Kremlin, because "[t]he 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." Although the attacks had "limited impact," the White House believes Russia could carry out more disruptive activities in the future followed by an invasion of Ukraine. President Biden has announced on Friday that the US has obtained intelligence showing that Russia's Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade Ukraine in the coming days.
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
It is urgent to protect labour rights and ensure minimum wages and social security benefits.

In December 2021, gig and platform workers received a major boost to their efforts in securing labour rights. The Supreme Court allowed a public interest petition filed by the trade unions for claiming social security benefits and issued a notice to the central government and important players in the industry like Uber, Ola, Zomato, and Swiggy. The judicial intervention now provides a ray of hope to the workers, particularly in the face of continued government apathy in protecting their interests. The petition argues that gig and platform workers should be recognised as workers under the various labour legislations. Refuting the contention that they are independent contractors, as claimed by the companies, the petitioner argued that they were workers as defined by the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008.

The trade unions argue that the denial of social security rights is an infringement on Articles 14, 21, and 23 of the Constitution, which ensure to the workers equality, right to life, and protection from forced labour. They also cited the recent judgment of the United Kingdom (UK) Supreme Court, which noted that the contract between Uber and the workers was only a subterfuge and that the actual relationship was that of employer and workers.
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The editorial Political Historiography of Dalit Freedom (EPW, 22 January 2022) raises certain fundamental questions about contemporary Dalit politics. The Dalit politics that had been grounded in Ambedkarian principles of empowerment and moral progress has now drifted away considerably from these principles and reduced itself to subordination and servility. The critique of Dalit politics in general and moral degradation among the Dalit elite in particular is not new.

In a recent by-election campaign in Karnataka, senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah created a controversy when, in an election rally at Sindagi, he said, Dalits are joining Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the sake of livelihood. Siddaramaiah, himself coming from a humble backward caste background, is an ardent Ambedkarite and is known for identifying himself with the Dalit movement who experimented with the idea of AHIND (a confederation of minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) that played a crucial role in

defeating right-wing politics in Karnataka. The statement evoked statewide protests from Dalit groups; some of them went to the extent of challenging Siddaramaiahs change of party, who was earlier with Janata Dal (Secular), and questioning whether that was for livelihood or not. What Siddaramaiah indicated was a tendency among Dalit politicians who are compromising with the ideology of B R Ambedkar for the pecuniary benefits they get in parties like the BJP. However, it is unfortunate to see that Dalit politicians have lost their sensitivity to sincerely reflect and introspect at such a constructive criticism. The common people from Dalit communities had the courage to accept the reality of rampant co-optation among the leaders and condemned it by saying Jai Bheem Bolo Kidharbi Chalo (hail Ambedkar and follow anybody). Using Dalit identity as a brand and negotiating with right-wing parties has indeed become a political subculture among Dalit politicians across the country. This issue poses a substantial challenge to the deepening of democracy in India.
My father died during the second wave of COVID-19. He was a schoolteacher at the local primary school in town and taught mathematics to young students. A devout Muslim, he never missed the compulsory prayers even when he was sick. When he tested positive for COVID-19, mother was angry at him. I asked him to pray at home. But he never listens, she would mutter while feeding him porridge with her wrinkled hands. The next day, she said he must have contracted the virus from someone at school, and that he should have left that job much earlier, he was too old to teach mathematics. There were numerous conjectures around the house about how he got sick. But no one was sure. Doctor Raheem, who ran a little clinic in the neighbourhood, came to see him. The fever will go soon. There is nothing to worry. Make sure he takes the medicine on time, and keep a check on oxygen levels. We waited the whole day and then two more days, but the fever never went down. And by midnight, his oxygen level was too low. Panicked, I called my fathers younger brother Sadegh who lived in the city and begged him to get father admitted in a hospital. Luckily, he managed to get us a bed in a private hospital through his political network. My father was admitted there for three days. Mother called incessantly to know about his case. And I lied that his fever went down, and he would come home soon.

Uncle Sadegh visited us daily. On Thursday, he took me home where I bathed and prayed and later ate some rice and dal. By the time we came back to the hospital, father was dead. The nurse asked me to clear the bills and told me to take his belongingsa pair of spectacles, blue trousers and a white shirt, and his torn shoeswith me. Father always reminded us that whenever he died, he should be buried beside his mother at the graveyard behind the school. I asked the hospital authorities for the dead body, and they said it cant be handed over due to COVID-19 protocols. A funeral was necessary for father; he deserved to be buried where he had lived all his life, a city which he never left, not even for the holy pilgrimage to Mecca. Again, uncle Sadegh somehow managed to influence the hospital authorities and we got the dead body late in the afternoon. It was wrapped carefully from head to toe. Crouched in an ambulance, we travelled back to the town so that the funeral didnt get delayed. The news of his death had already spread. Mother, along with the other relatives, mourned and cried, lamenting and thumping her chest, and then finally went to sleep. By the time we reached home, dusk had fallen. I consulted the cleric of the local mosque, who said that father must be buried before the night prayer or it will lead to a bad omen for the whole family.
The questions and challenges of our times have thrown up emotions such as shame at the centre of both social and public life. But there seems to be not enough engagement in the discipline of political science to understand emotions in their own right. The central concern of this paper is the question of the political in shame. Is shame political? How is shame as an everyday emotion distinct from, similar to, or constitutive of the shame as political? The paper tries to engage with the emotion theory and bring out the characteristics of shame both as an emotional as well as political concept. Shame instances from the Indian politicalscape are used. It has been argued that shame is a moral emotion. Shame is political (repository of power), localised (experienced in the immediate), learnt (acquired through observation and habit formation), and social (exists through externalities, not as something that is limited to individuals). It is political in the sense that it uses the same language as power and is used rather effectively to create fixed hierarchies. Shame is political in its formulation, processes, and consequences with profound bearings on democratic and decent societies.

A woman stripped off her clothes and walked up to the nearest police station in Rajkot, Gujarat in India. She carried with her some bangles and a red rose. She later presented the rose and the bangles to the police officer in charge. According to her, he failed to register her complaints of domestic violence against her in-laws and husband who were torturing her for dowry. She, at last, had to resort to walking half naked from her house to the station, saying us admi ko sarre aam chudiyan pehnani chahiye (that man should be made to wear bangles publicly). Bangles are remarkably Indian in culture. Aesthetically, women wear bangles for ornamentation; politically, they wear it as a mark of suhaag (used to refer to the marital status of a woman). In northern Indian cultures, bangles have colour codes. The green and red colour bangles are restricted to married women. Widows are denied ornamentation. This makes women easily identifiable, as married, unmarried or widowed. No such marking is done on or for men. Bangles are markers of her being docile, fragile, and in need of protection. We know this because men, on the contrary, are considered protectors and they are not supposed to be wearing bangles. What is so essential to a woman is a loss of face for all men.

In presenting her bangles to the police, the above-mentioned women here reduced our police officers and her husbands masculine self to her supposed fragile self. She walked naked in the neighbourhood and effectively shamed everyone, from her abusive family, the complacent police and the patriarchal society. Yet in another incident, an actress from Telugu film industry in southern India stripped naked protesting against sexual harassment in the film industry. There were quick remarks on social media where opinions on her mental health condition were floated and fiercely debated. The phenomenon of social-media trolling is related peculiarly to the domain of shame. Calling political opponents names, body shaming them, alluding to their caste and class on social media is mostly wrapped old traditional shaming in newer techniques. But it also opened up spaces elsewhere in the media, amongst people in the film trade itself about harassment, misogyny, and casteism prevalent in the arts and cinema industry.
Students soon will be sitting for this years Pennsylvania System of School Assessments exams and they have yet to find out how they fared on the state tests from last year.

That has House Republican leaders urging the state Department of Education to publish the scores immediately.

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In a letter to state Education Secretary Noe Ortega, House Speaker Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster County, and House Education Committee Chairman Curt Sonney, R-Erie County, argue the release of last years scores is imperative to better understand the impact of the pandemic on learning loss in Pennsylvania.

Further, they say the results weigh into decisions related to the 2022-23 state budget and necessary revisions to state education laws.

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The 2022-2023 budget process has begun, but without the test data we are at great disadvantage in formulating an education plan that provides targeted support for those students and schools who may have been greatly impacted by the pandemic, their letter states.

In most years, the scores of these federally mandated tests that are taken in the spring are released by mid-fall. The federal government granted Pennsylvania a waiver from having to administer the tests in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the federal government wanted to get the testing used for accountability purposes back on track last year despite the pandemics lingering disruption in in-person learning. The state was given the flexibility of administering the tests in the spring of 2020 or at the start of this school year up until Sept. 30.

Department spokeswoman Kendall Alexander told PennLive this week the PSSA scores will be published later this month or early March.

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The data from 2018-19 is the most current and complete data we have at this time, she stated in an email. The scores are currently being processed, therefore we cannot speculate on the results.

Cutler made a point of mentioning the delayed release of the test scores in his response to Gov. Tom Wolfs request for a historic increase in education funding of $1.25 billion in his 2022-23 budget proposal on Feb. 8.

We have no actual published data to show just how far behind our students are, Cutler said at the time. No family should wait a year to find out if their students, their children need extra help. As a policymaker, a lawmaker, a legislative leader, but more importantly as a parent whose own children attend public school, I find that completely unacceptable.

In November, education department officials told a House subcommittee the scores would be provided in the coming weeks.

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PennLive asked a department spokeswoman that same month about the scores and was told they would be coming in January. Another request made in January resulted in a response: Those should be available by the end of January or February.

Cutler said, Parents in every corner of the commonwealth have concerns over what months of interrupted learning have truly meant for their childrens future. Part of that answer is in this data. The longer we wait for it to be published, the more questions will swirl over why its being delayed.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy. 2022 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit pennlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Russia has been aggressively pursuing its strategic objectives in Africa in recent years  securing a foothold in the eastern Mediterranean, gaining naval port access in the Red Sea, expanding natural resource extraction opportunities, displacing Western influence, and promoting alternatives to democracy as a regional norm. Africa, thus, is a theater for Russias geo-strategic interests rather than a destination itself  a perspective reflected in the means that Russia employs. Unlike most major external partners, Russia is not investing significantly in conventional statecraft in Africa  e.g., economic investment, trade, and security assistance. Rather, Russia relies on a series of asymmetric (and often extralegal) measures for influence  mercenaries, arms-for-resource deals, opaque contracts, election interference, and disinformation.

PARTNERSHIP WITH WHOM? - Russias Africa-focused initiatives are typically concentrated on propping up an embattled incumbent or close ally: Khalifa Haftar in Libya, Faustin Archange Touadera in the Central African Republic (CAR), and coup leaders Colonel Assimi Goita in Mali and Lieutenant General Abdelfattah al-Burhan in Sudan, among others. To assess the future of Russia-Africa relations, therefore, it is necessary to be clear that the partnerships that Russia seeks in Africa are not state- but elite-based. By helping these often illegitimate and unpopular leaders to retain power, Russia is cementing Africas indebtedness to Moscow.

This strategy works for Russia and the respective leaders who gain international diplomatic cover, resources to consolidate power domestically, a mercenary force, arms, and revenues from resource deals. However, Russias opaque engagements are inherently destabilizing for the citizens of the targeted countries, resulting in stunted economic development, human rights abuses, disenfranchisement of African citizens, the perpetuation of illegitimate governments, and social polarization. Through this model, Russia has been able to advance its objectives with limited financial and political costs. Accordingly, we can expect to see Moscow continuing to expand its influence on the continent in 2022.

FOCAL POINTS FOR AFRICA-RUSSIA RELATIONS IN 2022 - In Libya, Russia retains Wagner mercenary forces (former Russian defense intelligence troops) and military assets on the ground in support of its proxy, warlord Khalifa Haftar. Russia can be expected to try and steer the outcome of the postponed presidential and legislative elections with the aim of emerging as the principal powerbroker in this geo-strategically important territory  with access to oil reserves and deep-water ports in the eastern Mediterranean and a permanent presence on NATOs southern flank. Russias opaque engagements are inherently destabilizing for the citizens of the targeted countries, resulting in stunted economic development, human rights abuses, disenfranchisement of African citizens, the perpetuation of illegitimate governments, and social polarization.

In Sudan, Russia has been striving to gain naval port access in the Red Sea, especially Port Sudan. It also has longstanding ties to the Sudanese military, elements of the ousted Bashir regime, and gold trafficking networks in the west. Continuation of the military government in Khartoum provides a ready entry point for expanded Russian influence. In Mali, the military coup has provided Russia an opportunity to become a pivotal actor in the Sahel. We can expect Moscow to provide political cover to the junta of Assimi Goita as it seeks to avoid a transition back to a democratic government. Indications are that Wagner mercenaries have already been deployed in support of the junta.

In Guinea, Russia has long been a patron of former president Alpha Conde, who had been a strong supporter of Russias extensive mining (bauxite) interests in Guinea. Following Condes ouster in a coup in September 2021, Moscow can be expected to refocus its diplomatic efforts on propping up the military junta of Colonel Mamady Doumbouya in return for Moscows continued political sway and unencumbered access in the mining sector.

Gulf of Guinea. Having consolidated its position in the CAR in 2021, Russia is set to expand its influence in nearby Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Gabon in 2022. Moscow has been cultivating ties with leaders of all three countries with an eye on becoming a more significant player in the lucrative oil and mineral networks of Central Africa.

Meanwhile, in Angola, President Joao Lourenco is contending for a second term in office in 2022 amid a long recession, criticisms for increasing authoritarianism, and divisions within his ruling party. Russias opportunistic strategy of coming to the aid of isolated leaders as a means of enhancing Moscows leverage makes Lourenco an attractive target. His military academy training in the USSR, Russias extensive Cold War era ties to Angola, and Angolas vast diamond, oil, gold, and mineral resources will all factor into increased Russian attention on Lourenco in 2022.

CIVIL SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT AND SCRUTINY - Since Russias engagements in Africa are typically predicated on co-opting leaders facing limited checks and balances, they are nearly always detrimental to African citizens who must endure deepened institutionalized corruption, diverted public revenues, unaccountable leaders, and instability. Reform, therefore, will not come from these leaders but from African citizens, which will entail greater civil society engagement, enhanced transparency around contracts, and higher levels of scrutiny of any deals struck with Russia.

Building more mutually beneficial Africa-Russia relations depends on changes in both substance and process. Such a shift would require Russia to establish more conventional bilateral engagements with African institutions and not just individuals. These initiatives would focus on strengthening trade, investment, technology transfer, and educational exchanges. If transparently negotiated and equitably implemented, such Russian initiatives would be welcomed by many Africans.

The Future of Russia-Africa Relations  Article by Joseph Siegle  The Brookings Institution.

The Article can be downloaded here
Saturday, February 19, 2022

Commentary From Crisis Management Expert Edward Segal, Author of the Award- Winning Book "Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies " (Nicholas Brealey)

The anticipated invasion of Ukraine by Russia has created a crisis for U.S. companies with offices or employees in that country. Protecting their staff and assetsor moving them out of Ukraine as soon as possiblehas become a top priority for corporate executives.

Some businesses were more prepared than others to deal with the unfolding situation.

'Leave Now'

President Joe Biden warned on Thursday that all Americans in Ukraine "should leave now."

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan underscored the point yesterday. Politico reported that, "Speaking from the White House podium, Sullivan urged Americans still in Ukraine to depart the country within the next two days, saying Biden would not send troops into harm's way to evacuate U.S. citizens who could have left the Eastern European country when they had the chance."

'No Guarantees'

"We want to be crystal clear on this point: Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible and, in any event, in the next 24 to 48 hours," Sullivan said, adding: "If you stay, you are assuming risk with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave and no prospect of a U.S. military evacuation in the event of a Russian invasion."

'Hoping For The Best'

Svitla Systems Inc. is a multinational custom software developer and testing company that is headquartered in Marin County, California. Nataliya Anon, president, CEO and founder said she is very concerned about the safety of her 500 employees in five Ukrainian cities including the capital, Kyiv.

The North Bay Business Journal reported that company officials are "hoping for the best but preparing for the worst."

"We listen to news reports about the pending aggression and ultimatum from Russia, and know we have to be on alert and prepared should diplomacy fail," Anon said.

"We considered chartering an Airbus (aircraft) that could fly our staff out of the country, but a majority of our people have determined to stay, and there have been minimal relocations," Anon said. "An emergency hotline was set up so employees could express their concerns and get more information. Only eight have called in. Ukrainians are tough and resilient people. Our employees are critical for us."

Strategic Plan

Anon told the newspaper she believes her firm has been successful by getting ahead of this pending crisis. Six years ago the company created a strategic plan that looks at all contingencies, including preserving Svitla's sensitive administrative and human resource files, proprietary employee and client information, along with critical payroll and financial records stored in the cloud.

"We anticipated such contingencies and placed orders for additional computers and related equipment in advance," she said. "We expanded telecom links over hardlines and acquired cell phones for accessing the internet and cloud storage. In addition, we also installed more emergency battery backup facilities that can satisfy our electrical needs in the event of power failures."

Advising Clients

Organizations that do not have the expertise or resources to protect or move their employees and assets in Ukraine to safety are turning consultants for their advice and services.

International security firm Global Guardian is preparing evacuation plans, briefing families and employees of corporations doing business in Ukraine and securing assets to evacuate their clients if necessary.

According to their website, Global Guardian's 24-hour operations center identifies, monitors, and responds to threats and emergencies with on-the-ground teams in over 125 countries. A full-fledged operations center, not a traditional call center, is run by their operations team which consists of professionals with backgrounds in federal intelligence.

The Virginia-based company is working with consulting firms, finance companies, techno lift and construction companies. In Ukraine they currently are covering 400 expats and 3,000 local nationals.

CEO Dale Buckner noted that, "The Biden administration's announcement... that U.S. personnel in Ukraine should evacuate immediately doesn't mean the latest intelligence suggests an invasion is imminent, it simply means the Russians have amassed all of the supporting equipment and materials to attack if they decide to strike.

He said that, "At Global Guardian, we are advising all of our Western clients with expats to take advantage of commercial air and rail travel while those options, albeit limited, are still available and operating.

Buckner told Security Info Watch that, "most large Western-based businesses with expatriates working in Ukraine have already either started to the leave the country or are planning to do so soon.

Evacuations To Safe Zones

"However, he says that expats who are married to Ukrainian nationals and may have children in the country or have been designated as essential workers to keep those businesses running, may not have yet evacuated, though their organizations are likely making plans to evacuate them to a 'safe zone,' possibly in the western part of the country or in neighboring Romania or Poland."

"In talking with teams on the ground, the trains have been packed going on two weeks now and the airports are very consistent with commercial [flights] remaining busy and brisk," Buckner said. "People are moving, and it has started in a material way."

'Have A Communications Plan'

In a statement, Buckner said that, "In addition to helping clients prepare for evacuation, we are also advising companies that have employees deemed essential in Ukraine and cannot leave to have a communications plan and assets in place, like satellite phones, in the event of a wide scale cyberattack.

"They also need to reserve vehicles now because those assets will be gone within the first 24-48 hours of an invasion. Moving quickly is essential in the event borders of neighboring countries become overwhelmed."

Not The First Time

This is not the first time Global Guardian has provided their expertise in a crisis.

As U.S. troops began to withdraw from Afghanistan last year, the company contacted their clients in that country to offer evacuation assistance. According to the Fairfax County Virginia Economic Development Authority, "On August 5, 10 days before the Afghan government collapsed, the company began evacuating its clients from Kabul and two other cities. By August 18, Global Guardian had successfully evacuated all but one individual, whom it later got out of the country."

###
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
A San Antonio man accused of killing his roommate, placing her body in the trunk of a car and barricading himself inside his home for 12 hours in December has been indicted on a murder charge.

San Antonio police responded to a welfare check just after midnight Dec. 3 after a 911 dispatcher was told that Rene Devora said he had snapped and killed Miranda Machelle Kennedy, 35.

The case involving Devora, 58, was among 271 felony indictments handed down this week by two Bexar County grand juries, the District Attorneys Office said Friday.

According to an arrest affidavit, Devora slit his own throat with a utility knife when he saw police officers outside his home, then held them off for 12 hours.

On ExpressNews.com: Man says he snapped and killed roommate before 12-hour standoff with police

At some point in the standoff, he allegedly told negotiators he put Kennedys body in the trunk of his car and drove to the 5500 block of Old Seguin Road.

The Bexar County Medical Examiners Office determined Kennedy died from multiple blunt force injuries to her head.

It is unclear what ended the standoff. Devora was treated for critical injuries at a local hospital and was later booked on a murder charge.

His case is being prosecuted by the DAs Office Family Violence Division in the 399th District Court. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio teen arrested, accused of abducting woman at gunpoint before sexual assault

Bexar County Sheriff's Office

In another case, Francisco Javier Juarez Gonzalez, 19, was charged with abducting a 58-year-old woman from a car wash on Nov. 28 and raping her.

The woman called police and reported that a man put a gun to her head and drove her vehicle from a car wash in the 800 block of Frio City Road to a nearby location where the assault occurred.

In an affidavit supporting Gonzalezs arrest, the woman said her attacker then took her cellphone, asked if the devices location services were on and drove her to the South Side, where he pushed her out of the vehicle and went back to the car wash to get his own car.

Authorities used surveillance video to help identify Gonzalez and his vehicle. He fled when police spotted him two days after the assault but was detained soon after, police said.

Gonzalezs case is being prosecuted by the Family Violence Division in the 144th District Court. Each offense is a first-degree felony. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.

Top hits: Get San Antonio Express-News stories sent directly to your inbox

The indictments also included an intoxication manslaughter charge against Ernest Rodriguez, accused in the death of Jasmine Casiano, 19, a passenger in his car.

Both were in a speeding Chevrolet heading south on Villaman Road on the South Side around 11 p.m. Nov. 30. Rodriguez allegedly lost control, drove into a wooded area and hit a tree. San Antonio police said firefighters had to cut both from the vehicle.

Casiano died at a hospital. Rodriguez was intoxicated, authorities said.

Rodriguezs case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Trial Division in the 226th District Court. If convicted of the second-degree felony, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
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UT Health San Antonio has secured nearly $11 million in grants from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to support research and recruitment.

In all, the state-funded agency, known as CPRIT, last week awarded $112 million to 16 institutions and companies, including $10.9 million to UT Health San Antonio.

CPRIT provides critical funding that helps us advance research that will be impactful for Texans in areas that wouldnt otherwise be able to move forward, said Dr. Ruben Mesa, executive director of San Antonios Mays Cancer Center.

Slightly more than $1 million from this round of funding will go to Masahiro Morita, an assistant professor of molecular medicine at UT Healths Long School of Medicine.

Morita, who holds a doctorate in biophysics and biochemistry, studies the molecular pathway linking obesity and liver cancer. He conducts his research in a laboratory at UT Healths Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies.

He and his co-investigator, Sakie Katsumura, hope to make discoveries that will lead to preventive and therapeutic strategies for obesity-induced liver cancer. Morita said they plan to use the funds to double their staff from three to six.

Their team studies how the structure of mitochondrial cells differs in obese mice and how the degradation of cells could be suppressed through drug therapy.

On ExpressNews.com: UT Health San Antonio gets $6 million grant for DNA cancer research from state agency

Liver cancer is disproportionately common in San Antonio and South Texas, compared with the rest of the country, Mesa said.

The most common causes are excessive alcohol use and chronic hepatitis, but the South Texas population doesnt have a higher-than-normal incidence of those factors.

It does, however, have a problem with obesity  71 percent of San Antonios population, just under 1 million people, are considered overweight or obese based on their body mass index.

Mesa says the main driver of liver cancer in the region is fatty liver disease, a condition caused by obesity that, if left untreated, can result in liver failure and the need for an organ transplant. The liver is essential for digesting food and ridding the body of toxic substances.

In other CPRIT grants, Dr. Gail E. Tomlinson, a pediatric cancer specialist at UT Health San Antonio, received $1.95 million to support her work screening children and adolescents near the U.S.-Mexico border, who are genetically at high risk of cancer.

A grant of $889,587 was awarded to Dr. Robert Hromas, vice president for medical affairs at UT Health and dean of the Long School of Medicine. The award will support studies of an RNA segment that has potential as a therapeutic agent in fighting certain hereditary cancers.

On ExpressNews.com: Future of states cancer-fighting agency will be left to voters

UT Health also received a five-year, $6 million grant to recruit Reuben S. Harris, a professor of biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics at the University of Minnesota. Harris specializes in the genetics of cancer, specifically breast cancer, and in molecular virology.

He will become professor and chairman of the department of biochemistry and structural biology at the Long School of Medicine.

CPRIT, created in 2007, has distributed $3 billion in grants to Texas research institutions and organizations. The agency was reauthorized by Texas voters in 2019 to provide an additional $3 billion in grants.

Its mission is to invest in the research prowess of Texas universities and research organizations, strengthen the states life science infrastructure and accelerate research and innovation to enhance the potential of breakthroughs in prevention and cures.

laura.garcia@express-news.net
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In 1968, a group of priests in San Antonio wrote to Pope Paul VI and asked him to remove their autocratic, vindictive archbishop, Robert Lucey.

Even in the changing backdrop of Vatican II, it was a gutsy move led mostly by Mexican American priests who would suffer the consequences of their actions.

They were brave, selfless, heroic.

Some of them eventually left the priesthood, because of the discrimination and exclusion of Mexican Americans in church leadership.

A national organization of Mexican American priests, founded in San Antonio, grew out of that moment.

A direct line can be drawn from that group  PADRES, an acronym for Padres Asociados para los Derechos Religiosos, Educativos, y Sociales  and the ascension of Patrick Flores, the first Latino U.S. bishop.

PADRES also pressured the church to advocate for the Mexican Americans faithfully sitting in their pews.

In 1968, another major moment was about to happen in San Antonio: HemisFair. In the minds of excited officials, it would generate positive news about their great city.

A CBS documentary, Hunger in America, would get in their way. In a national telecast, it showed the extreme poverty on the citys West Side and other places across the country.

One San Antonio-born Catholic priest was in the middle of all these events: the letter to the pope, the founding of PADRES and in a prominent role in Hunger in America.

This week, after a lifetime of advocacy, community organizing and prayer, San Antonio lost him.

Rafael Ralph Huante Ruiz, widely considered the founder of PADRES, died Wednesday at 86. Services are pending.

I need far more space to tell his fascinating story. But it begins on the citys West Side, where Ruiz was one of 15 children born into a devoted Catholic family.

His parents taught catechism in their backyard and raised children with social justice hearts just steps away from their parish, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

Two of Ruizs sisters went into religious life. It was a patriotic family, too.

His brother, retired educator Paul Ruiz, founder of the Mexican American Civil Rights Institute, said six Ruiz boys served in the military from Korea to Vietnam.

How do such parents birth such leadership?

Our parents were unapologetically who they were, Paul Ruiz said. They were young adults in the 30s and saw how people were being deported (U.S.-born Mexican Americans among them).

While some denied their heritage to survive, My father swore hed never do that. He believed you could be Mexican American and fully American. He said being American is an idea.

Ralph was a guiding light for all of us, Paul Ruiz said of his brother. Most of us went to college because of Ralph.

He was articulate, bright and strong, he said, remembering that his brother was among the Mexican American leaders at the historic March on Washington.

Ruiz attended high school in Illinois at a minor Franciscan seminary named St. Josephs. He learned English there and laid a foundation for the rest of his education.

He earned an undergraduate degree and did his theological studies at Assumption Seminary. He was ordained in 1965, but left the priesthood in 1971.

He also earned a masters degree in education from Antioch University in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

In addition to founding PADRES, Ruiz founded Inner City Apostolate, an archdiocesan mission that organized West Side residents to advocate for their neighborhood.

The apostolate evolved into the nonprofit Inner City Development, co-directed by Patti and Rod Radle, who were early volunteers there.

Ruiz met his future wife Janis there. She was also a volunteer.

They were married for 50 years, the first time in 1971 and then again in 1972 by Flores, a direct descendant of PADRES powerful advocacy.

The Ruizes had three children. They were members of St. Pauls Catholic Church. Ruiz is also survived by five grandchildren.

His work landed him in Washington, D.C., where he served as director of PADRES. He later worked in the Nixon administration on the Cabinet Committee on Opportunities for the Spanish Speaking.

Ruiz also did union organizing in El Paso; served as executive director of La Clinica Amistad on the citys West Side; and held various leadership positions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

In Hunger in America, Ruiz led a camera crew to homes in his neighborhood.

The images of poverty so angered officials, including the late Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez, that it led to an FBI investigation about the validity of the claims.

Rod Radle, who co-directs Inner City with his wife, Patti, the former city councilwoman, said agents went into West Side homes and opened refrigerators. No exaggeration.

Ruiz testified several times and reiterated such events.

The work helped push for federal food assistance, such as subsidized school lunches.

Ruiz and other social justice activists, priests included, experienced intimidation. One person recalled that Ruiz was irrepressible and strong. He told them where to go and how to do it, the person said.

PADRES and a similar group of Catholic nuns called Las Hermanas were influenced by the Chicano civil rights movement and liberation theology movements throughout the Americas.

Richard Edward Martinez, author of PADRES: The National Chicano Priest Movement, documented how Chicano priests experienced racism and discrimination within and outside the church and organized as agents of change to oppose a religious apartheid.

Though the turmoil of the times no doubt affected him, Ruiz always said he had a good life, his wife said. He told me repeatedly that he was so fortunate.

Last Saturday, he could barely speak, but the TV was set to a Catholic Mass, and he uttered the words as the Eucharist was consecrated, his wife said.

Throughout his married life, he continued to celebrate Mass  at home with his family gathered around the dinner table.

Theyll remember his great sermons.

In the end, he boiled it down to a simple philosophy that guided his life.

Love your neighbor.

eayala@express-news.net
Lets pretend the federal government passed a new law making it a crime to cheat on your spouse.

I think most of us would regard the law as an egregious infringement on personal freedom.

At the same time, our objections wouldnt prompt us to encourage people to cheat on their spouses.

We wouldnt go around championing individuals who have affairs or describing their infidelities as acts of heroism.

Thats where I have a problem with Chip Roy.

RELATED: Game on: Hot primary contests in the S.A. area

The Republican congressman, whose district includes part of San Antonio, fancies himself a pit bull for liberty. His biggest cause for the past several months has been fighting against federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates imposed by Democratic President Joe Biden.

Roy wants us to believe his crusade is not directed at the science behind vaccines, but at the politicians behind vaccine mandates.

For the moment, lets accept Roys premise that even during the worst pandemic of the past 100 years, the federal government has no right to require people to receive a COVID vaccine.

It still doesnt make vaccine refuseniks heroic.

It makes them selfish. It makes them reckless.

After all, this is a free vaccine that has been proved effective at sharply reducing the risk of serious illness from COVID-19 and its variants. Even if you contract COVID, the vaccine will help your body clear the virus faster than it otherwise would, which means it reduces your risk of passing it on to others.

VOTER GUIDE: What to know for the Texas primary election

Getting vaccinated is not simply about self-protection. Its an act of solidarity with your community, helping to reduce the burden on overwhelmed hospital staffers and decreasing the likelihood that youll spread the virus to family members or co-workers.

Vaccination increases the probability that our places of business will be able to stay open and our teachers and kids will make it safely through the school year.

Even if you believe that individuals should make the vaccination decision for themselves, why would you encourage them to opt out?

But thats exactly what Roy has done.

On July 28, 2021, before any federal vaccine mandates had been announced, Roy took to the House floor and raised doubts about the vaccines efficacy.

Which is it? he asked. Vaccines or masks? Do the vaccines work or they dont work? Id like to know which it is.

On Twitter, he repeatedly uses the following hashtag: #DoNotComply. Notice that hes not telling Americans to decide for themselves. Hes urging them to refuse the vaccine.

During a long rant on the House floor in October, Roy said, Thankfully, brave Americans across this country are standing up every day and telling this president to pound sand.

In Roys world, theres no better way to own the libs than to reject a lifesaving vaccine developed under a Republican president (Donald Trump).

While complaining about how hard it is to get data on the success rate of natural immunity, Roy sarcastically said, Surely its not because anybody is self-interested or financially interested in how much these pharmaceutical companies are making, throwing vaccines at every American.

This note of anti-Big Pharma populism was amusing from Roy, who practically burst into tears defending pharmaceuticals during a 2019 House Oversight Committee hearing.

To sit here and attack the capitalistic system that produces and distributes medicine thats saving lives around the world, I mean it is just offensive, Roy said at the time.

Ideally, the COVID-19 vaccination program would have been completely voluntary. On Dec. 4, 2020, a month after being elected president, Biden said, I dont think it should be mandatory. I wouldnt demand it be mandatory.

Six months into Bidens presidency, the vaccination program remained voluntary.

With the emergence of the highly transmissible delta variant, however, Biden decided to make vaccination compulsory for the military and require federal workers to either get vaccinated or wear masks at work, get regularly tested and practice social distancing.

In September, Biden announced that businesses with at least 100 employees must require their workers to either get vaccinated or tested once a week, a controversial move thats been blocked by the courts.

The messaging of Roy and his allies helped to build and harden anti-vax sentiment in this country. Then, when the president took measures to combat that sentiment, Roy was only too ready to cry foul.

In recent weeks, Roy fought vaccine mandates by pushing Congress to defund the federal government. On Thursday, he attacked a fellow Texas Republican, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, for joining 18 other GOP senators in voting to keep the government funded.

I am done playing around with these asshats, Roy tweeted. They are not interested in freedom  just power.

Roy values your right to make bad public health decisions. He just doesnt value anyone elses right to be protected from those bad decisions.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Dear Pennsylvania, please do not follow New Jerseys lead and make steps to legalize recreational marijuana, Should Pa. legalize pot? Lets look at the facts first (Sunday, Feb. 13).

Paul Muschick writes a very intelligent column explaining the pros and cons of cannabis. But still, I remember my early adulthood in the 1970s and witnessing the effects of recreational weed.

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The high influence from smoking marijuana never sharpened anyones common sense. If anything, when cannabis reaches the brain, it dulls common sense. Nobody in their right mind would want stoners doing serious things like operating motor vehicles on Route 22 at rush hour on Friday afternoon.

Being high on pot doesnt have the same physical telltale clues as drinking too much alcohol does. Marijuana dulls cognition abilities, and operating a car with pot on the brain becomes a challenge to do safely.

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We called it stoned on weed because its the same as getting your bell rung from a head collision in sports. Both will result in impaired cognitive abilities.

What about in the privacy of my own home? No, because you never know when responsibility is around the corner.

Dan Pryor

White Township, N.J.
Theres a vast gulf between the public policies that most Texans say they support and the policies embraced and enacted by state elected leaders. Why? If we live in a representative democracy, why dont we see stronger representation?

We know from polling of the general population that most Texans support expanding Medicaid, addressing climate change and having access to legal abortion. But in the last year, the Texas Legislature didnt take up Medicaid expansion, it ignored climate change, and it effectively banned all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.

This might appear to be democracy out of whack, but its not. The states most powerful officeholders are responding to the direction given by a coterie of voters who matter the most. These are the Republican primary voters. Republican primary voters have a titanium grip on how we pick our state leaders, and they have an outsize sway on the states policies.

For candidates to get on the general election ballot, they first must win their partys nomination. The two major parties hold a primary election, which is now underway. Primary election day is March 1. The Democratic and Republican primary victors will face each other on Nov. 8 in the general election.

However, Texas has not elected any Democratic candidates to statewide office since 1994, when Bob Bullock, Dan Morales, John Sharp and Garry Mauro were re-elected as lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller and land commissioner, respectively.

For the past 25 years, the path to statewide office  be it the Governors Mansion or the agriculture commissioners barn  goes through the Republican primary. These candidates know they must win that primary and then dont need to worry too much about winning the general election. In my experience as a Texas political reporter, these GOP candidates dont grant many interviews after the primary, especially to reporters who ask tough questions.

The candidates know that the majority of Texas general election voters are brand-loyal Republicans. They show up on Election Day to keep the state red.

A caveat: Just because Democrats havent won a statewide race in a quarter of a century doesnt mean their losing streak will continue. However, the hot hand fallacy does give the incumbent party a tremendous advantage with fundraising, free media time and name recognition.

Given this political history, over the past 25 years, the candidates favored by Republican primary voters have, without exception, won their offices in the general election. And that means Republican primary voters are the most influential voters in Texas. They are indeed the primary voters of Texas  as in the dictionary sense of the word primary: something that stands first in rank, importance, or value.

Those who opt to vote in the Democratic primary, or Republicans who skip the primary and vote only in the general election, can be seen as the secondary voters of Texas.

The last Texas gubernatorial midterm election, in 2018, tells the story. Of 28.6 million Texans, only 8.4 million people voted in the general election that year, but that was actually higher than normal because the top race  the U.S. Senate contest between Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Beto ORourke  attracted unusual media attention.

The candidates in the general election were those elected in the March primaries, during which the voter turnout is much lower. In the Republican primary, 1.5 million votes were cast; in the Democratic primary, there were 1 million votes. As no Democrats won any of the general statewide races, it was the majority of voters in the GOP primary  not the general election  who picked the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and statewide candidates down the ballot. That boils down to about 1 million people  3.5 percent of Texans  deciding who governs a state of 28 million.

This small sample size doesnt mirror the diversity of the state. Who are these 1 million primary voters? They are the most loyal Republican party members, who tend to be white, older, rural and extremely conservative.

The candidates who win these statewide offices know who these voters are and what they want. Thats why we have seen this push further and further to the conservative right with powerful culture wars. We live in a Texas where incumbents are more concerned about GOP primary voters than they are the general election voters.

Our system is supposed to be self-correcting, with general election voters rejecting candidates from either party that have shifted too far to the extreme. But this correction is dependent on voters who restore the balance in the general election. And that is why a strong voter turnout is necessary for a well-functioning democracy that serves the needs of all Texans.

David Martin Davies is an award-winning journalist who covers Texas politics. He is the host of The Source and Texas Matters on Texas Public Radio, KSTX 89.1 FM in San Antonio.
Paul Rusesabagina is a hero in every sense of the word.

As then-manager of the Hotel des Mille Collines, Rusesabagina saved more than 1,000 lives during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Ten years later, audiences across the world learned about his heroism through Don Cheadles Academy Award-nominated performance in the film Hotel Rwanda.

In the years following the release of Hotel Rwanda, Rusesabagina received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush and continued to use his elevated platform to speak out against the oppressive government of Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Today, because of his political activism, this 67-year-old cancer survivor with cardiovascular problems is fighting for his life in a Rwandan prison.

Rusesabagina is a political prisoner.

In 2020, the government of Rwanda kidnapped Rusesabagina from Dubai and brought him back to Rwanda, where he was tortured and charged with terrorism. For international observers, the result of the trial was all but certain. In the State Departments 2020 report on Rwandas Human Rights Practices, analysts noted that outcomes in high-profile genocide, security, and politically sensitive cases (in Rwanda) appear predetermined. In Rusesabaginas case, the State Department noted that the reported lack of fair trial guarantees calls into question the fairness of the verdict, and the European Union noted that the trial was marred by numerous violations of his fair trial rights. Despite these concerns, on Sept. 20, Rusesabagina was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

So how does the United States factor into this?

After the Rwandan genocide, Rusesabagina applied for asylum in Belgium and later immigrated to San Antonio with his family. He is an American permanent resident, and his children are U.S. citizens  and the United States will not stay silent when our residents are threatened.

I made this clear in a December 2020 letter to Kagame and a June 2021 letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The extrajudicial transfer, detention and trial of Rusesabagina violated international law. He was held in solitary confinement, denied confidential access to counsel and not granted the presumption of innocence. Today, he is only allowed to speak to his family for a few minutes a week and Rwandan authorities have repeatedly denied him the medication he needs to treat a heart condition.

Congress must act swiftly to denounce the government of Rwanda for actions that have endangered Rusesabaginas life and violated his human rights. Earlier this month, I introduced a bipartisan resolution with U.S. Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., that calls on the government of Rwanda to release Rusesabagina on humanitarian grounds and permit him to return safely to the United States. The resolution also urges the U.S. government to press for his release.

Soon, I hope to bring our resolution to a vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Countries around the world take the posture of the U.S. Congress seriously, and we must push our allies to condemn Rwandas actions. I hope common sense will prevail upon Kagame to release Rusesabagina and return him to his family in San Antonio.

His family feels the weight of his absence, and that pain is immeasurable. For as long as Rusesabagina remains in a Rwandan prison, that pain is lasting. Rusesabagina prides himself on giving a voice to the voiceless. Now we must speak up for him.

Joaquin Castro, a Democrat, represents the 20th Congressional District of Texas.
Pig producers have welcomed new changes to the government's Slaughter Incentive Payment Scheme (SIPS), calling it a 'much-needed boost' for the troubled sector.

Changes have been made to the scheme from 18 February to remove the requirement for pigmeat, from pigs slaughtered during a SIPS 2022 shift, to go for export or into the private storage aid scheme, which opened in November 2021.

The change means that pigs slaughtered can now be sold on the domestic market for higher prices than for product going into PSA or for export.

The revised SIPS 2022 means the payment rate for eligible pigs has increased from 3 to 10 per pig, Defra explained on Friday (18 February).

It comes as the sector continues to see major challenges, including the impact of the pandemic, access to CO2 supplies, a shortage of labour and the loss of the Chinese market to several processing plants.

This has led to a growing number of pigs backing up on farm, impacting the capacity of processors to slaughter and process pigs.

Pig prices have also fallen, and without continued intervention the sector fears they could rapidly fall even further.

The change to SIPS was one of the National Pig Association's (NPA) key asks at last weeks pig industry crisis summit, as the previous restrictions on SIPs were 'severely limiting uptake'.

The NPA explained that processors had little incentive to use it when they knew they could not sell pork on the domestic market.

The body's chairman Rob Mutimer said the government's new change was a 'much-needed boost' to the pig industry.

"It should encourage processors to put on these extra kills and, in turn, speed up progress in reducing the backlog," he explained.

We are grateful to Defra for listening to our arguments and taking this important step to help struggling pig producers.

Defra said it was aiming to incentivise processors to maximise the use of additional butchers from January by putting on more shifts than was possible at the end of 2021.

It is anticipated that the scheme will close on 31 March, or earlier if the limit of 100,000 pigs slaughtered is reached, with the claim window due to run from 1-29 April.
Warrenton, VA (20186)

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Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 56F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

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Oak Hill, WV (25901)

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Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low near 60F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

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Anushka Sharma posted a video of a man who was being called mad for loving a puppy. The actor lauded the mans love for the puppy even after people around him considered him crazy for doing so.

The man kissed the puppys paw when a person around him called him paagal. Another person asked him to take the puppy to his home to which he replied that he will. He said, Ye dekho godi mein lelia maine he said.



He further added that the puppy doesnt know how to speak but knows how to love. He said,Paagal bata rahe. Batao main paagal hu ji? Ye kitna accha sundar pilla. Ye bolta nahi hai kuch bhi lekin pyaar itna karta hai.

The video was shared by Humans of Delhi on their Instagram. Numerous people poured praises for the person in the comment section. Actor Anushka Sharma also posted the video on her Instagram story and wrote, Paagal toh woh hain jo insaaniyat nahi samjhein, aap toh and added applause and heart emojis.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 18, 2022) - Therma Bright Inc. (TSXV: THRM) (OTCQB: TBRIF) ("Therma" or the "Company"), developer of its smart-enabled AcuVid COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Saliva Test and other progressive diagnostic and medical device technologies, is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced private placement to institutional investors of its common shares ("Common Shares") (or Common Share equivalents) and warrants to purchase Common Shares ("Warrants") for gross proceeds of CAD$6 million (the "Private Placement"). Pursuant to the Private Placement, the Company issued 20,000,000 Common Shares and Warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 20,000,000 Common Shares at a purchase price of CAD$0.30 per Common Share and associated Warrant. Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase Common Shares at an exercise price of CAD$0.375 per Common Share at any time on or prior to February 18, 2027.

H.C. Wainwright & Co. acted as the exclusive placement agent for the Private Placement. H.C. Wainwright & Co. (or its designees) received (i) a cash commission of CAD$480,000 (equal to 8.0% of the gross proceeds of the Private Placement) and (ii) 1,600,000 compensation warrants (the "Agent Warrants"). The Agent Warrants are exercisable at an exercise price of CAD$0.375 per Common Share at any time on or before February 18, 2027.

The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used by the Company for general working capital purposes, giving Therma Bright flexibility in executing its business plans and taking advantage of growth opportunities with its progressive diagnostic and medical device technologies. No securities were offered or sold to Canadian residents in connection with the Private Placement.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of the securities 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. The securities referred in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any U.S. state securities laws, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to any U.S. person absent registration under U.S. federal and state securities laws or an applicable exemption from such U.S. registration requirements. "United States" and "U.S. person" have the respective meanings ascribed to them in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act.

About Therma Bright Inc.

Therma Bright, developer of the smart-enabled AcuVid COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Saliva Test, is a progressive medical diagnostic and device technology company focused on providing consumers and medical professionals with quality, innovative solutions that address some of today's most important medical and healthcare challenges. The Company's initial breakthrough proprietary technology delivers effective, non-invasive and pain-free skincare. Therma Bright received a Class II medical device status from the FDA for its platform technology that is indicated for the relief of the pain, itch, and inflammation of a variety of insect bites or stings. The Company received clearance for the above claims from the U.S. FDA in 1997. Therma Bright Inc. trades on the TSXV (TSXV: THRM) (OTCQB: TBRIF) (FSE: JNX).

Visit: www.thermabright.com.

Contact Information

Rob Fia, CEO

rfia@thermabright.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking" statements. These statements relate to future events such as the use of proceeds from the Private Placement. All such statements involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to vary from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Since forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, they should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and they will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to a number of factors and risks, including the risks detailed from time to time in the Company's public disclosure. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions on the date of this news release, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114278
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 18, 2022 / St. Anthony Gold Corp. ("St. Anthony" or the "Company") (CSE:STAG)(FSE:M1N)(OTC PINK:MTEHF) announces it has completed a first closing of a non-brokered private placement of up to $750,000. The Company accepted subscriptions for 4,700,000 units at a price of $0.08 per unit, for gross proceeds of $376,000. Each unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share at $0.15 for a period of two years from the date of closing. Securities issued on this closing are subject to a statutory hold period until June 18, 2022.

An insider of the Company subscribed for an aggregate of 625,000 common share units of the Company. The Company has relied on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of such insider participation.

The Corporation intends to use the net proceeds for general working capital and expansion drilling at St. Anthony Mine and exploration activities on Panama lake property.

Qualified finders will receive finder's fees of 7% in cash and 7% in broker warrants, with the broker warrants having the same terms as those above.

About St. Anthony Gold Corp.

St. Anthony Gold Corp., a Canadian-based mineral exploration corporation, is focused on identifying and advancing high-value mineral properties.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SEE THE COMPANY'S WEBSITE AT

https://stanthonygoldcorp.com

Email to info@stanthonygoldcorp.com

Contact: Peter Wilson CEO - 604-649-0945

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Further information about the Company is available on www.SEDAR.com under the Company's profile.

Certain statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking information") as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated", "anticipates" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, the Property, financing and certain corporate changes. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Certain statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking information") as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated", "anticipates" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, the Property, financing and certain corporate changes. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: St. Anthony Gold Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689553/St-Anthony-Gold-Corp-Announces-First-Closing-of-Financing
TIANJIN, China, Feb. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CanSino Biologics Inc. ("CanSinoBIO") (SSE: 688185, HKEX: 06185) today announced that its Recombinant Novel Coronavirus Vaccine (Adenovirus Type 5 Vector) ("Ad5-nCoV", trade name: Convidecia) has been approved by the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council of China ("State Council") as a heterologous booster, making it the first adenovirus-vectored vaccine to be included in the heterologous vaccination program in China.

According to the State Council, for those aged 18 and above who have completed a 6-month vaccination schedule using inactivated COVID-19 vaccines, and those who have not been administered a homologous booster, being administered CanSinoBIO's Convidecia as a heterologous booster can significantly increase the neutralizing antibody levels with proven safety.

Heterologous booster vaccination refers to the use of vaccine boosters from different technology platforms from the prime vaccines, which could improve the overall immune response and enhance protection against other variants.

Recent clinical trial results from a study on heterologous vaccination conducted by the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed that after two-dose priming with an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, a single dose of Convidecia as a heterologous booster could induce neutralizing antibody levels at 197.4 (95% CI 167.7, 232.4) 14 days post vaccination, five times higher than a homologous booster of inactivated vaccine, with neutralizing antibody levels at 33.6 (95% CI 28.3, 39.8).

According to a recent study jointly published by China's CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and others, those who had two doses of inactivated vaccine and then received Convidecia as a heterologous booster 4 - 8 months later were found to have neutralizing antibody levels against the prototype strain that were 7 times higher than those boosted with recombinant protein vaccines. The study found that for the Omicron variant, Convidecia generates neutralizing antibody levels 6 times and 3 times higher than the groups given inactivated vaccines and recombinant protein vaccines, respectively.

In addition, administering Convidecia as a booster can also induce a significant CD8+T cellular immune response, which could rapidly kill virus-infected cells and reduce the chance of severe illness and death, providing both humoral and cellular immunity.

A recent interim guidance for heterologous COVID-19 vaccination from the World Health Organization recommended that for people who have initial administration with inactivated COVID-19 vaccines, they may choose either adenovirus-vectored or mRNA vaccines as the subsequent booster doses. In November 2021, the Ministry of Health of Argentina recommended CanSinoBIO's Convidecia as a booster for people who have received inactivated vaccine for at least one month, including those aged 50 years old and above.

CanSinoBIO is committed to providing timely and broad immune protection, making its vaccines more accessible to regions with insufficient storage facilities and medical resources, and reducing the burden placed on healthcare systems and medical workers. Currently, Convidecia is approved in more than ten countries, including China, Pakistan, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia and Malaysia, etc.

About CanSinoBIO

Incorporated in 2009, CanSinoBIO (SSE: 688185, HKEX: 06185) commits to research, production and commercialization of innovative vaccines for China and global public health security. It possesses five integrated platform technologies including viral vector-based technology, synthetic vaccine technology, protein structure design and recombinant technology, mRNA technology, as well as formulation and delivery technology. As of today, it has established a robust pipeline of 17 vaccines preventing 12 diseases, including the Recombinant Novel Coronavirus Vaccine (Adenovirus Type 5 Vector) conditionally approved in 2021, the Group A and Group C Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (CRM197) and the Group ACYW135 Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (CRM197) approved in the same year. Additional information can be found online at www.cansinotech.com
Coastline Exploration signs seven Production Sharing Agreements in the Federal Republic of Somalia

HOUSTON, Feb. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Coastline Exploration Limited ("Coastline"), the upstream oil and gas company focused on East Africa, announces that it has signed seven Production Sharing Agreements ("PSAs") covering offshore, deep-water blocks of the Federal Republic of Somalia. These PSAs enable Coastline to proceed with plans to explore for oil and gas on the many prospects and leads identified in these offshore blocks.

W. Richard Anderson, Chief Executive of Coastline, commented, "Somalia contains the largest remaining unexplored set of basins situated in warm waters in the world. We are honoured and excited to be part of its future development. The Government of Somalia and the Ministry of Petroleum have spent a great deal of time and effort to ensure the country has the proper legal and administrative infrastructure to support oil and gas exploration with the passing of the Petroleum Law, adoption of the Revenue Sharing Agreement among the Federal Government and its Members States and the establishment of the Somali Petroleum Authority to provide continuing support for the anticipated growth in the sector."

Jake UIrich, Coastline's Chairman, continued "After a rigorous negotiating process, we are delighted to have signed these inaugural PSAs with the Somali Government. This marks a defining moment for the country. The way is now open for other oil and gas companies to join us in our quest for commercial discoveries through the current licensing round and, also through direct negotiations with the Somali oil and gas authorities. Revenues from the discovery of commercial quantities of hydrocarbons could be a major positive for Somalia from which the government could finance investments in education, infrastructure, healthcare and other vital services, which will benefit all of the people of Somalia, including women and minorities, by helping provide for continued economic growth and improving the standard of living."

The signing ceremony was witnessed, amongst others, by the Chairman & CEO and Vice-Chair of the Somali Petroleum Authority who highlighted their desire for the expected economic and social benefits for the Somali people.

About Coastline Exploration

Founded in 2018, Coastline Exploration was established to help develop the hydrocarbon industry within East Africa. Following the discovery of commercial quantities of oil in Kenya and Uganda, coupled with world-class offshore gas reserves in Tanzania and Mozambique, Coastline Exploration believes there is huge potential for further significant oil and gas discoveries across the region.

www.coastlineexploration.com

Enquiries

Hudson Sandler

Dan de Belder/Francis Kerrigan

+44 (0)207 796 4133

Email: coastlineexploration@hudsonsandler.com
NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sir Richard Branson voices support for Ukraine in his latest blog on Virgin.com

Defending the rule of law

As Russia continues to amass troops on Ukraine's border, one element of this unacceptable aggression has been largely ignored.

I recently shared my views on the situation, and why everyone should be coming together to stand up for Ukraine's sovereignty. This week I spoke to Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraine's Ambassador to the UK, about the role of the global business community and the need to stand up for peace.

The ambassador raised the very pertinent issue of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. Then, Russia signed a commitment "to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine". In turn, Ukraine joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and gave up its nuclear arsenal.

Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 was the first major violation of the Budapest Memorandum. A Russian invasion in the coming days would rip the Memorandum apart and have catastrophic effects. Blatant disrespect for the rule of law and the validity of international treaties would be disastrous for peaceful coexistence between nations, throwing off the often sensitive balance of power that safeguards peace and prosperity in many parts of the world.

An invasion of Ukraine by Russia would further destroy the cause of disarmament and non-proliferation, which has international agreements at its heart. Without binding agreements and their implementation, there can never be peace. What message does Russia's aggression send to other nuclear powers prepared to sign up to international disarmament treaties? It's a slippery slope.

Some argue that if Ukraine had held onto its nuclear weapons, Crimea could well still be a part of Ukraine and there wouldn't be a build-up of Russian troops. There is no doubt that Russia's continued aggression against Ukraine will disincentivise those previously willing to reduce weapons stockpiles, as it suggests that any agreement can be unilaterally and arbitrarily ripped apart.

On a more fundamental note, unilateral withdrawal and blatant disregard of international treaties also points to a true crisis of multilateralism. Multilateral institutions designed long ago to maintain peace and drive sustainable development no longer enjoy the same level of support and respect. In too many ways, international cooperation has given way to small-minded nationalism. It's a real threat to the rule of law that humanity hasn't seen since the dark days that led to World War II.

This situation is not just bad news for Ukraine in this very moment of acute crisis; it is bad news for every nation, present and future, seeking to protect its sovereignty.

The world must support Ukraine. We must not abandon a country that voluntarily gave up its nuclear weapons in return for peace, and is now on the verge of being invaded by the very country that persuaded it to do so.


COLOGNE (dpa-AFX) - Deutsche Lufthansa AG (DLAKF, DLAKY) said on Saturday that it is suspending flights to and from the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Odessa from February 21 until February 28, 2022.



The company, which owns Germany's flagship carrier as well as Eurowings, Swiss, Brussels and Austrian Airlines, will also suspend service to Kyiv starting Monday through February 28.



Lufthansa said it is constantly monitoring the situation and will decide on further flights at a later date.



Lufthansa is following several European airlines that have cancelled flights to and from Ukraine, according to media reports.







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Geneva, NY (14456)

Today

Steady light rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 56F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Steady light rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 56F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
: river08 (sh), : Boston

 : [] Furnished Room in Newton for Rent

: Newton

: BBS  (Fri Feb 18 21:42:25 2022, )



One Furnished bedroom() in second floor of brand new construction 2

floor Townhouse,

located in quiet and safe neighborhood of Newton.

-With two big windows sunny bed room have both central AC and heating.

-Have you own bathroom

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-The room is furnished

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- Plenty free street parking

-4 min drive to Mass turnpike, and 20 min drive to downtown Boston, 7 min

drive to Newton Center Green line T station.

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-3 min walk to upper Charles River Reservation Park

The room ideally for person working at downtown Boston, Newton, Watertown,

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Rent: $950 per month including all, and is available now.



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,), wechatshawnh14



--

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After reports about OnwardMobility losing the licence to use the BlackBerry name and branding, the company today confirmed that it will be shutting down, and will no longer be proceeding with the development of the BlackBerry 5G phone with a physical keyboard.

This comes after OnwardMobility signed an agreement with BlackBerry and FIH Mobile Limited, a subsidiary of Foxconn back in 2020, to sell new smartphones starting with a 5G BlackBerry Android smartphone with a physical keyboard. Last month, the company announced that it is still planning to launch its smartphone soon.

BlackBerry ended all internal hardware development and outsourced it to partners in 2016. TCL Communication made the BlackBerry phones till 2020 that when the OnwardMobility got a deal to make the phones. It is not clear if BlackBerry will sign a deal with a new company to bring back the BlackBerry 5G Android phone.

We want to thank you all for the tremendous amount of support that you have given us since we first launched OnwardMobility. However, it is with great sadness that we announce that OnwardMobility will be shutting down, and we will no longer be proceeding with the development of an ultra-secure smartphone with a physical keyboard. Please know that this was not a decision that we made lightly or in haste. We share your disappointment in this news and assure you this is not the outcome we worked and hoped for. We are incredibly grateful to the team of seasoned professionals who worked tirelessly on this project and to each and every one of our loyal fans and partners who have supported us throughout this journey. It has been a pleasure to work with all of you and hear your comments and feedback. Thank you for all your support and we wish you all the best!
Representatives from Chaffey College and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians pose with a check for $1.7 million, which will fund a hospitality management and culinary arts program growth initiative.
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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.
Staff members work at an aluminum wheel factory of the CITIC Dicastal Co., Ltd., at the Kenitra Atlantic Free Zone in Morocco's Kenitra on June 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Chen Binjie)

RABAT, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese auto parts manufacturer CITIC Dicastal on Wednesday kicked off the launching ceremony of its third plant in Morocco.

With an investment of 200 million U.S. dollars, the new factory will create 760 jobs for the local community.

The ceremony was held in the Atlantic Free Zone in Kenitra, a port city 40 km north of the capital Rabat, with the presence of the Moroccan Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour and Chinese Ambassador to Morocco Li Changlin.

The Chinese ambassador said that the project is China's largest investment in Morocco, marking a major achievement of the Belt and Road cooperation.

Mezzour praised it as a model of China-Morocco economic and trade cooperation, which will produce economic and social benefits for both sides.

The project will be carried out in two phases, with an annual output of 5 million castings in the first phase. 
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.
These community newsletters are open to all; you do not need to be a member to sign up. (Although we hope you do join us!)
China's finance ministry calls for better macroeconomic coordination

Xinhua) 15:39, February 19, 2022

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China has called for strengthening global cooperation in coordinating macro policies, as part of efforts to propel common development, according to the Ministry of Finance.

"Major developed countries should adopt responsible macroeconomic policies and appropriately control the spillover effects," Finance Minister Liu Kun said when attending the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors via videos recently.

Highlighting the importance of fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, Liu said that China is ready to work with other parties to advance the reform of the health governance system under the framework of the World Health Organization.

Liu also noted that China is the biggest contributor among the Group of 20 (G20) members to the success of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative for the poorest countries.

China calls on all parties to follow the existing G20 consensus, respect the independent decisions of debtor countries and promote steady progress of relevant work in a practical manner, said Liu.

Multilateral creditors, like the World Bank, should participate in debt mitigation actions in a substantive way, providing support for low-income countries, said Liu.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
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. 
Sunday service: Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 2650 NW Highland Drive in Corvallis, will share Gods Word and Holy Communion at 9 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, both in the sanctuary and via livestream worship, accessible at www.svlccorvallis.org and facebook.com/shepherdcorvallis.

Pastor Eric Bohlmanns sermon focus will be Forgiveness. The congregation continues to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to protect worshipers health, and asks individuals to wear masks.

Multi-Gen Bible study will follow worship at 10:30 a.m., both in church and via Zoom. The study will concern the life of Moses, from birth through his calling by God, found in Exodus 2 and 3. For access to the Zoom meeting, call the church office at 541-753-2816.

Sermon series continues: First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe Ave. in Corvallis, will hold services at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, at https://www.facebook.com/CorvallisFUMC/live.

The service will continue the sermon series on friendship with Going to Great Lengths, based on Mark 2:1-12. God, enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of friendship, and show us your presence in those who differ most from us.

Bahai devotions and discussion: The Light Within the Lamp: The Human Spirit is set for 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, via Zoom.

This Sundays program draws from the Bahai writings and other religious scriptures. These selections lay out the requirements of the souls journey in this life and the next. Latent powers within each soul lead to ones felicity in all the worlds of God. One such power is the gift of understanding that enables us to independently discover truth. Another is inner vision, which enables this understanding.

The Zoom room will open at 10:15 a.m. Visit https://tinyurl.com/2ejv7cth, where you will find the readings and a link for the devotional gathering.

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Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

Cloudy and windy during the evening with light rain becoming likely late. Low 39F. SE winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy and windy during the evening with light rain becoming likely late. Low 39F. SE winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
A man clears his driveway in Mississauga, the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, on Feb. 18, 2022. The city of Toronto and surrounding areas got a heavy snowfall from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

A runway sweeper clears snow at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, on Feb. 18, 2022. The city of Toronto and surrounding areas got a heavy snowfall from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

A bulldozer clears snow at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, on Feb. 18, 2022. The city of Toronto and surrounding areas got a heavy snowfall from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

A worker drives a bulldozer to clear snow from the sidewalk in Mississauga, the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, on Feb. 18, 2022. The city of Toronto and surrounding areas got a heavy snowfall from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

A man clears a sidewalk in Mississauga, the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, on Feb. 18, 2022. The city of Toronto and surrounding areas got a heavy snowfall from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
Portland, OR, Feb. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global immune checkpoint inhibitors market was estimated at $29.80 billion in 2020 and is expected to hit $140.89 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 16.8% from 2021 to 2030. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the top investment pockets, top winning strategies, drivers & opportunities, market size & estimations, competitive scenario, and varying market trends.

Rise in incidences of cancer across the world, surge in global geriatric population, and supportive reimbursement policies for immune checkpoint inhibitors drive the growth of the global immune checkpoint inhibitors market. On the other hand, higher cost of immune checkpoint inhibitors impedes the growth to some extent. However, increase in number of pipeline drugs is expected to create lucrative opportunities in the industry.

Download Sample Report- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/3723

Impact of Covid-19 on Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Market-

The outbreak of the product led to decline in number of cancer patient visits in hospitals and clinics for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (ICI) which, in turn, gave way to decline in demand of immune checkpoint inhibitors products, thereby impacting the global immune checkpoint inhibitors market negatively.

However, the market is anticipated to get back on track soon.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Market- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/3723?reqfor=covid

The global immune checkpoint inhibitors market is analyzed across type, application, and region. Based on type, the PD-1 inhibitor segment accounted for around three-fourths of the total market share in 2020, and is expected to rule the roost by 2030. The PD-L1 inhibitor segment, on the other hand, would garner the fastest CAGR of 19.4% throughout the forecast period.

Based on application, the lung segment and chemic cancer segment contributed to around two-fifths of the total market revenue each in 2020, and are projected to lead the trail by 2030. The same segment would also exhibit the fastest CAGR of 17.8% during the forecast period.

Based on region, the market across North America held the major share in 2020, garnering nearly two-thirds of the global market. The Asia-Pacific region, however, would manifest the fastest CAGR of 18.4% throughout the forecast period.

For Purchase Inquiry- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/3723

The key market players analyzed in the global immune checkpoint inhibitors market report include Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Eli Lilly and Company (ARMO Biosciences.) GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Merck KGaA (EMD Serono, Inc.), F.Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Genentech, Inc.,), AstraZeneca PLC,Sanofi, Merck & Co., Inc., and BeiGene Ltd, and Shanghai Jhunsi Biosciences Ltd. These market players have adhered to several strategies including partnership, expansion, collaboration, joint ventures, and others to prove their flair in the industry.

Official Press Release- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/immune-check-point-inhibitors-market.html

AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) Offered by Allied Market Research:

AMR introduces its online premium subscription-based library Avenue, designed specifically to offer cost-effective, one-stop solution for enterprises, investors, and universities. With Avenue, subscribers can avail an entire repository of reports on more than 2,000 niche industries and more than 12,000 company profiles. Moreover, users can get an online access to quantitative and qualitative data in PDF and Excel formats along with analyst support, customization, and updated versions of reports.

Get an access to the library of reports at any time from any device and anywhere. For more details, follow the link: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access

About Allied Market Research:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domains. AMR offers its services across 11 industry verticals including Life Sciences , Consumer Goods, Materials & Chemicals, Construction & Manufacturing, Food & Beverages, Energy & Power, Semiconductor & Electronics, Automotive & Transportation, ICT & Media, Aerospace & Defense, and BFSI.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.
NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. (NYSE: EDU) between April 24, 2018 and July 22, 2021, inclusive (the Class Period), of the important April 5, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline.



SO WHAT: If you purchased New Oriental Education securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the New Oriental Education class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=3117 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 5, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) New Oriental Educations revenue and operational growth was the result of deceptive marketing tactics and abusive business practices that flouted Chinese regulations and policies and exposed New Oriental Education to an extreme risk that more draconian measures would be imposed on New Oriental Education; (2) New Oriental Education had engaged in misleading and fraudulent advertising practices, including the provision of false and misleading discount information designed to obfuscate the true cost of New Oriental Educations programs to its customers; (3) New Oriental Education had falsified teacher qualifications and experience to increase student enrollments; (4) New Oriental Education had defied prior government warnings against linking school enrollments with the provision of private tutoring services; (5) as a result, New Oriental Education was subject to an extreme undisclosed risk of adverse enforcement actions, regulatory fines and penalties, and the imposition of new rules and regulations adverse to New Oriental Educations business and interests; (6) the new rules, regulations, and policies to be implemented by the Chinese government following the Two Sessions parliamentary meetings were far more severe than represented to investors by defendants and in fact posed an existential threat to New Oriental Education and its business; and (7) consequently, defendants positive statements about New Oriental Educations business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and lacked a reasonable factual basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the New Oriental Education class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=3117 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

lrosen@rosenlegal.com

pkim@rosenlegal.com

cases@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
Dallas, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DFW Defense Attorney Mick Mickelsen Explains the Difference Between Manslaughter and Criminally Negligent Homicide in New Web Resource

There are four types of criminal homicide in the state of Texas. While murder and capital murder cases tend to receive a lot of media attention, the remaining two types, criminally negligent homicide and manslaughter, are less frequently talked about. To aid public understanding of this area of law, Dallas-based defense attorney Mick Mickelsen has created a web resource explaining important legal information about the two crimes in detail.

Manslaughter is a second-degree felony in Texas, and carries much harsher penalties than criminally negligent homicide, which is a state jail felony, says Mr. Mickelsen, who has decades of experience defending violent crimes in the state of Texas. Those accused of criminal homicide in Texas are often left wondering which offense they will be charged with, and those charged often wonder why they have been charged with one and not the other.

The new educational resource by Dallas criminal defense attorney Mick Mickelsen covers the following topics:

Criminally negligent homicide vs. manslaughter in Texas

Criminally negligent homicide legal definition

Manslaughter legal definition

What is the difference between criminal negligence and recklessness?

Criminally negligent homicide examples

Manslaughter examples

What are the penalties for criminally negligent homicide in Texas?

How to defend against criminally negligent homicide charges

What are the penalties for manslaughter in Texas?

How to defend against manslaughter charges

Read the full resource on manslaughter vs. criminally negligent homicide here.

Dallas Violent Crimes Attorneys  Broden & Mickelsen

If you have been charged with a violent criminal offense in Texas, it is crucial to discuss your case with a criminal defense lawyer who has experience handling Texas violent crimes cases. Broden & Mickelsen provides aggressive and ethical representation to individuals and businesses accused of criminal offenses. The firm accomplishes this through its unique team approach to criminal defense, which involves both partners actively participating in the case.

To achieve a favorable resolution, Broden and Mickelsen evaluate each case individually and utilize all the resources available. The Texas Board of Legal Specialization has certified criminal defense attorneys Clint Broden and Mick Mickelsen as experts in criminal law for trials and appeals.

Call Broden & Mickelsen to discuss the details of your case today: (214) 720-9552.

Source:

https://www.brodenmickelsen.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-manslaughter-and-criminally-negligent-homicide-texas-defense-lawyer-mick-mickelsen-explains

Copyright: Broden & Mickelsen

Media Contact: AZ@kisspr.com ~ KISSPR.com Law Firm Marketing Services



Attachment
BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Yutu-2 lunar rover of China's Chang'e-4 mission has discovered two macroscopic translucent glass globules during its exploration of the far side of the moon, which could potentially help reveal the moon's early impact history.

According to a study published in Science Bulletin, the Yutu-2 rover captured images of two translucent globules using its panoramic camera.

No composition data has been obtained for the globules. But their unique morphology and local context suggest they are most likely impact glasses -- quenched anorthositic impact melts produced during cratering events -- rather than being of volcanic origin or delivered from other planetary bodies, the researchers said.

Lunar anorthosite is a major rock of the lunar highlands, which formed in the lunar magma ocean.

The researchers said the globules are different from the glass beads sampled by the Apollo missions, as they are larger in size and exhibit colors.

They predicted that the glass globules would be abundant across the lunar highlands, providing promising sampling targets that could reveal the early impact history of the moon.

The Chang'e-4 probe, launched on Dec. 8, 2018, made the first-ever soft landing in the Von Karman Crater in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon on Jan. 3, 2019. So far, Yutu-2 has traveled more than 1,000 meters on the far side of the moonrde. 
TORONTO, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnviroGold Global Limited (CSE: NVRO | OTCQB: RGOZF | FSE: YGK) (EnviroGold Global or the Company), a Clean Technology Company accelerating the worlds transition to a circular-resource economy through the production of Metals Without Mining, is pleased to announce the execution of a binding, definitive agreement (the Definitive Agreement) with Hellyer Gold Mines Pty Ltd (Hellyer Gold Mines or HGM) to reprocess the tailings owned by HGM (the Hellyer Tailings Reprocessing Project or the Hellyer Tailings Project) at the Hellyer Gold Mine, Tasmania, Australia. The execution of the transaction cements a major growth catalyst for EnviroGold Global, paving the way for finalization of project financing negotiations and materially advancing the Companys accelerated pathway towards commercial production of precious metals (gold and silver), clean energy metals and battery metals (copper, lead, zinc) in 2022.



The Definitive Agreement provides for a multi-stage Tailings Reprocessing Project wherein EnviroGold Global will add its mineral processing technology to the currently operational and permitted Hellyer Gold Mine. EnviroGold Global and HGM believe that this partnership will result in operational synergies and in conjunction with EnviroGold Globals independently validated, proprietary metallurgical solution (link) (the Hellyer Solution) for the Hellyer VMS tailings, will drive significantly increased metal recovery rates for the gold (Au), silver (Ag), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) contained in the Hellyer tailings.

Commenting on this major development, EnviroGold Global CEO, Dr. Mark Thorpe, said, The execution of the Definitive Agreement with HGM is a testament to the quality of our world-class team and the commitment of HGMs management and team to establish a working partnership for success. It represents the achievement of a strategic milestone for EnviroGold Global on our journey to producing precious, critical, and strategic metals at 7 major projects by 2025. We are pleased to continue to deliver on our commitments to our shareholders and stakeholders while establishing circular-economy leadership through the production of Metals Without Mining. We look forward to announcing the execution of additional major growth catalysts in the near-term including finalization of project financing negotiations for the Hellyer Tailings Project, establishment of a strategic operating partnership with a global EPCM company, publishing the Buchans Tailings Project resource estimate and advancing the development of our global tailings reprocessing project portfolio.

Qualified Person Statement

All scientific and technical information contained in this news release was prepared and approved by Ian Hodkinson, MAIG RPGeo, Chief Geologist of EnviroGold Global, who is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.

About EnviroGold Global

EnviroGold Global (CSE: NVRO) (OTCQB: RGOZF) (FSE: YGK), is a CleanTech company dedicated to creating shareholder value while establishing ESG & circular economy leadership by profitably reprocessing & remediating mine waste (tailings) to recover precious, critical & strategic metals  including gold, silver, copper & nickel. Led by CEO Dr. Mark Thorpe, the Company is strategically positioned to earn and maintain social license while capitalizing the estimated US$ 3.4 trillion of in situ metal value in global tailings. Dr. Thorpe is also the Chairman of the Canadian Mining Innovation Council.

The Companys commercial strategy involves identifying, qualifying and developing tailings reprocessing opportunities, generally targeting tailings sites with at least 6M metric tonnes of tailings and gross recoverable metal value of $124/tonne of tailings. The Company has reviewed over 300 global tailings sites to date and through further market segmentation has identified potential targets exceeding US$10 billion in gross recoverable metal value.

EnviroGold Global acquires the metal recovery rights to tailings sites by leveraging a profit share business model to create an attractive value proposition for site owners. The Companys low-CAPEX business model is designed to generate high free-cash flow & high target IRR while eliminating the risks of traditional exploration and extraction. The Company expects to produce metals with a carbon footprint up to 96% lower than conventional metal producers while reducing the environmental footprint of legacy mining.

As of January 2022, the Company has 8 Major Projects in its global project pipeline including 1 major project under contract, 1 major project subject to an MOU, and 6 additional major projects at various stages of commercial negotiation and detailed technical/economic review.

The Company expects to commence commercial production of precious metals (gold and silver), clean energy metals and battery metals (copper, lead, zinc) 2022 and is targeting 7 major projects in commercial production by 2025.

Additional information can be found on the Companys website (link) and publicly available corporate presentation (link)

Further Information

Dr. Mark B. Thorpe

Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: +1 416 777 6720

Email: mark.thorpe@envirogoldglobal.com

Juan Carlos Giron Jr.

Sr. Vice President

Telephone: +1 416 777 6720

Email: juan.giron@envirogoldglobal.com

Website: www.EnviroGoldGlobal.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, earnings guidance, economic guidance, operational guidance and future capital spending amounts. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements.

Graphical representations included in this news release are approximate representations which may vary from defined regulatory boundaries.

Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, will continue, will occur or will be achieved. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected terms of the Buchans Project and its completion, the Companys working relationship with the owner(s) of the Buchans tailings, the economic viability of the Buchans Project and statements regarding any residual precious metals as a by-product of the remediation, the Companys expansion of its reprocessing pipeline, and the Companys ability to accelerate the worlds transition to a circular resource economy. Forward-looking information in this news release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Companys ability to continue as a going concern; the continued commercial viability and growth in the clean technology and mining waste reprocessing industry; continued approval of the Companys activities by the relevant governmental and/or regulatory authorities; the continued development of clean technology and mining waste reprocessing technology; and the continued growth of the Company. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the potential inability of the Company to continue as a going concern; the Companys inability to accelerate the worlds transition to a circular resource economy, the risks associated with assessing metallurgical recovery rates from mine tailings and waste and related volumetric assessments, the risks associated with the mining and mining waste recycling industry in general; increased competition in the clean technology and waste reprocessing market; the potential unviability of the clean technology and mining waste reprocessing market; incorrect assessment of the value and potential benefits of various transactions; risks associated with potential governmental and/or regulatory action with respect to clean technology and mining waste reprocessing; risks associated with a potential collapse in the value of clean technology and waste reprocessing; and risks relating to the Companys potential inability to expand its reprocessing pipeline.

Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Companys expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.
TORONTO, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FT Portfolios Canada Co. (First Trust Canada), announced today that the cap, buffer and dates for the next Target Outcome Period for the First Trust Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF  February (FEBB.F) (the fund or February Buffer ETF) are as follows:



TICKER CAP BUFFER OUTCOME PERIOD FEBB.F 14.25% (Gross) 10% 22/02/2022  17/02/2023

The previous Target Outcome Period for FEBB.F concluded on February 18, 2022 and the upside cap for the new Target Outcome Period has been reset to prevailing market conditions.

The fund seeks an outcome that provides investors with returns (before fees, expenses and taxes) that match the price return of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY or underlying ETF), up to a predetermined upside cap, while providing a buffer against potential SPY losses. The fund is managed and sub-advised by Cboe Vest Financial LLC (Cboe Vest) using a target outcome strategy or pre-determined target investment outcome.

If an investor purchases hedged units after the first day of the Target Outcome Period, they will likely have a different return potential than an investor who purchased hedged units at the start of the Target Outcome Period and the buffer the fund seeks may not be available.

First Trust Canada believes a buffer against a level of losses can help investors stay invested during volatile times. The fund offers a way to gain access to outcome-based investingspecifically to buffer against a level of downside risk while allowing growth to a maximum cap eliminating bank credit risk, in a convenient, flexible investment vehicle.

Karan Sood and Howard Rubin, of Cboe Vest, serve as a portfolio managers for the fund. The portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for making investment management decisions for the fund.

For further information: Media Contact: Karl Cheong FT Portfolios Canada Co., 40 King Street West, Suite 5102, Email: karlcheong@firsttrust.ca, 1-877-622-5552.

About First Trust

First Trust Canada is the trustee, manager and promoter of the fund. First Trust Canada and its affiliates First Trust Advisors L.P. (FTA), portfolio advisor to the fund, an Ontario Securities Commission registered portfolio manager and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registered investment advisor, and First Trust Portfolios L.P., a FINRA registered broker-dealer, are privately held companies that provide a variety of investment services. FTA has collective assets under management or supervision of approximately U.S. $224 billion as of December 31, 2021 through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and separate managed accounts. For more information, visit www.firsttrust.ca .

About Cboe Vest:

Cboe Vest is the creator of Target Outcome Investments, which strive to buffer losses, amplify gains or provide consistent income to a diverse spectrum of investors. Today, Cboe Vests Target Outcome StrategiesTM are available in mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), unit investment trusts (UITs), collective investment trusts (CITs), and customizable managed accounts / sub-advisory services. For more information about Cboe Vest and the evolution of Target Outcome Investments, visit www.cboevest.com or contact Linda Werner at lwerner@cboevest.com or 703-864-5483.

There may be commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses associated with ETF investments. ETFs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Please read the prospectus of the fund before investing. Contact FT Portfolios Canada at 1-877-622-5552 or visit www.firsttrust.ca to obtain a copy of the prospectus and ETF Facts for the fund.

Important Information

The information presented is not intended to constitute an investment recommendation for, or advice to, any specific person. Financial advisors are responsible for evaluating investment risks independently and for exercising independent judgment in determining whether investments are appropriate for their clients

Cboe is a registered trademark of Cboe Exchange, Inc., which has been licensed for use in the name of the funds. The funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or marketed by Cboe Exchange, Inc. or any of its affiliates (Cboe) or their respective third-party providers, and Cboe and its third-party providers make no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the funds and shall have no liability as licensor in connection with the funds.

First Trust Advisors L.P. is the portfolio advisor to the funds. First Trust Advisors L.P. is an affiliate of FT Portfolios Canada Co., the trustee, manager and promoter of the funds. Financial advisors are responsible for evaluating investment risks independently and for exercising independent judgment in determining whether investments are appropriate for their clients.

Further information about First Trust Canadas ETFs can be found at www.firsttrust.ca .
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GoggleWorks Center for the Arts (GoggleWorks) announced contributions totaling nearly $12 million toward its new endowment, The Fund for the Future of GoggleWorks.

"We are thrilled to announce remarkable contributions to help secure the future of our mission of transforming lives through unique interactions with art," said Tod Auman, board chair. "These gifts from inside and outside of our community comprise a vote of confidence, recognizing GoggleWorks among the vanguard of organizations addressing tangible, significant community needs through nationally-renowned arts programs."

Auman said the Windgate Foundation contributed $8.8 million to the fund. Windgate, which supports significant educational programs in contemporary craft and visual arts, initially gave a matching grant of $1 million in 2019 after GoggleWorks co-founder Marlin Miller, executive director Levi Landis, and trustee Gust Zogas visited the foundation at its headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas. "After we reported success in matching the initial grant, Windgate announced they had been watching our work and they wanted to give an additional $7.8 million," said Zogas. "It's a testament to the leadership of Levi, who championed this campaign and who collaborated with his great team and our community to make GoggleWorks more impactful and sustainable."

"The Windgate Foundation is a major force for transforming our world through the arts," said Landis. There is a map in their headquarters with pins in all of the places where they have supported impactful work through arts and education. It looks like a scattered-rainbow block of colors. It's a vibrant, tangible symbol of their widespread advocacy and leadership."

Marlin Miller, who co-founded the goggle factory-turned art center with the late Albert Boscov and the late Irvin Cohen, contributed $1 million to the campaign along with his wife Regina. Landis said the contribution was the most recent in a history of unwavering support spanning the 15-year history of the art center.

Miller said, "Development of this endowment provides long-term support to the original vision of developing a community asset for observing, learning, and expressing creativity. GoggleWorks is a unique facility, now with a firm foundation, that can foster that creative activity well into the future."

Neag Foundation awarded a $500,000 grant to support the effort. Carole Neag, Trustee of the Neag Foundation, said, "Community programs for the arts engage and delight students and adults and help bring the arts to schools and our broader community. Our foundation is based on the premise that the arts bring us joy, help us understand our world, and enable us to improve our well-being. We are proud to support Goggleworks' important art initiatives."

Pam Barbey, former trustee, contributed $500,000 with her husband Peter through the Edwin Barbey Charitable Trust. "Peter and I are so happy to be a part of an endowment that will provide an enduring life for GoggleWorks! The art center is so important to Reading, its business development, and most importantly the community," said Barbey.

Zogas, who also contributed $260,000 toward the fund, said the campaign was kicked off with a contribution of $260,000 in 2018 by Dena Hammel and her husband Victor, "Such a remarkable and unexpected gift by the Hammels made us start to see that this was possible, that we could really dream about GoggleWorks impacting artists, residents, visitors, and young people for years to come."

"I've had the pleasure of being involved with Goggleworks since its inception," said trustee Dena Hammel. "What a joy it has been to be part of its remarkable development as a true asset to the Berks community! I'm particularly delighted to observe the creative arts programs designed for children. It was for that reason that Vic and I chose to establish an endowment designated for children's arts programming. We are thrilled that others have also contributed and to see how the endowment has grown. We hope others will continue to invest in the future of Goggleworks and the arts in our community."

Shirley Boscov, sister of Albert Boscov and long-time supporter of the art center, pledged $50,000 to the fund.

Auman said that leaders are thrilled by this support but humbled by the continued work developing sustainable programs that serve the community. "Our building is a tremendous asset, allowing us to draw 250,000 visitors annually. Yet we regularly see capital and overhead costs close to $500,000 annually. This endowment is an important step toward ensuring and communicating our resilience, but we must go further to thrive-GoggleWorks is more than a building."

Landis echoed this sentiment and hinted at future projects to be announced in 2022. "My mentor, the late Louis Meyers, said to me, 'every great gift begs a promise.' Invigorated by these generous contributions, we intend to expand our vision this year to serve the needs voiced by our community, shaping the future of Reading and making a more beautiful world."

Media Contact: Jess Santucci

Marketing Director

jsantucci@goggleworks.org

Related Images











Image 1: GoggleWorks Center for the Arts Main Gate









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Gloucester, MA (01930)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening followed by mostly cloudy skies and a few showers after midnight. Low 44F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by mostly cloudy skies and a few showers after midnight. Low 44F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
MANSFIELD [mdash] Patricia Ann Thursby-Daniels, 77, of Mansfield, Texas, formerly of Elkhart, Indiana, died Sunday April 10, at Mansfield Hospital in Mansfield, Texas. She was born May 30, 1944, in Elkhart, Indiana, to Robert James and Opal Mae (Allison) Thursby. On Feb. 14, 1965, she marrie


AT the height of his fame in South Africa, Tichafa Matambanadzo had a garage teeming with 25 sleek, top of the range vehicles while he also had at least nine properties dotted around Mzansi.

This was in the 1990s, when a recently freed South Africa was waking to a world of possibilities, a world where the shackles of apartheid could no longer bind the hopes of young go-getters.

A new breed of entertainers and entrepreneurs  young, gifted and black  was on the rise and the man known as Tich Mataz was one of this tribes more recognisable faces and its most eloquent voices. But it would all end in tears.

When I first left Zimbabwe, I was getting paid maybe $2000 and when I went to South Africa my first pay was R15 000, Mataz revealed in a recent interview on Boyz Dze Tonaz TVs YouTube channel.

Remember I was a businessman as well. I had a communications company, Khulumani Communications, which handled a lot of corporate communications there, I had an investment company, I had a nightclub, I was doing some big deals at government level, I was buying some fancy cars. At one time, and it was stupid of me, I had like 25 brand new cars, he said.

The story of Matazs rise and fall in South Africa is part of urban lore in both countries. Media personalities both side of the Limpopo have spoken about how Mataz had an undeniable influence on their careers.

Having joined the urban and hip hop Radio 3 in 1988 in a newly independent Zimbabwe and Radio BOP in 1991, Mataz occupies a unique position in the media history of both countries.

He is the one media personality that urban youth, who were only starting to find their true place in their changing countries, can identify with. While the story of Matazs fall is told often enough, little is spoken of how he ended up in Mzansi in the first place.

So, what happened was that one my friends used to do piece jobs in Botswana. So he went to a party, and people really used to do this, and stuck a cassette in the radio.

He took my tape to a party and there was an influential person at that time. He was the head of Radio Bophuthatswana (BOP)So, some guy said I heard some nigga doing some crazy things on radio, whats his name? and then they realised its Tich Mataz who was on Radio 3 at the time.

I kid you not, I was actually on radio when Thapelo Thipe phoned me. I was doing the hello baby where are you calling from and whats your message routine.

He said this is Thapelo Thipe and Im looking for Tich Mataz and I said this is Tich Mataz, whats you dedication?. He then said no, comrade, take me off air. I couldnt believe it. He offered me a gig right there and then.

He said listen, come through we will pay for everything. We will fly you to South Africa and we will fly you to Bophuthatswana (now North West province. At the time Radio BOP was the Radio 3 of South Africa, he said.

At the dawn of democracy, Mataz was roped in to replace one South African radios most iconic voices, Bob Mabhena. The boy from Highfields in Harare took to Mzansi like a fish to water and radio in that country would never be the same again.

Metro FM was there and it was under SABC and there were specific things that you couldnt do. You could express yourself on Radio BOP because it wasnt under a government institution perse.

At the time the big bosses were Bob Mabhena, Zandile Nzalo. These were the big radio names in South Africa. Bob Mabhena had just left the drive show on BOP and gone to Metro FM and they needed a top, hot voice to cover that gap.

I was a resident in the then Bophuthatswana which was then like an independent state because of apartheid. So, everyone who was then in the independent homeland states, as they called, at independence became South African.

Its now called the North West Province. One of the things that Im grateful for is that Im able to learn quick. I went to South Africa, learnt a language, the culture and literally became a part of the South African society, he said. Before long, his stock would rise and his bank account would also soon be bulging.

I was the first guy to have a kicking nightclub, Rosebank, when South Africa was crossing over from being an apartheid state to an independent state I used to do some serious private parties with the likes of Miss South Africa, beautiful women.

Before you knew where one could get on a Learjet, we used to visit three states in one weekend. We would go to Johannesburg, Windhoek and maybe HarareI was the first guy to buy an off-roader in SA, BMW took notice and they then brought in their first 44, an X5 and I was first guy to drive it in Johannesburg. I was the first non-performing athlete to be a brand ambassador for Reebok South Africa, he said.

Despite all his success, despite his fast rise to an icon in a newly independent South Africa, it would all end in tears for Mataz, with his business empire seemingly crumbling at the stroke of a pen.

Mataz was deported on 24 March in 1998 after South Africa Home Affairs officials discovered that he had fraudulently acquired a South African identity document and had no valid working permit.

His deportation at the time seemed opportunistic, with some attributing it to the xenophobic bug which had caught hold of South Africa even in the 1990s, although then Home Affairs spokesman Manase Makwela said interest in Matazs citizenship only arose when Mataz wanted the department to issue him with a passport to travel to Burkina Faso to represent the SABC at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Makwela said during their investigation, they discovered that Mataz had apparently been issued with a work permit on March 31, 1994, which was valid only until March 31, 1995, to work at BOP Broadcasting in Bophuthatswana.

I was a millionaire at 25-years-old, Mataz said in response to those allegations. I was living in South Africa and at the time I went everywhere.

I went to Jamaica just to see where Bob Marley had been born, I went to his shrine, his museum because I had the money. I went to see Michael Jackson do his last official concert; the History Tour in Prague I was there.

Before I met Michael Jackson in Zimbabwe, I met him there. So, I was really privileged to do some crazy things when I was young. So, if a guy is doing well, making money, why on earth would I try to turn my legal status into an illegal one? But sometimes its not up to you, is it?

However, Mataz acknowledged that he perhaps he should have done things differently at the time. Blinded by the bright lights and flashing cameras, he lost sight of the fact that, in a country where strong xenophobic sentiment is never far away, he was still a foreigner.

When you grow up you understand perspective. You begin to see things from an eagles viewpoint. If some guy from Malawi comes into this country and takes over the marketplace, becomes the hottest guy on TV, the very nature of the Zimbabwean or any other human being would be to ask who exactly is this guy? Isnt there someone else who can do what he does?

I ruffled a lot of feathers and even though I had favour in some of the highest offices the one thing I should have known is that when a king leaves his country for another, he does not remain king even there.

When I got there, I was blinded by all the excitement, money was flowing. I was not able to read what was happening within my surroundings.

So, while I was excited, I was happy and I was doing well, others were not. I could have done things very differently. I could have and I should have, he said.

With his deportation, Matazs South African business empire fell to ruins. Over two decades later, he believes he should have invested at home more just in case of a rainy day which, in the end, did arrive.

It was silly and I see it now that Im olderwhen youre young you think the money will never be finished. I had a his and hers safe.

My wife had her own safe and I had a jeweler designerI had three personal houses and for investment I had another five or six.

So, I had nine or ten houses in total. At the time youre thinking Im never going back to Zimbabwe but I should have bought houses here. I did buy for my mother and father for example but I should have done my investment in Zimbabwe.

I could have interacted very differently with some of the people that I felt were family and friends. My son is South African, he was born there and at the time there were a lot more reasons why I should have continued in South Africa than being booted out.

It was also a very important life lesson which has reformed and reconstituted the way that I interact and do business. All I can say is watch this space, he said. Sunday Mail
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc), with the assistance of South African authorities, has managed to seize and forfeit property worth US$1 million suspected to have been illegally acquired in the neighbouring country.

Zacc believes close to US$7 billion is stashed in countries such as South Africa, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Spain and Singapore.

In a ruling delivered on February 9, Pretoria High Court judge Aubrey Ledwaba gave South African authorities permission to seize pending forfeiture to the Zimbabwean Government, an upmarket house in Pretoria and two Range Rovers belonging to Marry Mubaiwa.

The property is worth US$919 943 (R14 million).

Part of the ruling reads: A preservation order is granted with immediate effect in terms of Section 38(2) of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act of 1998 (POCA) preserving the property (the property) identified . . .

That the South African Police Service (SAPS) Brooklyn Police Station under Cas 308/01/2020 to seize the property as described in paragraph 1.2 and 1,3 above to be kept for safekeeping at Pretoria West Pound VSS., until the outcome of the forfeiture proceedings to be instituted in terms of Section 48 of the Act.

Mubaiwa is being charged with five counts of fraud and contravening Section 8 (2) of Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act for concealing, disguising the true nature, source, location, disposition, movement or ownership; of or rights with respect to property, knowing or suspecting that such property are proceeds of crime.

ZACC, with the assistance of the Prosecutor-Generals Office, requested Mutual Legal Assistance from Pretoria in obtaining records of the transactions.

ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure told The Sunday Mail that the order against Mubaiwa is just a tip of the iceberg, as the corruption watchdog has intensified negotiations with several countries to recover ill-gotten assets.

We are vigorously pursuing mutual legal assistance with several countries in order to make it easier to trace, seize and recover billions of assets suspected to have been siphoned abroad, he said.

As a signatory of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), he added, Zimbabwe is obliged to get assistance from several countries to get back the stolen assets.

By virtue of being part of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), we will be able to enter into bilateral relations which will enable us to make mutual legalassistance, Comm Makamure said.

UNCAC is a multilateral treaty negotiated by member states of the United Nations.

It requires state parties to the treaty to implement several anti-corruption measures that focus on five main areas: prevention, law enforcement, international cooperation, asset recovery, and technical assistance and information exchange.

In a recent interview, ZACC chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo said the anti-graft body will go all-out to recover siphoned assets.

Informally, we have now identified over US$7 billion worth of property and cash all over the world which were siphoned by our former leaders, current leaders, private sector and individuals. So this information we only got informally, so now we have to formalise the process so that we start the processes of repatriating the monies back home.

ZACC has already started training its offers to enhance their expertise in asset recovery. Sunday Mail
Supply of nickel intermediate MHP from Indonesia for batteries is set to rise five-fold this year, according to Benchmark Minerals Nickel Forecast. Thats expected to alleviate the rising demand for nickel in electric vehicle batteries.

Demand for more powerful nickel-containing batteries is set to grow by 42% this year, according to Benchmark, as sales of electric vehicles accelerate.

This week the first shipment of more than 9,500 tonnes of nickel and cobalt hydroxide (MHP) products left Indonesias Morowali Port for the port of Ningbo on the HH Diamond container ship, producer Huayou Cobalt said.





The laterite nickel hydrometallurgy project of PT. Huayue Nickel Cobalt is a significant strategic project to build an integrated industrial chain of new-energy lithium battery materials. Huayou says the Indonesian project is of great significance to ensure the future supply of nickel and cobalt resources and build a competitive nickel raw material manufacturing base for new energy power batteries.

The shipment from the Huayue project in Indonesia marks the start of what is expected to be a rapid increase in supply of nickel for batteries from the country this year, Benchmark observed.
ZANU PF is unmoved by the entrance of Mr Nelson Chamisas Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) faction of the opposition into the political fray because the ruling party is confident of its massive appeal to millions of Zimbabweans.

This was said by Zanu PF national spokesperson Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa (pictured right) while responding to assertions in some sections that the revolutionary party was employing tactics to frustrate the CCC rally scheduled for today.

The issue of size of the crowd is neither here or there. A rally attendance is not a voting booth. A rally in a particular place is definitely not an arbiter of total national power dispensation, said Amb Mutsvangwa.

What would be of concern is the deep chasm of mistrust and the questionable loyalty of the MDC-Chamisa Chete Chete personalised political outfit to the Zimbabwe State.

Here it needs to be recalled that the state of free Zimbabwe is two decades older than the later arrivist MDC-CCC opposition. This is an issue the late (Morgan) Tsvangirai (the late MDC president) was finally grappling with as he matured in national state craft.

Amb Mutsvangwa said the CCC had unresolved issues of law and order as it was ready to employ violence as an instrument of regime change, supported by the West.

I know because we discussed this crucial issue in Four Ways as we forged an alliance to unseat the G40 Mugabeist clique towards November 2017.

The violent succession scenes at Tsvangirai funeral as Chamisa wrestled power are all etched in the Zimbabwe psyche.

Chamisa and Biti personally embraced and wave ZDERA and other western sanctions to help drive this subversive agenda against the Zimbabwe state.

Ambassador Mutsvangwa said it was shameful for the opposition party to refuse to accept defeat in national elections as long as they were not announced the winners. He said subversion of the State was in Mr Chamisa outfits DNA.

Even when the pupated MDC-CCC tasted governance in urban areas, they never bothered with civic responsibilities arising from the vote. Their singular focus was how to seize power at State House by hook or crook. They are apostles of the American self-styled colour or maiden uprisings.

The state of free Zimbabwe predates the formation of the MDC-CCC political party.

He added: Chamisa must renounce the badge of puppetry as an agent of sinister and hegemonic elites who hanker for the neo-colonial control of Zimbabwe.

Maybe he could finally build trust with the ZRP and other arms of the state. That would be a harbinger for a new dawn in the democratic journey of Zimbabwe. Sunday Mail
The price of European aluminum has increased by about 15% since the start of 2022, exceeding its historic high of October 2021an increase of more than 60% compared to January 2021, according to a new analysis by European credit insurance group Credendo.

This is not good news for aluminum producers, Credendo said. It is strong demand and, above all, the drop in production in Europe and China that is pushing prices up, while aluminum inventories are historically low. Production mainly dropped because energy prices have risen sharply in 2021.

Additionally, in China, the desire to reduce air pollution for the Winter Olympics, as well as to reduce carbon dioxide emissions5% of which are coming from the aluminum industryis limiting the growth of aluminum production for 2022. China is importing aluminum on a massive scale to compensate for the domestic shortage.





As energy represents a high proportionmore than a thirdof production costs, the sharp increase in the price of gas has a huge impact on companies profitability, especially in Europe where the price of natural gas has increased by almost 550% from December 2020 to December 2021, according to the World Bank.

As a result, European aluminum producers find themselves faced with a difficult choice, Credendo observes. Either they close their smelters or they reduce their production, even if it means producing at a loss. This last option is the choice made by the largest smelter in Europe at the end of December 2021.

Aluminium Dunkerque Industries France announced that it will lower its production of primary aluminum. In Galicia (Spain), Alcoa has decided to completely close its primary aluminum smelterthe second largest in Europefor two years (until the end of 2023). However, it will continue to re-smelt aluminum for its clients in the pharmaceutical and food industry.

In Romania, it was announced at the end of December that the production of the Alro smelter would be cut by 60%, blaming unsustainable energy prices. In Slovakia, production at the Slovalco smelter (owned by Norsk Hydro) will be reduced to 60% of its capacity (down from 80%).

All these cuts in the production of primary aluminum will therefore have an impact on downstream mills because they need primary aluminum. Mills with an integrated production of primary aluminum should suffer less from this drop in European production, but will still be significantly impacted by electricity costs.

Additional risk linked to Russia-Ukraine tensions. The current tensions between Russia and Ukraine are already taken into account in the price of European gas. However, in the event of Russian aggression against Ukraine, Europe could lose critical energy supplies. In addition, US and European sanctions would be expected against Russia, which is a commodity powerhouse and the second-largest aluminum producer in the world after China. As in 2018, when RUSAL was hit by sanctions, new sanctions would seriously disrupt the European aluminum sector. While the aluminum value chain (bauxite and alumina) has already been strongly impacted by electricity shortages, new barriers to trade could be a fatal blow to the European industry.
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GREENWICH  Hadley Palmer, the Greenwich woman who pleaded guilty to voyeurism and risk of injury to a minor, has been involved in a contentious divorce since 2020, court records show.

Hadley Palmer and her husband, Bradley, wed in New York City in 1992 and had four children together, three of whom are now young adults.

Bradley Palmer, a finance executive, is seeking sole custody for their fourth child who is underage, according to the legal filing in state Superior Court in Stamford.

Before news of her arrest on shocking criminal charges, and subsequent plea deal exploded in the headlines, Hadley Palmer was known as a Greenwich socialite. She was routinely photographed at various gala benefits around the region. Hadley Palmer grew up in southern Connecticut, and her father, Jerrold Fine, started one of the first hedge funds to operate in the financial field in Westport.

Bradley Palmer has been a venture capitalist for most of his career, following graduation with an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business. Stepping away from day-to-day management of Palm Ventures, based in Greenwich, Palmer has been working on climate change initiatives, affordable housing and work force training in recent years, in the nonprofit field, according to a biography on the website of the initiative.

The couple also owns property in Marthas Vineyard and have been regular visitors there. Bradley Palmer, whose company once owned a well-known hotel on the island, told the local newspaper there that he and his wife were lovers of nature photography and the seascape of the island.

The Long Island Sound-facing home where they lived in the Belle Haven section of Greenwich was purchased in 2013 for $6.95 million and boasts seven bedrooms and five fireplaces, according to tax records at Greenwich Town Hall.

The specifics of the case that led to Hadley Palmers arrest last October have not been released, as a judge in Superior Court in Stamford sealed the case. Judge John Blawie cited the presence and involvement of a minor in preventing public information about the case from being obtained, as did Greenwich police. The case has been cloaked in mystery since her arrest in 2021 on charges including employing a minor in an obscene performance, conspiracy to employ a minor in an obscene performance and second-degree child pornography.

On Feb. 4, Palmer began serving 90 days in the state womens prison at Niantic, as part of her plea agreement with prosecutors. She pleaded guilty on Jan. 19 to three counts of voyeurism and risk of injury to a minor, all felonies committed in 2017. Authorities said she knowingly photographed, filmed and recorded three individuals, including a minor, according to court records.

Under the terms of the plea deal, she faces a sentence of between 90 days and five years in prison. She is due back in court in Stamford on August 1.

The divorce proceedings are still in the discovery phase, with Hadley Palmer, the plaintiff, seeking information and documents from Bradley Palmer, the defendant in the civil case. He is also seeking information regarding his wife and her activities.

Court papers indicate there may have been private investigators involved in the family break-up. Lawyers representing Hadley Palmer have been requesting any documentation about personal activities involving her husband - including EZ Pass records, credit card information and gifts to other people over the past three decades.

A lawyer for Hadley Palmer, Laura Shattuck, says they are seeking any and all documents pertaining to background checks, surveillance or other services of any and all private investigators, police officers or investigative services procured by you.

An attorney for Bradley Palmer, Louise Truax, say the requests for documentation for personal matters is designed to annoy and or harass the defendant. The request for information of what private investigators found or obtained about Hadley Palmer, is within her knowledge, his lawyers maintain. The attorneys also object to the disclosure of personal information on procedural grounds.

Meanwhile, Bradley Palmers legal team has also been seeking documents of all reports by private investigators or other surveillance and/or investigative reports relating in any way to your spouse or any child of the marriage. His lawyers also seek information about potential romantic relationships by Hadley Palmer and money spent on gifts. Bradley Palmers legal team is also looking for any information on social media messaging platforms and dating apps involving his wife.

Hadley Palmers legal team, who have requested similar documents and information from her husband, object to his lawyers request for those materials.

In certain requests for information and documentation from Hadley Palmer, such as the request for all reports by private investigators or other surveillance, as well as calls and texts messages, Hadley Palmers legal team asserts the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Her legal advisers also say the requests are intended to annoy and harass her.

The issue of discovery in the divorce case has been contentious and complicated enough for the appointment of a Discovery Special Master, an outside attorney, to handle the disclosure issues.

A trial is tentatively scheduled for early 2023, according to the Superior Court files. The couple have extensive financial resources, records show, and a pre-nuptial agreement the Palmers entered into when they married is another factor in the case.

The Palmer family has also been connected with another notorious incident involving law enforcement that made headlines back in December of 2018.

Teenagers, at least one of whom was from Greenwich, were charged with vandalism of more than a dozen Marthas Vineyard houses. According to reports at the time, police said they found the teens at a home that property tax records list as being owned by Palm Ventures, Bradley Palmers company, with the address of the owner listed as Bradley Palmers office on West Elm Street in Greenwich.

Comments requested from lawyers representing Bradley Palmer and Hadley Palmer in the civil case were not returned this week. Hadley Palmers criminal attorney, Michael T. Meehan, did not return a request from comment this week.

Includes prior reporting by staff writer Pat Tomlinson and the Associated Press.
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GREENWICH  The red legal notice stating dangerous and unsafe that was posted on the door of Central Middle School may be a scarlet letter as parents prepare to send their students back into the building as it reopens Tuesday.

Michele Voigt told Greenwich Time shes concerned about her daughter going to classes in the aging building.

Its hard to judge based on severity, but we do know and have known for a long time that the building leaks and systems are out of their usable date, Voigt said. Kids have talked about concerns prior, so its not surprising that its in such disarray. But to really be able to gauge how much or how bad it is, its hard to know.

Greenwichs building inspectors closed the school Feb. 4 after receiving an evaluation that had been commission by the school district.

The evaluation of the building, which was originally constructed in 1958, pinpointed degraded wall ties as a concern, but the issue has been in view for years with a lack of urgency from engineers, according to documents provided by the district.

During the abrupt two-week closure of Central Middle School, sidewalk bridging was erected along part of the buildings exterior due to concerns about the walls. Netting was added to the scaffolding to prevent any possible falling debris from hitting passersby.

The students, meanwhile, spent the first week divided among three other schools and the second week on Winter Break. But as teachers and students prepare to return to Central on Tuesday, the spotlight remains on the aging building.

Looking at the walls

Central Middle School was constructed with a 4-inch block wall veneer and an 8-inch block interior with a 2-inch gap between. The two sets of concrete blocks, called concrete masonry units, are joined by wall ties.

Corrosion of the masonry wall ties was suspected in September 2017 when the Di Salvo Engineering Group surveyed the exterior walls and reviewed one probe hole at Central Middle School. Roof work was underway when contractors noticed the exterior block wall had units that had shifted, so Di Salvo conducted a brief visual inspection.

The report notes that structural systems were not reviewed, but Principal Engineer Bruce Richardson wrote that the structure of the exterior wall appeared sound. The vertical cracks appeared to be caused by normal volumetric change, he said, and the horizontal cracks were likely caused by water intrusion.

The conditions noted are typical of what would be expected in an exterior masonry wall of this exposure and vintage. The cracked masonry walls are structurally sound and do not require reinforcing repair, however the cracks should be repaired to improve their resistance to moisture intrusion, he wrote.

His recommendations included reapplying surface sealants, replacing cracked concrete blocks and completing other actions he labeled routine maintenance.

The district could not confirm the full extent of its repairs but said it has applied surface sealant. An engineering assessment released Feb. 2 said the design of CMS appears to rely on the reapplication of sealants.

Work on the masonry at Central is a consistent line item on the Board of Educations budget, with a request of $75,000 for the 2018-19 school year and $194,899 for 2019-20.

KG+D Architects presented the districts 15-year master plan in May 2018, prioritizing other school sites with Americans with Disabilities Act noncompliance issues or security concerns over the work at CMS.

Degrading steel columns in the basement maintenance room at CMS were addressed in November 2017 after Di Salvo recommended immediate action. The deterioration of the column is in some cases severe and should be addressed as soon as possible, the report said.

The cost to repair 17 columns totaled $1 million.

Making further checks

In April 2018, Diversified Technology Consultants conducted a preliminary assessment of the structure. DTC noted the interior masonry did not have vertical reinforcement, and the exterior block wall showed evidence of movement.

The report recommended a deeper assessment to investigate the condition of the wall ties joining the 4-inch block wall veneer and the 8-inch block interior over the 2-inch gap between them.

DTC continued to work with the district on infrastructure issues. In July 2021, DTC installed sensors to walls of concern to track their movement for six months.

Greenwich Public Schools signed a contract with DTC on Dec. 12, 2021, for a systems evaluation, an 80-page document that looks akin to a home inspection. The site visit was made Dec. 28.

The engineering assessment coupled with the sensor data helped DTC see the problems facing Central Middle School.

The report says the movement was within a normal threshold and supported our conclusion that structural frames and CMU7 walls of the building are not structurally failing, and that the condition of facades is the result of water damage and deteriorating wall ties. In other words, the bones of the building are still holding it up, although water damage is degrading the exterior block veneer.

Still, Greenwichs Building Department read the report, and walked through the building with district administration to confirm its findings. The department closed the building the day of the walk through, Feb. 4.

Engineer of Record at DTC Cory Attra was a little bit surprised when he heard of the closure. He sent recommendations to Dan Watson, the school districts director of facilities, that day to help the district reopen the school quickly.

Immediate attention

The letter, which was recently released to the public, said the town of Greenwich required that the exits and sidewalks by the walls in question be operational. Attra said he thought the school could close those exitways, but the town wanted those open as egress.

To keep the exits open and safe, Attra proposed sidewalk bridging, or scaffolding, that would prevent falling debris from hitting a pedestrian. Netting around the scaffolding would keep any debris in a contained area and prevent climbing.

Crews finished installing the scaffolding around the gymnasium and the breezeway from the main building to the science building.

The exterior veneer is not structural, so the scaffolding addresses the concern of any loose blocks that have yet to be repaired.

Attras letters say that students can be inside while the structure is repaired. Helical wall ties, or twisted steel rods, will anchor the block wall veneer where the original wall ties have failed.

While the failing wall ties were only dangerous for their potential to displace concrete blocks, the Building Department saw two structural concerns for engineers to address.

A wall on the northwest stairwell has settled and is leaning away from the structure. The DTC report concludes that stormwater settling into the foundation caused the problem.

To fix the wall, Attra recommended underpinning the foundation and making significant drainage improvements.

At the towns request, Attra sent another report Feb. 11, after reviewing the deflection, or sagging, in second-story concrete slabs. He said he measured deflection at 1.5 inches, where he usually expects up to 1.3125 inches.

He concluded the sagging was not a structural concern but is likely the result of changing design standards and quality control.

The district has yet to provide cost estimates. Watson said at a recent PTA meeting that he predicts repairs would last through the summer.

annelise.hanshaw@hearstmediact.com
The AV1 video codec aims to improve bandwidth efficiency on high-quality videos and has already been adopted by YouTube and Netflix. However, Qualcomm's current chips don't support native decoding of AV1 videos, unlike Samsung's Exynos flagship SoCs from 2021 and 2022.

Well, Qualcomm will quickly catch up, introducing AV1 decoding in its upcoming 2023 flagship chipset. The source of this information says the SM8550 chip will be the first one to adopt it. The current Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC's model number is SM8450, so it's probably safe to assume that it's the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 we are talking about here.

Samsung says that the AV1 decoding on the Exynos 2100 and Exynos 2200 allows for longer playback runtimes when streaming Netflix or YouTube content.

Source
If you thought this year's Redmi Note 11 lineup isn't confusing enough, then wait until Xiaomi releases another member of the family reportedly dubbed Redmi Note 11S 5G. The information comes from Xiaomiui as they've unearthed an entry in the IMEI database.

What gave it away is the model number K16B, which is quite similar to the K16A belonging to the Poco M4 Pro 5G and the Redmi Note 11 5G (for China). After all, the Poco M4 Pro 5G is a re-branded Note 11 5G for the global market.

Currently, the only 5G-capable Redmi Note 11 is the Note 11 Pro 5G so releasing a more affordable version for the global market makes sense. We suspect that since the upcoming Note 11S 5G shares the same platform with the devices mentioned above, the chipset will likely be the Dimensity 810 5G.

We probably won't need to be guessing much longer, given that the Redmi Note 11S 5G has entered the IMEI database and it's pretty close to release.

Source
Daniel Bernardo gives advice to those who are wanting to start their own Star Wars collection.
Editors note: Travel Bug is an occasional Lifestyle feature that will showcase islanders travels around the world. PDN college intern Ron Rocky Coloma is a sophomore at Stanford University in California. He is spending the winter quarter in New York City for a domestic study abroad program.

Riding New Yorks Subway can be confusing and terrifying for an islander who has only used their own vehicle as their transportation on Guam.

Youre not only navigating a complex transit system, on top of that, you meet all kinds of people who are talented or scary or sometimes both.

In the span of one week, I observed a pole dancer blasting loud music inside the train, individuals illegally moving between cars, a saxophonist impressively playing Aint No Mountain High Enough and an opera powerhouse belting a Broadway hit.

Despite these wild encounters, it is better to mind your business, but stay aware of your surroundings during the commute.

Here are my tips for using the Subway.

The first thing you need to do is purchase a MetroCard at any station. Since I am staying in New York for several months, I bought an unlimited monthly pass for $128. There are daily and weekly options, too, depending on your situation.

Make sure you refill your MetroCard before it expires because lines at the station can be long, and missing that one train can delay your arrival.

After getting your MetroCard, download Citymapper and peruse your itinerary. Google Maps can be helpful, but Citymapper is faster when it comes to updating people with potential delays on the Subway or when a train is not working on particular days.

I recommend planning your whole day ahead and leaving your apartment early so that you have time to transfer trains if any unexpected problem occurs.

It is also essential to know the difference between local and express trains. Express trains are faster than local trains, and they do not stop at multiple places.

Safety alert

Recently, there has been a spike in violent cases at Subway stations. The New York City Police Department reported 461 felony assaults on the Subway in 2021.

Last month, Michelle Alyssa Go was killed after being pushed into an oncoming train. Since her death, Ive noticed commuters staying away from the subway track and leaning against the wall opposite of it.

I often travel with groups with my friends for safety and we avoid using the Subway late at night.

When no one is inside the Subway, there is something wrong. It is safer to be inside a crowded one than alone with suspicious passengers. Being in a crowded subway car means that you must be aware of your personal belongings to avoid thieves.

You might be tempted to talk with passengers during a long ride, but it is better not to make eye contact with people, especially with those who are causing trouble or commotion.

It will be a cultural shock because offering warm greetings to strangers is common on Guam.

Instead of engaging in conversation, read a book, listen to music or finish an assignment on your phone. Regardless of your activity, be aware of your surroundings, and do not miss your Subway stop.

Once you leave the Subway, there are many exits available. Citymapper provides the nearest option. But if you are lost, dont stand near the Subway door to avoid causing a traffic jam.

It might be intimidating to ask a New Yorker for help, but they will lend a hand if youre in distress.

I thought I wouldnt be able to travel on the Subway by myself because I am used to driving a car back on Guam.

But after several escapades during the weekends, I started to realize its convenience. Public transportation might be better than driving a car after all.
Few murderers deserve medals for bravery. Poisoners, though, are particularly cowardly.

Madeleine Smith, a Glasgow socialite, poisoned her lover with a cup of arsenic-laced hot cocoa. (courtesy of the author)

They dont risk violence. They dont confront their victims. Instead, they secretly slip something in a drink or smear it on a doorknob. Then, they skulk into the shadows and wait.

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A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules & the Killers Who Used Them details how. Author Neil Bradbury is a professor of physiology and biophysics, and his immediate interest is in the noxious substances themselves, mostly murder-mystery staples like arsenic, strychnine, and cyanide.

How do they work? What antidotes  if any  exist? Bradbury explains. An appendix details how each poison is administered and the required lethal dose. Purely for educational purposes only, Bradbury writes.

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A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules & the Killers Who Used Them," by Neil Bradbury, Ph.D. (St. Martin's Press)

But its the poisoners, not the poisons, who fascinate here.

Its probably not shocking, given their access to chemicals, how many doctors and scientists turn to poison for murder. It is a little surprising, though, how often they get caught. Their cleverness is outmatched only by their confidence.

There are two key elements in committing the perfect murder, Bradbury notes, introducing one case. Naturally, the intended victim should die, but the murderer should also escape arrest, conviction, and imprisonment. Paul Agutter was destined to fail in both these respects.

A lecturer in cell biology at a Scottish university, the unhappily married Agutter became obsessed with a student. He could not afford a divorce. While he wished his wife dead, Bradbury coolly notes, she did not appear to be particularly cooperative in dying.

So, in the summer of 1994, Agutter decided to help her along.

Using his cover as a university researcher, he obtained a stock of the poisonous chemical atropine. He then spiked bottles of tonic water with small quantities and slipped them back on the shelves of a local market. One bottle, though, received a lethal dose.

That one he took home  and used it in an after-work gin-and-tonic for his wife, Alexandra. His heartless plan? Several strangers would get very sick, his hated wife would die, and he figured that the police would suspect some mad, anonymous terrorist.

But Agutter put perhaps six times the lethal dose in his wifes cocktail. After two awful-tasting sips, she stopped drinking and became violently ill.

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Madeleine Smith, the Glasgow socialite tried for murder of her lover with arsenic-laced hot cocoa. (courtesy of Wellcome Foundation Collection)

Agutter had planned for that  or so he thought  by picking a day when their family doctor was on vacation. When Agutter left a desperate message on the physicians answering machine, he did so plotting that the doctor wouldnt receive it in time.

What Agutter didnt know was that doctors arrange for colleagues to care for their patients when they cant. The replacement called an ambulance.

When EMTs arrived, they took the still-conscious Alexandra. Suspecting she was poisoned  she pointed to her drink  they also took her unfinished cocktail and that big bottle of tonic water.

Agutters cold-hearted plot sickened a dozen people, and his wife survived. When tests proved her drink came from the only bottle with a fatal dose, Agutters anonymous terrorist excuse crumbled. When a witness said he saw Agutter putting bottles of tonic back on the markets shelf, it was all over.

Agutter served seven of a 12-year sentence in prison. Then, he returned to teaching  this time, a course in philosophy and medical ethics.

Nurses are also poisoners, although their victims tend to be strangers, making motives more obscure. Do they do it out of some misplaced mercy-killing urge? A need to be needed? Or out of a pre-COVID desire to keep ICUs full? While the felons are few, there have been serial killers among their ranks.

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A woodcut of George Lansom's trial for murder of his brother in law using aconite (Courtesy of Wellcome Foundation Collection)

No one could explain New Jerseys Charles Cullen, who confessed to killing up to 40 patients and may have murdered as many as 400. He had no motive and no particular target.

The victims had little in common, ranging in age from 21 to 91, Bradbury writes. Some were in critical condition, and some were about to be discharged.

While their lives shared little, their deaths had two identical factors: A lethal dose of the powerful heart drug digoxin in their veins. And, right before succumbing, a visit from Cullen.

Administrators were reluctant to ask questions, however, fearing a scandal. It was easier to fire him. Cullen was only caught after 16 years  at his eighth hospital  when victims families complained to the county prosecutor. That brought an investigation and eventually a confession.

He was sentenced in 2006 to 11 consecutive life terms. But others were also guilty.

Every time a hospital had become suspicious of deaths surrounding Cullen, their main concern was to get rid of him, Bradbury writes. It will never be known how many lives could have been saved had administrators been more concerned for patient safety than for potential lawsuits.

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Although murderous spouses and demented caregivers are well represented in A Taste for Poison, there are more exotic villains; Russian spies fill its pages, too.

Edwin Carters case initially baffled doctors in 2006. The Londoner went to the hospital with vomiting and diarrhea. His throat was raw, and his white blood cell count was low. Then his hair started falling out.

Finally, Carter told doctors the truth: He was Alexander Litvinenko, a Russian defector, and former KGB officer, now working with British intelligence. And he suspected his old comrades finally had caught up with him.

Because some of his symptoms resembled side effects of chemotherapy, doctors wondered if he was suffering from radiation poisoning. A urinalysis identified the cause: polonium-210, a million times the fatal dose.

Alexander Litvinenko in his hospital bed shortly before his death. (Courtesy of www.litvinenkoinquirey.org)

He never recovered. Even after death, his body was so contaminated that doctors performing the autopsy wore hazmat suits.

British authorities suspected two visiting Russians, posing as businessmen, who met him at a local hotel and possibly slipped something into his drink. A subsequent search of one suspects room sent a Geiger counter off the charts.

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Britain declared that Vladimir Putins administration, including the president himself, had a motive and formally charged one of the Russians, Andrei Lugavoy, with murder. Back in Russia, the man denied it. Putin refused to extradite.

Certainly, it was a bizarre murder, but not, sadly, a unique one.

More than a decade later, in 2018, another former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter fell ghastly ill in London. Doctors diagnosed poisoning due to a nerve agent, Novichok, first developed by the Soviets. Police later discovered it had been painted on the doorknob of Skripals home.

Skripal and his daughter eventually recovered, but the rest of the case was eerily familiar.

British authorities identified the poisoners as two visiting Russians, now back in Moscow. Putin denied everything. If Russia had attempted to assassinate the double agent and his daughter, they would now be dead! he bragged. No one went to trial.

The Kremlins message to defectors was again clear: You can run, but you cant hide.

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Vicious spies, crazy nurses, and mass poisoners, its all almost enough to make you wish for the old-fashioned plots of an Agatha Christie novel. At least there, motives were clear-cut, justice was always done, and even the villains were polite.

And the only sign that something might be amiss was that faint taste of bitter almonds almost spoiling your cozy cup of Earl Grey.
Editors Note: PDNs college intern Ron Rocky Coloma is in New York City on a domestic study abroad program with Stanford University. This feature wraps up his coverage of New York Fashion Week, which ended Wednesday.

Nine emerging designers showcased their 2022 fall/winter collections on New York Mens Day Feb. 11 during New York Fashion Week.

The biannual event, aimed at supporting designers who create menswear and genderless designs, took place at Canoe Studios in Manhattan, New York

Fashion house Perry Ellis sponsored the event and released its modern sportwear wardrobe, providing inspiration to designers including Stan, William Frederick, Teddy Vonranson and APOTTS.

The designers are allowed to decorate their studio space to complement the theme of their designs. Five brands show their collection in the morning while the others reveal theirs the afternoon.

The format is different from a typical fashion show since models stand on platforms for several hours instead of strutting the runway. Media and buyers can take their time viewing collections in one studio space then moving at their leisure to another.

In comparison to Perry Ellis dressier fall collection, designer Thomas Harvey showcased more youthful and tailored outfits inspired by American landscapes.

Harvey added a fresh look to Perry Ellis main fashion pieces, such as puffer coats and graphic sweaters, without losing touch with the original designers handknit pieces.

For William Fredericks collection, designer William McNicol took inspiration from his Midwestern origins, from the design to the models he chose for the event. His second collection at New York Mens Day were all designed, developed and manufactured in Ohio.

McNicols main goal was to showcase outfits he would wear while making sure his hometown friends braved the studio space while they wore his collection.

Detroit-born designer Aaron Potts, who is based in Brooklyn, New York, showcased his genderless collection SKINFOLK: Skin Tones, Sculptural Shapes and Noir-Romantics, for his brand APOTTS.

Focusing on the color black, Potts display during New York Fashion Week offered 27 looks for various body types, which has been his largest collection to date.

Potts sophisticated designs transcended the boundary between gender and clothing. Most of his collection had wide-leg bottoms and long skirts to provide comfort.

Designer Tristan Detwiler created a wardrobe using vintage fabrics, specifically deadstock fabrics, for his brand, Stan. He hopes to grow his collection in the coming year and is working with textile curators to ensure the fabrics will not run out.

With mature models gracing multilevel platforms, the collection oozes elegant and stylish gentlemen characters.

Designer Teddy von Ranson created fashionable clothes for surfers, skiers and snowboarders for his North Beach Collection. Models stood on black platforms with piles of fake snow surrounding them.

His collection mixed contemporary tailoring with a sophisticated outerwear  a perfect way to spend winter activities with style.

SFW Runway

Another biannual fashion event, SFWRUNWAYs street style show, took place Feb. 12 and featured the fall/winter collections of House Of Bartholomew, AKOBI, Cierra Boyd, RonDyce, Pia Bolte, Black Merchant$ and LLESSUR.

House Of Bartholomew was established in 2012 by Winston Bartholomew Holder III. Rapper Snoop Dogg wears their collection, including the Sapphire Camo Sweatsuit from the Smoking Collection Season 2 four years ago.

The brand combines fashion and architecture in their haute couture and ready-to-wear outfits. The collection include accessories, leather goods, active wear, furniture and interior design.

Brooklyn-based designer RonDyce also sponsored the gift bags that attendees received during the show. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he was inspired by the sights, sounds, smells and energy of the borough.

Designer Cierra Boyd, founder of FRISKMEGOOD, prioritizes sustainability with her streetwear designs. Handmade and upcycled, her designs caught the eye of rapper Cardi B, whose stylist called Boyd to design an outfit in December.

Designer Black Merchant$ added an odd yet appealing headpiece accessory with his latest collection, which had beads dangling from the models faces as they walked the runway.

In contrast to Muslim designer Zainab Phillips, whose brand AKOBI focuses on menwear, LLESSUR showcased a modern, nonibinary collection featuring everyday city attire.
KFC Guams customers contributed $3,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Guam & CNMI. KFC Restaurant general managers and management team with Make-A-Wish representatives Eric Tydingco, Joephet Alcantara, Suzanne Perez, Jason Miyashita.
There were 179 COVID-19 cases reported Saturday from 469 specimens analyzed, according to the Joint Information Center.

More results are pending analysis and will be available Monday.

The Joint Information Center also provided new information about the 316th COVID-related death, reported Friday. The Feb. 8 death of a 57-year-old woman occurred in hospice care. A different location was previously reported.

There were 50 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Guam. There were 30 people at Guam Memorial Hospital and 20 at Guam Regional Medical City, according to the Joint Information Center.

Three people were in intensive care units and two were on ventilators. There were no children in the hospital.

Of those hospitalized, 29 were vaccinated and 21 werent.

Guam has had 42,403 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. There have been 316 deaths and there are 5,032 active cases.

Closing

The COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the University of Guam Field House will close Feb. 26. The community is encouraged to schedule appointments through tinyurl.com/vaxguam or visit the UOG clinic as a walk-in before the closure.

Vaccinations still will be available at the Northern Region Community Health Center in Dededo and Southern Region Community Health Center in Inalahan. To schedule an appointment, visit tinyurl.com/covidstopswithme.
A bench trial that will determine whether the assets of Catholic schools and parishes can be used to pay Guam clergy sex abuse claimants began in District Court Saturday.

A lawsuit filed on behalf of the sex abuse claimants in the bankruptcy case against the Archdiocese of Agana by the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors aims to prove the archdiocese, schools and parishes are one financial entity.

This means assets that parishes and schools hold, such as money and property, can be used to pay the victims.

The archdiocese argues the assets cannot be used for payouts because they are held as a trust by individual parishes and schools.

District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood heard opening statements from the lawyers representing the victims and the archdiocese in the case.

Not a trust

Edwin Caldie, the attorney for the victims, said evidence will show the land and money given by residents for parishes and schools wasnt donated as part of an official trust agreement.

Through showing documents and interviewing witnesses who were involved in church finances on Guam, he also intends to prove that funds are directly controlled by the archdiocese  not by individual parishes.

The evidence will show the church is not 33 separate communities but is one body, said Caldie. Survivors of clergy sexual assault are part of the churchs one body and ... they need to be healed and embraced if the body as a whole is to be restored to health.

Hard to find

Vincent Camacho, attorney for the archdiocese, said written evidence of these trusts is either hard to find or doesnt exist.

At the time the assets were given, sometimes decades ago, he said many people didnt know they needed a document declaring what they gave to the church or school was as a trust.

Camacho said most of the residents who signed over these assets have died.

However, he said people who knew them will testify that their intention was for the money and land to be given as a trust to a specific parish or school.

Camacho said it will be proven that as far back as the 1950s, the archdiocese left the creation of parishes up to the community. Residents obtained land and built churches without the assistance or financial oversight of the archdiocese.

The evidence presented this week has never ever been about taking anything away from the victims of horrific abuse suffered by more than 290 victims, said Camacho.

He said schools and parish assets are important resources for students and the community.

The trial will continue Monday.
Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson is the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command senior military official and commander of Joint Region Marianas
Research assistant Aria Palaganas asks a resident to fill out the 2021 Guahan survey in July 2021 at CHamoru Village.
Two Brooklyn principals who ordered the removal of a student-created mural celebrating diversity violated the city Education Departments anti-discrimination policy, department investigators found.

Principals Lisa Pagano of Public School 295 and Frank Giordano of New Voices Middle School, whose schools share a building in Park Slope, took down the mural last August because they felt it wasnt welcoming or inclusive enough, according to accounts shared with the Daily News.

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The art created by fifth-graders contained the phrases Black Trans Lives Matter and Your silence will not protect you. Destruction of the mural sparked an uproar from concerned parents and educators.

Seven months later, an investigation by the Education Departments Office of Equal Opportunity substantiated that the removal violated Chancellors Regulation A-830, a rule barring discrimination in schools, according to a letter sent to P.S. 295 parents by Brooklyn North Executive Superintendent Karen Watts.

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The mural that was meant to celebrate diversity, but was taken down by two Brooklyn principals. (Obtained by Daily News)

Watts added that the DOE has taken follow-up action, but didnt specify what that was. The agency and union officials said privacy rules prevent them from sharing details about disciplinary measures. Both principals still have their jobs.

Craig DiFolco, a spokesman for the Council of Supervisors and School Administrators, the union that represents principals, said these are principals in good standing who have led admirably throughout the pandemic.

Pagano and Giordano could not immediately be reached for comment.

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

District 15 superintendent Anita Skop, who oversees Pagano and Giordano, was allegedlyinvolved in the decision to remove the artwork, telling administrators that she was very upset by the murals contents and wants us to cover it and start over, according to texts from Pagano shared with The News.

Investigators determined, however, that Skop did not violate any Education Department rules, according to department officials.

For some parents at the center of the controversy, the sanctions didnt go far enough.

Its already said that what they did was discriminatory. I dont understand how people who have done this can still be administrators in a school in New York City, said Jae Gellizeau, a former P.S. 295 parent whose daughter was part of the group that created the mural. How can any person of color feel safe in a building where this is happening and theyre allowed to stay in power?

Elton Dodson, a P.S. 295 parent and executive director of the Mural Justice Project, said he is extremely disappointed at the outcome of the investigation and that his group is not slowing down or giving up the fight.

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In her letter, Watts said the school is looking into conducting healing sessions in April and holding professional development for staff in June on how to enhance connections with students.

Watts added that she hopes the school can either re-create the torn-down mural or design a new one.




Haiti - UN : Report on the situation in Haiti before the Security Council





Friday, February 18, during the Session of the Security Council on the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) Helen La Lime, the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations and Head of BINUH presented the periodic report of the Office ( every 120 days) on the situation in Haiti, outlining the main developments since the last report and providing an update on the implementation of BINUH's mandate.



A report that paints a bleak picture of the situation in Haiti...



In her intervention regarding insecurity in Haiti, Ms. La Lime said "As we speak, gang violence continues to plunge major urban centers into lawlessness and grief. Criminal armed groups have a strong hold on the economic and social lives [...] Their indiscriminate use of abduction, murder, as well as sexual and gender-based violence as a means to terrorize local populations in the fight to extend their territorial control is particularly abhorrent.



To stem this ever-growing wave of violent crime, the Haitian National Police has, within its limited capacity, sought to improve the effectiveness of its anti-gang operations, adopt a more balanced approach between prevention and repression, and rely on an increased police presence in sensitive areas, an approach which yielded modest temporary results in zones such as Croix-des-Bouquets in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.



Yet an over-stretched, understaffed, and under-resourced police force cannot on its own curtail the alarming rise in gang-generated insecurity. To provide it with much-needed relief, the Government, Haitis international partners, and the United Nations have jointly resolved to strengthen international support and coordination of assistance to the institution, with a view to ensuring its effective and structured long-term development. In order to address the gaps that ail the police, this newfound momentum, epitomized by the imminent creation of a multi-donor basket fund, must now translate into increased government funding for the force as well as additional international financial and technical support [...]"



Excerpts from the report :



Within the framework of object #2 "Violence reduction" the report stipulates :



"[...] gang-related violence has remained the predominant threat to security in Haiti, with armed groups continuing to attempt to expand their zones of influence, in particular in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area.



[...] gangs have strength ened their territorial and political foothold in strategic areas in and around Port -au-Prince, which effectively empowers them to obstruct the countrys main supply routes and fuel terminals at will.



[...] In the Port-au-Prince neighbourhood of Martissant (West Department), where an inter-gang conflict has been raging for over six months, civilians continued to be deliberately and indiscriminately targeted.



[...] The reporting period saw a rise in both kidnappings for ransom and intentional homicides, which increased by 180 and 17 per cent, respectively, compared with 2020.



[...] In reaction to these trends, the Haitian National Police undertook enhanced anti-gang operations, which yielded limited, though occasionally noteworthy, results, including the arrest of several known gang leaders. Gangs then retaliated with violent, coordinated attacks on police stations.



Accompanying the expansion of gang influence, human rights violations associated with armed violence increased in the metropolitan area of Port -au-Prince. More than 500 individuals, including 40 women and children as young as 5 years of age, were killed between 1 September and 31 December [...]"



Download the full report (English PDF 15 pages): https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/binuh_report_of_the_un_sg_-_15_february_2022.pdf



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





2 murderers stoned and burned alive

On Thursday, Jean Merzius and Enock Merzius, accused of having beheaded the teacher Gerard Joseph, were taken from the hands of the police inside the police station and then stoned and burned alive by members of the population of Bombardopolis



PNH : 2 other bandits arrested in the Center Dept.

Thursday, February 17, in the Center department, the National Police of Haiti (PNH) arrested Djerulins Elius, 26, from the city of Thomonde, in possession of a homemade weapon, and Jean Rulien Jean, 33, also a native of Thomonde, for illegal possession of firearms.



Minimum Wage "A criminal proposal" dixit CNOHA

Reacting to the proposal of the Superior of Salaries (CSS) of 625 Gourdes for an 8-hour day to open them to subcontracting, the trade unionist Dominique Saint-Eloi, General Coordinator of the National Central of Haitian Workers (CNOHA) denounces "[...] a criminal proposal that goes in the direction of the interests of the bosses to the detriment of the working class".



Covid : Cuba will support Haiti

During his speech this week at the International Conference for Financing the Reconstruction of the Southern Peninsula of Haiti, the President of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel, reiterated his willingness to support the vaccination campaign against Covid-19 by Haiti, through advice and the supply of Cuban vaccines (Abdala, Soberana 02 and Soberana Plus). See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35978-haiti-flash-the-pm-obtains-promises-of-international-commitment-of-$600-million.html



Minimum Wage the PM continues the dialogue

The Government, which had promised for the end of this week the publication of the decree fixing the daily minimum wage in the various branches of activity, decided to postpone this decision in order to continue the dialogues with the actors concerned.



Our Grenadieres are in Cuba:

Our Grenadieres arrived Santiago de Cuba and the delegation was received by the diplomatic representatives of Haiti in Cuba and leaders of the Cuban football federation. No session scheduled on the pitch but the technical staff will meet the players for a video analysis of the match against Honduras for the match on Sunday February 20 against Next match on February 20 where Haiti will face St Vincent and the Grenadines. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35988-haiti-2023-world-qualifiers-our-grenadieres-humiliate-honduras-[6-0]-video.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Korean Movie | 2003

Directed by Lee Jeong-wook ()

Written by Kim Hee-jae ()

109min | Release date in South Korea: 2003/02/28

Synopsis

In-ha smells the "scent of the chrysanthemums" after seeing Hee-jae arguing in the defense of a pregnant woman on the subway. The two meet again in a student club at their university, but Hee-jae loves someone else and brushes off In-ha's feelings for her. After many years, Hee-jae loses her love and lives without hope. In-ha comes to the rescue and brightens her life. A film based on the best-selling novel of the same name by KIM Ha-in.



International Film Festivals

2003 Asia Paciifc Film Festival

Source
Published on 2022/02/19 | Source

Korean movie "You're Alive In This Script" added to HanCinema database

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"You're Alive In This Script" (2021)

Directed by Lim Jihwan

With Lee Sae-byul, Kim Dong-yeon, Min Sung-gook, Jeon Sang-woo,...

Synopsis

A famous screenwriter, Lee Geul, begins to write a sad romance work, "Sad but Beautiful Love Story" by a dignified man and woman. One day, while the writer is discussing his script with colleagues, he meets a new male actor Baek Ji-in through a forced meeting. Lee Geul and Ji-in, who liked each other through first impressions, later become lovers. The form of love develops into a relationship where the author discusses script with acquaintances and shares work and life. Lee Geul, who feels that the deeper his love for Ji-in, the more the man in the script turns into his lover.

Then one day, Lee Geul was suddenly reminded that the male protagonist and Ji-in in the script look similar. "Sad but Beautiful Love Story". Lee Geul looks at Ji-in bitterly. Ji-in shows symptoms of Youngzheimer like the man in the script. Shocked, Lee Geul writes to make Ji-in's dream come true before his symptoms get worse.

Release date in Korea : 2022
Quincy, IL (62301)

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WASHINGTON  The megadrought thats gripped Arizona and the Southwest since 2000 is the driest in more than 1,200 years, and it is likely to c
Two George Floyd protesters will spend six months in jail and another six months in home confinement for torching an NYPD van after a federal judge said Friday their actions threatened lives.

Corey Smith, 26, and Elaine Carberry, 38, both Brooklyn residents, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit arson in the July 15, 2020 fire at the corner of E. 12th St. and University Place in the East Village.

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Their friends and supporters packed two courtrooms in Manhattan Federal Court, and sent Judge Lewis Liman 60 letters praising them. The entire hearing took about 3 1/2 hours.

The NYPD homeless outreach van torched on July 15, 2020. (NYPD)

But Liman said that no accounting of the confessed arsonists good works  nor their pristine prior criminal records  could spare them jail time.

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It would send the message that you can set fire to government property without having to spend a day in jail, the judge said.

The judge noted that the NYPD homeless outreach vehicle, parked on an empty street, could have erupted in flames as someone passed by.

The van did not explode, but you could not have known that when you set fire to it, said Liman. In other words, you put innocent lives at risk.

The torching came amid protests across the city and nation sparked by the police killing of Minneapolis man George Floyd.

Smiths attorney Julia Gatto said the pair experienced a lapse in judgment while filled with rage, despair, hopelessness, and futility during a nationwide reckoning with racial inequality.

Corey Smith and Elaine Carberry were caught on surveillance video setting fire to the NYPD van about 4:35 p.m. on July 15, 2020, at 4:35 a.m., according to a criminal complaint. An undercover cop identified the pair from video footage. (NYPD)

Gatto asked the judge not to derail Smiths master degree studies by imposing a prison term. The lawyer said even a modest sentence would subject Smith to a grueling experience behind bars as someone with fluid gender identity.

I think we are lying to ourselves about what prison is like right now, Gatto said.

Carberrys lawyer Anthony Cecutti asked Liman to show mercy, arguing that incarceration would be excessive punishment under the present conditions of federal prisons and Carberrys history of trauma. Cecutti did not specify what trauma Carberry had suffered.

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Liman said he found both Carberry and Smith had shown genuine contrition and remorse and said he believed neither posed a risk to society or required a prison term to be rehabilitated.

Liman said he appreciated their civic engagement outside of the arson and that it was a crime of emotion committed during an extraordinarily challenging time and one that should not define them. Citing Carberrys work mentoring young people, he noted they can do more good out of prison than in.

Before Liman imposed the sentences, Smith and Carberry and three of their friends addressed the court.

I was broken, angry, and I felt depressed, Smith explained of the fateful night mourning Black lives being cut down sooner than they were able to bloom.

Im devastated by the harm I have caused. I shudder at the thought of the further harm I could have caused  I am profoundly sorry, Carberry said, as their mother and friends wept in the courtroom gallery.

Carberry, a former Project Runway producer, further apologized for distracting from the conversation on achieving racial equity.

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Black lives matter. Black dreams matter. Black joy matters. Black love matters. And Im sorry for gathering us here today and enabling this conversation to be so off topic, they said.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

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Henderson, NC (27536)

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Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

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A VET will finally have her own practice after plans to convert an old pub were approved.

Sarah Moffat is to open a surgery at the former Reformation in Horsepond Road, Gallowstree Common, which closed in August 2020.

Brakspear, which owns the site, has been granted permission for change of use and to build two news houses on either side of the building.

Mrs Moffat, who has been a vet for almost 20 years, had been looking for a place of her own for six years.

She said. It has been a long time coming and I just cant wait to get up and running.

I appreciate there was some sadness about the closure of a pub but its a really great location.

Im just so excited  were going to be a local, friendly, family-run practice.

Mrs Moffat lives in Kennylands Road, Sonning Common, with her husband Ian Hasler, a former police officer, and their five-year-old son Henry.

She grew up in Wargrave and attended the Piggott School in the village before going to Cambridge University.

Ive always loved animals, she said. I loved being outside with all the different animals and people said, You must be a vet so I started to take it seriously.

I investigated it at secondary school and did lots of work experience. I was good at science and maths, which is great but its also about having people skills.

Mrs Moffat graduated in 2002 after six years of study.

She worked for Active Vet Care in Oakley Road, Caversham Heights, for five years and was clinical director when it became Oakley Veterinary Clinic.

She left in 2016 to start her own practice and has been freelancing event since.

Mrs Moffat said: For the last six years Ive wanted to have my own veterinary practice to serve the community positively in the way I want to do it.

Caversham and Emmer Green have vets that are run by big companies but I like having a more personal feel to it.

In 2018 she tried to buy MS Vets in Green Lane in her village but was outbid and it is now Sonning Common Vets.

Weve been trying to find a premises ever since, said Mrs Moffat. Then I saw the pub had been empty for some time and it was being advertised for someone to take it on. I contacted Brakspear as I thought it was a good location with good car parking and a building that would lend itself to being a vets.

When the original planning application for houses was submitted some villagers were upset at the loss of the pub and its replacement by housing.

Kidmore End Parish Council tried several times to have the pub listed as an asset of community value but failed due to a lack of evidence about social events taking place there.

Brakspear changed its plans to two new houses, one with four bedrooms and the other with three, in September.

But some residents were still concerned as the site is in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and was not earmarked for development in the parishs neighbourhood plan.

Adrian Duffield, head of planning at South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, said: The proposal would safeguard a non-designated heritage asset, would conserve and enhance this part of the village within the Chilterns AONB and would not harm the residential amenity of adjoining residents.

The development would not result in conditions prejudicial to highway and pedestrian safety and would provide acceptable living conditions for future occupiers of the proposed dwellings and an appropriate market housing mix.

Mrs Moffat said: When it came to planning, people were sad about the closure of the pub but some people were very positive about having a new local vet.

I appreciate that the community didnt want more housing but once its done everyone will be supportive.

She is buying the pub and the conversion will be carried out by Stoke Road Developments.

Mrs Moffat has designed her own surgery with two consultation rooms and a nurses office.

She said: I wanted to keep the building looking as it is but to make it beautiful again. It looks very tired now and needs a facelift.

She plans to have five members of staff, including her husband, who will look after client care as well as co-owning the business.

Mrs Moffat, who has two Labradors, four chickens and a retired horse, said: In an ideal world itll be up and running as soon as possible but theres a couple of things we need sort out.

We knew that would be the case so we dont have a timeframe but I want to get the ball rolling as soon as we can.
Eddie Kay, who dedicated more than six decades to New Yorks workers as a relentless labor leader, teacher and adviser, died Tuesday at home in Midwood, Brooklyn. He was 89.

The cause was skin cancer, said Vladimir Fortunny, his longtime partner. The charismatic, gravel-voiced Kay died in the same Brooklyn home where he grew up.

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Former 1199 SEIU labor leader Eddie Kay (pictured) is honored with a proclamation during the New York Progressive Action Networks Annual Gala in Manhattan, New York on Saturday, January 27, 2018. (Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)

Kay worked across some 40 years as an official with the healthcare union now known as Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union, and spent the last two decades of his life advising Local 100 of the Transport Workers Union and other labor groups.

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio called him a New York original  a colorful guy who gave his life to the cause of working people. This guy was all heart, de Blasio told the Daily News.

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He was like a more opinionated Bernie Sanders, the former mayor added, referencing the progressive Vermont senator. He believed what he believed, and he would never hold back.

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams issued a statement describing Kays work as legendary, adding that he shaped policies and changed lives as his gruff voice spoke out tirelessly for worker justice.

And Mayor Adams praised him in a statement for standing on the frontlines of the labor movement and for making this city better every day.

Friends of Kay remembered him warmly as a fierce negotiator who took a collaborative and uplifting approach to his work.

He was such a committed person, said Alejandro Duhalde, 70, who has worked with the 1199 SEIU member assistance program for more than 30 years. He described Kay as a fighter and an admirable guy.

He was a rousing, rib-tickling speaker and storyteller, too.

If you believe in yourselves, then move other people, Kay thundered in a 2018 speech at a New York Progressive Action Network fund-raising event.

If you dont believe in yourself  give up, give up! But I aint giving up, the bespectacled, bearded organizer continued. Are you giving up?

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The crowd, which rose to its feet, shouted: No!

Former 1199 Secretary-Treasurer Eddie Kay attends the 1199 SEIU's 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers on December 18, 2009 in New York City. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Edward Lee Kay was born in Brooklyn on March 8, 1932, the son of Irving Kay, a pharmacist, and Helen Kay, a writer, artist and cosmetologist.

He attended Temple University in Philadelphia and entered labor work soon after graduating. At Local 1199, he was quickly promoted to area director, and he left the union as its secretary-treasurer. Afterward, he became an educator and a consultant for various unions and political campaigns.

Working people are all in a better place today because of his efforts, Tony Utano, the president of Local 100, said in a statement.

Kay is survived by Fortunny, his partner of 24 years, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Its overwhelming how versatile and how smart and how powerful he was, Fortunny said, adding that his partner had a knack for highlighting other peoples skills and making them believe in themselves.

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That was the uniqueness of Eddie Kay, Fortunny, 51, said. He would make you feel like you want to move the mountains.
Greenville, TX (75401)

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Thousands of applications for mail-in ballots submitted by Texas voters have been delayed  and some voters may ultimately not receive ballots  because Lt. Gov. Dan Patricks campaign instructed eligible voters to send requests for absentee ballots to the Texas Secretary of States Office instead of their local elections offices.
Feature: Giant pandas an ongoing signature of 50 years of China-Mexico friendship

Xinhua) 15:57, February 19, 2022

MEXICO CITY, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- With a yellowed newspaper in hand, Fernando Gual Sill recalled when the first giant pandas from China arrived in Mexico almost five decades ago as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.

"It was big news," Gual Sill, general director of Mexico City's public zoos, told Xinhua. The September 1975 newspaper and a photo album are treasures he has carefully tended.

That year, China gifted Mexico with a pair of giant pandas: a male named Pe Pe and a female named Ying Ying, who made their new home at the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City.

"When they arrived they were just cubs," Gual Sill said. "At the time, not much was known about pandas in zoos or how they reproduced. We were fortunate that a few years later, giant pandas were born in Mexico City."

To preserve the species in Mexico, experts from the two countries have collaborated closely and conducted academic exchanges.

"Several Mexican veterinarians traveled to China for academic and training visits, including for medical, geriatric and offspring care, and reproduction, which were key," the expert said.

Pe Pe and Ying Ying turned out to be one of the most prolific panda couples in the world, breeding seven offspring in captivity.

Currently, two females -- Shuan Shuan, born in 1987, and Xin Xin, born in 1990 -- live at Chapultepec and they are the longest living giant pandas in captivity outside China.

Gual Sill confirmed that the pandas are the stars of the zoo, with thousands of people visiting and getting to know the Chinese species and Mexican offspring.

For the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mexico on Feb. 14, Gual Sill invited Chinese friends to the zoo's giant panda pavilion to celebrate together.

Javier Ojeda, a member of the veterinary team at the zoo, said the pandas represent the friendship between the two countries because reproduction and conservation could not have been successful without both individual and governmental collaboration.

"It's a privilege to work with this species," Panda keeper Elias Garcia Ramirez, who has over 20 years of experience, told Xinhua, adding that he considers the pandas part of his family since he spends most of his time with them and has a close emotional connection with them.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
The long-shot Las Vegas arrest of a Bronx murder suspect on the lam since 2010 brought tears Saturday to the victims niece.

Cold case suspect Hector Ramirez saw his luck run out in the Nevada gambling mecca with his apprehension last month for the brutal stabbing murder of girlfriend Elia Zamora as her helpless 9-year-old son stood watching inside their apartment, police said.

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This is big, oh my God, said weeping relative Rachel Torres in near-disbelief. He was caught? Oh my goodness, oh my God. Wow. He knew what he did. He ran. And that was his objective, to be not be caught.

Hector Ramirez has been arrested in the brutal stabbing death of Elia Zamora in 2010. (NYPD / DCPI)

Ramirez, 41, was returned Thursday to the Bronx and charged with murder, manslaughter and weapons possession, and ordered held without bail in the slaying. The murder suspect, who fought extradition, was already in the wind when police arrived at the Kingsbridge Heights home around 5 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2010, to find the mortally wounded Zamora.

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The Mexican immigrant victim died of multiple stab wounds to the chest at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Authorities said the young boy who witnessed the killing escaped without injury, and the murder weapon was never recovered.

Police at the time said the jealous boyfriend believed the victim was seeing another man.

He had previous incidents of violence toward her, physical violence, said Torres. So it just got worse ... She was a very dedicated mom. She was a young woman really just trying to make it out here, and doing the best she can for her son.

Elia Zamora and her son, Jesus. (Obtained by Daily News)

The trail for the murder suspect went cold quickly after the killing. A segment on the program Americas Most Wanted failed to produce any tips leading to his arrest, nor did a $22,000 reward posted by the NYPD for information on Ramirezs whereabouts.

According to police back in 2010, Ramirez was almost immediately identified as the killer but managed to flee quickly. He was only indicted seven years later, with a warrant finally issued for his arrest in 2017.

There was really not expectations on our end, said Torres. I feel like catching him is a start in (getting) that closure. Obviously well have to see how he is prosecuted for the things, and what this is going to bring back ... for the rest of the family. So its bittersweet.
Anderson, IN (46016)

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Anderson, IN (46016)

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Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 49F. NW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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A former NYPD domestic violence officer who claims she was repeatedly raped and sexually abused by her partner and another cop at her Harlem precinct has been approved for social security disability benefits based on her abuse allegations, the Daily News has learned.

The Social Security Administration granted Maria Mendez the benefits because of years of sexual and physical abuse that occurred during her employment as a police officer, the SSA administrative law judge wrote in the March decision.

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The ruling adds heft to Mendezs ongoing $90 million federal lawsuit against the city, NYPD and officers she claims made her last four years with the department a living hell, her attorney Eric Sanders said.

Maria Mendez poses for a portrait Tuesday, June 25, 2019 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

Mendezs bombshell notice of claim she filed in 2019 outlined a never-ending cycle of abuse filled with allegations that officers at Harlems 32nd Precinct strung her out on prescription pain killers, then threatened to tell her bosses about her opioid abuse if she didnt have sex with them.

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If she protested, the officers would beat and rape her, the married mother of four told The Daily News.

I couldnt take it anymore. They damaged my ear. My face was all damaged. My kids were suffering too much, Mendez said through tears.

Harlems 32nd Precinct stationhouse, where former cop Maria Mendez claims she was forced to take drugs and sexually abused by other officers. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

Because Mendez quit the department in January 2019 after 14 years, she could not apply for a disability pension.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

But she did file for social security disability benefits in April 2020 and last March an SSA administrative law judge approved her request after several hearings filled with doctor testimony and documented evidence, recently released court documents reveal.

Treatment records from various providers document her reports of sexual and physical abuse, the SSA decision noted. Her diagnosed impairments include PTSD, anxiety disorder and depressive disorder. (Her) treatment notes accredit her reported symptoms to years of sexual and physical abuse that occurred during her employment as a police officer.

(Her) ongoing mental health symptoms and minimal improvement despite her years of treatment support (her doctors) opinion that (her) impairments significantly affect her ability to concentrate, the decision added.

After extensive hearings on the merits, were thrilled the (SSA) administrative law judge ruled in Mrs. Mendezs favor, Sanders said. We intend to pursue Mrs. Mendezs claims with the same vigor in federal court holding her abusers legally accountable for their actions.

Former NYPD Officer Maria Mendez in Manhattan on Tuesday, June 25, 2019. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

NYPD brass said Mendez never filed official complaints against the officers mentioned in her notice of claim. The News is withholding their names because they have not been criminally or departmentally charged.

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Mendez filed her pending lawsuit in Manhattan Federal court in June. The officers involved have denied the allegations against them in legal documents.

The NYPD did not return a request for comment. The city Law Department wouldnt comment because they are in settlement talks with Mendez.
A one-time French modeling agency head suspected of steering underage girls to sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein was found hanging in a Paris prison cell early Saturday in a scene reminiscent of the U.S. entrepreneurs 2019 jailhouse suicide, authorities said.

The body of Jean-Luc Brunel, 75, was discovered inside the La Sante prison 14 months after his arrest at the Charles de Gaulle airport while attempting to board a plane for Senegal. He emerged as a suspect in two French cases involving young female victims, with investigators eventually questioning Brunel about the alleged human trafficking of girls for sex.

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Several top models accused the Paris-born founder of two modeling agencies with rape and sexual abuse, with French investigators reportedly conducting hundreds of witness interviews.

Brunel was introduced to Epstein in the 1980s by mutual friend Ghislane Maxwell, who faces up to 65 years in prison at her June 28 sentencing after a Manhattan jury convicted her two months ago of grooming teen-age girls for sex with the globe-trotting American.

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Jean-Luc Brunel with Ghislaine Maxwell.

Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre charged Brunel with luring women, including minors, into her attackers orbit with the promise of modeling work. And she recounted how Epstein once boasted of sleeping with with more than 1,000 of Brunels girls.

Britains Prince Andrew, a friend of Epstein, agreed last week to settle a sexual abuse lawsuit brought by Giuffre for a reported $13.5 million.

One-time Dutch model Thysia Huisman, who told police that she was raped by Brunel as a teen, said she was irate over his suicide and upset that he will never be prosecuted.

It makes me angry, because Ive been fighting for years, Huisman said. For me, the end of this was to be in court. And now that whole ending  which would help form closure  is taken away from me.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

French prosecutors confirmed the suicide signaled the end of the Brunel investigation.

Brunel ran the prestigious Karin Models agency during the 1990s, a job that disappeared by the end of the decade after a BBC undercover report on abuse in the modeling world. The model talent scout moved to the U.S. and launched his MC2 Model Management thanks to financial assistance from Epstein.

Among the well-known models discovered by Brunel were Milla Jovovich and Christy Turlington.

Photos showed Epstein, Maxwell and Brunel flying together on American financiers private jet, later known as The Lolita Express.

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Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein (center) and Jean-Luc Brunel on Epstein's private jet. (Court Evidence)

Attorneys for Brunel issued a statement insisting on their clients innocence.

His distress was that of a man of 75 years old caught up in a media-legal system that we should be questioning, the statement read. Jean-Luc Brunel never stopped claiming his innocence and had made many efforts to prove it.

His (suicide) decision was not driven by guilt but by a deep sense of injustice.
A Long Island man caught with a cache of untraceable ghost guns is facing 15 years in prison after he threatened to shoot his wife as she cradled their child at a Queens hospital, prosecutors said Saturday.

Thomas Saxton, 34, was ordered held without bail after prosecutors charged with multiple counts of weapons possession, as well as menacing, drug possession and endangering the welfare of a child.

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Saxton found his estranged wife inside Cohen Childrens Medical Center on 76th Ave. in Glen Oaks about 12 p.m. Thursday. As the two argued inside the hospital, he pulled a gun and said he would kill her in front of all the people here, prosecutors said.

Today, officers from the @NYPD105Pct responded to a person threatening to shoot inside a hospital. They quickly apprehended him & recovered 2 loaded ghost guns. During a search of his home, officers recovered an additional cache of firearms, ammo, magazines & ballistic vests. pic.twitter.com/XbNGjFDnZl  NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) February 18, 2022

His wife was holding their 2-year-old child in her arms when he made his threat, cops said.

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A moment later, Saxton stormed out of the hospital and, from the parking lot, called his wife again, claiming he would killer her in her sleep, prosecutors claim.

A Long Island man was caught with a cache of ghost guns after threatening to shoot his wife as she cradled their child at a Queens hospital, prosecutors said. (NYPD News / Twitter)

Cops called to the hospital found Saxton in his car and recovered two ghost guns  untraceable pistols that are bought in pieces online and assembled at home, cops said. An additional nine pistols, four assault rifles, five shotguns and several boxes of ammunition were recovered from his East Rockaway home.

Some of the weapons were still in pieces when they were found, photos of the seizure show.

A Long Island man caught with a cache of untraceable ghost guns is facing 15 years in prison, prosecutors said Saturday. (NYPD News / Twitter)

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Saxton threatened to shoot his wife in a hospital that specializes in treating children.

This potentially deadly threat was made all the more frightening when police found illegal and untraceable firearms, Katz said. This grown prevalence of ghost guns is adding to the chaos and bloodshed in our neighborhoods.

Saxton is expected to return to court Tuesday.

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On Wednesday, Feb. 16, PNC Bank held a special Black History Month webinar in which deans of various historically black colleges and universities Schools of Business were present to speak on the role of HBCUs in the support of black businesses across America.

Steffanie Jasper, Enterprise Risk Management Executive for PNC, addressed the gap of revenue between black-owned and non black-owned businesses across the U.S., which Jasper stated is a whopping $1.6 trillion and growing. Citing research done by McKinsey & Co., she also made a point to mention how black businesses are both fewer and smaller than their non-black counterparts.

The floor was then opened to the deans present in the webinar. Dr. David Yen, the dean of Texas Southern Universitys School of Business, stressed the importance of HBCUs to address students needs as they come, particularly following the pandemic. He explained his hopes and ideas for the school as it progresses forward.

There are several things at Texas Southern University were doing. Firstly, we want to continue to address the students needs, he said. We need to improve our curriculum. We need to develop our new curriculum to match not only our competition, but also to match with our local needs and services.

Yen also proposed greater support for research initiatives for undergraduate students attending HBCUs. He stated that putting effort forward will help those students better integrate themselves into the world, and provide greater opportunities for those students to practice what has been taught to them in a non-campus setting.

The topic was then turned again to the widening wealth gap, which Atlanta Universitys Dr. Sivanus J. Udoka spoke on. Udoka believes that the best way to combat this disparity is through initiative of the black community to become business owners that promote higher employment.

The wealth gap between black and white Americans is a leading force in racial inequality and social injustice, explained Udoka. Today there are about 2.6 million black-owned businesses in this country. And of that, about 96 percent of them are sole proprietorships, which means they dont employ anyone. When we look at this, the wealth gap can only be closed by people who create businesses and employ others.

Udoka expanded on this point, conveying the importance of Black Americans to adopt the mindset of becoming employers, rather than settling for being employees.

Another topic of conversation was the role HBCUs can play in Black female employment, which was discussed by Howard Universitys Dr. Anthony Wilbon. With roughly 65 to 75 percent of the undergraduate students being female at the university, he stated that its especially important for female students to be able to see and recognize female leadership around them.

Its important that these undergrad students see female leadership, and I think that translates into them having the confidence to go out and start businesses and take the risks that are gonna allow them to be successful, Wilbon said. When we talk about a successful entrepreneur, the traits that they have typically are self confidence, and a sense of persuasion and consistency.

Wilbon said the majority of deans on Howards campus are female, and the university is working on several initiatives and on-campus programs that assist female entrepreneurs and help embed in them the skills necessary to succeed in their field.

This webinar served as one of a few efforts PNC has put forth in service of Black Americans. Just last year, the company announced an $88 billion Community Benefits Plan to provide loans and financial services to low-income individuals and communities and people of color. They also put on a similar webinar on Feb. 10, discussing financial hardship in minority businesses.

Further information regarding PNCs Black History Month plans, as well as info on the past webinar can be found at https://tinyurl.com/mr2u2v7j.
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Authorities found human remains in a wooded area of northwest Houston Friday as they were searching for the body of a 35-year-old man who was reported missing late last month, according to Houston Police.

Houston Police say the remains have yet to be identified formally and the investigation remains ongoing. Investigators had been searching near T.C. Jester Boulevard and Pinemont Drive for the body of Daniel Deshawn Brown. His family hadnt made contact with and reported him missing Jan. 27 at a Houston Police Department station, according to a police release.
A man accused of randomly knifing a subway dancer on an L train in the middle of his routine  forcing the desperate victim to cling to the outside of the subway car as it sped through the tunnel  rambled incoherently Saturday as a Manhattan Criminal Court judge ordered him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

God is watching me! Lateef Coleman declared in court, as he faced assault and weapons possession charges for the Thursday afternoon stabbing.

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Lateef Coleman is led to an awaiting police car from the Union Square subway station in Manhattan. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

Coleman was on a Brooklyn-bound train approaching the Union Square station as the 22-year-old performer put on his show. During the routine, the dancer may have bumped into Coleman, who lashed out with a knife, stabbing him in the buttocks and arm, police sources said.

Cops found Coleman, 44, near 14th St. and Second Ave., wearing the same long red coat he wore during the attack. When questioned by police, Coleman admitted to having a knife, prosecutors said.

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I have a knife to protect myself, Coleman told arresting officers. People come in to my house, so I use it to kill them.

Lateef Coleman, as he's led to an awaiting police car outside the Union Square subway station in Manhattan. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

Based on Colemans statements to cops and his ramblings in court  which continued non-stop during the proceeding  Judge Melissa Jackson ordered him to meet with a psychiatrist. He was ordered held without bail until the exam could take place.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

His victim told the Daily News he felt Coleman bump into him, but didnt realize hed been knifed until he saw mad blood on my pants.

Panicked and bleeding, the dancer ran off the train, leaving his bags and cell phone behind. But desperate to reclaim his personal property  even as the train was leaving the station  the victim grabbed onto the side of the train and held onto the car doors for dear life.

I had to hold on to the outside of the train, he said. I was on the outside.

Lateef Coleman in custody outside the Union Square subway station in Manhattan. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

He jumped back into the subway car at the next stop and stayed put until he reached the Bedford Ave. station in Brooklyn, where he got off and sought medical attention.

The victim was treated at Bellevue Hospital, where he needed 10 stitches to close the gash on his left arm. A second wound, on his buttocks, was so deep doctors had to wait until the bleeding subsided to stitch it up, the victim told The News.

Coleman was rambling incoherently when he first stepped into the train car, the victim recounted.

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When I got on the train he was already talking to himself or talking to somebody, said the victim. I didnt pay him any mind.
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There have always been a few pets at Lesly Castillos home, but Pulguita the cat had special meaning to her.

Pulguita was a Harvey rescue, said the 20-year-old Houston Community College student. When the hurricane hit Houston in 2017, Castillos mother found a litter abandoned in an apartment complex where she worked. They didn't have fur and were very, super tiny.

The kittens were bottle-fed and cared for before being given away to friends  all except Pulguita, or Little Flea, an endearing name in the Spanish language for little creatures. The black-and-white kitty just stuck around my neck all the time and we got really attached to each other, she said. He grew up to become a big shabby cat that got along well with their other pets, a cat named Bella and a chihuahua called Goxi.

Castillo said she and family members have gotten all of their pets from the streets or friends giveaways  something that is customary in many countries, including in Latin America. Her parents came from Guatemala, where there isnt a structured shelter and adoption system like in the United States.

Now, animal rescue organizations are reaching out to this latent market of immigrants and their first-generation American children to engage them and hopefully ease crowding at local animal shelters.

Useful contacts To request information for: Fostering pets facilitated by BFAS: HoustonFoster@bestfriends.org Volunteering: houstonvolunteer@bestfriends.org Adoptions: Explore a list of shelters members of the "Coalition to Save Houston's Pets" at bestfriends.org/locations/best-friends-houston See More Collapse

A lot of people know about pet adoptions, fostering and spay and neuter, but we have done research and found information gaps in communities of immigrants, said Mia Navedo-Williams, manager of multicultural marketing at the Best Friends Animal Society, a leading animal welfare nonprofit that works with hundreds of pet shelters and organizations nationwide.

She said the organization is increasing its educational efforts among immigrants who speak Spanish.

We believe that we can save many more thousands of pets every year if we can engage these communities, change cultural habits, let them know that there are pets in shelters in their communities that need them, said Navedo-Williams. She added that the need for adopting and fostering parents is increasing nationwide with shelters reaching or exceeding capacity.

While popular narratives have suggested that pet ownership boomed during the pandemic, recent data indicate the opposite. A study by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and Animal Behavior, Ecology and Conservation (ABEC) at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., published in November, found that pet ownership actually decreased. Dog ownership went from 47 percent before March 2020  when the pandemic hit the U.S.  to 45 percent in May 2021, while the rate for cat ownership stayed stable.

As shelters saw substantially fewer adoptions after the pandemic began, dog acquisitions from breeders spiked, figures showed.

Pet adoptions through shelters decreased by around 20 percent in the first year of the pandemic. Experts say that restrictions imposed by COVID forced shelters to reduce intake of animals as they struggled with the effects of labor shortages. Many owners who could not keep their pets instead found new homes for them with relatives and friends.

Related: BARC sets new record in keeping animals from being euthanized

It could be the perfect storm for a shelter crisis, said Navedo-Williams.

A recent survey of 150 shelters and rescue organizations by Best Friends Animal Society found that 88 percent had personnel shortages.

We have felt the effect of the pandemic; we have staff shortages now, said Viridiana Sanchez, an executive at BARC, the city of Houston shelter. The workload is higher for each person so, its been pretty rough; there are more animals and less people.

Sanchez worked a recent Saturday at the organizations Kittypalooza event, where foster parents brought their cats to the shelter to promote adoptions.

BARC said it takes 80 to 150 pets a day, with a capacity to hold about 600.

Lesly Castillo, the HCC student, was one of the foster parents at Kittypalooza. She said she was heartbroken after Pulguita died accidentally last year, but that a tweet from a friend sparked her curiosity. It led her to BARC's Instagram account, and she wanted to know more.

I saw a photo of a litter of three kittens that desperately needed to find a home, she said, and a flashback of Pulguitas litter came to her mind. They were also very tiny.

Castillo went to BARC and, as she said, I was OMG! You know, fostering allows you to have pets without having to make a lifetime commitment, and I wasnt ready for that kind of commitment.

BARC takes care of the vaccinations and neutering and spaying of the pets, and she received a welcome package with food and supplies when she took the kittens home.

Sylan Chang, a volunteer with the Best Friends Animal Society, said it does outreach activities at shelters, educating people and offering to pay the costs associated with caring for pets.

Chang said the organization needs Latinos not only as foster and adopting parents but also as volunteers. They frequently need bilingual people to help with services and outreach programs targeting Hispanic communities for fostering drives.

Castillo is an example of the Latinos that BFAS is trying to engage.

Navedo-Williams said educational programs targeting Latinos and other communities can help BFAS to achieve a 90 percent no-kill goal by 2025 nationwide. No-kill means animals wont be euthanized for convenience or a lack of space, according to the organization.

Texas ranked No. 1 in the country for shelter pet deaths and euthanasia in 2020, up from second place the previous year.

Related: Texas at the top for shelter euthanasia

Castillo said fostering the kittens from BARC was very fulfilling.

Two of them were adopted before she went to the Kittypalooza with Pinky, a little black creature with light green eyes.

He is so cute and sweet! said Gwendolyn Salas, caressing the kitten in her arms at the event until she announced her decision: I am taking Pinky home.

Unlike Castillo, Salas and her family, who are of Mexican heritage, have always acquired pets from rescue organizations.

I like to get my pets from these organizations, basically saving a pet from being eliminated, she said. She said she also likes that pets put for adoption in shelters are spayed and neutered, something that is uncommon in Latin America and other regions to control overpopulation.

On HoustonChronicle.com: New Drunken Dog bar and grill emphasizes dog-friendly patronage

Castillo was a little nervous letting Pinky go. You know, we got really attached to the cat.

I think what's good about fostering pets is that you give them a home you show them what love is supposed to be like, you prepare them for their forever home when they get finally adopted, Castillo said.

She reflected on her journey fostering pets.

It all started with my sadness about Pulguita, she said. Now that Pinky was adopted, I will foster a dog, she added, carrying a flyer in her hand with a printed photo of a black-and-white pup.

olivia.tallet@chron.com
A day after Houston ISD revealed a five-year, equity-focused strategic plan, advocates, parents and school board members expressed a variety of approval and skepticism with a seemingly universal desire for details about how the plan will be accomplished and, most importantly to some, funded.

The plan aims to equip all campuses with library, nursing and counseling staff, as well as fine arts, gifted and talented programming and special education support. Additionally, it calls for increasing teachers base salaries, offering signing bonuses to new educators, expanding early childhood education and improving communication with families.

Things are always going to sound great in theory, said Lauren Simmons-Mitchell, a mother of two HISD kids who spoke at a Yates High School town hall last September. But what does this actually look like?

A main detail that remains to be seen publicly is how the district will fund the initiatives laid out.

Superintendent Millard House II on Thursday said administrators have a solid handle on the funding but declined to elaborate in an interview and to trustees, deferring to a board meeting in two weeks to workshop the districts budget for the upcoming year. So far, administration officials have said they plan to use federal COVID-19 relief dollars for some aspects of the strategic plan, including a proposal to offer its Alternative Certification Program to prospective teachers for free for the next two years.

That has injected concerns for some about how the district will find a sustainable financial framework to keep the plan afloat once those relief dollars run out.

What we were left with is many more questions than answers. The funding for this BOLD plan is the biggest question, newly-elected Trustee Bridget Wade said in a statement. Until then, I withhold any opinion of the plan. I have serious concerns as to how we will be able to fund this enormous plan with temporary funds and deepening declines in enrollment.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston ISD has 276 schools, nearly 200,000 students  and only 58 librarians

To others, the plans pitch to make the district more equitable  in part by centralizing funding for services that some campuses do not have while creating a standard all schools must staff  evoked memories of previous attempts by the district to level the playing field, some of which were met with vocal opposition.

For instance, former Superintendent Richard Carranza scrapped a proposal to cut funding to the districts magnet program after resistance.

The plan shared this week includes reimagining and expanding HISDs magnet program, which will feature an assessment of the current options and trie to broaden options in magnet deserts. More details have not been released.

I think the efforts and the backlash to Carranzas efforts is what concerns me, said Maria Fernandez, who moved to Houston about five years ago and whose son is a freshman at Bellaire High School.

Houses plan, however, seemed like a great first step to Fernandez.

For me, I think the plan is great as its written out and many of the aspects of the plan are wonderful, she said. I do think the devil is in the details  and in the implementation.

In unveiling the plan, House called it the beginning of the dialogue. According to a timeline he shared with trustees in December, the plan was expected to be publicly launched in late March. That timeline outlined February and March as periods for seeking feedback from the community and board members.

While it does not appear the administration needs trustees approval of the plan, it will need their approval of the budget.

I do definitely think that there are some great things in the plan, Trustee Dani Hernandez said Friday. I think that we just need more information in general.

Part of the plan also calls for changing how the district engages with parents, shifting to build what administrators called a best-in-class customer service model.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston ISD hits the streets to find thousands of students who have not returned to school

In some corners of the city, that will mean repairing damaged relationships as some residents and parents say they previously have not felt heard by the district.

Simmons-Mitchell, the mother of two, recalled how efforts to close a handful of schools a few years ago affected specific communities.

It is not the current superintendents fault, but he has a lot of work to do to repair that trust, Simmons-Mitchell said.

When HISD announced it would host a series of community forums last fall to seek input for the plan, Juan Antonio Sorto, a community leader, said he thought the citys northeast side had been left out.

He and others in a part of the city that once had its own school district started asking questions, Sorto recounted Friday, and HISD added more dates to its listening tour, including a stop at North Forest High School. The situation, Sorto said, illustrated how the northeast side continues fighting to make things happen, to not be forgotten.

They are using community quite a bit, he said of the word that appears 21 times in a district presentation about the strategic plan. What I dont want is for them to miss the mark.

alejandro.serrano@chron.com
Standing on the porch of her Chinatown apartment on a recent Friday evening, Sediqa Sherzai grabs her arm and winces as she describes being injured while escaping a Taliban attack in her hometown of Kunduz, in northern Afghanistan.

Her piercing blue-gray eyes peer over her face mask as she speaks in Dari through a translator. Its been a grueling six months for Sherzai and her family, who are among thousands of refugees who have made their way to Houston after being forced to flee when the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August of last year.

Sherzai, 40, a journalist and educator, was a target of the fundamentalist Islamic group for nearly 20 years after creating several radio and TV news shows advocating for the education and rights of women in the country where gender-based violence and severe restrictions on womens rights are rampant.

IN LIMBO: Afghans in Houston are being temporarily housed in motels after months-long stay on military bases

Her radio station was bombed and destroyed; she was almost killed when riding in a car that drove over a bomb, she said. In the two months leading up to the Talibans takeover, members of the group came to her home and threatened her, her husband and her daughter, she said.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

She said she stayed as long as she could before being forced to flee, not wanting to abandon the people who saw her as a leader.

After a harrowing journey that included weeks in hiding and then time on a U.S. military base, Sherzai and her husband and daughter arrived in Houston on Jan. 14.

There she and her family found themselves in a apartment furnished by volunteers who are part of the massive resettlement effort for the thousands like Sherzai and her family arriving in Houston.

One of those volunteers is Becky Wallace, 40, who has spent the last few weeks getting to know Sherzais family. Outside on the patio that Friday night, Sherzais 8-year-old daughter, Hajat, embraces Wallace with a grin and climbs into her lap as the two start giggling.

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Most resettlement agencies will see a slowdown in arrivals over the next month or so, but one of the most critical steps to helping these families comes next: finding enough volunteers to mentor them to learn how to become self-sufficient in an alien country where they sometimes do not feel welcome.

The biggest asset

As of Feb. 14, approximately 4,730 Afghan refugees had arrived in Houston, according to the Houston Afghan Resettlement Collaborative, which consists of The Alliance, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston and the YMCA of Greater Houston International Services. Ali Al Sudani, chief programs officer for Interfaith Ministries, said he expects that number to grow to 6,000 by the end of September.

This is the busiest time and the biggest refugee resettlement crisis that we have ever had, Sudani, who has worked in refugee resettlement for the last 12 years, said. When you respond to an emergency situation, the biggest asset that you need is people, whether they are staff or volunteers. We always need more.

The role of faith-based communities in helping with Houstons resettlement effort has been a lifesaver, Sudani said.

These faith-based organizations have spent the last several months recruiting volunteers to collect items like furniture and clothes; spend weekends furnishing apartments; and to greet families when they arrive here. Sudani said the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has sponsored close to 40 or 50 families, including Sherzais.

Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Volunteers with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints set up an apartment for an Afghan evacuee family Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022 in Houston. (Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer) Volunteers with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints set up an apartment for an Afghan evacuee family Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022 in Houston. (Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer)

Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Volunteers with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints set up an apartment for Afghan evacuee family Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022 in Houston. (Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer) Volunteers with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints set up an apartment for Afghan evacuee family Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022 in Houston. (Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer)

Sudani points to the coffee table and large white couch in Sherzais living room: You see this furniture here, it was provided by the church volunteers, he said.

Need for family mentorship

Agencies are working to help these families become self-sufficient, meaning they must learn English, find a job, learn how to drive, enroll in public benefits and learn how to navigate the day-to-day of living in Houston.

The biggest need right now is going to be family mentorship, Sudani said.

Agencies are in need of volunteers willing to commit time to helping these refugees with a multitude of daily tasks: school registration, taking them food shopping, showing them how to use the bus system, practicing English with them.

Or simply just get to know them and become a friend, Sudani said. If you come to a new country and you feel the community is not welcoming you, its going to be tough.

Interfaith Ministries offers its own family mentorship program that asks volunteers to commit at least two to three hours each week over a six-month period. Volunteers must complete a background check and sign up through volunteerhouston.org.

In late January, the Alliance announced a new family mentorship pilot program that requires a time commitment of 12 months and a minimum of a $3,000 donation that goes directly to the family the volunteer or organization is placed with. Volunteers will be trained on how to interact with the family for several hours each week in an effort to provide them with emotional support outside of the agency, said Omar Concepcion, community engagement and sponsorship senior program manager for The Alliance.

On HoustonChronicle.com: With 1.6 million cases in queue, the immigration court backlog is growing faster than ever

Concepcion said the agency is looking to prioritize more vulnerable, larger families or families with extreme medical needs for this new program. A few organizations have reached out but no families have been matched yet. Concepcion said the agency hopes to start the pilot program come March and place at least five families by September.

That need for community and that need for connection inside the community, especially around questions of trauma, thats been a big need that we have seen, Concepcion said. To be able to get to know the area and start that process of healing and integration into the community is really necessary right now.

Anyone can volunteer for the program, from faith-based organizations to groups of friends. Concepcion said the pilot program will likely be used as a model to integrate future arrivals of other refugee populations.

Hope for the future

Sherzais Houston apartment looks and feels like home now, but with a blending of cultures. Two maps of Houston and the Metro bus line hang on the walls in the dining room. The United States and Texas flags adorn the kitchen walls, complete with mementos from her home country. She remembers the first day she stepped foot in her new home, she was overcome with shock.

We couldnt believe it, that we have a house here with everything ready, she said.We were really happy.

Now, her daughter, nieces and nephews are in school. Shes learned how to take the bus, and is taking driving lessons soon. Her husband is ready to start working and plans to start a business in the future. They are both determined to learn English as soon as possible.

READY TO WORK: Afghans arriving in Houston quickly contribute to local economy

Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Sherzais arm still bothers her, but she doesnt regret anything, she said. Her injury is a constant reminder of the life she left behind; one filled with strife, uncertainty, and danger.

Her hopes for the future are to work with Afghan women here, and one day get back into journalism and start a new radio or TV news show.

I am happy with what I have done before, I feel I am a powerful person, Sherzai said. I never want to give up, I want to just continue my goal and I am happy with that.

rebecca.hennes@chron.com
Regarding Editorial: We recommend Beto ORourke in Democratic primary for Governor, (Feb. 13): To dismiss Robert ORourkes failed attempt to win the Democratic presidential nomination as like Icarus, he burned and crashed, is vastly insufficient. The stage was too big for him, and he made a fool out of himself. Then he wandered off into the wilderness for several months issuing occasional nonsensical remarks about trying to find himself. If he still inspires hope, it can be only because of the sorry lot of other Democrat candidates. The Chronicles attempt to compare him to a mythological figure wont fool anybody who watched those debates, where he was a tongue-tied stumblebum. It simply defies credulity that the Chronicle  excuse me, the editorial board  can refer to ORourke as eloquent.

Paul Plummer, Houston

Regarding Editorial: We recommend Hilary Unger in 248th District Court, (Feb. 13): For you to be praising Judge Hilary Unger for 248th District Court, while stating the fact that many defendants in her court have bonded out and gone on to commit serious crimes, is ludicrous. Do your readers a favor and, if you cant endorse a good candidate, dont make an endorsement at all.

Kathy Bernhardt, Spring

Regarding Texas county officials decry new voting snags: Surge in mail ballot rejections, stifled registrars, Feb. 11: Apparently the Chronicle has an issue with the election bill that the Texas Legislature just passed. This was one of many negative election law front-page articles that this paper has published recently. Buried deep in the sixth paragraph of the article was the fact that the number of rejections has slowed from the initial break-in period with the new law. Applicants should read the instructions thoroughly before completing the request, and they should not wait until the last minute to submit their applications.

Brian Binash, Houston

Regarding Editorial: Jan. 6 truth or conspiracy? Heres what sells in Texas GOP primaries. (Feb. 16): Ive been seeing a lot of TV ads for Trump-endorsed Republican candidates. They seem to all include the phrase shared Texas values. I am a 74-year-old native Texan, born and reared in Fort Worth, and lived my whole adult life in Houston. I always considered myself a conservative Republican  and, starting in 1968, voted for every Republican nominee for president  until 2016. Being a member of a cult led by a narcissistic, ego maniacal pathological liar and mindlessly believing all his ridiculous lies are not values this Texan shares with these candidates.

Tom Hix, Houston

Regarding Opinion: I feel bad for the election judges attempting to make the process work, (Feb. 17): I thought it was important to let you know that my wife and I voted early and had no trouble at all. In and out in no time. It helped in that this very nice lady from the Texas Patriots PAC gave us a list of candidates that they preferred. It was very valuable to us in that we used it as a guide as to who not to vote for, especially for the down-ballot candidates who we really couldnt get any information on. A group that calls Ken Paxton a Constitutional Champion obviously has a different value system than we do.

Chris Alba, Spring

Like many others, my husband and I have experienced frustration with the system for voting by mail. A recent letter to the editor indicates that if we give up and go to vote in person, being on the list for mail-in voting will be another obstacle. In another recent letter, a Republican voter complained that he could not vote out Paul Bettencourt because Bettencourt is unopposed. Please note that Bettencourt will be opposed by a Democrat in the general election.

Republicans and independents are now becoming aware that the "election integrity" bills that passed last session are making voting difficult for everyone  not just potential Democratic voters.

Come on, Republicans! There is no risk that the Texas Legislature is going to turn blue any time soon. But wouldn't it be great to have a little balance? Take a look at the Democrats in November.

Terry Meyer, Spring

Regarding Patricks mail vote forms go to wrong address, (Feb. 18): So our own inimitable Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick sent unsolicited applications for mail-in ballots to voters and put the wrong address on all the return envelopes. Aw, what a shame. Then the unintended recipients, a state government office, had to use its time and my tax dollars to reroute the unsolicited forms to the appropriate addresses. Hmm. I think his campaign fund should cover that cost. And all the voters who used those mistakenly addressed envelopes might miss the deadline for the primary elections. If I were one of those sheep, Id sue. But, wait. Hold it. I thought it was him who passed a bill preventing government officials from sending unsolicited voting documents to Texans. Right? Oh, this is great. You gotta love watching this. You cant make this stuff up.

Gene Fisseler, Houston
Regarding 9-year-old girl shot by robbery victim dies, Houston police say, (Feb. 15): The article reporting the death of Arlene Alvarez is the saddest thing Ive ever read. I cant begin to imagine her familys grief. I would like to beg anyone who owns a firearm or is considering buying one for self defense to please consider the facts first. An article several years ago in the New York Times broke down the incidents of firearms deaths by category using data gathered by The Gun Violence Archive. In 2016 out of over 30,000 firearms deaths about 22,000 were suicides, 11,600 were homicides, 456 were in mass shootings and 589 were self defense. Before purchasing or continue owning a firearm bear in mind how incredibly difficult it is to safely and accurately use a firearm for self defense and equally compelling, how rarely it actually occurs.

Bob Adams, Galveston

Canada protests

Regarding Opinion: When freedom means the right to destroy, (Feb. 15): Paul Krugman talks about the embrace of economic vandalism and intimidation by much of the U.S. right and the equivalence of dollar cost to the BLM protests in 2020. However, he fails to mention that insurance for the BLM riots (oops protests) doesnt account for the personal pain and suffering caused by rioting. At least 15 people died during the riots, so far no one has died in the Canadian protests. The Minneapolis business area has been devastated by the protests and recovery will take years. If Justin Trudeau would talk with the Canadian protesters perhaps a peaceful end could be found. Mr. Krugmans wrap up  The right is perfectly fine, indeed enthusiastic, about illegal actions and disorder as long as they serve right-wing ends  could easily be applied to the 2020 situation, just substitute the word left for the word right.

Michael Spiech, Sugar Land

Standardized testing

Regarding, Fact check: Beto O'Rourke says 7 out of 10 Texas fourth graders cannot read at grade level, (Feb. 9): Wow! Is it six or seven out of 10 Texas fourth graders who cant read on level? The most shocking politifact is that after nearly 40 years, and billions of dollars spent on high stakes accountability testing, our education system has not substantially improved more students educational outcomes. In fact, our current accountability system has been better at enriching the multi-billion dollar testing industry than increasing educational opportunities for the very groups of students it was hoped would be helped.

Our current standardized tests excel at measuring program accountability for equity and compliance by comparing combined scores of groups of students in relation to an overall standard. This can also be assessed by randomly selecting just a fraction of students for testing.

It is past time to start assessing each students own periodic academic and social/emotional growth using their own previous assessments as the baseline. It is time to move on from tests that measure each student according to a disembodied standard to benchmarks established by each students actual performance.

Start incentivizing and assessing districts, school leadership, and teachers on how effectively they respond to each students unique growth and how well they individually modify his or her instruction to accelerate that growth.

John E. McManus, Pearland
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.
February 18, 2022 - Houston police have released surveillance video of a robbery suspect wanted in the investigation into the fatal shooting of a juvenile female at 2900 Woodridge Drive about 9:45 p.m. on Monday (Feb. 14).



The suspect is described only as a dark-skinned black male with a thick build and full eyelashes. The surveillance video of the suspect is posted on the HPD YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/Pjd9iD9HjR8.



The shooting suspect, Tony D. Earls, 41, is charged with aggravated assault - serious bodily injury in the 263rd State District Court. A booking photo of Earls is attached to this news release.



The victim, Arlene Alvarez, 9, was transported to an area hospital where she was later pronounced deceased.



HPD Homicide Division Sergeant M. Holbrook and Detectives A. Hernandez and A. Ferrell reported:



HPD patrol officers responded to a shooting call at the above address. Upon arrival, they found the juvenile victim unresponsive in her parent's disabled vehicle.



Further investigation determined Earls was with his wife at a bank ATM drive-thru at the above address when an unknown male robbed them. Earls first shot at the robbery suspect, who was fleeing on foot, and then at a pickup truck he thought the robbery suspect had gotten into.



The vehicle's occupants, a family of five, were not involved in the robbery. The juvenile victim, a rear seat passenger, was struck during the shooting.



Earls was subsequently arrested and charged in this incident.



The unknown robbery suspect, captured on surveillance video, remains at large.



Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect in the surveillance video or on his whereabouts is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or speak anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Chicago, IL (60637)

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Windy with rain showers this evening overnight with mostly cloudy skies. Low 41F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

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Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.
A parolee who served five years in prison for a 2012 killing during a fight over a bicycle was shot in a clash in Harlem, cops said Saturday.

The victim, identified by police sources as Marquel Martin, was walking with a friend past the corner of W. 129th St. and Lenox Ave. about 10:30 p.m. Friday when an unidentified man ran up to him.

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A man who served time for a 2012 murder was shot in the chest during a clash in Harlem Friday, authorities said. (Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News)

The suspect coldly pulled a gun and opened fire, hitting Martin, 26, in the chest. His companion was not harmed.

EMS rushed Martin to Harlem Hospital, where he is expected to recover.

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His attacker ran off. No arrests have been made.

Police responded to a shooting at the corner of W. 129th street and Lenox Ave. Friday night. (Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News)

In 2012, when Martin was 17, he and another teen were arrested for opening fire on two other teens during an argument over a bicycle on Fifth Ave. near E. 118th St., roughly a dozen blocks from where he was shot Friday, police sources said.

One of the teens, Travis Nunez, was hit in the neck and later died, police said.

It wasnt clear who fired the fatal shot. Both teens were charged with murder and attempted murder.

A year after his arrest, Martin was convicted of manslaughter, weapons possession and hindering prosecution and was sentenced to five years in prison, according to court papers. He was released in 2018 and will remain on parole until 2023.

It was not clear if Fridays shooting was connected to the 2012 homicide, police said.

Cops on Saturday were scouring the area looking for surveillance images that could help them identify the gunman.
Detectives have arrested a second man responsible for a fatal broad-daylight shooting in the Bronx, police said Saturday.

An anonymous tip led the NYPDs Fugitive Task Force to Terrell Watts, 23, who was identified as one of the two men who allegedly killed Alfred Johnson on Oct. 7. He was nabbed without incident and taken into custody late Friday, cops said.

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Watts and Destin Black, 21, confronted and killed Johnson, 42, after the victim tried to stab a third man during an argument around 2:30 p.m. at River Ave. and E. 151st St. in Melrose, police charged.

Black allegedly shot Johnson once in the chest. EMS rushed him to Lincoln Hospital, but he could not be saved.

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It wasnt clear why Johnson was threatening the other man, cops said.

Surveillance video of the shooting helped police identify Black as the triggerman as well as Watts involvement, a police source with knowledge of the case said.

Black was arrested in November and charged with murder, manslaughter and gun possession. He remains incarcerated on Rikers Island as he prepares for his trial.

Cops also charged Watts with murder, manslaughter and weapons possession. He was ordered held without bail after arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court.
FILE - a gap in the border wall to reach the United States after crossing from Mexico to Yuma, Ariz., June 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia, File)
Google's commitment to protecting privacy is complicated. While most people think of Google as a search engine, or Gmail, or maybe even Google Docs, the company is first, and foremost, the world's largest advertising platform.

Balancing the extremely lucrative business of tracking users with the idea that they should have control over how their personal information is used gets tricky. Primarily that's because the company is very interested in knowing exactly what its users are interested in so it can show them personalized ads.

On Wednesday, however, Google said it's committed to creating a more privacy-centric alternative to tracking them across every app and website they visit. From the company's blog post:

Today, we're announcing a multi-year initiative to build the Privacy Sandbox on Android, with the goal of introducing new, more private advertising solutions. Specifically, these solutions will limit sharing of user data with third parties and operate without cross-app identifiers, including advertising ID.

Interestingly, there's a glaring omission from Google's announcement, which is that it's noticeably light on details. Specifically, Google hasn't said what it actually plans to do, only that it's working on something. It hasn't even said how long it plans to take--just that nothing will change for at least two years.

Contrast that with Apple's approach. Apple was upfront about its plans from the beginning. Those plans included requiring developers to ask permission before they could track users, a change that was implemented in iOS 14.5 last year. That change had a dramatic effect on the digital advertising industry, especially Facebook--which depends on the ability to track conversions and attribution.

It's notable that Google hasn't said it plans to require developers to ask users for permission. The company even took aim at Apple without mentioning the iPhone maker by name:

We realize that other platforms have taken a different approach to ads privacy, bluntly restricting existing technologies used by developers and advertisers. We believe that--without first providing a privacy-preserving alternative path--such approaches can be ineffective and lead to worse outcomes for user privacy and developer businesses.

Instead, Google says its guiding principle is simply to be sure users "know their information is protected." That's an important distinction. User's personal information is going to be used, and it doesn't appear the company plans to give them the same option to block tracking altogether.

Google assumes that tracking of some form is the default. Its plan is to do it in a way that is less offensive to users, but it fully intends on giving advertisers "the tools to succeed on mobile." Apple, instead, gave users a tool to shut it all off.

That's why I find it interesting that the biggest headline in many stories is that Google's change could be another blow to Meta, Facebook's parent company. Meta lost more than $280 billion off its market cap after it said that Apple's privacy changes will cost it as much as $10 billion this year.

I'm not sure that's true, however. The biggest hit to Facebook's business is that almost every user--when given the choice--opts out of letting apps track their activity. Since Google isn't requiring developers to ask permission before tracking users, it's likely to have much less of an impact on Facebook's business.

A quick look at the company's statement in response to Google's announcement is revealing. "Encouraging to see this long-term, collaborative approach to privacy-protective personalized advertising from Google," said Graham Mudd, Facebook's VP of product marketing, in a Tweet.

It's almost as though Google can read the room well enough to know that it has to say that it's going to do something while hoping that if it drags it out long enough, people will move on and forget about it. After all, Google is notorious for announcing vague plans that point in the direction of doing something about privacy, and then not actually doing much of anything.
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Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said this week that President Biden would likely "make a decision about any cancellation of student debt before the conclusion" of a pause on student loans, set to expire late this summer. The news comes with roughly six months left until the midterm elections and as prominent Democrat politicians like Elizabeth Warren increased calls this week for the President to do more to ease the student debt crisis in the country. Do you believe President Biden should cancel all student debt and pass the costs onto taxpayers? Why or why not? Let us know in this week's poll question below.

You voted:
Indiana, PA (15701)

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Periods of rain, heavy at times early. Low 59F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall may reach one inch..

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Periods of rain, heavy at times early. Low 59F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall may reach one inch.
Over the last few years, The United States government officials, particularly diplomats have reported largely unexplained collection of symptoms including dizziness, nausea, tinnitus, headaches and possible brain injuries.

There has been a constant debate over whether the symptoms experienced by US personnel around the world were induced by some kind of device or were psychological in nature. A US intelligence report identified pulsed electromagnetic energy and ultrasound as potential reasons for the mysterious Havana Syndrome symptoms suffered by US diplomats and spies in recent years.

However, according to a new report by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from January, most cases of so-called 'Havana Syndrome' can be linked to pre existing medical conditions or environmental or other factors, but not to an unidentified foreign attack on US Government officials.

What is Havana Syndrome?

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The syndrome is said to be stationed in Cuba beginning in late 2016. The diplomats had been dispatched to Cuba as part of President Barack Obama's rapprochement with Cuba, which began after decades of severed diplomatic relations between the two countries. In a span of 5 years, over thousands of US diplomats and defence personnel in China, Russia, Austria, Serbia, the White House, and beyond have reported similar symptoms of the mysterious illness.

Since the initial cases, US intelligence officers and diplomats began complaining of an array of unusual symptoms like hearing loss, dizziness, vertigo and related brain injuries. Affected individuals described hearing a sudden loud noise with directional characteristics, which was accompanied by pain in one or both ears, as well as vibrations felt in their head in some cases.

Others also reported vision impairments, cognitive difficulties and vertigo-like issues. It was widely speculated to be an acoustic attack initiated by some sort of sonic instrument. In some cases, those affected diplomats and intelligence officers have left active service due to complications from the condition.

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Officials are concerned with rising cases. In August last year, Kamala Harris's arrival in Vietnam was delayed after two cases of 'anomalous health incident' (AHI) were reported in Hanoi. Both the diplomats were medically evacuated and reported hearing strange noises, consistent with symptoms seen in Cuba.

In September last year, another intelligence officer traveling with CIA Director Bill Burns reported symptoms consistent with Havana syndrome during a trip to India.

Leading Theories around Havana Syndrome

Investigators initially assumed that the syndrome was caused by a sonic or acoustic weapon attack but in a later review by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine -- Pulsed radio-frequency energy (in other words, microwave attacks) was recognised as the most likely culprit.

The 'microwave attack' technology dates back to the US- Soviet Cold War when high-powered beams were used to disable electronics. A declassified National Security Agency (NSA) statement highlighted that this high powered microwave system weapon has the ability to weaken, intimidate, or kill an enemy, over time, and without leaving evidence.

AFP

For years, The University of Pennsylvania had discovered some evidence of brain abnormalities after examining a group of Havana Syndrome victims. This led to speculation that Russia or another foreign power was developing a weapon or employing radio-frequency surveillance equipment against intelligence officers and diplomats around the globe.

The CIA released an 'interim' comprehensive review this January, which concluded that any foreign power was unlikely to be behind the majority of the attacks, while the agency said it was reviewing a limited number of incidents to see if a foreign actor was involved. Medical issues, stress, and other variables were found to be the most common causes, according to the CIA.

The Latest U.S Intelligence Report

New York Times

However, a subsequent report released in early February by a group established last year by Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and CIA Director Mr. Burns found that some incidents of Havana Syndrome are most likely induced by directed energy or acoustic devices and cannot be explained by other circumstances.

The executive summary of the report claims that the indications and symptoms of suspected Havana Syndrome are "genuine and compelling," implying that someone is intentionally injuring U.S. personnel overseas in certain situations.

Many victims were unsatisfied with the preliminary conclusions, particularly current and former officials who have been suffering from chronic illnesses for years without receiving a clear explanation. The C.I.A. interim findings "cannot and must not be the final word on the topic," a group of victims said in a statement. The group also called these findings "a breach of faith".

It remains an open question whether this syndrome is linked to a deliberate weapon, or if it is an inadvertent side effect of a signals-intelligence collection system. U.S government bodies such as the CIA, the F.B.I., the Pentagon, and others are likely to continue investigating the source of these possible attacks.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News.
Amid reports of students and teachers being harassed and not being allowed to enter campuses wearing hijabs and burqas, citing a court order, the Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to see to it that its interim order is not violated.

The Karnataka HC had last week said that until it decides on whether Hijabs can be allowed in schools and colleges in the state, no religious symbols should be allowed on campuses.

BCCL

Students allege harassment

Some students had approached the HC stating that Muslims are being troubled over the interim order.

Advocate Tahir submitted before the court to provide clarity on the interim order prohibiting any religious symbols in the premises of colleges, contending that the order is also being implemented in Urdu schools, where all students and teachers are Muslims.

He further stated that students are being asked to remove hijabs and burqas outside such colleges and schools, following orders of the Minority Welfare Department. Teachers wearing hijab are also being stopped by officials saying that they are carrying out the interim orders of the High Court. All departments are passing orders in this regard, he said.

Reuters

The state Minority Welfare Department on Thursday issued a circular to ban students from wearing saffron shawls, scarfs, hijab, religious flags inside classrooms until further orders at educational institutions that come under the ambit of the department.

Counsel for petitioners has so far argued for the lifting of interim order prohibiting the wearing of hijab and saffron shawls to classes. However, the bench has not acceded to the demand.

Hijab not essential

Advocate General Prabhuling Navadagi, representing the government assured the court that it will be seen to it that not an iota of the interim order is violated.

Navadagi also told the court that Hijab is not an essential religious practice of the Muslim faith and preventing it does not violate the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.

BCCL

Arrest those creating trouble

As tensions continue in the state over the Hijab row, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Mining, Pralhad Joshi said that those who come to schools or colleges to make girl students wear or remove the hijab in classrooms should be arrested.

The hijab issue is now in the court. When the court is seized of the matter, a ruckus is being created. "Wherever the interim order regarding wearing of the hijab and not allowing religious symbols is not being followed, implement rules strictly," Joshi said.

AP

Whatever may be the final decision of the court, whether it comes in favour of wearing the hijab or not, one has to follow the court orders until then. It is wrong to say that irrespective of the court order, hijab will be worn in classrooms, he stated.

Only students and teachers must be allowed inside the college campuses. Outsiders should not be entertained. If anyone is creating trouble, the government should take action without mercy, he said.

For more on news, sports and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
At a time when several schools and colleges in Karnataka are turning away, Muslim girl students and even teachers for wearing hijab and burqa on the campus, an educational institute in Mysuru is taking a different approach.

According to a report in The Times of India, a private college in Mysuru city has cancelled its uniform rule to allow Muslim students to attend classes with the hijab.

It is the first college in the state to take such a decision.

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Four students refused to attend classes without the hijab and were protesting, DK Srinivasa Murthy, DDPU, Mysuru, told The Times of India. Some organisations extended support to them. I visited the college today and held discussions with all. Meanwhile, the college announced that it is cancelling its uniform rule to allow the students to attend classes, he added.

58 students suspended

Meanwhile, at least 58 female students from the Government Pre-University College of Shiralakoppa in Karnataka's Shivamogga district were suspended on Saturday for wearing hijab and also staging an agitation demanding that they should be allowed to attend classes.

Reuters

Although the college management, development committee tried to explain to the hijab-clad students the interim order of the High Court, they did not listen and pressed for wearing of hijab, according to the principal.

Hence, they were suspended from the college temporarily. The enraged students got into arguments with college authorities, leading to an intervention by the police to disperse them.

College shut indefinitely

Vijay Para-Medical College in Belagavi has declared a holiday for an indefinite period due to the protests, students of the SJVP College in Harihara boycotted classes after being denied entry to classrooms for hearing hijab.

BCCL

Hijab-clad students also gathered in the playground of the Ballary Saraladevi College after they were turned out from classes. They refused to speak to the police and in turn asked not to be disturbed.

In Kodagu, hijab-clad students staged a protest holding placards before the gate of the college.

FIR against students

On Friday, the Principal of Empress College of Tumakuru lodged a complaint against 15 to 20 students for violating prohibitory orders and demanding their right to wear hijab and attend classes.

Some students, who came to attend classes with saffron shawls protesting against Muslim students wearing hijab, were also denied entry and sent back in Nandhghad College of Khanapura in Belagavi district.

The Karnataka High Court had last week banned all kinds of religious symbols on campuses until it gives a final order on the ongoing row over Hijab.

For more on news, sports and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Blood is seen on the floor of a Key Food supermarket on Ralph Avenue near Glenwood Road in Brooklyn, New York, after a double-stabbing on Thursday. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News)

Two teens were stabbed and slashed during a brawl near a Brooklyn high school, police said Saturday.

The 16- and 17-year-old boys were walking toward E. 59th St. near Paerdegat Ave. South in Flatlands about 3:10 p.m. Friday when four other teens began chasing them, cops said.

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Police investigate a double-stabbing outside a Key Food supermarket on Ralph Ave. near Glenwood Rd. in Brooklyn. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News)

A fight broke out outside a Key Food supermarket on Ralph Ave. and the younger teen was stabbed in the chest and buttocks, officials said. The other teen suffered slash wounds to his face, shoulder and chest before the suspects ran off.

The wounded teens were rushed to Brookdale University Medical Center, where they were expected to recover.

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Police responded to a double-stabbing outside a Key Food supermarket on Ralph Ave. near Glenwood Rd. in Brooklyn Friday. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News)

The attack erupted a block away from South Shore High School, but it was not immediately clear if the teens were enrolled in the school.

A motive for the attack was not immediately disclosed. No arrests have been made.
As the world gets past another variant of COVID-19, and employees begin to join offices, the focus on mental health must not waver, warn experts. A recent article in Forbes says that companies should remain prepared for the fact that the workforce or at least a large percentage of it still may be dealing with anxiety, depression and stress.

A 2021 McKinsey survey found that, "While some employees may welcome the return to on-site work, one-third of respondents said their return to work has had a negative impact on their mental health. Almost half of those who have not yet returned anticipate negative mental health impacts."

Reuters

Changing priorities amid pandemic

The pandemic has made employees question their priorities and weigh the benefits and drawbacks of putting their personal priorities on the backburner for work. As a piece in Psychology Today noted, be they veteran columnists or millennial novelists, thought leaders are questioning the meaning of being productive and if exhausting commuting, unhealthy peer dynamics and unsafe work environments are worth sacrificing mental health for.

Those who cannot give up their jobs may suffer from depression and anxiety as they return to offices while even those who may have enjoyed working in an office, may find that they prefer working from home. Others may suffer from pandemic related anxieties.

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What complicates matters further according to the survey is that not all workspaces are free from the stigma associated with mental or substance-use disorders which may lead to many employees not seeking the care they need.

This brings me to the most important question of the moment; Can companies and employers make their employees feel safe post the pandemic? Psychologically? Physically? Emotionally?

Safety after all has many connotations. It could pertain to questions like: Is the workplace inclusive? Is it physically safe and compliant to post pandemic protocols? Does it make space for mental health issues without stigmatising them? Does it provide counselling to those who may need it?

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The return to onsite work may be necessary for a large number of employees whose job profiles cannot afford them further flexibility. How can employers be more cognizant of the factors that may impact the productivity and well-being of their workforce? I feel, through additional services, more empathetic systems and practises, companies can build safer, happier workplaces.

Here are some of the things employers can do right away to reassure the returnees.

Offer flexibility

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The June 2021 McKinsey survey says that over 49 percent of respondents believed that going back to work will have "somewhat or significant negative impacts" while of those who had returned on-site, 36 percent respondents reported negative mental health effects. Employers can address such concerns by engaging directly with returnees, making time to hear them out, not dismissing their fears and anxieties and offering them the help they need to overcome them.

A company that is insensitive to the mental health struggles of its employees cannot expect optimum productivity from them. It is important to configure what employees need. If they need more time to focus on their health and if a hybrid work model cannot be extended to them, maybe they can be afforded more flexibility in their deliverables and schedules.

Ensure physical and psychological safety

As a leader, ask yourself if it is fair to expect pre-pandemic level of productivity from employees who may be recovering from a long bout of COVID-19, or are exhausted by caregiving duties or are anxious if they will catch an infection when they come back to work. On-site COVID-19 and antibody testing, air filtration systems, outdoor spaces, sanitation protocols to create a healthier and safer environment along with counselling can help your employees transition to on-site work more easily.

In the Cornell Chronicle, Nellie Brown, director of Workplace Health and Safety Programs at the ILR School, has stated, "It (the pandemic) got people to think a lot more seriously about health and safety as a tool for organizing and for improving workplace conditions. While people might have had concerns in the past about health and safety, they just werent as motivated to do something about it as now; suddenly there was the risk of a severe illness which could cost them their lives."

This realisation she says has made employees and employers more aware of the importance of safety at all levels. A 2020 survey initiated by the website careerbuilder.in, revealed disturbingly that 55% of Indian workers are bullied at their workplace. Issues such as these also must be tackled proactively, especially if workers are already feeling less than motivated to come back to the office.

Counter misinformation

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Nellie Brown and many health experts as well as social commentators have commented on the simultaneous pandemic of misinformation about COVID-19. In many parts of the world, there has been huge resistance to mask mandates and vaccine protocols at the workplace.

In Ottawa, Canada, for instance, truckers are protesting against pandemic restrictions. Vaccine hesitancy exists in all spheres of society including in businesses dominated by white collar workers. If there are employees in your workforce who are hesitant about taking their vaccine shots or wearing masks, it may become necessary to communicate company policy to them for the safety of fully vaccinated employees who are abiding by safety protocols.

Initiating a conversation and an information outreach strategy may also be required to ensure that employees are not getting all their pandemic related 'news' from just social media. Get an expert on board to address sessions, answer questions and soothe concerns about the pandemic, vaccines and other protocols.

Promote work-life balance

Agencies

The pandemic has impacted everyone differently. Employees have suffered acute isolation, burnout, the blurring of personal and private time, depression, musculoskeletal injuries, an increase in substance abuse, unhealthy weight loss or gain. None of these issues can be overlooked as the workforce returns to offices. This is why it is necessary that employers do all they can to promote work-life balance, encourage and facilitate exercise as well as therapy, and draw a strong line between personal and professional time even for teleworkers.

The idea is to create a supportive environment that makes people feel safe to address and solve their problems. The most important takeaway from this pandemic for team leaders is that the psychosocial and mental health impact of working during this time cannot be ignored.

A study led by WHO estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity and these numbers may even have spiralled during the pandemic. At every level hence, it makes sense to invest in employees who invest their lives and health in their jobs.

Be aware of fault lines

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WHO has outlined a few signs of unsafe workplaces and these include, "inadequate health and safety policies, poor communication and management practice, limited participation in decision-making or low control over ones area of work, low levels of support for employees, unclear tasks or organizational objectives."

At a time when so many industries are suffering severe economic setbacks and are struggling to stay afloat, it may seem normal to overlook the concerns of the employees and the fault lines that create anxiety for them. But every little gesture of concern increases productivity and team spirit that are crucial to turning companies around. Creating programmes for career development, upskilling modules, recognizing and rewarding the contribution of employees, will help to not just alleviate their morale but also help companies to grow stronger in the long run.

Alok Bansal is the MD of Visionet Systems India and Global Head of BFSI Business. All views/ opinions expressed in the article are of the author.


Could Earth be an intelligent entity? Astrobiologists recently outlined how our home planet Earth may not only be alive, but also have a mind of its own.

Scientists called this idea "planetary intelligence," describing the collective knowledge and cognitive abilities of any planet, outlining it in a paper published in the International Journal of Astrobiology.

In the paper, scientists claim to have enough evidence that suggests underground networks of fungi on Earth are constantly communicating, implying that an invisible intelligence currently exists on Earth.

iStock

What does this mean for humans?

Adam Frank, co-author of the paper from the University of Rochester in a press release claimed that "we dont yet have the ability to communally respond in the best interests of the planet." Frank was referring to human activities on Earth that are currently causing radical changes on the planet - be it in the form of climate change, pollution, or resource exploitation.

iStock

According to Frank, such enquiries into the Earth's invisible mind could help humans become responsible in terms of how we treat the planet and its abundant resources. In addition, he believes that this might help humans find aliens.

Also read: Earth's Ecosystems Are Reaching A Point Of No Recovery From Climate Change

"Were saying the only technological civilizations we may ever see  the ones we should expect to see  are the ones that didnt kill themselves, meaning they must have reached the stage of a true planetary intelligence," Frank said.

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Its authors believe such studies could help humans unite the knowledge needed to survive climate change and the potential of life on planets where "life and intelligence evolve."

Also read: Scientists See How Earth Will Eventually Die, After Dead Planet Smashes Into Dead Star



What do you think - does Earth have a mind of its own? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.



References

Frank, A. (2022). Intelligence as a planetary scale process | International Journal of Astrobiology. Cambridge Core.
Love makes the world go round and this British diplomat proves the same - Rhiannon Harries came to India for work four years ago. However, she did not expect to fall in love. Now, Harries has tied the knot with an Indian man, and their wedding picture has gone viral on social media for all the right reasons.

Harries is Britain's Deputy Trade Commissioner (South Asia) and works in New Delhi. The diplomat shared a beautiful picture from her wedding ceremony. The diplomat wore a bright red lehenga with heavy jewellery and mehendi.

Twitter

She looked breathtaking in the traditional outfit of a north-Indian bride. In the pictures that have now gone viral on social media, the diplomat's husband is seen in a sherwani and turban.

When I arrived in India nearly 4 years ago, I had many hopes & dreams for my time here. But never did I imagine I would be meeting & marrying the love of my life, the bride wrote.

When I arrived in #India nearly 4 years ago, I had many hopes & dreams for my time here. But never did I imagine I would be meeting & marrying the love of my life.  I found such happiness in #IncredibleIndia & so glad it will always be a home.  #shaadi #livingbridge #pariwar pic.twitter.com/mfECCj3rWi  Rhiannon Harries (@RhiannonUKGov) February 18, 2022

I found such happiness in #IncredibleIndia & so glad it will always be a home, she added.



Harries has married Himanshu Pandey who is an independent filmmaker and founder of Godrockfilms.

The viral photograph was loved by many, and people wished the couple a happy married life.

Andrew Fleming, Britains deputy high commissioner in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana said, Knowing @RhiannonUKGov am sure she will be inviting all the family round for dinner as soon as it is safe."



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The single-most thing that inspires me about the administration, one of the things I can say about this President and Vice President, is decency, said White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
The Felicity Ace, a massive cargo ship carrying thousands of Volkswagen Group vehicles, caught fire near the Azores islands in the Atlantic Ocean Wednesday afternoon.

The Panama-flagged ships 22 crewmembers were evacuated and taken to a local hotel by the Portuguese Navy and Air Force, who were deployed to help with the rescue effort, according to a statement from the Navy. The ship itself was left unmanned and adrift.

An internal email from Volkswagen AGs U.S. operations revealed there were 3,965 vehicles aboard the ship. Headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany, the group manufactures cars under brands including VW, Porsche, Audi and Lamborghini  all of which were in tow when the vessel set ablaze.

More than 100 of those cars were headed for the Port of Houston in Texas, with VW GTI, Golf R, and ID.4 models deemed to be at risk, according to the email. The auto industry is already struggling with supply issues, including pandemic-related staffing woes and the global chip shortage.

Luke Vandezande, a spokesperson for Porsche, said the company estimates around 1,100 of its vehicles were among those on board Felicity Ace at the time of the fire. He said customers affected by the incident are being contacted by their dealers. Our immediate thoughts are of relief that the 22 crew of the merchant ship Felicity Ace are safe and well, Vandezande said.

A spokesperson for Lamborghinis U.S. operation declined to comment on the number of cars the company had on board or which models were affected, but said that they are in contact with the shipping company to get more information about the incident.

Some customers expressed their disappointment on social media. One Twitter user reported his custom specd Porsche Boxter Spyder was on board the ship. Standard models of the vehicle start around $99,650.

The Boxster Spyder with Deman 4.5 motor and shorty gears is the best sports car of all time, hands down. I had it specced exactly as I wanted it. There is no moving on. https://t.co/egaYJV5VEC

 Matt I Park Cars Farah (@TheSmokingTire) Feb. 16, 2022

Felicity Ace is roughly the size of three football fields and was on its way to a port in Davisville, Rhode Island, when a distress signal was issued due to a fire on one of its cargo decks.

Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, the operator of Felicity Ace, said it has commissioned a salvage company to assess the situation. An initial team arrived in the Azores and was expected to reach the ship later Friday. Further salvage assets are being readied to attend the vessel, the company said in a statement. MOL will make every effort to contain the damage and resolve the situation as the main priorities.

The registered owner of the vessel is Snowscape Car Carriers SA, and the protection and indemnity insurer is Britannia Steam Ship, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Its not the first time the VW group has lost vehicles at sea. When the Grande America caught fire and sank in 2019, more than 2,000 luxury cars, including Audis and Porsches, sank with it.

With assistance from Monica Raymunt and Takashi Amano.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
AS THE Tinder Swindler continues to rank high in the top 10 of most popular shows on Netflix, the reality is that many people will never meet the fraudster who rips off or financial ruins them.

The perfect storm of Covid and the explosion in online investment products and offers means it has never easier to try and make money.

On the flip side, those same investors could be as easily swindled out of their own money without lifting their head from the same screen on which they watched The Tinder Swindler.

While some make massively successful investments in products such as bitcoin and dogecoin, others are being duped by websites and contacts who initially seem plausible but who end up escaping with vast amounts of money from unsuspecting investors.

The same viewers of Netflix's Tinder Swindler could be swindled out of their own money without lifting their head from the same screen. Picture: Netflix

Investment research published in September by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, resulting from a survey of 1,002 adults across the country, showed that 36% of respondents have an investment product. Of those, 11% holds some kind of cryptocurrency.

The research revealed that investors under the age of 35 years are more likely to hold cryptocurrencies or other forms of crypto-assets, with 18% of those surveyed in the 24 to 35 years age category having invested in cryptocurrency. Just 6% of those aged between 45 and 54 have invested in it, with the figure decreasing to just 1% of investors over the age of 55.

Now, gardai are training officers to investigate blockchain technology and purchase the IT systems required to trace and examine and analyse blockchains.

Blockchain technology is a secure and decentralised record of transactions, and is most commonly used in the area of cryptocurrency.

Gardai say that investment fraud has risen dramatically during the pandemic, with fraudsters zoning in on the growing obsession with cryptocurrency. In the 12 months between January 1 and December 31, 2021, there were 234 reports of investment fraud made to gardai  up from 50 in 2019.

Det Supt Michael Cryan of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau said: It rose dramatically last year  it rose 180% in 2020 and a further 67% in 2021. The amount of money stolen doubled in 2020. The amount of money does not always equate with the amount of reports. In 2019 there was about 4m reported stolen, 8m in 2020 and about 12m in 2021. That is a colossal jump.

He said people can easily get caught online when it comes to investment fraud.

He explained: One way you can get caught is when you see a pop up ad on social media and you click on it.

Describing this method as subtle, Det Supt Cryan said that such ads use images of well-known people, with the message that they are investing in cryptocurrency  which some people believe.

Detective Superintendent Michael Cryan heads up the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau says investment fraud has risen dramatically during the pandemic, with fraudsters zoning in on the growing obsession with cryptocurrency.

Influenced by the advertisement, they end up investing in the belief that the well-known successful person used on the advertisement would not have invested if it was not worth doing so. As a result, they end up losing money in the scam.

People also get duped after a

friend suggests they invest in cryptocurrency  be it a real friend or be it a romance fraud, social media type friend, said Det Supt Cryan.

Victims

For example, one investigation gardai carried out centred on a romance fraud in which a man from North Cork was duped into sending thousands of euro by bitcoin to a person he met on a dating site.

The man met a person online who convinced him that she needed money sent to her because of a personal emergency.

The money was initially to be wired through Western Union but the man could not do so because he was not close to a Western Union outlet.

However, the scammer advised the man that he could instead send the money through a bitcoin ATM, and managed to advise him of the location of one of Corks few such ATMs.

It is not known if the scammers had local knowledge or found the details of the bitcoin facility online. In many cases, such scams are operated outside of Ireland, making it very difficult to get money back or bring scammers to justice.

The money was not recovered.

In another case reported to gardai , a 38-year-old male reported being scammed. He told officers that he began engaging online with a woman who told him that she needed money to return home from Mexico. The male sent 3,800 via bitcoin in one transaction, before realising he had been conned.

According to Det Supt Cryan, even people who believe they are investment-savvy can be duped by advertisements they find when looking online for investment opportunities in cryptocurrency.

Fine Gael TD Emer Higgins said: It is important that anyone interested in buying and investing in virtual currencies fully understands the risks involved. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Gardai advise people to seek independent legal and financial advice before investing in anything to do with cryptocurrency, because it is not regulated by the Central Bank in Ireland.

As a result, people who invest in it have no consumer protection and no comeback  even if the company they are investing with is legitimate.

Legislation

Det Supt Cryan says most people have very little knowledge about cryptocurrency, making it more difficult for them to know the difference between legitimate opportunities and scams.

He said: They think bitcoin is the only one but there are thousands of them. There are certainly people who have made a lot of money on cryptocurrency earlier on.

He stressed that there are legitimate companies operating in the cryptocurrency sphere. But he said some individuals who have accounts with legitimate companies are using the systems to defraud unsuspecting investors out of large sums of money.

While An Garda Siochana is training officers about the technology behind investment fraud, and educating the public about it, Det Supt Cryan says that legislation is not yet up to speed with online investment scams.

He said: Even the law probably needs to be updated because the law we have in relation to seizing, for example, talks about bank accounts. He points out that legislation dealing with fraud was drawn up decades before the arrival of cryptocurrencies.

The law in relation to sharing and gathering evidence abroad needs updating. It is not designed for online fraud. It is not a criticism  just fact.

The world changes faster than legislation and the world is a very small place. There are no borders in cyber-land.

In an answer to a parliamentary question recently regarding regulation of cryptocurrency, put down by Fine Gael Dublin Mid West TD Emer Higgins, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, said that the Government has been monitoring developments in the sphere of virtual currencies in Ireland and internationally over the past five years.

Finance Minister Pacshal Donohoe says the regulatory response to cryptocurrency fraud must be a coordinated global effort.

He added: It has always been my intention that any regulation in this space would be adequate, proportionate and comprehensive without discouraging innovation.

Due to the global (or borderless) nature of virtual currencies, the potential threat to monetary sovereignty by virtual currencies like stablecoins, the speed of change and complexity in the technology, and its potential use for illicit transactions, the regulatory response must be a coordinated global effort. Regulatory gaps in the treatment of virtual assets must be identified and addressed across jurisdictions.

Ms Higgins told the Irish Examiner: We all know about the prevalence of phishing scams and fraudulent phone calls and malicious texts, innovations like online trading and cryptocurrency sales arent immune from fraud either. She has seen a rise in interest among young people, particularly young men, in buying and investing in virtual currencies.

While she believes in a persons freedom to invest in whatever financial avenue they wish, she said: It is important that they fully understand the risks involved.

Virtual currencies have no legal tender status in Ireland for payment, and theyre not guaranteed or regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, and unfortunately this can lead to losing your investment or being the victim of fraud.

She said that since April 23 last year, the providers of certain services in relation to virtual assets have to meet anti-money laundering and countering of financing of terrorism obligations.

Virtual currency providers established in Ireland are also required to register with the Central Bank.

She added: Steps are being taken to make people aware of the risks associated with cryptocurrencies but I would welcome a sustained information campaign and visible warnings on all advertisements for virtual currencies.

We all know about the prevalence of phishing scams and fraudulent phone calls and malicious texts, innovations like online trading and cryptocurrency sales arent immune from fraud either, Fine Gael TD Emer Higgins said. Picture: Moya Nolan

In recent weeks, the Central Bank published its Securities Markets Risk Outlook Report, which examines key risks to security markets, and the actions to be taken to address such risks.

Among the products highlighted in the report were crypto assets, which, it said, are likely to be highly risky and speculative.

It pointed to a warning from the European Supervisory Authorities in February 2018 that urged consumers to be alert to the high risks of buying and/or holding these instruments, including the possibility of losing all their investment.

The Central Bank report outlined: In addition, crypto-assets come in many forms but the majority of them remain unregulated in the EU. This means that investors buying and/or holding these instruments do not benefit from the guarantees and safeguards associated with regulated financial services.
Texas real-estate broker Jenna Ryan is reportedly free from Federal Prison Camp Bryan, where she was sentenced to 60 days incarceration for her role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Shed pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor parading charge after posing in front of a broken window at the Capitol that she and other Donald Trump supporters then entered to interfere with the certification of the 2020 election.

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Jenna Ryan was sentenced to 60 days in jail for her role in the Jan. 6 insurrection, despite claims she had done nothing wrong and a claim on social media that she isnt the incarceration type. (Twitter)

Ryan  who took a private plane to attend that Washington D.C. rally  also wrote on Twitter before her sentencing Sorry I have blonde hair white skin a great job a great future and Im not going to jail.

A security camera surveillance photo included in an FBI criminal complaint filed against Jenna Ryan shows Ryan entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. (FBI/U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia/FBI/U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia/TNS)

The Dallas Observer reports that the 51-year-old MAGA loyalist compared her being held accountable for participating in the Capitol siege to the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust, where 6 million Jewish people were killed in labor camps. She also claimed to be a victim of cancel culture.

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[ Howard Stern to Trump supporters: He hates you and so do I ]

Ryan told a Dallas/Fort Worth news station in 2021 that she thought she following the instruction of the former president, who spoke at a D.C. rally before the violence of Jan. 6 began. She also said she felt that she and those involved in sacking the Capitol deserve a pardon from then-President Trump.

A federal court refusedTrumps request to toss out lawsuits attempting to hold him responsible for the insurrection Friday.

Ryan was back on Twitter Thursday retweeting right-wing conspiracy theories, including an article from the Alex Jones website InfoWars about government mind control. She also wrote Best. Birthday. Ever.
Last weekends Business Post newspaper ran a most extraordinary lead story from reporters Aaron Rogan and Daniel Murray.

The story was based on a secret recording of top health officials which laid bare a startling picture of just how shambolic our health service is.

Rogan and Murrays report set out in forensic detail the unfettered discussion among the officials about significant failures and weaknesses in the controls over the annual health budget of 22bn.

The recording of an internal Department of Health meeting on January 27 contained references to fake targets, concerns about the HSEs financial sloppiness, and the credibility of the health budget.

Two officials at the meeting on January 27 said in no uncertain terms that 10,000 WTEs (whole-time equivalent employees) would not be recruited, giving the updated figure as just 5,500.

Theyre not going to fill 10,000. So forget about that. Thats out of date. Forget it. Its not going to happen, one official said at the meeting.

Most significantly, the story exposed a fundamental error in the HSEs 2020 accounts, potentially relating to hundreds of millions of euro, and incredulity that the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) had signed off on the accounts.

At one stage in the meeting, one official said that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was a little bit incredulous that, on January 27, the Department of Health still did not know the end-of-year financial position of the HSE.

The official then revealed that during a call with HSE financial staff, he had been informed that the health agency was talking about doing prior year adjustments for 2020, which he described as an interesting development.

A prior-year adjustment is usually a correction of errors in the reporting on a companys prior period financial statement.

In the officials view, they are kind of a no-no in the accounting world and he said that this was evident by the facial expressions of some health officials reacting to the news.

Effectively, if any plc company does a prior year adjustment, its a huge red flag that there is something amiss in their original estimates for that year, and thats equally applicable here, the official said.

There were repeated mentions about unachievable political targets, meaning that money was being spent on the HSE which could not be used for the budgeted purpose, such as in this years record mental health allocation.

Officials discussed the dysfunction and lack of trust at the heart of the countrys health service, particularly between the department and the HSE.

It was powerful stuff, and the potency of the story was that this was a group of officials, not minding their Ps and Qs before an Oireachtas committee, but instead speaking candidly as to how much of an omnishambles the situation is.

While the story was shocking in its level of detail and what that detail alluded to, what was not shocking was the nature of the nothing to see here type response from the HSE, which has been a hallmark of its communications in years gone by.

The playbook was simple.

Allege the story was wrong or misleading in some way, throw as much mud at it as you can, and hope to discredit it in order to nullify its impact.

I know it, as I have been on the receiving end of it several times during my career, even when the HSE rebuttal to us turned out to be utterly incorrect, and senior bosses had to apologise to an Oireachtas committee over it.

Paul Reid, the HSE chief executive, took to the airwaves on Monday to refute the story, saying the issues in relation to recruitment and financial management were factually incorrect.

But, as Mr Reid and other officials continued speaking throughout the week, they actually confirmed the primary elements of the story.

Reid confirmed that 5,500 and not the 10,000 staff numbers would be recruited. At a committee, Robert Watt, the top official in the Department of Health, admitted hitting a target of 10,000 new hires will be very, very difficult to reach.

The minimum target is now for 5,500 new hires, and the original target of 10,000 is a stretch target, he told committee members.

Despite criticising the Business Post, the Taoiseach, under pressure in the Dail, confirmed that the recruitment of new staff to the HSE is likely to be half of what the funded target is this year.

In the recorded meeting, officials speculated the budget adjustment could be in the hundreds of millions of euro, but Reid on Monday it would be under 100m, thereby confirming the most significant aspect of the story.

This means large volumes of money were accounted for as spent by the HSE in its 2020 statements and signed off on as legitimately spent by the Comptroller and Auditor General, when in fact that money was not spent.

When pressed as to why public officials in that meeting suggested it could be hundreds of millions all Reid could say was that such comments were unfortunate.

Reid also accepted the fundamental point that the HSE  our health service  does not have a proper financial management system 17 years after its creation.

Much of the mud slung at the Business Post by the Taoiseach and others were that the Zoom meeting was recorded and it was a breach of confidentiality.

That is true, it was. However, what is also true is that the defence for publishing in the public interest is overwhelming.

Deficit in transparency

In a normal functioning world, minutes of meetings such as these would be made public. And no, not the meaningless versions of minutes that departments put out which give no substantive insight as to the discussions undertaken.

Real minutes. But in Ireland, that never happens.

Such a deficit in transparency forces whistleblowers to take extraordinary risks in terms of their own futures to speak out when they see wrong.

Such a deficit in openness is not acceptable. It is our money, after all, they were so casually throwing around. The experience of many whistleblowers in this country is far from pleasant.

Just ask Maurice McCabe, Claire Looney, and Noel Wardick.

Reading between the lines of the meeting were the levels of distrust that still exist between the HSE and its mother department of Health.

Added to this is the near-toxic mistrust that exists in the Departments of Public Expenditure and the Taoiseach toward both the Department of Health and the HSE.

These hostilities are not new.

One thinks back to when then money ministers Brendan Howlin and Michael Noonan rejected a plan from then Health Minister James Reilly to introduce universal healthcare, saying it would threaten the financial viability of the State.

Howlin has been on record that during Reillys time in office, the budget numbers being offered up were not reliable.

Just last year, current money minister Michael McGrath and his officials cast grave doubt over the reliability of the spending numbers coming from Health, with a gap of 700m emerging.

Indeed, as we reported on Friday, the Department of Health was told that budget estimates it submitted were so out of kilter with what had been agreed that they could not even be considered for ministerial engagement.

In the run-up to last years budget, McGraths officials said the figures submitted were not in line with the fiscal parameters that had been set out in correspondence to them or preliminary discussions.

When you step back and consider how wide and deep the sense of dysfunction around our health service actually is, it is simply bonkers.

The upshot to all of this is a health system which has almost 1m people on waiting lists and hundreds of people on trolleys in emergency departments this week, as well as massive gaps in services for children, the disabled, and the elderly.

That is the reality, that was the reality set out in that recorded meeting, and that is why we the public deserved to hear it, warts and all.
A federal judge has rejected efforts by Donald Trump to block lawsuits filed by legislators and two US capitol police officers, saying in his ruling that the former American presidents words plausibly led to the insurrection on January 6 2021.

US district court judge Amit Mehta said in his ruling that Mr Trumps words during a rally before the violent storming of the US capitol were likely words of incitement not protected by the First Amendment.

He wrote: Only in the most extraordinary circumstances could a court not recognise that the First Amendment protects a presidents speech.

Donald Trump with his children, Eric, Donald Jr and Ivanka, pictured in 2010 (AP)

But the court believes this is that case.

The order is the latest example of growing legal peril for the former US president.

Just hours earlier, the National Archives said records found at Mr Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort contained classified information and that it had notified the US justice department.

On Thursday, a judge in New York ruled that Mr Trump and two of his children must answer questions under oath in New York states civil investigation into his business practices.

Another judge ordered that his companys financial chief should be subjected to questioning in another probe by the District of Columbia attorney generals office.

Earlier this week, the firm that prepared Mr Trumps annual financial statements said the documents, used to secure lucrative loans and burnish the former presidents image as a wealthy businessman, should no longer be relied upon.

Revelations that Mr Trump took government records with him to Mar-a-Lago is a political and potentially legal headache for the former president (AP)

During a planned rally on the Ellipse in Washington DC just hours before US congress was to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden, Mr Trump told his supporters to fight like hell, and if you dont fight like hell, youre not going to have a country any more.

He said: (Were) going to try to and give (weak Republicans) the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country, and then told the crowd to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.

Judge Mehta said Mr Trumps speech could have directed people to break the law.

But the judge dismissed similar charges made against Mr Trumps son Donald Trump Jr and lawyer Rudy Giuliani, saying their speech was protected by the First Amendment.

Rudy Giuliani (John Stilwell/PA)

Mr Mehta has not yet ruled on another motion to dismiss from Alabama Republican representative Mo Brooks, who was also named in the suits.

The lawsuits, filed by US representative Eric Swalwell, officers James Blassingame and Sidney Hemby and initially by representative Bennie Thompson, argued that Mr Trump, Mr Trump Jr, Mr Giuliani and Mr Brooks made false and incendiary allegations of fraud and theft, and in direct response to the defendants express calls for violence at the rally, a violent mob attacked the US capitol.

Mr Thompson later dropped out of the lawsuit when he was named to lead the Select Committee investigating the January 6 insurrection. The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) continued in his stead.

The lawsuits cite a federal civil rights law that was enacted to counter the Ku Klux Klans intimidation of officials.

They spell out in detail how the Trumps, Mr Giuliani and Mr Brooks spread baseless claims of election fraud, both before and after the 2020 presidential election was declared, and charged that they helped to spin up the thousands of rioters before they stormed the US capitol.

They have all denied the allegations.

Five people died as a result of the violence on January 6, including a US capitol police officer.
Burma Junta Watch: Military Throws a Party as COVID Rages; Another ASEAN Snub and More

Min Aung Hlaing and his astrological adviser U Kovida place a diamond orb atop the century-old Maha Myat Muni Buddha Image in Kengtung on Feb. 15.

Junta does its best to spread the coronavirus

Undeterred by the latest outbreak of COVID-19, the military regime celebrated Myanmars 75th Union Day in Naypyitaw on Feb. 12 with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing presiding over a grand military review. Myanmar has seen a significant surge in COVID-19 cases since late January. On Jan. 31, 278 cases were detected (3.35 percent of the total samples tested on the day). The figure jumped to 1,607 (6.5 percent) on the eve of the celebration.

Among those present at the event, regime employees and students alone numbered 10,400. If we count the guests from the respective regions and states, representatives of ethnic armed organizations and political parties, military personnel, cultural dance groups, floats and the 46 columns of marchers and 10 aircraft squadrons that saluted coup leader Min Aung Hlaing, the total attendance may have been in the tens of thousands.

Min Aung Hlaing still looking for a magic boost

Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday placed a Hti umbrella atop a century-old Buddha image in Kengtung in eastern Shan Statethe second time the junta leader has engaged in the ritual in less than a week, after doing the same at a pagoda in Pwintbyu Township in Magwe Region on Feb. 10.

Myanmar people are all too aware that Min Aung Hlaings motivation for placing the Hti umbrellas is not Buddhist piety, but his belief that the act serves as a magic ritual that will help him conquer his enemies and maintain his grip on power for a long time.

As in previous ceremonies, Min Aung Hlaing was accompanied by his family members in Kengtung. U Kovida, who is widely believed to be the coup leaders astrological adviser, was also present, supervising the consecration ceremony.

Commonly known as Vasipake Sayadaw for his vows of silence, the monk has been accused of advising the coup leader to tell security forces to shoot protesters in the head. Most of the anti-regime protesters killed in the early days of the junta crackdown had bullet wounds to the head.

Min Aung Hlaing has been his follower since 2006, when the general was serving as the commander of the Myanmar militarys Triangle Region, which oversees eastern Shan State.

Bhaddanta Dhamma Siri, known as Two Dragon Sayadaw after his monastery, also attended the ceremony. The monk was the first to receive the religious title Abhidhaja Maha Rahta Guruone of the highest in Myanmarafter the coup last year.

After the ceremony, Min Aung Hlaing visited the construction site of the Thatta Thattaha Maha Bodhi Pagoda being built by U Kovida. There he rang a Peace and Prosperity bell, even as the country spirals into poverty and civil war because of his coup.

Min Aung Hlaings visit to eastern Shan State, the home of Bhaddanta Dhamma Siri and U Kovida, was his second since last years coup. U Kovida accompanied the coup leader throughout his latest trip to Kengtung, according to junta-controlled TV.

Junta boss obsession with denigrating NLD continues

Min Aung Hlaing met military personnel and their families at Mongkhat in the militarys Triangle Region Command in Shan State on Wednesday. As usual, the junta leader spoke ill of the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, in an attempt to instill anti-NLD sentiment among military personnel.

At Wednesdays meeting, he also pointed to the partys alleged shortcomings as justification for his coup. Before the NLD came to office, he claimed, it urged ethnic armed organizations not to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement. The peace process achieved little progress under the NLD government, he said.

He further alleged that the country suffered a huge trade deficit because the NLD government failed to encourage domestic production, and that the NLD government unnecessarily halted projects implemented with foreign loans, causing the country to suffer losses. It also took massive loans from foreign countries, which imposed a heavy burden on the country, he added.

Over the past year, Min Aung Hlaing has changed laws promulgated under the NLD government, resumed projects suspended by it, changed the name of a Mon State bridge built during the NLD administration, and released firebrand nationalist monk U Wirathu, who was charged for defamation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her government.

Another ASEAN meeting proceeds without Myanmar

Regime Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin was excluded from the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting this week because of a disagreement within the bloc over Myanmars lack of cooperation in implementing last years Five-Point Consensus.

Last October, the disagreement kept coup leader Min Aung Hlaing from participating in a virtual meeting of ASEAN leaders.

Cambodia, the current ASEAN chair, said earlier this month that members of the regional group had failed to reach a consensus on inviting U Wunna Maung Lwin to its meetings on Wednesday and Thursday in Cambodias capital, Phnom Penh.

On Monday, the regimes Foreign Ministry said it would not participate in the meetings because the regime was only invited to send a non-political representative instead of its chief diplomat.

During the meeting, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, ASEANs new special envoy to the country, said he planned to visit Myanmar in March and meet with top junta officials. He called on the countrys military junta to allow him to meet a shadow National Unity Government representative, in an effort to break a deadlock between the military and opponents of the coup.

The NUG is dominated by lawmakers from Daw Aung San Suu Kyis ousted NLD, and is working to overthrow the junta.



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Protesters hold a picture of Ma Mya Thwet Thwet Khine in Naypyitaw. / The Irrawaddy
Saying they needed more time to reach a consensus, Key Biscayne Charter Revision Commission members on Feb. 10 put three issues on hold after lengthy discussions: possibly tweaking the election process; how land development regulations are approved; and, how the city could borrow money when up against the debt cap.

It was the second in a series of meetings, held every 10 years, aimed at amending or retaining the Village of Key Biscaynes current governmental regulations.

Discussions will continue at the March 1 meeting (9 a.m.) on elections, while the other two issues are expected to be further looked at during the March 10 meeting (6 p.m.).

Commission members did, however, agree on amending Article IV, Section 4.03 (9), raising the minimum expense from $500,000 to $1 million for action regarding capital improvements requiring an ordinance. Village Manager Steve Williamson pointed out that the $500,000 on the books since 2002 would now be worth as much as $920,000.

The Village also will continue to use legal ads as required by law, as well as mailers  Its what our residents have come to expect, said Chair Allison McCormick.

Williamson said, for example, in 2020 there were three capital improvements over $500,000 and it cost the city $7,500 for each notification as the charter calls for residents to be notified at their residences through door hangers or mailed notices, as well as $22,000 in legal costs.

Thats a lot of money, McCormick said, adding that maybe in 10 years, when the next Charter Revision Commission meets, just electronic communications could be used.

The Village has 4,500 e-mails on record for the citys 14,809 residents, although the population of those under 18 is 3,600 and they would not necessarily receive notices, but each capital improvement project twice comes before Council, and the public.

Any decisions made by the Charter Revision Commission eventually would land in the voters hands later this year.

Regarding the three hot-button issues:

* Elections: A proposal first introduced at the previous meeting by Commission member Jennifer Stearns Buttrick, calling for Council members to run for specific seats and going back to majority voting (which stopped in 2006), was again discussed in detail.

She said Thursday the Council election could be run like the mayoral election, in which there is a primary and then the top two would face a runoff in the general election. Other nearby communities, such as Coral Gables, operate that way.

In the last election, 10 candidates ran for three seats, with the leading political figure receiving 35%-40% of the vote (Buttrick admits she was off in her percentage estimation in the previous meeting), but not quite the 51% majority, of course.

Buttrick said in the last election the GO Bond issue made a distinctive difference in the candidates platforms, but without a major topic, when you have 10 people running, its hard to distinguish (much difference), she said.

McCormick said, We cant give up hope yet on how we run three seats at-large ... I would be concerned about pitting one candidate against each other, so seats are not sitting well with me (at the moment).

Jud Kerlancheek thought the balance of power on the Council could be swayed if, for example, representatives of a condo association ran for each seat and won.

I think it would result in fighting each other rather than advocating policies (for the best interest of the city), he said. Ive seen it before in Miami Beach, Hollywood ... and the county.

Marco Gomez offered an idea of taking the top six vote-getters in a primary, if three seats were open, in order to advance.

Buttrick said the 50% mark is what representative government is.

I think it affects some Council members who got a very small percentage of the vote and (perhaps) they dont feel they have to (necessarily) answer to the public, said Buttrick, who will go back to see if primaries were ever used in local Council elections.

Resident Ann Taintor, speaking during public comments, persuaded the Commission to keep the current election process intact.

If it isnt broke, dont fix it, she said, saying Key Biscayne should not be compared to areas such as Coral Gables or Palmetto Bay, because they are more spread out and divisive seats would not be necessary in such a close-knit community as ours.

The discussion on Article V, Section 5.01 will continue March 1.

* Landregulations: The subject of a law firms client wanting to add a private K-12 school to Key Biscayne on land other than Government Use (GU) or church or religious-themed properties came up during the Article IV, Section 4.15 discussion about restrictions on current zoning codes and the referendum requirement for approving such changes by a vote of electors.

I dont think we ever anticipated a private school or charter school being added, Buttrick said. ... I feel all the provisions in our charter were made where the government was trying to protect (the look and needs of the community).

She was concerned, though, how many people would vote in a special election, if needed, on such a specific item.

Whos motivated to vote in an election with a low turnout ... I dont think its representative of everyone on the Key, she said.

McCormick asked Village Attorney Chad Friedman to bring this issue back with appropriate (planning) staff for further review at the March 10 meeting.

* Borrowing: Article IV, Section 4.10 got a hard look Thursday night, especially when it came to the Villages total debt not exceeding 1% of the total assessed value of all property within the Village (which would be greater than the 15% clause of general fund expenditures for the previous fiscal year) as stated in the current charter.

Now I have people coming up to me wanting us to buy the Rickenbacker, said Buttrick, who noted the debt cap would interfere with existential threats to the island. But, she agreed, debt caps are very popular and that maybe an amendment, like adding a referendum clause to take additional borrowing to the voters, would provide flexibility.

Lets say we fill the debt cap, what can we do? asked Joe Rasco.

The Village would have to wait for the debt to fall off ... or have the charter amended, Friedman said.

Rasco pointed out, for example, that if a perfect piece of property comes up, say, to solve all the issues with the lack of playing fields, the borrowing limit could only be changed by the charter or amended at the next general election or a special election.

Most agreed that this section in the charter should stand alone and not focus on one specific issue, such as underground utilities or stormwater improvements (although that will fall under the citys stormwater fund).

Buttrick said with the serious issues the city is facing, the limits are too restrictive.

The current wording in the charter apparently was put in during the time the Community Center was being introduced.

I remember how negative, nasty and polarizing it was ... incorporation was polarizing, and civic buildings, too ... but, look, the Community Center (became) vital ..., Buttrick said, who wanted Friedman to check on how other local communities charters handle the borrowing issue.

A pre-discussion will take place at the March 1 meeting with a full, robust discussion at the March 10 meeting, and, if necessary, continue at the March 28 optional meeting.

In other action:
Trinity, TX (77320)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Ithaca, NY (14850)

Today

Light rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low near 55F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Light rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low near 55F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Arlene Alvarez was watching a movie with headphones in as she and her family drove to a dinner on Valentines Day  so she did not hear the gunfire erupt outside, nor did she hear her father tell her to take cover.

Her father, Armando Alvarez, had just pulled money out of a drive-thru Chase Bank ATM Monday night, where a robbery unfolded just seconds later. Alvarez told his family to get down, but 9-year-old Arlene was struck in the head as her movie played on. She was transported to a hospital for care, but she was pronounced the following day.

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Duck down, Arlene, her mother, Gwen Alvarez, said, tearfully recalling the moments before her daughter was shot. I didnt scream loud enough. I didnt know she had her earphones on.

Arlene Alvarez

The fatal shot was fired by Tony Earls, a 41-year-old man who sprayed bullets across the parking lot in bid to catch the man who robbed him. He later called police to report the theft, but was not aware at the time hed shot the young girl. Earls has been charged with aggravated assault and serious bodily injury, though her family has called for more severe charges in light of Arlenes death.

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Earls has since bonded out of the Harris County Jail, a fact that has left her parents outraged, KHOU reported.

Im pissed off right now that this person who killed my daughter is out and out in public right now, Armando Alvarez said. This person should have no bond.

Tony Earls

On Friday, authorities released surveillance video from the Chase Bank in Houston, which shows the robber who triggered the gunfire fleeing from the scene. He can be seen sprinting toward and then scaling fence before making his escape.

Authorities said the suspect stole a wallet and check from Earls wife at gunpoint during the incident.

It is vitally important that we identify who this robber is, Harris County District Attorneys Office prosecutor Sapi Zimmer said in a statement. This person put the chain of events into action that night.
Jacksonville, TX (75766)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds E 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 68F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
C&S Cup oysters from the Damariscotta River in Maine are chargrilled at C&S Seafood & Oyster Bar. The restaurants owner said he would love to carry Georgia oysters more often, but they are hard to find.
Hong Kong: Buses set for COVID-19 patients

The Transport & Housing Bureau today said a designated bus fleet will provide transport to people who tested positive for COVID-19 to community isolation facilities from February 21.

It said it has liaised with the trades of non-franchised buses as well as public light buses to set up the designated bus fleet, with about 200 light and medium-sized buses participating and the fleet size will be adjusted according to the actual demand.

The move is to alleviate the demand pressure for the Fire Services Department (FSD)s ambulance service and to facilitate early admission of people tested positive for COVID-19 but with no or mild symptoms to the community isolation facilities, the bureau added.

When people tested positive for COVID-19 can be transferred to the community isolation facilities as advised by the Department of Healths Centre for Health Protection, the FSD will divert cases to the designated bus fleet for transporting them from their residences to the community isolation facilities.

The designated fleet will only transport relevant persons to the designated community isolation facilities and will not provide other services.

Specific labels will be affixed on the bus bodies for public identification.

The Government will provide to the operators and drivers of the designated fleet with anti-epidemic guidelines.

Designated fleet drivers must wear protective equipment, including protective face shields, masks and protective gowns, and fully disinfect the compartments every day.

They also have to perform a daily rapid antigen test before providing services. Only those who have tested negative for the virus can provide services.

The Government thanked the trades for organising the designated fleet service in this difficult time, contributing immensely to the anti-epidemic efforts.

This story has been published on: 2022-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Question: On February 16th, the Prime Ministers of the UK and Australia had a virtual meeting and issued a joint statement, in which they "expressed concerns" about affairs related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the South China Sea. What is the comment of the Chinese Embassy in the UK?

Embassy spokesperson: The China-related comments in the joint statement distort facts and confuse right and wrong, deliberately discrediting China on affairs related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the South China Sea. This is interference in China's internal affairs and a severe violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations. We express grave concern over and strong opposition to the comments.

Affairs related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan are purely China's internal affairs, in which no foreign country has the right to interfere. Nobody should underestimate the strong determination, will and capability of the Chinese people to safeguard their national sovereignty and security.

The so-called "violation of human rights" in Xinjiang is sheer malicious slander. Xinjiang is now enjoying economic growth, social stability and ethnic solidarity. The basic rights of the people of all ethnic groups are fully safeguarded. Anyone without political bias would recognize this. We urge the relevant countries to respect the basic facts and stop fabricating and spreading rumours about Xinjiang.

China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997. The central government of China governs the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in accordance with the Constitution of China and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR, not the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The fact that chaos has given way to order and the restoration of order has led to prosperity in Hong Kong fully proves that to enforce the Law on Safeguarding National Security, improve the electoral system and implement the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong" in the Hong Kong SAR facilitate the implementation of "One Country, Two Systems", provide better safeguards for the rights and freedoms of the majority of the local residents, promote the healthy development of the democratic system in Hong Kong, and ensure the city's lasting security, stability and prosperity.

Currently, the Taiwan authorities headed by the Democratic Progressive Party are colluding with external forces, playing a provocation game with "Taiwan independence", and making every effort to expand its so-called "international space". Such escalating secessionist activities seeking "Taiwan independence" are the biggest threat to the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the root cause why Taiwan was repeatedly denied participation in multilateral events in recent years. We urge the relevant countries to uphold the one-China principle and refrain from having official engagments of any form with Taiwan, or giving any encouragement to secessionist activities in the name of "Taiwan independence".

On the South China Sea, China's policies and position are consistent. China remains unwavering in its determination to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity and maritime rights and interests. It also remains committed to addressing the disputes in a peaceful manner together with the parties directly concerned and working with ASEAN countries to safeguard peace and stability in the region. China firmly safeguards and follows the rule of international law and always adheres to the accurate understanding and earnest implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It always respects and supports the freedom of navigation and over-flight of all countries in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, and strongly opposes provocations or trouble making by any country in the South China Sea in the name of freedom of navigation and over-flight. The labels of "militarisation", "coercion" and "intimidation" should not be stuck on China. Certain countries outside the region sent naval vessels and aircrafts to flex their military muscle and stir up trouble in the South China Sea, and tried to drive a wedge between the countries in the region. This is a direct threat to peace and stability in the South China Sea.

It must be pointed out that AUKUS has gravely undermined regional peace and stability, intensified arms race, and dealt a severe blow to the international nuclear non-proliferation system. Therefore, more and more countries have responded with vigilance and opposition. We urge the relevant countries to abandon the Cold-War mentality, stop forming small circles, stop creating divisions or inciting confrontation, and stop going further down the wrong path.
A Texas man was arrested almost exactly 38 years to the day after an aspiring model was discovered dead behind a warehouse in Dallas.

Edward Morgan, 60, was arrested Friday and faces a charge of capital murder in the death of Mary Jane Thompson, Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot said in a statement Friday. He was linked to the decades-old sexual assault and murder through genealogical databases, a method similarly used to identify Californias infamous Golden State Killer in April 2018.

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Thompson, an aspiring model who worked at a florists shop and a restaurant, was last seen alive Feb. 11, 1984, when she traveled by bus to medical clinic that ended up being closed anyway, The Dallas Morning News reported. Her body was found two days later. Shed been strangled with her own leg warmers.

This photo provided by Dallas County District Attorney's Office shows Edward Morgan, who was arrested Feb. 18, 2022, and charged for the 1984 murder of Mary Jane Thompson. (Dallas County District Attorney's Office via AP) (AP)

Thompson had moved to area six months earlier. She had also lived in Los Angeles and Houston.

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Authorities failed to turn up a suspect at the time and the case eventually went cold, but prosecutors reopened the probe in 2009. Evidence collected from her autopsy turned up DNA belonging to a possible male suspect, but no exact matches were found and the case again went cold.

Following the capture of the Golden State Killer in 2018, police again reopened the case with an eye on new technology available.

Morgan was identified as a suspect through technology that relies on genealogical websites to identify potential relatives of a suspect based on DNA collected at a crime scene. DNA testing confirmed this week that Morgan matched the profile taken from the autopsy in 1984.

With News Wire Services
Staff Writer

Jonathan Roberts is a reporter and photographer for the Johnson City Press covering Jonesborough, healthcare and higher education. He is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and has been with the Press since 2019.
Johnson City, TN (37604)

Today

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 63F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 63F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
A Florida animal shelter volunteer was killed Thursday by the dog she was trying to help acclimate to humans.

Pam Robb, 71, a more than 6-year volunteer with 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida, was fatally mauled Thursday morning when Gladys, a more than 100-pound mixed-breed, attacked, Robbs wife, Angie Anobile told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

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Gladys, who had been brought to the center just weeks earlier, latched onto the arm of Robb, who thought shed been making progress with the dog.

Pam Robb was killed at 71.

She was one of the few that the dog resonated with. She was just starting to build trust with the dog, Anobile told the outlet.

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But on Thursday, that rapport seemed to go out the window when Gladys  who was first found near a canal full of alligators on Jan. 18  proceeded to drag Robb to the ground.

Screengrabs from videos about Gladys posted on the public Facebook Page of 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida.

Private investigator and animal activist Ana Campos told the paper there were some red flags for her in the way the organization conducted the rescue of Gladys, which she saw in a 48-minute-long video posted to its Facebook page.

Pam Robb, left, and her wife, Angie Anobile.

I had concerns about basic safety protocols being ignored, Campos told the Sentinel, noting that the video did not show people using safety equipment like bite sleeves during the rescue nor after.

The fatality is, according to Michele Lazarow, animal advocate and a Hallandale Beach city commissioner, the first issue the center has had with any of its thousands of rescues.

If this was an incident that happens regularly with rescues, then everybody would have been on high alert, Lazarow told the paper. This is not something people expect.

For Anobile, shes just happy that Robb did what she loved doing right until the end.

Her greatest joy was having these dogs respond to human contact, and I dont blame anybody. It was a tragic accident, but I do blame people who abuse animals, who dont love them like they should be loved, Anobile told the Sentinel.
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. &&
More than 1,100 dead rodents were found at a Family Dollar distribution facility in Arkansas, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday, prompting the agency to warn shoppers in six states about potentially contaminated products.

The infestation took place in a warehouse in West Memphis, about 130 miles east of Little Rock. Several FDA-regulated products could be unsafe for use.

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Products purchased at Family Dollar stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee  from Jan. 1, 2021 until the present  could be contaminated.

They include some human and animal foods; vitamin supplements; cosmetics and personal beauty products; feminine hygiene products; surgical masks; contact lens cleaning solutions; as well as over-the-counter medications, such as pain medications, eye drops, dental products and antacids, for both adults and children.

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A more detailed list can be found on the FDA website.

Families rely on stores like Family Dollar for products such as food and medicine. They deserve products that are safe, said Judith McMeekin, FDAs associate commissioner for regulatory affairs.

No one should be subjected to products stored in the kind of unacceptable conditions that we found in this Family Dollar distribution facility. These conditions appear to be violations of federal law that could put families health at risk. We will continue to work to protect consumers, she added.

Products at Family Dollar stores in several states could have been contaminated. (Rogelio V. Solis/AP)

The agency said that it is working with the company to initiate a voluntary recall of the affected products. Meanwhile, consumers are advised not to use the potentially contaminated products. They should contact the company for more information.

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

On Friday, Family Dollar said in a statement that it had initiated a voluntary recall of certain FDA-regulated products that were stored in the West Memphis facility and distributed to 404 stores in six states. The company noted that its not aware of any consumer complaints or reports of illness related to this recall.

We take situations like this very seriously and are committed to providing safe and quality products to our customers. We have been fully cooperating with all regulatory agencies in the resolution of this matter and are in the process of remediating the issue, a Family Dollar spokesperson told the Daily News on Saturday.

The FDA began investigating the West Memphis location in January 2022 after receiving a complaint.

Conditions observed during the inspection, which concluded on Feb. 11, included live rodents, dead rodents in various states of decay, rodent feces and urine, evidence of gnawing, nesting and rodent odors throughout the facility, dead birds and bird droppings, and products stored in conditions that did not protect against contamination.

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After the facility was fumigated last month, more than 1,100 dead rodents were recovered.

Additionally, when FDA officials reviewed the companys internal documents they also found records of more than 2,300 rodents between Mar. 29 and Sep. 17, 2021, demonstrating a history of infestation.

We temporarily closed the affected stores in order to proficiently conduct the voluntary recall of certain FDA-regulated products. Our teams are working hard to reopen these stores as soon as possible, the spokesperson told The News.
Wharton, TX (77488)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph.
MASKS IN SCHOOL

What: The legislature agreed to end the statewide mandate requiring masks in schools on Feb. 28, leaving it up to local districts to adopt rules.

No more mandate: The mask mandate ends Feb. 28 in Manchester, East Hartford, South Windsor, Stafford, and Suffield, among other towns.

Still to decide: Bolton, Coventry, and Enfield are among the towns that havent made the decision.

Masks are OK: The change allows masks to be optional rather than required; parents can choose to have their children wear them.
Opinion Columnist

Chris Powell has worked for the Journal Inquirer since 1967, first as a reporter, then as an editor, and now as a columnist. He was managing editor from 1974 until retiring from that position in 2018.
Yves here. Its hard to know where to start unpacking the US political class WMD in Iraq level of misrepresentations about Russian actions and intentions for Ukraine and NATO. But one of the foundational ones is the assertion that Russia is refusing to negotiate, which comes straight from the New York Times to your eyeballs this morning. The headline of its lead story: Biden Says Putin Has Chosen Catastrophic War Over Diplomacy.

Needless to say, a look at the record paints a different picture.

Now the US is at best trying to depict Russia having presented clear red lines as being tantamount to not being willing to negotiate. But the US and NATO are not willing to acknowledge that what theyve made noises about to Russia is tantamount to threatening to move arms into Monterrey, Mexico. The Russian position is that both sides are entitled to national security. The US refusal to respond to Russian documents stating that position comes off as an admission that we wont concede what ought to be an apple and pie proposition.

As David put it yesterday in comments:

Whats happening is quite simple. The Russians have been signalling for sometime that they are unhappy with the eastward expansion of the western bloc, and that western troops deployed on Ukrainian territory will not be tolerated. They are therefore supporting separatists in the East of the country , and creating confusion and panic, as a way of signalling this, and keeping the Ukrainian and the western governments guessing about their intentions. They have no interest in absorbing this area into Russia, and even less in invading the country, not least because the The latter move would have the perverse result of bringing NATO forces closer to their (new) borders. The Ukrainians seem to understand this, and there are already the faint outlines of a deal in which the Russians will turn down the volume and stop supporting the separatists so much, while the Ukrainians will back off any idea of ??NATO membership and wont allow foreign deployments. Its unlikely such things will ever be put in wr being, because they arent. NATO does not want a conflict, because its military hollowness and political weakness will be immediately revealed. A military alliance with no weapons except economic sanctions is not a military alliance. There is no master plan by the way: nobody who has seen NATO at work could possibly imagine such a thing. Its the usual mix of bureaucratic inflexibility, striking of postures, lack of any real forward planning, political divisions and short-term panic. For thirty years NATO has been a car with no reverse gear, and now people are panicking because they cant find it when they need it. The trouble is that nobody knows how to de-escalate, so the nearest thing to a strategy seems to be to keep making blood-curdling noises to appear strong, whilst allowing the The crisis itself to be de-escalated by those concerned, after which NATO can find some way of taking credit. Its not much of a strategy, and I doubt if its articulated anywhere, but its about all there is.

By John Helmerthe longest continuously serving foreign correspondent in Russia, and the only western journalist to direct his own bureau independent of single national or commercial ties. Helmer has also been a professor of political science, and an advisor to government heads in Greece, the United States , and Asia. He is the first and only member of a US presidential administration (Jimmy Carter) to establish himself in Russia. Originally published at Dances with Bears

In the Foreign Ministrys new paper for the State Department, delivered on Thursday afternoon and then published on the Ministry websitethere is a restatement of the Russian proposals for security in Europe which the US refuses to address. There is also nothing new in the threat: In the absence of the readiness of the American side to agree on firm, legally binding guarantees to ensure our security from the United States and its allies, Russia will be forced to respond, including through the implementation of military-technical measures.

President Vladimir Putin said the same thing to the assembly of the Russian officer corps on December 21. Is anyone unable to grasp this? This should be clearI would like to emphasise again: we are not demanding any special exclusive terms for ourselves. Russia stands for equal and indivisible security in the whole of Eurasia. Naturally, as I have already noted, if our Western colleagues continue their obviously aggressive line, we will take appropriate military-technical reciprocal measures and will have a tough response to their unfriendly steps.

Putins point was repeated by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in Geneva on January 10, following his talks with his State Department counterpart, Wendy Sherman. For more detail on those talks, read this.

What is meant by military-technical measures is Russias black box defence. This is not the place  it will not be the place  to read what this will be. Anglo-American think-tankers are paid by their governments to guess what is inside the box, as is the new source for analysis of Russia in the Anglo-American media, the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service.

Three things are certain about what is inside the black box. The first is spelled out emphatically in yesterdays Foreign Ministry paper: There is no Russian invasion of Ukraine, as the United States and its allies have been officially declaring since last autumn, and there are no plans for it. This rules out a land force invasion of Ukraine, as well as aerial bombing, missile and drone strikes launched from Russian territory.

The second sure thing about the black box defence is that it is black: it will be a surprise.

The third thing is, as Putin said last December, it will be reciprocal. This means the Americans and their European allies are already using comparable measures in their attacks on Russia directly and in the Donbass. Reciprocal in this Russian vocabulary may mean comparable ; it does not mean symmetrical along the Russian land border with the Ukraine; offshore, in the Black and Azov Seas; in the airspace above the Donbass or in the cyberspace .

The Russian paper was handed to US Ambassador John Sullivan at the Foreign Ministry and then posted publicly. The ministry website, mid.ru, was then incapacitated for more than an hour. The official English translation will follow during Friday.

Source: https://mid.ru/

The package nature of Russian proposals has been ignored, from which convenient topics have been deliberately chosen. They, in turn, have been twisted in the direction of creating advantages for the United States and its allies. This approach, as well as the accompanying rhetoric of American officials, reinforces reason for doubt that Washington is really committed to correcting the situation in the field of Euro-security.

The paper then itemizes the specific security measures and treaty articles which have been tabled by the Russian side since December, and which the US and NATO replies have so far ignored. For analysis of each of the booby traps contained in the US paper released in Spain a fortnight ago, read this.

Twice the new Foreign Ministry paper uses the term concrete. The first is to signal that this remains to be provided in the papers sent to Moscow by the US and NATO so far. We expect concrete proposals from the members of the alliance on the content and forms of legal consolidation of the rejection of further expansion of NATO to the east.

In the second application of the term concrete, the paper says: the United States and its allies should abandon the policy of containing Russia and take concrete practical measures to de-escalate the military-political situation, including in line with paragraph 2 of Article 4 of our draft treaty.

Article 4 says, not only that NATO will not include Ukraine and Georgia as members, but that even if formal membership is ruled out, there will be no US military bases in non-member states, no military infrastructure (arms stockpiles, for example) , and no bilateral military cooperation targeted at Russia.

Source: https://mid.ru/

Among other concrete issues required for negotiation, the Russian paper identifies heavy (nuclear) bomber flights close to Russian airspace, combat vessels in the Black and Baltic Seas, the Aegis Ashore missiles batteries in Romania and Poland, and intermediate and short-range nuclear missiles.

For a Russian analysis of Russias black box options, published at the end of January in Vzglyadread this.
A family of three that died in a California forest tried in vain to call and text for help before their deaths, police said Thursday.

Jonathan Gerrish, 45; Ellen Chung, 31; their toddler, Miju, and the family dog Oksi were found dead in the Sierra National Forest on Aug. 17. They died from hyperthermia in 109-degree temperatures.

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Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their toddler, Miju. (Handout)

Can you help us, Gerrish wrote in a text message to an unidentified person at 11:56 a.m. on Aug. 15. On savage lundy trail heading back to Hites cove trail. No water (over) heating with baby.

The message never sent because there is no cell service in the area.

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The family started their hike early that morning in the central California forest about 40 miles south of Yosemite National Park. They were taking happy photos until around 10:30 a.m., police said.

Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese points to a map to show where a missing family was found dead during a news conference in Mariposa, Calif., on Oct. 21, 2021. (CRAIG KOHLRUSS/AP)

After Gerrish sent the futile text, he made one call at 12:09 p.m. and four more between 12:35 p.m. and 12:36 p.m., but none of them went through, according to police.

Gerrish, Chung, Miju and Oksi were all found dead two days later. They were reported missing just a day before they were found.

Investigators said the family didnt know what they were in for when they started the hike on the 8-mile Savage Lundy Trail. They were found about 1.6 miles from the end of the trail.

The cell phone data results were the last thing both the family and detectives were waiting on, Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese said in a Facebook post. The extracted information confirms our initial findings.
SAT and ACT scores may be a thing of the past for KU admission requirements in upcoming academic years.
Park Shin Hye's wedding photos with husband Choi Tae Joon sent fans into a frenzy. It came after more never-before-seen photos of the newlyweds were released on her birthday.

Park Shin Hye and Choi Tae Joon Wedding Photos

Korean wedding planning company, Laciel, commemorated Park Shin Hye's birthday by unveiling the power couple's romantic pre-wedding photos.

Over the company's Instagram, they posted a heartwarming message, greeting the Hallyu star on her special day saying "The lovely couple. Today is her birthday, the one who is always bright and pretty as a young girl. Have a happy day. We miss you every day."

The pre-wedding snaps basically scream #couplegoals as the pair looked absolutely adorable and showed off how they are so in love with each other.

Interestingly, Park Shin Hye and Choi Tae Joon did not shy away from flaunting their goofy side with delightful candid shots.

On January 22, the celebrity couple got officially married in a private celebration in Seoul, attended by their family, a few friends and colleagues.

Some of the familiar faces spotted at the event were Crush and EXO's D.O. and Crush, who sang together Goblin's" soundtrack "Beautiful Life" at the ceremony.

Her "The Heirs" co-star Lee Min Ho, Namgoong Min, Kim Bum, Ryu Jun Yeol, AOA's Seolhyun and more were also seen at Park Shin Hye and Choi Tae Joon's wedding.

During her big day, looked stunningly beautiful as she walked down the aisle wearing a white chic wedding gown with 3D floral embroidery details from Oscar de la Renta's Spring 2022 Bridal collection.

According to the reports, Park Shin Hye's wedding gown costs around $14,000 to US$18,700.

Following the wedding, the 32-year-old star penned a sweet message to her fans as she thanked them for their never-ending support.

Wearing traditional Korean clothes known as Hanbok, the actress wrote "Thank you to everyone who sent me so much congratulations and blessings."

Park Shin Hye Birthday: Hallyu Star Turns 32!

Apart from the company, fans showed some love for the actress during her birthday.

For her 32nd birthday, netizens expressed their support by gathering virtually and greeting the actress with heartfelt messages, fan arts and more together with the hashtag #ParkShinHyeDay.

Interestingly, the Hallyu star surprised fans with a transformation ahead of her birthday.

On January 15, the actress shared a snap flaunting her hair transformation, which her fans loved based on the messages in the comment section.

Park Shin Hye Baby: Hallyu Star Expecting a Baby Boy!

Aside from the wedding, the newlyweds are also expecting their first child.

On January 29, actress Uhm Ji Won posted a YouTube video together with the "Memories of the Alhambra" and a friend.

Containing a montage of her experiences and activities for January, the "Cruel Intern" star also featured what looks like Park Shin Shye's baby shower.

Eagle-eyed fans spotted a balloon with a message that reads "Hello Baby Boy" with blue font.

IN CASE YOU MISSED: Park Shin Hye Pregnancy Update: Here's Proof of Baby Gender

KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Geca Wills
Several celebrity weddings have already taken place this 2022, from Park Shin Hye and Choi Tae Joon to Lee Honey and her non-showbiz beau to Son Ye Jin and Hyun Bin tying the knot next month. But as for Lee Jong Suk, is he ready to settle down anytime soon?

Lee Jong Suk recently talked about marriage, and mentioned the characteristics of his ideal partner.

Lee Jong Suk Talks About Marriage With ELLE Korea

Lee Jong Suk is finally returning on the small screen after almost a year of waiting, following his military discharge in 2021. And ahead of his legal drama "Big Mouth" with SNSD's YoonA, he posed for and sat down for an interview with fashion magazine Elle Korea.

There, the actor gets real and clear of his plans of finally settling down, now that he is no longer getting younger.

In Elle Korea's "Ask Me Anything" session, the "W" actor answered different questions from his fans.

To begin, a fan asked if he is still doing fencing, and he answered, "Fencing was a new hobby that I found a long time ago. Unfortunately, I hurt my ligaments in my knees, which were already not in a good condition while filming my drama. With that, I need to look for a new hobby that's way easier to do."

Lee Jong Suk Reveals Ideal Type

The "Pinocchio" star was then asked, "If you could rest for a long time, what would you do?" Lee Jong Suk replied that he would want to take 'husband classes.'"

The heartthrob shared in detail why as early as now, he already wants to prepare himself for marriage and his desires to build his own family.

He recalled from his past interviews during his twenties that he often mentioned he wanted to get married at a young age. Now that he is at his age when settling down is normal, he want to prepare himself by taking a "husband class" first if he gets a chance to have a long break.

The "Romance Is a Bonus Book" star added that he always dreams of having his own family. Lee Jong Suk wants to learn how to cook for his future wife. And most of all, the award-winning actor believes he could learn valuable lessons to establish a happy family in the near future.

Lee Jong Suk's Ideal Partner

If there is one wish that will be granted to him, Lee Jong Suk would want to meet his future wife. Now that he's getting older, he thinks of those things more seriously.

According to the actor, he wants someone who is smart, strong-minded, a woman he can respect, and above all, someone who is cute.

Thoughts on Lee Jong Suk's latest interview? Tell us in the comments!

For more Korean drama and celebrity updates, keep your tabs open at Kdramastars.

Kdramastars owns this article.

Written by Shai Collins.
Did "Reply 1988" co-stars Go Kyung Pyo and Ryu Hye Young have a secret relationship before? Here's what we know.

Go Kyung Pyo Relationship 2022: Actor's Real Score With Ryu Hye Young

Go Kyung Pyo and Ryu Hye Young starred in the megahit coming-of-age K-drama "Reply 1988" in 2015. The drama showcased a talented cast lineup, as well as its great blend of romance, comedy, family, and friendship. What's even more amazing is that the cast members remain friends in real life years after the drama concluded.

In "Reply 1988," Go Kyung Pyo played the role of the smart and filial son Sung Sun Woo, while Ryu Hye Young portrayed the intelligent but ill-tempered Sung Bo Ra. Eventually, the characters fell in love and tied the knot.

As their roles' romantic chemistry captivated viewers, fans were curious about the real score between Go Kyung Pyo and Ryu Hye Young, and many suspected they secretly dated.

But the truth is, Go Kyung Pyo and Ryu Hye Young have been very good friends for almost 12 years. They were schoolmates in college and found each other again working in the same field.

When they found out that they would be portraying romantic partners in "Reply 1988," both became a little awkward despite their close friendship.

The "Private Lives" star shared in his past interview that they decided to keep their friendship because they're afraid of breaking up and might not see each other again once they go beyond the friendzone.

Until now, the two are in contact along with their "Reply 1988" co-stars. Sometimes, they update fans about their get-together outside work.

Go Kyung Pyo to Reunite with Yoo Ah In in Netflix Movie 'Seoul Vibe'

After five years, Go Kyung Pyo and Yoo Ah In will work together again, following "Chicago Typewriter" in 2017. They confirmed their participation in the forthcoming film "Seoul Vibe," which is slated to premiere this year.

"Seoul Vibe" is an action-mystery movie set during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, and depicts the story of the Samgyedong Supreme Team, a group of talented drivers that gets involved in investigating the slush fund.

The film will showcase the unbelievably glorious plot for a slush fund robbery and thrilling car chase that emerge on the busy streets of Seoul.

Park Ju Hyun, Ong Seong Wu, Kim Sung Kyun, Moon So Ri, and Jung Woong In will also join the "Seoul Vibe" cast.

Meanwhile, Go Kyung Pyo is also in talks to star in new mystery drama "Connect," along with Jung Hae In and "Kingdom" actress Kim Hye Joon

For more Korean drama, movie and celebrity updates, keep your tabs open at Kdramastars.

Kdramastars owns this article.

Shai Collins reported this.
Quebec Provincial Police hold a line as they work to bring a protest, which started in opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccine mandates and grew into a broader anti-government demonstration and occupation, to an end, in Ottawa, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. A group involved in the anti-government protest against COVID-19 measures in Ottawa is asking a court to put the brakes on federal use of the Emergencies Act to clamp down on demonstrators. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Ukrainian National guard soldiers guard a mobile checkpoint together with the Ukrainian Security Service agents and police officers during a joint operation in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. Fears of a new war in Europe have resurged as U.S. President Joe Biden warned that Russia could invade Ukraine within days, and violence spiked in a long-running standoff in eastern Ukraine that some fear could be the spark for wider conflict. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
One value that is shared by people of all political affiliations in the Kenosha/Racine area is our care for the children of our communities. We want our children to be well-fed, educated and free to live without fear of violence.

It is not a difficult stretch to extend these feelings of care and concern to the millions of children who are living in the midst of the worlds worst humanitarian crisis  the war in Yemen.

In the words of the UNICEF director for the Middle East and North Africa, Yemen is today a living hell for children. A living hell not for 50-60% of children. It is a living hell for every single boy and girl in Yemen.

This living hell has been created and sustained with US weapons and logistical support. It is the result of Saudi bombing of civilian targets, including hospitals, schools and water treatment plants, as well as the blockading of Yemeni ports.

There are now 16 million Yemenis at risk of starvation and 2.3 million children acutely malnourished.

If we are to live up to our values of protecting and nurturing children, we must end US support for this devastating war.

On behalf of the Kenosha/Racine Quakers I urge readers to contact your elected officials to support the passage of a new Yemen War Powers Resolution to end all U.S. participation in the Saudi-led war.

Belinda Thielen, Racine

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Hopkinsville, KY (42240)

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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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, facing a sharp spike in violence in and around territory held by Russia-backed rebels and increasingly dire warnings that Russia plans to invade, on Saturday called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him and seek resolution to the crisis.

I dont know what the president of the Russian Federation wants, so I am proposing a meeting, Zelenskyy said at the Munich Security Conference, where he also met with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Zelenskyy said Russia could pick the location for the talks.

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Ukraine will continue to follow only the diplomatic path for the sake of a peaceful settlement.

There was no immediate response from the Kremlin.

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Zelenskyy spoke hours after separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilization on Saturday while Western leaders made increasingly dire warnings that a Russian invasion of its neighbor appeared imminent.

Ukrainian troops patrol in the town of Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine, on Saturday. (ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)

In new signs of fears that a war could start within days, Germany and Austria told their citizens to leave Ukraine. German air carrier Lufthansa canceled flights to the capital, Kyiv, and to Odessa, a Black Sea port that could be a key target in an invasion.

NATOs liaison office in Kyiv said it was relocating staff to Brussels and to the western Ukraine city of Lviv. Meanwhile, top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the nearly eight-year separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The officials fled to a bomb shelter before hustling from the area, according to an Associated Press journalist who was on the tour.

Violence in eastern Ukraine has spiked in recent days as Ukraine and the two regions held by the rebels each accused the other of escalation. Russia on Saturday said at least two shells fired from a government-held part of eastern Ukraine landed across the border, but Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed that claim as a fake statement.

Sporadic violence has broken out for years along the line separating Ukrainian forces from the Russia-backed rebels, but the recent shelling and bombing spike could set off a full-scale war.

A Ukrainian soldier looks at a hole from a shell fired by pro-Russian separatists in the village of Novoluhanske, Ukraine, on Saturday. (Oleksandr Ratushniak/AP)

The United States and many European countries have alleged for months that Russia, which has moved about 150,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, is trying to create pretexts to invade.

They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday during a visit to Lithuania.

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Earlier Saturday, Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russia separatist government in Ukraines Donetsk region, cited an immediate threat of aggression from Ukrainian forces in his announcement. Ukrainian officials vehemently denied having plans to take rebel-controlled areas by force.

I appeal to all the men in the republic who can hold weapons to defend their families, their children, wives, mothers, Pushilin said. Together we will achieve the coveted victory that we all need.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pose for photographs before meeting during the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

A similar statement followed from his counterpart in the Luhansk region. On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians to Russia with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscows efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the evacuation orders could be a tactic to provide the spark for a broader attack.

To say it very clearly, Ukraine did not give any grounds for the evacuation that was ordered yesterday, she said. Those are the facts on the ground. We must not allow supposed reasons for war to be constructed out of hot air.

Meanwhile, Russia conducted massive nuclear drills on Saturday. The Kremlin said Putin, who pledged to protect Russias national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats, was watching the drills together with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko from the situation room.

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A journalist passes by a shelter near an apartment house after shelling by pro-Russian separatists in the village of Novoluhanske, Ukraine, on Saturday. (Oleksandr Ratushniak/AP)

Notably, the planned exercise involves the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014. .

Underscoring the Wests concerns of an imminent 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 closer to the border.

The shift has been underway 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.

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

The official also said the number of Russian ground units known as battalion tactical groups in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each group has 750 to 1,000 soldiers.

An instructor, second left, runs during a training for civilians and members of the Georgian Legion, a paramilitary unit formed mainly by ethnic Georgian volunteers to fight against Russian forces in Ukraine in 2014, in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Lines of communication between Moscow and the West remain open: the American and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron scheduled a phone call with Putin on Sunday. U.S. 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 the pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people. Violations of a 2015 ceasefire agreement, including shelling and shooting along the line of contact, have been common.

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A car bomb exploded in the center of the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk on Friday. Adding to the tensions, two explosions shook the rebel-controlled city of Luhansk early Saturday. No injuries were reported in the incidents.

An instructor shows a young woman how to use a grenade during a training with members of the Georgian Legion in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Ukraines military said two of its soldiers died in firing from the rebel side on Saturday.

By Saturday morning, the separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which form Ukraines industrial heartland known as the Donbas, said that thousands of residents of the rebel-controlled areas had been evacuated to Russia.

Russia has issued about 700,000 passports to residents of the rebel-held territories. Claims that Russian citizens are being endangered might be used as justification for military action.
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Last year's Women's Track at the REACH Conference drew strong reviews. It will be March 14-15 at Severns Valley in Elizabethtown. (Kentucky Today file photo)
Ketchikan, AK (99901)

Today

Rain likely. High 48F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

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Occasional rain. Low around 40F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
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It seems that each positive story I read about the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) is countered by a negative story.

One internal medicine physician writes: Someday, with enough computing power and artificial intelligence, we may be able to have systems that can do some basic medical advice and education about health care that could end up saving doctors a lot of time and helping patients get to a better state of health.

However, another physician observes that although AI can make medicine more efficient  particularly AI-based on computer algorithms  it can also generate false flags that lead to erroneous conclusions if doctors are too dependent upon technology and rely solely on system conclusions. After all, the physician reasons, even though its a computer algorithm, it was devised by a human.

Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are a prime example of AI algorithms gone awry. PDMPs are electronic databases that track controlled substance prescriptions in individual states. In many instances, PDMPs can be integrated into electronic health record systems, permitting physicians to delegate PDMP access to advanced level providers in their office.

PDMPs are designed to monitor changes in prescribing behaviors and detect the use of multiple health care prescribers by patients, but because they cannot capture the nuances of clinical encounters, even the CDC has admitted that PDMPs have shortcomings and mixed findings. The CDC often refers to PDMPs as a promise rather than a real fix (no pun intended) that prevents doctors from making aberrant prescribing decisions.

Addiction specialist Maia Szalavitz has chronicled nightmarish stories of patients denied necessary pain medication due to unintelligent systems based on flawed algorithms that lead physicians to believe patients are doctor shopping or somehow at risk of becoming addicted. Women and racial minorities are disproportionately impacted by these systems, as are patients with cancer and mental disorders, despite their use of controlled substances at a rate no higher than would normally be expected to treat debilitating pain or psychiatric symptoms, respectively.

A major drawback of AI systems is their failure to account for known risk factors for addiction, such as adverse childhood experiences and mental illnesses. PDMPs may actually reinforce historical discrimination and make the opioid crisis worse by recapitulating inequalities associated with race, class, and gender and targeting patients with legitimate needs, forcing them to obtain controlled substances surreptitiously or go without them.

This all amounts to the withholding of essential pain medications and other controlled substances  especially those intended to improve mental health and well-being  from individuals who truly need them  either because doctors wont write the prescriptions once theyve checked the PDMP database, or pharmacists wont fill the prescriptions. New research shows that nearly half of medical clinics in the United States now refuse to see new patients who require opioids. Ive read many accounts of the harm and humiliation created by PDMPs  even when the patients are health care providers themselves (their relatively high rates of addiction notwithstanding). Here are just a few examples:

A physician who specializes in informatics undergoes a complicated tooth extraction. Her pain needs to be managed by a second, more powerful, analgesic medication. Despite having a proper prescription, the pharmacist refuses to fill the medication until he personally verifies it with the patients PCP. The physician feels embarrassed by shoppers who stare at her in line, causing her to feel like a drug addict.

A physician assistant requires extensive abdominal surgery. Her surgeon has devised a fast-track post-operative program in which he only uses acetaminophen for pain control. The woman asks for a short course of opiate medication instead; she has no history of substance use disorder. The surgeon is unwavering in his adherence to the program, and the woman is coerced into seeking surgery elsewhere.

A psychiatrist has an established diagnosis of ADHD. He has been prescribed methylphenidate (Ritalin) for over 30 years, usually filled at his local pharmacy. On one occasion he decides to have the prescription filled at a pharmacy close to where he works. The pharmacist interrogates the psychiatrist in front of customers, refuses to fill the prescription, and insists that the psychiatrist have it filled at his local pharmacy, as is customary.

Companies that market AI systems tell providers that computer analyses are not intended to be the sole determinants of a patients risk of addiction. Still, pharmacists have the right to fill a prescription  or not. They can rely on the output of PDMPs and, in addition, interject their own biases and prejudices to deny patients much-needed medication (some states allow pharmacists the absolute right to refuse to provide services). Patients lose when prescribing physicians defer to unwilling pharmacists, capitulate to insurance company bureaucrats, or avoid the company that stands behind the AI algorithm.

Both pharmacists and prescribing physicians are advised to only use computer-generated red flags as calls-to-action to further review details in the patients prescription history in conjunction with other relevant patient health information. They are told that red flags are not meant to supplant clinical judgment. But going against AI-generated results puts many providers at legal risk should an untoward event occur, and many may not want to accept that risk.

The entire scenario is somewhat Kafkaesque. It reminds me of The Whos anthemic song Wont Get Fooled Again, which contains the classic line: Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Given the over-reliance on algorithmic-based AI, will the future of medicine give way to a new boss who is worse than the old boss?

To be sure, AI has produced some great achievements. But when patients are at the mercy of uncaring and unsympathetic medical decision-makers, aided by predictive algorithms built on proxy measures for public health that may or may not be associated with known clinical risk factors nor vetted by the FDA or other regulatory authorities, many patients will continue to suffer needlessly with increased pain and decreased quality of life.

Arthur Lazarus is a psychiatrist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
President Biden said Friday that he was convinced that Russia had decided to invade Ukraine, predicting that the attack would begin within days and strike at the capital city of Kyiv.

The president delivered the chilling assessment while updating reporters on the acute tensions in the region, where Russia appears to have massed more than 160,000 troops along Ukraines borders in what the U.S. has described as the largest military mobilization in Europe since World War II.

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We have reason to believe the Russian forces are planning to and intend to attack Ukraine in the coming week  in the coming days, Biden said in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. We believe that they will target Ukraines capital, Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million innocent people.

He said he is confident that Russias president, Vladimir Putin, has made the decision but emphasized that it is not too late for the Kremlin to reverse course.

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President Joe Biden (Alex Brandon/AP)

Russia can still choose diplomacy, Biden said.

The president cited only Americas significant intelligence capabilities when questioned on the basis of his belief. And he expressed uneasiness after he was asked to discern the meaning of Russian nuclear drills that are expected this weekend, noting that it is hard to read Putins mind.

I dont think he is remotely contemplating using nuclear weapons, the president said. But I do think hes focused on trying to convince the world that he has the ability to change the dynamics in Europe  in a way that he cannot.

Earlier on Friday, Biden spoke with Western leaders about the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to the White House.

The president has ruled out sending troops into Ukraine, a nation of 44 million people that sits in what was once the Soviet Union. Instead, he has warned of crippling economic sanctions on Russia.

Russias imposing arsenal of nuclear weapons and enormous military  estimated to have a million soldiers  dramatically raises the stakes of Americas involvement in any conflict in Ukraine.

[ The dictators gambit: What Putin is after on Ukraine ]

Were dealing with one of the largest armies in the world, Biden told NBC News last week, describing Russias military. Things could go crazy quickly.

The U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Michael Carpenter, said on Friday that America believes between 169,000 and 190,000 Russian military members have massed in and around Ukraine, up from 100,000 at the end of last month.

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Ukraine is not a part of NATO, a military alliance of 30 member states bound to collective defense. Russia has pushed for assurances that Ukraine will not join NATO, and has sought a reduction in the alliances presence in Eastern Europe.

Last week, the U.S. said it was sending 3,000 additional troops to Poland, a NATO state that borders Ukraine. The president said Friday that America and its allies are prepared to defend every inch of NATO territory.

And he continued to dangle severe sanctions against Russia if it launched an invasion of Ukraine. Earlier on Friday, Putin said his country would suffer sanctions regardless, claiming that the West would find a reason to impose economic costs on his country independent of the crisis in Ukraine.

Putin described sanction pressure on his country as absolutely illegitimate and a gross violation of international law, according to Russias state-run Tass news agency. He has also accused the West of making false claims about the possible Russian advance.

Hopes of an invasion-free resolution to tensions in Eastern Europe grew earlier this week, when Russia said it had begun to pull some troops back from their positions on the border with Ukraine. But the U.S. and other Western powers immediately questioned the veracity of the claim, and it appears the Russian buildup instead continued.

In recent weeks, Ukraine has found itself in a tightening vice formed by Russian forces, and Western leaders have engaged in frantic high-wire diplomacy with hopes of defusing the threat.

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Ukrainian National guard soldiers guard a mobile checkpoint together with the Ukrainian Security Service agents and police officers during a joint operation in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. Fears of a new war in Europe have resurged as U.S. President Joe Biden warned that Russia could invade Ukraine within days, and violence spiked in a long-running standoff in eastern Ukraine that some fear could be the spark for wider conflict. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)

But on Thursday, a school in eastern Ukraine was shelled  no children appeared to be harmed  in artillery fire that the Ukraine government pegged to Russian-backed forces. Other flares of violence in the region, the Donbas, have been reported, too.

The Kremlin suggested that Ukraine is aggressing against Russia, a notion that Biden said: defies basic logic.

The president said Russia appears to be creating a false justification to act against Ukraine and that the Ukrainian forces have shown restraint.

Were calling out Russias plans loudly and repeatedly not because we want a conflict, but because were doing everything in our power to remove any reason that Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine, Biden said. If Russia pursues its plans, it will be responsible for a catastrophic and needless war of choice.
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For a professor of international relations, the Ukraine crisis has provided a unique opportunity to engage students in academic theories of great power politics and the use of military force. The sheer magnitude of the Russian military buildup and the minute-by-minute media coverage have captivated the attention of young people unfamiliar with the notion of large-scale conventional warfare despite having grown up during a period of a global war on terror, much of which was fought via drones and Special Forces.

However, while theories of world politics and analogues to watershed moments in diplomatic history can be useful in helping us understand a complex world, one vital point should not be lost in the coverage and analysis of the current crisis. One person is almost entirely responsible for everything that has happened thus far, and for all the potential bloodshed and destruction that may follow: Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares to leave a joint news conference in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. (Sergei Guneyev/AP)

In recent weeks, in efforts to explain Russias behavior, there has been intense focus on NATO and the expansion of the alliance, and specifically the potential membership of Ukraine. But ever since Russias military intervention into Ukraine and annexation of Crimea in 2014 after the so-called Maidan uprising, which overthrew Ukraines corrupt pro-Moscow leader, President Victor Yanukovych, NATO membership has been impossible. In fact, NATO membership for Ukraine or Georgia, where Russia intervened in 2008 in support of pro-Russian separatists, has been inconceivable to virtually any knowledgeable observer of NATO affairs.

The Russian military buildup has even rekindled debates over the initial decision to expand NATO membership to Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic after the Cold War and subsequent rounds of expansion. Given Putins writings and rhetoric surrounding the period of Russian weakness in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as well as the perception that Moscows stated regional interests were not taken seriously by successive presidential administrations in Washington and in European capitals, this is hardly surprising. Putins domestic political appeal is based  in large part  upon the perception that he is a strong, decisive leader who has established order and stability at home and has also stood up for Russian interests and values in a world dominated by the United States and its Western allies.

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The fact is, Putin has been unable to achieve broad-based, inclusive, long-term economic prosperity. Russias economy remains tethered to volatile energy and commodities markets. Corruption is endemic. As a result, Putin has faced boisterous domestic political opposition in recent years. Given his increasing reliance on coercion and control to maintain power, he is also an insecure leader. Images of Yanukovych fleeing Kiev for Russian sanctuary, or of Moammar Khaddafy being pulled from a drainpipe and executed by his own people, animate Vladimir Putin today. Embracing the role of Russian champion against the West may be his best available option for maintaining power.

This is not to say that the United States is blameless. The willingness of the Obama administration, and specifically then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to support anti-Putin protesters and reformists in Russia after contested elections in 2011 seems unnecessarily provocative in retrospect. Similarly, the overt support given to Ukrainians seeking to overthrow Yanukovych in February of 2014, which involved senior U.S. and EU officials on the ground in Kiev, was likely interpreted by Putin as a direct affront, as well as attack on an ally. Of course, these episodes underscore perhaps the central longstanding, fundamental tension in U.S. foreign policy, the reconciliation of liberal democratic values (and support for those values abroad) versus national interest and the need to work with leaders and states that may not share our values. In these cases, commitment to principle may have overridden prudence.

Nevertheless, while U.S. and European Union policies have been imperfect, the responsibility for using military force against a country that has already been dismembered, lies with Putin. The people of Ukraine constitute no threat to him or his people. Thus far, the buildup has achieved an unstated, de facto guarantee that Ukraine will not join NATO, something that was not going to happen in any event. However, his actions have also brought NATO members closer together, reenergized U.S. leadership and engagement on the Continent, and precipitated the deployment of NATO forces closer to Russian borders, all things Putin detests.

Unfortunately, given that this sad episode is driven by Vladimir Putins perception of his own legacy, rather than a realistic concern about the fate and welfare of his nation, it seems unlikely that the crisis will be resolved peacefully.

Kearn is an associate professor of government and politics at St. Johns University.
- FOR SALE -

6 Newly Built Affordable Homes

Nos. 9-14, Limegrove, Oakridge, Ferrybank, Co. Kilkenny

Purchase Price: 229,000 (subject to discount)

Kilkenny County Council are offering local households the opportunity to step foot on the property ladder by purchasing newly-built homes at a substantial discount under the Incremental Purchase Scheme.

The Incremental Purchase Scheme is a purchase option to meet the needs of those requiring long-term housing support.

The scheme supports existing low-income tenants and assist prospective local authority tenants to make a start on the route to home ownership.

READ BELOW FOR FULL DETAILS ON SCHEME AND LINKS TO RELEVANT FORMS

There are two types of household that can be considered for inclusion in the incremental purchase scheme:

(a) Households that have been assessed by Kilkenny Local Authorities as being eligible for and in need of social housing support.

(b) Households who are already in receipt of social housing support from Kilkenny Council, i.e. existing Local Authority or Approved Housing Body tenants and households accommodated under RAS (Rental Accommodation Scheme), HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) Scheme and Long Term Social Housing Leasing Scheme.

Under this scheme, the purchaser pays a discounted price for a new house and in return receives full ownership of the house and responsibility for maintaining the house and insuring it.

The housing authority in turn places a reducing charge on the property that is equivalent to the discount afforded to the purchaser.

The broad terms of the scheme are as follows:

 the scheme will apply to new-build houses only;

 the charged share is released to the purchaser over the period of the charge as follows:- the charged share reduces in increments of 2% of the total equity in the dwelling over the charge period

- the 10% reduction for the first 5 years after sale is released at the end of year 5

 the property can be resold by the purchaser at any time at market value with the housing authority being paid, from the proceeds of the sale, an amount equal to the proportion of the outstanding equity charge in the property;

 the housing authority has first option on buying the property in the event of the resale of a dwelling by the purchaser during the charged period; and

 special arrangements will allow purchasers to undertake improvement works with the agreement of the authority.

You must have a gross annual income of not less than 15,000 in order to be considered to purchase under the scheme.

Only the income of the applicant or joint applicants will be assessed for the purposes of determining whether an applicant household meets the minimum income requirements of the scheme.

Reckonable income must come mainly from regular employment and not solely from social welfare.

This includes income from wages, salaries, and some social welfare payments but only where they are additional to employment income.

There are certain income disregards listed on the application form, which shall not be regarded as assessable income for the purposes of the Incremental Purchase Scheme.

Eligible applicants must satisfy the Household Means Policy to determine income eligibility and affordability.

 Arrears

You must not have been behind in your rent or local authority charges for more than

12 weeks in the past three years. If you were, you must have made a payment

arrangement with your local authority and be following that arrangement.

 Previous ownership

You must not have previously bought a dwelling from any housing authority.

 Finance

You must provide approval in principal or evidence of how you are going to finance

the purchase at the time of application. You must show your local authority how you

intend to pay for the house. If you are buying your house with a mortgage loan, you

must provide approval in principle at the time of application.

Who will maintain the house after I buy it?

Like all homeowners, you will be responsible for maintaining and carrying out repairs on your house from the date you buy it.

You will also have to get and keep adequate property insurance on your house and pay for this yourself. As the owner of the house, you will be responsible for the payment of the local property tax for the house.

Are there restrictions on the use of the house after I buy it?

Yes. You must:

 live in the house as your normal place of residence

 get agreement from your local authority if you want to sell, assign, let/sub-let the house;

 not engage in anti-social behaviour or be a nuisance to your neighbours and

 the purchaser may not make any material improvements to the house without the prior

written consent of the housing authority

How much will I pay for the house?

The purchase price of the dwelling is equal to the cost to the authority of providing

the dwelling in the first place, less a discount.

What discount will I get?

Depending on your gross annual income, the discounts will vary between 40% and

60%. The discount will be given against the purchase price of the dwelling determined

by the local authority.

Example:

If the local authority determines the purchase price as 289,000 and your gross annual income is 18,000, you will get a discount of 60% against the purchase price.

This means you will pay 115,600 for the property.

However, the local authority will place an incremental purchase charge on the house equal to the discount you get.

What is the incremental purchase charge?

One of the conditions of the sale is that the local authority will place an incremental purchase charge on the house equal to the value of the discount you get. This charge will reduce to zero over 20, 25 or 30 years (called the charge period), as long as you obey the conditions of the sale under the scheme.

You will have to pay back the value of the outstanding charge to the local authority if:

 you sell the house before the end of the charge period; or

 your incremental purchase charge is not reduced for one or more years because you did not obey the conditions of the scheme. It remains due for repayment at the end of the charge period.

The period of the incremental purchase charge will depend on the discount. For example, if you get a discount of 50% based on your gross annual income, the charge period will be 25 years.

How do I finance the purchase?

You will have to pay the purchase money in full at the time the house purchase is completed. You will be responsible for raising the money to do this (for example, from savings, a mortgage loan, and so on).

You must meet the local authoritys requirements in relation to how you are going to pay for the house.

If you can afford it, you can buy your house without a mortgage loan as long as you meet all the eligibility criteria.

This includes having a gross annual income of at least 15,000.

You must have this income so that you can maintain your house during the charge period.

You must show your local authority how you intend to pay for the house. If you are buying your house with a mortgage loan, you must provide approval in principle at the time of application.

You will not have to pay a deposit as part of your purchase.

You may be able to apply to your local authority for a Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan.

You will have to pay all your costs, including legal fees, to complete the purchase of your new home.

How do I apply?

 You must fill out an Incremental Purchase Application Form available on the Kilkenny County Council website or by contacting Customer Services

 You must provide proof of income

 You must show your local authority how you intend to pay for the house

 If you are buying your house with a mortgage loan you must provide approval in principle at the time of application

 You must give the local authority any other information if asks for about your application

How will my application be processed?

In general, your application will be processed in four stages:

Stage 1  Income, Tenancy Eligibility and Confirmation of Purchase Funding Kilkenny County Council will assess your application to make sure it follows the rules about income and tenancy. It is important to provide all the supporting

documentation requested. This is to make sure your application is acceptable. Support documents include statement of liability, employment detail summary, payslips, and salary certificates and so on. If we ask for more information, you must

supply it within the time specified. If you do not qualify for the scheme, your local authority will inform you. You will have to supply evidence (such as a bank statement of savings or a letter of loan offer from your lender) to show that you have the money to complete the purchase.

Stage 2  Allocation of Homes and Letter of Offer

There are a certain number of dwellings for sale under the scheme. All valid applications will be considered by the allocations team after the closing date. In the instance where there are more applicants than properties, shortlisting will occur

based on the Councils Allocation Scheme.

If successful your local authority will send you a letter of offer, outlining:

 the purchase price of the house

 the discount you may get under the scheme

 the price you must pay to complete the purchase

 the terms and conditions regarding the sale

 a viewing of the property will be arranged

The offer will last for a set period. All successful applicants will be required to obtain independent legal advice and pay their own legal costs to process the sale of the property. These and other associated costs must be considered when applying.

Stage 3  Accepting the offer

If you are happy to accept the offer and go ahead with the purchase, you must confirm it in writing within the timeframe specified. The legal transfer of the new property will start only when this stage has been completed.

FOR FULL DETAILS ON THIS PATRICULAR HOUSING SCHEME AS WELL AS APPLICATION FORMS, CLICK HERE.

Closing date for receipt of applications for the purchase of these 6 houses is April 1, 2022.
Eighty years ago, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing the U.S. government to imprison Americans of Japanese descent in U.S. incarceration camps. This was in 1942, three years before Japanese-American soldiers risked their lives to free prisoners from the Nazis Dachau concentration camp.

At a time when the U.S. is immersed in a crippling tendency to deny its complicity in horrific truths, we must reaffirm that the truth has no expiration date for relevance. Yet educators continue to ban books such as Maus in a Tennessee county, while policymakers move to restrict educational access to curricula about historically underrepresented groups in Oklahoma, Indiana and elsewhere.

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The virulent opposition to The 1619 Project and history that some misconstrue as critical race theory compound attempts to suppress rather than learn from the past, when pockets of Americas citizenry were damned.

FILE - This March 23, 1942, photo shows the first arrivals at the Japanese evacuee community established in Owens Valley in Manzanar, Calif. (Associated Press/AP)

In all of these cases, attempts to ignore the truth limit the imagination of what Americanness might be, and forestall opportunities to heal and to grow as a nation through education.

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Some justify Roosevelts 1942 order after Japans 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. This is myopic and misguided. Though many supported the order under fear of potential spies, the U.S. convicted no Japanese national or Japanese-American of espionage or sabotage during the war.

Earlier incidents limiting Asian citizenship and immigration such as the Page Act of 1875 and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 also contributed to many seeing Japanese and other Asian-Americans as perpetually foreign.

This false mythology planted the seeds for anti-Asian hate, which is now resurgent in the wake of COVID-19. In 2021, nearly one in five Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders have experienced a hate incident, with most of these occurrences happening in public and involving verbal and/or physical harassment. In New York City, the recent deaths of Yao Pan Ma and Michelle Alyssa Go intensify concerns over racist violence.

Eight decades ago, as a result of Roosevelts order, American families lost their homes, businesses and prized possessions. The government detained about 126,000 people because of their race, transporting them to 59 facilities  some of which were horse stables and other temporary assembly centers hastily repurposed while the U.S. built more permanent locations.

Thanks to a lawsuit by former incarceree Mitsuye Endo, the camps began to shut down in 1945, though many families would remain separated until the largest and most controversial of the prison camps at Tule Lake, Calif., finally closed in 1946. While Congress later provided reparations to the survivors, the restitution would not come close to equaling the $400 million in property that detainees lost during imprisonment.

Naturally, no amount of money can replace disruption of time and lives lost due to incarceration.

Though the number of human deaths at the Japanese-American incarceration camps could not of course be compared to the millions slain in death camps abroad, all these deaths are immoral and abhorrent.

In the U.S. incarceration camps, 1,862 people died, mostly due to health complications exacerbated by malnutrition and facilities that lacked proper protection from the elements. Less than 10 of those deaths stemmed from escape attempts and protests.

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The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

President Gerald Ford repealed Executive Order 9066 in 1976, 34 years after FDR signed it. Another 12 years would pass until Congress issued a formal apology and passed the 1988 Civil Liberties Act, awarding $20,000 each to more than 80,000 Japanese-Americans as reparations for their treatment.

When the government first enforced the executive order, 23-year-old Fred Korematsu tried to defy it, eventually leading the Supreme Court to rule against him in 1944. Experts place this decision alongside the 1857 Dred Scott case upholding slavery and the 1896 Plessy case defending segregation as the three worst high court decisions in U.S. history.

This distinction found support across the political spectrum. But Justice Robert Jackson wrote in his dissent that Korematsu had been convicted of an act not commonly thought a crimeIt consists merely of being present in the state whereof he is a citizen, near the place where he was born, and where all his life he has lived.

Jacksons statement highlights the basic truth of Korematsus Americanness, one that Korematsu expanded in his own testimony when his conviction was overturned almost four decades later in 1983.

Of course, its this first step  of remembering the moments that challenge Americas innocence  that is currently under attack. But limiting opportunities to learn and reflect on this past will do nothing to improve this countrys present and future.

This months anniversary charges the country to assess who to see and not see as typically American. As Fred Korematsus daughter Karen offers, her father was simply one man who made a difference in the face of adversity and so can you.

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Milne is assistant professor of multicultural American literature at the University of Indianapolis, author of Novel Subjects: Authorship as Radical Self-Care in Multiethnic American Narratives, and a Public Voices Fellow through The OpEd Project.
This sounds like a dream.

Cate Blanchett will be honored by Film at Lincoln Center this spring with the 47th Chaplin Award, the organization announced in a press release Friday.

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The 52-year-old Nightmare Alley star, whos won two Oscars and been nominated for five more, will receive the award on April 25 at Lincoln Centers Alice Tully Hall during the Chaplin Award Gala, the organizations most important fundraising event. It will serve as a joyful celebration of the actors incredible filmography, the release read.

Cate Blanchett poses for photographers upon arrival at the 36th Goya Awards Gala on Feb. 12, 2022, in Valencia, Spain. (Jose Breton/AP)

The event promises to be an extraordinary recognition of an actor who has portrayed some of the most memorable characters committed to film.

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We are thrilled to welcome Cate Blanchett back to Film at Lincoln Center, where three of her films have previously screened as part of the New York Film Festival, Lesli Klainberg, Executive Director of Film at Lincoln Center, said in the release. Ms. Blanchetts career includes extraordinary performances in films ranging from small independent efforts to major studio franchises and with some of the most renowned directors of our time. It is our privilege to dedicate an evening of celebration to her, and add one more accolade to her many well-deserved awards.

All of the galas proceeds go to the organizations mission to support the art and craft of cinema, according to the release.

The Nightmare Alley star won Academy Awards for her roles in Blue Jasmine and The Aviator, and was nominated for her roles in Carol, Im Not There, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Notes on a Scandal, and Elizabeth.

The gala started in 1972, honoring the eponymous Chaplin upon his return to America from exile. Now, Blanchett will join the likes of honorees Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese, Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks as well as Morgan Freeman, and most recently, Spike Lee.
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Police officers gather on a street during a protest over pandemic health rules outside the parliament of Canada in Ottawa on February 17.
Angola, IN (46703)

Today

Rain diminishing to a few showers by morning. Low 44F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Rain diminishing to a few showers by morning. Low 44F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Chorong is gaining attention for an action she showed towards her backup dancer while performing on stage.

Keep on reading to know more.

Apink Chorong Gains Attention for Kind Gesture Towards Backup Dancer On Stage

Back on February 14, Apink made their highly-awaited full group comeback with their special 10th anniversary album, "HORN," and its title track "Dilemma."

Although Apink couldn't promote the album with all the members as Naeun had conflicting schedules, the remaining five members still showed off great performances.

In particular, back on February 17, Apink headed on to Mnet's "M Countdown" to perform three of their songs "Dilemma," "Nothing," and "Red Carpet."

With Apink's performance on the music show, member Chorong also captured the attention of fans on social media, after her kind gesture towards a backup dancer was caught on camera.

Specifically, in one part of Apink's choreography, a backup dancer had to kneel on the ground with Chorong's foot stepping on it to perform a dance move.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Youtuber Reveals 'Real' Reason APINK Naeun is Unable to Promote New Album With Group

After finishing the move and removing her foot, however, Chorong can be seen wiping the backup dancer's leg where she stepped on.

This kind gesture eventually captured the attention of fans, who praised the idol for her sweet personality.

Some have even brought up her school bullying controversy, in which Chorong was accused back in 2021 of being a perpetrator of school violence and a bully during her high school days.

In November, Chorong was found to be innocent in the allegations, and Chorong filed a lawsuit against the accuser.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Idols Dating at ISAC? Apink Reveals Truth - And It Is Not What You Think It Is

Some comments from netizens read, "Chorong's school violence controversy last year was so silly. I am not a fan, but I think she is kind and knows how to lead a group. She is also so thoughtful," "Don't ask why Apink has always trusted Chorong and decided to stay together until their 11th year. It's because they have such a nice and wonderful leader," and "Chorong has a 10-year career without a single scandal about her personality. But in the 10th year, she suddenly got into a controversy, which caused Apink to delay their comeback. Chorong deserves to be loved."

Fans and netizens continued to show their support and shower praise for Apink's leader, and even used the viral clip of her to prove she is innocent in her school bullying controversy.

Apink Unveils 'Dilemma' Performance Music Video

Meanwhile, Apink has finally unveiled the performance music video of "Dilemma."

In this video, Apink can be seen showing off the complete dance choreography of their title track, which was produced by Black Eyed Pilseung and Jeon Gun, while on the set of their music video.

Check out Apink's "Dilemma" performance music video here:

For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Robyn Joan
Lindsey Pearlman, a TV actress who appeared in General Hospital and Empire among other shows, was found dead Friday in Los Angeles. She was 43.

Pearlman had been missing since Feb. 13, according to Los Angeles police. Her cause of death has not yet been determined. The county coroner will investigate.

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Lindsey Pearlman is pictured in a missing persons photo shared by police. (LAPD)

Shes gone. Im broken, her husband Vance Smith wrote in an Instagram post. I will share more later, but I wanted to (say) thank you to everyone for their love and efforts and ask you to respect the privacy of her family at this time.

Pearlman had most recently appeared in six of the eight episodes of the Urbanflix TV series Vicious. She also had credits on Empire, Chicago Justice, The Purge (TV series) and General Hospital.

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Born in Chicago, Pearlman went to Northeastern University and got her start in showbiz at the Second City Conservatory, where students receive training from Second City improv comedians.

She was last seen around 1600 N. Mariposa Ave. in Los Angeles and was found dead about three miles west at the intersection of Franklin Avenue and North Sierra Bonita Avenue, police said.
Hard-core K-pop fans are surely familiar with the name BOL4 or Bolbbalgan4 as they own several hits like "Some," "Galaxy," "First Love" and more. They are initially a duo but one member left and this resulted in many speculations about the reason.

It has been two years since their split, so let's find out where the BOL4 members are at present.

About the K-pop Duo BOL4

BOL4 made their debut back in 2016 under Shofar Music with their first mini-album "Red Ickle." But before debuting, Jiyoon and Jiyoung already knew each other as they became friends in high school in Yeonju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. They then formed a four-member band and competed in Superstar K6, a television talent show.

In the first half of 2018, BOL4 went on a temporary hiatus as Ahn Jiyoung needed to focus on her school activities. They then returned in May of the same year with their third mini-album "Red Diary Page.2." The duo also debuted in Japan in June 2019 with the Japanese edition of their first studio album "Red Planet."

Unfortunately, BOL4 Jiyoon left the group in April 2020. The agency said that her departure is because of her personal concerns about her future career.

What Happened to BOL4 Following Jiyoon's Departure?

After Woo Jiyoon left BOL4, many speculations about her departure emerged. Many people believed that she left because she didn't have the chance to shine on her own. It was also speculated that the two members' relationship wasn't good and that she experienced mistreatment.

The speculation about the two having discord between them increased after Woo Jiyoon released new solo songs ("Dodo" and "Island") that contain lyrics seeming to point at Ahn Jiyoung. Even Jiyoung herself felt like the track was about her and so she unfollowed Jiyoon on Instagram.

In response to the issue, former BOL4 Jiyoon said that she wrote the song a few years before its release. However, she didn't confirm nor deny if it was really about her bandmate, further making fans curious about their relationship.

Woo also stated that she wanted to end things properly but Jiyoung intended to part with her more quickly, and so she ended up leaving the team sooner than she thought.

Ahn Jiyoung replied to Jiyoon's statement by confessing that she was hurt when she heard about Jiyoon wanting to leave BOL4 from the agency rather than directly from her. She continued that she didn't want to make their final album without sincere feelings.

Ahn then asked Woo to not ignore her and contact her if she has something left to say to her and said that it was the last time she was going to talk about their situation.

Where is BOL4 Now? Here Are Jiyoung, Jiyoon's Current Whereabouts

BOL4 Ahn Jiyoung

Although Jiyoon left, Ahn Jiyoung continued to release songs under the name BOL4. She returned to the music scene as a soloist in May 2020 with her mini-album "Puberty Book II Pum." The album contains five songs including the two title tracks "Hug" and "Leo" (featuring EXO Baekhyun).

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Where Are PRISTIN Members Now? Here's What We Know About Their Current Activities

BOL4 Jiyoung's latest release is the single album "Butterfly Effect," which arrived on Oct. 26, 2021. The album is composed of two songs titled "Butterfly Effect" and "Space."

Ahn remains an artist under Shofar Music, which also manages other bands/duos and soloists like Sweden Laundry, Boramiyu, Choi Yuree and more.

Former BOL4 Woo Jiyoon

Woo Jiyoon made her first step after leaving BOL4 in June 2020 when she released her new solo album "O: circle," which features two songs: "Dodo" and "Island." She now goes by the stage name "Odd Child."

Odd Child released two more single albums in 2020, such as ":Colon" and "Ha:f," which is her latest music release.

Former BOL4 Jiyoon's current agency is unknown as there was no official announcement of her departure from Shofar Music. But, it is believed that she is no longer under the label as her profile is not included on Shofar Music's official website anymore. It can be assumed that she's currently an independent artist.

For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article

Written by Mhaliya Scott
A new turn lane at the intersection of Linton Road and Airline Drive is of the Bossier Parish Police Jury's highway department's projects.
BILLINGS, Mont. - A man was hospitalized after a shooting in Billings Thursday night.

The Billings Police Department (BPD)says the shooting happened around 11:14 pm Thursday near the 1200 block of 18th St. W.

A male victim was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injures.

At this time BPD says the suspect or suspects have not been located and an investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
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. 
Now that all episodes of the eagerly awaited Sex and the City sequel have dropped earlier this month, more tongues are wagging about And Just Like That

That includes Candace Bushnell, whos finally sharing her thoughts about the HBO Max followup. The best-selling author and inspiration behind the Carrie Bradshaw character revealed that she was really startled by a lot of the decisions made in the reboot.

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Candace Bushnell said "And Just Like That ..." is "not my story." (Brian Ach/Getty Images for Apple TV+)

You know, its a television product, done with [And Just Like That creator] Michael Patrick King and Sarah Jessica Parker, who have both worked with HBO a lot in the past, Bushnell told the New Yorker. HBO decided to put this franchise back into their hands for a variety of reasons, and this is what they came up with.

Bushnell, who wrote the column that inspired the original Sex and the City series added, I mean, Carrie Bradshaw ended up being a quirky woman who married a really rich guy. And thats not my story, or any of my friends stories. But TV has its own logic.

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The 63-year-old Glastonbury, Conn., native added: Ive said this, but when the character of Carrie sleeps with Mr. Big after hes married to somebody else  thats when I felt like the characters becoming something other [than myself].

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

Although the original Darren Starr-created series became a cultural touchstone, it was plagued by criticism for its lack of diversity. For the reboot, producers added more central characters of color  Nicole Ari Parker, Karen Pittman, Sarita Choudhury and the nonbinary Sara Ramirez.

Bushnell praised the much-needed splash of color, also noting that the original series was lacking due to the fact that was how people cast things then.

It was the way that people in TV were I dont think anyone was consciously trying to be nasty about it; they just really didnt think, she said.

From left: Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Jessica Parker and Krisin Davis in And Just Like That  which is a continuation of the Sex an the City franchise. (HBO Max)

And Just Like That... recently finished its first season on HBO Max and has yet to be renewed for a second season after being widely panned by critics.

The series brought back Parker as Carrie, as well as Cynthia Nixon as Miranda and Kristin Davis as Charlotte. Noticeably missing was Kim Cattralls Samantha, who previously revealed she has no interest in returning to the franchise.

Parker, who has mostly remained mum since Cattrall publicly blasted her, recently broke her silence and said she wouldnt be OK with her return.

I dont think I would, because I think theres just too much public history of feelings on her part that shes shared, she told Variety.
BILLINGS, Mont. - From badges to bagels, the owner of "The Great American Bagel, John Smith, in Billings is a former Yellowstone County Sheriffs officer who is enjoying retirement.

He says the last few years have not come without the difficulties, from supply chain issues to staffing issues regardless he says the community has had its back.

I got a master's in business and I thought I wanted to do something different than what I was doing before, Smith said.

Smith says his time on the force with the Yellowstone County Sheriffs office was great but this is a new frontier for him. He may no longer be an officer but he is still committed to the community and hes doing that by way of the people he hires.

I tend to bring in people who maybe need a hand, one of my employees dropped out of high school when he was 15 and ever really had a job, and needed a job, Smith said, He is 18 now and I took him on, and I got him a GED book and I said get after it, and Ill give you an opportunity, and hes been here a year and a half now.

He says many of the people hes had work for him generally stay for quite some time, hes even helped one of his employees whos worked for him for four years leave the foodservice industry and start down the path towards college.

I just feel like you have to treat your employees with positive energy and just let things flow, its only bagels right, Smith said.

But it's also life lessons, he says for himself hes learning how to run a business which has not been easy, but the support from the community has kept him going.

Financially things are hard for all businesses right now and Smith says he has to buy his flour in bulk because sometimes its not available and thats not the only thing he has an issue getting.

We dont have cream cheese containers so I cant put the cream cheese in a little small container theyre unavailable, sometimes turkey is unavailable, its ridiculous, Smith said, the cost of goods is skyrocketing, so Ive done three price increase and Ive done two in the last year and a half because Ive had to.

Smith says yes this is a business and he wants to make money but the reason for the price increase isnt just because of the cost of goods, it is to maintain competitive wages which he thinks is helping him keep staff.

He says he knows his business and he knows his community which is why after 17 years on the force hes now working to continue to contribute back to Billings Montana through his employees.

I know my business and I know how to treat people and thats the key, treat people with respect and build relationships, Smith said.
Have a news tip or would like to report a typo? Email Anthony Victor Reyes at areyes@kvoa.com.
During her speech at the Munich Security Conference on February 19, Vice President Kamala Harris says US 'stands with Ukraine' while warning Russia of 'swift, severe and united' consequences.
Darryl Reuben Hall didnt intend to become an expert on Booker T. Washington.

But then a PBS documentary caught his eye.

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A Jacksonville native, Hall is in town presenting his one-man show Dinner With Booker T. at Mad Cow Theatre through Feb 27. Told through historical documentation of more than a century ago, the piece resonates strongly today, Hall believes, not just because of the racial issues it explores but through its emphasis on the themes of courage, perseverance and hope.

Darryl Reuben Hall wrote and stars in "Dinner With Booker T.," coming to Orlando. (Courtesy of the artist / Courtesy photo)

It is so uplifting to me, said Hall of Washingtons life. People need to hear that despite your background, despite your upbringing, if you continue with passion in your heart you can reach your goals.

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Born in Virginia in 1856, Washington was a slave, like his mother. He taught himself to read and after emancipation was determined to further educate himself  saving money by working in coal mines and then walking hundreds of miles to enroll in the Hampton Institute, where he worked as a janitor to help pay his tuition.

Washington succeeded in educating himself to the point he was later named the first leader of the Tuskegee Institute, founded to educate other Black students. Author and orator, he became a prominent figure in the struggle for equality.

He was a powerful leader of the Black race, Hall said.

In 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt invited Washington to dinner  an invitation that scandalized certain segments of the nation, where segregation still ruled the day.

People went into an uproar because a Black man and white man sat at a table in the White House, Hall said.

That dinner was being discussed on Ken Burns documentary The Roosevelts: An Intimate History when Hall happened to flick on the TV.

He was in a hotel, far from home in Milwaukee, on a break from rehearsing a production of The Color Purple. It was chance he landed on the PBS station. But he was instantly riveted.

Those few minutes, he recalled. They started talking about Booker T. Washington having dinner with President Roosevelt and it sparked something. I knew the seed had been planted, and the story had to be told.

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He began a deep dive into Washingtons life  and as an actor immediately thought of telling the tale as a play.

Back in New York City, where he was based, Hall impulsively applied for a spot in the citys Midtown International Theatre Festival. It was full. Until three days later, that is, when he was notified someone had dropped out  and the spot was his if he wanted it. He said yes.

One problem? He had no play.

I only had 10 or 15 pages of what was supposedly a script, he said. But Hall got to work and had a six-actor production ready in time for the fest. His expectations were minimal.

Im thinking, This is going to be fun. Hopefully it will unite cultures and touch lives, he said. Then the critics came  and loved it.

Encouraged, Hall continued to develop the work, adapting it as a one-man show on the advice of the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., where the new version played to sold-out crowds.

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In the show, University of Florida graduate Hall portrays more than a dozen characters. A veteran actor who has performed at Walt Disney World, in Radio City Music Halls annual Christmas Spectacular and New York City Operas Porgy and Bess, Hall puts his musical-theater background to good use with music and dance interludes in the roughly hourlong performance.

It is definitely not a lecture, he said, with a laugh.

Each performance is followed by a talkback with the audience. Questions are encouraged.

Things to Do Weekly A look at entertainment and sporting events in Orlando and around Central Florida. >

I love the talkbacks, Hall said. Theyre always enlightening.

Hes had interest from producers on taking the show to the next level  to a New York City theater, maybe Broadway, or recording it for a streaming service such as Netflix. Hall would like to develop an educational curriculum that could be used with young people who see the play.

He knows Dinner With Booker T. has something to say about inequality and discrimination.

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Were talking about a dinner in 1901, and its 2022 and still happening today, he said. Thats shocking to me. Thats alarming.

But he hopes audiences are inspired by the plays broader message, drawn from Washingtons remarkable life.

Everybody has ups and downs in their life. Everybody hits the wall sometimes, Hall said. But he never let anything stop him. Thats why I love telling his story.

Dinner With Booker T.

Where: Mad Cow Theatre, 54 W. Church St. in Orlando

Mad Cow Theatre, 54 W. Church St. in Orlando When: Through Feb. 27

Through Feb. 27 Cost: $30 ($20 students, military, first responders and educators)

$30 ($20 students, military, first responders and educators) Info: madcowtheatre.com

Find me on Twitter @matt_on_arts, facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Want more theater and arts news and reviews? Go to orlandosentinel.com/arts. For more fun things, follow @fun.things.orlando on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Are you planning to attend NH Pumpkin Festival this year? If not, what would make you attend?
PARIS (AP)  A modeling agent who was close to disgraced U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein was found dead Saturday in his French jail cell, where he was being held in an investigation into the rape and sex trafficking of minors, according to the Paris prosecutors office.

Victims of the alleged abuse described shock and dismay that the 75-year-old agent, Jean-Luc Brunel, will never face trial. They described his death as a double blow, after Epstein killed himself in 2019 in a Manhattan jail while awaiting sex-trafficking charges.

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Brunels lawyers suggested Saturday that he, too, killed himself.

In a statement, they described his distress and repeated requests for provisional release from jail.

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Jean-Luc Brunel never stopped declaring his innocence, they said. His decision was not guided by guilt, but by a deep sentiment of injustice. The lawyers would not further comment on what happened.

Paris police are investigating Brunels death, the prosecutors office said. Brunels legal team had repeatedly complained about the conditions of his detention and sought to have him released pending trial.

Brunel was detained at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in 2020 as part of a broad French probe unleashed by the U.S. sex-trafficking charges against Epstein. A frequent companion of Epstein, Brunel was considered central to the French investigation into alleged sexual exploitation of women and girls by the U.S. financier and his circle. Epstein traveled often to France and had apartments in Paris.

One of Epsteins main accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, has alleged that Brunel procured women, some of them minors, for sex with Epstein and other people, luring them with promises of modeling work.

Multiple women who identified themselves as victims have spoken to police since the French probe was opened in 2019, and at times expressed frustration with the slow pace of the investigation.

One of them, Thysia Huisman, said Saturday that the news of Brunels death sent her into shock.

It makes me angry, because Ive been fighting for years, Huisman, a Dutch former model who told police she was drugged and raped by Brunel as a teen, told The Associated Press. For me, the end of this was to be in court. And now that whole ending  which would help form closure  is taken away from me.

A lawyer representing Huisman and other victims, Anne-Claire Le Jeune, said other women involved in the case feel the same.

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Great disappointment, great frustration that (the victims) wont get justice, she told The AP.

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She expressed doubt that the investigation would lead to a trial because Brunel was so central to the case. She also voiced concerns that Brunels death means his accusers wont get any official recognition of their status as victims.

To rebuild yourself (after abuse), that is one of the essential steps, Huisman said.

She expressed hope that Brunels death wont discourage women from continuing to speak out about abuse. The investigation, along with a growing reckoning about sexual misconduct in France, has freed up women to talk about it, she said. Its a difficult step that requires a lot of courage and strength.

Brunel was named in U.S. court filings, too. The spokesperson for the prosecutors who charged Epstein in New York declined comment on Brunels death. Giuffres U.S. lawyers did not immediately comment.

Britains Prince Andrew recently agreed to settle a case in which Giuffre accused him of sexual abuse when she was 17. Guiffre says she was supplied to Andrew by Epstein, charges that Andrew denies. The settlement, in which Andrew agreed to make a substantial donation to Giuffres charity, avoids a trial.

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Larry Neumeister in New York contributed.
RACINE  Members of City of Racine administration were due to be deposed behind closed doors Monday by those investigating the 2020 election. But the city did not send anyone to the interview, although they had planned on it previously, City Attorney Scott Letteney confirmed in an email late Thursday night.

When asked by email why no city officials attended the scheduled deposition, Letteney did not immediately reply.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who ordered the probe that is costing taxpayers more than $650,000, said in a radio appearance Friday morning that he has signed more than 100 subpoenas on behalf of the investigation, most of which have remained out of the public eye.

However, it remains unclear how many of those subpoenas have actually been effective, as several of them have been rescinded after being issued and others have gone ignored.

That occurred last fall after multiple subpoenas were issued on Oct. 5 to Racine officials, including Mayor Cory Mason, City Clerk Tara Coolidge and staffer Vicky Selkowe. Just two days later, the subpoenas were rescinded without public explanation.

Those October subpoenas to Racine had included significant mistakes, including a demand for Racine to produce documents related to the 2020 state and federal election in the City of Green Bay.

It is unclear what Racine officials had been expected to be deposed about on Monday, as the subpoenas Vos said he signed have not been made public.

The Journal Times learned Wednesday of the deposition that did not occur, after reviewing a court document filed Jan. 14 in an unrelated case. In that unrelated case, Letteney wrote he would likely not be able to attend a Feb. 14 hearing because of the scheduled deposition in front of Gableman, a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, meaning the Gableman interview Monday had been scheduled more than a month ahead of time.

The Court may be aware of the investigation into aspects of the 2020 elections being conducted by former Justice Michael Gableman on behalf of the state legislature, Letteney wrote in that Jan. 14 filing. I represent the City of Racine and City officials in that matter. Justice Gableman had previously subpoenaed a City officer for a deposition to be conducted in Brookfield at 11:00 a.m. on February 14, 2022. I must attend that deposition, and I am not confident matters will be concluded in Brookfield in time for me to return to Racine in time for the other hearing.

It is unclear who all was expected to be at that deposition besides Letteney.

Mason and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway both said in November they would be willing to testify in front of Gableman if they could do so in public, not behind closed doors as Gableman has desired.

Vos and Gableman have sought to keep the day-to-day details of the investigation secret until it is complete, fighting open records requests and deflecting specific questions from reporters. Gablemans office did not reply to a request for comment on this story.

City of Racine officials are not the only ones who have resisted Gableman. Gableman demanded that two Wisconsin mayors  Rhodes-Conway and Green Bays Eric Genrich  be jailed for not complying with his subpoenas, a demand he later backed off.

A Nebraska-based voting machine company, Election Systems & Software, told Gableman last month it would not be complying, saying in a letter that it would not be involved in Gablemans quintessential fishing expedition.

Another of Gablemans subpoenas, to the immigrants and workers rights nonprofit Voces De La Frontera, was rescinded this week.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, has called the Gableman probe a fake investigation and asserted that the subpoenas are unlawful, despite the fact that Vos does have subpoena power as leader of the Assembly.

In the days following Donald Trumps loss in the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden in November 2020, Gableman  as first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel  said at a pro-Trump rally: Our elected leaders  your elected leaders  have allowed unelected bureaucrats at the Wisconsin Elections Commission to steal our vote.

Vos, along with Republican gubernatorial candidates Kevin Nicholson and Rebecca Kleefisch, has alleged there is a significant amount of undiscovered fraud in the 2020 election.

Joe Biden won the Electoral College ... that is a fact, Vos told a reporter in December, before later adding, Do I believe that there was enough fraud to have caused a different outcome? Well never know, because we have no idea.

Reporting from Mitchell Schmidt of Lee Newspapers and the Associated Press contributed to this article.
The Lake Geneva ice castle is closed this weekend Friday, Feb. 18-20 and it remains unclear if it will reopen this season after warm temperatures.

Our crew is assessing the castle and making repairs caused by the warm temperatures and rain we experienced earlier this week, Melissa Smuzynski, a spokesperson for the ice castle said Friday, Feb. 18.

If we can reopen, it would not be until after Monday, February 21. We have notified everyone who had purchased tickets for this weekend and issued automatic refunds.
Students at Reek Elementary School welcomed a surprise guest to their school on Friday, Feb. 18.

Milwaukee Bucks mascot Bango visited the students during a special assembly on Friday morning. During his visit, Bango performed stunts, threw out T-shirts and other prizes to the students, and took photos with students and staff. The students also were treated to cake and cupcakes that included the Milwaukee Bucks logo.

Bangos visit was organized by Diane and Richard Terry, who have a child who attends Reek Elementary School.

Diane Terry said she and her husband organized the visit to reward the students for their hard work this year.

Theyve earned it this year, Diane Terry said. It brings some magic. The Bucks are special. Our family is happy to do it.

Diane Terry said she was able to schedule Bongos visit with the Milwaukee Bucks online. She was excited when she learned that Bongo would be able to visit the school.

What a nice community partner, and theyre not local, Diane Terry said. Its far for them to travel to do all of this, and they had a game last night, too.

Bongo initially was set to visit the students, Feb. 14, during the students lunch hour but that visit was cancelled and was rescheduled for Feb. 18, with Bongo being a special guest for the students.

Diane Terry said she is pleased with how Bango entertained and interacted with the students and is thankful that he was able to visit.

Its truly invaluable to have the Bucks presence in our community, Diane Terry said. People who live far away may not have the opportunity to see the Bucks, but we support them and this was just a wonderful thing they approved to come out and join us.

After the assembly, several of the students asked Diane Terry if Bongo was going to return for another visit.

A lot of them said, Please, bring him back again, This was so great, It was fun, Diane Terry said. A couple of the kids asked me if I could have him come to their house to see their mom and dad.

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This week on the Lancaster Farming Podcast, our guest is Morgan Tweet, executive director of the Hemp Feed Coalition, who responds to a recent letter from the AAFCO concerning the allowance of hemp in animal feed.
Of rural adults, farmers and farmworkers are 10% more likely to have feelings of nervousness, anxiety or being on edge than the general population, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 18 (PTI) Kerala on Saturday reported 6,757 fresh COVID-19 cases and 524 fatalities and took the caseload to 64,63,563 and 64,053 respectively.

Also Read | Gujarat: Man Duped of Rs 55,000 by 'Tinder Date' in Junagadh.

Of the deaths, 16 were reported in the last 24 hours, 96 occurred in the last few days but were not recorded due to late receipt of documents and 412 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court, said a press release.

Also Read | Hijab Row: Ban Orders Around Schools, Colleges Extended in Dakshina Kannada Till February 26.

With 17,086 more people recovering from the virus since Friday, the total recoveries reached 63,23,697.

As the number of recoveries were more than the new cases, the active cases dropped to 75,017, the release said.

A total of 62,301 samples were tested in the last 24 hours.

Among the 14 districts, Ernakulam recorded the highest with 1,462 cases, Thiruvananthapuram (750) and Kozhikode (653), the release said.

Of the new cases, 50 were health workers, 44 from outside the State and 6,314 infected through contact with the source of it not being clear in 349, the release said.

There are currently 1,80,392 under surveillance in various districts, of whom 1,76,266 are in home or institutional quarantine and 4,126 in hospitals, the release 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 19 (ANI): VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog on Friday advised all the citizens not to lower the guard against the COVID-19 pandemic as the current surge has settled and added that the government has invited other vaccine manufacturers to collaborate with scientists and develop vaccines in the country.

"We can see that the surge has settled, but we must also know that there are cases at a significant number. Hopefully, it will be sustained but we cannot lower our guards. There should be a complete watch that we are ready for any eventuality," Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog told ANI.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Shocker: Woman Gets Hubby Arrested for Covering up Daughters Rape in Dhar.

"We invited other vaccine manufacturers to collaborate with our scientists and develop vaccines on our soil. Later, they manufactured vaccines and offered us to buy them demanding sovereign immunity waiver, but this was not acceptable to the government," he added.

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 | India-UAE Economic Pact Will Be Foundation Stone for Next Era of Success, Says UAE Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri.

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 Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country. The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination started on January 16, 2021. (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 19 (PTI) CPI general secretary D Raja has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to roll back the government's decision to privatise aluminium major NALCO.

In his letter, Raja said that there is widespread resentment among the workers to the move.

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"We request you to roll back your government's move to privatise the National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO). We vehemently oppose the disastrous plan of your government to implement 100 per cent strategic disinvestment in the National Aluminium Company Ltd by way of privatisation," he said.

Raja said NALCO, which was established in 1981, is a Navaratna company under the Ministry of Mines and has been the top most Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE), producing and exporting high quality alumina and aluminium for the last 40 years.

Also Read | Karnataka Shocker: Daughter Kills Her Mother To Cover Up Affair With Cousin Brother.

"I want to draw your attention to the fact that there is widespread resentment among the people and workers in particular to the anti-worker and anti-people move," he said.

It is also a fact that NALCO, since its inception, has been making profits and continues to have a consistent track record in production, productivity, technology upgradation, Raja said.

NALCO is the highest foreign exchange earner CPSE in the country. It has been giving sizable share of dividends to national and state exchequers as well as to the shareholders, he said.

In the light of these, "I request you to reconsider the move in the best interests of the country, workers and people. Hope you will take positive steps in this regard", Raja said in his letter to the prime minister.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kashmir (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], February 19 (ANI): A Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist was killed during a counter-terror operation at Chermarg in the Zainapora area of Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. Two Army jawans were also killed in the operation.

Based on a specific input generated by police regarding the presence of terrorist in village Chermarg Zainapora area of Shopian, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 1st Rashtriya Rifles and 178 Battalion of CRPF in the area.

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During the operation, a cluster of houses were taken into cordon and the process of evacuating civilians was initiated.

During the process, as the search party started searching house belonging to Gowhar Ahmad Bhat, the house owner intentionally misled the search party and denied sheltering the terrorist in his house, according to police.

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During his questioning, a terrorist hiding in his house opened fire on the search party resulting in grievous injuries to two Army Jawans. The fire was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter. The injured soldiers were immediately evacuated to the hospital for treatment. However, both of them succumbed to their injuries.

In the ensuing encounter, the terrorist was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of the encounter.

He has been identified as Abdul Qayoom Dar son of Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Dar resident of Laroo Kakapora Pulwama and linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT.

As per police records, the killed terrorist had a history of terror crime cases as he was working as a terrorist associate before joining terror ranks.

The police said his house was also being used as a hideout for terrorists and in April 2020 an encounter took place in his house and subsequently he was booked under PSA.

Post his release in August last year, he continuously kept on working as an associate for active terrorists. Earlier this week, SSP Pulwama officially intimated that he had left the house and joined the terror folds of LeT outfit. Consequently, he was listed as "C" category terrorist.

Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one AK-series rifle and one pistol were recovered from the site of the encounter.

A case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated. (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 19 (ANI): Senior Journalist Ravish Tiwari, who was the national bureau chief of The Indian Express, passed away last night.

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed their condolences on the demise of Tiwari.

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PM Modi said he was insightful and humble. Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister said, "Destiny has taken away Ravish Tiwari too soon. A bright career in the media world comes to an end. I would enjoy reading his reports and would also periodically interact with him. He was insightful and humble. Condolences to his family and many friends. Om Shanti."

President Kovind said, "For Ravish Tiwari, journalism was a passion, and he chose it over lucrative professions. He had an enviable knack for reporting and incisive commentary. His sudden and shocking demise silences a distinct voice in news media. My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues." (ANI)

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(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
A weak cold front moving across Central Florida will bring temperatures down for the weekend.

Saturdays temperatures will reach a high of 75 degrees and a low of 51 degrees.

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Saturdays weather forecast predicts a cloudy morning with scattered rain in some areas of Orlando, but they are expected to dissipate by the afternoon.

Sunday will start out with temperatures lower than average, but higher temperatures will come by the end of the day.

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Kind of chilly tomorrow morning, temperatures starting out in the 40s and 50s, then by the afternoon, not bad, upper 70s, said Chris Gilson, meteorologist for Spectrum News 13. Were into lower 80s by Monday.

Next week, highs will return to the upper 80s with lows in the upper 60s. Mostly clear and sunny days are predicted starting Monday.
New Delhi [India], February 19 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday conducted searches at eight locations across Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan in Jammu and Kashmir terrorism conspiracy case.

The anti-terror agency carried out searches in districts including Sopore, Kupwara, Shopian, Rajouri, Budgam, Ganderbal of Jammu and Kashmir and Jodhpur district of Rajasthan.

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During the searches, the NIA claimed to have seized various incriminating documents, digital devices, SIM cards and digital storage devices.

The case relates to planning and conspiracy for undertaking violent terrorist acts in Jammu and Kashmir and other major cities including New Delhi by cadres of proscribed terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al Badr and their affiliates such as The Resistance Front (TRF) and People Against Fascist Forces (PAFF).

Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: 2 Soldiers, Terrorist Killed in Shopian Encounter.

The NIA has so far arrested 28 accused persons in the case. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kabul [Afghanistan], February 19 (ANI): The Afghan Ambassador to the US has stepped down from her post, citing the new restrictions imposed by the US on its embassy in Washington.

Adela Raz is the third senior Afghan diplomat who stepped down from her position within the past six months, the TOLOnews reported.

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This comes as US State Department had decided to stop the political and diplomatic activities of Afghanistan in the US.

Afghan deputy ambassador Abdul Hadi Nijrabi said the US State Department in a letter to the Afghanistan embassy in Washington demanded the diplomatic activities be halted.

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"The letter sent by the US State Department to the embassy said only the ambassador is allowed to continue work from home, but not on political and diplomatic activities. The rest of the diplomats cannot work anymore," TOLOnews quoted Nijrabi as saying.

With the Taliban taking over the country in mid-August last year, the Afghanistan diplomatic missions have been facing economic problems.

Officials at the Afghanistan embassy in Washington said that the financial system of the embassy has been suspended by a bank for over four months.

"It has been over four months that the salaries of the Afghanistan embassy's (staffs) have been suspended. All diplomats are facing problems," said Safi Delawar, who worked as an adviser for the Afghanistan embassy in Washington. (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 19 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met an Afghan Sikh-Hindu delegation at his residence. A delegation of Sikh spiritual leaders had called on PM Modi on Friday also.

Prime Minister met leaders of the minority community who have been facing persecution in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the country in mid-August last year.

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This comes after PM Modi hosted a delegation of eminent personalities and spiritual leaders from the Sikh community at his official residence on Friday.

PM Modi also took to Twitter to post a photograph of his meeting with Uday Singh from Sri Bhaini Sahib of Ludhiana, a spiritual leader of the Namdhari Sect.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: About 25,000 Luhansk Residents Crossed Border With Russia.

The meeting comes ahead of voting for the Punjab Assembly elections on February 20.

In a tweet, PM Modi said, "Met with eminent personalities of Sant Samaj and Sikh community. These were all the Patwants who spread the Sikh community and culture all over the country and the world and served humanity."

In a video of the meeting shared by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Sikh representatives were seen gifting a 'kirpan' to PM Modi.

India has contributed significantly in recent years to the development of Afghanistan.

India has supplied three tonnes of medicines to Afghanistan as part of its fourth batch of medical assistance under humanitarian aid to the war-torn country.

"As part of our ongoing humanitarian assistance, India supplied the fourth batch of medical assistance consisting of three tonnes of essential life-saving medicines to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul," the MEA said in a statement on January 29.

Indian development projects have been undertaken in critical areas like water, road, healthcare, education, agriculture and capacity building. India's emphasis has been on the welfare, and the well being of the people of Afghanistan. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington, February 19: US President Joe Biden on Friday (local time) said that there has been an uptick in Russian disinformation that could be used as a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine.

"We are calling out Russia's plans loudly and repeatedly ... we're doing everything in our power to remove any reason Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine and prevent them from moving. Make no mistake: if Russia pursues its plans, it will be responsible for a catastrophic and needless war of choice," Biden said at the White House while discussing developments on the crisis between Russia and Ukraine. Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Vladimir Putin Will Be Responsible for 'Catastrophic and Needless War of Choice, Says US President Joe Biden.

President Biden said the US believes that Russian troops intend to attack Ukraine "in the coming week, the coming days."

"We have reason to believe the Russian forces are planning and intend to attack Ukraine in the coming week, the coming days," the President said Friday speaking from the White House. "We believe that they will target Ukraine's capital Kyiv -- a city of 2.8 million innocent people."

Biden went on to condemn such an attack, in the process pledging to continue supporting Ukraine.

"The United States and our allies are prepared to defend every inch of NATO territory from any threat to our collective security as well. We also will not send troops in to fight in Ukraine, but we will continue to support the Ukrainian people," the President added.

Biden said reports pushed to the Russian public that Ukraine is planning to launch an attack in separatist-controlled Donbas lacked evidence. He said those claims defied logic.

"All of these are consistent with the playbook the Russians have used before," Biden said.

"This is also in line with the pretext scenario that the United States and our allies and partners have been warning about for weeks," Biden went on.

He said the US had seen an uptick in violations of the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine.

Biden meanwhile also said that it is up to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky whether he will attend this weekend's Munich Security Conference 2022 held in Germany.

"That's a judgment for him to make," Biden said when asked by reporters following remarks he gave on the current state of tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

Biden added, "I've spoken with Zelensky a dozen times, maybe more, I don't know. In the pursuit of a diplomatic solution, it may -- maybe be a wise choice. But it's his decision."

It was previously reported that Biden administration officials have privately urged Zelensky that they do not believe it is a good idea for him to leave Ukraine and visit Munich on Saturday.

Nearly half of Russian forces surrounding Ukraine are in attack position, according to a US defence official familiar with the latest assessment.

The number of battalion tactical groups has swelled to approximately 120-125. A battalion tactical group usually comprises 1,000 troops.

The official said the Russian military has continued to move forces toward the border, and within the last 48 hours, the number of forces in attack position has reached 40-50 per cent.

At the same time, the Russian destabilization campaign has begun, the official said, with Russia accusing Ukraine of genocide in Donbas, conducting false flag operations, and more.

On Friday, a military vehicle exploded in the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine near the Government House building, the headquarters of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic.

An advisor to Ukraine's Interior Minister, Anton Gerashchenko, called it a "staging and a provocation."

Earlier, the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, two self-governed regions in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed separatists, organized the evacuation of civilians to Russia.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Beijing, Feb 19 (PTI) Multiple Chinese cities have announced cash rewards for tip-offs about people illegally crossing into the mainland from Hong Kong which is experiencing a massive fifth COVID-19 wave, overwhelming the local health system, state media reported on Saturday.

Zhuhai, Huizhou and Dongguan in China's south Guangdong province close to Hong Kong have announced cash rewards for people who report suspected illegal crossings from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) amid reports of people fleeing to mainland by road and sea to escape the spread of the contagion, state-run Global Times reported on Saturday.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Kamala Harris Warns Russia of Unprecedented Costs If It Invades Ukraine.

Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China, reported 6,063 infections in addition to 7,400 preliminary-positive cases on Saturday, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post newspaper reported.

With the death of 15 patients, the coronavirus-related death toll reached 280. The latest infections brought the overall tally to 46,763 cases.

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Such was the caseload that hundreds of suspected COVID-19 patients, who were forced to wait outside public hospitals for admission over the past few days, had now been moved indoors.

As the situation deteriorated, reports say Hong Kong is busy converting auditoriums and dormitories to accommodate surging cases even as it plans to build a Wuhan style makeshift hospital to accommodate hundreds of patients.

Chinese cities Zhuhai and Dongguan have announced cash rewards capped at 100,000 yuan (USD 15,785) for tip-offs for suspected smuggling of Hong Kongers by vehicle or boat.

The reward for reporting group smuggling is 30,000 yuan (over USD 4,600) and 10,000 yuan (over USD 1,500) for individuals illegally crossing the border, according to official notices.

Chenzhou and Nan'an cities also released similar notices against the backdrop of five confirmed COVID-19 cases being found among 15 who were smuggled from Hong Kong to the mainland via Zhuhai by boat on February 14.

Upon arrival in Zhuhai, some travelled to other mainland cities, leading to flare-ups in cases -- two each in Chenzhou and Guangzhou and one in Shanghai, the Global Times reported.

As the situation deteriorated in Hong Kong, China deployed Wang Hesheng, director of the country's newly-established National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control, who was earlier sent to Wuhan where the coronavirus first emerged in December 2019, to bring the situation under control.

Wang took charge at the pandemic control outpost in Shenzhen on Wednesday, attending a high-level coordination group meeting, presided over by the central government's top official for Hong Kong Xia Baolong, the Post reported.

On the same day, Chinese President Xi Jinping instructed the Hong Kong government to shoulder the main responsibility of tackling its exponentially growing coronavirus outbreak and to mobilise all forces and resources to protect lives and ensure stability.

Beijing's calling in a big-gun like Wang is indicative of the top leadership's grave concerns over the pandemic situation in Hong Kong.

The worry is that it is getting rapidly out of hand and posing a major risk of spillover to the mainland, said Junfei Wu, a researcher at the Hong Kong China Economic and Cultural Development Association.

With a daily increment of over 3,000 (cases), Hong Kong's total confirmed infections, now standing at 40,000 plus, are set to surpass the total in the (2020) Wuhan outbreak. There is certainly a need to bring Wang, who has prior experience to contain an outbreak of such a scale, to the frontline, Wu told the Post.

The situation in Hong Kong is so grave that the election for the chief executive of HKSAR, originally scheduled for March 27, is postponed to May 8, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Friday.

(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 19 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock on Saturday, and discussed several issues including Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific and the ongoing tension between Ukraine and Russia.

Taking to Twitter, the Foreign Minister said that he also focused on climate action and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during the meeting.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Powerful Explosion Reported in Luhansk Possibly Linked to Gas Pipeline.

"A wide-ranging discussion with German Foreign Minister @ABaerbock. Focused on climate action and SDGs, bilaterally and globally. Covered Afghanistan, Indo Pacific and Ukraine. Looking forward to building further on today's meeting", Jaishankar tweeted.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock discussed Ukraine crisis at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Antony Blinken, Annalena Baerbock Discuss Ukraine Crisis, Warn of Massive Consequences for Russia.

The German Foreign Minister said there is a new war impending right in the middle of Europe. "Russia issues an absolutely unacceptable threat with their troop's buildup vis-a-vis Ukraine, but also vis-a-vis all of us and our peace architecture in Europe. Therefore, this crisis is therefore no Ukraine crisis. We have to be very careful about our framing. It's a Russia crisis."

Amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, a "powerful explosion" hit Luhansk, Sputnik reported.

The blast was said to occur at gas pipeline "Druzhba" and lead to a massive fire.Local gas infrastructure managing "Lyhanskgas" said in a statement that emergency crews are now present on the site, reported Sputnik.

"At 00:10 on 19 February, calls began to arrive about a major fire on the gas pipeline near Malaya Vergunka, emergency teams of the State Unitary Enterprise 'Luganskgaz' went to the scene," "Luganskgaz" told reporters.

Recently, the Quad meeting in Melbourne held a discussion over the ongoing situation between Russia and Ukraine to reinforce rules-based order that applies equally in Indo-Pacific as it does in Europe.

"There was a discussion of Russia and Ukraine in the context of the Quad meeting that we had with our Indian counterparts, our Japanese and Australian allies. There was a strong consensus in that meeting that there needs to be a diplomatic - a peaceful resolution to this. One of the core tenets of the Quad is to reinforce the rules-based international order, and that is a rules-based order that applies equally in the Indo-Pacific as it does in Europe, as it does anywhere else," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. (ANI)

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Washington [US], February 19 (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.

Also Read | Prince Harry Lawyers Say He Feels Unsafe Bringing Kids to UK.

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).

Also Read | Storm Eunice: Red Weather Alert Issued for Most of UK as Cyclonic Storm Hits England, Wales.

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)

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Karachi [Pakistan], February 19 (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.

Also Read | Prince Harry Lawyers Say He Feels Unsafe Bringing Kids to UK.

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.

Also Read | Storm Eunice: Red Weather Alert Issued for Most of UK as Cyclonic Storm Hits England, Wales.

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)

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New Delhi [India], February 19 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met members of the Sikh-Hindu delegation from Afghanistan at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg and assured the community of continuous support in future to resolve all issues and difficulties.

In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said the delegation honoured the Prime Minister and thanked him for bringing Sikhs and Hindus safely to India from Afghanistan.

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Prime Minister welcomed the delegation and said that they are not guests but are in their own house, adding that India is their home. He talked about the immense difficulties faced by them in Afghanistan and the help provided by the government to bring them to India safely.

In this light, PM Modi also talked about the significance of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and its benefits for the community. He assured them of continuous support in future as well to resolve all issues and difficulties faced by them.

Also Read | Indian-American Judge Manish Shah Sends Pakistan Man Muhammad Ateeq to 12 Years in Jail in Healthcare Fraud Case.

Prime Minister also talked about the significance of the tradition of honouring Guru Granth Sahib, in light of which special arrangements were made to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan. He talked about the immense love that he has received from Afghans over the years and fondly recalled his visit to Kabul.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa thanked the Prime Minister for sending help from India for bringing back the community safely, and said that when no one stood with them, the Prime Minister ensured constant support and timely help.

Other members of the delegation also thanked the Prime Minister for standing up for them in times of distress. They said that they had tears in their eyes when they heard him talking about making special arrangements to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan to India with proper reverence.

They also thanked him for bringing about CAA, which will be of immense help for members of their community, the PMO said.

They said that he is not just the Prime Minister of India, but the Prime Minister of the world since he understands the difficulties faced especially by Hindus and Sikhs across the world and makes all out efforts to provide immediate help in all such cases.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Union Minister of State Meenakashi Lekhi were also present on the occasion. (ANI)

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Moscow [Russia], February 19 (ANI/Sputnik): Russia's Rostov Region has opened 15 border crossings for refugees from the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, the Russian Emergencies Ministry told Sputnik on Saturday.

On Friday, the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) announced the evacuation of their citizens to the Rostov Region over the escalation of tensions on the contact line.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Powerful Explosion Reported in Luhansk Possibly Linked to Gas Pipeline.

"As of February 19, six automobile, two railway and seven pedestrian checkpoints are operating in the Rostov Region," the ministry said.

The LPR and DPR are accusing Kiev of launching a new military operation against them while the Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly stressed that they hold Russia responsible for any escalation in Donbas. (ANI/Sputnik)

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: About 25,000 Luhansk Residents Crossed Border With Russia.

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Moscow, February 19: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, facing a sharp spike in violence in and around territory held by Russia-backed rebels and increasingly dire warnings that Russia plans to invade, on Saturday called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him and seek resolution to the crisis.

I don't know what the president of the Russian Federation wants, so I am proposing a meeting, Zelenskyy said at the Munich Security Conference, where he also met with US Vice President Kamala Harris. Zelenskyy said Russia could pick the location for the talks. "Ukraine will continue to follow only the diplomatic path for the sake of a peaceful settlement.

There was no immediate response from the Kremlin. Zelenskyy spoke hours after separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilization on Saturday while Western leaders made increasingly dire warnings that a Russian invasion of its neighbour appeared imminent. In new signs of fears that a war could start within days, Germany and Austria told their citizens to leave Ukraine.

German air carrier Lufthansa cancelled flights to the capital, Kyiv, and to Odessa, a Black Sea port that could be a key target in an invasion.

NATO's liaison office in Kyiv said it was relocating staff to Brussels and to the western Ukraine city of Lviv.

Meanwhile, top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the nearly eight-year separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine. The officials fled to a bomb shelter before hustling from the area, according to an Associated Press journalist who was on the tour.

Violence in eastern Ukraine has spiked in recent days as Ukraine and the two regions held by the rebels each accused the other of escalation. Russia on Saturday said at least two shells fired from a government-held part of eastern Ukraine landed across the border, but Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed that claim as a fake statement. Russia-Ukraine Crisis: NATO Temporarily Closes Office in Kiev, Relocates Staff to Brussels, Lviv.

Sporadic violence has broken out for years along the line separating Ukrainian forces from the Russia-backed rebels, but the recent shelling and bombing spike could set off a full-scale war.

The United States and many European countries have alleged for months that Russia, which has moved about 150,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, is trying to create pretexts to invade.

They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday during a visit to Lithuania. Harris opened her meeting with Zelenskyy by saying the world was at a decisive moment in history.

Earlier Saturday, Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russia separatist government in Ukraine's Donetsk region, cited an immediate threat of aggression from Ukrainian forces in his announcement. Ukrainian officials vehemently denied having plans to take rebel-controlled areas by force.

I appeal to all the men in the republic who can hold weapons to defend their families, their children, wives, mothers," Pushilin said. Together we will achieve the coveted victory that we all need." A similar statement followed from his counterpart in the Luhansk region. On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians to Russia with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscow's efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the evacuation orders could be a tactic to provide the spark for a broader attack. To say it very clearly, Ukraine did not give any grounds for the evacuation that was ordered yesterday, she said. Those are the facts on the ground. We must not allow supposed reasons for war to be constructed out of hot air.

US President Joe Biden said late Friday that based on the latest American intelligence, he was now convinced that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and assault the capital. As of this moment, I'm convinced he's made the decision, Biden said. We have reason to believe that. He reiterated that the assault could occur in the coming days. Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Kamala Harris Warns Russia of Unprecedented Costs If It Invades Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia conducted massive nuclear drills on Saturday. The Kremlin said Putin, who pledged to protect Russia's national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats, was watching the drills together with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko from the situation room.

Notably, the planned exercise involves the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014. .

Underscoring the West's concerns of an imminent invasion, a US 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 closer to the border.

The shift has been underway 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 in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each group has 750 to 1,000 soldiers.

Lines of communication between Moscow and the West remain open: the American and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron scheduled a phone call with Putin on Sunday. US 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 the pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people. Violations of a 2015 ceasefire agreement, including shelling and shooting along the line of contact, have been common.

A car bomb exploded in the centre of the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk on Friday. Adding to the tensions, two explosions shook the rebel-controlled city of Luhansk early Saturday. No injuries were reported in the incidents.

Ukraine's military said two of its soldiers died in firing from the rebel side on Saturday.

By Saturday morning, the separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which form Ukraine's industrial heartland known as the Donbas, said that thousands of residents of the rebel-controlled areas had been evacuated to Russia. Russia has issued about 700,000 passports to residents of the rebel-held territories. Claims that Russian citizens are being endangered might be used as justification for military action.

Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk rebel government, alleged in a video statement that Ukraine 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 AP confirmed. US authorities have alleged that the Kremlin's effort to come up with an invasion pretext could include staged, prerecorded videos.

Authorities in Russia's Rostov region, which borders eastern Ukraine, declared a state of emergency because of the influx of evacuees. Media reports on Saturday described chaos at some of the camps assigned to accommodate the people from eastern Ukraine.

The reports said there were long lines of buses and hundreds of people waiting in the cold for hours on end to be housed without access to food or bathroom facilities. Putin ordered the Russian government to offer 10,000 rubles (about $130) to each evacuee, an amount equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in eastern Ukraine.

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Chandigarh, February 19: All is set for the multi-cornered Punjab Assembly polls on Sunday with over 2.14 crore voters to decide the fate of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women, on 117 seats. Polling will be held from 8 am till 6 pm, said an official of the chief electoral office here. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

Punjab is witnessing a multi-cornered contest among the Congress, AAP, SAD-BSP alliance, BJP-PLC-SAD (Sanyukt) and the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, a political front of various farmer bodies. The ruling Congress, which is seeking to retain power, has come under severe attack from its political opponents over various issues, including drug menace and corruption.

The Congress is banking on decisions like reducing electricity tariff and fuel prices, taken during current CM Charanjit Singh Channi's 111-day tenure. The Aam Aadmi Party, which has emerged as a major contender, is eyeing to wrest power while projecting the Delhi model of governance. Punjab Assembly Elections 2022: From Charanjit Singh Channi to Bhagwant Mann, Here Are Seven Key Candidates For The Polls.

The stakes are also high for the Shiromani Akali Dal which is contesting the polls in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party after breaking ties with the BJP in 2020 over the farm laws issue. With Sukhbir Singh Badal in the driving seat, the SAD called itself Punjab's own party and promised all-round development of the state.

The BJP, which used to be a junior partner during its previous alliance with the SAD, is fighting the elections as a major partner. Entering into an alliance with Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD (Sanyukt), the saffron party has asked voters to go for a double-engine government for Nawan (new) Punjab.

The Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, comprising various Punjab farmer bodies, which had taken part in the stir against the Centre's now repealed farm laws, is contesting the polls in alliance with Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni-led Sanyukt Sangharsh Party.

Prominent faces who are in the fray are Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Aam Aadmi Party's chief ministerial face Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, former CMs Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal, and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma and former Union minister Vijay Sampla are also fighting the elections. All major political parties have promised a host of freebies to woo voters. While AAP has promised Rs 1,000 for all women, the Congress has also promised Rs 1,100 per month for needy women.

The SAD-BSP alliance has promised Rs 2,000 per month to all women heads of blue card holder families (BPL beneficiaries).The Congress and the SAD-BSP alliance have promised one lakh government jobs. The SAD-BSP promised 75 per cent reservation for state youth in public and private sectors. The BJP led alliance has made a similar promise, but for the government sector only.

AAP has promised up to 300 units of free power while the SAD-BSP promised 400 units of free electricity. The high-pitched campaigning, which saw participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union minister Smriti Irani, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, came to an end on Friday.

Modi, who held three rallies at Jalandhar, Pathankot and Abohar, covering Punjab's Doaba, Majha and Malwa regions, had accused the Congress and the AAP of pretending to fight against each. Rahul Gandhi had cautioned people against going for any "experiment" in the Punjab polls, saying that maintaining peace was most important for the state and only his party was capable of it. Punjab Assembly Elections 2022: Narendra Modi Says AAP Photocopy of Congress, Both Pretending to Fight.

There are a total of 2,14,99,804 voters, including 1,02,00,996 women. There are 24,740 polling stations, of which 2,013 have been identified as critical, said an official. Adequate security arrangements have been made for ensuring free and fair polling, said the official.

In the wake of elections, the state government has declared a paid holiday for employees working in shops, commercial establishments and factories on Sunday. In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, the Congress had ended the SAD-BJP combine's 10-year-regime by bagging 77 seats. The AAP had managed to get 20 seats while the SAD-BJP had won 18 and two seats went into the kitty of the Lok Insaaf Party.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences on the demise of journalist Ravish Tiwari. PM Narendra Modi tweeted, "Destiny has taken away Ravish Tiwari too soon. A bright career in the media world comes to an end. I would enjoy reading his reports and would also periodically interact with him. He was insightful and humble. Condolences to his family and many friends. Om Shanti."

Check Tweet:

Destiny has taken away Ravish Tiwari too soon. A bright career in the media world comes to an end. I would enjoy reading his reports and would also periodically interact with him. He was insightful and humble. Condolences to his family and many friends. Om Shanti.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 19, 2022

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
A BJP booth committee member was asked to leave the booth after he objected to a Muslim voter who arrived at the polling booth sixth ward in Melur municipality in a hijab. The BJP booth agent asked the woman to take the hijab off. However, several DMK and AIADMK members opposed him.

Watch Video Here:

#TamilNadu Urban Local Body Poll |A BJP booth committee member objected to a woman voter who arrived at a polling booth in Madurai while wearing a hijab;he asked her to take it off. DMK, AIADMK members objected to him following which Police intervened. He was asked to leave booth pic.twitter.com/UEDAG5J0eH  ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2022

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
San Francisco, Feb 19: Indian-American judge Manish Shah has sentenced Muhammad Ateeq, 33, of Rawalpindi, Pakistan, to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay approximately $48 million in restitution.

In addition, judge Shah in the Northern District of Illinois in the US ordered the forfeiture of a $2.4 million cashier's check and over $1 million in cash, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said in a statement.

According to court documents, Ateeq worked in the Islamabad office of Home Health Care Consulting, an entity that controlled Medicare billing and maintenance of electronic medical records for over 20 home health agencies located in Illinois, Indiana, Nevada and Texas. Madhya Pradesh: Man Sets Car on Fire Over Old Enmity in Chhola; Jailed.

While working at Home Health Care Consulting, Ateeq used a variety of fake identities, including "Nilesh Patel", "Sanjay Kapoor" and "Rajesh Desai" to acquire and manage home health agencies in the US.

Once the agencies were under Ateeq's control, he "caused the agencies to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for home health services, resulting in over $40 million in payments for services that were never rendered", the DoJ said.

As part of the money laundering conspiracy, Ateeq directed his US employees to deposit cheques of fraud proceeds into US bank accounts designated by overseas customers of overseas money transmitting businesses.

The money transmitting businesses then issued cash payments to Ateeq in Pakistan, as well as deposits into bank accounts in Pakistan under Ateeq's control.

"Ateeq also directed US employees to use fraud proceeds to purchase expensive watches and other luxury items in the United States and then deliver the items to Ateeq's associates in Dubai," said the DoJ.

The FBI Chicago Field Office and US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) investigated the case.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 19, 2022 01:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
First they spat angry words at Remy Bazie. Then they struck him in the face with an iron bar, knocking him unconscious.

The men who jumped the Ivory Coast migrant at a crowded Moscow train station last November did not rob him. But they damaged his jaw to the degree that doctors had to install a metal plate to hold it in place. It took Bazie four months to raise the $3,600 to undergo surgery.

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For the Record

Africans in Russia: In the Nov. 2 Section A, an article about hostility against African blacks in Russia said there had been 177 reported acts of violence against blacks in Russia since 2010, according to the SOVA Center for Information and Analysis. There were actually 177 reported violent acts against blacks since 2008, SOVA officials say, six of which ended in death.

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Most of the time Im harassed, but this was the worst experience, Bazie, 28, said recently as he sat at a parish community center in Moscow where African migrants often seek refuge.

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His story is not uncommon, Russian civil and human rights leaders say. African migrants face widespread hostility and racism that usually go unpunished.

According to the SOVA Center for Information and Analysis, a Moscow-based advocacy group and think tank, 177 acts of violence against blacks have been reported in Russia since 2010.

But rights advocates said interviews with Africans living in the capital, as well as anecdotal evidence, indicate that a far higher number have been victims of racial attacks and experienced race-based harassment. Most, however, never report the assaults, the advocates said.

Living here in Russia is like living in hell on Earth, said Osman Kamara, 35, a Liberian who fled civil conflict in his homeland 10 years ago, only to fall victim to a skinhead attack in Moscow. They dont like our color. Going out is a problem. Maybe if you go out, you might not return.

Some Africans say that after arriving here, they heard the Russian word obezyana directed at them so often that they initially thought it meant black person. It means monkey.

The situation has improved for blacks somewhat in recent years partly because members of extremist groups, such as skinheads and neo-Nazis, are being prosecuted more often and because the aggressors are targeting other minority groups, such as people from Central Asia and the Caucasus, rights activists said.

The brutality Africans face is a far cry from the welcome they received during the Soviet era, when students from the continent were lured in large numbers by offers of a free education, particularly those from newly independent nations that were building communism.

Thousands of Africans pursued degrees in the Soviet Union, in fields such as international law and animal husbandry. But with the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. in 1991, much of the funding dried up and most African students returned home, academics said.

Today the African ranks are growing again, fueled by asylum seekers, refugees and economic migrants. Many enter Russia illegally and fail to register with authorities, rights workers said.

Some academics estimate Russias African diaspora at just under 100,000, of which roughly one-third are believed to be undocumented. The remainder includes registered students, African embassy staff members and blacks who hold Russian citizenship.

Alexander Panov, a junior research fellow at the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said many of the undocumented migrated from Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2011 and 2012 amid political and civil unrest. Those nations, together with Angola, account for the largest number of African migrants in Russia, he said.

They are coming to Russia believing there will be a good job and this is a way of getting into Europe, said Penny Grenfell, racial task force coordinator for the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy, which provides medical and legal aid to Africans. A lot of them think this is part of Europe. They think Russia has the same culture as Europe.

Africans interviewed here said it was easy to buy a tourist visa to Russia as opposed to obtaining a visa of any kind to Western European nations, and many said they had mistakenly viewed Russia as a way station.

The migrants often end up stranded, with no official documents that would allow them to get decent jobs and little or no knowledge of the Russian language. The most common work they find is distributing fliers, advertisements and free magazines around subway stations, jobs that earn them less than $50 week. Most live up to 10 people to a room.

Compounding these hardships is the unfettered racial abuse.

John Steven Abumen, 39, a Nigerian who works part time as an English tutor, said he had been attacked three times in the 15 years he has lived in Russia.

He has been stabbed in the arm, suffered a broken wrist and has a protruding lump on his upper chest, an eye injury and a dislocated knee that never healed properly. He walks with a limp but cant afford the surgery that doctors have recommended. A large welt on his shaved head is the result of being hit with an iron bar, he said.

I woke up in the hospital three days later, " Abumen recalled. I was almost blinded. I still dont sleep properly now.

He said he reported two of the attacks to police, but no action was taken.

In Russia when you fight back, you are at fault, Abumen said as he flashed the small red canister of pepper spray he now carries for protection. They told me, What are you doing in Russia? Youre to blame. 

Sometimes law enforcement officials themselves are the antagonists, said Agnes Blais, a volunteer with the Civic Assistance Committee, which offers legal and humanitarian aid to migrants,

Africans have lots of problems with police, she said. They are threatened with arrest. And the police often take money from them.

The committee took up Bazies case and collected donations for his facial surgery. The group provided him with a lawyer and interpreter so he could file a grievance. His case is under investigation. Although the Russian press picked up his story, no one has been held accountable.

Leaders of right-wing extremist groups deny that they instigate or condone the mistreatment of Africans.

Africans  dont present a threat to the Russian population in terms of their numbers inside the country, said Dmitry Dyomushkin, who heads a nationalist coalition and blames skinheads for the attacks. If they came here by the millions, then there would be cultural tensions.

Fabrice Kanda fled the Democratic Republic of Congo after news stories he wrote charging fraud during the 2011 presidential election made him a wanted man there. A relative helped the 29-year-old journalist secure a plane ticket and visa to Russia. He left behind a wife and two small children.

A year after he arrived in Russia, three men jumped him. They stole his guitar and his passport. Kanda filed a police report but was told that it would be too difficult to find the guys, he said.

The Russian government also denied his request for asylum.

I thought I had escaped from death, that I can find a new life, but my suffering has only continued, Kanda said.

Some migrants said they would willingly return home if they could afford the plane ticket, and if their lives there werent at risk. But many others said they were ashamed to go home empty-handed, having left to seek their fortunes.

Others, like Abumen, who came to Russia on a university exchange program, are reluctant to leave behind Russian wives, partners and children.

There is such pressure, said Blais. They would rather live in hard conditions than go back without money.

This report was funded by a grant from the International Center for Journalists.
Several experts theorized that caused hundreds of birds that were seen dropping dead into the ground in Mexico, an abrupt scene turned the heads of people all over the internet.

It can be recalled that a security camera recorded the phenomena that occurred last week, showing birds hitting the pavement in Chihuahua, about 230 miles south of El Paso, Texas, per NBC News.

Because of this, experts came up with 3 theories that might be the reason behind the abrupt and unusual incident.

READ NEXT: Mexico IDs First Confirmed Civilian Victim of Cartel Land Mines

Theories Experts Came Up With After Mexico Bird Crash 2022

Although the theories might explain why the birds dropped down dead in Mexico, assistant professor of biology at Washington University in St. Louis, Carlos Botero, said that the theories experts came up with as of date are "honestly anybody's guess at this point," CNN News reported.

According to Botero, one of the possible reasons why the birds dropped down dead last week was because they might have flown through a cloud of lethal chemicals that might have claimed their lives. Autopsies of the birds are needed to determine if chemicals are the culprit for their death.

However, Manchester Metropolitan University lecturer, Alexander Lees, disagreed with Botero's first theory.

"There always seem to be a knee-jerk response to blame environmental pollutants, but collisions with infrastructure are very common," Less said, via New York Post.

Lees further explained that birds usually follow the movements of the one in front of them rather than "actually interpreting their wider surrounding," that is why it is not unexpected that such events occur.

Another theory that might be the possible reason behind the death of the birds, is that they are flying away from a predator.

U.K. Center Ornithologist Richard Broughton said that the was certain that the maneuver the birds did was to avoid a predator like the peregrine falcon.

"Blackbirds form tight flocks, called 'murmuration,' that swirl into the sky to try and confuse the falcon so it cannot pick a target," Broughton underscored.

Lees agreed with what Broughton said, highlighting that the birds engaged in "murmuration" to "avoid a predatory raptor and hitting the ground."

Broughton then explained that the viewers of the video last week likely saw the birds try to escape the predator from above and the birds headed down the ground to avoid it. However, the expert noted that some might have not been able to pull up fast enough.

Other Instances of Bird Deaths

The theories from the experts came after a video showed that yellow-headed blackbirds dropped from the sky as they make their way south from Canada whether they spent their winter.

However, it was not the first time that birds were recorded dead in groups.

In 1999, about 110 kin eider, a type of large sea duck, were found dead on Baffin Island in Canada. Although there were no obstacles in their way, experts theorized that the said species f birds crashed due to poor visibility caused by cataracts in their eyes.

In 1985 and 2003, dozens of geese were found dead in Manitoba, Canada. Scientists thought the birds were poisoned but serious injuries they sustained hinted that might have been disoriented during moonless nights.

READ NEXT: Mexico President Cites 'Conspiracy' Against His Country Behind U.S. Avocado Ban

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Hundreds of Birds Fall From the Sky in Mexico, Dozens Reported Dead - From USA TODAY
A woman repeatedly punched a six-foot shark in the head until it let go of her foot, which it bit while she was snorkeling in Florida.

Heather West, 42, who resides in Texas, told the Daily Mail that the lemon shark kept on "tugging and tugging," and she could feel the shark's teeth in her ankle.

George Burgess, a University of Florida professor and organizer of the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), said the main reason there are more shark attacks in the U.S. is its huge coastline and lots of people. He added that many parts of the country are also heavy tourist areas, The Guardian reported.

West said she was heading back to shore when the lemon shark attacked her. She noted that she was wearing flippers, and her kick was not doing much damage. That was when she decided to lean forward and start punching the lemon shark.

READ NEXT: California Surfer Survived Shark Attack After a Great White Shark Bit Him

Woman Bitten By Lemon Shark in Florida

Heather West said her initial thought was one of her fellow snorkelers was trying to scare her. However, she quickly glanced up and saw that they were all waiting on the shore.

Before the terrifying incident, she said she was really excited to explore Loggerhead Key at Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida with the people she met while traveling as they were experienced snorkelers.

West noted that she punched the shark in the face over and over again as hard as she could, and it finally let go after 30 seconds.

When the lemon shark finally let go of her foot, she said she was in complete shock for the next two minutes and could not swim.

At that point, she noted that her friends had got back in the water to help her. The group came across two park rangers, who radioed over to nearby Fort Jefferson to send medical assistance.

Medical experts came and knew that West needed hospital treatment. Multiple tourniquets were placed above her ankle to stop the bleeding.

West noted that the boat trip to Fort Jefferson was the worst bit of the whole experience as the tourniquets they were tying were so excruciatingly painful, "like having "chunks of flesh ripped" from her leg.

West said the doctor folded the skin back down and sewed up her foot. She added that she has little control over her right foot and ankle due to ligament and tendon damage. However, she was reassured that it could return over time.

Shark Attack in the United States

In 2021, shark attacks had made a sharp jump after three consecutive years of decline. However, officials said beach closures in 2020 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could be making the numbers bigger than they are.

According to CBS News, Florida accounted for nearly 40 percent of unprovoked shark bites around the world. ISAF researchers reported 73 unprovoked attacks in 2021 compared to 52 bites in 2020.

ISAF manager Tyler Bowling noted that 52 bites in 2020 were the lowest documented in more than a decade, while the 73 bites in 2021 were more nearly aligned with the five-year global average of 72.

Bowling said 2021 was more typical, with the average bite numbers coming from white, bull, and tiger sharks. Australia led the world with three unprovoked deaths, followed by New Caledonia with two.

READ MORE: Alligator Attack: Lousiana Man Killed by Alligator While Wading Through Hurricane Ida Floodwaters

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: How a Great White Shark Strikes | Shark Attack Files - From National Geographic






Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro went to Petropolis on Friday after floods and mudslides killed at least 117 people in the mountain city, and hundreds are still missing.

During his visit, Bolsonaro compared the destruction to an aftermath of a war, Al Jazeera reported.

"I saw intense destruction. It looked almost like there had been a war," Bolsonaro noted after seeing the city located in the mountains north of Rio de Janeiro state that was hit by torrential rainfall.

Bolsonaro, who just returned from an official trip to Russia and Hungary, has promised to provide federal assistance to help the people in the city and start rebuilding the area.

READ NEXT: Brazil: Heavy Rains Leave 19 Dead and 9 Injured, 5 More Missing Amid Flooding and Landslide

Brazil Mudslide Death Toll Expected to Climb

It was unclear whether there was an addition to the death toll in the mudslide disaster caused by more than a month's worth of rain that fell on Tuesday.

However, officials from the city noted that the death toll could still rise as many people were still unaccounted for on Friday.

"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," Maria Jose Dante de Araujo, a resident, said.

On Thursday, Petropolis officials said at least 117 were dead, and 116 were missing. A local morgue reportedly used a refrigerated truck as a backup as more victims are being brought in, and other bodies are still waiting to be identified by their families.

Meanwhile, the number of people who have been left homeless from the disaster increased from 400 to 700 as of Friday.

'Poor Land Use and Unpreparedness' Caused the Mudslide Disaster in Brazil

Researchers and public officials think that the landslide was caused by "poor planning, lack of financing for subsidized housing, and rapid urbanization."

They also told the Associated Press that little has been done concerning repeated warnings about the risks of mountainside construction.

"Rain is the great villain, but the main cause is poor land use, there is a total lack of planning," said Antonio Guerra, a geography professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

Guerra further noted that many high-risk areas are even more vulnerable because of deforestation or inadequate drainage.

Reports said early settlers in Petropolis built stately homes along its waterways. However, the city's prosperity enticed newcomers from poorer regions, resulting in mountainsides being covered with small houses packed tightly together.

Climate change is reportedly another factor in the landslide. Experts said heavy rains are typical in the region, especially from December to March. However, experts noted that climate change made the rains heavier.

"They are all weather extremes, happening very close to one another. Climate change also acts to increase the frequency of events, and we are clearly observing this," said Brazil's National Center for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters coordinator Marcelo Seluchi.

READ MORE: Brazil Protests: Death of Congo Refugee Sparks Nationwide Protests Against Racial Injustice

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Dramatic Footage Shows Moment Deadly Brazil Mudslide Started - From The Telegraph
Former first lady Melania Trump said she was "disappointed but not surprised" when an Oklahoma computer school rejected her donation.

In a statement she posted on her website on Friday, Melania said the donation was made on behalf of her foundation, Fostering the Future, a Be Best Initiative. The wife of former President Donald Trump started the foundation shortly after her time in the White House.

Melania said this was not the first time her charitable donations have been rejected because of "politics." Melania tried to donate a selection of Dr. Seuss books in 2017 to the Cambridgeport elementary school library in Massachusetts, but school librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro did not accept them, Salon reported.

In rejecting the books, Soeiro said: "You may not be aware of this, but Dr. Seuss is a bit of a cliche, a tired and worn ambassador for children's literature."

Soeiro added that Dr. Seuss's illustrations were also "steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes" and "many people are unaware" of it.

According to Salon, the rejected donation for the Oklahoma school specializing in advanced computer science skills was Melania's third rejection.

The former first lady noted that a prospective corporate partner also "refused an opportunity to further our shared philanthropic goals surrounding my visit to Africa" in 2018.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Urges Supporters to Hold Nationwide Protests if Prosecutors Investigating Him 'Do Anything Illegal'

Oklahoma Computer School Rejecting Melania Trump's Donation

Melania Trump said the computer science school founded in Silicon Valley with a campus in Oklahoma agreed to work with Fostering the Future.

According to the former first lady, multiple scholarships were going to be granted "through the school's preferred designated fund, based in Tulsa, with the first class of students enrolling in Fall 2022."

Melania said she had signed an agreement detailing the planned contribution and was only waiting for the countersignature when the school told her it would no longer participate.

"They would not accept scholarship dollars for deserving students-even as an anonymous gift. It was made clear to me that the school's Board of Directors organized a politically-motivated decision," she noted.

Donald Trump's wife also said the move was part of an effort to "cancel" her.

"Those who attack my initiatives and create the appearance of impropriety are quite literally dream killers. They have canceled the hopes and dreams of children by trying to cancel me," the former first lady noted.

The New York Times named the education company. It reported that it was the Holberton School, a San Francisco-based education firm with more than 30 schools worldwide specializing in computer science training.

It offers an alternative to traditional college for students who want to become software engineers. The Holberton School opened a location in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2020.

Julien Barbier, the chief executive of Holberton, confirmed that Melania Trump tried to donate money to the Tulsa school.

Barbier told The New York Times on Friday that they were approached about a scholarship by the former first lady's team but never reached an agreement on the logistics of the scholarship.

Melania Trump Event in Florida Is Under Investigation

A charity event featuring Melania Trump is currently being investigated after organizers promised proceeds to a charity that does not seem to exist.

Donald Trump's wife is scheduled to appear at an "exclusive high tea" event on April 9 in Naples, Florida. Organizers noted that the event would benefit Fostering the Future.

Regular tickets cost $3,000, while limited VIP tickets amount to $50,000. However, it is not immediately known what percentage of the ticket proceeds will be given to charity.

Florida requires any organization that raises charitable contributions in the state to register. However, no charity with the name "Fostering the Future" or "Be Best" can be seen to be registered in Florida.

Erin M. Moffet, an agency spokeswoman, earlier said that the Consumer Services Division is currently probing whether Melania Trump's event is operating in violation of Chapter 496, Florida Statutes. Moffet was referring to the state law requiring charities to register before soliciting proceeds.

READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden Says He Does Not Care if People Think He's 'Satan Reincarnate' After Expressing Support On Bipartisan Probe of Capitol Riot

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Melania Trump Event Promises Donations to Charity That Might Not Exist - From David Pakman Show






Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - The Communist Party of Benin (PCB), has called for the motivation of Beninese soldiers to enable them effectively fight against terrorism, following the loss of life during the recent attacks in the north of the country
Portland, TN (37148)

Today

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 54F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 54F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The chairman of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Manfi, welcomed South Africa's support to efforts to institutionalize national reconciliation and the return of peace and stability in Libya, stressing the depth of relations between the two friendly countries, and the efforts of the council to develop them in various fields
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Senator Mark Wall has highlighted the high prices being paid by students in South Kildare travelling on buses and trains.

Senator Wall said he was contacted by a student from Athy who is paying 15 per day on the train as well as 25 on a Leap card each week to get from the train station in Dublin to college.

He said: "This adds up to 100 per week. In this case, the student could not get accommodation in Dublin, due to the lack of supply and the cost.

"However, they are paying 400 per month in transport costs to get to college. Their sibling is using a bus service from the town to Maynooth University and is paying 80 per week in bus fares to attend. Both of them have informed me that these costs remain even when existing student discounts for train fares and Leap cards are taken into account.

"I have previously raised the case of a Monasterevin student who is also paying 100 per week to attend college. I know of similar cases right throughout south Kildare."

The politician said he has sent a submission to the Greater Dublin Transport Strategy calling for a review of prices from commuting counties.

He told the Seanad this week: "I have outlined before the unacceptable difference between train fares in south Kildare, compared with north Kildare.

"The examples of these students paying such a high price for travel is a further cause of alarm for us all in tackling our climate crisis.

"These young people are our future commuters.

"We should be encouraging them to avail of public transport rather than giving them a fare reduction in one hand and taking it away with the other."
A new strategy has set out plans by Irish Gin producers and brand owners to maintain market share and grow sales by 2026. The plan sets out a range of goals and actions to drive exports in key markets, develop a vibrant domestic home market, support the viability of Irish Gin distilleries and ensure the quality and standards of Irish Gin are protected.

There are now at least 37 distilleries on the island of Ireland producing Irish Gin, with over 70 brands. The Irish Gin Strategy 2022-2026 from Drinks Ireland|Spirits, the all-island trade body, details how Irish gin and gin has experienced a number of years of very fast growth, where sales soared. Between 2014 and 2020 the category grew by 184%.

While the boom has been slowing in recent years, 2020 was the first year where Irish Gin and gin sales declined, as a direct result of the pandemic. As the on-trade reopens, and Global Travel Retail recovers, its anticipated that the category will return to pre-pandemic levels over time, and the new strategy details plans to drive strong and sustainable growth in the years ahead.

Currently, Ireland is the dominant market for Irish Gin, but the strategy puts a heavy focus on driving export growth, earmarking the U.K., USA, Germany, Canada and Global Travel Retail as the key targets in the coming years.

Asia - and China specifically - has also been identified as a target market, due to its size, growing stature and value heritage, which Irish distilling has, and innovation which drives much of the Irish Gin category.

Irish Gin is a premium plus product which has been established as a world-leader in terms of quality and authenticity. This has and will be key to positioning the category internationally, according to Drinks Ireland|Spirits.

The strategy also outlines how the sector plans to further grow the category domestically, by highlighting the local nature of Irish Gin products and the important role they play in the economic viability of the hinterlands that their producers and brand owners are based in.

Overall, The Irish Gin Strategy 2022-2026 sets out four goals for the category, with a number of corresponding actions:

To promote world-leading standards for quality and authenticity

To sustain a vibrant home market for Irish gin

To promote Irish gin worldwide, starting in the key target markets

To support the viability of Irish gin distilleries



Pat Rigney, Managing Director & Founder of The Shed Distillery, which distils every drop of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin in County Leitrim said: We are thrilled to have participated in the development of this new strategy for Irish Gin which raises the standard for the category globally & in Ireland. We currently employ 70 people in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim where we are based at a social enterprise, supporting local jobs & the local rural economy.
Hello, its lunchtime in Paris and far-right candidate Eric Zemmour will hold a rally close to the iconic Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy.

What happened yesterday? The minister of Foreign Affairs and former Socialist leader Jean-Yves Le Drian said that le Parti Socialiste is "unfortunately closer to burial than resurrection."

Why does it matter? The failure of Socialist Anne Hidalgos candidacy could lead to a fracture between socialist voters who will vote for Emmanuel Macron as Jean-Yves Le Drian is arguing for and those who will support other candidates such as the environmentalist Yannick Jadot or leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon.

What if a Russian invasion of Ukraine makes daily headlines before Emmanuel Macron throws his hat into the ring? The French presidential campaign could wade into uncharted territories as such a perspective would represent the first major conflict on continental European soil since the end of WW2.

Crimea annexation by Moscow happened when Socialist Francois Hollande was two years into his term. The Russo-Georgian war of 2008 took place one year after the election of Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy. Iraq, Rwanda, Bosnia: none of the major dramas that have bloodied the last decades occurred during a presidential electoral campaign.

It would be hard for the candidates to escape a wall of war scenes on TV screens and devote themselves to the details of their programs. It would be even harder to deal with the rally round the flag effect, which would help the outgoing president, Emmanuel Macron, for a while.

No doubt that the latter would exploit the benefit of a frontline presidency. He would remain busy with daily phone calls with peers. He would travel to attend around-the-clock emergency summits, especially since he would be the current president of the Council of the European Union facing one of the biggest threats ever met.

Such a crisis would also be an eye-opening experience for many candidates, especially those aligned with Russian positions and narratives. When he outlined his defense program on Thursday, far-right candidate and Nato critic Eric Zemmour stood firm. "I want a normalized and peaceful relationship with Russia, without complacency or unnecessary provocation," he said.

"For me, things are clear: the extension of NATO to Russias doorstep has no justification for Europes security and I am resolutely hostile to it. The Russians are neither our allies nor our enemies," he added. Those statements would not age well in the case of an invasion of Ukraine.

More on this topic: Whos who in the 2022 French presidential election

Eric Zemmour (Reconquete!), like his rival Marine Le Pen or Communist Fabien Roussel, argued in favor of France leaving NATOs integrated military structure (Paris left it in 1966 and reintegrate it in 2009). Leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon also said that Nato and not Russia was the troublemaker in Ukraine. "The United States of America has decided to annex Ukraine into Nato, and Russia feels humiliated, threatened, attacked," he added,  a statement hard to square with reality if the Russian army invades Ukraine.

The fact is, Nato remains popular in France. A Pew Research Center survey published in June 2021 showed that 51% of French people had a "favorable" opinion of Nato, while 72% had "not too much confidence" or "no confidence at all" in Vladimir Putin "to do the right thing in foreign affairs." We doubt that his image has improved lately.

Emmanuel Macron would be, on the contrary, on solid ground. It is hard to criticize him, as Eric Zemmour does, for not having reached out to his counterpart when he invited him to the Palace of Versailles or the summer residence of French presidents on the Riviera. It is also hard to caricature him as a lackey of the United States while he irritated Washington by talking insistently about European defense.

Our last survey published last week showed that French citizens were already less attentive to the current campaign than in the past. 71% of the respondents said they were interested. It was 10 points less than five years ago. Similarly, 65% said they were certain to vote in the first round, on April 10 - compared to 70% in 2017. A Russian invasion could only make the matter worse.

More on this topic: French presidential election, how does it work?

Quote of the day

"A totally locked and flawed sponsorship system"

Far-right minor candidate Florian Philippot, a figure in the protests against the health pass and former right-hand man of Marine Le Pen at the National Front until his departure in 2017, announced in a press release on Friday that he was withdrawing his candidacy for the presidential election, having obtained so far only one sponsorship out of the five hundred needed. He blamed "a totally locked and flawed sponsorship system."

Countdown

50 Days until the presidential elections first round

64 Days until the presidential elections second round

Thanks for reading, see you on Monday.

Read the previous column: Marine Le Pen goes all-in

Gilles Paris(Columnist)
Tata Group operated airline company Air India on Saturday announced that they are operating three flights between India and Ukraine (Boryspil International Airport) on 22,24 and 26 February and asked passengers to book seats.

The airlines company also informed that seats were available on these flights and that bookings can be made through Air India's Booking offices, Website, Call Centre and Authorised Travel Agents.

Check live updates on Russian-Ukrainian conflict here

The airline company on Friday had said that they would operate three flights between India and Ukraine later this month to bring back citizens stranded in the crisis-laden Eastern European nation

See the tweet below

#FlyAI : Air India is operating 3 flights between India & Ukraine on 22nd, 24th & 26th FEB 2022 .



Seats are available on these flights.



Booking open through Air India Booking offices, Website, Call Centre and Authorised Travel Agents.@IndiainUkraine pic.twitter.com/jKW5InGCOR  Air India (@airindiain) February 19, 2022

This announcement comes a day after the Union government asked Indian airlines to operate special or charter flights to Ukraine to rescue stranded citizens there.

So far, Air India is the only Indian airline that has offered to operate flights to Ukraine.

As scheduled international flights remain suspended, flights to Ukraine will operate under bilateral air bubble agreements between the two nations.

India currently has such agreements with 35 countries, including Ukraine.

Interestingly, none of the Indian airlines operates between India and Ukraine.

Ukraine International Airlines, the flag carrier of the Eastern European country, flies a weekly one-stop flight from Kyiv to New Delhi via Ras Al Khaimah.

Check live updates on Russian-Ukrainian tension here

Kremlin on Saturday said that Russia has hit sea and land-based targets with ballistic and cruise missiles as part of strategic nuclear exercises overseen by President Vladimir Putin.

The annual exercises featured launches of Kinzhal and Tsirkon hypersonic missiles and a number of other weapons.

"All the missiles hit their targets, confirming their performance objectives", a statement said, adding that the drills included Tu-95 bombers as well as submarines.

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When Twitter user @TheBakraMan tweeted a picture of an orange-coloured soft drink bottle a couple of years ago, the Tweet garnered more than 6,000 likes, 4,500 retweets, and hundreds of replies from nostalgic fans, including from former India cricketer W.V. Raman, who recounted the daily dilemma of having to choose between drinking a bottle of that fizzy delight and walking home, or skipping it and taking a bus back after practice.

That brand was Gold Spot, one of the oldest domestic carbonated soft drink brands in India  it was introduced way back in 1952. It was one of a stable of brands including Limca, Maaza and Thums Up, operated by Ramesh Chauhans Parle Agro, which together accounted for a whopping 60% of the soft drinks market in 1993, the year that global beverages giant Coca-Cola bought out Chauhan for a then eye-popping $60 million.

Why on earth did Coca-Cola kill off Gold Spot?

That must be the question haunting Atlanta, Georgia, the headquarters of Coca-Cola, after looking at its brand sales numbers for FY21 in India.

A year shy of three decades after Coke re-entered India, the worlds largest selling cola is still way behind the home-grown Thums Up. In fact, the other erstwhile Parle brands  Maaza and Limca  are also bigger than Coke in India--Maaza with sales of 2,826 crore in FY21, and Limca, with sales of 2,061 crore in FY21.

And Thums Up? Thums Up is now a billion-dollar brand ( 7,500 crore) and is soon set to be globally launched in other markets.

Thats quite a change from the received wisdom in 1993. At that time, Coke had essentially paid for Parles market share. Coke acrimoniously exited India in 1976 after the socialist Janata Party government disallowed its application for a wholly owned operation in India. And it was desperate to catch up. By the time Coke decided to buy its way back into the Indian market in 1993, arch-rival Pepsi had enjoyed a seven-year lead in the Indian market and had already garnered over a fifth of the market.

Shelling out less than 200 crore for 60% of the market in the worlds second-most populous nation  a hot country to boot  seemed like small beer. It expected to smoothly transfer Parles customers to its own brands  Coca-Cola and Fanta. Given its deep pockets, marketing savvy and the experience of selling fizzy drinks in almost every country on earth, Coke executives expected a cakewalk.

Gold Spot and Citra were quickly killed off. Coke didnt have a mango drink, and it needed one to compete with Pepsi, which had also done a Coke by buying out the hyperlocal Mumbai brand Dukes and replacing it with Slice, so Maaza stayed. Thums Up and Limca were also retained. Limca because Coke at that point didnt have its own version of a cloudy" lemon drink, and Thums Up because, well, it was the biggest cola brand in India by some margin. But it was supposed to be only a matter of time before these, too, bit the dust.

Why did Thums Up refuse to die? Well, like other global food and beverage majors like Nestle and Kelloggs have discovered, when it comes to matters of taste, Indians have a strong preference for local over global. And Thums Up, with its flavours of Indian spices like cardamom, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, is a clear home favourite. A clear marketing line helped too. Thums Up latched on to Salman Khan as a brand ambassador when it looked like Pepsi was snatching the youth market and rode along on the great Khans ride from stardom to superstardom.

Ditto for Limca, which mimicked Indias all-time favourite thirst quencher, nimbu-paani (lemonade), and Maaza, which drives off the uniquely Indian mango flavour.

Of course, Gold Spot was not Indian. In fact, it was so synthetic that one could legitimately doubt whether it originated on earth! But, the immense recall for a brand that has been dead for 30 years shows the strength of its connection with the Indian market. Clearly, Indians, once they fall in love with something or someone, never quite fall out of love. Just ask the then-unknown south Indian actress who modelled for Gold Spots memorable Live a little hot, sip a gold spot" campaign  Rekha!

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Faraday's law of induction describes how an electric current produces a magnetic field and, conversely, how a changing magnetic field generates an electric current in a conductor. English physicist Michael Faraday gets the credit for discovering magnetic induction in 1831, but American physicist Joseph Henry independently made the same discovery at about the same time, according to the University of Texas at Austin.

It is impossible to overstate the significance of Faraday's discovery. Magnetic induction enables the electric motors, generators and transformers that form the foundation of modern technology. By understanding and using induction, we have an electric power grid and many of the things we plug into it.

Faraday's law was later incorporated into the more comprehensive Maxwell's equations, according to Sacred Heart University. Maxwell's equations were developed by Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell to explain the relationship between electricity and magnetism, essentially uniting them into a single electromagnetic force and describing the electromagnetic waves that make up radio waves, visible light and X-rays.

Related: 9 equations that changed the world

Electricity

Electric charge is a fundamental property of matter that governs how some elementary particles in that matter are affected by an electric or magnetic field, according to Britannica. The electric field from a localized point charge  that is, a hypothetical electric charge located at a single point in space  is relatively simple, Serif Uran, a professor of physics at Pittsburg State University in Kansas, told Live Science. He describes it as radiating equally in all directions, like light from a bare light bulb, and decreasing in strength as the inverse square of the distance (1/r2) in accordance with Coulomb's law, according to Georgia State University. When you move twice as far away, the field strength decreases to one-fourth, and when you move three times farther away, it decreases to one-ninth.

Protons have positive charge, while electrons have negative charge. However, protons are mostly immobilized inside an atom's nucleus, so most of the electric currents we're familiar with come from electrons. Electrons in a conducting material, such as a metal, are largely free to move from one atom to another along their conduction bands, which are the highest electron orbits, according to Austin Community College. A sufficient electromotive force, or voltage, produces a charge imbalance that can cause electrons to move through a conductor from a region of more negative charge to a region of more positive charge, according to Iowa State University. This movement is what we recognize as an electric current.

Magnetism

To understand Faraday's law of induction, it is important to have a basic understanding of magnetic fields. The magnetic field is more complex than the electric field. While positive and negative electric charges can exist separately, magnetic poles always come in pairs  one north and one south, according to Boston University. Typically, magnets of all sizes  from subatomic particles, to industrial-size magnets, to planets and stars  are dipoles, meaning each has two poles. These poles are called north and south after the direction in which compass needles point. Interestingly, opposite poles attract and like poles repel, so Earth's magnetic North Pole is actually a south magnetic pole because it attracts the north poles of compass needles.

A magnetic field is often depicted as lines of magnetic flux, according to Florida State University. In the case of a bar magnet, the flux lines exit from the north pole and curve around to reenter at the south pole. In this model, the number of flux lines passing through a given surface in space represents the flux density, or the strength of the field. Notably, however, this is only a model. A magnetic field is smooth and continuous and does not actually consist of discrete lines.

Magnetic field lines from a bar magnet. (Image credit: snapgalleria Shutterstock )

Earth's magnetic field produces a tremendous amount of magnetic flux, but it is dispersed over a huge volume of space. Therefore, only a small amount of flux passes through a given area, resulting in a relatively weak field. The flux from a refrigerator magnet is tiny compared with that of Earth, but its field strength is many times stronger at close range, where its flux lines are much more densely packed, according to a lecture by UMass Lowell physicist Jean-Francois Millithaler. However, the field quickly becomes much weaker as you move away.

Induction

If you run an electric current through a wire, it will produce a magnetic field around the wire. The direction of this magnetic field can be determined by the so-called right-hand rule. According to the physics department at Buffalo State University of New York, if you extend your thumb and curl the fingers of your right hand, your thumb points in the positive direction of the current and your fingers curl in the north direction of the magnetic field.

Left-hand and right-hand rule for a magnetic field due to a current in a straight wire. (Image credit: Fouad A. Saad Shutterstock)

If you bend the wire into a loop, the magnetic-field lines will bend with it, forming a toroid, or doughnut shape. In this case, your thumb points in the north direction of the magnetic field coming out of the center of the loop, while your fingers point in the positive direction of the current in the loop.

In a current-carrying circular loop, (a) the right-hand rule gives the direction of the magnetic field inside and outside the loop. (b) More detailed mapping of the field, which is similar to that of a bar magnet. (Image credit: OpenStax)

If you run a current through a wire loop in a magnetic field, the interaction of these magnetic fields will exert a twisting force, or torque, on the loop, causing it to rotate, according to the Rochester Institute of Technology. However, it will only rotate so far until the magnetic fields are aligned  that is, it will wobble back and forth instead of spinning. For the loop to continue rotating, you have to reverse the direction of the current, which will reverse the direction of the magnetic field from the loop. The loop will then rotate 180 degrees until its field is aligned in the other direction. This is the basis for the electric motor.

Conversely, if you rotate a wire loop in a magnetic field, the field will induce an electric current in the wire. The direction of the current will reverse every half turn, producing an alternating current, according to the University of Texas at Austin. This is the basis for the electric generator. Importantly, it is not the motion of the wire, but rather the opening and closing of the loop with respect to the direction of the field, that induces the current. When the loop is face-on to the field, the maximum amount of flux passes through the loop. However, when the loop is turned edge-on to the field, no flux lines pass through the loop. It is this change in the amount of flux passing through the loop that induces the current.

Another experiment involves forming a wire into a loop and connecting the ends to a sensitive current meter, or galvanometer. If you then push a bar magnet through the loop, the needle in the galvanometer will move, indicating an induced current. Once you stop the motion of the magnet, however, the current returns to zero. The field from the magnet will induce a current only when it is increasing or decreasing. If you pull the magnet back out, it will again induce a current in the wire, but this time, it will be in the opposite direction, according to the University of Florida.

Magnet in a wire loop connected to a galvanometer. (Image credit: Fouad A. Saad Shutterstock)

If you were to put a light bulb in the circuit, it would dissipate electrical energy in the form of light and heat, and you would feel resistance to the motion of the magnet as you moved it in and out of the loop. To move the magnet, you have to do work that is equivalent to the energy being used by the light bulb.

In yet another experiment, you might construct two wire loops, connect the ends of one to a battery with a switch and connect the ends of the other loop to a galvanometer. If you place the two loops close to each other in a face-to-face orientation and turn on the power to the first loop, the galvanometer connected to the second loop will indicate an induced current and then quickly return to zero, according to the University of California, Santa Barbara.

What is happening here is that the current in the first loop produces a magnetic field, which, in turn, induces a current in the second loop  but only in the instant when the magnetic field is changing. When you turn off the switch, the meter will deflect momentarily in the opposite direction. This is further indication that it is the change in the intensity of the magnetic field, and not its strength or motion, that induces the current.

The explanation for this is that a magnetic field causes electrons in a conductor to move. This motion is what we know as electric current. Eventually, though, the electrons reach a point where they are in equilibrium with the field, at which point they will stop moving. Then, when the field is removed or turned off, the electrons will flow back to their original location, producing a current in the opposite direction.

Unlike a gravitational field or an electric field, a magnetic dipole field is a more complex 3D structure that varies in strength and direction according to the location where it is measured, so it requires calculus to describe it fully. However, we can describe a simplified case of a uniform magnetic field  for example, a very small section of a very large field  as B = BA, where B is the absolute value of the magnetic flux, B is the strength of the field and A is a defined area through which the field passes, according to Eastern Illinois University. Conversely, in this case, the strength of a magnetic field is the flux per unit area, or B = B/A.

Faraday's law

Now that we have a basic understanding of the magnetic field, we are ready to define Faraday's law of induction. It states that the induced voltage in a circuit is proportional to the rate of change over time of the magnetic flux through that circuit, according to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In other words, the faster the magnetic field changes, the greater the voltage in the circuit will be. The direction of the change in the magnetic field determines the direction of the current.

We can increase the voltage by adding more loops to the circuit. The induced voltage in a coil with two loops will be twice that with one loop, and with three loops, it will be triple. This is why real motors and generators typically have large numbers of coils.

In theory, motors and generators are the same. If you turn a motor, it will generate electricity, and if you apply that voltage to a generator, it will turn. However, most real motors and generators are optimized for only one function.

Transformers

Another important application of Faraday's law of induction is the transformer, invented by Nikola Tesla. In this device, alternating current, which changes direction many times per second, is sent through a coil wrapped around a magnetic core. This produces a changing magnetic field in the core, which, in turn, induces a current in a second coil wrapped around a different part of the same magnetic core, according to Milwaukee Area Technical College.

Transformer diagram (Image credit: photoiconix Shutterstock )

The ratio of the number of turns in the coils determines the ratio of the voltage between the input and output current. For instance, if you take a transformer with 100 turns on the input side and 50 turns on the output side and you input an alternating current at 220 volts, the output will be 110 volts. According to Georgia State University, a transformer cannot increase power, which is the product of voltage and current. So if the voltage is raised, the current is proportionally lowered and vice versa. In our example, an input of 220 volts at 10 amps, or 2,200 watts, would produce an output of 110 volts at 20 amps  again, 2,200 watts. In practice, transformers are never perfectly efficient, but a well-designed transformer typically has a power loss of only a few percent, according to the University of Texas at Austin.

Transformers make possible the electric grid we depend on for our industrial and technological society. Cross-country transmission lines operate at hundreds of thousands of volts in order to transmit more power within the current-carrying limits of the wires. This voltage is stepped down repeatedly using transformers at distribution substations until it reaches your house, where it is finally stepped down to 220 and 110 volts that can run your electric stove and computer.

Live Science contributor Ashley Hamer updated this article on Feb. 7, 2022.

Additional resources

For a visual demonstration of Faraday's law, check out this video from the PhysicsHigh YouTube channel.

See how the right-hand rule works, with this interactive activity from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Learn about induction from this classic Richard Feynman lecture, courtesy of Caltech.

Bibliography

Richard Fitzpatrick, "Faraday's Law," University of Texas at Austin, July 14, 2007. https://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/302l/lectures/node85.html

Lindsay Guilmette, "The History Of Maxwell's Equations," Sacred Heart University, 2012. https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1002&context=wac_prize

Georgia State University, "Coulomb's Law." http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/elefor.html#c1

Austin Community College, "Ben Franklin Should Have Said Electrons are Positive? Wrong." https://www.austincc.edu/wkibbe/truth.htm

Iowa State University, "Voltage." https://www.nde-ed.org/Physics/Electricity/electricalcurrent.xhtml

Boston University, "Magnetic Fields." http://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/sc526_notes09/B_field.html

Florida State University, "Generators and Motors," 2015. https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/electromag/electricity/generators/

Jean-Francois Millithaler, "Chapter 8: Magnetism & Electromagnetism," UMass Lowell. https://faculty.uml.edu//JeanFrancois_Millithaler/FunElec/Spring2017/pdf/Ch8%20-%20Magnetism%20n%20Electromagnetism.pdf

Buffalo State University of New York, "Right-Hand Rules: A Guide to finding the Direction of the Magnetic Force." http://physicsed.buffalostate.edu/SeatExpts/resource/rhr/rhr.htm

Michael Richmond, "Magnetic Torques and Amp's Law," Rochester Institute of Technology. http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/phys213/lectures/amp/amp_long.html

Richard Fitzpatrick, "The Alternating Current Generator," University of Texas at Austin, July 14, 2007. https://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/302l/lectures/node90.html

University of Florida, "Direction of Induced Current." http://www.phys.ufl.edu/courses/phy2049/f07/lectures/2049_ch30B.pdf

University of California, Santa Barbara, "Mutual induction with coils and galvanometer." https://web.physics.ucsb.edu/~lecturedemonstrations/Composer/Pages/72.48.html

Eastern Illinois University, "Faraday's Law," February 15, 2011. https://ux1.eiu.edu/~cblehman/phy1161/0handouts_sp11/phy1161Lect14_Faraday_law_handout_short.pdf

Doris Jeanne Wagner, "Introduction to Magnetism and Induced Currents," Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2002. https://www.rpi.edu/dept/phys/ScIT/InformationStorage/faraday/magnetism_a.html

Georgia State University, "Transformer." http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/magnetic/transf.html

Jim Mihall, "Electromagnetic Induction," Milwaukee Area Technical College, 2016. https://ecampus.matc.edu/mihalj/scitech/unit3/induction/induction.htm

Richard Fitzpatrick, "Transformers," University of Texas at Austin, July 14, 2007. https://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/302l/lectures/node106.html
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In what has become a common occurrence over the past few years, the City of Laredo issued a boil water notice late Friday night.

The majority of the city is in the impacted areas. A notice was sent out to the public just before midnight.

Due to low distribution pressure resulting from a line break and subsequent loss of water tank levels in certain affected areas, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the City of Laredo public water system to notify all customers to boil their water prior to consumption as a precautionary measure, said the city in a statement.

During the original announcement late Friday evening, the city provided a map which indicates the impacted areas. It reached as far north as the North Central Park area and as far south as the Laredo College South campus area, and it also stretches east well outside the main area of the city down 359.

On Saturday afternoon, however, the city expanded the area affected by the boil water notice.

The southern edge of the edge of the affected area was greatly expanded, with the city reporting that low distribution pressures reached the Sierra Vista and Cuatro Vientos storage tank areas. As such, the southern edge of the affected area, which previously stopped before La Pita Magana Road, now stretches just south of Cielito Lindo Boulevard. An updated map of the boil water notice area is available here.

For now, there is no provided estimated date for the notice to be lifted.

The City of Laredo ensures that crews are continuously working to repair the line break and restore pressures, said the city in a statement. It is encouraged for all Laredoans to conserve water during this time. When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the public water system officials will notify customers when it is safe for drinking or human consumption purposes.

The notice impacts locals' everyday lives as they are asked to boil water prior to consumption. Specifically, persons should bring water to a vigorous rolling boil for two minutes then let it cool. Bottled water is another alternative.



This doesn't just include drinking, as the notice also applies for brushing your teeth and washing your hands and face. The CDC specifically asks for persons in a boil water notice to be careful not to swallow water while bathing and to use caution when bathing young children  specifically, give them a sponge bath instead to reduce the chance of them swallowing water.

Children, seniors and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria.

Locals with questions are asked to contact Juan Rios, Water Pollution Control, at 956-721-2007 or the Utilities Main Office at 956-721-2000.

Previous occurrences

Laredo has been impacted heavily over the past two and a half years from boil water notices.

In September of 2019, the city went through an 11-day boil water notice. The incident resulted in a panic in Laredo as locals rushed stores to buy bottled water.

It was determined that the low chlorine levels occurred due to an effect of nitrification, according to the TCEQ, and that it could have been occurring since at least May 2019 based on recorded ammonia levels. The city issued the boil water notice a few months later in September. Laredo was also criticized for its slow response, as the TCEQ recommended eight days earlier that the notice go into effect.

An independent investigation was held that found no wrongdoing by the city or any Utilities Department employee, but it was determined that the notice should have been issued sooner to the public.



Meanwhile in 2021, locals' July 4 plans were also impacted with news of another boil water notice. The news hit just two days after low chlorine levels in specific areas of the city required the Utilities Department to flush lines as residents were urged not to panic. The following day, a part of the Chacon neighborhood had its own boil water notice before the whole city was included on the holiday.

This time around, the boil water notice took 10 days. Officials stated that a mylar film that was installed in pipes after the 11-day boil water notice of 2019 was found clogging the lines. They said this film  along with operational failures and heat  all combined to result in the boil water notice.

Interestingly enough, the same citizen whistleblower that found the issues two years prior was the individual who noticed the problems once again.

Following the incident, the City Manager's Office  under former City Manager Robert Eads  put out a statement citing that now former employees were responsible for the incident after sending too little chlorine into the water system. The city later boasted that the TCEQ report supported their decision to fire the employees. The attorney of those employees, however, argued that it did no such thing.

While 2019 and 2021 had their own city-wide boil water notices that lasted at least 10 days, they are not the lone examples of water problems over that same time period.

On June 30, 2020, south Laredo neighborhoods again saw a boil water notice issued by the city. That notice which affected many in the Highway 359 area lasted for two months, finally being lifted on Sept. 1, 2020.

The Highway 359 area was back under another notice in February of 2021 which lasted four days. This time around it was the infamous winter storm in Texas that caused the trouble, as freezing and fluctuating temperatures caused more than a dozen water main breaks while power outages impacted lift stations and water treatment plants. Neighboring Zapata County had its own trouble during that time as the storm knocked out power to the majority of homes in the area during the freezing temperatures as locals were asked to figure out a way to boil water with no electricity.

And finally, yet another south Laredo boil water notice was issued in May 2021 due to maintenance on a broken water main. The breakage led to students from nine schools being sent home. It was rescinded a few days later.

Now in early 2022 after another boil water notice on Friday night, it remains to be seen how long many locals will be impacted and for how long this time around due to the development.
A man tried to smuggle more than $830,000 in meth through a Laredo international bridge using a commercial van, according to an arrest affidavit.

Francisco Javier Hernandez-Castro, 37, was charged with import, attempt to import and conspire to import a controlled substance.

The case unfolded on Feb. 11, when Hernandez-Castro arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge in a white 2013 Hyundai iLoad displaying Mexican license plates. A secondary inspection of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of 42.21 pounds of meth from within the driver side quarter panels of the vehicle. The contraband had an estimated street value of $837,748.

Homeland Security Investigations special agents and a task force officer responded to investigate the smuggling attempt. Hernandez-Castro allegedly agreed to provide a post-arrest statement. He stated he was traveling from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico to Houston. He stated that an associate had contracted him to pick up passengers and drive them back to Monterrey. He expected a payment of $300 for the round trip.

Hernandez-Castro suspected something was wrong with the job since he was told to pick up the

commercial van at a gas station in Monterrey, instead of the business. His suspicion arose after his associate changed instructions while he was on his way to the international bridge.

The associate told Hernandez-Castro to make contact once he crossed the port of entry to obtain a correct address to take the van to Houston. Hernandez-Castro had instructions to take the van to his hotel. There, another employee would pick up the van. Hernandez-Castro stated the other employee would pick up the passengers at the airport and then return the van with passengers to Hernandez-Castro.

Hernandez-Castro further stated he did not suspect drugs were in the van but rather he suspected he could be taking weapons back to Mexico in the van, states the affidavit.
Courtesy /Google Maps

The Webb County Elections Office has been forced to close for the upcoming holiday.

The local elections office stated on Saturday that it was made to close by the Texas Secretary of State after planning to remain open for voters.
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.
Lockport, NY (14094)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 49F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 49F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
Granard's Knights and Conquests Heritage Centre is to provide the setting for the prestigious Archery Ireland Irish Open and Club Team Championships for 2022.

The Wolfshead Company of Archers based at the north Longford facility were given the formal seal of approval in recent days in what is being viewed as yet another notable tourism coup for Granard.

The competitions will be held over the weekend of the 9th and 10th of July at the Granard Showgrounds with the kind permission of the Granard Agricultural Show.

Eagerly awaited Longford GAA race day return coincides with coveted Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup Longford socialites, fashionistas and horse racing enthusiasts will descend in their hundreds on Punchestown racecourse on Wednesday, April 27, for the 18th annual Longford GAA race day in association with main sponsors, Sherry FitzGerald Brady OFlaherty, Maynooth.

The Irish Open is attracting International entries and will be held on Saturday the 9th of July and the Club Team Competitions will be held on Sunday the 10th of July with Archery Clubs from all over Ireland taking part.

"This is great news for Granard and our Wolfshead CoA. Our Archery Club was born out of a single phone call I made during the first lockdown," said the club's co founder and general manager of Knights and Conquests, Bartle D'Arcy.

"Mark (Higson) who has represented Ireland Internationally and is currently Treasurer for Archery Ireland answered and we discovered we lived 20 miles apart.

"Archery is a great fit for our upcoming Norman Village so we founded the Club. After much hard work we are now in our 4th beginners course and have over 40 members. We have big plans for establishing an Academy and Archery is an all inclusive Sport.

There will be over 200 Archers competing over the weekend with up to 500 people coming into town for the weekend with families and supporters which will bring a great Economic Boost to the town. Free entry for all spectators.

"The Irish Open has already International bookings in and more to come and as a club we are very excited to bring these competitions to Granard with Knights and Conquests and Granard Agricultural Show.

"The Irish Open welcomes members of Archery Ireland, Archery Great Britain, Irish Field Archery Federation and World Archery.

"There will be Juniors, Seniors and Masters. The Club Team Competitions will be Recurve, Compound and BareBow culminating in head to head Competitions to determine the winner. "added Mark, co-founder and treasurer of Wolfshead Company of Archers.
Longford socialites, fashionistas and horse racing enthusiasts will descend in their hundreds on Punchestown racecourse on Wednesday, April 27, for the 18th annual Longford GAA race day in association with main sponsors, Sherry FitzGerald Brady OFlaherty, Maynooth.

The race day is the county boards main fundraiser and since its introduction back in 2003, it has raised almost 1.7 million.

The pandemic put paid to race day plans in 2020 and 2021 and organisers are thrilled to be back this year.

Lanesboro native Eamon OFlaherty said Sherry FitzGerald Brady OFlaherty are delighted to be associated with the event which takes place on the day of the coveted Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup.

Chairperson of the Race Day organising committee, Martin Skelly pointed out that one of the most enjoyable features of race day is the fact that so many Longfordians who may be living elsewhere are provided with the opportunity to meet up with each other and catch up.

Tickets for this year's event are priced at 160 per person or table of ten 1,600. Contact Martin Skelly (086) 804 0296, Eamon Reilly 086 261 0556, Albert Cooney (086) 811 8580, John Bannon 086 259 7942 or Dublin Coordinator Padraig Brady 086 241 7560 for more information.

Mr Skelly said there is significant early demand for tickets and since the event is expected to be a sell out, patrons are encouraged to book early.

The Longford GAA Race Day will feature a best dressed lady & best dressed gentleman competition (kindly sponsored by Padraig & Mairead Brady), four course meal, race card, celebrity tipster Johnny Ward from The Racing Post, bar facilities, bookies in pavilion and top class music with Busy Fingers (sponsored by MJ Keogh and Seamus Ross) immediately after the last race until late.

There will also be an auction, with All-Ireland tickets up for grabs, and Eamon OFlaherty will be in charge of the gavel.
Gardai are investigating the road traffic incident in which an elderly woman died after being hit by a truck.

The incident happened at the junction of Georges Street Lower and Convent Lane, Dun Laoghaire on Friday morning.

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 woman, aged in her early 70s, was killed after she was struck by the truck at around 10am.

She was taken St Columcilles Hospital in Loughlinstown where a post-mortem examination will take place.



The woman, aged in her early 70s, was killed after she was struck by the truck at around 10am

The truck driver, aged in his late 30s, and his passenger, also aged in his late 30s, were treated at the scene for injuries that are not believed to be life threatening.

The road is closed as the forensic collision investigators examine the scene and local diversions are in place.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to this collision to come forward.

Road users who were travelling in the area at this time and may have camera footage, including dash-cam, are asked to make this footage available to Gardai.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Dun Laoghaire garda station on (01) 6665000.
Two bodies recovered during the search and rescue of a Spanish trawler that sank off Newfoundland this week were taken to the port city of St. John's in the Canadian province on Friday, Spain's foreign ministry said.

The three surviving sailors from the trawler Villa del Pitanxo and the remains of seven others will be transported to St. John's on Saturday to complete formalities before they are transferred to Spain, the ministry said in a statement.

The Villa de Pitanxo, with a crew of 16 Spaniards, five Peruvians and three Ghanaians, sank around 450 km (280 miles) east-southeast of Newfoundland in the early hours of Tuesday.

Twelve crew members remain missing. Canadian rescue officials suspended their search on Wednesday.

"Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those lost in the sinking of the Villa de Pitanxo," the Canadian Coast Guard said in a statement.

Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would work with Canadian authorities to transfer the remains of the crew members to Spain after identification and examination by a coroner.

It said it was also working to ensure the surviving crew members return to Spain as soon as possible.
Bashkim Osmani, the alleged boss of the mafia gang targeted by Tuesday's massive police operation against money laundering, is expected to be brought to Mallorca from Croatia next week. Osmani was arrested at his BO Palazzo Hotel in Porec as part of the police operation, which was carried out simultaneously in various countries.

The 55-year-old Kosovar Albanian, whose base is his five-million-euro mansion in Camp de Mar in one of the most exclusive areas of Andratx, was at his hotel in northern Croatia. Investigators from the Guardia Civil and the National Police went to Croatia to collaborate in the arrest, there having been a fear that a leak might have ruined the entire operation. Osmani is said to have contacts across Croatia and to have under his control a former head of the Croatian secret service as well as current agents.

He did not resist arrest, and it is suggested that he had anticipated that his lawyers would get him released. However, he is being held in a maximum security prison, awaiting transfer to Mallorca. Investigators say that it is crucial that he is brought to Mallorca. Were he to remain in eastern Europe, he could receive "preferential treatment".
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UPDATED: A previous version of this article had some incorrect information regarding zoning variances. This story has been updated to reflect the correct information at 10:25 a.m. on Feb. 22, 2022.

MANISTEE COUNTY  Katie Mehl, a planning and zoning administrator in Manistee County, wants people to know what zoning ordinances in cities and townships in Manistee County are really about.

The most important thing Mehl wants people to know is that a zoning ordinance "is a living document. It's designed and created to be amended as needed."

That means any citizen can be part of the process and propose an amendment. Mehl, also noted that people can seek a variance for their particular property.

For an amendment to take place, a property owner must pay a fee, then a public hearing is held at the planning commission of a particular township or municipality, and then it goes to the township board or commission for approval, Mehl said. For a variance for a particular property, one would go before the zoning board of appeals, Mehl said.

Mehl also addressed some gaps in knowledge about the process.

"I would say something important that people tend to not understand is that when you come to your zoning administrator, and you're asking if you can do something with your property, and they say, 'no, that's not allowed.' Even though it might feel like a hard no to that person, it's never really a hard no, because you can always seek to amend the ordinance," she said.

Property owners have the option to seek a variance.

"There might be a potential that you could seek a variance for your property. Usually, a variance should be hard to get, but it's definitely an option, amending the ordinance is a lot of times what I recommend to people as a route forward if they're really not liking what I'm hearing ... that tends to happen if I don't have the answer that they're looking for," Mehl said.

She also noted that Manistee County does not have a single zoning ordinance, and the planners are actually employees of the county and are contracted out by cities to administer the zoning ordinances.

"Manistee County does not have a single zoning ordinance, each community has their own zoning ordinance which they control at the local level. The County Planning Department is contracted to administer zoning only for the communities we have under contract, and we use their ordinance. The remaining communities administer zoning in-house," Mehl said.

Getting involved in the community

4 key takeaways for planning and zoning 1. Seeking an amendment or variance. Anyone can seek an amendment or variance for the zoning ordinance as it pertains to their property - they just need to fill out a form, answer the questions on the form and pay a fee. 2. Getting involved in the community. Don't wait before it is too late to get inovolved - when the planning commission holds public hearings or the master plan is under review, that is the time to give input. 3. The importance of definitions. Katie Mehl, a Manistee County planning and zoning administrator for Arcadia, Bear Lake, and Onekama, says that rather than defining specific words or phrases, it's more important to read the zoning ordinance in context and that "looking to the definitions portion of the zoning ordinance is very important when deciphering it." 4. Planning vs. zoning: Planning is the process whereas zoning is the results or implementation of the processes that go into the planning of a city or township. See More Collapse

Mehl emphasized that as a zoning administrator, she simply implements the zoning ordinances of a particular area, but that ordinances and amendments are ultimately decided by a planning board or commission and elected officials on a township board or city council. Mehl is the planning and zoning administrator for the townships of Arcadia, Bear Lake and Onekama.

"Your elected officials are the people who are going to be making the decisions, but ultimately, you get to vote on who your elected officials are too. Just being involved in your community is (important)," she said.

Mehl noted that often people don't show up to meetings or come in at the eleventh hour. However, by that time a vote has been taken on a specific issue. This is particularly true during the creation or renewal of a master plan. Much of a particular county's zoning ordinance is driven by the county's master plan.

"It's difficult to get people involved and I understand why people are only involved when it pertains to them, but it would work out a lot better if everyone gave their input when it was requested," Mehl said.

She noted that during the five-year renewal process or the crafting of a new master plan is when input from the community is most helpful.

"Whenever the communities put out notices for (a master plan) or other 'Hey, we're looking for your input.' Yeah, that's when you really want to give the input," Mehl said.

She noted that there is a way to have the community's input, but the community has to come out to do that, noting that it is easier to complain than participate.

"It's like the analogy I use, that people who complain about who the president is but say, 'oh, I don't vote,'" Mehl said.

The importance of definitions

In planning and zoning, the way many ordinances are written can be confusing, according to Mehl.

"It's pretty typical across the board that the language used in the zoning ordinances is kind of lawyer-ish," Mehl said.

As such, it's really important to pay attention to the language.

"When someone applies for a variance to the board of appeals, there's typically like five to seven criteria that have to be met. And for example, in Onekama these five things (are required in the ordinance) ... all five of these things have to be true," Mehl said.

She notes that is not necessarily words or phrases that need to be defined to be understood, but rather, a person may need to look very closely at a particular ordinance in context within the definition section of the zoning ordinance, in order to understand it clearly.

"I think (it's) not so much calling out specific words and defining them but just pointing out that looking to the definitions portion of the zoning ordinance is very important when deciphering it," she said.

She said that despite differences in communities, zoning and planning is pretty uniform due to Michigan state law. She notes there can be some differences from city to city and township to township, but the processes are pretty much the same everywhere.

"Communities can definitely be more restrictive, less restrictive, in their requirements for zoning and kind of like the specific dimensional stuff and design standards, but I would say overall, the processes are very similar," she said. "If you're going for a variance, it's going to be a similar process. And then, especially (with) use planning, a lot of this stuff is all controlled by the Zoning Enabling Act for Michigan."

Mehl said that the Zoning Enabling Act regulates much of what goes into zoning ordinances in Michigan. Though cities and townships can have small differences from each other, much of the processes and procedures are similar because they have to meet requirements that are in the state law.

Michigan Planner, a magazine for Michigan city and county planners, lays out the specifics of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act in an article from its September/October 2021 edition.

According to the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, a zoning ordinance shall be based upon a plan designed to promote the public health, safety and general welfare to:

 Limit the improper use of land

 Conserve natural resources and energy

 Ensure appropriate locations of land uses

 Avoid the overcrowding of population

 Provide efficient transportation systems and networks

 Reduce hazards to life and property

 Facilitate adequate provisions of public utilities and services.

The protection of an individual's or a community's property is what is most essential to zoning, according to Mehl.

"The general idea is that zoning is designed to protect communities and ultimately really protect property owners," she said.

Planning vs. zoning

"Planning is more like the master plan side of things," Mehl said. "So planning is going to be your recommendations, your goals, your visions and your community values. And then you want to implement the proper practices to reach those goals. All those things and then zoning is the control of your land and uses a lot of what zoning is."

When talking about the master plan, Mehl noted that the process starts with the community values of a particular city or township. She notes that the values are then reflected in the process of crafting the master plan and the creation of the zoning ordinance.

"You start with your community values. And then you put together your master plan. Your zoning reflects your master plan, and then attracts the development that you've set up with your community values. Zoning is the implementation (of those values)."

The article in Michigan Planner also notes the importance of the master plan and articulating a plan for the near future and what a city might look like in two or three decades.

"While master plans are a long-range planning tool with a 20-30 year horizon, they are also a guide for years zero to five," the article states. It also said that the five-year master plan review requirement is a necessary tool to ensure that the plan remains relevant and is still useful for guiding development within a particular community.
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There could be a new team in Formula 1 in 2024, as the Andretti family have applied to the FIA to become the 11th team on the grid.

Mario Andretti, who was F1 world champion in 1978, has revealed that his 59-year-old son, Michael, will lead this ambitious project.

"Michael has applied to the FIA to field a new F1 team starting in 2024," Mario Andretti confirmed on Twitter.

His entry, Andretti Global, has the resources and checks every box. He is awaiting the FIA's determination."

Michael Andretti manages teams in various motorsports leagues, such as IndyCar, Formula E, Extreme E, IMSA, IndyLights, SuperCars and SuperCup.

In fact, last year he negotiated with Sauber to take over Alfa Romeo. However, it didn't work out and he has now decided to launch his own project.

The financial obstacle

The main obstacle for the FIA to give the green light to this project is the financial side of things, as there is an entry fee of almost 200 million euros.

While the FIA, which is now headed by Mohammed bin Sulayem, do not appear to be in favour of adding more teams, the US company Liberty Media may be attracted by the idea of having another American team on the grid.

Should Andretti's team end up arriving in F1 in 2024, it will be the first time a new team has come into the sport since Haas in 2016.
Meadville, PA (16335)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this evening giving way to periods of light rain late. Low 54F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening giving way to periods of light rain late. Low 54F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Meadville, PA (16335)

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Thunderstorms this evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Low 52F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

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Thunderstorms this evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Low 52F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
PITTSBURGH

Feb. 18, 2022

Patti Mannarino

November 2021

Mingo Junction, Ohio

Pennsylvania

Mark Trombetta

Baltimore

David L. Bartlett

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Ohio

West Virginia

Maryland

New York

Pittsburgh

Johns Hopkins

Stephanie Waite

/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Over her years of faithfully getting annual mammograms, it wasn't uncommon forto get a call-back for some additional testing. But on that day inwhen the radiologist called her and said he had seen something out of the ordinary and would need to do a biopsy, Patti knew in her gut what was coming.It was breast cancer. "Like everyone, I had my meltdown," she said. And then she got to work doing research.The news was mostly good for the., resident. The cancer had not spread, and it was unlikely she would need chemotherapy following surgery.But the idea of radiation treatments worried Patti. The tumor was near her heart, and with heart disease in her family, she did not want to expose her heart to unnecessary radiation. She had also seen some scary photos online of bad cosmetic outcomes.In her research, she found out about an innovative new technology called GammaPod, which looked like the answer to all her concerns. Better yet, it was coming to Allegheny Health Network, less than an hour's drive from her home.GammaPod is the world's first radiation device specifically designed for the treatment of breast cancer. It delivers high doses of targeted radiation to the tumor, while sparing the surrounding uninvolved breast tissue and nearby critical organs, such as the heart and lungs. Additionally, it allows radiation treatment to be completed in as little as one to five sessions, while traditional courses of breast radiation take four to six weeks of daily treatments. The lower radiation dose to surrounding structures may be associated with fewer side effects and a better cosmetic outcome.GammaPod is available at only two other centers nationwide, and AHN is the first health system into offer the groundbreaking treatment to its patients."We are thrilled to provide this highly advanced treatment option for early-stage breast cancer," said radiation oncologist, MD, FACR, FACRO, Director of Clinical Oncology Programs, radiation oncologist, and researcher at AHN Cancer Institute. "Our goal is to always treat patients as effectively and safely as possible, returning them to a good quality of life as soon as we can. GammaPod lets us do that effectively for early-stage breast cancer patients."Patti was AHN's first patient treated with GammaPod, which is located at AHN Cancer Institute's hub at Allegheny General Hospital. She had been prepared to travel to the next closest location where a GammaPod is available  for the treatment, but AHN's GammaPod was ready just in time.Patients lie on a table and the breast is gently held in place by a cup. The stereotactic radiotherapy system, creates thousands of beam angles while the patient lies comfortably still. The individual beams converge to create an intense focal spot, delivering the full dose to the tumor target and sparing normal tissue.The GammaPod treatment planning system uses sophisticated calculations to create a dynamic travel path for the delivery of the prescribed dose of radiation, and provides clinicians with tools for quickly creating a new treatment plan each day.Patients can listen to music during treatment, and Patti said the treatments lasted about "three songs." A former dance teacher, she choreographed routines to go with the tunes to keep her mind occupied."When treating cancer patients with radiation, it's important to make those treatments as convenient, safe, and comfortable as possible," Dr. Trombetta said. "Four to six weeks is a long time to come for daily treatment, particularly for patients who live in rural areas, who do not have easy access to transportation or who might experience side effects. With GammaPod, patients have fewer treatments and less side effects than long course treatment."Good candidates for GammaPod treatment include women with early stage breast cancer, ages 50 or older, and those who are eligible for lumpectomy. Women should discuss with their physicians whether GammaPod is an appropriate option for their treatment."AHN Cancer Institute physicians have always been at the forefront of pioneering innovations in radiation oncology, such as GammaPod, that improve patient outcomes and quality of life," said, MD, Chair, AHN Cancer Institute. "Most importantly, our physicians combine these state-of-the-art capabilities with compassionate, team-based, coordinated care that guides patients through their cancer journeys and beyond."Patti is now looking forward to returning to her work doing home health physical therapy, and to helping babysit her granddaughter. She's sharing her breast cancer story and has even nudged a few friends who had been skipping their mammograms into returning for the annual test. She returns often to a phrase that she repeated to herself as she researched her options and as she lay prone for her GammaPod treatments: "I'm embracing this and I'm conquering it."About Allegheny Health Network  and the AHN Cancer Institute Allegheny Health Network, a Highmark Health Company, is a western-based integrated healthcare system that serves patients from across a five-state region that includes westernand the adjacent regions of, and. The Network's Cancer Institute employs more than 200 physicians and 500 oncology professionals who provide a complete spectrum of oncology care at 24 affiliated oncology clinics, including access to state-of-the-art technologies and new therapies being explored in hundreds of clinical cancer trials. The Cancer Institute has the only cancer program in theregion accredited as an Integrated Network Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, and its radiation oncology program is the largest in the country accredited by the American Society for Radiation Oncology. AHN Cancer Institute is a Quality Oncology Practice Initiative certified practice, and is accredited by the Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular Therapy, National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers and the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer. AHN also has a formal affiliation with the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at, one of the nation's 41 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute, for research, medical education and clinical services., Allegheny Health Network, 412-337-5484, Stephanie.Waite@highmarkhealth.orgSOURCE Allegheny Health Network
Posted by Liam on at 08:52 AM CST

Hello there,fans! This week on the site were exploring Han Solos quest on the Kessel Run that was teased way back inand finally lived out on screen in 2018s. Our  Expand Your Mind  article helps explain why the sequence is so pivotal and the behind-the-scenes process of crafting the film, so make sure to check that out first. Then come back for another week filled with articles, insights, videos, and information on all the merchandising content that collectors will want.Like manyheroes, Han never had a family to raise him, and hes hardly bound to any pivotal bloodlines destined to have a role in galactic events.takes that characterization one step further by revealing that Hans last name came from a probing Imperial officer who didnt know what else to put down. I have no people, Han admits.However, Han does eventually find a father-like figure who teaches him the ways of smuggling and gives him the lifelong lesson to never trust anyone. When Han is serving as an Imperial soldier on Mimban, hes led into battle by a mysterious man whos clearly masquerading his rank as Captain. Tobias Beckett turns Han into the Empire when he threatens to reveal his identity, but when Han and Chewie manage to escape, Tobias reluctantly invites them to join his crew.Tobiass crew includes his wife Val and the alien Rio Durvant (voiced by futurecreator Jon Faverau), and he gives Han his blaster. Han may have already been an ace pilot, but Tobiass experience in the field gives the young Corellian his first look at a much larger galaxy than he ever imagined. Tobias isnt just a rouge, hes also ruthless. Its mentioned that he killed the legendary bounty hunter Aurra Sing in combat, and any fans aware of Sings lethal history knows that certainly is no easy task.Beckett also teaches Han the importance of fulfilling his word and maintaining stable alliances with his employers. After members of Enfys Nest disrupt the teams planned heist of a train, Han is forced to detonate their planned cargo. Tobias is terrified by the decision, as their employer Crimson Dawn is known for its brutality, particularly that of their hiring employer Dryden Vos. The adventure claims the life of both Rio and Val, and a reluctant Tobias is forced to assemble a new team to repay the debt that includes Hans love interest Qira and a young Lando Calrisissian and his droid L3-37.Yet this wasnt the last time Tobias would have a lesson for Han about betrayal, as he ultimately decides to con both Han and Vos by stealing the coaxium for himself. Hans new alliance with Enyns Nest helps him disrupt Tobiass planned escape, and the two have to settle the score with an old-fashioned western shootout. Of course, its Han that remains victorious, and without a shadow of a doubt, you can say that Han shot first.What do you think,fans? Are you a fan of Tobias Beckett? What did you think of Woody Harrelsons performance? Let us know in the forums , and as always, may the Force be with you!Check out Rebelscum.com merch!Be sure to follow us on all of our social media platforms:
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As abortion after 24 weeks was virtually impossible so she was denied permission by the state Medical Department and the couple was forced to move the Calcutta High Court.The case came up for hearing before a bench of Justice Rajsekhara Mantha, who asked the woman whether she would like to go in for an abortion and she said that she had made this decision keeping in mind her physical illness.Maternity lawyer Sutapa Sanyal said that the couple had planned the child for a long time but it was not possible because the woman had some physical problems.Though the couple on a child following doctors' advice, physical complications started to increase after her pregnancy. The condition of the fetus is also not well and according to the doctors, both the mother and the child are likely to have physical complications after the birth and so the woman prayed for abortion.The court formed a nine-member medical board and a report was submitted before the court on Thursday following which the court allowed the woman to go for abortion. This is perhaps the first time in the country when woman will undergo abortion at such an advanced stage of pregnancy.The court, however, made it clear that the plaintiff will have to take entire responsibility of the abortion and neither the court nor the doctors will be responsible for any kind of medical complications.State government lawyer Amitesh Bandyopadhyay said that the High Court had taken the decision.Source: IANS
The test to stay programs that have been in use in Owensboro, Daviess County and Owensboro Catholic Schools have been a success, school officials report, amounting to nearly 10,000 in-person school days saved since the beginning of the school year.

According to statistics released by Ethos Laboratories  the northern Kentucky company contracted to perform the tests in each school building  6,000 COVID-19 tests were performed within Daviess County Public Schools from the beginning of the school year until now. Within Owensboro Public Schools, 2,340 tests have been performed this school year, and there have been 1,048 tests performed within Owensboro Catholic Schools so far this school year.

Test to stay was approved by state lawmakers last fall. They approved millions of dollars in funding for COVID-19 relief, with a stated priority that some of the money be earmarked for COVID testing at schools.

Test to stay allows students who are not showing COVID symptoms to remain in school after a possible exposure by taking a COVID test.

For example, if a student came into contact with someone who tested positive, they have the opportunity to be tested each morning when they arrive at school. As long as they have a negative test, they can stay at school. Families and staff members were given the option to opt into the program.

Chrystal Dunn, field operations manager with Ethos Labs, said the goal with the program is to keep students in school as much as possible. She has students enrolled into DCPS, and witnessed first hand how difficult virtual and remote learning can be for students.

Some students did well, and others did not, she said. I think the greatest aspect of this program is it has kept kids in school, so they have that opportunity for in-person learning.

Wendi Kozel, DCPS district health coordinator, said she sees no need to end the program.

Of all the tests performed on students and staff in the district, more than 2,600 resulted in positives, she said.

Thats 2,100 student positives and about 535 staff positives that we were able to catch, she said.

She also said having Ethos Labs in school buildings and providing parents the opportunity to have their kids tested as school has been a game changer. Families not having to worry with hours-long wait times to be tested in doctors clinics, and having immediate results have been especially helpful.

The tests administered werent done in an invasive way, either. The rapid antigen test doesnt have to be taken from deep in the sinus cavity, so students and staff liked that aspect, she said.

We didnt want it to be painful or traumatic in any way, she said. This has been such a success. Its a nice peace of mind.

Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315
Race excluded as White House rolls out climate justice screening tool

The Biden administration on Friday released a screening tool to help identify disadvantaged communities long plagued by environmental hazards, but it wont include race as a factor in deciding where to devote resources.

Administration officials told reporters that excluding race will make projects less likely to draw legal challenges and will be easier to defend, even as they acknowledged that race has been a major factor in terms of who experiences environmental injustice.

The decision was harshly challenged by members of the environmental justice community.

Its a major disappointment and its a major flaw in trying to identify those communities that have been hit hardest by pollution, said Robert Bullard, a professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University in Houston and a member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

Musks $5.7B donation sparks questions about giving

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 hasnt responded to a request for comment. Nor has Musk mentioned the donation on Twitter, his favorite communications forum.

Yet that hasnt 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.

I-39 in central Illinois reopens after pileup in snowstorm

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.  A 17-mile stretch of interstate in central Illinois that had closed after a pileup involving about 100 cars, trucks and big rigs in a blinding snowstorm fully reopened Friday.

There were no reports of injuries in the crashes, which happened Thursday on Interstate 39 north of Bloomington as winds gusting up to 40 mph cut visibility during a storm that swept through the Midwest and other parts of the country.

Authorities were able to escort all the stranded motorists to warming centers, state police said in a statement.

The interstate was closed in both directions early Friday, as crews untangled the nine passenger vehicles and 19 commercial vehicles as well as retrieve dozens more that slid off the icy roadway, Illinois State Police Trooper Haylie Polistina said.

Northbound lanes were opened before midday Friday, followed by southbound lanes later in the day.

The storm created travel problems in Illinois and elsewhere. Chicagos two international airports saw more than 500 flights canceled during the storm, which dropped more than 4 inches (10 centimeters) of snow across the region.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Kenny Riley joined the Daviess County Sheriffs Department in 1989, after receiving an invitation to apply from then Deputy Sheriff David Oz Osborne.

At the time, the sheriffs office didnt have any Black deputies, and hadnt had any for several years, Riley said.

Riley, who had been working a regular job and taking criminal justice classes at OCTC, said he was inspired to get into law enforcement by officers he met when he was young.

As a kid growing up, I had two great African-American police officers, Joe Moorman and Jimmy Byrd, Riley said. They were two officers that looked like me and were spit and polish officers, and I always admired them for that.

On Monday, Riley, 55, will put on his deputy uniform for the last time. Riley, who has been a deputy for 32 years, is retiring.

Thirty two years is a long career in law enforcement.

When Riley was hired on, law enforcement officers were under the Tier I pension plan, which meant they could retire with full benefits after 20 years of service.

People would say, youre losing money  by not retiring, Riley said. I wasnt doing it for the money.

During his career, Riley was a road deputy and K-9 officer, and has been stationed for several years at the Holbrook Judicial Center.

Riley was also head of the Owensboro chapter of the NAACP.

Like most new deputies, Riley spent the first few years on patrol duty. Later, he became a K-9 officer.

I loved it, he said. That was a dream, to be a K-9 officer.

Not everyone loved Rileys career choice, he said.

My grandmother, Minnie Riley ... she feared for my safety, Riley said. But, she let me make my own decision.

At court, Riley is one of the sheriffs departments armed court security officers. The courts handle a number of drug-related cases, such as possession and trafficking, and many crimes, like theft, that are connected to drug addiction.

Court officials are focused on providing treatment to people who need it, Riley said.

At court, you really see that people need help, Riley said.

The courts have really evolved from where you want to lock up everybody to trying to get people with addictions into treatment, he said. Riley said, as a bailiff in Drug Court, he was part of the group that helped defendants get help.

Every time someone walks up to me and says, thank you for what you did, or I remember you being so nice to me, thats more than being deputy of the year, because theyve seen my heart, Riley said.

Of the justice system, Riley said, Being in court and being in civil rights, people come and ask me about court. I would say Owensboro has a fair system.

Riley said, Sometimes being in civil rights and being an officer does put you in an awkward position. In 2000, when Riley was head of the NAACP, the organization led protests after a police officer fatally shot a Black man, Tyrone Clayton Jr., on the citys west side.

OPD found some of the actions taken by the officer were inappropriate, but took no disciplinary action. A grand jury declined to charge the officer with a crime.

Some people thought I was bashing the police, Riley said. My clash was with the (OPD) administration at the time. My clash was with the chief, who was then Allen Dixon.

Being a Black deputy for the office was quite difficult at times, he said. I wouldnt say I was discriminated against, but at times I felt I had to do (the job) better than others, he said.

Riley had high praise for the sheriffs office, but said the department should focus on increasing diversity among the patrol deputies.

When I leave, there were be one African-American deputy. There needs to be more African-American deputies in the community, Riley said. The department can definitely do better.

Riley said it is bittersweet to retire, but he has a part-time security job lined up, and has plans for the future.

I have totally enjoyed my career at the sheriffs department, Riley said. Its just time for me to go. Im going to do a lot of traveling, and a I have a really good part-time job.

Ill miss the people, he said. Ill come down and talk to them now and then. But, by retiring, Ill be able to do the things I want to do, he said.

James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse
At a recent Owensboro City Commission meeting, Police Chief Art Ealum said guns his officers had confiscated from from incidents involving juveniles recently had been purchased legally.

Somebody is furnishing guns, and these guns, when we recover them, are not stolen, Ealum said. That means somebody is purchasing them and putting them in the hands of a juvenile.

But tracking the source of a legally purchased gun is difficult, an OPD official said last week.

Andrew Boggess, OPDs public information officer, said a gun that is reported stolen is entered into the National Crime Information Center database. If the gun turns up during an arrest or at a incident, the NCIC can identify the gun by its serial number.

But there is no one-stop database for legally purchased guns. Even a gun that is reported stolen can be difficult to track if the victim doesnt have the guns information.

A lot of times, people try to report the gun stolen, but they dont know the serial number, Boggess said.

Not every stolen gun is reported.

Some things we run into, and we ran into it recently, is a gun that was stolen, and when we were able to track it back, the individual didnt know it was stolen, Boggess said.

Officers hear from people who didnt know their gun had been stolen on a fairly regular basis, he said.

The guns recovered could have been stolen, but were never reported, Boggess said.

It may be stolen, or it may be a firearm an individual had access to, Boggess said. Its important for individuals who own guns to keep them secured in lock boxes or safes. Thats an easy thing people can do to keep those guns from getting out in the street, keep them as secure as possible.

A firearm can be sometimes be tracked back to an owner by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.

According to the ATF website, when the agencys National Tracing Center receives information about a recovered firearm, the eTrace system traces the firearm back to its manufacturer or importer.

From there, the ATF tries to trace what licensed retailer the gun was sent to, and who purchased the gun.

In 2020, the National Tracing Center received 490,800 requests to trace guns, the ATF website says.

At times, the trail of a gun to its owner runs out.

Sometimes, we backtrack to an individual who is no longer living, and we discontinue the investigation, Boggess said.

A person who has their gun stolen cannot be charged if the gun is later used in a crime.

Daviess County Attorney Claud Porter said he previously looked into a case of whether a person could be charged for leaving their handgun in the open in an unlocked car with the windows down.

What he found was that no charge fits.

If person leaves a loaded gun in the car on the seat, Id love to charge them, Porter said.

There is no charge, but thats just being an irresponsible gun owner, he said.

For an adult to be charged with giving a juvenile a firearm used in a crime, prosecutors would have to determine if the adult knew the juveniles intent beforehand.

There is no statutory liability for giving a child a weapon by itself, Porter said. After all, parties interested in teaching their children to hunt or shoot can provide them with rifles or shotguns.

In those cases, a parent could only be charged if the child was unsupervised and was shooting in an unsafe manner.

But for an adult to be charged with giving a juvenile a gun used in a crime, the question would be what did (the parents) know and when did they know it? Porter said.

As an example, Porter cited the case of Michigan couple James and Jennifer Crumbley, who were charged with involuntary manslaughter in December after their son was charged with allegedly killing four students in a shooting at Oxford High School.

In that case, the parents allegedly purchased a gun and made it available to their son, Ethan Crumbley.

The Crubleys allegedly also resisted an attempt by school officials to remove the teen from school a few hours before the shooting, after a threatening drawing and message were found on his desk.

Prosecutors could attempt to charge an adult with wanton endangerment, or possibly unlawful transaction with a minor, Porter said.

The more the parent (or adult) knows, the more liable they are, Porter said.

Guns need to be secured so they cant be taken by juveniles, Porter said.

Most law enforcement officers I know, when they go home, have a place to put their weapon and lock it, Porter said.

Officers also often secure their ammunition away from the firearm, he said.

The people who use their weapons and use them every day ... they are going to be more careful, Porter said.

James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse
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LANSING - To provide all students access to high quality instruction, and in response to statewide interest in Grow Your Own initiatives, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) announces two grant opportunities to develop Future Proud Michigan Educators (Future PME) that will serve their local communities.



The first Grow Your Own grant will support school support staff seeking certification as teachers, and the second will expand opportunities for students in grades 6-12 to explore education professions. These grants are an extension of Michigan's efforts to grow and diversify the educator workforce and reduce educator shortages through the Future PME initiative.



"We need to encourage people who are already invested in our school communities to consider developing and using their talents as proud Michigan educators," said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. "It is crucial for the state to support our next generation of educators as they invest in their local schools."



These grants are funded with $1 million in state funds as the first piece of a much larger investment plan needed to address Michigan's teacher shortage issue and developed by MDE, shared with the state legislature, and supported by the State Board of Education and nine leading statewide education organizations, Dr. Rice said.



"These Grow Your Own grants are important to building home-grown teachers, but they are but a small piece of the much larger solution that the state legislature needs to fund," Dr. Rice said.



Michigan local education agencies (LEAs), both traditional school districts and public school academies (PSAs), and intermediate school districts (ISDs) are invited to apply for:

Grants of up to $10,000 per school employee to pay for teacher preparation coursework and program fees, licensure testing fees and substitute permit costs to earn initial certification or additional endorsements. There are up to 80 grants available. To qualify for this program grant, participating LEAs must employ and support the future educators throughout the grant cycle.

Grants of $2,500 per school to fund preparation and recruitment activities that will build a foundation for new Future PME programs in the school. Activities may include visits to educator preparation programs, out-of-school-time activities, and paid professional learning for an identified instructor. There are up to 80 grants available.

Research shows that early recruitment efforts and direct financial support for teacher preparation eliminate key barriers to individuals, especially teacher candidates from historically under-represented backgrounds. These Grow Your Own grants represent the first phase of 2022 grant funding to invest in Future Proud Michigan Educators.



Applications are due by March 18, 2022. Applicants are encouraged to review the supporting grant materials on the Future PME website. School districts are asked to direct their questions to Holly Carruthers at CarruthersH@Michigan.gov.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 11, 2022

Contact: press@michigan.gov

Gov. Whitmer Announces Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs Changing Name to Michigan Arts and Culture Council

LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs to announce that the state's leading arts and culture agency is changing its name to the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) effective today.

"For more than 30 years, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs has supported and nurtured Michigan's vibrant arts and culture-stimulating Michigan's economy, investing in communities, and enhancing quality of life," said Governor Whitmer. "The new name reflects the leadership role the Council plays in ensuring that every citizen and community in Michigan enjoys the civic, economic and educational benefits of arts and culture. The MACC will help us continue putting Michiganders first and building a state where every working family can thrive."

"Arts and culture have a widespread impact on the economy and enrich the lives of all Michiganders," said Gretchen Gonzales Davidson, chair of the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. "As the MI Arts and Culture Council continues to work on our mission of supporting all zip codes in our great state, we want a name to be proud of. We are grateful to the Governor and her administration for their support and deep understanding of the arts and culture sector and the impact we have on our communities."

The Michigan Arts and Culture Council, an agency within the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and cultural activity in Michigan. Through competitive grant programs, MACC encourages arts and culture organizations, cities and municipalities, educational institutions, and other nonprofit organizations to develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and cultural activity in Michigan.?

In fiscal year 2021, MACC made a total of $9.1 million in 766 grant awards to arts and culture organizations in 72 of Michigan's 83 counties. Michigan's creative economy contributes nearly?89,000 jobs?in?more than 10,000 businesses, ultimately generating?more than $4.09 billion in wages?for Michiganders.

"After years of knowing we needed to update our name, we are looking forward to moving ahead with a new name and soon, a new logo," said MACC Director Alison Watson. "Our name may have changed, but we are and will continue to be committed to ensuring that every citizen and every community in our great state enjoys the civic, economic and educational benefits of arts and culture."

Arts and culture contribute powerfully to the vibrancy of Michigan cities and communities, creating great places to live, work, and visit, and destinations that attract talent and business investment. For example, with support from $215,649 in grant funds from MACC, the city of Holland is working collaboratively with local organizations, colleges, schools, and the private sector to enrich the quality of life for the residents through high-quality productions, educational programming, and a wide range of art exhibits and cultural events.

"The support from MACC has been and continues to be a driving force for Holland and the Lakeshore area that we serve. We have been able to truly bring to life our mission of educating, engaging, and challenging the community through the arts," said Holland Area Arts Council Executive Director Lori Gramer. "In small communities like ours, collaboration is critical to creating a vibrant life. We are very grateful to the State's commitment to arts and culture."

CultureSource, a member association for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Southeast Michigan, has received funding from MACC for operational support and also serves as a MACC Regional Regranting partner. Omari Rush, CultureSource executive director and immediate past chair of the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, said the new streamlined name more effectively represents MACC's efforts in championing arts and cultural organizations, initiatives, and artists throughout the state.

"Although seemingly a small change, on behalf of the creative sector, I thank Governor Whitmer for acknowledging the opportunity to update the name of the Council to ensure that in all of its amazing work, it responsibly and respectfully makes artistic and cultural expression accessible to Michiganders statewide," Rush said.

To learn more about the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, visit www.michigan.gov/arts.

# # #

About the Michigan Arts and Culture Council

As the state's government's lead agency charged with developing arts and culture policy and grant-making, MACC recognizes the need for, and seeks out, a wide variety of public and private sector partners to help fulfill this mission to ensure that every citizen and community in Michigan enjoys the civic, economic and educational benefits of arts and culture.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state's marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan's economy.?For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit?www.MichiganBusiness.org.?For Pure Michigan tourism information, your trip begins at?www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on:?Facebook,?Instagram,?LinkedIn, and?Twitter.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 21, 2022

Contact: press@michigan.gov

Gov. Whitmer Celebrates Expansion of MI Tri-Share Child Care Program WhichSupports Michigan's Working Families

LANSING, Mich. - As part of the state's efforts to increase access to high quality, affordable child care for working families, help retain talent and remove a major barrier to employment, the Michigan Women's Commission (MWC) was awarded $800,000 by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to launch two additional regional pilots of the MI Tri-Share Child Care Program. Mothering Justice in Detroit and Battle Creek Shared Services Alliance in Battle Creek will serve as the new facilitator hubs administering these grant dollars.

"Our investment in high-quality, affordable child care, continues to help parents get back to work and is foundational to our economic recovery," said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. "As we drive down the cost of child care in Michigan, these lasting investments and public-private partnerships will empower us to help more working families in Michigan. In Michigan today, one in three children 12 and under are eligible for low or no-cost childcare, and we will continue working to expand access and lower costs."

Through Tri-Share, the cost of child care is shared equally by an eligible employee, their employer and the State of Michigan, with coordination being provided regionally by a facilitator hub.

"Child care is integral to the economic stability of Michigan families," said Cheryl Bergman, CEO of the MWC. "While administering Tri-Share, we continue to witness its positive impact and how it helps alleviate the financial burden families face. With the overwhelming positive response and support from the Whitmer administration and foundations like the Kellogg Foundation, the MWC continues to be well-positioned to further expand the program moving forward."

The Kellogg Foundation grant also includes funds for an outside evaluation of how Tri-Share is working, as well as investments in and supports for child care providers, such as training and professional development. Tri-Share facilitator hubs currently administer the pilot program in the Great Lakes Bay region, Northwest Lower Peninsula region, West Michigan region, Calhoun County and the City of Detroit.

"High-quality, cost-effective child care needs to be regarded as a basic public service and a means to position every child to achieve future success," said Faye Nelson, Director Michigan Programs at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. "The Kellogg Foundation is proud to make this investment to support the continued expansion and success of Tri-Share."

"Child care is a right and we are excited to assist in furthering opportunities for the whole family. This is a first step in creating a system that is more accessible." said Krista McClure, Director of Special Projects at Mothering Justice. "We're proud to be part of a program helping more families achieve this kind of success."

Tri-Share, a first of its kind program in the country, has received bi-partisan support. The legislature included $2.5M in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget to expand the Tri-Share pilot program following Gov. Whitmer's recommendation. The budget also included a historic investment in child care, allocating $1.4 billion of federal COVID funds to help support child care providers, reduce costs and expand subsidies to another 105,000 Michigan families. As a result, thousands of parents will be able to re-enter the workforce after the disruptions of COVID and the state is laying the foundation for a more equitable and sustainable long-term base of support for early childhood in Michigan.

"Employees receiving child care assistance see improved employment outcomes, are employed at higher rates and see greater job retention," said Kathleen Moore, Executive Director of the Battle Creek Shared Services Alliance. "In an era when we're seeing parents choosing between their jobs and child care services, it's inspiring to see Tri-Share succeeding and growing."

Details about the Tri-Share program, including current pilot regions and participating employers, can be found at michigan.gov/Tri-Share.

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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.
MILFORD  For Tara Dawn Meeker, there is no higher compliment than the respect of her peers.

That is why, when she learned she had been chosen as Alignables 2022 Milford Local Business Person Of The Year, Meeker, the owner of North Star Design Studio, accepted the honor with even more pride. The winner each year is selected by the citys local businesses.

My immediate thought was Wow, what an honor it is, said Meeker. On TV, you see awards like the Emmys or the Grammys, which are by committee, but when you have the Actors Guild or the Screen Guild Awards, when youre colleagues and peers think that much of you, its a nice feeling.

It makes you pause and appreciate it all the more, she added.

Alignable.com is the largest referral network for small businesses in the U.S. and Canada. With more than seven million members across more than 35,000 local communities, Alignable is the network where small business owners drive leads and prospects, generate referrals, land new business, and build trusted relationships.

My mission is to help other service base businesses succeed and to collaborate with them because we are all in the trenches together, she added. The camaraderie that comes off and is shown in an award or a peer-review like that is amazing.

On Alignable, Meeker said she dedicates some of her time to a blog she writes to explain complex web development and analytics concepts.

I take these big broad terms and bring it down where its not so jargon-like and put it out there, so the average person can understand it, she said. I do it so a business owner, whose business is not web development, understands what analytics are, what Google business will do for you and how to navigate those really baseline foundations pieces you have to have as a business.

Another way Meeker helps businesses is by having a free online audit tool on her business website that will review the site in real-time.

As the good and bad points show up, you can hover over them, and it will explain to you what it means, she said. It also emails a PDF report so that the business owner can take that report and bring it to their web person.`

Through branded website design and content development, North Star Design Studio helps service-based businesses attract better and more clients.

We leverage keyword research with competitor analysis to develop a site strategy that resonates with both search engines and prospects. This includes the site in a way that allows uses to pre-vet, she said. We also offer logo development as a feature to businesses, typically that ends up being pared to web development, but they can be separate.

After being in the corporate world for a long time, Meeker decided she wanted to launch her own business to focus on person-to-person collaboration rather than trying to solve the problem by the committee because ideas can get lost as they make their way up and down the chain.

I worked at a marketing agency for 10 years where I worked my way up to creative director, she said. I wanted to niche down and focus on local service-based businesses and branded communication.

What ultimately drew Meeker to want to work with small businesses is that ability to help it define its brand.

I wanted to help small businesses and make sure they become successful, she said. Its good that a company grows and gets bigger, but at some point, your client is the brand and not the business, and I like helping business define what their brand is, but I wanted to work with people and wanted to see people succeed, and I wanted to see that success raise the community around me.

Meeker founded North Star Design Studio in 2016, and the idea behind the name also points to help businesses shine.

I wanted to launch a platform for business owners, that if Im not the right fit, Im not the right fit, Meeker said. I have 20 years experience at minimum in the industry, so I can help point them in the right direction.

The North Star is made of a group of stars called the Polaris, Meeker added. Two of the stars are in such close orbit that they feed off each other, and thats why they shine so bright. Thats how I think about North Star, nobody hires me as an employee, and I dont have clients. We collaborate and feed off each other so that we can all be successful together.

During the pandemic, Meeker and her team at North Star Design Studio handled requests from various businesses across all fields to develop a website or improve an already existing site. Some of the designs were complete overhauls of the business website, and others were helping the business make their website more streamlined.

Your website can be your best employee because it doesnt take time off, everybody should take time off, but your website doesnt, she said. It does exactly what you tell it to do.

Not only does Meeker like to help business define their brand, but she is a fan of shopping local even when it comes to buying things on Etsy.

Anytime Im there, I change the location where Im shopping to Connecticut because Im looking for the face mask for my kid to wear that moms sewed, Im looking for birthday candles that someone hand-dipped or the teapot that somebody made themselves by hand out of clay, she said.

This isnt the first award Meeker has received from Alignable. She has also received the Local Main Street Mentor of 2021, Local Businessperson of 2021, Local Main Street Supporter 2021 and is Highly Recommended by locals on Alignable.

Its a surprise each time because Im not in Alignable to win awards. Thats not the purpose of Alignable, she said. When they send notices that voting is open, I quickly go in there myself and vote for my favorite local businesses. I dont do it for recognition, so when it happens, its exciting.
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, Kyiv, as tensions spiked along the militarized border with attacks that the West called false-flag operations meant to establish a pretext for invasion.

In Ukraine, 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 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 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 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.

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. 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.

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; 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 Kremlin 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 it's 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.
MOSCOW (AP)  Top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The officials fled to a bomb shelter before hustling from the area, according to journalist from The Associated Press who was on the tour.

Earlier Saturday, separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilization Saturday amid a spike of violence in the war-torn region and fears in the West that Russia might use the strife as a pretext for an invasion.

Ukraine and the two regions held by the Russia-backed rebels each accused the other of escalation. Russia on Saturday said at least two shells fired from a government-held part of eastern Ukraine landed across the border.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed the claim as a fake statement.

Ukraines military said shelling killed a soldier early Saturday in the government-held part of the Donetsk region and that separatist forces were placing artillery in residential areas to try and provoke a response.

On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians to Russia with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscows efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.

Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilization Saturday amid a spike of violence in the war-torn region and fears in the West that Russia might use the strife as a pretext for an invasion.

Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russia separatist government in Ukraine's Donetsk region, cited an immediate threat of aggression from Ukrainian forces in his announcement. Ukrainian officials vehemently denied having plans to take rebel-controlled areas by force.

I appeal to all the men in the republic who can hold weapons to defend their families, their children, wives, mothers," Pushilin said. Together we will achieve the coveted victory that we all need."

A similar statement followed from his counterpart in the Luhansk region. With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops now posted around Ukraines borders, the long-simmering separatist conflict could provide the spark for a broader attack.

The separatists and Ukrainian forces have been fighting for almost eight years. But the violence along the line of contact separating the two sides, including a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling, has risen in recent days.

They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said during a visit to Lithuania, where he assured the three Baltic nations they would not be on their own if faced with security threats from Russia.

Ukraines military said shelling killed a soldier Saturday in the government-held part of the Donetsk region and that separatist forces were placing artillery in residential areas to try and provoke a response.

On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians to Russia with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscows efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.

U.S. President Joe Biden said late Friday that based on the latest American intelligence he was now convinced that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and assault the capital, Kyiv.

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.

In a sign of heightened worry about an invasion, the NATO military alliance relocated staff of its liaison office in Kyiv to a city in western Ukraine and to Brussels. A NATO official told The Associated Press that safety of its personnel was the top concern.

We do not fully know what President Putin intends, but the omens are grim, and that is why we must stand strong together, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told officials attending the annual Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at the conference. Harris called the unfolding events a decisive moment in history and warned Russia that it would face unprecedented financial costs if it attacked Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials pushed back against the separatists' suggestion that Ukraine initiated the latest violence in the country's east. We are fully committed to diplomatic conflict resolution only, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted.

Ukraines ruling party, Servant of the People, echoed his sentiment in an online statement Saturday and accused Russia of trying to artificially create a pretext for a full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia conducted massive nuclear drills on Saturday. The Kremlin said Putin, who pledged to protect Russias national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats, was watching the drills together with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko from the situation room in the Kremlin.

Notably, the planned exercise involves the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014. .

Underscoring the West's concerns of an imminent 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 closer to the border.

The shift has been underway 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 in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each group has 750 to 1,000 soldiers.

Lines of communication between Moscow and the West remain open: the American and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron scheduled a phone call with Putin on Sunday. U.S. 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 the pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people. Violations of a 2015 ceasefire agreement, including shelling and shooting along the line of contact, have been common.

However, violence has escalated in recent days. A bombing struck a car outside the main government building in the rebel-held city of Donetsk on Friday. The head of the separatist forces, Denis Sinenkov, said the car was his, the Interfax news agency reported. Targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities.

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. The center cited witnesses as saying the other was at a vehicle service station.

There were no immediate reports of casualties and no independent confirmation of the circumstances of the three blasts. Luhansk officials blamed a gas main explosion earlier in the week on sabotage.

By Saturday morning, the separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which form Ukraine's industrial heartland known as the Donbas, said that thousands of residents of the rebel-controlled areas had been evacuated to Russia.

More than 6,600 people had been evacuated from Donetsk, and some 25,000 people have left Luhansk, with 10,000 preparing to leave, separatist officials said.

Separatist officials announced plans Friday to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people. Russia has issued about 700,000 passports to residents of the rebel-held territories. Claims that Russian citizens are being endangered might be used as justification for military action.

Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk rebel government, alleged in a video statement that Ukraine 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 Kremlin's effort to come up with an invasion pretext could include staged, prerecorded videos.

Authorities in Russia's Rostov region declared a state of emergency because of the influx of evacuees. Media reports on Saturday morning described chaos at some of the summer camps in assigned to accommodate the people from eastern Ukraine.

The reports said there were long lines of buses and hundreds of people waiting in the cold for hours on end to be housed without access to food or bathroom facilities. Some of the camps were said to have run out of space.

Putin ordered the Russian government to offer 10,000 rubles (about $130) to each evacuee, an amount equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in the war-ravaged Donbas region.

___

Jim Heintz in Moscow, Geir Moulson in Berlin and Aamer Madhani in Munich contributed to this story.
Tommy Pham is one of the many free agents still without a contract for 2022, and the lockout has only added to the uncertainty facing Phams market following a pair of underwhelming seasons with the Padres. However, Pham is looking to increase his positional value, with The Tampa Bay Times Marc Topkin writing that the veteran outfielder is open to playing first base if needed.

Specifically, Pham said he would be interested in playing first base in a second stint with the Rays, as Pham played in Tampa during the 2018-19 seasons. The Rays are known to be looking for a right-handed hitting first base option, and a reunion with Pham would be a creative way of addressing that need. It stands to reason that if Pham is willing to take on a new position with the Rays, he is also willing to pick up a first base glove with other contenders who might come calling, and perhaps non-contenders as well.

Pham took a frank view of his pending free agency last September, saying that I didnt play well enough in 2021 and that he was fully prepared to take a one-year deal and reestablish my market. Pham was still a slightly above-average hitter in the view of wRC+ (102) and OPS+ (103), as he batted .229/.340/.383 with 15 home runs over 561 plate appearances with San Diego. That kind of production and playing time is itself an impressive accomplishment considering that Pham was coming off a terrifying stabbing incident in October 2020 that threatened his life.

A case can be made that Pham was pretty unlucky at the plate last year, considering that his .354 xwOBA was significantly higher than his .318 wOBA. Between that glaring differential and his still solid hard-contact numbers, Pham could well be a bounce-back candidate to watch in 2022. In fact, he seems exactly like the type of relatively inexpensive veteran the Rays would traditionally target in free agency, as the team would bet that a healthy Pham could match or better the production of a player with a heftier price tag.

Pham played 37 games at shortstop in his very first season of pro ball, way back in 2006 with the Cardinals rookie ball affiliate. Since then, he has exclusively played in the outfield, and mostly in left field since the start of the 2019 season. Among the publicly available statistics for measuring defense, the Outs Above Average metric has been very down (-17) on Phams left field glovework over the last three seasons, while UZR/150 (-1.1) and Defensive Runs Saved (-3.3) are at least passable, if trending downward.

With this in mind, a change in positions might be a logical pivot for a veteran player looking to extend his career. Pham turns 34 in March, and hed need a big year at the plate (no matter the position) to line himself up for a nice multi-year contract next winter, if he does indeed opt for just a one-year contract during this trip to the open market. While health issues have hampered Pham over the last two years, he isnt far removed from a very strong five-year stretch of hitting .277/.373/.472 over 2110 PA with the Cardinals and Rays from 2015-19.
Mali's army-led government asked France on Friday to withdraw its forces from the Sahel state "without delay", calling into question Paris' plans to pull out over several months.

A government spokesman added in a statement announced on public television that the results of France's nine-year military engagement in conflict-torn Mali were "not satisfactory".

On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he was withdrawing troops from Mali after a breakdown in relations with the nation's ruling military junta.

France first intervened in Mali in 2013 to combat a jihadist insurgency that emerged one year prior. It currently has thousands of troops stationed across the Sahel, with the majority in Mali.

However, relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply after Mali's army seized power in a coup in 2020, and later defied calls to restore civilian rule swiftly.

The French pullout after nearly a decade is also set to see the smaller European Takuba group of special forces, created in 2020, leave Mali.

Macron said the withdrawal would take place over four to six months.

Spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga called the prolonged French withdrawal a "flagrant violation" of accords between the two countries.

"In view of these repeated breaches of defence agreements, the government invites the French authorities to withdraw, without delay," he said.

Macron responded with a statement saying he would not compromise the safety of French soldiers and the withdrawal will take place take place "in orderly fashion".

Map showing military bases and operations in Mali, and planned retreats. By Simon MALFATTO AFP

The French withdrawal has raised questions about the possibility of a security vacuum in impoverished Mali, a vast and ethnically diverse nation of 21 million people.

Dire relations

Mali's call for a swift French military withdrawal caps months of escalating tensions with its former colonial master.

Relations first began to fray after Malian army officers led by Colonel Assimi Goita deposed elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020.

The army then deposed the civilian leaders of a transitional government last year, in a second coup.

Mali's international partners -- including France and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) -- insisted that the junta stick to a pledge to stage elections in February 2022 and restore civilian rule.

But the junta floated plans to stay in power for up to five years.

The proposal prompted the 15-nation ECOWAS bloc to impose a trade embargo and shut its borders with Mali in January.

France followed by announcing a pullout on Thursday. However, Paris had already begun to scale back its deployment before relations nosedived.

It closed three bases in northern Mali this year, where the bulk of its anti-jihadist Barkhane force had been stationed.

Wagner group

As well as concerns over civilian rule in Mali, Paris has protested the junta's alleged use of Russia's Wagner private security firm.

The US and others say that hundreds of fighters from the controversial paramilitary group are in the country. However, the junta flatly denies the claim. AFP has been unable to independently verify the information.

Mali remains the epicentre of the Sahel-wide jihadist conflict, which has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians and displaced some two million people.

The conflict spread deeper into Mali, despite the presence of French troops, which has fed popular resentment of France's military intervention.

France and its allies have vowed to remain engaged in fighting terror in the Sahel despite leaving Mali.
Ms Fatimatu Abubakar, the Deputy Minister of Information, has debunked claims journalists are being cowed into silence under the current administration of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

In as much as the media were guaranteed freedom by the constitution, she said they also ought to practise responsible and ethical journalism.

She said this in an interview with the media after delivering an address at the 2022 World Radio Day celebration organised by the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) in Accra.

The comment followed recent arrests of journalists at local radio and television stations for their alleged comments while hosting programmes.

She said journalists who felt unsafe in their line of duty could report to the National Media Commission (NMC) for necessary actions to be taken to safeguard their wellbeing.

Media practitioners have a responsibility to disseminate right and well researched verifiable information, she added.

Speaking on the theme, Radio and Trust, Ms Abubakar said the success of radio was partly due to the use of local languages in broadcasting to better serve everyone especially those without formal education.

She entreated radio show hosts and all journalists to use their media platforms responsibly to serve the public better.

Mr Affail Monney, President of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), in a solidarity message, said if Ghana was touted as the most peaceful nation in West Africa and the second in Africa, it was principally because radio provided avenues for people to settle their differences in non-violent ways.

Although some radio stations are filled with outright lies, blatant spin and unpleasant noise, he said, those professional sins did not and could not, justify any inhuman mode of arrest an erring journalist.

The growing use of prosecutorial and judicial power to punish them can also exert a significant chill in press freedom and erode the robust foothold of our free media system, which is a reference point and standard measure for Africa. Accordingly, we urge resort to civil remedies to deal with media infractions.

Indeed, we do not need Zoomlion to fumigate the media space, despite the putrid stench on certain radio stations. It is the responsibility of practitioners themselves to do their work with critical sensibility and utmost responsibility. Press freedom has no absolute value and must always be lodged in the memory of all journalists, Mr Monney stated.

He, however, said the time had come for the authorities and stations to prioritise the acquisition of delayed broadcast equipment to help sieve offending materials before they got to the public.

Mr Abdourahmane Diallo, UNESCO Country Representative, said radio broadcast in Ghana had built trust among Ghanaians through timely delivery of information and engagement of their audience over topical issues.

Using digital radio with visuals and sign language where audience with hearing impairments could also subscribe to a radio show, he said would make the work of Ghanaian radio stations complete and more satisfying.

Speaking on press freedom in Ghana, he said journalists were entitled to freedom of expression, access to information and overall safety.

I express our solidarity to the radio journalists attacked recently. It is affront to freedom of the media which should be condemned in no uncertain terms, he added.

Professor Eric Opoku Mensah, the Deputy Rector, GIJ, said the GIJ in collaboration with the Ministry of Information was organising a capacity building and enhancement programme for journalists.

He said the Institute believed sharing of knowledge and best practices would help to let government handle power in a more acceptable way and the journalist to work in a more professional manner.

GNA
The governing New Patriotic Party NPP has said the Electronic Transaction Levy is a nationalist instrument for development and as such calls on the Minority in parliament to approve the bill.

The party believe the bill will help mobilize more revenue for the government while reducing the ballooning debt situation.

The National Communications Director for the NPP Yaw Boaben Asamoa said this during a press engagement on the Electronic Transaction Levy bill held in Kumasi on Friday, February 18, 2022.

He noted that the implementation of the E-levy will help generate internal revenues devoid of high rate interest which will be channelled into productive sectors of the economy.

Mr Boaben Asamoa added that the huge mismatch between revenue generation and infrastructure needs was not sustainable if the country was to accelerate its economic transformation agenda within the shortest possible time.

He however challenged the Minority in Parliament to support the policy if indeed they have good intentions for the future of Ghana.

He explained that the proposed e-Levy when approved will transform the Ghanaian economy and in effect protect the vulnerable.

The e-levy which was introduced by the incumbent government in its 2022 budget is to be rolled out after parliament's approval ensuring that Ghanaians are taxed on their electronic transactions.

The e-levy has been met with strong opposition from the Minority in Parliament as they have vehemently kicked against its approval.
France was welcomed as a saviour in Mali in January 2013 after it sent in troops to fight jihadism in the north of the country. Nine years on, the insurgency has grown and many Malians are applauding France's departure, suggesting it failed in its mission.

In January 2013 Mali turned to its former colonial ruler for help in facing an armed rebellion which had emerged out of the war in Libya and the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.

Jihadist groups  notably Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) and the al-Qaeda affiliate Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam al-Muslimin (JNIM)  had taken control of the north and threatened to overrun the whole country.

Then-president Francois Hollande launched Operation Serval: 3,500 French troops and 1,900 from mainly Chad and Niger swiftly put down the 10-month insurgency, taking back control of Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal airport.

"We have won the war," Hollande announced on 2 February as crowds of grateful Malians hailed him a "hero" and "saint".

Interim president Dioncounda Traore thanked him warmly, not least "in the name of women freed from the prison of obscurantism".

Hollande told the crowds it was the most important day of his political career, that he had taken a "serious" decision risking the lives of men and women "in the name of France". Mali and France were fighting side by side "in fraternity".

"We are fighting here so that Mali lives in peace and democracy," he said.

Rupture

Nine years on, there's little fraternity, and no peace or democracy in sight.

More than 6,000 civilians were killed in Mali last year alone, there have been two military coups in as many years and relations between the transitional government and Paris are hostile at best.

Not only has the jihadist insurgency remained in place, it has spread beyond the north of Mali to the centre where most people live. But also into Burkina Faso, Senegal, the north east of Cote d'Ivoire, the north west of Benin, to Togo, and some fear shortly to Ghana.

While Mali's military junta did not specifically ask for the French to pull out, President Macron's government was left with little choice.

Announcing on Thursday that France would begin a coordinated withdrawal of its 2,400 Barkhane forces along with 800 of the French-led European Takuba task force, Macron said 'multiple obstructions' by Mali's ruling authorities meant that the "conditions were no longer in place to operate in the country".

"We cannot remain militarily engaged alongside de facto authorities whose strategy and hidden aims we do not share," the president said.

France is angry over the junta reneging on an agreement to hold democratic elections and the fact Mali expelled the French ambassador when he criticised that.

But the red line was the junta's decision to invite mercenaries from the Russian security group Wagner to help it fight the jihadist groups.

The view from Paris

France's nine-year military intervention has proven costly on all fronts: 8 billion euros and 53 French soldiers' lives lost.

President Macron has denied that France's mission has been a failure, saying it had prevented the Malian state from collapsing.

French military knew it would not be easy. In 2019 the head of the armed forces General Lecointre warned there "would never be a definitive victory" in Mali.

But Colonel Pascal Ianni, spokesperson for the current chief, told RFI on Thursday: "French armies have fulfilled their mission in Mali" allowing the country to "recover all its territorial sovereignty faced with armed terrorist groups".

There have been military victories.

Barkhane forces knocked out leading jihadist Adnane Abou Walid al-Sahraoui, head of ISGS, in the summer of 2021. Abdelmalek Droukdel, head of the rival AQIM group was also killed in an airstrike in June 2020.

Thanks to military partnerships, African armies in the region have been strengthened via the European EUTM programme and the structuring of G5 Sahel.

Barkhane forces  which include troops from Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad  have helped train and boost the Malian army which has grown from less than 3,000 trained personnel in 2013 to some 45,000.

But despite the success of Serval and some notable strikes, "you can't hide the fact France is in an impasse because terrorism is still raging in the region, especially in Burkina Faso and Niger," says Emmanuel Dupuy, head of the Insitute for European Perspective and Security Studies.

"With close to 6,000 Malian civilians killed just last year, and around 3,500 Malian soldiers killed since 2015, it's clear the situation is far from resolved," he continues. "The French find themselves in a situation where people are pleased they're leaving. It's not a fiasco, but a very mitigated success."

The view from Bamako

In Mali itself, France's military intervention is seen largely as a failure.

"We've lost so many lives. When you're given a mission you do it, and if you don't deliver, you have to look for another solution," Mamadou Konate, a Bamako-based printer, told RFI.

France's military presence "serves no purpose," another Bamako resident said. "We see these military bases as occupying forces, they should pack their bags and go home."

Anti-French sentiment in Mali is rife, as an increasing number no longer see French military presence as defending the country's interests.

RFI's correspondent Kaoura Magassa notes there's a lot of incomprehension as people struggle to understand how such a major European power like France has been unable to overcome terrorism.

Against such a background "new alliances, such as cooperation with Russia and the Wagner (mercenaries), are brandished as a reason to hope for an improvement in the security situation", Magassa said.

The M5-RFP movement, to which Prime Minister Choguel Maiga belongs, has been pushing for French withdrawal.

"It's good news because it's what Malians want," M5 spokesperson Jeamille Bittar.told RFI adding that they were not "anti-French" but "anti-French policy."

Bittar considers French forces "are not there to resolve security issues, but for indisclosed reasons,"  reasons that PM Maiga has explicitly stated, namely to divide Mali in two.

State failure

But France has also paid the price of the Mali's own fragililty.

Successive governments have failed to govern the north of the country, leaving a power vacuum for jihadist groups to prosper.

"The main issue is to do with governance," says Marc-Antoine Perouse de Montclos from France's Research Institute for Development.

"Whether it's military governance or civilian governance, it is the issue of impunity and the lack of social justice that is at the root of the socio-political problems in the region."

For Dupuy, France was also up against a gargantuan task, thinking it could reign in an increasingly vast jihadi network with limited means and little outside support.

"The territory is seven times larger than Europe, and there were only 5,100 soldiers deployed, 3 armed drones, 7 fighter planes, around 20 helicopters," he says. "France was too ambitious given the scarcity of the means they had."

Bruno Clement-Bollee, a retired general notes how "difficult it is to have a lasting impact on Islamist terrorism in months, even years", but he also acknowledges France may not have helped itself to get better accepted in the Sahel.

"Perhaps we weren't that skilful in the way we put ourselves so much to the fore, effacing the others and what they were doing," he told RFI.

"Public opinion can swing very easily. And while a combat force can have a positive image, when you become a presence you quickly flip into an occupying force and that can have negative conotations, as we see."

End of an era

Much has changed since the glory days of Serval in 2013.

As Dupuy points out, the five presidents in power at that time are no longer on the scene: Idriss Deby (Chad), Roch Marc Christian Kabore (Burkina Faso), Mahamadou Issoufou (Niger), Cheikh el-Ghazouani (Mauritania), IBK (Mali).

"Maybe France's failure also consists in believing that political leaders with whom we made agreements would always be there," he notes.

While Macron has said he wants to break with francafrique  the system of close economic and political ties that has defined France's relationship with its former colonies since independence  it's easier said than done.

"To a certain extent what is happening in the Sahel, around Mali, shows a sort of end of reign," Dupuy explains.

"This historical approach, marked by francafrique, suggests France may have poorly evaluated the socio-economic relations and dynamics of these countries. It's as if France forgot that there aren't just presidents, there are people who are not necessarily on the same page."

He refuses to be downbeat though. "There is still a chance to improve or at least revisit the very complicated relationship we have with the Malian authorities. It won't be, a priori, complicated forever."
The two day summit between leaders of the European Union and the African Union finished in Brussels. There were some results, but critics said they were disappointed with the final outcome.

In a joint statement, leaders that attended the 6th African Union-European Union summit agreed on a "renewed partnership" based on "mutual respect". Some of the key points include:

Global Gateway package, potentially worth 150 billion,

EU committed 100m to support the African Medicines Agency over 5 years,

Eu confirms commitment to provide "at least" 450 million vaccines to Africa by mid 2022.

EU commits 500 million from the European Investment Bank to strengthen health systems

Eu will "mobilize 425 million" to speed up the pace of vaccination in Africa

EU and AU "commit to engage constructively towards a comprehensive WTO response to the pandemic" including "trade" and "intellectual property related aspects"

Launch of the "Just Energy Transition (JET) Partnership" between South Africa and international donors which was made official at COP26 in Glasgow.

In a first reaction, a statement from Oxfam International said that EU leaders continue to make a song and dance about the importance of their relationship with the African continent, but in reality offer little. It added:

"...they once again put the interests of their profit-hungry pharmaceutical corporations first," pointing out that "while Europeans are getting boosters, nearly 90 percent of Africans are yet to have their initial two doses".

The One Campaign, an NGO that fights extreme poverty, expressed "frustration," describing the results of the meeting as "disappointing."

"Sticking points like temporarily waiving vaccine IP patents make us wonder why we are still arguing two years down the line when this really comes down to people's lives. Are the lives of Africans really worth less than the impact of innovation and profit of pharmaceutical companies?" says Edwin Ikhuoria, Africa Executive Director at The ONE Campaign.

Tech transfer

There were some positive developments. At a side event, the WHO announced the expansion of its tech transfer hub. The result is that Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia will be the first recipients of COVID-19 mRNA technology.

"We now have a historic opportunity to look at the basis of a new kind of partnership, a renewed partnership, we want to build together," Senegal's President Macky Sall, who currently chairs the African Union (AU), told a closing press conference.

"We have been talking a lot about producing mRNA vaccines in Africa," says EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "But this goes even beyond. This is mRNA technology designed in Africa, led by Africa and owned by Africa."

A ceremony marking the mRNA tech transfer announcement was held Friday in Brussels at the AU/EU summit.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Friday's announcement "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".

French President Emmanuel Macron said supporting African health sovereignty was one of the key goals of starting up local production, which will "empower regions and countries to fend for themselves, during crises, and in peace time".

The fight for food

Elsewhere, the Elysee issued a statement announcing a joint EU-AU initiative to develop plant-protein crops in Africa. The initiative aims to more efficiently produce pulses, beans, oil legumes, trees and shrubs legumes, for human consumption and animal feed and is open to all African countries.

Benin, Chad, Ivory Coast and Senegal have already signed up, according to the Elysee. A first assessment of how the plan works out will be made during the upcoming UN Convention to combat desertivication (UNCCD) under the COP 15, held in Abijan from 9-20 May.

(With wires)
France's planned military withdrawal from Mali has opened the door to talks between the Malian government and al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadists, which many hope could stem the violence in the Sahel state.

Mali, a landlocked nation of 21 million people, has struggled to contain a brutal jihadist insurgency that emerged in 2012, before spreading to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed and two million people have been displaced by the Sahel-wide conflict, of which Mali remains the epicentre.

Analysts have long argued that there is no military solution to the conflict and many support engaging the jihadists in dialogue in order to break the cycle of violence.

However France, which intervened in Mali in 2013 to combat the jihadists, has long opposed dialogue.

"With terrorists, we don't discuss. We fight," French President Emmanuel Macron told the Jeune Afrique magazine in 2020.

On Thursday, Macron announced that he was withdrawing French troops from Mali due to a conflict with the country's ruling military junta.

The possibility of dialogue with jihadists has now resurfaced.

Shortly after the announcement of the French pullout, the International Crisis Group said that "political dialogue should be considered with some jihadist leaders" to address insecurity.

Advocates of dialogue for the most part argue that the Islamic State group should be excluded.

Iyad Ag Ghaly, the leader of the al-Qaeda-affiliated GSIM group, has previously said that he is open to talks with the Malian government -- but only if French and United Nations troops leave the country.

Moment of opportunity

The prospect of dialogue with jihadists has long loomed over Malian politics.

In 2020, ex-president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said he had sent emissaries to two of Mali's main jihadist leaders, including Iyad Ag Ghaly.

The move followed two nationwide consultations in 2017 and 2019 that recommended talks.

Keita was subsequently ousted in a military coup in August 2020, after weeks of protests fuelled in part by frustration over a lack of progress against the grinding conflict.

However, Mali's new ruling junta also appears open to talks.

In October 2021, the army-installed prime minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga likened Mali's situation to Afghanistan's, pointing out that Washington had engaged the Taliban in talks.

"Why not do the same here?" he asked.

Ornella Moderan of the Institute for Security Studies think tank said that the current moment represents an "opportunity".

But she also warned Mali is "much more bellicose" than before.

Mali's junta has recently proclaimed military victories against jihadists, after years of suffering devastating attacks.

The announcements have coincided with what the US, France and others say is the arrival of paramilitaries from the Russian private security firm Wagner in Mali.

However Mali's junta denies Wagner's presence.

Existing contacts

How jihadist talks might work, and when they might begin, remains unclear.

Malian researcher Boubacar Haidara suggested that Mali's government would only want to initiate dialogue when it is in a strong negotiating position.

In December, the International Crisis Group said that neither Mali's government nor GSIM had determined how to conduct negotiations -- or "which compromises they might be willing to accept".

The challenges facing such talks are daunting, yet the government in Bamako and the jihadists have long maintained informal contact.

Malian authorities have used religious leaders as go-betweens to negotiate hostage releases, for example. And in the volatile north, some government officials have cooperated with traditional Islamic judges linked to al-Qaeda.

A senior member of a militant group, who requested anonymity, told AFP that dialogue was already present at a local level.

"But nobody wants to endorse it politically or publicly," he said.

Influential imam Mahmoud Dicko -- who has passed government messages to jihadist groups -- told a press conference this month that he is "ready to reactivate".
Thousands of Libyans on celebrated for a second day Friday 11 years since the revolt that toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi, despite political tensions in the divided country.

The anniversary comes as the country finds itself with two rival prime ministers based in the capital Tripoli.

It also follows a failed bid in December to hold national elections, with the vote postponed indefinitely amid bitter wrangling over the legal basis of the polls.

Thousands of vehicles converged on the centre of Tripoli Friday, creating huge traffic jams, as motorists honked their car horns in celebration, an AFP journalist reported.

Festivities were held in the capital's iconic Martyrs' Square where Kadhafi once gave a famous, desperate speech before the "February 17 revolution" swept him from power.

Concerts and fireworks were organised but Libyans had to wait hours before entering the square as security was heavy and metal detectors slowed down the process.

The celebrations had been due to take place on Thursday but most were pushed back a day due to bad weather.

Earlier this month the east-based parliament voted to appoint influential ex-interior minister Fathi Bashagha to replace the interim unity government.

Incumbent Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, appointed as part of a United Nations-driven peace process, has insisted he will only hand over power to an elected government.

Analysts have warned that the uptick in tensions could threaten what has been a long period of relative peace, since a landmark ceasefire in October 2020 formally ended eastern military chief Khalifa Haftar's ruinous year-long bid to seize the capital.

Since Kadhafi's ouster, Libya has had no fewer than nine governments and two full-scale civil wars but has yet to hold a presidential vote.

Since the revolt, Libyans have also been grappling with huge financial hardship despite the country's vast oil wealth.
The Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly is set to partner AirtelTigo to enhance and strengthens digitalisation of services within the Municipality.

This was made known on Thursday , when the KoKMA Municipal Chief Executive ( MCE ) hon. Samuel Nii Adjei Tawiah paid a visit to the AirtelTigo Acting Chief Executive, Mr. Emmanuel Adjei at his office in Accra.

The meeting forms part of hon. Samuel Nii Adjei Tawiah's engagement with stakeholders and institutions within the KoKMA enclave to interact and share ideas on mutual benefits .

The interaction between the two Chief Executives and their respective entourages were amongst other things anchored on potential collaboration between the Assembly and the telecom company in terms of sanitation management , clean and affordable waste management within the low income KoKMA electoral areas .

Other issues that were discussed included digitalization of revenue mobilisation and management, promotion of healthy living particularly sickle cells and its related issues, beautification within KoKMA, data management, fibre optic cable & cyber security issues, education and socio-cultural activities among others.

In his address , Mr. Nii Adjei Tawiah admitted that the major contributing factor to the sanitation problem is behaviour of residents and their lack of maintenance culture. He was of the view that when the pedestrian hawkers are properly managed the problem of littering will be solved to a large extent.

The MCE also touched on the possibility of the two institutions collaborating on creating a platform to capture all informal waste collectors. "The platform would serve as a directory as well as make it easy for people to contact these service providers especially when their services are needed immediately. This will also help the Assembly in regulating their operations," he stated.

On digitization of revenue collection and mobilization, the MCE noted that his outfits intends to explore more through electronic billing (E-Billing) receipt issuing. To that end , he revealed that transactions such as issuing of property rate payments and business operating permits, as well as daily tolls are areas the Assembly will soon introduced on pilot basis.

Honourable Nii Adjei Tawiah expressed optimisim that the new relationship with AirtelTigo will strongly build and create an environment conducive for business enhancement and boost tourism (friendly city) since both entities operate within the Central Business District (CBD) of Ghana.

In his response, Mr. Emmanuel Adjei said they have for some time been partnering institutions in a conscious effort to remind clients and customers of the need to always keep their immediate surroundings clean via text and broadcast messages.

He said they are willing to collaborate with KoKMA to do more.

The AirtelTigo Boss, who doubles as the company's Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, mentioned that they are committed to championing healthy living especially in Sickle Cell and its related issues which he extended a call to KoKMA to partner them through the Municipal Health Directorate by putting together outreach programs in the communities within the municipal assembly.

Also present during the interaction were the KoKMA Municipal Finance Officer Dr. Rev. Ellis Commey, Environmental and Sanitation Unit Director , Mr. Victor Acquaye, Municipal budget officer Mr. Ernest Tagoe and the Public Relations officer Nii Ofori Quaye whiles AirtelTigo team has Mr. Skarlatos, a Government representative, Madam Evelyn Sam, Chief Supply Chain officer and Elijah Boamah , the Facilities and Maintenance Manager.
19.02.2022 LISTEN

Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Mr Sulemana Braimah, has accused the National Communications Authority (NCA) of issuing radio frequencies to party members.

He noted that radio frequencies are given to politicians for partisan propaganda rather than the business of journalism.

He attributed the recklessness in a section of the media to the issuance of radio frequencies to party cronies.

Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday February 19 in relation to the recent arrests of some radio presenters in the country, he said We have a National Communications Authority (NCA) that continues to issue frequencies without transparency, without people getting to know who are being given the frequencies and indeed, what we have is, when NDC is in power NDC executives, NDC party functionaries are the ones who get the frequencies to set up radio stations. These stations are set up for mainly partisan propaganda rather than the business of journalism.

It is the same when the NPP is in power they set up radio stations to do propaganda for the party rather than the business of journalism and then we turn around and cry that there is so much recklessness in the media and by practitioners.

For his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the African Energy Consortium Limited, Kwame Jantuah, said freedom of speech comes along with some responsibilities.

He said people must be responsible in their utterances by being prepared to substantiate the claims that they make.

Speaking also on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday February 19, Mr Jantuah who is also a private legal practitioner said media houses have a responsibility to keep persons who appear on their platforms in check by walking them out of the studios if they make unsubstantiated allegations against individuals or institutions.

Freedom of speech comes with responsibility, he said, adding that In the advanced countries they will come after you and ask you to show the evidence. The recklessness of our comments do not helping us.

He further told the Police to be fair and impartial in carrying out their mandate.

He said this regarding the arrests and detentions of the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Kwame Baffoe (Abronye DC) for an allegation he made against Former President John Dramani Mahama , and the Convener of #FixTheCountryMovement.

The actions of the police should be such that they do it equitably where everybody goes through the process of arrest.

Police should be standard in the way they execute the law. You invite Abronye because his party is in power and Oliver wasn't invited but they used heavy-handed methods to capture him, he said.

Abronye DC was on Wednesday February 16 granted 100,000 bail. The case was adjourned to March 9.

He had been charged for publication of false news and offensive conduct.

The Police said in a statement that preliminary investigation established that his claims against Former President John Dramani Mahama that he was plotting a coup, were untrue.

He was invited to the Accra Regional Police Command on Tuesday February 15 following the comments he made against Mr Mahama.

The attention of the Police Service was drawn to a publication in which Mr Kwame Baffoe alias Abronye DC is alleged to have said that former President John Mahama is allegedly planning to stage a coup, the Police said in a statement on Tuesday February 15.

Regarding Barker-Vormawor, the Police said in an earlier statement that he was picked-up for allegedly writing on social media that he would topple the government if the E-levy bill is passed.

Mr Oliver Baker-Vormawor has been arrested by the Tema Regional Police Command following a post he allegedly made on social media platforms to the effect that he would stage himself if the E-levy bill is passed by Parliament, portions of the Police statement said.

He was denied bail after being charged with treason felony.

3news.com
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Mr Fred Asante pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in a criminal enterprise based in Ghana involving the theft of tens of millions of dollars.

Mr Asante was arrested on February 17, 2021, in Virginia and pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.

Mr Asante has been detained since his arrest.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: Fred Asante admitted today to laundering money from victims of various fraud schemes, including cruel scams targeting elderly online daters searching for companionship. Compounding the disappointment of learning their potential soulmate was indeed nonexistent, Asantes victims later found they were also targets of a Ghana-based criminal enterprise netting over $35 million in illegal proceeds. We implore the millions of Americans looking for someone special online to use extra caution, and be especially beware if solicited for money or other personal information.

According to the indictment, public court filings, and statements made in court:

From at least in or about 2013 through at least in or about 2020, Asante was a member of a criminal enterprise based in Ghana that committed a series of frauds against individuals and businesses located across the United States, including in the Southern District of New York.

The frauds perpetrated by the Enterprise have consisted of, among other frauds, business email compromises, romance scams, and fraud schemes related to the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.

First, the objective of the Enterprises business email compromise fraud scheme was to trick and deceive businesses into wiring funds into accounts controlled by the Enterprise through the use of email accounts that spoofed or impersonated employees of a victim company or third parties engaged in business with a victim company.

Second, the Enterprise conducted the romance scams by using electronic messages sent via email, text messaging, or online dating websites that deluded victims, many of whom were vulnerable older men and women who lived alone, into believing the victim was in a romantic relationship with a fake identity assumed by members of the Enterprise.

Once members of the Enterprise had gained the trust of the victims using the fake identity, they used false pretences to cause the victims to wire money to bank accounts the victims believed were controlled by their romantic interests, when in fact the bank accounts were controlled by members of the Enterprise.

Finally, the Enterprise submitted fraudulent loan applications through a loan program of the United States Small Business Administration (the SBA) designed to provide relief to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Programme.

The Enterprise submitted fraudulent EIDL applications in the names of actual companies to the SBA and when an EIDL loan was approved, the funds were ultimately deposited in bank accounts controlled by members of the Enterprise.

Mr Asante and other members of the Enterprise received fraud proceeds from victims of the Enterprise in dozens of business bank accounts that they controlled in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia. The business bank accounts were opened in the names of companies formed by Asante and other members of the Enterprise that were purportedly involved in, among other things, automobile sales, food imports and exports, and freight trucking and shipping.

Once Asante received fraud proceeds in bank accounts under his control, he withdrew, transported, and laundered those fraud proceeds to other members of the Enterprise abroad. The defendant primarily laundered the fraud proceeds through his business by using the proceeds to purchase automobiles, food products, and other goods from U.S.-based suppliers and distributors of such products and shipping those products to Ghana and elsewhere.

The defendants transactions had the appearance of legitimate business transactions when, in fact, the products had been purchased using the proceeds of fraud schemes. This trade-based money laundering scheme was designed to obscure the origin of the fraud proceeds as well as the identity of the ultimate beneficiaries of these schemes. In total, from in or about 2016 through in or about 2020, the defendant controlled over a dozen business bank accounts with deposits totalling over $35 million.

Mr Asante, 36, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence, in this case, is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Under the terms of his plea agreement, Asante agreed to pay a money judgment of $647,488 and to forfeit his interest in approximately $323,646 seized by the government from his bank accounts as well as a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE AMG seized by the government.

Asante will be sentenced on May 18, 2022, by Judge Rakoff. Asantes co-conspirator, Lord Aning, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on October 15, 2021, and will be sentenced on February 28, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. before Judge Rakoff.

Mr Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.

The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Offices Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Sagar K. Ravi, Katherine Reilly, and Mitzi Steiner are in charge of the prosecution.

Source: justice.gov
President of policy think tank IMANI Ghana, Franklin Cudjoe is demanding answers from Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on what went wrong with the countrys once buoyant economy as was claimed by him and the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Following the current state of the Ghanaian economy which has been described by experts and analysts as collapsing, the Vice President according to many has been particularly silent unlike when the NPP was in opposition.

In a post on his Facebook page, Franklin Cudjoe has noted that it is better Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia explains to Ghanaians what has happened to the economy and how it can be saved.

According to him, the future of Dr. Bawumias political career is dependent on it.

It is important our Veep, Dr. Bawumia tells us what went wrong with our apparent buoyant economy and what can be done to save it. His political future depends on it, the IMANI Ghana President posted on his Facebook page.

In another post, Franklin Cudjoe shared, The Ghanaian currency, the Cedi is not doing well. No currency stabilization committee can save it, except prudent economic management.

The President of the Republic, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is expected to deliver a State of the Nation Address on March 3, 2022.

Ghanaians hope to receive answers on the true state of the nation and how the government is planning to save the ailing economy.
Making false claims or accusing someone of murder with the intention of getting him into trouble is a serious crime in any country and when guilty, you will go to prison, therefore, I am wondering how can someone accuse John Mahama of killing Ex-president John Atta-Mills several times with impunity?

It seems in Ghana today, someone can severely be punished, for saying something against the NPP or Nana Akufo Addo but against John Mahama, it is allowed; since he comes from the northern part of the country and a man people love to hate despite his achievements after Kwame Nkrumah.

I am compelled to write this article because when Akufo Addo was misusing Ghana funds and engaged in serious corruption which I knew will affect Ghana in the long run; when I started writing about them, I became a subject of attack and insults. Today, my readers will agree whatever I wrote about Akufo Addo has happened in Ghana.

Ex-President John Mahama, the man tribal-folks love to hate and the best Ghanaian leader after Kwame Nkrumah

Anyway, this is not all that important; let me go on with the main purpose of writing this article. Someone called Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, an NPP member or supporter, who claims to be related to president Nana Akufo, wrote several articles accusing John Mahama of killing John Atta-Mills.

As writers, we can criticize but accusing someone of murder without any evidence is a serious crime the Police wouldn't tolerate in any country. I have painstakingly compiled every article written by Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, accusing Mahama of killing ex-president John Atta-Mills.

On August 26, 2016, under the title Fact: President Mahama Assassinated President Mills!, the writer accused Mahama of killing Atta-Mills based on evidence provided by one Mr. Bernard, and on September 7, 2017, another article captioned Mahama Is A Shameless Liar On Mills, accusing Mahama of killing John Atta-Mills followed.

If someone is a tribal bigot and he hates you, whatever you do will never be appreciated. Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe ignored to write about the massive corruption, reckless spending, useless sod cuttings, and unaccountable finances by Akufo Addo but rather attacked Mahama repeatedly.

On May 9, 2019, he came out with another article entitled Mahama Has Some Explaining to Do on Mills Death, accusing the former Ghanaian leader of killing John Atta-Mills. Then on November 11, 2019, he published an article with the same tone, entitled Better Find Out Who Killed Atta-Mills.

On August 26, 2020, Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe published Mahama Celebrates Atta-Mills, as usual; addressed John Mahama that he (Okoampa-Ahoofe) fully knows perfectly well that Mahama lies through his idiomatic teeth.

Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe whose hate against John Mahama is infinite hasnt finished with him yet. On May 9, 2020, he published Mahama Partied Over Mills Death, with the same accusation of Mahama killing John Atta-Mills, followed by Atta-Mills Deserved His Mahama, Alright, on March 3, 2021.

One thing about this particular writer called Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe which I dont understand is his failure to write an article about the wrongdoings of Nana Akufo Addo. If he thinks that his relative is not corrupt, why does a president keep politicians and journalists involved in corruption in his administration?

If Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe thinks Akufo Addo is not corrupt, why cant he explain to Ghanaians the reason Akufo Addo keeps cutting sods after sods and has incurred billions of debt on Ghana, yet nobody has seen any projects so far or know exactly what he used the money for?

With such endless hate against John Mahama, on September 19, 2020, Okoampa-Ahoofe published We Prefer Akufo-Addos Wicked God to Mahamas Inscrutable Divine Providence.

I guess today, the wicked God of Akufo Addo he was talking about has cursed the Ghanaian leader to fail miserably to be the worst president in the political history of Ghana. Then just last year, on November 21, Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe published Did Mahama Once Get Away with Murder?

If I had written only one article, let alone all these articles, to accuse Nana Akufo Addo or any Ghanaian politician of killing J. B. Danquah, believe me, I will be in very serious trouble because I am a Fante, not interested in the corrupt government of the NPP.

If Ghanaians will keep tribalism aside and be sincere, they will admit that Akufo Addo is more corrupt than Mahama and the latter is not only intelligent but industrious and efficient. Where are all the monies if there is nothing to prove what you used them for?

The witnesses of Mahama, the man accused of corruption, are the several projects, including those uncompleted buildings surrounded by weeds, the NPP should come out to show us the projects of Nana Akufo Addo who claims he is not corrupt.

People think they have the power to accuse someone of murder because they think nobody can touch them but in life, whatever evil one sows against someone, the same evil you shall reap.

Its time for the Inspector General of Police, Dampare to consider the seriousness of those murder accusations against John Mahama, to do something about them, giving Mahama the justice he deserves, other than that, there is no genuine law in Ghana.
19.02.2022 LISTEN

Two separate petitions have been written to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, to investigate Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Regional Chairman for Bono, Kwame Baffoe alias Abronye DC.

The first petition, signed by musician Kwame Asare Obeng alias A-Plus and dated February 18, 2022, claims that Abronye DC leveled serious corruption allegations against former President Mahama which must be investigated and possibly prosecuted.

A-Plus claims Abronye DC said on an Asempa FM show that the former President diverted 15 million dollars meant for the development of the western region post-oil discovery.

The second petition which stands in the name of one Mahmud Osman and dated November 11, 2021, also claims that Mr. Kennedy Agyapong said the former President had the late J.B. Danquah killed because J.B. Danquah was in possession of the naked pictures of the former President.

The two petitioners are asking the IGP to have the allegations investigated in the interest of the country's democracy.

Abronye DC was detained on Tuesday by the Accra Regional Command after he honoured their invitation over the said allegations.

He was subsequently charged with the publication of false news and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace.

Mr. Baffoe pleaded not guilty to all counts of these charges.

According to the police, a preliminary investigation has established that his claims against the former NDC flagbearer are untrue and likely to occasion a breach of the peace.

Mr. Baffoe is alleged to have said that Mr. Mahama had met with Al-Qaeda militants to engage them on how to topple the governing party.

He claimed that Mr. Mahama approached the group in a bid to help him become president again.

The NPP communicator made these assertions on Accra based Hot 93.9 FM, while responding to the arrest of #FixTheCountry convener, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor.

citinewsroom
The US State Department has announced it is freezing nearly $160m (118m) in foreign aid to Burkina Faso.

The announcement follows a detailed assessment of the events leading to the overthrow of President Roch Kabore in late January, which the US has now determined was indeed a military coup.

It comes weeks after both the African Union and West African regional bloc Ecowas suspended Burkina Faso as a member state.

Under US law, any release of funds to Burkina Faso will now be conditional on verified steps towards a return to civilian rule.

The armed forces had linked the seizure of power with former President Kabores inability to curb an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands and forced at least 1.5 million people to flee their homes.

Source: BBC
A court has handed down the death sentence to 38 people for a string of blasts in western India in 2008. The judge sentenced 11 others to life in prison for the bombings which killed 56 people and left 200 injured in the city of Ahmadabad.

On 8 February, Special Court Judge A.R. Patel convicted all 49 men facing trial and on Friday he pronounced capital punishment for 38 of the accused.

Supreme Court lawyer Vishwendra Verma said it was the first time so many people have been sentenced to hang in one case.

This is indeed unprecedented, Verma told RFI in Delhi.

But if a crime has been committed then perpetrators must be punished, Verma said, adding that the condemned prisoners have the right to challenge the sentence in the state high court and then in India's Supreme Court.

Twenty-eight others were let off for lack of evidence in the course of the trial in Ahmadabad, Gujarat state, which has a history of religious strife including riots in 2002 which claimed the lives of some 1,000 people, most of them Muslims.

Explosives packed in lunch boxes and bicycles, went off in two waves on 26 July, 2008. Some were placed at hospitals and primed to target first responders bringing casualties of the initial blasts.

The attack was claimed by an Islamic militant group called Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami but some experts believe it was the handiwork of the much larger Indian Mujahedeen group.

Judge Patel during the online hearing charged the accused men with murder, illegal possession of arms and conspiracy to wage war against the state as he also ordered compensation for those killed or maimed.

'Rarest of rare'

Human rights activists such as Colin Gonsalves argued the death row prisoners had already served 14 years in prison. He also argued the national trend was to hand down the death penalty only in the rarest of rare cases.

The Supreme Court is commuting case after case. The high courts are commuting in many, many cases so why is the trial court bucking the trend so to speak and so I don't think it will sustain at a higher level of judicial scrutiny, Gonsalves told RFI.

'When it is 14 years after the case then that itself is a very good ground for commutation to life imprisonment, said Gonsalves, a lawyer by profession.

India has carried out 720 executions since its 1947 independence. Nearly 355 of them were carried out in Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state, according to the National Law University.

Some experts believe the actual number could be higher.

Capital Delhi account for 24 executions, including four men hanged in 2020 for the gang rape of a 23-year-old city student in 2012, a crime which shook the nation's conscience and sparked protests after the young woman's death in a Singapore hospital.

State prosecutor Amit Patel said he had an open-shut case against the men facing the hangman's noose.

There were many witnesses regarding the conspiracy and that is why we examined 1,163 witnesses before the court, Patel told reporters and added the prosecution had clinching evidence.

Modi a target?

India's ruling Hindu nationalist BJP party claimed the bombings were part of grand plan to eliminate the political leadership of Gujarat.

One thing sure is that there was a definite plot to target then chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, said BJP spokesman Shehzad Poonawala.

Modi was Gujarat's chief minister at the time of the blasts.

Some in India have welcomed the sentences.

This was an offense against the state. This is not an offense against an individual, Yatin Oza, a lawyer, explained.

This is a threat to national security and the integrity of India and anybody who speaks against the verdict, I don't think speaks in the interest of the nation, he added.
An Accra Circuit Court has given a 24-hour ultimatum to prosecution to send an accused person to a mental hospital for check up.

Joseph Okaigya is among five persons being held for terrorism and possession of illegal weapons.

The Court gave the order following the prosecution's inability to furnish the Court with report from the hospital on the mental uprightness of the accused person.

The Court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah said the accused persons' plea could not be taken as a result of his condition.

Mr Macdonald Nii Ayitey Okine, the Defense Counsel for the accused persons, repeatedly told the Court his client was not fit for trial.

Okaigya, who is said to be suffering from Hayfever needs to see a specialist.

Consequently, the case has been adjourned to Monday, February 21, 2022.

The five persons were remanded to assist in police investigation for allegedly terrorising residents of Kokrobite over their lands.

They are Awudu Amadu, Joshua Abosu, Simon Okyeame Borketey, Joseph Okaigya and Noah Ashiley . They are also facing a charge of possessing firearms and ammunition without lawful authority.

Their pleas were not taken after Okaigya started showing signs of mental disorder.

The Court earlier ordered that he should be sent to the hospital for assessment and treatment.

Meanwhile, Nii Armah Fit, said to be the ringleader, is still on the run.

Police Chief Inspector Isaac Anquandah had earlier told the Court that Amadu, 37, was a trader, Abosu, 30, labourer, Borketey, 42, fisherman, Okaigya, 40, fisherman and Ashiley, 32, ceiling fixer.

He said except Ashiley, who lived at Weija, the rest were residents of Kokrobite.

The Prosecution said police intelligence gathered that Nii Armah Fit, also resident of Kokrobite had recruited land guards, armed them with offensive weapons and they were terrorising people on their lands.

On February 3, 2022, police from the National Operations Directorate proceeded to the resident of the said Nii Armah but only found his accomplices, who were arrested.

Three Pump Action guns, three boxes of BB live cartridges, a box of 9mm ammunition, six cutlasses and three wooden clubs were found at the residence.

GNA
The Divisional Union of the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has suspended its strike action in protest of poor working conditions.

This follows assurances from Mrs Ursula Owusu, Minister of Communications, that their grievances would be addressed.

Papa Nii Clegg, the Divisional Union Chairman, GMet, told the Ghana News Agency that the strike ended on Friday, February 18, the same day it started, after fruitful engagements with the Minister.

He said while the job of staff was extremely demanding and tasking, working conditions were very bad.

Inadequate working tools, poor accommodation facilities, long and tedious work hours, coupled with poor compensation, and unpaid allowances, were some of the key reasons for the strike.

Mr. Clegg, also the Public Relations Officer of GMet, said a meeting was being scheduled between the Union and the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations on Monday, February 21, to determine the way forward.

GNA
Eight soldiers and 57 "terrorists" were killed in clashes at a rebel base in northern Mali where rival jihadist groups, including the so-called Islamic State, are active, the Malian army said on Saturday.

Friday's fighting followed an air raid and erupted just a day after France and its allies announced their military withdrawal from the African country.

The Malian army said it carried out the attack against the rebel base after its troops had been attacked by "unidentified armed men" in the Archam region in the conflict-plagued north, near the border with restive Burkina Faso and Niger.

Eight soldiers died and 57 armed rebels were "neutralised" in the ensuing "violent clashes," the army said.

Mali, a landlocked nation of 21 million people, has struggled to contain a brutal jihadist insurgency that emerged in 2012, before spreading to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed and two million people have been displaced by the Sahel-wide conflict, of which Mali remains the epicentre.

About 40 civilians -- believed to be loyal to rival jihadist groups, according to local sources -- have been killed this week in the same area where the incident on Friday occurred.

It took place in the so-called "three borders" area, a hotspot of jihadist violence where the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS) and the Sahel's largest jihadist alliance, the al-Qaeda-aligned GSIM group, are particularly active.

The Mali army said it had been looking for "terrorist sanctuaries" in the area.

The forces deployed to the "three borders" area include Mali's own army, as well as French and European troops and UN peacekeepers.

- French pull-out -

Just a day before, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the withdrawal of French troops from Mali.

Map showing military bases and operations in Mali, and planned retreats. By Simon MALFATTO AFP

France first intervened in the country in 2013 and currently has around 4,600 troops stationed across the Sahel, 2,400 of them in Mali.

But relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply after Malian army officers led by Colonel Assimi Goita deposed elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020.

The army then deposed the civilian leaders of a transitional government last year, in a second coup.

Mali's international partners -- including France and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) -- insisted that the junta stick to a pledge to stage elections in February 2022 and restore civilian rule.

But the junta then floated plans to stay in power for up to five years.

On Friday, Mali's army-led government asked France to withdraw its forces from the Sahel state "without delay".

Mali has also asked the smaller European Takuba group of special forces, created in 2020, to depart quickly.

But Macron responded with a statement saying he would not compromise the safety of French soldiers and the withdrawal will take place "in orderly fashion".
Professor Kwame Karikari, a Media Rights Advocate, says GH50,000 has been raised to support Radio Ada after it studio equipment were attacked and destroyed recently.

The fund, set up by Professor Karikari, Dr Yao Graham, Sulemana Braimah, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, among others, is to help Radio Ada recover from the attack and resume operations.

Prof Karikari said this at the 2022 World Radio Day symposium organised by the Ghana Community Radio Network under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Ghana Country Office.

The Day observed every February 13 was held on the theme Radio and Trust.

Prof Karikari said issues of media rights and freedom were political and required commitment from political leaders to protect and safeguard them.

He called on political leaders as well as the citizenry to support the freedom of the press, especially community radios in the country.

He said the media should not take things for granted, saying, democracy and rights are not things we must joke with, we must keep fighting to maintain, protect and defend them.

We must live here today revived with a sense of troubling against this encroachment on the media, particularly the rights of community radios whose existence is to protect the rights of communities, he added.

Mr George Sarpong, Executive Secretary, National Media Commission, said they were waiting for a report from the Radio Station to take necessary actions.

He said they had spoken to relevant stakeholders in the catchment area, including community leaders and the police, and would get to the bottom of the matter.

Mr Sarpong said the Commission was developing a national charter for the safety of journalists, which included a commitment by the media and public authorities to work together to secure the safety of journalists.

We would be establishing systems to monitor institutional compliance with the national charter on the safety of journalists, he added.

Mr Julius Odoi, External Communications Officer of the Station, and one of the presenters who was assaulted during the attack, recounting the incident, said the attack happened on January 13, 2022 when ten armed men stormed the station to attack seven of them.

He alleged that they were attacked during their Manor Munyu programme series, a programme that highlighted exploitation activities at the Songor Lagoon.

Mr Odoi alleged the attackers had threatened the station to cease the programme or face a series of attacks.

The station is back on air after it was shutdown momentarily.

GNA
Ethiopia's massive hydro-electric dam project on a tributary of the Nile has raised regional tensions notably with Egypt, which depends on the huge river for 97 percent of its water supply.

Government officials said the dam would begin producing electricity on Sunday, more than a decade since work first started.

Ten countries

At 6,695 kilometres (4,160 miles), the Nile is one of the world's longest rivers and a crucial supplier of water and hydropower in a largely arid region.

Its drainage basin of more than three million square kilometres (1.16 million square miles) covers 10 countries: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

The two main tributaries -- the White Nile and the Blue Nile -- converge in Khartoum before flowing north through Egypt and into the Mediterranean Sea.

Around 84 billion cubic metres of water is estimated to flow along the Nile every year.

Africa's biggest dam

Ethiopia in 2011 launched construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, roughly 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the border with Sudan.

Map of East Africa showing the Nile and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. By AFP

The $4.2-billion dam will ultimately produce more than 5,000 megawatts of electricity, making it Africa's biggest hydroelectric dam and doubling Ethiopia's electricity output.

Ethiopia began the first phase of filling the vast reservoir for the 145-metre (475-foot) dam in mid-2020.

The reservoir's total capacity is 74 billion cubic metres, and the target for 2021 was to add 13.5 billion. Last July Ethiopia said it had added enough water to begin producing energy, though officials have not provided a specific figure and are believed to have fallen short of the target.

Egyptian thirst

Egypt, an arid nation of nearly 100 million people, depends on the Nile for most of its water needs, including for agriculture.

Cairo claims a historic right to the river dating from a 1929 treaty between Egypt and Sudan, represented by colonial power Britain, that gave Egypt veto power over construction projects along the river.

A 1959 treaty boosted Egypt's allocation to around 66 percent of the river's flow, with 22 percent for Sudan.

Ethiopia was not party to those treaties and does not see them as valid.

In 2010 Nile basin countries, excluding Egypt and Sudan, signed another deal, the Cooperative Framework Agreement, that allows projects on the river without Cairo's agreement.

Failed talks

Ethiopia, one of Africa's fastest growing economies in recent years until war broke out in November 2020, insists the dam will not affect the onward flow of water.

But Egypt fears its supplies will be reduced during the time it takes to fill the reservoir.

Egypt considers the dam a threat to its existence and Sudan has warned millions of lives would be at "great risk" if Ethiopia unilaterally filled the dam.

Talks sponsored by the African Union (AU) have failed to yield a three-way agreement on the dam's filling and operations.

Regional tensions

Another source of regional tension is the conflict since November 2020 in northern Ethiopia, which has sent tens of thousands of refugees fleeing across the border into Sudan.

Sudan is struggling with its own political and economic woes since a coup in October ousted the transitional government.

Relations between Addis Ababa and Khartoum have also deteriorated because of a territorial conflict over the fertile Fashaqa border region where Ethiopian farmers have long cultivated land claimed by Sudan.

There have been sporadic deadly clashes in the area.

burs/txw/rcb/yad
Stakeholders in Sandema in the Builsa North Municipality of the Upper East Region have appealed to the government and other benevolent organisations to assist the Sandema Hospital with an Emergency Block.

The current four-bed capacity ward, which serves as an Emergency Unit, according to the stakeholders, was inadequate and not strategically positioned to immediately attend to emergency cases.

The stakeholders, drawn from the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the Municipal Assembly, the traditional authority, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the National Health Insurance Authority and the Ghana Education Service, among others, made the appeal at the 2021 health performance review meeting of the Municipal Health Directorate.

They said the Hospital attended to cases within and outside the district including Chiana in the Kassena-Nankana West District, Yagaba in the North-East Region and some parts of the Upper West Region, noting that the Unit was not spacious enough to effectively care for critical emergency cases.

According to them, the management of the facility had over the period referred some emergency cases, which could be handled by the Hospital, due to the lack of space and equipment to manage such cases.

In fact, the Emergency Unit of the Hospital is too small and does not befit the Hospital and the Municipality. It is not even properly equipped. If an entirely new block can be constructed, it will benefit us, Mr Albert Atuga, one of the stakeholders, said.

He suggested that in the meantime, stakeholders and the people of Buluk could contribute to starting the construction of a new emergency block while they await support from Government and philanthropists.

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the Emergency Unit of the Hospital owing to the request by the stakeholders, it observed that apart from the lack of space, the Unit had some broken louvre blades which exposed patients to cold weather, while basic equipment including Blood Pressure (BP) apparatus was shared with other wards.

Dr Emmanuel Opoku, the Acting Medical Superintendent of the Hospital told the GNA in an interview that Our Emergency Unit is not ideal, it is very small, and patients cannot be moved straight from an ambulance to the Unit.

He noted that time was very critical in dealing with any emergency cases and emphasized that the current location of the Unit was a disadvantage to the people of the area, We will need a new emergency ward, in a vantage position to receive emergencies directly from any ambulance.

Dr Opoku said the facility's mortuary, which served the entire area, had no cold system and residents and people from nearby communities including Fumbisi and Chiana could not keep the bodies of their relatives unless they travelled to Navrongo or Bolgatanga.

He said the Hospital was the property of the people of Sandema, and called on sons and daughters in and outside the Municipality and Region to support the facility to enable it effectively to deliver on its mandate.

Commenting on the issue of Doctors refusing postings to the Region, the Acting Medical Superintendent described the people of the Upper East Region as loving and hardworking, and said that motivated him to stay and work in the Region.

Dr Opoku said even though they might not be some opportunities in the Upper East as compared to other Regions, other good things make life good.

He encouraged young colleague Doctors to accept postings and sacrifice to help the people in the Region.

GNA
The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is holding its strategic retreat and planning workshop for the Council of the Wise (CoW) on the 21st and 22nd of February, 2022 in Lagos, Nigeria.

The CoW is one of the mediation organs of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture established under the third chapter of Articles 17 and 20 of the 1999 Protocol relating to the mechanism for conflict prevention, management, resolution, peacekeeping and security, as a supporting structure for preventive diplomacy and mediation interventions in the region.

The Council Members will be reviewing the political and security situation in the region. While identifying concrete plans of action for the COW interventions, they will, jointly with the ECOWAS Commission work out and validate a one-year Plan of Action.

Apart from presentations on the political process of the region, emerging threats to peace and security, and general alignment of CoWs intervention strategies, the meeting will also feature debriefing and brainstorming sessions on swiftresponse strategies aimed at mitigating the growing peace and security challenges in the region.

Furthermore, participants will receive a comprehensive briefing on the ECOWAS Early Warning Mechanisms as requested by Council members at an earlier orientation workshop, while developing modalities for the operationalization of the Council.

It would be recalled that the reconstituted Council held its orientation workshop for the nominated members in May 2021 in Accra, Ghana. The ECOWAS CoW is currently under the leadership of former Nigerian President, H.E Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Endorsing the list of the nominated members at its 59th Ordinary session in June 2021, the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of States and Government further directed the President of the Commission to provide the Council with the necessary support, including technical and administrative backstopping, to effectively execute its mandate.

The strategic retreat is supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Folke Bernadotte Academy, (FBA) Sweden.
Espanola, NM (87532)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. Low 44F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph, becoming N and decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 44F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph, becoming N and decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
The ECOWAS Commission in the framework of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) Project, is holding a West Africa Peace and Security Innovation (WAPSI) Forum from the 9th-10th March 2022, virtually.

The forum is co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit(GIZ GmbH),

The WAPSI forum is a platform designed by the ECOWAS Commission to further community engagement, facilitate cutting edge research and foster the dissemination, knowledge sharing on best practices and innovative solutions to the emerging challenges to human security in the ECOWAS region.

The Covid 19 pandemic had a significant socio-economic effect and impacted greatly on governance, peace, and security in the ECOWAS region beyond the loss of human lives. While the immediate health problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic are being researched and discussed widely, the overall impact of the virus on human security in West Africa has not been systematically and comprehensively researched and explored.

It is against this background that ECOWAS commission is dedicating this first WAPSI Forum to discuss the broad range of complex and multi-dimensional challenges induced by the virus in the ECOWAS region.

Pandemics like COVID-19 and Ebola may recur in the future, it is therefore important to assess the response mechanisms including the tech-based responses employed by citizens, civil society organisations (CSOs), ECOWAS member states, ECOWAS Commission, and the AU to mitigate the impact of the pandemic to inform future interventions. Particularly, for ECOWAS, the devastating regional impact of the pandemic calls for an interrogation of its institutional capacity to respond to the emerging threats to human security, especially the implementation of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF) as well as the opportunities that exist to address its institutional weakness.

The upcoming WAPSI Forum will interrogate the findings of the research report compiled by the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP). These sessions shall explore approaches, and lessons learned from managing regional peace and security matters amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.The Forum will also provide an opportunity to conduct a critical analysis of the current political dynamics especially on the resurgence of coups dEtat in some Member States in the regions against the background of the pandemic and proffer recommendations in support of ECOWAS interventions.

The WAPSI forum is designed to be annual event with over 1000 participants meeting online, including high profile personalities from governments, civil society, scholars, social entrepreneurs, and members of the private sector from the region.

The ECOWAS Commission therefore invites peace and security practitioners, public health experts, interested members of the civic space to register in the event: https://wapsi-forum.org/
A private legal practitioner, Mr Kwame Jantuah, has said persons who make seditious comments can be arrested by the Ghana Police.

He said the Police have the right under the laws of Ghana to arrest any person who make such comments to answer questions and also provide evidence.

He was commenting on the arrests of Convener of the #FixtheCountry Movement Oliver Barker Vormawor who allegedly wrote on Facebook that he will stage a coup if the E-levy is passed by Parliament, and also Bobie Ansah of Accra FM who was also reported to have alleged that the First Lady owns lands at Cantonment.

Regarding Barker-Vormawor, the Police in a statement said that Mr Oliver Baker-Vormawor has been arrested by the Tema Regional Police Command following a post he allegedly made on social media platforms to the effect that he would stage himself if the E-levy bill is passed by Parliament.

In the case of Bobie Ansah, the Police said he was picked up in connection with an alleged case of publication of false news and offensive conduct.

His arrest became necessary after he turned down several invitations from the Police to him and others involved in the case to assist with investigation, the Police said in a statement on Friday February 11.

Asked whether the repealed criminal libel law is being re-introduced through the backdoor with these recent arrests, Mr Jantuah said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday February 19 that if it is seditious, then I think seditious comments can be approached by the Police.

For instance, Barker-Vormawors s comments, that is seditious and the Police can come in. But when you take the Bobie one, where he talks about the First Lady and the Second Lady having lands at Cantonment, that one it is up to the individuals to decide whether he is going to take this person to court.

I think with regards to how we operate the law it depends on what has been said. If it is seditious and it is something that can create panic in the community then, yes, the Police have the right, the security service have the right to call you and ask you where is your evidence.

3news.com
Nairobi, February 18, 2022 Ethiopian authorities should drop any plans to charge two journalists, Amir Aman Kiyaro and Thomas Engida, with terrorism, stop a fresh investigation they are pursuing against editor Temerat Negara, and end the practice of punitively detaining journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.

Amir, a freelancer who contributes to The Associated Press; Thomas, a freelance camera operator who has worked with various outlets including private broadcaster LTV; and Temerat, co-founder of the online news outlet Terara Network, were among a group of journalists arrested in the weeks after November 2, 2021, when Ethiopian authorities declared a state of emergency amid an ongoing civil war, which gave them the power to carry out sweeping arrests, as CPJ documented at the time.

On February 15, 2022, the state of emergency was lifted, and there was an expectation that all civilians, including the journalists, arrested under the state of emergency provisions would be released within a legally stipulated 48-hour window, according to a journalists family members who spoke to CPJ via messaging application and media reports.

However, on February 17, police in the Oromia regional state announced new investigations into Temerat and police told the families of Amir and Thomas that the two journalists would be formally charged under the countrys anti-terrorism law, according to media reports; Selam Belay, Temerats wife; Sisay Tadele, Amirs wife; and a person familiar with Amir and Thomas case who requested anonymity for safety reasons, all of whom spoke to CPJ via messaging application.

Fresh legal proceedings and investigations against these journalists are a transparent and infuriating ploy by the Ethiopian authorities to keep them behind bars, now that the lifting of the state of emergency has taken away the pretext they were using to justify three months of wrongful detentions, said Muthoki Mumo, CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative. Authorities should drop any plans to charge Amir Aman Kiyaro and Thomas Engida with terrorism, discontinue investigations against Temerat Negara, and unconditionally release them and any other journalists detained for their work.

In a court appearance on Thursday, police said they needed more time to investigate Temerat, who has been detained since December 10, 2021, and were granted an additional seven days to hold him, according to a report by Terara Network and a statement by the Ethiopia Human Rights Commission (ERHC), a statutory watchdog body.

Even if there was a legal basis for journalist [Temerats] detention, the circumstances of his continued detention, with a remand order just an hour before the 48 hours legal limit, symbolizes an abuse of power and naked travesty of justice, ERHC said in the statement.

Family and legal counsel were not present during the hearing, Selam told CPJ, adding that the charges against Temerat are unclear but police have allegedly accused him of smearing the name of Oromia regional state in his reporting, an allegation that was also made in court last year.

The new investigation follows a December 30, 2021, court hearing where police said they no longer needed to investigate the journalist, according to a Terara Network report. Temerat is currently being detained at a police station in Gelan, a town in the Oromia regional state, according to reports and Terara Network.

Hailu Adugna, the Oromia region spokesperson, and Arasa Merdassa, the regional police commissioner, did not answer CPJ phone calls or respond to text messages requesting comment on Temerats case. CPJ called, emailed, and Facebook messaged the regional Communications Bureau for comment, but all went unanswered.

Separately, Amir and Thomas were detained on November 28, 2021, as CPJ reported at the time, and have been kept at the Addis Ababa Commission, a station known as Sostegna, without formal charges, according to Sisay and a person familiar with the case. The journalists are expected to be charged in court on February 21, 2022, under the countrys anti-terrorism law, according to those same sources.

An AP spokesperson did not address CPJs emailed questions about reports that there are plans to charge Amir, and instead shared a copy of a February 17 letter from the AP to the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the letter, Julie Pace, the executive editor of the AP, requests Amirs release and says the journalists health is of concern, with his family reporting its deterioration during these past months of incarceration.

In December, Ethiopian authorities accused Amir and Thomas, alongside Addisu Muluneh, a reporter with the government-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation, of breaching Ethiopias state of emergency and anti-terrorism laws by interviewing the Oromo Liberation Army, an armed insurgency group that was declared a terrorist organization last year, as CPJ documented at the time. Addisu was released in January, according to a post to his Facebook account. CPJs Facebook messages sent to Addisu were unanswered.

Jeylan Abdi, Ethiopias federal police spokesperson, told CPJ by messaging app that Thomas and Amir had been detained for violating the law, and he could not elaborate further, as it is a court matter, and redirected CPJ to the Ministry of Justice. CPJs emails to the Ministry of Justice went unanswered.
l to r European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, Senegal's President Macky Sall, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels. By JOHN THYS POOLAFP

19.02.2022 LISTEN

Brussels, 18 February 2022 - The Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF) welcomes the conclusions of the 6th AU-EU Summit, to which its leadership has been actively participating. Joining the proceedings were co-founder of the AEF, Chairman & Founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Mo Ibrahim, and co-chairs of the AEF Strategy Groups, Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of lOrganisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, MEP and co-chair of the COVAX Shareholders Council.

Member states of the African Union and European Union have taken key commitments, grounded on strong will, expressed at the highest political level, to renew the partnership to be the driving force in promoting our common priorities, shared values, international law, and preserving together our interests and common public goods and to address both the immediate opportunities and challenges, as well as the long-term potential offered by a strengthened partnership.

The work of the Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF) was underlined by both leaderships of the African and European Union. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, reinforced that the Africa-Europe Foundation, has quickly become a powerful catalyst for new ideas and promising projects.

The Chairperson of the African Union, H.E. Macky Sall, welcomed the engagement of the AEF, emphasising the importance of ensuring this is a Summit which delivers. The Africa-Europe Partnership has historically faced the challenge of delivering on its significant potential, with limited mechanisms in place to trace how high-level commitments made at summits translate into tangible change. The importance of monitoring the implementation of these commitments is essential to ensure the trust of the citizens of both our continents. Through its Charter, launched on December 2nd 2021, the AEF has emphasised the importance of monitoring the effective implementation of political commitments.

Following the 6th AU-EU Summit, the AEF is therefore delighted to complement existing mechanisms to monitor the commitments made at the summits and make sure tangible results drive the partnership forward, in close collaboration with the relevant institutions and other stakeholders.
19.02.2022 LISTEN

The commandant of the Patriots and all Foot soldiers of Africa, Nana Otu Darko, host of CTV's Morning Show, 'DWABRE MU' has descended on Ben Ephson, Managing Editor of Daily Dispatch for saying the National Democratic Congress support the passage of the controversial E-levy.

According to him, the newspaper editor should think of the hardship and suffering Ghanaians will go through if the E-levy is passed.

On the Edika segment, Nana Otu Darko in his patriotic element was not pleased about how Ben Ephson shared his opinion on delays in the passage of the E-levy without thinking about the poor Ghanaian.

But rather suggesting that the opposition party should allow the E-levy to be passed since that will make the current government unpopular and eventually lose the 2024 election.

The CTV fire brand morning show host believes it's unwise to politically say that.

According to him, Ben Ephson should rather think about the millions suffering and the untoward hardship the E-levy will bring to Ghanaians for the three years ahead as no politician nor Ben Ephson will bear the suffering E-levy will unleash on the poor.

"You have not asked yourself that within this period till the time election will be held, the hardship and suffering Ghanaians will go through who will bear it.

Will you bear it for Ghanaians?

You don't even have a mobile money account" he said

He also stated that, it's rather the responsibility of these old folks in this country to lead a crusade against the E-levy, that it's unnecessary because already we have been bombarded and burdened with many unnecessary taxes.

He also questions the government for not fulfilling many of the promises when they made like moving away from taxation to production when voted in to power.

"You don't even care about Ghana.

It should be course of the old bigwigs in this country to lead a crusade against E-levy because its unwise. Already we have been burdened with unnecessary taxes, is it not this same government that told Ghanaians when voted to power they will move from taxation to production, so is E-levy rice or banana plantation, is it not the same taxation", he posited.

Nana Otu Darko further encouraged Ghanaian youth to use any legitimate means to press home their demands and hold the old corrupt folks accountable for mismanaging the country

Classfmonline.com
19.02.2022 LISTEN

The Ghana Police Service has announced the arrest of three notorious armed robbers at Kwawu in the Enchi District of the Western North Region.

The arrest was successfully executed on Friday, February 18, 2022, by the Western North Police Command.

The arrested armed robbers according to an official statement from the Ghana Police Service include Abiaw Reuben alias Ayile Baako, Kwabena Brentu, and Isaac Arhin.

The Western North Police Command on Friday, February 18, 2022, through intelligence operation, arrested three notorious armed robbers, Abiaw Reuben alias Ayile Baako, Kwabena Brentu, and Isaac Arhin at Kwawu in the Enchi District of the Western North Region, a Police statement said on Saturday.

According to the release from the Police via the official Facebook page, the robbery suspects were arrested while in the process of fortifying themselves with what is believed to be the blood of a fowl at their hideout in preparation for another robbery operation.

A search conducted on them at their hideout led to the retrieval of 2 pump action guns, 18 live AAA cartridges, 1 sharpened machete, 1 knife, and 1 cleaver.

The three suspects will be put before court to face the full rigours of the law.

Find more of the arrest in the attachment below:
HELENA, Mont. - Montana Attorney General, Austin Knudsen has opened an investigation into potential violations of Montana's 'Unfair Trade Practices And Consumer Protections Act'.

This is in connection with Go-Fund-Me's re-direction of funds from the Canadian truckers Freedom Convoy.

After $10 million were raised to support the movement, only $1 million was distributed to protestors.

Go-Fund-Me said there was a clear plan to distribute that first million, but they decided to withhold the remaining $9 million, claiming the organizers violated their terms of service.

Specifically, they say don't allow anything that promotes violence and harassment.

AG Knudsen says the company's actions undermine the confidence in the people, who donated to the fundraiser.

Go-Fund-Me says the remaining $9 million dollars will go to credible and established charities.

Montanans who give to charitable causes should feel confident that their money will go to help the people they intended. Go-Fund-Mes actions undermine that confidence and should be of concern to those who use their platform. They may have also violated Montana law, Attorney General Knudsen said. My office is looking into this matter further and we will continue to act to protect Montanans from being taken advantage of.
Selina Pankovich, owner of the once iconic Uptown Butte business, the M&M, is getting ready to open again. Fire gutted the Butte landmark on May 7.

Pankovich wont be moving far, though. Her establishment will be just steps away at 17 N. Main St. The Butte bar owner just signed on the dotted line and is the new owner of the building that once housed OMG! Mongolian Grill.

I havent slept so well since May 7, said Pankovich.

Since the fire, she had received several offers to set up shop at a variety of places. None, though, felt right.

The Butte woman mulled the idea of buying the Mongolian Grill building for many months but was not getting a whole lot of encouragement. Her goal was to buy it and expand.

Once she let family and friends know she was serious about the business endeavor, it was a different story.

Then they fell in love with the idea, she said.

She said she is thrilled to buy the building from Tom Cronnelly. Her long-term goal is to rebuild where the M&M once stood and use the Mongolian Grill building as an extension.

I am excited to be back on Main Street and right next door to the M&M site, she said. What are the chances of that happening?

Cronnelly sounds just as thrilled as Pankovich.

I think this a really good thing for Butte, he said. It gets her open sooner and adds life to Uptown Butte.

With COVID, along with damage from the fire, Cronnellys restaurant was not going to be able to reopen. He and his wife, Kristi, had other offers for the building, but the couple wanted to work with Selena.

We had been good neighbors, said Cronnelly, and we feel really good about it.

So far, an architect has been hired and some preliminary drawings for the new M&M have been completed.

Nothing is set in stone, she said, as I am still working out the financial aspect.

For right now, Pankovich has to scale back some of her plans.

Construction prices have risen dramatically, she explained.

Pankovich is not exaggerating.

According to Commercial Property Executive, an online news source for the U.S. construction industry, last year saw construction materials increase by more than 23%.

Pankovich is not making any promises, but she hopes to be opened for St. Patricks Day, but just as a fundraiser, and then shut down to complete the modifications. Keeping her fingers crossed, she hopes to reopen by June 1 with food and a bar.

Opening on March 17 is a great idea, as far as Cronnelly is concerned.

Its an important step, said Cronnelly, and a way to show support for the reopening.

Pankovich had one more thing to share.

The M&Ms iconic sign that Butte firemen managed to save from the flames so many months ago  well thats not going up  yet.

As Pankovich explained, the M&Ms original sign was a circle and it is currently being replicated by an artistic friend, John Weitzel, to be placed on the newly purchased building.

As for the familiar gigantic sign, that will go up when construction is completed at 9 N. Main St.

Pankovich cant wait.

Just days after the fire, she told a Montana Standard reporter that she absolutely intended to put a new M&M right back where it was.

This is the first step in making my dream come true, she said.
A cold front has stalled farther west than previously thought.

Thus, it was colder in the central and east.

Temperatures were in the 10s in the northeast, 20s central to the 40s southwest and west.

The front will move back east as a warm front bringing milder air to all of the state by Saturday.

A major change to colder and snowy weather will occur Saturday night through Monday.

A winter storm watch that period for most the state, except the Missoula and Bitterroot Valleys.

Snowfall of two to nine inches in the lower elevations with up to fourteen inches in the mountains.

A high wind watch Saturday from Cut Bank south to Great Falls and Livingston.

Winds gusting up to 60 mph.

Mild Saturday then turning much colder Sunday and Monday.

A winter storm and arctic cold front will highlight our weekend and early next week across Montana.

The cold front will move into northern Montana Saturday evening clearing the state south of Dillon by Sunday early evening.

In some areas this could be the coldest so far this year. All locations will have accumulating snow with blowing and drifting snow Sunday into early Monday.

Brutal cold will settle into the state early next week with some recovery late next week.

Lows tonight in the 20s and 30s central and west but falling to the single digits and 10s northeast.

Mild statewide tomorrow and windy with highs in the mid-40s to mid-50s.

Highs drop to the 20s and 30s Sunday, the single digits central and east with 10s west Monday and Tuesday warming back to the 20s Thursday and the 30s next Friday.

Lows dropping to the single digits below zero west with 10s and 20s below zero central and east early next week before recovering to above zero the latter half of the week.
February 19, 2022 Russia Is Pressing For More Concessions While Donbas Heats Up Over the years Joe Biden has said a lot of nonsense. This though might top it all. Biden Says Putin Has Chosen Catastrophic War Over Diplomacy Speaking from the Roosevelt Room in the White House, Mr. Biden said we have reason to believe the Russian forces are planning to and intend to attack Ukraine in the coming week, in the coming days, adding that we believe that they will target Ukraines capital, Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million innocent people. Asked whether he thinks that Mr. Putin is still wavering about whether to invade, Mr. Biden said, Im convinced hes made the decision. Later, he added that his impression of Mr. Putins intentions is based on a significant intelligence capability. Russia will not attack the Ukraine and will not target Kiev unless Russia itself is attacked in significant ways. Paul Robinson explains why: For the past 15 years, ever since the Munich speech, Russian officials have been arguing against the unilateral use of force and demanding a UN-centered security system founded on international law. Were we to wake up one day and find that Russian tanks were rolling towards Kiev without any kind of excuse, it would amount to a complete abandonment of 15 years of argumentation as well as a negation of the entire legal/moral position built up by the Russian Federation in that period, a position reinforced just this month in the Putin/Xi statement. It would also be very odd. For you can hardly achieve the objective of a multipolar world based on the principles of UN supremacy and international law by means of a massive breach of those very same principles. It would be extraordinarily self-defeating. A certain skepticism about the allegedly imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine is therefore due. Its not impossible, but one has to wonder why, after so many years of consistency, Putin would suddenly change his position in such a drastic way. Russia will help the rebellious Donbas region should it be attacked by Ukrainian government forces. The support will be in form of supplies and long range artillery assaults on Ukrainian troop concentrations. The border of the Donbas region to Ukraine is definitely heating up. Yesterday the OSCE observer mission, which covers the border, recorded a record number of incidents:

bigger These ceasefire violations were mostly by small to medium artillery rounds with unknown targets. The Donetsk militia also reported (vid) the interception of an Ukrainian sabotage group. The OSCE observer mission also wanted to investigate the alleged attack on a kindergarten on the Ukrainian side: The SMM was only able to conduct its assessment from a distance of about 50m from the north-eastern facade and of about 30m from the south-western facade of the damaged building, as a law enforcement officer did not allow the Mission to access the site saying that an investigation was ongoing. This seems to support claims that the attack was a false flag created by the Ukrainian side. Denis Pushilin, the leader of Donetsk, and Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of Luhansk, have ordered the evacuation of all civilians from the Donetzk and Luhansk regions to Russia. Moscow has activated its civil emergency agencies to provide for the refugees. Together the regions have some 4.6 million inhabitants. All able men in the regions were called up for duty in the militia. This evacuation follows a Russian plan Dimitri Orlof described ten months ago: [W]e have to pay careful attention to the official pronouncements Putin has made over the years, and to take them as face value. First, he said that Russia does not need any more territory; it has all the land it could ever want. Second, he said that Russia will follow the path of maximum liberalization in granting citizenship to compatriots and that, in turn, the well-being of Russias citizens is a top priority. Third, he said that resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine through military means is unacceptable. Given these constraints, what courses of action remain open? The answer, I believe, is obvious: evacuation. There are around 3.2 million residents in Donetsk Peoples Republic and 1.4 million in Lugansk Peoples Republic, for a total of some 4.6 million residents. This may seem like a huge number, but its moderate by the scale of World War II evacuations. Keep in mind that Russia has already absorbed over a million Ukrainian migrants and refugees without much of a problem. Also, Russia is currently experiencing a major labor shortage, and an infusion of able-bodied Russians would be most welcome.

...

Domestically, the evacuation would likely be quite popular: Russia is doing right by its own people by pulling them out of harms way. The patriotic base would be energized and the already very active Russian volunteer movement would swing into action to assist the Emergencies Ministry in helping move and resettle the evacuees.

...

The negative optics of surrendering territory can be countered by not surrendering any territory. As a guarantor of the Minsk Agreements, Russia must refuse to surrender the Donbass to the Ukrainian government until it fulfills the terms of these agreements, which it has shown no intention of doing for seven years now and which it has recently repudiated altogether. It is important to note that the Russian military can shoot straight across all of Donbass without setting foot on Ukrainian soil. Should the Ukrainian forces attempt to enter Donbass, they will be dealt with ... The Donbas authorities published a map with the presumed attack directions of Ukrainian forces should these try to regain control of the region.

bigger The whole frontline can be covered by Russian artillery (vid) without any Russian setting a foot onto Ukrainian grounds. The Ukrainian Nazis are prepared and eager to fight: Alexander Marquardt @MarquardtA - 12:44 UTC  Feb 19, 2022 In Mariupol, praying for peace and readying for a fight. "Everyone is ready to tear Russians up with their own hands," a Right Sector fighter tells me. A military chaplain says "we prepare for the worst and hope for the best." On Thursday Russia has delivered its response to the U.S. security proposals for East Europe. The U.S. proposal was a response to Russian demands for new security treaties which are needed to prevent a further NATO expansion towards the east. The document rejects the U.S. response as it did not cover the main demands it had made and adds more points that will have to be negotiated. Russia's argument gets support from a newly recovered document (report in German) from the British national archive. It is a protocol of a meeting of the political directors of the foreign ministries of the USA, Britain, France and Germany on March 6 1991. It again proves, like many other documents from that time, that Russia was definitely promised that NATO would never expand towards the east.

bigger The Russian strategy of showing strength while negotiating is so far successful. It has put the Ukraine issue back on the front pages, it showed that the U.S. and NATO are unwilling to fight for the Ukraine and it has demonstrated disunity within NATO. The U.S. made some concession by offering negotiations over minor issues which Russia had previously requested. Meanwhile more satellite pictures of the alleged 'Russian invasion forces' were published by the BBC. Professor Paul Robinson, who is a former military intelligence officer, debunked them. The whole U.S. campaign of a 'Russian invasion' is disinformation designed to give cover for the upcoming attack of Ukraine on its rebellious Donbas region. Russia just made another proposal to prevent that: The situation in two self-proclaimed pro-Russian republics in Ukraine's Donbass region is on a knife-edge after rebel leaders declared a full mobilisation of their forces and asked civilians to evacuate to Russia following shelling which Ukraine and the separatist rebels blame on each other. In an interview conducted before that evacuation began, Stanislav Zas, secretary general of the Moscow-based Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), said the body could despatch peacekeepers to Donbass if there was an international consensus for such a deployment. "Hypothetically you can imagine it (such a deployment) if there were goodwill from Ukraine - it is after all their territory - if there was a U.N. Security Council mandate, and if it was needed and such a decision was supported by all our governments," Zas, a Belarusian lieutenant-general, told Reuters in what aides said was his first Western media interview. CSTO peacekeepers on the line could be a good solution to separate the Ukrainian army and the Donbas rebels. But the U.S. will only agree to that after the Ukrainian attack decisively fails and with high casualties. That may soon be the case. Posted by b on February 19, 2022 at 15:37 UTC | Permalink Comments next page  next page 
Moultrie, GA (31768)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Sun Valley, ID (83353)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 32F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 32F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Reverend Terry Garrett, in his 64th year, Surrendered his Soul Tuesday from Tulsa. His Sacred Farewell, 10:00 AM, April 30, 2022, Worship Community Center, and until then, he will rest in Oak Hill Cemetery, Talladega, Alabama. biglowfunerals.com
A poster of Daunte Wright is seen during a demonstration after the opening statements in the manslaughter trial of Kimberly Potter, a white former Minnesota police officer charged in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright, a Black man, whose April death sparked protests, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dec. 8, 2021.
Launching a scathing attack on BJP turncoats, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the small-time leaders who ditched the saffron party are now struggling to secure seats.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Adityanath touched upon several issues, including his 80-20 remark, the Samajwadi Party's poll promises, Jinnah and Hijab rows, and forming the government in the state with 300-plus seats.

He claimed that the saffron party will win 80 per cent of the seats in the state Assembly polls. "We are fighting the poll on the planks of nationalism, development and good governance," he told IANS.

"Those who have left the party are finding it difficult to secure a seat. If these people had a mass base, then they should have fought from their traditional seats, like I am contesting. All of them are leaving their seats and running," the chief minister said.

On the charge that the Yogi government takes action against criminals on the basis of their caste, the chief minister, in a veiled attack on the Samajwadi Party, asked: "Who has given tickets to professional criminals in Kairana, Rampur and Mau?"

Yogi claimed that SP is no longer Samajwadi, but it has become 'mafiawadi', 'dangawadi' and 'parivaarwadi' (the party which supports the mafia, riots and dynastic politics).

On SP promising free ration for five years, the chief minister told IANS: "Uttar Pradesh has not forgotten the misgovernance of SP. A food scam occurred during SP's regime. At that time, rations meant for the poor were usurped by SP's goons. When they could not distribute regular ration, how would they distribute it for free? People have seen SP's work and its adventures. Now, nobody will be influenced by them."

On SP promising money for the development of temples and maths, the chief minister said: "Saints of Ayodhya, people of the nation and 'Ram bhakts' (Ram devotees) have not forgotten the time when the SP regime ordered police firing on Kar Sevaks.

"The truth is that their party's name is Samajwadi, but they are 'dangawadi' (provoking riots) and their mentality is 'parivarwadi' (dynastic). They don't have holistic and inclusive thinking, so development, good governance and establishing the rule of law are like a daydream for them."

When asked that opposition parties are teaming up to defeat the BJP, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also supporting them, Adityanath said that in 2019, the SP, BSP ansd RLD stitched an alliance but at that time too, the saffron party won 80 per cent seats. This time the alliance is not that big and people have also seen the work of the double engine government."

When asked that though the BJP talks about 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas' (inclusive growth for all), it has not given a ticket to any Muslim, the chief minister said that elections are based on the support and trust of people.

"Those who apply for a ticket are reviewed at the district and region levels and then their names are recommended to the high command. Those who are able to earn public trust are given tickets," he pointed out.

When IANS asked him pointedly whether the BJP will get Muslim votes this time, the chief minister said: "The Prime Minister has played a major role in helping Muslim women get rid of malpractices such as triple talaq. Benefits of all welfare schemes under which gas connections are provided, PM Awaas Yojana and doubling rations are being extended to Muslim families too.

"Rising above caste and religion, people have voted for the BJP in the first two phases of the polls. The trend is continuing. At a few places, fanatics are trying to stop Muslim women from casting votes. The Election Commission should take cognisance of the matter."

On the performance of SP, BSP and the Congress in the polls, the chief minister exuded confidence that the BJP will win 80 per cent of the seats, while the three opposition parties are engaged in a triangular contest for 20 per cent of the votes.

On the stray cattle nuisance, the chief minister pointed out that "5,500 cow shelters have been opened in the state".

He added: "Stray cattle increased in the state as they give less milk. We are working on improving the breeds. In organic farming, cattle play an important role. The double-engine government will solve the problem. We will not let cattle go to slaughter houses and at the same time will not let stray cows harm what the farmers produce."

On the Jinnah and Hijab rows gathering momentum just prior to elections, the chief minister said during his conversation with IANS that to divert people's attention from good governance and development, SP made a 'sick' effort to honour Jinnah on the birth anniversary of the Iron Man Sardar Patel.

"It is an insult to the freedom fighters of the country," the chief minister told IANS. "When we were discussing welfare schemes to be extended to the sugarcane farmers of the state, SP was busy glorifying Jinnah. When we were talking about rural development, they were talking about Pakistan. SP is making futile attempts to rake up such issues and divert people's attention from the main issues, which are development and good governance."

On the restoration of old-age pension, the chief minister said the new pension scheme has been introduced during SP's tenure. In the eight years they spent ruling the state, they treated government employees unjustly. They did not submit the employees' contribution and even did not open their accounts.

On the issue of power shortages, the chief minister recalled how their genesis could be dated back to the SP-led government. "It was in their regime that there was a power shortage and now they are promising people 300 free units," the chief minister said. "People will not get influenced by them."

He added: "Government employees know they got an opportunity to work with a government that's transparent. Even during the Corona pandemic, their dearness allowance and transport allowance were not deducted. The employees are with the BJP."

When asked if there's anything for the middle class, the chief minister said: "Our strategy for the next five years is ready. We will provide free electricity by installing a solar panel on each tubewell. Common consumers are getting electricity at slashed rates."

When it was pointed out that the people are not angry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but with the public representatives of the party, the chief minister said: "Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, we have taken several important steps. In Uttar Pradesh, everyone is getting security and the benefits of development schemes, but we don't believe in an appeasement policy."

He added: "The government's intentions are clear. The people have admired the government's work. Public representatives who have done good work in their areas are getting people's love, and those who could not live up to the expectations of common folk face their wrath.

"But the elections are being conducted to elect a government. In such circumstances, every seat is important and the BJP will get people's love."

On the '80 versus 20' remark, the chief minister said those who think positively, are nationalists and support welfare schemes come in the 80 per cent bracket, while those who like mafia rule, crime, anarchy and corruption come in the 20 per cent. He reiterated that the BJP is getting 80 per cent of the votes.

Replying to another question, he said the BJP was getting 80 per cent of the seats in the first two phases. People's excitement shows that the BJP is getting their blessings. When the results are announced on March 10, the party will bag more than 300 seats.

The chief minister said that people are happy with the work done in the state relating to security, law and order, development, good governance, and public welfare schemes, and the unprecedented work in the field of respect for faith.
Scarred dirt, pipes stacked and flagged stakes on 3rd Avenue North in Myrtle Beach might not look like the beginning of a promising vision. But by the end of the year, it will be a second chance at life for homeless veterans in Horry County.

The Veterans Welcome Home Resource Center out of Little River is working on building 40 tiny homes in Myrtle Beach, along with 20 more tiny homes behind their offices in Little River. Of the 40 anticipated tiny homes, 25 have been approved so far.

The center, which opened in May of 2009, provides a variety of services for veterans such as financial services, disability claims, spouse benefits, housing, training programs that help with resumes and job placement. It also serves as a hub to direct veterans and their spouses to other agencies that can help.

Scott Dulebohn, the centers director, said there are about 300 homeless veterans in Horry County and he expects those numbers to increase.

We have eight veterans that live here right now and were out in the middle of nowhere, Dulebohn anticipating more veterans would seek help when they see the Myrtle Beach village start to take shape within a month. Its going to explode, he said.

Myrtle Beach city leaders, such as city councilman John Krajc, are excited to see what the village will bring to the neighborhood.

I think the addition of a housing project, such as this, to serve those who have given so much of their life to our country and to our freedoms and protections is a great use for that land, Krajc said.

Both the money to build the homes as well as the land was donated to the center anonymously by a veteran from South Carolina, said Dulebohn.

The homes are roughly 150 square feet with enough room for a futon or pull-out couch as well as a bathroom and sink. Dulebohn said the homes will be American Disabilities Act compliant. The homes will also include an HVAC system, donated by One Hour Heating and Air, according to Dulebohn.
In Grand Park near The Market Common, there are 17 pedestals placed throughout the parks path, each pedestal dedicated to a single page of a childrens book. As families take their children on a stroll through the park, they can stop for a moment and read Leaves by David Ezra Stein, which tells the tale of a young bears first autumn.

The pedestals, which start at Savannahs Playground, are part of the StoryWalk project and a similar set up is coming to the north end of Myrtle Beach after city council approved of an $8,900 grant from Horry County First Steps.

Jennifer Nassar, Chapin Library director, said the overall goal of the project is to blend early literacy along with physical literacy.

Its getting families out and moving but also engaging them in those early literacy activities, Nassar said.

The StoryWalk project, which originated out of Vermont, was part of an Eagle Scout project after Nassar saw the project in a journal. Nassar proposed the idea to Diane Moscow-McKenzie, who was working with Eagle Scouts at the time. Eagle Scout Allen Meese took charge of the project, starting his planning process in the fall of 2020 and began building the pedestals in January of last year.

The new StoryWalk project will be built by the city this time around. Currently, there is no timetable for the completion of the new project. With three stories currently on file, Nassar said they change out the stories quarterly but she would like to have the stories switched out more frequently, saying that copyright permission plays a role in how quickly they can get their hands on a new story.

Some publishing houses are great for quick turnarounds, Nassar said. Others are absolutely awful. Were learning which ones have a quicker turnaround and work more with them than the ones that are taking four-plus months to respond.

When it comes to what stories make the cut for the StoryWalk, Nassar goes for high quality stories that have a strong base in creating activity extensions to build off of.
President Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl called to order the Feb. 11 meeting of Jacksonville Noon Rotary Club at noon at Hamiltons.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and "America" was sung. The Rflection was given by Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl.

Volunteers were thanked, including greeters and 50/50, Jan Ryan, Alberta Robinson, Phyllis Lape and Steve Holt; Reflection, Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl; note taker Anne Jackson; sergeants-at-arms Joe Kauffmann and Maryjane Million; Recognitions and Rotations: Craig Albers; tech guru Dan Lepper; song leader Nancy Thorsen; pianist Sharon Zuiderveld; and food delivery, Bertie Robinson.

Announcements:

 The Polio Plus Jars are on the tables. Bertie gave an update on our progress.

 Thank you to those who have bid on items for the Fabulous February Fun-raiser! Keep your bids coming and share the auctions on Facebook.

 Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl urged the group to sign up and participate via Zoom in the Rotary Leadership Institute, which will be at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 15 and 22.

 Steve Holt announced that scholarship information and applications are available.

 Sydney Hembrough is seeking volunteers to help with the Bridal Expo on Feb. 20.

 Ginny Fanning was seeking volunteers to help at the Jacksonville Area Museum on the last Wednesday of each month.

 Kelly Pool is collecting professional (interview appropriate) clothing for those in need.

Upcoming events:

Feb 8: Board of Directors meets at noon

Feb 14: Bread of Love volunteer needed

Feb 15: RLI meets via Zoom

Feb 22: RLI meets via Zoom

Feb 23: Jacksonville Area Museum 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 1-4 p.m.

Feb 28: PI Committee meets at noon

District governor nominee Neal Miller spoke on the upcoming Rotary International Convention.

The group sang "Happy Birthday" to Phyllis Lape ,,, and there were cupcakes!

Tim Chipman was presented with a check for $750 for supplies for South Jacksonville School. Thanks to Joan McQuillan for organizing these efforts!

Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl was accompanied by Tim Chipman and Jenna Tucker hosted our speakers, Colleen Doyle, Dan Carie and Stevie VanDeVelde. District governor nominee Neal Miller was in the house.

Rotations were led by Craig Albers. Announcements were made and money was collected from Steve Holt, Nancy Thorsen, Jan Ryan, Joan McQuillan and Shawn McComb.

Colleen Doyle (program development director), Dan Carie (Routt Catholic High School principal) and Stevie VanDeVelde (Our Saviour School principal) gave an interesting program. How lucky Jacksonville is to have such top-notch institutions!

Daphne Spradlin drew unsuccessfully for the 50/50 drawing.

The Four-Way Test was recited and the meeting was adjourned at 1 p.m.

 Submitted by Anne Jackson

Jacksonville Sunrise Rotary Club

On a beautiful, sunny morning, nine Rotarians gathered in the Holiday Inn Express meeting room. After exchanging news and speculation on the storm predictions for later in the week, President Jane Becker rang the Feb. 15 meeting to order at 7 a.m.

Cindy Boehkle led the Pledge of Allegiance, Jay Jamison led the recitation of the Four-Way Test, and Pat Pennell gave the invocation.

We were reminded about the Bass Tournament and bike race in April. Then Jay, Pat, Sarah Robinson, Sonie Smith and Don Pigg gave Rotations. With Recognitions, Jay gave everyone a chance to donate to the scholarship fund. Now that his printer is working, no dollar is safe.

Sarah Edmiston gave the treasurers report. At her suggestion, Jay made a motion to send $45 to the Polio Fund. Cindy seconded the motion and it passed. After covering several items, Gordon Jumper made a motion to accept the report, Jay seconded it and it passed. After some discussion, Jay made a motion to donate $100 to the Chautauqua, Gordon seconded it and it passed. We hope to have Chad return to accept the donation. We were reminded that the Food-Raiser is taking place from 8 a.m. to noon April 9 at County Market. Rotary Day at the ball park is going to be June 26.

Brittany Nickel reminded us that its her turn to give the 3-minute member talk. She bravely strode to the podium and introduced herself. She grew up in Pana. We learned how she began her career in a funeral home in Pana, her educational background, what it takes to be a licensed funeral director, how she met her husband (at work), how long she has been with Buchanan and Cody Funeral Home, and her chickens. We enjoyed getting to know our newest member. Learning more ways to find Recognitions for Brittany was an added benefit. After an appreciative round of applause, Jane closed the meeting at 7:45 a.m. and we departed into the dazzling sunshine.

 Submitted by Sarah Edmiston

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NEW BERLIN  Churches are established to feed the soul.

For a trio of New Berlin churches, that also means nurturing the body by tackling food insecurity in western Sangamon County.

The three are supporting two micro-food pantries for those in need.

Food insecurity is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the lack of consistent access to enough food for a healthy lifestyle. It affected about 1 in 8 Americans in 2020  about 26 million adults and 12 million children in the United States, according to the USDA.

It is believed the ongoing pandemic has caused those numbers to increase significantly since then.

Island Grove United Methodist Church, St. Johns Lutheran Church and the New Berlin campus of Central Baptist Church of Springfield started addressing the problem in their community in July. They now are keeping two standalone pantries stocked  one in Corbett Park in southwest New Berlin and one in the east at New Berlin Laundromat.

The Corbett Park pantry was opened in July under the auspices of Island Grove United Methodist Church through the churchs seven-member Outreach Committee.

"In 2020, our church recognized the ever-growing need of families and individuals struggling with food insecurity, especially during the pandemic, committee leader Liz Pensoneau said.

She said response was immediate and it has been heavily used.

How to help For more information about the New Berlin pantries or to donate, contact Liz Pensoneau at 217-488-7709, Allicent Smith at 217-341-1757 or Scott Nichols at 217-494-8460. See More Collapse

"Besides being supplied with food from Island Grove, we have been blessed to have had food and monetary donations from many individuals who shared our concern," Pensoneau said.

St. Johns Lutheran Church joined Island Grove United Methodist and established the second pantry. Laundromat owner Mike Williams donated the space and shelving.

"Helping with this project offers one way that our congregation can help the community," said liaison Allicent Smith of St. Johns Lutheran Church.

Central Baptist campus Pastor Scott Nichols said the church wanted to get more involved with the community "and the food pantries provide that opportunity.

The park pantry is open 24 hours a day. It is stocked only with boxed items during the winter. Canned goods, non-perishable food and personal care products are available at the laundry during regular business hours.
stockcam/Getty Images

Kanon Prather of Rushville, a freshman engineering student, has been named to the fall semester honors list for academic achievement at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Missouri.

To be named to the honors list, a student must earn a 3.2 or higher grade point average.
What's new at Jacksonville Public Library:

"The Christie Affair" by Nina de Gramont: In 1925, Miss Nan ODea infiltrated the wealthy, rarefied world of author Agatha Christie and her husband, Archie. This unforgettable novel explores the questions of why would the worlds most famous mystery writer disappear for 11 days and what makes a woman desperate enough to destroy another womans marriage?

Adult NonFiction

"The Guide to James Joyces Ulysses" by Patrick Hastings: Hastings book illuminates crucial details and revels in the mischievous genius of "Ulysses". Written in a voice that offers encouragement and good humor, this guidebook supports the reader with information needed to successfully finish and appreciate the novel.

DVD

"MLK/FBI": This is the first film to uncover the extent of the FBIs surveillance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Based on newly discovered and declassified files this documentary utilizes a trove of documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act and features interviews with key cultural figures.

Young Adult Fiction

"Estranged" by Ethan M. Aldridge: In this beautifully illustrated graphic novel, years after being switched at birth, the Childe, a human boy living in the world of fae, and Edmund, a fae changeling secretly living as a human in the World Above, are reunited. The boys, struggling to understand to which world they truly belong, realize that the fate of both worlds rests on their shoulders.

Juvenile Fiction

Disney's "'Encanto': Family is Everything" by Luz M. Mack: Based on the new Disney film "Encanto," this book tells the story of the Madrigals, a magical family hidden away in a special place in the Colombian mountains. When the magic of the Encanto is threatened, Mirabel  the only non-magical member of the Madrigal family  discovers that she might be the only one who can help.

Did you know?

Jacksonville Public Library will play host for the Zoom-based program Lets Talk Downsizing at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Colleen Klimczak, a certified professional organizer, will help participants make decisions about what to part with and what to keep when downsizing, and share resources to make it all happen. No registration is required for in-person attendance. To register for the Zoom program and receive login information, email Courtney Langdon at clangdon@jaxpl.org.
All waste dumping sites in the country will be converted into green zones in the next two-three years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while digitally inaugurating Asia's largest Bio-CNG plant in Madhya Pradesh's financial capital Indore, on Saturday.

The Prime Minister asserted that in almost every city in the country, several acres of land is being used for dumping wastes. In the last few years, many dumping sites have been converted into green zones through modern technology and Indore is one of them.

"Under the Clean India Mission part-2, our government decided to remove these waste dumping sites and convert them into a green zone. Centre is providing all help to the states and the municipal corporations," he said.

Congratulating Madhya Pradesh government and the Indore Municipal Corporation for setting up Asia's largest Bio-CNG plant, the Prime Minister said, this development will not only help in removing municipal waste and to convert into energy but it will also improve tourism in the city.

"The site where this Bio-CNG plant has been set up, till a few years back, was a huge garbage mountain, but today that waste dumping site has been converted into a green zone. I congratulate Indore Municipal Corporation and the state government for their relentless efforts in this sector. I believe that municipal corporations of other cities will follow Indore and will make their cities clean and green," Modi said.

He said the municipal waste that has been a bigger problem in the country, so far, especially in the big cities, is now becoming a source of renewable energy. "The technology for converting waste into energy was available in the country, but it did not get appropriate attention. My government has decided to make this dumped waste into a source of energy," PM added.

Touted as the largest such facility in Asia by local civic officials, the plant will produce 18,000 kg of Bio-CNG daily, which will be used to power Indore Municipal Corporation's transport buses. It will also produce a large quantity of compost.

The technology for Indore's Bio-CNG has been imported from Denmark. The preparation of Bio-CNG takes around 20 to 25 days. This biogas contains 55-60 per cent methane. For converting biogas to CNG, 95 per cent methane is required. So, after cleaning and upgrading it gets converted to Bio-CNG. A filling station has also been built where city buses of the municipal corporation can get CNG.

"We are planning to convert all the city buses to CNG; this will also help purify the air quality. With a total capacity of 550 MT, the plant will produce CNG with 96 per cent pure methane gas. The plant has been set up on the waste-to-wealth concept of the Prime Minister wherein biogas will be generated through wet waste," Indore Collector Manish Singh said.
Covid-19 booster vaccine eligibility View Photo

Tuolumne County Public Health reports the death of a man in his 70s due to Covid. There have been 169 deaths in total, 21 reported since January 1st, 2022.

There are 34 new Covid cases since Thursdays report, 32 are community cases, active community cases decreased eight to 161 including seven people who are hospitalized. There are two newly identified inmate cases at the Sierra Conservation Center. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reports 48 currently active inmate cases.

The newly reported community cases include five cases age 17 or younger and nine cases age 60 or older. The new Covid cases demographics: one girl and one boy age 11 or younger, two girls and one boy age 12 to 17, one woman and two men age 18 to 29, six women and three men in their 30s, two women and three men in their 40s, one woman in her 50s, three women and one man in their 60s, two men in their 70s, two men in their 80s and one woman age 90 or older.

The total current case rate, a 14-day average for Tuolumne County decreased to 42.2 from 44.8 per 100,000 population. The case rate reached a high of 174.8 on January 24th. A total of 39 were released from isolation in all 10,060 have been released from isolation. The 7-day test positivity rate is 8.4% 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 25 new cases since Thursadys report, active cases decreased three to 43 including five Covid hospitalizations. There are 28 more counted as recovered for a total of 6,948 and 57.17% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated in the county.

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. California is moving to an endemic approach with the SMARTER Plan as detailed here.

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 2/18 25 43 (5) 2,398 7,099

(108) Mariposa 2/18 4 37 (22) 1,044 2,907

(20) Mono 2/18 0 N/A 983 2,953

(8) Stanislaus 2/18 286 5,140 (141) 32,623 117,428

(1,614) Tuolumne 2/18 34 161 (7) 4,748 12,808 (169) Reported cases at end of 2021 and 2020 Amador updates Monday and Thursday.
Brian Paul Ames View Photo

Valley Springs, CA  A Calaveras County man on trial for alleged child molestation will not return to court.

Already out on bail under a temporary statewide COVID-19 policy, last month a Calaveras County Superior Court judge dismissed all 18 counts related to felony child sexual abuse against Brian Paul Ames. Not due to new evidence in the case but because Ames had died at his home in Valley Springs in December.

While the cause of his death remains under investigation by the sheriffs office pending a toxicology report, Lt. Greg Stark tells Clarke Broadcasting, We have no reason to believe that there is any suspicion regarding his death. There was no evidence of foul play at the scene.

Arrested in October of 2018, Ames, a local contractor, was charged with several molestation charges including lewd acts with a child under the age of 14 and continuous sexual abuse of a child, as reported here. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges and his next court appearance was slated for April of this year.
Map outlining Gold Rush Shared Use Path View Photo

Sonora, CA  A nine-mile path that would span from Jamestown through Sonora to Columbia would offer the public a green-friendly mode of transportation.

The proposed Gold Rush Shared Use Path is being called the backbone of non-motorized travel in the county by Tuolumne County Transportation Council (TCTC). Executive Director Darin Grossi detailed to Clarke Broadcasting the plan is to get Caltrans to pay for it through the States Climate Action Plan for Transportation Investments program. Earlier this month, the TCTC board approved sending a letter of support to Caltrans for the path.

What were asking for is for Caltrans to do a project initiation document that will make it ready to compete for other state discretionary funds, explained Grossi.

The map in the image box outlines the Gold Rush Shared Use Path project that will utilize current and build new sidewalks and a raised barrier path for walking/biking and other non-motorized vehicles along Highway 49 connecting the three communities. It will also allow for the promoting of electric bicycle usage as a transportation mode, which Grossi shared is an important component of the regions efforts to reduce automobile emissions.

Noting another benefit to the community, Grossi detailed, The number one thing is it will address the safety problems we have out on Highway 49. I think weve had 68 injury accidents since 2009 and five fatalities, four pedestrians, and one bicyclist. Beyond that, it will provide zero emissions, access to jobs, transit, and higher education at Columbia College.

TCTC provided this list of additional community needs/benefits addressed by the path:

Health and Wellness: The Shared Use Path will encourage exercise by connecting disadvantaged residents with nature at Dragoon Gulch, recreation at Rotary Park, Yosemite Regional Transit System stops, and farmers market in Sonora.

Environment: The Path will reduce emissions in an area that does not attain air quality standards and where many people sensitive to poor air quality currently reside.

Economic Benefits: Jamestown and Sonora suffer from high unemployment and low household income, the Gold Rush Path will link these disadvantaged communities with Motherlode Job Training, higher education at Columbia College, job centers in Sonora, and the Chicken Ranch Casino Resort.

Social Equity: This area of the county, containing historically underserved individuals, has not received the benefit of over $140 million in transportation infrastructure investments in the East Sonora/108 corridor where household incomes are higher. Without safe pedestrian/bicycle facilities, low-income residents are disproportionally impacted by the high cost of automobile ownership. This project will provide lower-cost travel options and improve access to public transit.

Grossi sees the path as a win-win for the county and the state, People end up walking the highway or riding a bike and thats not safe for them. This will provide a safe alternative. Its where the state wants to go with its funding towards alternatives that will reduce carbon emissions. Were working on our calculations on how much the emission will reduce right now. We think the project aligns perfectly with state priorities.

Currently, the planning level cost of the path is between $9.5 and $20 million. Grossi says that could change if Caltrans takes on the project and does a project initiation document, a cost estimate and schedule for the project. He added, At that point hopefully that the Caltrans innovative projects team in Sacramento decides it is a high priority and that will put us in a really go position for full state funding.

The council has not sent out the letter yet as it just completed the funding application this week. Also, currently, they are collecting letters of support from community organizations, which they are still accepting and can be sent to the TCTC office at 2 South Green Street, Sonora 95730.

TCTC is hoping to hear back from Caltrans as early as this spring, but the actual start of the project will be much later with Grossi expecting, I dont see it happening any closer than six years and probably ten years, but if you dont start, youll never get it done.

To view the Gold Rush Shared Use Path presentation, click here.
About five minutes into the second episode of CNN's new documentary series on President Lyndon Johnson, LBJ: Triumph and Tragedy, there's a record-scratch moment.

It begins in a triumphant atmosphere. Johnson's proclamations of his Great Society to graduating college students at Ohio University and Michigan University at two separate addresses in May 1964.

It demands an end to poverty and racial injustice! Johnson forcefully declares in Ann Arbor.

Then, out of nowhere, former LBJ White House staffer and future CNN CEO Tom Johnson comes in off the top rope.

"I deeply, deeply, deeply regret that we took the wrong path in Southeast Asia," he says, mournfully. From there, the episode descends into a nightmarish confluence of war and civil rights struggles that, particularly during Johnson's first few years in office, had no correct answers.

It's apparent that CNN's portrayal, while so far kind to the 36th president, is not straight hagiography. In the sneak preview of the four-part series, Johnson is painted as an enigmatic leader who was damned if he did, damned if he didn't. The series as a whole is set to premiere over two nights, with back-to-back episodes at 8 p.m. on Sunday, February 20 and Monday, February 21.

Episode two, screened in partnership with Austin's LBJ Presidential Library, picks up in the immediate aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. In Johnson, we see a flawed, difficult man who craved power and recognition, but who also yearned to improve the quality of life for all Americans.

Speaking to his National Security Advisor McGeorge Bundy, a weary Johnson can be heard speaking of the ongoing war.

"I don't see what we can hope to get out of there once we're committed," Johnson says. "I don't think it's worth fighting for, and I don't think we can get out. It's the biggest damn mess I ever saw."

Lien-Hang Nguyen, a historian at Columbia University, points out that Johnson inherited the Vietnam War, but the documentary posits that Johnson was tormented by the decisions historians say he was forced to make. Many Americans thought Vietnam was a domino in the spread of communism from Southeast Asia to America. While anti-war activists condemned any escalation of the war.

America was stuck, and, as episode two makes clear, Johnson was worn down by trying to pass civil rights legislation as he pushed America further into Vietnam.

"He is convinced he can have both because he is simply not going to accept the notion that he is going to be the man who can't hold the Alamo," Bundy says, who died in 1996, in an archival recording.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Much of the second half of the episode is centered on Johnson's work in the civil rights movement.

A crucial moment comes when Andrew Young, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference president and aide to Martin Luther King, Jr., discusses attending a meeting at the White House to discuss voting rights with the president in December 1964. He was left in the lobby for three hours, after which Bundy and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara shuffled out.

"We realized what was going on. They were trying to get him to escalate the war in Vietnam," Young says. "My feeling was that this wasn't the president Johnson that I had seen in action, and that I knew. They were beating up on him. There was no fire in him."

Young seems disappointed, even though he knows the eventual outcome. But he doesn't know everything.

This legacy on civil rights, for which Johnson is known, is complicated in two ways. First, the documentary presents to Young and others in the movement an unearthed recording from four days prior to this meeting, dated December 14, 1964, for the first time. In the recording, Johnson lays out a plan to get 100 percent of people registered to vote using Postmasters. It essentially would have utilized the federal government to skirt state laws, which only added to the ire Johnson received from Republican leaders for his "big government" ideas.

Second, there is some historical doubt about Johnson's true feelings on civil rights. He was masterful at gaining and wielding influence regardless of his privately held values. Some, like biographer Robert Caro, posit that Johnson willfully acted against many of his own interests if it meant holding on to that power.

A few of the subjects in the documentary insist that Johnson wasn't posturing, that he "embraced the song of the civil rights movement," and that he shared not just an interest with Martin Luther King, Jr., but a vision as well. The archival tapes and contemporary interviews convey a much closer relationship between the president and the civil rights leader than some previous tellings.

PhotoQuest/Getty Images

It particularly clashes with Selma, Ava DuVernay's 2014 film about the Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches. Upon that film's release, LBJ Library President and CEO Mark Updegrove appeared on Face the Nation a few weeks after writing a Politico article titled "What 'Selma' Gets Wrong." In the film, Johnson is portrayed as resistant to signing the voting rights bill, and is shown, as Updegrove writes, "vainglorious and power hungry" and "devoid of any palpable conviction on voting rights."

He appears to subtweet Selma in LBJ: Triumph and Tragedy.

"Contrary to filmed depictions of Lyndon Johnson, he is very much in favor of a march from Selma to Montgomery," Updegrove says in the new documentary. "He wants to see this march come to fruition, to show that such a thing is possible in the United States of America."

Further complicating matters is Johnson's prior record on civil rights in Congress. It's not in the episode, but in a post-screening Q&A, his press secretary, Bill Moyers, noted that Johnson voted against every civil rights bill between 1937 and 1956, and that JFK made Johnson his vice president in a bid to win over southern segregationists in the 1960 election. But he also mentioned a moment when Johnson affirmed that he had made mistakes when he was younger and wanted to correct them. Host Abby Phillip of CNN asked the panel about this paradox.

"People only want to look at the civil rights act and the voting rights act. Or people want to focus on the early years of his career, where his civil rights record was horrible," says Melody Barnes, former chief counsel to Sen. Edward Kennedy and director of the Domestic Policy Council under President Obama. "The bottom line, is Lyndon Johnson is all of those things. He is a very complex person."

Episode two of LBJ: Triumph and Tragedy isn't definitive in its portrayal of Johnson during the first years of his presidency. While overall congratulatory of his accomplishments, in some ways, it raises more questions than it answers. Johnson's contradictions, laid bare here, convey why he is an endlessly fascinating subject, regardless of your opinion of him as a president.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met the members of the Sikh-Hindu delegation from Afghanistan who came to thank him for their safe evacuation from the war-torn nation along with the Guru Granth Sahib Swaroop.

Welcoming the team at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, his official residence, the Prime Minister underscored the works his government did for the community.

The discussion also included the difficulties faced by them in Afghanistan and the help extended by the government in bringing them to India safely. "In this light, Modi also talked about the significance of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and its benefits for the community, a release from the Prime Minister's Office said.

He also assured them of continuous support in future as well.

Prime Minister Modi also highlighted the significance of the tradition of honouring Guru Granth Sahib, in light of which special arrangements were made to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan. He spoke about the immense love that he has received from Afghans over the years and fondly recalled his visit to Kabul.

Delegate member Manjinder Singh Sirsa thanked the Prime Minister for sending help from India for bringing back the community safely, and said that when no one stood by them, it was the Prime Minister who extended timely help.

Other members of the delegation also expressed their gratitude to the Prime Minister for for the same.

Emotions ran high when they heard him talking about making special arrangements to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan to India with proper reverence, they said.

Hailing the PM for bringing about CAA, they said it would help the community immensely. He is not just the Prime Minister of India, but of the entire world since he understands the difficulties faced especially by Hindus and Sikhs across the world and makes all-out efforts to provide immediate help during crisis, the delegation members said.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Union Minister of State Meenakashi Lekhi were also present on the occasion, the release added.
JJ Trevino

First responders were called to the site of a former mens club when it caught fire overnight. The San Antonio Fire Department says a security guard called 911 about a fire at 100 New Laredo Highway, where the now-closed Secrets Gentlemens Club previously operated.

JJ Trevino

JJ Trevino

When firefighters arrived on the scene just before 1 a.m., flames were allegedly shooting through the empty buildings roof. Firefighters were able to control the flames and no injuries were reported, though authorities say the building suffered heavy damage.
GUADALUPE CANYON, Ariz. - The demolition crews kept right on blasting through the Peloncillo Mountains long after Donald Trump lost the election, a result that doomed their contracts. They carved steep roads at dizzying angles and gouged a wide path through the ridgeline where the border wall would go.

The clock ran out before they built it, leaving behind a mutilated landscape and a boneyard of steel fence panels stacked by the hundreds.

At more than $41 million per mile, Guadalupe Canyon was the most expensive segment of a $15 billion megaproject that ranked among the costliest in U.S. history. Today the abandoned border wall site is a liability for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with loose rocks and boulders sliding down the mountainsides.

Sage Goodwin, whose family's nearby ranch house rattled daily through nine months of blasting in 2020, wants the government to repair the damage to their land. He filed suit against the Trump administration and is now waiting for CBP to indicate how far it's willing to go to put the mountain back together and prevent a flood that could wash out the road to his home.

"We want to be reasonable and realistic," Goodwin said. "We want to roll back the destruction and help CBP come up with a model that balances ecological values, ranching values and border security."

In the year since President Joe Biden halted border wall construction, his administration has been developing plans to put its own stamp on Trump's pet project. Biden has waved off calls from activists to tear the structure down and recycle the steel. The president promised while he campaigned that there would "not be another foot," but his government has been adding new barriers as it shores up 13 miles of flood levees along the Rio Grande and fixes other segments left in a precarious state by the contractors rushing to build right up to Biden's inauguration.

In recent weeks, CBP officials have been soliciting input from ranchers, environmental advocates, landowners and others as the Biden administration prepares to spend hundreds of millions for border wall remediation. The money, which will include unused construction funds, will go to clean up worksites, stabilize areas facing erosion and remedy some of the worst environmental damage, while also allowing CBP to close gaps in the wall. The precise details - where and how much money - remain undefined.

CBP officials say the efforts will be focused on southern Arizona's Tucson sector, including remote and ecologically fragile areas where the most destructive blasting occurred, such as Guadalupe Canyon, as well as the dry creek beds and channels that surge during summer "monsoon" thunderstorms. Segments of the wall were damaged in flooding last year, and erosion along the base of the structure has left its foundation exposed at multiple locations across southern Arizona.

Republicans have been clamoring for Biden to close gaps in the wall that have become busy crossing points for migrants and smugglers. In some locations those spaces are a few feet across, but they're far wider in others, and it's unclear what the Biden administration will consider closing a gap vs. building new barriers.

Paul Enriquez, the deputy director of the CBP infrastructure division responsible for the border wall, said the Biden administration's remediation effort will prioritize "safety, erosion and flood control," to ensure roads and hillsides don't wash out and the barrier itself "does not fail and cause some sort of life safety issue for the public, local residents or agents who patrol in that area."

At abandoned construction sites and staging areas used to store materials and heavy equipment, CBP is preparing to clean up and replant vegetation, but officials say locations where blasting occurred can't be easily put back together.

"We'll be working with federal land managers to identify an appropriate restoration method," Enriquez said in an interview. "And, in some instances where we had temporary roads installed, we'll be remediating those areas, as well."

Looming over Biden's repair plan is the possibility Trump could run for office again, whipping up crowds with chants of "Finish the Wall!" and promises to bring back the bulldozers. Trump built 450 miles of new barriers during his term but had plans for at least 250 more.

Trump was unable to build in many of the areas identified by CBP as a top priority, especially along the Rio Grande in Texas. Nearly all of the land there is in private hands, and, despite placing his son-in-law Jared Kushner in charge of the effort to seize those properties using eminent domain, Trump built relatively little in South Texas.

His administration went for the lowest-hanging fruit, building along public land in New Mexico and Arizona - including national forests and wildlife preserves - that was already under federal control. Some of those remote locations had few crossings to begin with.

The barrier's performance so far is mixed. It has funneled illegal entries and smuggling activity toward gaps and crossing points that remain open. But determined smugglers scale it with cheap makeshift ladders or saw through it with common demolition tools available at any hardware store. In Texas, the wall doesn't stop migrants from crossing the Rio Grande because the structure can't be built on the river, the natural border with Mexico.

Immigration arrests by CBP along the Mexico border are higher than ever. Republican support for the project appears to have further intensified during Biden's presidency, and lawmakers have been pounding him for halting the project.

Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., the highest-ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, said the Biden administration's border wall remediation plan and its approach to border security, generally, are "insufficient."

"Frontline homeland security personnel, especially the Border Patrol, are stretched far too thin and lack the resources needed to address the overwhelming and historic flow of migrants crossing the southwest border," Katko said in a statement. "Every dollar appropriated by Congress for border barrier funding should be used for that very purpose."

Trump obtained roughly $15 billion for the wall project, two-thirds of which came from diverted military and counternarcotics funding. The Biden administration said it will return $2.2 billion in unused funds to the Pentagon.

The Department of Homeland Security and CBP did not respond to multiple requests seeking to clarify how much money was spent on the wall and what leftover funds may be available for Biden's remediation projects.

Biden has called the wall "a waste of money" and "not a serious policy solution," but Enriquez, of CBP, says it remains a valuable asset.

"The barrier provides impedance and denial, and it's one of the tools that our Border Patrol agents use in their mission to secure the border," Enriquez said. "The administration has indicated that that's not their policy at this time, and we respect that. And so what other methods can we use to help secure those areas?"

CBP said it continues to move forward on an environmental assessment and public comment solicitation for 86 additional miles of barriers in the Rio Grande Valley approved under Trump. But agency officials say they do not have the Biden administration's approval to proceed with construction.

Guadalupe Canyon runs through the heart of the rugged Peloncillo range, a crucial wildlife corridor that is one of the few unobstructed bridges between the Rocky Mountains and Mexico's northern Sierra Madre. The canyon's large sycamore and cottonwood trees create a shaded oasis during the hot summer months.

Goodwin's family and neighboring ranchers have worked for decades to protect hundreds of thousands of acres in these remote areas of southern Arizona and New Mexico using "conservation ranching" methods that closely manage livestock grazing and restore native habitat. Those efforts received wide acclaim after 1996 when a wild jaguar that roamed across the border from Mexico was the first to be photographed on U.S. soil in a generation.

Several other jaguars have been documented in southern Arizona since then, but many of their pathways are now potentially blocked by the border wall.

Goodwin said he and other like-minded landowners are eager to go back to an earlier era of cooperation with the government.

"We want to be a part of CBP achieving its overall goals in a way that benefits the values important to us and meets their objectives," he said. "We have confidence there is a way to do that and not jeopardize what we've been working on for three generations now."

Goodwin said he recognizes the need for barriers in populated areas but that improved surveillance technology can provide solutions in areas that should remain open to wildlife.

"The mountains are a natural deterrent," he said. "The grade of the international border is so steep the contractors couldn't get their equipment up there."

In the scramble to build as quickly as possible before Biden took office, construction crews in several areas of southern Arizona skipped over locations that required additional engineering or custom wall panels. That included stream channels that need flood gates and areas at border markers that are supposed to afford CBP agents access to the south side of the barrier in case of an emergency. In other locations, crews working from opposite directions needed irregular-sized segments to fill a gap, and the panels didn't arrive in time.

One span of the barrier east of Sasabe, Ariz., has two dozen gaps in the wall and other segments with misshapen, temporary panels welded to the structure like patches.

Myles Traphagen, a conservation biologist who has mapped and documented the impact of border wall construction using motion-activated wildlife cameras, wants the Biden administration to leave the gaps open to provide a minimal degree of safe passage for large animals.

When a Mexican gray wolf with a radio collar headed south last fall, it hit the barrier and walked parallel to it for miles before eventually turning back. The young male wolf, nicknamed Mr. Goodbar, later suffered a gunshot wound that resulted in a leg amputation.

CBP says its remediation will add more wildlife openings in the barrier, but Traphagen says they're too small for species like wolves, jaguar, bighorn sheep, ocelot or Sonoran pronghorn to cross. "Nothing larger than a rabbit is going to use them," he said. "It's only a veneer of environmental compliance."

"The majority of the remediation work they're planning is occurring to support existing border wall infrastructure, not for ecological restoration," Traphagen said.

On one recent afternoon along the wall east of Sasabe, a group of families with small children crossed through a gap in the wall and began trekking along the border road, looking to turn themselves in to U.S. agents and start the asylum process. Most of the families were from Nicaragua, part of a historic surge of migration from the country following president Daniel Ortega's re-election to a fourth term last year, in elections the Biden administration denounced as fraudulent.

"We can't live in our country anymore," said one mother who was traveling with two young daughters. She said she was trying to get to Arkansas.

A woman calling herself Butterfly drove up to the group in a battered Honda Accord and started handing out teddy bears. She had called the Border Patrol to come pick up the families, she said. Butterfly, from Spokane, Wash., said she was with a group called Veterans on Patrol but is not a veteran herself.

"We give little gifts to the kids. We want to make sure there's no trafficking going on," she said, driving off.

In another area nearby where the wall abruptly ends, U.S. border agents with all-terrain vehicles, dogs and a helicopter chased a separate group that was trying to slip away into the craggy Baboquivari Mountains. After the agents left, another group of men in camouflaged clothing approached from the Mexico side, heading for another gap in the wall. They appeared to be part of a smuggling operation.

"What are you doing here?" they yelled, shouting obscenities after seeing a photographer and reporter. Traphagen, who wore a pistol on his hip which he said he began carrying after harassment from contractors' security teams, suggested a quick departure.

Border security concerns "are real," he said. "Human and drug smuggling are real. There is a degree of border security that is needed. The idea of having open borders is not a reality."

Traphagen said he supports more technology along the border as well as use of smaller "vehicle barriers," long employed by CBP to stop smugglers from driving through, which don't block wildlife.

At some locations near gaps and open gates in the wall where he has left motion-activated cameras, Traphagen has captured images of pumas, javelina, deer and other species crossing back and forth into Mexico, but during months and months of footage, he said, not a single person appeared.

"If we can accomplish border security with a smaller footprint and more compassion toward the land and its people, I think we could start constructively trying to solve this problem," he said.
(Natural News) The ability to recall a popular song is exemplified on name that tune game shows where contestants have to identify a snippet of music in just a few seconds. But British and Japanese researchers say that humans may actually do better than that: The brain only takes as little as one-tenth of a second to recognize a familiar tune.

The finding, published in the journal Scientific Reports, attests to the deep hold that familiar music has on memory and points to the potential of music-based therapies for dementia.

The brain recognizes familiar music quickly

The researchers wanted to find out how fast the brain responds to familiar music and determine the processes in the brain that allow for this response. To that end, the researchers recruited 22 individuals and asked 10 of them to provide five songs that were very familiar to them. The team then chose one of the familiar songs for each participant. They matched this to a tune that was similar in tempo, melody, harmony, vocals and instrumentation.

The 10 volunteers passively listened to 100 snippets that were either familiar, sounded similar to their chosen songs or they had never heard before. The snippets were presented in random order and each lasted less than a second.

To record the brains response, the researchers used a method of recording the brains electrical activity called electroencephalography imaging and a technique that measures pupil diameter called pupillometry. Pupil diameter could reveal if the brain is highly active.

The researchers found that the participants pupil dilation rate quickened within 100 to 300 milliseconds after the familiar and similar-sounding tunes were played, indicating that the brain can recognize music at an instant. Right after the rapid pupil dilation, the part of the brain related to memory lit up. Meanwhile, the authors did not find the same response in the remaining 12 volunteers, who werent familiar with any of the snippets.

Our results demonstrate that recognition of familiar music happens remarkably quickly, said senior author Maria Chait of the Ear Institute at the University College London.

These findings point to very fast temporal circuitry and are consistent with the deep hold that highly familiar pieces of music have on our memory, added Chait. She noted that understanding how the brain recognizes familiar tunes is useful for music-based therapeutic interventions. Many scientists are looking into the possibility that dementia patients memory of music is well-preserved even though their memory systems have already failed, according to Chait. (Related: Music Therapy Helps Patients Recover Brain Function Following Stroke.)

Pinpointing the neural pathway and processes which support music identification may provide a clue to understanding the basis of this phenomena, Chait said.

Structure of songs fit together like puzzle pieces

In November, a former ballerina with Alzheimers disease went viral after being seen dancing to Peter Tchaikovskys Swan Lake. In a video recorded in 2019, the same year she died, Marta Cinta Gonzalez Saldana could be seen fluttering her hands like the swan queen, her eyes lighting up.

Saldanas fascinating reaction might have stemmed in part from the fact that shes hearing familiar music. Dr. Pradeep Mahajan, a regenerative medicine researcher, explained that the words and temporal structure of songs fit together like puzzle pieces that easily get etched in peoples memory.

The more we listen to a song, the more connections are formed in our brain, enabling us to create associations and recollect the entire piece, said Mahajan. Music can also enhance the secretion of happy hormones like serotonin and dopamine, which improve peoples emotional states, according to Mahajan.

Read more articles about novel treatments for dementia at Dementia.news.

Sources include:

EurekaAlert.org

TheGuardian.com

Mid-Day.com
(Natural News) Earlier this week, I noted that even Canadian Catholic schools were hosting transgender events  despite being, once upon a time, based on Catholic values. That story was first featured by the CBC, which is a factory of nearly endless stories on the spread of transgender ideology throughout our culture. Our media acts as an active cheerleader: affirming, applauding, promoting, advocating.

(Article by Jonathon Van Maren republished from LifeSiteNews.com)

Another example was just published earlier this month, titled: Transgender student says teachers keep using wrong pronouns and name, and wants more done about it. One can find the reason for the article in the title: Not only does this transgender student want something done about it. The CBC most certainly does, as well. The act of covering this story functions as a method of putting pressure on the school to ensure that misgendering and deadnaming cease forthwith, and that all of the demands of this student are promptly followed. This is journalism as activism.

The student featured here is Alex, who uses the pronoun they and came out as transgender in Grade 7. That means the student was only 12 or 13 when he or she  its impossible to tell which  discovered that he or she was in possession of the wrong body. According to Alex, some teachers and students werent supportive of the new name and pronouns. Heres how the CBC reported that:

Alex said they still dont go a day without being misgendered by teachers and students. They added that unlike students, who have reportedly been suspended, none of the teachers seem to face any consequences. The issue of misgendering is important, as transgender people have higher rates of suicide and mental health issues than others, according to research. A recent study led by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto suggests such concerns are linked to the discrimination they face. Alex acknowledged that being misgendered or referred to by their former name (an action known as deadnaming) has impacted their mental health.

In short, the state broadcaster is accusing students and teachers at this school of using language that could potentially contribute to the suicide of a very young student who has decided to change genders. The veiled threat here is easy to discern: Change your behavior, or well accuse you of murdering trans kids. Thus, the not-so-subtle note that none of the teachers seem to face any consequences, is actually a hint that maybe some teachers should start getting punished for not getting in line, and fast.

Alexs family is, of course, fully on board with this, with one parent stating: What Alex is experiencing is traumatic  Alex is still misgendered on a daily basis. Alex is not benefiting from these strategies or training approaches  my priority is my childs safety, and when theyre being misgendered, theyre not safe.

Got that? If teachers dont respect Alexs new gender identity  whatever that is  or forget to use the new name, or the pronoun they, they are guilty of threatening Alexs safety. They are not just insensitive, they are a danger to the students. This is cry-bullying at its best.

This one little story, published by the state broadcaster with taxpayer funds, is another example of how government media is enforcing the new narrative. If you do not conform to the new dogmas, you will be exposed, pinpointed as a danger to children, and if you persist in misgendering or deadnaming or what have you, eventually fired. As a public menace, youll no longer be able to find a job. The LGBT movement sets the agenda, the government passes the legislation, the activists train the educators, and the state media acts as narrative enforcers.

If youre a young person planning your career, take a good look at the profession you want  and make sure that you find one that is outside the new power structures that are taking shape before our eyes.

Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com
(Natural News) The military-industrial complex may be using American mainstream media to increase support for another war, potentially one involving Russia and its disputes with Ukraine.

American media, including legacy media outlets like newspapers and television stations, have been used to ramp up support for pointless wars since the late 19th century, when media tycoons and their newspapers were partly, if not largely, responsible for the start of the Spanish-American War.

More recently, mainstream media outlets were known for engineering support for war with Iraq by uncritically reporting former President George W. Bush and his administrations claims that Iraq had yellowcake uranium that it used to create a massive arsenal of weapons of mass destruction.

This lie and the medias uncritical repetition of it even led to a majority of Americans, in the weeks leading up to the invasion, believing that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was somehow involved in the 9/11 attacks.

All of these claims were, of course, proven to be false. The concern now is that the mainstream media may be doing the same thing again, this time to fabricate support for an intervention in Ukraine against Russia.

Mainstream media helping the government to fabricate war in Ukraine

Since the beginning of the recent crisis between Ukraine and Russia in late 2021, mainstream media outlets in the United States and all over the Western world have been counting down the hours before the beginning of the Russian invasion as if it were a New Years celebration on Times Square.

Nobody denies that the tensions between Russia and Ukraine are real. But this situation is not helped by the fact that President Joe Biden is standing firmly behind his claim that an invasion is imminent. Just like they did during the lead-up to the Iraq War, the media are uncritically reporting on this to the point that the Biden administrations meddling has in fact increased tensions. (Related: Biden and his war hawks clamor for war with Russia; Ukraine tells him to STOP WARMONGERING and calm down.)

But the reality is that Russia is trying to reach out to Ukraine and the West to find a diplomatic solution to the current crisis.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has already met with several European leaders to try and find a way to get Washington to back down from its attempts to garner support for a war with Russia.

We are ready to work further together. We are ready to go down the negotiations track, said Putin during a press conference after a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

We do not want war with Europe, Putin continued. People of this generation find it hard to imagine war in Europe. That is exactly why we have made our proposals, to start a process of discussion over equal security for everybody.

One of the awful things that happened with the media today is that it became passive. You receive some information, and then you just publish it as is. Very often the source isnt even mentioned, especially when we deal with defense and security issues, said Yoram Peri, an Israeli expert on politics and communications.

Peri still believes there is a chance for the media to do the right thing and perform its duty of providing balanced and nuanced reporting on this delicate issue.

Anyone who is leaning on the guiding principles of journalism can stand against this stream of fake news and disinformation, even if it sometimes is extremely difficult. I believe that its crucial for the reporter to cross-check the facts, he said.

There might be or might not be a war, wrote journalist Ksenia Svetlova for The Medialine. The question is whether the media will choose to learn from its current failure and change the optics the next time the dates of a possible invasion are flying around and avoid sensationalism, even if it helps sell papers.

More related stories:

MintPress study: NY Times, Washington Post driving U.S. to war with Russia over Ukraine.

As Joe Biden sends Americans to their deaths to fight for fascists, history shows demonization and internment camps await those who stand against their end times war.

Dr. Carole Lieberman: Biden repeating a doomed history with decision to send US military to Ukraine  Brighteon.TV.

Biden regime to FABRICATE war with Russia in order to TERRORIZE the American people.

Melissa Red Pill: The Cabal is inciting Russia into war  Brighteon.TV.

Watch this clip from Survival TV as host Mark Dice explains how Hollywood and the mainstream media help goad America into supporting costly, pointless and deadly wars.

This video is from the SurvivalTV channel on Brighteon.com.

WWIII.news has more information about the war being engineered between Russia and Ukraine.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Truthout.org

Vox.com

TheMedialine.org

AlJazeera.com

DW.com
(Natural News) Scientists are growing closer to taking advantage of the same source of energy that powers the sun and may one day give us a nearly unlimited source of clean power in the form of nuclear fusion.

Researchers at the Joint European Torus (JET) recently set a heat record for the greatest sustained nuclear fusion reactor on record. It registered at 59 megajoules of heat, which is more than double the previous record. Although the flash of heat only lasted for five seconds, it was an incredibly promising moment in the quest for cleaner power and marked a significant achievement after more than 20 years of testing and adjusting to find the right approach.

It all took place inside the JET tokamak, a circular reactor that resembles a donut. JET is a part of the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy near Oxford, England, and it is the UKs national lab for nuclear fusion research.

In nuclear fusion, two super-heated lightweight atomic nuclei are combined to create a heavier atomic nucleus to release a significant amount of energy. In this example, hydrogen atoms are combined to create helium. Then, the ionized gases within the JET were heated to a temperature that is 10 times higher than that of the sun  150 million degrees Celsius.

EUROfusion CEO Tony Donne said: Our experiment showed for the first time that its possible to have a sustained fusion process using exactly the same fuel mix planned for future fusion power plants.

UK Atomic Energy Authority chief executive Dr. Ian Chapman told The Guardian: These landmark results have taken us a huge step closer to conquering one of the biggest scientific and engineering challenges of them all. Its clear we must make significant changes to address the effects of climate change, and fusion offers so much potential.

Nuclear fusion is safer and produces far less waste than the nuclear fission used in nuclear power

In the JET experiment, scientists combined tritium and deuterium, two isotopes of hydrogen, to create helium gas. The hydrogen isotopes are contained within the tunnel of the tokamak by a powerful magnetic field, then superheated until they reach a temperature far greater than that of the sun. This causes the nuclei of the atoms to smash together in a reaction known as nuclear fusion, generating a huge amount of energy relative to the amount of fuel used.

This is not the same process used for nuclear power, which relies on fission, or splitting atoms. Nuclear fission creates waste that can be radioactive for tens of thousands of years and is highly hazardous in accidents, such as the Fukushima disaster that occurred in Japan in 2011.

Fusion is far safer and produces very little waste. It only needs a small amount of fuel, which can come from abundant natural sources like elements found in sea water.

The University of Cambridges Tony Roulstone explained: The energy you can get out of the fuel deuterium and tritium is massive. For example, powering the whole of current UK electrical demand for a day would require 0.5 tonnes of deuterium, which could be extracted from seawater  where its concentration is low but plentiful.

The teams results prove that nuclear fusion is a very real possibility and could well be a viable source of clean power. However, experts caution that despite the promising results, mastering nuclear fusion so it can be used as an everyday source of energy could be a long way off.

Sources for this article include:

EcoWatch.com

PopularMechanics.com

Edition.CNN.com
(Natural News) With the stroke of a pen and an announcement from a podium, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has essentially declared himself supreme dictator over the nation on our northern border.

(Article by Leo Hohmann republished from LeoHohmann.com)

We now have a full-on totalitarian regime adjacent to the United States. This is no small development. So lets break it down.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has condemned Trudeau for invoking the Emergencies Act, claiming in a tweet that the Canadian federal government has not met the threshold necessary to do so.

The federal government has not met the threshold necessary to invoke the Emergencies Act. 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. 1/3  Canadian Civil Liberties Association (@cancivlib) February 15, 2022

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 and when the situation cannot be effectively dealt with under any other law of Canada, the Twitter thread continues.

By invoking this Act, the first time its ever been done in Canadian history, Trudeau has essentially declared a form of martial law. This petty dictator has apparently made himself available to the global predators and offered up his country to be the first in the formerly Free World to transition from freedom into the grand utopia of the Great Reset.

And we thought it would take a war or an economic collapse to get the Western democracies to implement the Great Reset. No. It can be done with the stroke of a pen under the guise of a fake emergency.

This form of martial law targets a select group of Canadians who are exercising their right to peaceful protest under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but now they have been branded as criminals. Bank accounts are being frozen with no due process, licenses suspended, people arrested.

But according to the Civil Liberties Association, Trudeau is illegally invoking the Act because the nation has not met the threshold laid out in the law to qualify as a legitimate national emergency.

Lori Williams, a politics professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary, told Reuters that theres the danger this could create more problems, calling the powers enormous.

Thats why this has to be done with the cooperation of premiers and if they dont want help, then the federal government needs to hang back.

Leah West, an assistant professor at Carleton University in Ottawa, doubted the move met the standards, posting on Twitter that the countrys sovereignty is not endangered by the largely non-violent protests.

So who is the real criminal here?

This should be a lesson for all Americans and citizens of other Western nations. Trudeau is obviously not the person in charge of making such drastic decisions, no more than Biden is in charge here in Washington, D.C., or Macron is in charge in Paris or Johnson in London.

Trudeau answers to the Davos elites committed to the agenda of the World Economic Forum. We have already covered that in our recent three-part series here at LeoHohmann.com and if you havent read those yet, I encourage you to do so.

The World Economic Forum globalists play dirty. Thats why we call them global predators. They hire and train politicians who are known psychopaths like Trudeau in Canada and Macron in France, or sell outs like Obama/Biden in the U.S. and Ardern in New Zealand.

None of Trudeaus actions should be viewed as that of a national leader. He is simply implementing the tactics he learned at WEF founder Klaus Schwabs Young Global Leaders program, from which he is a graduate.

Hence, any of the other Western nations now being led by politicians also committed to the WEF vision of the world would act exactly the same way given the same set of circumstances in their countries.

We know Biden is one of their cronies. He even named his landmark piece of legislation after the WEF slogan, Build Back Better.

The global predators knew their forced masking and mandated injections would eventually lead to worldwide uprisings and civil unrest. They predicted it in the Rockefeller Foundation document from 2010 called Lockstep. How to handle these popular uprisings was all discussed and rehearsed ahead of time  label them as criminals and hit them where it hurts, shut down their finances.

This is the Great Reset, in our faces. You obey, you get to keep a semblance of your normal life, though it will be nothing like your pre-Covid life. You disobey your new masters and you get otherized and canceled from society. Weve been talking about the Great Reset in theory for a year and a half. Now we have a clear example of how it works, right over our northern border.

In some ways, Trudeaus invoking of the Emergencies Act is worse than a military martial law. This is digital/economic warfare against the Canadian population. At least with the military you can see the enemy. This is worse.

Trudeau didnt even have to stage a false flag attack like Hitler did with the Reichstag fire. All he had to do was use his state-run media to label his political opponents, who are entirely peaceful, as white nationalist extremists. The state-funded Canadian media happily went along with his game plan. The U.S. media would do the same.

Trudeau has empowered banks to go after his political opponents while releasing these banks from all legal liability for their actions. This man is a traitor to his nation and his people. A monster.

We have the same NWO freaks in every Western capital, ready to follow Trudeaus example should their people get out of line.

We also have them in the churches.

Bergoglio in the Vatican is another one of their henchmen, willing to advocate any policy, no matter how anti-God and anti-human, if the order is given by the right elitist power broker. We know hes friends with Schwab.

Lest you think only the Catholics have their players in this realm, think again. On the Protestant side theyve got preachers like Franklin Graham, Tim Keller, Rick Warren, Robert Jeffress, TD Jakes and many others willing to whore themselves out for the New World Order.

Knowingly or unknowingly, the leaders of almost every 501c3 church, when push comes to shove, will toe the line of the new world orders Great Reset and Fourth Industrial Revolution. Many are signing up now for Mark Zuckerbergs Metaverse church services. Zuck is another graduate of Scwabs Young Global Leaders program.

Take heed, Patriots. They are coming after your bank account.

Tribulation is here, folks. Whether you want to assign a capital T or a small t to that word, its here. God have mercy. Christ have mercy.

Read more at: LeoHohmann.com
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, Xinhua news agency reported.

"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.
(Natural News) Family physician Dr. Vladimir Zev Zelenko warned against vaccinating people amid the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, noting that doing so enables the virus to evolve into more dangerous variants that bypass immunity.

COVID-19, which is a virus, has several reasons why variants developed. Every virus develops mutations  it gives them survival benefits. So its natural for some variants to arise that way, he said.

The pioneer of the Zelenko protocol  which uses hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), zinc and the antibiotic azithromycin for treating COVID-19  echoed the sentiments of different experts worldwide. If you vaccinate people during an active pandemic, you are causing evolutionary pressure to make more dangerous variants, he said.

The New York-based physician also put forward the possibility of bad actors being responsible for the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants. I dont have proof for it, but it is a logical deduction. Since we know that COVID-19 is a man-made bioweapon, the same people that created the initial weapon could create the variants as well, said Zelenko.

The family doctors theory appeared to line up with remarks made by cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough back in July 2021. During an interview with Del Bigtree of The HighWire that month, he pointed out the role of vaccines in the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants that bypass immunity. McCullough zeroed in on the Sinovac shot used in different countries as an example. (Related: At least half of new coronavirus infections now happening in vaccinated people as vaccine failure phenomenon worsens.)

In the case of India, it was the use of the Sinovac vaccine that really promoted the emergence of the [B16172] delta variant. Were seeing Sinovac again being the stimulus for the emergence of the [C37] lambda variant out of Peru. So mass vaccination is, in a sense, creating the problem of this immune escape of the virus.

Treatment, not vaccine, is the answer to COVID-19

Zelenko developed a formulation based on his COVID-19 treatment protocol. Dubbed as Z-Stack, it consists of quercetin, zinc, vitamin D and vitamin C that targets viral cells and prevents them from replicating inside the body.

He explained: Zinc is the bullet  it kills the virus. The only problem is: The bullet doesnt get to the place where it needs to be. The virus is inside the cell, the enzyme is inside the cell  and the zinc on its own cannot get into the cell. You have a bullet without a gun.

Now, it turns out theres a class of medications called zinc ionophores. What they do is they open up a channel, a door, which allows zinc to go from outside the cell to inside the cell. Zinc ionophores include HCQ and quercetin  the former being used in Zelenkos original protocol and the latter being a component of Z-Stack.

During a Jan. 21 interview with Clay Clark of Thrive Time Show on Brighteon.TV, Zelenko explained how he discovered quercetin as a zinc ionophore. According to him, he used HCQ as it was one of the most effective zinc ionophores. But a ban on HCQ put in place by former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo led him to use quercetin as an alternative.

What happened on March 27, 2020 [is that] an executive order [was issued] blocking pharmacies in New York state from dispensing HCQ. [It] was approved for 65 years for other indications and it was safe, so I couldnt understand why that was obstructed.

I lost a few patients because of that [since] they couldnt get medicine. I found peer-reviewed papers about a substance called quercetin, and so I started using that. I saw really great results and open-sourced that information.

More related stories:

The Stew Peters Show: Vladimir Zelenkos life-saving, effective COVID-19 protocols demonized in favor of vaccines  Brighteon.TV.

Dr. Zelenko: Covid vaccine mandates for children are coercive human experimentation, crimes against humanity.

Dr. Vladimir Zelenko calls COVID-19 vaccines the worst crime in human history  Brighteon.TV.

Dr. Zev Zelenko discusses his Covid treatment protocol with Clay Clark  Brighteon.TV.

Dr. Vladimir Zelenko tells Ann Vandersteel: COVID-19 is a bioweapon  Brighteon.TV.

Watch Dr. Vladimir Zev Zelenko explaining his treatment protocol to Brighteon.TV host Clay Clark on Thrive Time Show.

This video is from the BrighteonTV channel on Brighteon.com.

Pandemic.news has more stories about the COVID-19 vaccines causing the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Sources include:

BigLeaguePolitics.com

TheHighWire.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) In an incident now being described as Canadas Tiananmen Square  referring to communist Chinas brutal 1989 massacre of students and freedom protesters  Justin Trudeaus government regime has unleashed war horses to trample the elderly on the streets of Ottawa.

The following video, now going viral across the net, shows mounted Canadian police deliberately driving their massive war horses directly into a crowd of peaceful protester, causing the inevitable trampling of innocent human beings. At least one woman caught in the police assault is an elderly woman, and there are conflicting reports on whether she survived being trampled by police.

Brighteon.com/900f1108-497e-4801-a416-440c0dc89d1a

By invoking emergency powers last week, Justin Castro Trudeau made himself dictator of Canada, and he appears to committed to using violence, lawlessness and financial terrorism against the citizens of Canada. Just like the lying corporate media, Trudeau has declared the freedom protesters to be racists and terrorists. This, he believes, justifies trampling them with war horses and seizing their bank accounts and crypto funds.

Police ramming into protesters with horses in Ottawa. It is interesting how the legacy media is reporting that the protesters are the violent ones when these videos exist. pic.twitter.com/kPUoQTucrn  Marie Oakes (@TheMarieOakes) February 18, 2022

This next video explains that a peace loving grandmother was trampled to death by mounted police. There are conflicting reports on the status of this elderly woman, and other reports say she survived the assault, suffering a separated shoulder.

Brighteon.com/fd9d0fb0-2ce4-407b-b155-f5c8f6d74862

The freedom-loving people of Canada are rapidly waking up to the reality that Justin Castro Trudeau is following in the footsteps of Adolf Hitler in declaring a permanent emergency to seize power and nullify civil liberties.

As we reported yesterday, Canadas Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, is the granddaughter of an actual Nazi collaborator and propagandist who operated out of Ukrain during the Nazi massacre events that took place there. From that story, this compilation image is courtesy of The Gateway Pundit, showing Chrystia Freeland meeting with Justin Trudeau and George Soros during a World Economic Forum meeting. (The WEF is the organization that trains modern Nazis in fascism and dictatorial control. Trudeau is a graduate of the WEF training as well.)

The only question now is how quickly the people of Canada will rise up against this tyranny and demand the arrest and criminal prosecution of all those in the Trudeau regime who carried out these crimes against humanity.

Heres my Situation Update podcast from Friday that delves into more details about Trudeau, Freeland, Canada and the WEF Nazis:

Brighteon.com/19458f8a-bd7e-4b18-939a-730d6f9527e0

Find more podcasts, interviews and videos each day at:

https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport
(Natural News) The insidious ongoing push by Democrats to divide our multiethnic country by race is advancing to a new level. If they succeed, it is almost certain to be the spark that will finally ignite the race war they have been trying to start for years.

House Democrats, with their razor-thin majority, have introduced legislation that, if passed, would declare unconditional war on racism while also establishing a new federal Department of Reconciliation, which sounds suspiciously like a vehicle to dole out federal tax dollars as reparations for slavery that hasnt existed in the U.S. for nearly 158 years and no one alive today was ever a part of.

Declaring unconditional war on racism and invidious discrimination and providing for the establishment of a Cabinet-level Department of Reconciliation charged with eliminating racism and invidious discrimination, says a summary of the bill, which was introduced in the chamber last week, according to The National Pulse.

More than 30 House Democrats have co-signed the legislation, including some of the worst racists elected to public office since before the Civil War. They include Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota; Rashida Tlaib of Michigan; and Bennie Thompson, who is also chairman of the partisan Jan. 6 Committee.

The legislation has been referred to the Judiciary Committee.

The bill makes several false claims, including the usual complaints that America continues to perpetuate institutionalized racism as it goes on to lay out remedies.

Whereas racism and invidious discrimination  like poverty in 1964  remain pervasive in our country; Whereas history is replete with examples of victims of racism and invidious discrimination being denied life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; Whereas systemic and institutionalized racism and invidious discrimination exist in virtually all areas of American life, including policing, criminal justice, housing, banking, voting, employment, education, the environment, and health care, it states.

Naturally, no legislation accusing the country of racism would be complete without the mention of George Floyds death  which, by the way, so far has been dealt with by charging four police officers in connection with his death and already convicting one of them to multiple decades behind bars, something that would not happen in an institutionalized racist country, by the way.

The bill claims Floyds murder was yet another clear indicator that it has become necessary for Congress to take decisive, immediate and long-term legislative action to address the elimination of racism and invidious discrimination.

As such, the legislation outlines a trio of actions the House should take, including a condemnation of racism and invidious discrimination as evil and antithetical to the United States Constitution.

The bill also demands the federal government declare unconditional war on racism and invidious discrimination in America, and provide the resources and funding for their defeat.

And it calls for the creation of a Cabinet-level (of course!) Department of Reconciliation charged with ending racism and invidious discrimination, developing and coordinating the implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to eliminate racism and invidious discrimination.

The bill calls for funding the agency at 10 percent of the Department of Defense budget, which currently stands at around $715 billion.

The legislation appears to follow anti-racist activist Ibram X. Kendis demands for the creation of a Department of Anti-Racism (DOA), The National Pulse noted.

The DOA would be responsible for preclearing all local, state and federal public policies to ensure they wont yield racial inequity, monitor those policies, investigate private racist policies when racial inequity surfaces, and monitor public officials for expressions of racist ideas. The DOA would be empowered with disciplinary tools to wield over and against policymakers and public officials who do not voluntarily change their racist policy and ideas, explained the far-left activist.

Maybe what we really need is legislation prohibiting gaslighting racist liars from serving in Congress.

This is nothing but an ongoing effort by the anti-democratic left to attack Whites anew from a position of officialdom and authority, given the history of the cosigners of demonstrating anti-White animus. They literally want to institutionalize racism  against White Americans and especially Trump supporters.

The left wants to tear our multiethnic country apart using race as a weapon. These people are as dangerous as they are disgusting.

Visit Fascism.news for more news about the race war that the Democrats are trying to start.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

Democide.news
(Natural News) Researchers from Yale University and the University of Michigan published a paper about two boys who were found dead in their beds after getting a second injection of Pfizers Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine.

Cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough highlighted the study and the associated deaths in a Twitter post, revealing that these unfortunate children had no chance at resuscitation at the time when they were found.

Clear cut findings on autopsy, McCullough wrote. I testified in U.S. Senate 1/24 that one case is too many! Parents and kids should know more deaths will happen.

The names and ages of the two boys, both teenagers, were not revealed, nor was the location where they died. The paper was published in the medical journal The Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine.

According to the data, the boys were found dead in bed 3 and 4 days after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Both boys were pronounced dead at home without attempted resuscitation, the study explains. (Related: Braveheart actor Michael Mitchell similarly died just six days after getting his third Pfizer booster.)

How many millions of fully vaccinated people have died at this point?

Researchers say that the boys fatal myocarditis diagnoses were not typical, but rather resembled what is known as toxic cardiomyopathy.

In their paper, the scientists wrote that a microscopic examination revealed features resembling catecholamine-induced injury, which is not a typical myocarditis pathology.

The myocardial injury seen in these post-vaccine hearts is different from typical myocarditis and has an appearance most closely resembling a catecholamine-mediated stress (toxic) cardiomyopathy, they said.

Understanding that these instances are different from typical myocarditis and that cytokine storm has a known feedback loop with catecholamines may help guide screening and therapy.

These two deaths, as sad as they are, represent just a tiny fraction of the overall number of deaths that are occurring post-injection. The vast majority of covid jab-induced deaths never even get reported, it turns out.

Millions have died from those vaccines globally now, wrote someone at Newspunch. They dont vaccinate against contraction, and neither do they stop transmission. They arent even vaccines. Theyre more fraud.

Read the governments of different countries own vaccine deaths and injuries, and figures, and add them up. Then recall the Harvard study that concluded only 1 in 10 deaths is being reported.

It was actually less than 1 in 100 that are reported, not 1 in 10, according to the 2010 Harvard study, pointed out someone else. Many millions have already died from the vaxxes.

Over at Infowars, someone else said that it seems like more males than females are dying from these injections, particularly from heart injuries.

I think in most cases they would destroy the female population but are targeting males this time because males tend to fight and because there are too many males, someone else speculated.

The young are more affected than the old, suggested another. It appears the kill shot is designed to remove humans from the planet before they can reproduce. In women, it attacks their reproductive system and extends their periods. I know of a relative who is having issues with two-week periods after getting the shot months ago. Its a depopulation program.

Yet another suggested that the strongest in society are being attacked rather than the old, hence why young people seem to be getting hit the hardest by the jab campaign.

Pushing toxic masculinity to bead down the alpha males, this person further said. Fertility reduction in men since the 70s, now this.

You can keep up with the latest news about covid vaccine injuries and deaths at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

Newspunch.com

NaturalNews.com

Infowars.com
The beautiful Mount Etna is erupting in the Mediterranean with such force that it has drawn the attention of the astronauts of the International Space Station.

Members of Expedition 66, which is now in orbit, provided some views of the volcano from space, which erupted dozens of times alone in the last year.

Not a very clean shot since there is way too much humidity in Europes air at the moment but @astro_luca's home volcano #Etna is clearly smoking (and spitting lava as I learnt from the news)  pic.twitter.com/gL5uNOkZUy  Matthias Maurer (@astro_matthias) February 12, 2022

On the Russian side of the space station, Roscosmos astronaut Anton Shkaplerov transmitted a report down from orbit. "Red-hot lava oozes out of the crater, clouding the sky with ash and smoke over Sicily; the volcano's activity briefly slows, then continues with a series of explosions," as mentioned in a report in Space.

Related Article: Satellite Images Show Europe's Most Active Volcano Mt. Etna as it Erupts for 50th Time This Year



Mt. Etna Through the Ages

Mount Etna expanded 100 feet (30 meters) in half a year in 2021 because it was so active. Astronauts may help with satellite observations of natural events like volcanoes and storms by taking the International Space Station photos.

Volcanic plumes may reach extremely high heights, posing a threat to aviation traffic. At the same time, sulfur dioxide near the ground can irritate the human respiratory system, triggering asthma and other respiratory problems.

Mt. Etna's Activity

Mount Etna is thought to be an underground volcano that erupted above sea level owing to hardened lava after multiple eruptions, according to NASA's Earth Observatory. From as far back as 300,000 years ago, lava flows cover the mountain's surface.

Etna is an active stratovolcano on Sicily's east coast, between Messina and Catania, in the Metropolitan City of Catania. Above the convergent plate border, it separates the African and Eurasian plates. It is one of Europe's tallest active volcanoes and Italy's highest mountain south of the Alps.

Zeus, the deity of the sky and thunder and ruler of gods, was claimed to have confined the terrible monster Typhon beneath this mountain, and the forges of Hephaestus were also thought to be beneath it in Greek mythology.

Volcanism

Mount Etna is one of the world's most active volcanoes, with almost daily eruptions. Vineyards and orchards are scattered throughout the lower slopes of the mountain and the vast Plain of Catania to the south, thanks the excellent volcanic soils.

Mount Etna has been declared a Decade Volcano by the United Nations due to its recent activity and proximity to a population. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in June 2013.

About 500,000 years ago, volcanic activity began on Mount Etna, eruptions happening beneath the sea along Sicily's ancient shoreline.

Volcanism started around 300,000 years ago to the southwest of the peak (the volcano's center top), then shifted to the present-day center 170,000 years ago. At this epoch, alternating explosive and effusive eruptions built up the first significant volcanic structure, generating a stratovolcano. Major eruptions periodically disrupted the mountain's development, resulting in the peak collapsing and forming calderas.

Also Read: 'Well to Hell': Ancient Pit Uncovered in the Middle of the Desert in Yemen

For similar news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
The explosion of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano is considered the greatest eruption on the planet in the last 30 years, according to reports. Shock waves were heard as far away as Alaska, tsunami waves raced across the Pacific Ocean, and the ash plume rose high into the sky. Tonga was covered in ash.

Geoscientists employing satellite data to monitor changes in the Earth's surface temperature were less surprised by the Tonga volcanic eruption than the rest of the world. But the surprising force of the eruption left the world in shock.

Predicting Volcanic Eruption

Last year's eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma was less explosive but lasted over three months, whereas the Tonga eruption was tremendous but brief.

Both of these recent volcanic eruptions serve as a stark reminder of the destructive power of nature. Humans might be closer to predicting eruptions if they had a better knowledge of the natural processes taking place beneath their feet.

In the Science for Society 3D Earth project, an international team of geoscientists worked together to create the world's most advanced global model of the Earth's lithosphere, which includes the brittle crust, upper mantle and sub-lithospheric upper mantle beneath 400 kilometers of the planet's crustmantle.

In-situ measurements, principally seismic tomography, are combined with other satellite data, such as gravity data from ESA's GOCE.

As per Phys.org, researchers predicted that these volcanoes will erupt in their model, which depicts temperature variations or the thermal structure of Earth's upper mantle. It is, however, more difficult to predict exactly when this might occur.

Also Read: Scientists: Disastrous Tonga Volcano Eruption 500 Times More Powerful Compared to Hiroshima

Formation of Back Arc Volcanoes

Complutense University of Madrid researcher Javier Fullea explained that the WINTERC-G, which analyzes in situ tomographic and GOCE satellite gravity data, reveals a branch of the Azores plume.

Located near the base of the upper mantle, it can be seen from Earth's surface down to a depth of 400 kilometers. Madeira and the Canary Islands are surrounded by the cold mantle beneath the north Atlantic's African edge, which is fed by the plume.

This volcano is located in an arc basin formed by the subduction of the Tonga slab, which researchers can see all over the world. As the cold slab descends into the mantle, it is thought that back arc volcanoes form.

From such models and seismic tomography, researchers detect structures growing from vast depth beneath the Canary Islands. Known as hotspots or plumes, these anomalies represent heated material rising to the surface of Earth and are a constant source of volcanoes on the surface, according to ESA.

There are two distinct volcanoes that make up the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai cluster. In the Tonga-Kermadec arc, the Pacific tectonic plates merge with the Australian Plate. Above the plunging Pacific Plate researchers can see the layer of partially molten rock that feeds the volcanic arc.

Origin of Thermal Anomalies

At a depth of around 2800 kilometers, a structure known as the Large-Low Seismic Velocity Provinces (LLSVP) sits at the core-mantle border and provides the answer (LLSVPs). The surface behavior appears to be greatly influenced by these large continent-sized formations.

Convection cells driving plate tectonics are linked to major plume locations, according to Clint Conrad of Norway's Centre for Earth Evolution Dynamics.

Plume material is pushed against the LLSVPs by the flow along the core-mantle boundary, resulting in plumes. In models, the downwelling slabs that surround the two LLSVPs are responsible for this flow. For example, the Canary Islands sit above the African LLSVP.

In any case, it is still unclear how the LLSVPs got their start and how they've evolved over time. Satellite data and seismological models were used during a recent 4D Earth Science workshop to generate new hypotheses about the Earth's interior, which could lead to more detailed investigations in the near future.

Clearly a multidisciplinary approach is needed, where different types of satellite data are merged with seismological data in a common method to address the exact structure of Earth's deep interior, says Bart Root, one of the organizers of the meeting.

It's encouraging to see that the FutureEO Science for Society project, headed by ESA's Diego Fernandez, is delivering insights that will help better understand the deep-lying origins of extreme weather events like those in La Palma and Tonga, Root said.

Related Article: Scientists Warn Tonga's Historic Volcanic Eruption May Harm Environment for Years

For more news, updates about volcanoes and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Climate change signals might be found in sediment cores from the ocean floor dating back 23 million years.

According to a study by two Texas A&M University researchers, sediment cores from the Southern Ocean going back 23 million years offer insight into how past methane leaking from the bottom might have contributed to regional or global climatic and ecosystem changes.

Bumsoo Kim, a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M, and Yige Zhang, an assistant professor in the Department of Oceanography, have published their work in the current edition of Nature Geoscience.

Looking at Sediment Cores

The oceanographers looked at cores, which are sediment samples from deep regions of the ocean bottom, from the Oligocene-Miocene epoch, around 23 million years ago, in the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean near Tasmania and Antarctica.

Gas hydrates, ice-like crystals made up of water and natural gas, store billions of tons of carbon under the ocean's surface. Past methane leaks are thought to have been linked to significant earth events like global warming and subsequent climatic shifts.

Related Article: Study Shows How Big the Impact of Pharmaceutical Pollution on Rivers Around the World



Previous Beliefs

"For a long time, people believed that methane emitted from the ocean floor may directly contribute to the greenhouse effect, causing fast warming and potentially mass extinctions," Zhang stated.

"However, in the last decade or two, this notion has faded from favor since we lack clear evidence of methane release in Earth's history, and present studies reveal that even when methane gases are released, they seldom reach the atmosphere," he mentioned in a report in Science Daily.

However, using markers that consume methane, Kim and Zhang can now document historical methane leakage.

According to the researchers, these "methane-eating" chemicals have been preserved in sediments for tens of millions of years. They might be able to provide direct proof of methane emission from various locations in the Southern Ocean.

Related Article: What Happened During the Earth's Very First Mass Extinction?

Glaciation

Glaciation is the process of glaciers forming, moving, and receding, and it is most typically seen in Antarctica and Greenland. When enormous ice sheets grow, they absorb a massive quantity of water, potentially lowering sea levels by hundreds of feet.

The methane gas leak and its aftereffects, according to Zhang, resulted in ocean acidification and hypoxia (a lack of oxygen in the sea), which was noticed following the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe in 2010, when massive volumes of methane were released in the Gulf of Mexico.

Also Read:

Study Shows How Volcanism Might Have Affected Earth's Worst Mass Extinctions

What Exactly Causes Mysterious Deep Earthquakes?

For more similar news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Environmental group The Ocean Cleanup has denied organizing a large plastic removal operation after social media users said the debris looked too clean.

Ocean Cleanup has shared footage of an 8,400 lbs (3,810 kg) plastic towing net is removed from a portion of the ocean known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Organization received backlash after showing plastic removed from the ocean

University of Washington Associate Professor, Trevor Branch, spoke his opinion on the matter: The plastic they picked up, most of which they say is ten to thirty years old, is thus clean and free of the organisms that typically grow very quickly on something within the ocean, though he is not a professional in biofouling, others had similar queries.

David Shiffman, Arizona State University marine conservation biologist, also expressed suspicion on the matter.

"The imagery they confirmed is simply in no way what it'd appear to be if one has been to genuinely drag a large internet via the sea and scoop up plastic that has been floating there for years," he said.

"It's too brightly colored, not anything is developing on it, and that they didn't seize something however plastic," as mentioned in Greenmatters.

Experts puzzled why the hauled-up plastic appeared so clean, regardless of a few having been withinside the ocean for decades. Others raised worries that there seems to be no bio-fueling at the plastic, which refers back to the boom of organisms consisting of barnacles and algae.

This is what years-old trash looks like in the middle of the Pacific. Or, at least *some* of it should look like this. The Ocean Cleanup has some explaining to do. https://t.co/EM0eqUb8yP  Clark Richards, PhD (@ClarkGRichards) February 15, 2022

According to Newsweek, a 2018 study estimated there were more or less 79,000 tons of plastic in the patch. The Ocean Cleanup was founded in 2013 by Dutch inventor Boyan Slat.

It has the purpose of eliminating ninety percent of plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch through 2040, with plans to scale up its modern operations over the approaching years.

Why no biofouling? A combination of an oligotrophic waters (=little nutrients) and UV killing the fouling. When we do see fouling its in parts of objects that are permanently in the shade, away from UV rays.https://t.co/UWhQeeHmyj pic.twitter.com/zx3wJSBfc5  Boyan Slat (@BoyanSlat) February 15, 2022

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is what is thought as 'oligotrophic, ' because of this that it's miles very low in nutrients.

There's a cause those subtropical gyres in which they're presently busy catching plastic also are referred to as the 'deserts of the sea.' Nutrients generally come from rivers or the upwelling of deeper waters.

They use a trawler to catch the plastic attached to the back of the boat. The organization has created a system that uses large trawlers to maximize the amount of plastic caught.

By-catch, which accidentally catches marine life such as fish, is often an unavoidable part of fishing and plastic cleaning operations as modern nets and fishing gear effectively catch anything in their path.

Ocean Cleanup claims to have developed nets and techniques to avoid catches because nets and fish can easily enter and exit.

Also read: Ocean Cleanup Develops a System For Eliminating Ocean Plastics with Almost 20,000 Pounds of Trash Removed

Other organizations are also working on the cleanup

While it appears The Ocean Cleanup's efforts weren't staged, several different organizations have very similar missions. In 2020, we covered the incredible cleanup efforts led by Ocean Voyages Institute, which removed 103 tons of plastic from the notoriously contaminated area.

Likewise, Ocean Crusaders is continually monitoring ocean pollution levels, and hosting cleanup efforts, to safeguard each marine mammal, fish, and bird alike.

Within the end, it isn't regarding The Ocean Cleanup drama - what matters is that the organizations that are doing work to create our oceans are a bit cleaner.

Read more: The Ocean Clean-Up Device Is Ready For The Battle Against Ocean Trash
Bengal tigers abandoned 15 years ago by a traveling circus, who have since been residing in a rail vehicle in San Luis, Argentina are finally being rescued by Four Paws International.

The worldwide animal welfare organization introduced it has reached a settlement with local government to take them to a sanctuary in South Africa in the coming weeks.

A family of tigers rescued by the organization

According to Africa News, FOUR PAWS, an organization famous for rescuing wild animals around the world, proclaimed Wednesday that after an extended campaign to boost funds for the move, it'll take the four animals to their 1,200 hectares (12 sq. kilometers) Lions Rock big cat Sanctuary in the Republic of South Africa.

"We are presently running in close to cooperation with the Argentinian authorities, the Ministry of environment and sustainable development and therefore the farmer who took care of the tigers to place along the whole lot we wish for a speedy rescue of the tigers," Four Paws representative Katharina Braun said as per Newsweek.

In 2007, a visiting circus requested a local farmer in San Luis to attend to tigers housed in a specialized teach carriage for six months. The teach carriage becomes positioned at the farmer's land. But the circus in no way returned, leaving the farmer to feed and appearance after the 2 huge cats-a male and female which might be now 18 and 15 years old respectively.

The male and female eventually mated, giving birth to two cubs, taking the overall number of tigers living within the train carriage to four. Braun said the cubs, both of which are males, are estimated to be 10 and 12-years-old respectively.

Only if it's banned to stay wild animals in private in Argentina, the farmer failed to instantly inform the authorities that he had the large cats. Over the years, he tried to take care of them to the most effective of his knowledge.

Read more: Critically Endangered Tiger Shot and Speared After Killing 59-Year-Old Man in Malaysia

The endangerment of tigers over the world

The tiger (Panthera tigris) is one of the world's most recognizable animals, intimately related to power and untamed nature. A symbol of nature's wild places, tremendous in faiths and folktales of almost all civilizations, tigers encourage millions of people across the globe, from the monasteries in Bhutan to the catwalks of Milan. Sadly, tigers are on the point of extinction.

Just over a century ago, 100,000 wild tigers roamed throughout Asia. Today, fewer than 3,900 live in a mere 4 percent in their historic range. The biggest tiger population can now be located in India, domestic to 1/2 of all remaining wild tigers. Much of this decline has passed off withinside the past decade. As per WWF.

The tigers will be relocated to the Lions Rock Big Cat Sanctuary near Bethlehem, South Africa, which is one of 11 wildlife sanctuaries established by Four Paws around the world.

There are over 100 animals in the sanctuary, most of the big cats rescued by Four Legged. It provides a species-appropriate, life-long sanctuary for abused animals that cannot be returned to the wild.

Also Read: Endangered Sumatran Tiger: Mother and Cubs Found Dead in Traps Set by Poachers
On January 15, a volcano in Tonga erupted, giving satellites their first view of a plume of volcanic ash flying into the mesosphere, Earth's third layer.

According to NASA, the volcanic explosion in Tonga was the greatest since satellites began monitoring our globe. Two weather satellites passed overhead as the Pacific volcano ejected ash and gases into the sky with the power of nearly ten megatons of TNT.

The GOES-17 and Himawari-8 spacecraft, operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, recorded the eruption in infrared every 10 minutes for roughly 13 hours.

Initial Eruption

According to NASA scientists analyzing satellite images, the initial eruption of ash flew 36 miles (58 kilometers) upward, shattering the mesosphere. In this zone, meteorites fall to Earth, burn up, and form shooting stars flashing across the night sky.

The volcanic plume took around 30 minutes to cover that distance. Then a second plume ascended to more than 31 miles (50 kilometers). Both are visible in the satellite images below, highlighted in yellow. Because of the dry conditions in the mesosphere, the upper half of the plumes converted to gas and disappeared very instantly.

Kristopher Bedka, a NASA atmospheric scientist who specializes in intense storms, said in a statement, "We are lucky that our newest generation of geostationary satellites captured it so effectively, and we can utilize this data in novel ways to chronicle its evolution."

Related Article: Krakatoa: Volcano Strong Enough to Change the Climate Erupted Today in Indonesia



Pinatubo Eruption

According to NASA, Mount Pinatubo's 1991 eruption was the largest volcanic plume ever caught by satellites. That plume soared 22 miles (35 kilometers) over the Philippines, high into the stratosphere, but missed the mesosphere.

Tonga's volcano used to be fully submerged. When it erupted beneath the ocean and quickly surfaced, producing a landmass that united two previous islands, Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai, it drew the attention of scientists.

A sequence of severe eruptions in January wiped off the infant island. It ripped significant portions of Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai away, capping over a decade of low-level volcanic activity.

Although the region was deserted, the eruption and tsunami produced devastated homes, boats, and fisheries in surrounding populated islands and severing Tonga's underwater internet cable. The eruption claimed the lives of three persons. According to the World Bank, the catastrophe cost $90.4 million in damages or 20% of Tonga's GDP.

Satellite Mapping

Bedka and his NASA colleague Konstantin Khlopenkov utilized data from the two satellites to map the ash plume from the first eruption, similar to how our brains interpret images from our two eyes.

They used an algorithm to create a 3D profile of the plume by comparing the photos from the satellites and the varied angles at which they were shot. They created the technology to examine strong thunderstorms in the stratosphere.

Also Read: Tonga Volcanic Explosion Was Strong Enough to Send Gravitational Waves to the Atmosphere

For similar news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
There are millions of highly cultured and civilised muslim men across the world , who are unhappy about the restrictions placed on muslim women and overriding control on them exercised by muslim men. But , they remain silent , possibly fearing the Islamic extremists and some muslim clergy.

by N.S.Venkataraman

Islam has 1.9 billion adherents, making up about 24.7% of the world population There are about 50 countries, where the majority of the population is Muslim. Worldwide, there are about 30 countries with a Muslim population, in which more than 90% of the inhabitants belong to Islam. There are another 20 countries with a Muslim population of between 50% and 80%.

Those who have carefully studied holy Quran and its great teachings know that Islam views men and women as equal before God, and the Quran underlines that man and woman were "created of a single soul. . Islam clearly says that differentiation in sex is neither a credit nor a drawback for the sexes.

While tenets of Islam insist that women should be treated on par with women in private and public life, what is the ground reality ?

Today, in most muslim countries , women are subjected to some sort of restriction in one way or the other by the menfolk. In other words, section of muslim men seem to think that they are of superior class compared to women and thus many muslim men seem to get satisfaction by treating the muslim women in a way, as if women belong to secondary sex.

While some muslim extremists claim without proof that restrictions on women are as per the holy Quran, it has been vehemently denied by several muslim scholars around the world.

There have been obnoxious practices against muslim women in some countries by some muslim men such as triple talaq ( where husband can utter the word divorce three times and then legitimately he would have divorced his wife), insistence that women should wear burkha (covering themselves except the face) and hijab (piece of cloth covering the head and neck ). polygamy, (where muslim man marry several women) . Further, in several mosques, women are not allowed to pray in mosques along with men and women are asked to sit separately.While such practices enforced on muslim women do not have the sanction or approval according to holy Quran, the ground reality is that such practices are enforced due to the patriarchal control of womens body by men.

Of course, in all countries and in all societies including the western democracies , some women suffer due to exploitation by men but this happens only due to the uncivilised behaviour of some men and not due to the law of the land or any regulation attached to religious practices. However, the scenario seem to be different as far as the practices by some of the muslim men in some muslim countries .

In recent years, some of the muslim majority countries have tried to lessen the burden on women by banning triple talaq and banning hijab in public places. But, this is not so in all muslim countries. Even in muslim countries where some liberty has been given to women, it appears that some muslim men do not allow muslim women in their families to avail such liberties.

Many people believe that muslim women historically have been extremely frustrated and unhappy about the restrictions placed on them by men but could do nothing due to fear of violence and other form of harassment. Possibly, if muslim women were to be asked to give their views in a secret ballot, one can be sure that more than 90% of muslim women will express their choice to live in a free world without restrictions being placed on them by muslim men on how they should dress themselves and lead their life.

Freedom in personal and public life is the natural craving for men and women all over the world whatever religion they may belong to . While some muslim girls may like to wear burqa and hijab for whatever reasons certainly it would not be so in the case of majority of muslim women. Wearing burqa and hijab is not comfortable attire and if given the choice , muslim women too , like the women belonging to other religions , would like to dispense with such practice and in the process derive the pleasure of enjoying freedom to dress and live in the way they want.

The latest example is the happenings in Afghanistan where after the take over by Taliban, Afghan women have lost whatever freedom they enjoyed before the take over by Taliban. There were news that Afghan women protested and demonstrated in public against the control imposed on women by Taliban but at present, it appears that Afghan women have been silenced and have been forced to reconcile themselves to the restrictions imposed by the Taliban government, which is under the control of muslim extremists.

In a population of around 1.9 billion muslims in the world, roughly 0.95 would be women. It is difficult to state as to what percentage of muslim women are suffering in personal life due to atrocities of men but one can confidently say that this percentage is still very high.

The women who are physically weak compared to men and further weakened by restrictions imposed by men on the women over the years, cannot fight for their cause adequately strongly and in such struggle for freedom , women need support of the kind hearted and civilised men.

Historically, many regions in the world with people belonging to different religions have been dominated by menfolk who imposed cruel practices on women. The immediate example was the sathi practice in India ( wife would be forced to jump into pyre when husband would be cremated). This cruel practice was banned by law and does not exist anymore. What should be noted here is that the battle for womens right and freedom was launched by men like Rajaram Mohan Roy.

There are millions of highly cultured and civilised muslim men across the world , who are unhappy about the restrictions placed on muslim women and overriding control on them exercised by muslim men. But , they remain silent , possibly fearing the Islamic extremists and some muslim clergy.

Continued suffering of muslim women due to such restrictions is a reflection on the calibre of the muslim men who realise that this is wrong but allow such practices to go on by their silence. Obviously, civilised muslim men , who do not protest against the restrictions imposed on muslim women, too are responsible for the plight of muslim women.
New Castle, PA (16103)

Today

Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 58F. Winds SSW 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 58F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
The aircraft will be handed over to the US Army, which will install sensors before delivering it to the Sri Lankan Air Force.

by Hanan Zaffar

US company Textron Aviation has been awarded an $11 million contract for its new Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft. Built in Wichita, Kansas, the plane will be delivered through a foreign military sales contract to Sri Lanka with production set to be completed by September 2025.

Beechcraft King Air 360ER turboprop. Photo: Textron Aviation

The aircraft will be handed over to the US Army, which will install sensors before delivering it to the Sri Lankan Air Force.

Textron Vice President of Sales for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa Tom Perry said, The King Air has been the turboprop of choice throughout this region for more than five decades, and the new 260 and 360 will build on that legendary reputation.

We have incorporated innovative and next-generation technologies that enhance the flying experience for an already proven aircraft, he added.

The Beechcraft King Air family of planes is among the twin-turboprops manufactured by the company since 1974, the longest-ever production run for any civilian turboprop aircraft.

About the Beechcraft King Air 360ER

Measuring 46.6 feet (14.2 meters) long and 14.3 feet (4.35 meters) high, the Beechcraft King Air 360ER has been designed to reduce pilot workload with features such as ThrustSense Autothrottle, which provides precision control for optimized power output and efficient takeoff.

It has been developed to offer flexible and reconfigurable interiors to accommodate passengers and cargo, function as an air ambulance, or conduct other missions. The aircraft includes three 14-inch touchscreen displays, a multi-scan weather radar system, a dual flight management system, graphic flight planning, and a crew alert system.

Introduced in 2020, the jet has a maximum range of 3,345 kilometers (2078.4 miles) and can carry 11 people. It has a top speed of 560 kilometers (348 miles) per hour and a maximum altitude of 35,000 feet (10,668 meters).

Textron Aviation also manufactures the 350ER for government, military and commercial purposes, aerial survey, and surveillance.

In September last year, the aircraft received certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency, enabling the company to deliver to customers throughout the EU.

Source: Defence Post
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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
Tragic conclusion to missing persons story

WIA News reports on the tragic conclusion to a missing persons story reported on WIA News several years ago. The bodies of an amateur radio operator and his companion have been positively identified.

Russell Hill VK3VZP and Carol Clay disappeared two years ago in the Victorian bushland where the two had gone camping. The last message heard from Russell was on March 20th of 2020 when he made a QSO on one of the HF bands, reporting his location at Wonnangatta Valley in the Victorian Alps. No one heard from them again. One day later, campers discovered the radio operator's vehicle and the couple's campsite destroyed by fire.

Forensic testing has now confirmed the identity of remains found last November as those of the radio ham and his friend. A man who had been camping nearby -- was arrested last November and charged with two counts of murder. The man, in his mid-50's is due in court in May.

Victorian Police have described the couple's disappearance as one of their most high-profile cases.

WIA
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.
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).
One of the first positions on Michael McCuskey's list of new hires will be a secretary  because the former Urbana-based U.S. judge doesnt type. If anyone asks about the status of the two complaints pending in his office, he said, he may have to respond in a written longhand letter.
Longview, TX (75601)

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.
MADISON  A challenge to long-term lease terms like that at the heart of the Town of Paris solar deal could have major impact on the local project, as well as others in Wisconsin.

Opponents of a solar farm proposal in Dane County argue that utilities should not be allowed to buy the project because it depends on leases that may violate the Wisconsin Constitution.

Invenergy, the Chicago-based developer behind Paris Solar, is also seeking a permit to build a solar farm and storage facility on about 2,400 acres west of Cambridge, which three utilities, including We Energies and Madison Gas and Electric, want to purchase for $649 million.

The Town of Christiana and two residents who are against the project filed a motion Tuesday asking the Public Service Commission to dismiss the utilities application on the grounds that the leases are void under a little-known clause in the state Constitution that limits leases on agricultural land to 15 years.

According to the application, Invenergy secured land for the project with 25-year leases that can be extended for another 25 years. The opponents argue projects that depend on legally void leases cannot be in the interest of the ratepayers, or anyone else and should be stopped.

Paris Town Chairman John Holloway said the lease agreements reached with landowners here also have 25-year terms renewable for another 25 years at the discretion of Paris Solar.

Frank Joblonski, an attorney representing the Town of Christiana and the residents Roxann Engelstad and Edward Lovell, said given this is contrary to the state Constitution, it makes no sense for the PSC to approve solar facilities.

Constitutional wording

The language in question comes from Article 1, Section 14, which states in part, Leases and grants of agricultural land for a longer term than fifteen years in which rent or service of any kind shall be reserved, and all fines and like restraints upon alienation reserved in any grant of land, hereafter made, are declared to be void.

In support of their argument, the opponents submitted a one-page primer on agricultural lease law prepared by a UW-Extension professor who died in 2018 that says a lease of agricultural land for more than 15 years is void.

Jablonski said the provision was brought to his attention by people not happy with their communities being overrun by energy sprawl.

After researching it and confirming his reading with two other attorneys, Jablonski said hes confident the UW-Extension summary is accurate and that the leases for the project, known as the Koshkonong Solar Energy Center, are void, which he contends invalidates the application.

But there could be other legal interpretations of the 174-year-old document, and there are no court rulings to offer guidance.

UW-Madison law professor Heinz Klug said opponents may be misreading the clause, which was designed to prevent feudal tenure, a system of servitude, rather than restricting a landowners ability to lease out land.

Impact uncertain

Its unclear how a constitutional ban might affect other recently approved solar projects such as Paris Solar, which plans to break ground this spring.

The Paris solar farm is planned to be located on 5,350 acres of farmland about 1.5 miles west of I-94, bordering Highway KR on the north, Highway 45 on the west and partly adjacent to Highway 142 (Burlington Road) on the south.

Approximately 1,500 acres are slated to be developed to host the proposed solar facilities, including a large-scale battery storage facility for which Invenergy has requested approval from the Public Service Commission. The battery storage facility would add 110 megawatts, for a combined 310 megawatt system that could provide power even when the sun is not shining.

Iowa County project

Likewise, 25-year leases are also in place for the 300-megawatt Badger Hollow farm in Iowa County.

Spokespeople for MGE and We Energies, which jointly own Badger Hollow, said they were still reviewing the motion Wednesday. An Invenergy spokesperson had not responded to a request for comment.

Even if the developers and the utilities argue otherwise, there is just too much risk for ratepayers, Jablonski said. At this point, with the issue exposed, there may be too much risk for developers too.

Tuesdays motion marks the opponents second effort to derail the Koshkonong project, which has sparked fierce opposition from neighbors and the nearby Village of Cambridge, which wants to develop some of the farmland for future housing.

In November, the commission rejected a motion to dismiss the permit application on the grounds that Invenergy and the utilities were exploiting a legal loophole to avoid regulatory scrutiny.

Thats because unregulated companies like Invenergy dont have to justify the need or cost of a project or show that it is the most cost-effective solution. Utilities like MGE, which pass on the costs to their ratepayers, are held to a higher standard.

Invenergy and the utilities insist the so-called site and acquire method, which has been used in eight of the 11 large-scale solar projects approved by the PSC, follows the letter of the law.
Brain organization differs between boys and girls with autism, according to a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine.

The differences, identified by analyzing hundreds of brain scans with artificial intelligence techniques, were unique to autism and not found in typically developing boys and girls. The research helps explain why autism symptoms differ between the sexes and may pave the way for better diagnostics for girls, according to the scientists.

Autism is a developmental disorder with a spectrum of severity. Affected children have social and communication deficits, show restricted interests and display repetitive behaviors. The original description of autism, published in 1943 by Leo Kanner, MD, was biased toward male patients. The disorder is diagnosed in four times as many boys as girls, and most autism research has focused on males.

When a condition is described in a biased way, the diagnostic methods are biased. This study suggests we need to think differently." Kaustubh Supekar, PhD, study's lead author, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences

The study was published online Feb. 15 in The British Journal of Psychiatry.

"We detected significant differences between the brains of boys and girls with autism, and obtained individualized predictions of clinical symptoms in girls," said the study's senior author, Vinod Menon, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and the Rachael L. and Walter F. Nichols, MD, Professor. "We know that camouflaging of symptoms is a major challenge in the diagnosis of autism in girls, resulting in diagnostic and treatment delays."

Girls with autism generally have fewer overt repetitive behaviors than boys, which may contribute to diagnostic delays, the researchers said.

"Knowing that males and females don't present the same way, both behaviorally and neurologically, is very compelling," said Lawrence Fung, MD, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, who was not an author of the study.

Fung treats people with autism at Stanford Children's Health, including girls and women with delayed diagnoses. Many autism treatments work best during the preschool years when the brain's motor and language centers are developing, he noted.

"If the treatments can be done at the right time, it makes a big, big difference: For instance, children on the autismspectrum receiving early language intervention will have a better chance of developing language like everyone else and won't have to keep playing catch-up as they grow up," Fung said. "If a child cannot articulate themselves well, they fall behind in many different areas. The consequences are really serious if they are not getting diagnoses early."

New statistical methods unlock differences

The study analyzed functional magnetic resonance imaging brain scans from 773 children with autism -; 637 boys and 136 girls. Amassing enough data to include a sizeable number of girls in the study was challenging, Supekar said, noting that the small number of girls historically included in autism research has been a barrier to learning more about them. The research team relied on data collected at Stanford and on public databases containing brain scans from research sites around the world.

The preponderance of boys in the brain-scan databases also set up a mathematical challenge: Standard statistical methods used to find differences between groups require that the groups be roughly equal in size. These methods, which underlie machine-learning techniques in which algorithms can be trained to find patterns in very large and complex datasets, can't accommodate a real-world situation in which one group is four times as large as the other.

"When I tried to identify differences [with traditional methods], the algorithm would tell me every brain is a male with autism," Supekar said. "It was over-learning and not distinguishing between males and females with autism."

Supekar discussed the problem with Tengyu Ma, PhD, assistant professor of computer science and of statistics at Stanford and a co-author on the study. Ma had recently developed a method that could reliably compare complex datasets, such as brain scans, from different-sized groups. The new technique provided the breakthrough the scientists needed.

"We happened to be lucky that this new statistical approach was developed at Stanford," Supekar said.

What differed?

Using 678 of the brain scans from children with autism, the researchers developed an algorithm that could distinguish between boys and girls with 86% accuracy. When they verified the algorithm on the remaining 95 brain scans from children with autism, it maintained the same accuracy at distinguishing boys from girls.

The scientists also tested the algorithm on 976 brain scans from typically developing boys and girls. The algorithm could not distinguish among them, confirming that the sex differences the scientists found were unique to autism.

Among children with autism, girls had different patterns of connectivity than boys did in several brain centers, including motor, language and visuospatial attention systems. Differences in a group of motor areas -; including the primary motor cortex, supplementary motor area, parietal and lateral occipital cortex, and middle and superior temporal gyri -; were the largest between sexes. Among girls with autism, the differences in motor centers were linked to the severity of their motor symptoms, meaning girls whose brain patterns were most similar to boys with autism tended to have the most pronounced motor symptoms.

The researchers also identified language areas that differed between boys and girls with autism, and noted that prior studies have identified greater language impairments in boys.

"When you see that there are differences in regions of the brain that are related to clinical symptoms of autism, this seems more real," Supekar said.

Taken together, the findings should be used to guide future efforts to improve diagnosis and treatment for girls, the researchers said.

"Our research advances use of artificial intelligence-based techniques for precision psychiatry in autism," Menon said.

"We may need to have different tests for females compared with males. The artificial intelligence algorithms we developed may help to improve diagnosis of autism in girls," Supekar said. At the treatment level, interventions for girls could be initiated earlier, he added.

The study's other Stanford Medicine co-authors are scientific data analyst Carlo de los Angeles; senior research scientist Srikanth Ryali, PhD; and graduate student Kaidi Cao. Co-authors include members of Stanford's Maternal and Child Health Research Institute, Stanford Bio-X, the Stanford Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute and the Stanford Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, and the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grants AG072114, MH084164 and MH221069), the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, a Stanford Innovator Award and grants from the Stanford Maternal and Child Health Research Institutes, including the Transdisciplinary Initiatives Program, the Taube Maternal and Child Health Research Fund, and the Uytengsu-Hamilton 22q11 Neuropsychiatry Research Program.

Supekar is a Taube Family Endowed Transdisciplinary Investigator for Maternal and Child Health.
A majority of students, faculty and staff at the University of Michigan have been verified as up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, according to the universitys COVID-19 dashboard, which now includes booster status for the campus community.

According to the data as of Feb. 18, 98% of students and 92% of employees have been verified as having completed their primary vaccination series, while 66% of employees and 65% of students are verified as having received their COVID-19 booster.

An additional 17% of students and 12% of employees have submitted completed booster information that is in the process of being reviewed by the university.

Eleven percent of students and 9% of employees who are eligible for the booster but have yet to submit booster information are considered not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, putting them at risk for accountability measures for being out of compliance with the U-M vaccination policy.

Maintaining a highly up-to-date vaccinated community has been key to building confidence in the safety of our spaces and to our overall success in keeping our campus community healthy and together this academic year. We are providing this additional detail to highlight the level of vaccine protection our community has against COVID-19 at this stage of the pandemic. Robert Ernst, associate vice president of student life for health and wellness and director of the COVID-19 Campus Health Response Committee at U-M

The update to the dashboard follows the universitys Feb. 4 deadline for all booster-eligible community members to be boosted and report their information. The dashboard excludes Michigan Medicine employees.

The data available includes the percentage of students, faculty and staff who have been verified as receiving their COVID-19 booster, those who are eligible but have yet to receive the shot and those who are beyond the 30 days of their eligibility making them no longer up to date with their vaccinations, as well as those who are not yet eligible to receive the booster.

Individuals are considered up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations if they have received their booster shot or are within five months of a two-dose series or two months of a one-dose vaccine.

Other changes to the dashboard include the additional categories of in queue, which captures those who have submitted booster information for verification by the university and out of scope, which reflects the percentage of the community that has not reported vaccination or booster information to the university due to not being required under the mandate. This includes certain union employees.

Employees who are out of compliance with the booster requirement should follow instructions from their supervisor or human resources unit regarding reporting to work.

Students who remain out of compliance will have an administrative hold placed on their student account preventing them from adding or dropping courses, registering for future semesters and receiving an official transcript.

Individuals who are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, including those who are in the process of becoming vaccinated or who have an approved exemption or postponement, are expected to complete weekly COVID-19 testing at an on-campus testing location until they are up to date.

COVID-19 testing on campus is available through the Community Sampling and Tracking Program for individuals without symptoms, or through Occupational Health Services for employees and the University Health Service for students who are symptomatic.
Proud American Vanlines called itself a moving company but customers say it functioned more like a kidnapping ring for furniture, abducting possessions and holding them hostage.

According to the Justice Department, the Fort Lauderdale-based company stole the identities of reputable moving companies and used them to lure in unsuspecting customers. It allegedly covered its tracks by posting phony reviews on consumer websites praising its service.

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In fact, the feds say, the company would load up the truck with a customers possessions then jack up the price  threatening to auction off the goods unless the customer paid in full.

Read the full story at MiamiHerald.com.
(Newser)  Update: A woman who pushed an elderly man off a Las Vegas bus, causing his death, heard her fate this week in a Nevada courtroom. Per WFTV, Cadesha Bishop was sentenced Friday to between eight and 20 years behind bars for the 2019 incident, in which a 74-year-old man hit his head on a sidewalk after she pushed him out the bus door following a confrontation. He died a little over a month later. Bishop's sentencing came after she pleaded guilty late last year to one count of abuse of an older or vulnerable person resulting in substantial bodily or mental harm or death. Bishop, who'd initially faced a murder charge, had asked District Judge Tierra Jones to consider probationa request Jones denied, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I'm sorry for my behavior," Bishop, 28, said at her sentencing hearing. "I'm sorry for the way that I was portrayed in my lowest and weakest moment of my life." Our original story from May 2019 follows:

Security video recorded a woman shoving a 74-year-old man with a walker off a public transit bus in Las Vegas after he asked her to be nice to other passengers, and she's facing a murder charge after the man died, according to court documents. Serge Fournier hit his head on a sidewalk in the March 21 incident, police say. The Clark County coroner ruled his death on April 23 a homicide resulting from his injuries, the AP reports. Cadesha Michelle Bishop was arrested Monday on a murder warrant and was assigned a public defense attorney during her first court appearance on Tuesday. A judge ordered Bishop, 25, held on $100,000 bail pending a preliminary hearing of evidence May 21.

A police report says Fournier was moving up the aisle of the Regional Transportation Commission bus when he asked a woman who had been cursing at other people to be nicer to passengers, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. Bishop was accused of shoving Fournier out the door "with enough force that he never touched any of the steps" before hitting his head about 8 feet from the bus doorway. Police say she was seen in a security video walking away holding her son's hand. Court records show that Bishop was convicted twice, in 2014 and 2015, of misdemeanor domestic battery charges.

(Read more Las Vegas stories.)
(Newser)  Update: A Dubai princess, who was the subject of concern for her safety last year, has met with a United Nations official to assure her she's fine. The UN's human rights agency tweeted a photo Friday showing Princess Latifa, whose father is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, in Paris with Michelle Bachelet, high commissioner for human rights. The post says that the two met privately and that "Latifa conveyed to the High Commissioner that she was well & expressed her wish for respect for her privacy." The meeting took place in November, the Washington Post reports, though the agency didn't say why it was just now announcing it. Our original story from August 2021 follows:

There are still many unanswered questions in the case of Dubai's Princess Latifabut since she appears to be traveling freely again, organizers have decided to disband the "Free Latifa" campaign. The group issued a statement after the princess, who was forcibly returned to the emirate by commandos after an attempt to escape three years ago, was seen on vacation in Iceland with cousin Marcus Essabri, Guardian reports. The group quoted Essabri as saying: "I had an emotional reunion with my cousin Latifa in Iceland. I feel blessed that I got to spend time with her. It was reassuring to see her so happy, well, and focused on her plan." The Iceland photo was posted on Instagram by British woman Sioned Taylor, who also appeared with the princess in a June photo taken in Madrid's airport.

Earlier this year, the United Nations demanded proof the princess was alive after videos emerged in which she said she was being held captive. "The primary purpose of the Free Latifa campaign was to see Latifa free leading the life she chooses for herself," the campaign said. "We have clearly gone a long way towards achieving that goal over the last three years, with bodies such as the United Nations now monitoring the current and future wellbeing of Latifa." Campaign co-founder David Haigh tells the BBC that while her situation appears to have improved, people should still view "everything that's happening now with extreme caution and monitor the situation closely." Lawyers released a statement in June that quoted Latifa as saying she is free to travel and wishes to live "without further media scrutiny." (Read more Princess Latifa stories.)
(Newser)  The quest to fully unlock Stonehenge's origins is an ongoing one, and in a lengthy piece for the New Yorker, Simon Akam recaps some of the current research. His piece focuses largely on the bluestones that make up the monument. The sarsens are the behemoths; the bluestones are the smaller ones that stand among them. They're also the more interesting ones, in terms of their petrographythe science that involves tracking down the origins of rocks. While the sarsens are pretty similar to sarsens all over southern England, and have largely been traced to a spot about 15 miles away, the bluestones are much more challenging to placeand have long been thought to come from a staggering distance away, perhaps as far as 140 miles.

For the last 99 years, geologists have been trying "in earnest" to do just that, with Herbert Henry Thomas in 1923 suggesting the bluestones hailed from the Preseli Hills in west Wales, flagging Carn Alw in particular. Where we've gotten after nearly a century of research: "Their work had the effect of moving the posited site of origins two miles across one Welsh hillside," writes Akam. "Their work" would be, in large part, that of Richard Bevins and Rob Ixer, who connected on the subject in 2008. Akam gets pretty technical on what transpired, but it involves Ixer suggesting to Bevins that he had come up with a more precise way to establish the bluestones' origins, a shoebox of bluestone fragments from 1947, others collected in the '70s from the Preseli Hills, and new chemical analyses. There's a lot more to it, but they have flagged Carn Goedog as the likely source of a lot of the bluestones. (Read the full piece, which also talks about the theory that Stonehenge was a "moving monument.")
(Newser)  "We chose whats best for our family. We know there are going to be two sides, and some people wont understand." The New York Times lays out the sides in the story of Ava Majury, a then-13-year-old who downloaded TikTok during the pandemic and quickly established a presence, racking up more than a million followers and sponsorship deals worth thousands. By July 2021, an obsessed 18-year-old fan ended up dead outside her Naples, Florida, home. As for the choice Ava's mother referred to, well, the teen is still on TikTok. In fact, the now-15-year-old has since formed AGM Creations and gotten a PR rep. "Its like Christmas every day, because ... you see it build," father Rob Majury says of watching Ava's posts rack up views. But that day in July? Not Christmas.

Writing for the Times, Elizabeth Williamson details a chain of events that started with Eric Rohan Justin of Ellicott City, Md., reaching out to friends of Ava's in Florida and New Jersey (where her family lived until 2019) and paying them for photos and info on her, including her phone number. Ava herself, with her parents' OK, also allowed him to buy two photos of her face for $300 via Venmo. He then started requesting more salacious shots and sending her money unsolicited. Ava says she then learned that Justin was texting a classmate of hers about attacking her. After telling her parents, her father says he looked into Justin and reassured his daughter he was a "keyboard cowboy" living hundreds of miles away. Then Justin blasted open their front door with a shotgun; Rob Majury, a retired police lieutenant, ended up shooting him dead before police arrived. (Read the full story.)
(Newser)  Before the pandemic and a harsh crackdown on dissent upended life in Hong Kong, the territory was often considered China's "window on the world." But now, with omicron infections raging out of control, Hong Kong finds itself trapped between two worlds: The West, where countries are loosening restrictions and talking about finding ways to live with COVID, and mainland China, where authorities are still pushing for zero COVID at all costs. On Jan. 27, the territory set a record with 164 COVID cases. Three weeks later, on Feb, 17, it recorded more than 6,000 cases. Hospitals are overwhelmed and Xi Jinping has ordered Hong Kong to make controlling the outbreak its "overwhelming priority." More:

The dilemma . Hong Kong doesn't have the option of choosing to live with COVID, but without "Beijings full authoritarian tool kit or nearly unlimited manpower," it stands little chance of eradicating omicron, the New York Times notes. A mainland-style total lockdown of the city of 7.5 million is still considered unlikely, though officials are discussing ordering the compulsory testing of all residents.

. Hong Kong doesn't have the option of choosing to live with COVID, but without "Beijings full authoritarian tool kit or nearly unlimited manpower," it stands little chance of eradicating omicron, the New York Times notes. A mainland-style total lockdown of the city of 7.5 million is still considered unlikely, though officials are discussing ordering the compulsory testing of all residents. Troubling scenes. Authorities say the "tsunami" of omicron cases has "far exceeded" Hong Kong's capacity for treating cases, along with its tracing and isolation systems, reports CNBC. Elderly patients awaiting admission to COVID wards are being treated on beds outside hospitals, in some cases for days. Inside the overwhelmed hospitals, bathrooms are filthy and treatment rooms are crammed with patients and strewn with garbage, reports the Guardian.

How it went so badly wrong . The Guardian notes that many Hong Kongers have been sarcastically quipping, "If only they had two years to prepare." The territory recorded almost no cases of community COVID transmission in 2021 and health experts say it may have led to complacency among authorities and a failure to plan or prepare for a huge surge in cases. Hong Kong relied on a 21-day quarantine to keep omicron out, but one of the main sources of the current outbreak was a woman who became infected while staying in a quarantine hotel.

. The Guardian notes that many Hong Kongers have been sarcastically quipping, "If only they had two years to prepare." The territory recorded almost no cases of community COVID transmission in 2021 and health experts say it may have led to complacency among authorities and a failure to plan or prepare for a huge surge in cases. Hong Kong relied on a 21-day quarantine to keep omicron out, but one of the main sources of the current outbreak was a woman who became infected while staying in a quarantine hotel. The future looks bleak . Experts say that the worst of the pandemic probably lies ahead for Hong Kong, with daily cases set to reach 28,000 by March at the current spread. With restaurants and other businesses hit hard by restrictions, analysts believe the territory could end up in recession while other economies are booming. "Even though maybe zero COVID can be reached, there is still uncertainty on how long it can be maintained and what the cost is of maintaining it," says Natixis senior economist Gary Ng, per the AP.

. Experts say that the worst of the pandemic probably lies ahead for Hong Kong, with daily cases set to reach 28,000 by March at the current spread. With restaurants and other businesses hit hard by restrictions, analysts believe the territory could end up in recession while other economies are booming. "Even though maybe zero COVID can be reached, there is still uncertainty on how long it can be maintained and what the cost is of maintaining it," says Natixis senior economist Gary Ng, per the AP. A "loyalty test." The Economist reports that commentators on the mainland are increasingly viewing the zero COVID policy as a "loyalty test" that authorities are failing. They have accused Hong Kong officials of "worshiping" Western values of freedom and lacking faith in China's COVID control policies. They also accuse of officials of making reopening to other countries a higher priority than reopening the border with mainland China.

COVID fatigue . The BBC reports that after months of ever-tightening restrictions, COVID fatigue is rising in Hong Kong and the lifting of restrictions seems very distant. Carrie Lam, the territory's chief executive, responded to Xi's order by promising to "mobilize all available manpower and resources and adopt all necessary measures." The government says personnel are being sent from the mainland to assist with measures including COVID testing and the construction of new isolation facilities.

. The BBC reports that after months of ever-tightening restrictions, COVID fatigue is rising in Hong Kong and the lifting of restrictions seems very distant. Carrie Lam, the territory's chief executive, responded to Xi's order by promising to "mobilize all available manpower and resources and adopt all necessary measures." The government says personnel are being sent from the mainland to assist with measures including COVID testing and the construction of new isolation facilities. "Falling between two stools." Pro-establishment legislature member Regina Ip is among those calling for stricter measures. "Senior officials are held hostage by Western ideas about the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms which they hold in awe but do not fully understand," she tells the Economist. She says that as things stand, Hong Kong is "falling between two stools: neither as effective in controlling the spread of COVID as mainland China, nor as open as our rival city, Singapore."

Pro-establishment legislature member Regina Ip is among those calling for stricter measures. "Senior officials are held hostage by Western ideas about the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms which they hold in awe but do not fully understand," she tells the Economist. She says that as things stand, Hong Kong is "falling between two stools: neither as effective in controlling the spread of COVID as mainland China, nor as open as our rival city, Singapore." Election of new chief executive postponed. The election of the territory's chief executive by a 1,500-member committee has been postponed from March 27 to May 8, with the nomination process beginning in mid-April, RTHK reports. It's not clear whether Lam plans to seek re-election. On Friday, she said the postponement "matches the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important directive that controlling the epidemic is the overriding mission, over anything else."

(Last month, Hong Kong ordered the culling of thousands of pets after hamsters were blamed for an outbreak of the delta variant.)
(Newser)  Police arrested scores of demonstrators and towed away vehicles Friday in Canada's besieged capital, and a stream of trucks left Ottawa under the pressure, raising authorities' hopes for an end to the three-week protest against the country's COVID-19 restrictions. By midafternoon, the AP reports, at least 70 people had been arrested, mostly on mischief charges, and nearly two dozen vehicles had been towed, including all of those blocking one of the city's major streets, authorities said. One officer had a minor injury, but no protesters were hurt, interim Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell said. Police "continue to push forward to take control of our streets," he said, adding: "We will work day and night until this is completed."

The crackdown on the self-styled Freedom Convoy began in the morning, when hundreds of police, some in riot gear and some carrying automatic weapons, descended into the protest zone and began leading demonstrators away in handcuffs through the snowy streets as holdout truckers blared their horns. Tow truck operatorswearing neon-green ski masks, with their companies' decals taped over on their trucks to conceal their identitiesarrived under police escort and started removing the hundreds of big rigs, campers, and other vehicles parked shoulder-to-shoulder near Parliament. Police smashed through the door of at least one RV camper before hauling it away.

Scuffles broke out in places, and police repeatedly went nose-to-nose with the protesters and pushed the crowd back amid cries of "Freedom!" and the singing of the national anthem, "O Canada." Those arrested included at least four protest leaders. Police said late in the afternoon that protesters had assaulted officers and tried to take their weapons. Many protesters stood their ground in the face of one of the biggest police enforcement actions in Canadas history, with officers drawn from around the country. "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?" But a steady procession of trucks began leaving Parliament Hill in the afternoon.

(Read more Canada stories.)
Donning princess costumes and paper pirate hats, dozens of kids of U.S. Coast Guard members stationed in Miami surrounded first lady Jill Biden on Friday as she read them a childrens book about friendship.

What is the moral of the story? Biden asked the group of about 120 children sitting on the floor of the hangar at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station at the Opa-locka Executive Airport.

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Be kind to others, one kid answered. I love that, Biden responded.

First Lady Jill Biden, left, and Coast Guard Captain Jo-Ann Burdian, commander of Sector Miami, read to military families from the book "Norman Didn't Do It!" by Ryan T. Higgins, at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, in Opa-locka, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)

The visit was part of a listening session that Biden hosted with military spouses ahead of the Blue Star Books reading event, a partnership between Blue Star Families, an organization that supports military families and veterans, and Walt Disney Corporation to provide books for military families with school-age children.

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Biden has visited 17 different military bases as part of the Joining Forces initiative from the White House, which aims to increase employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for spouses who are forced to move frequently, education for children of military families and promoting emotional well-being. The Friday event was the first one with Coast Guard families.

Go to Herald.com for the full report.
(Newser)  President Biden told the nation Friday that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided whether his forces will invade Ukraine. "We believe that they will target Ukraine's capital Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million innocent people," Biden said from the White House, the Los Angeles Times reports, adding that he has reasons for concluding that's Putin's intention. "We're calling out Russia's plans loudly and repeatedly, not because we want a conflict, but because we're doing everything in our power to remove any reasons that Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine."

It was Biden's bluntest assessment yet of the situation at the Ukraine border. Asked how he reached his conclusion, per USA Today, Biden said he was informed by the nation's "significant intelligence capability." Up until the moment of attack, Biden said, diplomacy remains a way out of the impasse involving Putin, Ukraine, and NATO nations. "As of this moment, I am convinced he's made the decision," Biden said. The president promised to help the Ukraine people but again said US troops would not be going into the country.

The mayor of Kyiv told the Munich Security Conference that his city would resist an invasion. "We're ready to fight with our families," said Vitali Klitschko, who thanked the allies for financial aid from the audience but added, "What we need right now [is] defensive weapons." The leaders at the annual conference warned Russia that an invasion would cause lasting harm to global norms, per the Washington Post. Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are representing the US in Germany. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)
(Newser)  A voting rights presser on the Boston Common this week drew not only locals rallying support for get-out-the-vote efforts, but also one man who really wanted to criticize Mayor Michelle Wu. MassLive.com reports the protester, decked out in a mask and sunglasses, showed up at the Monday news conference and started heckling who he thought was the mayor about a case unrelated to voter rights. "You're a political puppet," he shouted out. "Why don't you look into it, Mayor Wu? Look into thatyou'll find the truth, Mayor Wu." There was one problem, however: The Asian American woman the man was jeering at wasn't Wu, but Beth Huang, a Chinese American who heads up the Massachusetts Voter Table.

Huang tells NBC Asian America it took her about 30 seconds before she caught on that the man was addressing her. "At some point I realized someone was trying to heckle Michelle Wu, and it's very clear that I'm not Michelle Wu," she says. Insider notes that, since her swearing-in in November, Wu, Boston's first woman and person of color to be elected as mayor, has been the object of "racist" and "hateful" language that's been especially focused on some of her COVID-tied policy decisions. MassLive.com notes that protesters have even descended upon the neighborhood where Wu lives, demonstrating outside the home she shares with her husband and two young sons.

Huang tells NBC that even though she's been mistaken for Wu before, and felt threatened when she was by herself, she felt safe with so many colleagues, journalists, and other attendees around on the Common. She even joked about the incident afterward on Twitter, noting, "If only being a 5'4" Asian woman imbued in me the powers of being mayor of Boston." Wu responded to Huang's tweet with her own: "We should make some good trouble with this." (Read more Michelle Wu stories.)
(Newser)  A bird that has never been seen in the US before has made its way to the Lone Star State, per the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and there's pictorial proof. Peter Witt tells KSAT that when he and his wife visited the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge last year, they realized immediately they were witnessing something pretty special when they spotted one of the preserve's residents perched on a branch. "We knew it ... when we spotted it since we had seen pictures taken by others and read about the bird online," Witt tells the outlet.

The bird Witt and his wife had stumbled upon: a bat falcon, a bird of prey weighing between 4.8 oz. and 8.5 oz. that typically breeds in Mexico, Central America, and South America, per the refuge, which notes the individual bird that's set down roots there appears to be a juvenile male. Witt says the couple had hiked into the preserve about 2 1/2 miles before they caught a glimpse of the bat falcon, which they observed as it swooped around in the skies and even caught local insects for dinner while they were there.

"We watched him for about 20 minutes ... a wonderful and unique experience," Witt tells KSAT. NBC News notes that the photos he took of the bird at the end of December are just now being shared by the FWS, which excitedly proclaimed on Tuesday: "This is the first recorded time that a bat falcon has ever been seen in the US!" Others are now posting their own sighting pics in the comments section. "Just saw him last Thursday!! He is beautiful!" one noted. (Read more birds stories.)
(Newser)  Rescue teams in Greece searched a burning ferry Saturday for 12 people believed to be missing after it caught fire in the Ionian Sea while en route to Italy, while passengers described a frightening evacuation from the ship. After working all night to try to extinguish the blaze that broke out Friday, firefighting vessels surrounded the Euroferry Olympia, which was carrying more than 290 passengers and crew. The Greek coast guard and other boats evacuated about 280 of them to Corfu. "When we got into the boats, I said, 'I escaped hell,'" truck driver Dimitris Karaolanidis told the AP. Photos taken Saturday morning showed thick smoke hanging over the ship, which was transporting 153 trucks and 32 cars.

A Greek coast guard spokeswoman said Saturday afternoon that none of the 12 missing people had been found, although she said only small pockets of fire were active in the ferry. A Greek prosecutor on the island of Corfu has ordered an investigation into the cause of the fire, which broke out three hours after the ferry left the port of Igoumenitsa, on the mainland in northwest Greece across from Corfu, for the Italian port of Brindisi. The Italy-based company that operated the ferry said the fire started in a hold where vehicles were parked. The ship's captain and two engineers were arrested Friday but were released the same day, authorities said.

Passengers described a dramatic rescue situation. "We heard the alarm, we thought it was some kind of drill. But we saw through the portholes that people were running," Karaolanidis said. "When I hit the deck, I saw smoke and children. Fortunately ... [the crew] acted quickly." "The moments were tragic. It was difficult ... Very difficult," said another truck driver, Dimitris Karavarnitis. "Thankfully the guys responded quickly and ... we will return to our families. That's what matters." On Friday, authorities increased the number of missing from 11 to 12 after discovering that one person from the ferry wasn't listed on the passenger manifest. The other missing passengers were believed to be mostly from Bulgaria. Officials said the people rescued included citizens of Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Italy, and Lithuania.

(Read more Greece stories.)
Shamokin, PA (17872)

Today

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 51F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 51F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Kingdoms education process is witnessing a broad development, thanks to the care of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

This was emphasised by the Secretary-General of the Higher Education Council (HEC) and Deputy Chairperson of its Board of Trustees, Dr Shaikha Rana bint Isa bin Daij Al Khalifa.

She noted that education is one of the most important pillars to achieve sustainable development and the economic vision of Bahrain 2030.

Marking International Day of Education, Dr Shaikha Rana stressed that this years theme Changing Course, Transforming Education comes in line with HECs objectives.

HEC seeks to accomplish important priorities for both the present and the future, including reviewing and developing policies and legislation related to higher education and expanding its scope to include all post-school education tracks and their non-traditional patterns.

She highlighted the councils most important achievements in 2021, including its ability to transform higher education through the development of qualitative academic programs following the requirements of the labour market.

It provided the option of remote and physical attendance for students of higher education institutions supported the research capabilities of members of educational staff institutions of higher education and affirmed the importance of scientific research.
Japan plans to start easing entry restrictions for non-resident foreign nationals in March. The education minister says he intends to pave the way for the arrival of foreign students waiting to study in Japan.

Prime Minister Kishida Fumio announced on Thursday that Japan will ease border controls on new foreign arrivals. He also said the daily cap on entries will be raised from the current 3,500 to 5,000. That number includes Japanese citizens.

The restrictions have left foreign students, who want to study in Japan, in limbo.

The government first introduced the pandemic entry restrictions in April, 2020. In May of last year, foreign recipients of Japanese government scholarships were allowed to enter the country. In November, rules were further eased to accommodate other foreign students.

However, the measure only lasted for three weeks, due to the emergence of the Omicron variant. Tokyo responded to the highly transmissible variant by effectively shutting its borders to new foreign arrivals.

When the entry rules were eased last November, the education ministry decided to use the dates on the foreign students' Certificates of Eligibility to determine the order in which their entry forms would be processed. A Certificate of Eligibility is one of the official documents required to obtain a Japanese visa in some of the visa categories, such as work or study. This time, the ministry says the dates on the certificates will not be used.

Foreign students are giving the decisions mixed reviews on social media. While welcoming the end of the travel ban, one wrote that "a lot of questions remain." The person asked whether students will be able to enter Japan before April, when the new school year begins.

Another student wrote that she received her Certificate of Eligibility in May, 2020. She said it is unthinkable that her application will not be given priority this time. She wrote, "Not so many people can wait this long."

Japan's education minister Suematsu Shinsuke spoke to reporters on Friday. He said he believes easing the rules will be the first step toward allowing foreign students to arrive. Suematsu said the students have been waiting anxiously. But he added that more time will likely pass before all the students can enter Japan.

The minister acknowledged that many challenges remain. He indicated that his ministry will keep Japanese educational institutions well informed about the new rules. He added that the ministry will cooperate with other government offices to keep the process moving forward.
As attention and urgency ramp up around the world over the looming dangers of climate change, a major new federal report released on Tuesday offers a surprising forecast: It actually reduces the amount of sea level rise the world is expected to see as the Earth warms.

For South Florida, the region with the most coastal real estate at risk, the sobering prediction is that the sea will continue to rise  about 11 inches by 2040  but the latest forecast is markedly less than atmospheric modeling runs produced just five years ago. That previous forecast called for 17 inches by 2040, a level likely to produce regular and damaging tidal flooding in low-lying areas from Key West to Palm Beach County and beyond.

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Its a change that really only amounts to a bit more breathing room, said Jayantha Obeysekara, head of Florida International Universitys Sea Level Solutions Center and contributor to the report. The end of the century scenarios are still bleak for Florida  five to seven feet at the new worse case projections.

We have a little bit longer time to act, he said, more time to prepare for something bigger, later.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report, issued every five years, produced a range of potential sea rise scenarios for the nations coastlines. The biggest changes in the updated forecast were in the higher range scenarios, which got significantly lower in Florida  largely the result, scientists say, of better data.

Ben Hamlington, co-author of the report and a researcher with NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said the latest report included intensive new research on the threat of melting ice sheets and glaciers in Antarctica, including the one nicknamed the Doomsday glacier.

No children were playing on the dinosaur or pony ride at the Little River Pocket Mini Park on Nov. 9, 2021, after the park was flooded with King Tide waters. This type of flooding could be much more common in the future as sea levels rise. (Emily Michot/Miami Herald file)

These scenarios really do capture the latest and greatest in science, he said. We have a little more confidence, regardless of emissions, what window were going to fit through by 2050.

In one other significant change, the new report also axed the apocalyptic extreme scenario that called for 10 feet of sea rise by centurys end. The least amount of change came in low-end forecasts, which arent often used for planning in this state. Overall, NOAA scientists said the refinements indicate growing confidence for what to expect in the next 30 years, which should help politicians and planners scrambling to adapt to rising seas.

William Sweet, co-author of the report and a researcher with NOAAs National Ocean Service, stressed that the report confirmed that rising seas remain a massive challenge for most coastal communities, which will still face increased risks of potentially devastating flooding from storm surge and high tides.

There is less sea level rise than projected in a previous report, but hitting those scenarios Im not sure Id say thats good news, he said.

On a press call to announce the new report, NOAA administrator Richard Spinrad said it suggests that sea levels will rise globally about a foot by mid-century, and slightly above that along the U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast.

This report is a wake-up call to Americans, but a wake-up call that comes with a silver lining, he said. It provides us with information needed to act now to best position ourselves for the future.

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Sea level rise is perhaps Floridas greatest threat from climate change. It threatens to erase billions of dollars in property value and thousands of homes in coming decades. As the waters creep higher, theyre already breaking the human-waste-filled septic tanks Floridians rely on, polluting major water bodies and threatening human health.

Sea rise also directly impacts how much damage hurricanes can do. A higher sea level means more water gets pushed ashore during a storm, which is the deadliest aspect of a hurricane.

For the first time, Florida has begun mounting a serious effort at helping local governments address the problem by raising roads and buildings, installing flood pumps and getting rid of the leaky septic tanks. In the past few months, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced more than $670 million in funding over the next three years from federal and state sources. But many scientists say resilience alone doesnt go far enough and that Florida, along with other states and nations, will need to dramatically cut the root cause of climate change  emissions from burning fossil fuels.

Scientists say that cutting emissions now wont stop sea rise immediately, since the atmosphere is already pretty warm, but it will make a difference later in the century. Spinrad said that theres a certain amount of sea level rise thats bound to happen by 2050.

Current and future emissions matter, but this will happen no matter what we do about emissions, he said.

Sweet, the report co-author, said the reason why the higher projections were more affected than lower projections in the new report is because the higher projections rely more heavily on those glaciers and ice sheets melting, and new research suggests thats less likely than scientists thought in 2017.

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The whole idea of where ice melts matters is quite relevant when it comes to how global sea rise manifests itself, he said.

Another update in the new report is a set of projections for future sea level rise that focus far more on how sea rise has already risen. For Florida, that set of predictions is pretty close to the new intermediate high NOAA projection.

Currently, South Florida governments rely on two projections for sea rise to decide where and how high to build. The higher one is the 2017 NOAA intermediate-high standard, which called for 17 inches of sea rise by 2040, and the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes median projection, which called for 10 inches of sea rise by 2040. The new NOAA projection, based on readings from the Key West tidal gauge, calls for 11 inches of sea rise by 2040.

(NOAA/Courtesy)

FIUs Obeysekara, who worked on the NOAA report and helped set the South Florida standards, said this may mean that local governments have planned for more sea rise than well actually see during that period  but thats a good thing.

If we have used a higher scenario for our planning up to now, now that curves are a little bit lower maybe we have more resilience, he said. If we are more resilient overall, theres no harm.

This story was produced in partnership with the Florida Climate Reporting Network, a multi-newsroom initiative founded by the Miami Herald, the South Florida Sun Sentinel, The Palm Beach Post, the Orlando Sentinel, WLRN Public Media and the Tampa Bay Times.
Japan Times - Apr 28

Falling to his knees and placing his forehead on the floor, the president of the tour boat company operating the Kazu I, which disappeared Saturday in the Sea of Okhotsk with 26 people aboard, apologized Wednesday, saying that the ships captain made the decision to go ahead with the tour that morning.
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VILNIUS, Lithuania  U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin assured the three Baltic nations Saturday that they would not be on their own if faced with security threats from Russia, but he stopped short of promising a permanent deployment of American troops in the former Soviet republics.

Austin was in Lithuania as a massive Russian troop buildup and other actions have Western officials saying that Moscow could invade Ukraine at any time, although Russia has denied planning an invasion.

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They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike, Austin said Saturday about the readiness of Russias troops to attack Ukraine.

U.S. Secretary for Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks during a media conference following his meeting with Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis, acting as Minister of National Defense, at the Defense Ministry in Vilniusat the Defense Ministry in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. Austin is meeting with Lithuanian officials including President Nauseda, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, as acting Minister of National Defense. (Mindaugas Kulbis/AP)

Lithuanian officials voiced concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putins alleged ambitions could expand to the entire region.

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The battle for Ukraine is a battle for Europe. If Putin is not stopped there, he will go further, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said during a joint news conference with Austin. They are choosing the way that is based on force. We need to send a very clear and unambiguous message that it would be faced by a very clear and swift response.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte noted that some European political leaders a few years ago spoke of NATO being irrelevant.

Putin must be surprised now by the unity of the West, which is much stronger than ever, Simonyte told The AP. " Now we see how relevant NATO is and how important it is that we have absolute unity of NATO and the European Union. And the most important message to Mr. Putin is that there will be no decisions on countries behind the countries back. This is what he wants to achieve.

She scolded Western nations for not taking signals coming from Moscow seriously enough in the past years. Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and began backing separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, including the Donbas region, that same year.

If the threat from Russia would have been taken seriously by the West, there would have been no Crimea and no Donbas. A lot in the future will depend on how strong the Western reaction will be if Russia invades Ukraine, Simonyte said. Bad peace is better than a good war. Diplomacy should be given a chance, but there will be no trust (in Russia) anymore and I do not see how it can be restored.

The three Baltic nations  Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia  joined NATO on the same day in March 2004, and the alliance operates under the principle that an attack on one member is an attack on them all. Lithuania, a nation of 2.8 million, borders Russian ally Belarus and Russias Kaliningrad exclave.

I want everyone in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia to know  and I want President Putin and the Kremlin to know  that the United States of America stands with our allies, Austin said during the news conference in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital.

Austin also met with Simonyte, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and the defense ministers of Latvia and Estonia on his two-day visit to Lithuania.

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Nauseda asked Washington for a permanent deployment of a rotating battalion in the Baltics, emphasizing that the situation in Eastern Europe continues to deteriorate.

Russias military buildup on NATOs eastern border changes the overall security situation. Therefore, the decision to reinforce security in the region with additional troops from the United States and to accelerate collaboration on military acquisitions is critical, Nauseda said.

Austin did not comment on the request. United States has deployed regular rotations of battle groups of about 500 soldiers and armored vehicles since 2019.

Germany and The Netherlands said this month that they would increase the number of troops by several hundred soldiers in NATOs battlegroup in Lithuania. The Dutch force is part of NATO German-led battlegroup deployed in Lithuania since 2017.
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.
DANBURY  For Robert Talarico, practicing law was a chance to build relationships with people and help others.

Colleagues remembered Talarico, a longtime attorney and probate judge in Danbury, who died on Feb. 14 at 79, for his professionalism and affability.

He was unfailingly courtesy and civil to clients, to adversaries, to the courts, to anyone, said Steven Olivo, his partner at their firm, Talarico, Frizzell and Olivo, which they started in 1998. I think that's something that anyone should admire and probably try to learn from.

Practicing law from 1965 to his retirement in 2020, Talarico was Danburys assistant corporation counsel in the 1970s and 1980s and a probate judge from 1988 to 1990, as well as owning law firms over the years. He specialized in probate and real estate law, in addition to being one of the first six state attorney trial referees appointed by the state Superior Court in Danbury, Olivo said.

With his ethical, honest and knowledgeable nature, he set a high bar for what lawyers should be like, said Probate Judge Dianne Yamin, who was a court-appointed attorney during Talaricos time as probate judge. When she was elected to replace him in 1990, he let her sit in on hearings before her term started.

It was helpful to me to have a wise mentor such as him to show me the ropes and process and procedures, Yamin said.

Talaricos even-tempered attitude was perfect for supporting grieving clients through sometimes complicated probate cases, Yamin said.

Community involvement

Talarico and his wife, Barbara, married in 1968 and have two sons, Edward and John. He had five grandchildren, two sisters and many nieces, nephews and cousins, according to his obituary.

His laugh was contagious and could bring joy to any room he entered, his obituary states.

Talarico was active in the local Democratic party and was friends with Republican Mayor Dean Espositos Democratic father and grandfather.

Bob was an outstanding guy, Esposito said. Hes a good friend of the family and a really good Danburian.

His obituary notes that he was born in Danbury, attending St. Peter School and Danbury High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from University of Connecticut and graduated first in his class from the University of Connecticut Law School in 1965.

At St. Peter Church of Danbury, he was a lector and trustee. He earned the Order of Knight of St. Gregory of the Roman Catholic Church and The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, his obituary states. His funeral Mass was held on Thursday evening at St. Peters.

He was very spiritual, said Yamin, adding they often saw each other at fundraising events.

He was the founding director of the Pope John Paul II Center for Healthcare, served on the Board of Directors of Ability Beyond, and was a member and former director of the Regional YMCA. He was also a member of the Exchange Club of Danbury, the Amerigo Vespucci Lodge S.O.I.A., and the Danbury and Connecticut Bar Associations, according to his obituary.

The family asked contributions in his memory be made to Anns Place or St. Peter Church.

His reputation spoke for himself, Esposito said. He was just a really good person that tried to do the best for everyone.

For former Democratic Mayor Gene Eriquez, Talarico was treasurer for his election campaigns and special counsel, according to the Connecticut Law Tribune.

He exemplified all that you would want an attorney to be, Eriquez told the publication. He was a man with great integrity and honesty. A good, decent person who set an example for others to live by.

In his free time, he enjoyed biking, reading and visiting his home in Cape Cod.

He read many books, many different types of books, was a voracious reader, Olivo said.

Laszlo Pinter, Danburys corporation counsel, described Talarico as a classic attorney. Talarico had left the corporation counsels office long before Pinter joined, but the latter said Talarico had a deep grasp on how unique municipal law is.

Very few attorneys really understand municipal law deeply, and he probably is one of those people, Pinter said.

Olivo met Talarico about 47 years ago when the former became an attorney. Talarico was already practicing law.

He was one of the guys that was held up as an example to follow, for all young lawyers coming in, Olivo said. He just led by example, so to speak
RIDGEFIELD  The town is seeking to structure a lease agreement with the state Department of Transportation that would allow a popular food truck to reopen in its former location on Route 7.

The Zawack Shack used to operate in a highway pull-off area across the street from the Days Inn by Wyndham, just a mile north of Branchville. It sold lunch items to townfolk, truckers and travelers for 11 years, and became a go-to eatery during the pandemic.

But last fall, state officials ordered Greg Zawacki to close in the middle of the lunch rush. Zawackis mother, Joan, said they were given an hour to vacate the premises.

According to a Department of Motor Vehicles regulation, no person, firm or corporation shall distribute, sell or offer for sale any goods within the highway right of way except at facilities provided and as set forth in contracts with the commissioner.

The property, from what we understand, has always been a pull-off area, said Joan Zawacki in an earlier interview.

The Zawackis attempted to obtain a lease for the area when they opened the business, but the request was denied, Joan Zawacki said. The state, however, allowed the owners to operate provided they get approval from the town and carry insurance on the truck. Both conditions were maintained, she added.

To save the Zawack Shack, the town is looking to structure a formal lease agreement with the DOT that would enable it to reopen for business on Route 7, First Selectman Rudy Marconi said.

Under Sec. 13a-80 of the departments regulations, the commissioner may sell, lease and convey  or enter into agreements concerning any land  owned by the state and obtained for or in connection with highway purposes. The department shall also offer parcels that are not legal lots of record to abutting landowners.

Ridgefield is the owner of the abutting property, Marconi said of the pull-off area, so I have asked if the town  can structure a lease.

If the state agreed to the terms, the town would hire a surveyor  which the Zawackis have agreed to pay for  to specify the parcel in question. The town would then lease that parcel from the state and sublet it to the Zawack Shack.

Marconi said the town has a similar agreement with the Department of Environmental Energy and Protection relative to a piece of state-owned land at the Woodcock Nature Center.

Joan Zawacki had filed a Freedom of Information request with the DOT to determine if a complaint had been lodged against the business. But in a Nov. 5 email, Melanie Fadoir, a supervising property agent with the departments Division of Rights of Way, informed her that the violation was noted during a site inspection, and she subsequently referred the matter to the district for enforcement.

The Zawackis hope to reach an agreement with the state before spring. The business experienced financial impact after it was shut down in October, Joan Zawacki said, noting the truck is usually its busiest before it closes for the winter.

The support we need is for people to (contact) the commissioner and say, can we have this before April?, she said. The state could take years to do something, and by that point wed probably be out of business. Time is of the essence.

alyssa.seidman@hearstmediact.com
/NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/

TSXV: MKT OTC: MKTDF

CALGARY, AB, Feb. 18, 2022 /CNW/ - DeepMarkit Corp., ("DeepMarkit" or the "Company") (TSXV: MKT) (OTC: MKTDF), a technology company focused on creating new tools and technologies to aid businesses in sales development and increasing profitability, is pleased to announce today's closing of its previously announced acquisition ("Acquisition") of First Carbon Corp. ("First Carbon") and concurrent non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of units of the Company ("Units"). The Company has also appointed Mr. James Henning to its board of directors (the "Board").

First Carbon Acquisition

The Acquisition of all the outstanding common shares of First Carbon (each, a "First Carbon Share") was completed pursuant to the terms of a share purchase agreement entered into among the Company, First Carbon and each holder of First Carbon Shares (each, a "First Carbon Shareholder"), dated January 17, 2022 (the "Definitive Agreement"). Pursuant to the terms of the Definitive Agreement, the Company acquired all 39,474,999 First Carbon Shares in exchange for 15,000,000 common shares of the Company ("Common Shares") issued to the First Carbon Shareholders at a deemed price of $0.50 per DeepMarkit Share, for aggregate deemed consideration of $7,500,000. First Carbon Shareholders holding 2,849,905 Common Shares issued in connection with the Acquisition have delivered lock-up agreements to the Company in which they have agreed not to trade such shares prior to October 15, 2022. All of the Common Shares issued in connection with the Acquisition are subject to a four-month hold period required under applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange").

Private Placement

Pursuant to the Private Placement, the Company issued 4,335,000 Units for a price of $0.50 per Unit, for gross proceeds of $2,167,500. Each Unit is comprised of one Common Share and one Common Share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional Common Share of DeepMarkit at an exercise price of $1.25 for a period of three years from the date of issuance. In connection with the Private Placement, the Pursuant to the closing of the Private Placement, DeepMarkit paid cash commissions to qualified non-related parties in the aggregate amount of $125,125 ($56,000 of the cash commissions payable were paid by the Company by the issuance of 112,000 Common Shares) and issued an aggregate of 250,250 compensation warrants entitling the holders to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.50 per share for a period of three years from the date of issuance. The net proceeds from the Private Placement will be used to fund continued business and corporate operations of DeepMarkit (for which it is estimated that approximately 40% of the net proceeds will be allocated), as well as the operations of First Carbon (for which it is estimated that approximated 60% of the net proceeds will be allocated), with such uses to include product development, marketing and sales, systems and technology related costs, investor relations expenses, as well as general and administrative and corporate expenses.

Director Appointment

The Company is also pleased to welcome Mr. James Henning to its board of directors. Mr. Henning is a Chartered Accountant and the founder and president of Corpfinance Advisors Inc. since 1984. James is an expert with practical experience in valuating businesses in a broad range of industries and he has assisted companies with financings, public offerings and restructurings. His areas of expertise include the retail cannabis, manufacturing, telecommunications, software, biomedical, oil and gas services as well as renewable energy industries. Mr. Henning has served as a Chief Financial Officer and director for a number of TSXV and Canadian Securities Exchange-listed companies over the past several years. He was nominated by First Carbon to be appointed to the Company's board pursuant to the Definitive Agreement.

No "Control Person" has been created as a result of the Acquisition or the Private Placement, and the Acquisition is an "Arm's Length Transaction" as such terms are defined in Policy 1.1 of the Exchange. There were no finder's fees payable in connection with the Acquisition.

Early Warning Disclosure

As a result of the completion of the Acquisition and Private Placement and resulting issuances of Common Shares from treasury, Ranjeet Sundher's holdings have decreased, triggering the requirement to file an early warning report. As of November 8, 2021 (being the date of his last early warning report), Mr. Sundher held, directly and indirectly (including through 1323552 B.C. Ltd.), 13,455,974 Common Shares, representing approximately 65.42% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. Following completion of the Acquisition and Private Placement, Mr. Sundher continues to hold 13,455,974 Common Shares (and no additional options, warrants or other securities convertible or exchangeable into Common Shares), which is now equal to approximately 33.31% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares, on the basis of there being 40,015,707 Common Shares outstanding as of the date hereof. In the future, Mr. Sundher may, from time to time, increase or decrease his direct and indirect ownership, control or direction over Common Shares or other securities of the Company through market transactions, private agreements, or otherwise, depending on market conditions and other relevant factors.

A copy of the early warning report filed by Mr. Sundher in connection may be obtained by contacting Mr. Sundher, at 403-537-0067, and will be available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Overview of First Carbon

First Carbon is a software infrastructure company operating in the tokenization vertical of the blockchain. First Carbon's primary asset, MintCarbon.io, is a web-based, software-as-a-service platform that facilitates the minting of carbon credits into non-fungible tokens. MintCarbon.io is currently completing testing in anticipation of the official launch of the platform in the near future.

ABOUT DEEPMARKIT

DeepMarkit Corp. is a technology company focused on creating new tools and technologies to aid businesses in sales development and increasing profitability.

On behalf of:

DEEPMARKIT CORP.

"Ranjeet Sundher"

Ranjeet Sundher, Interim CEO

Web: www.deepmarkit.com

Twitter: @DeepMarkit

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

Statements in this press release may contain forward-looking information. Any statements that are contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds, and statements with respect to the business plans of DeepMarkit and First Carbon generally. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of DeepMarkit. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and DeepMarkit does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by securities law.

SOURCE DeepMarkit Corp.

For further information: Ranjeet Sundher, Interim CEO, Tel: 403-537-0067, Email: [email protected]
Earlier, the Punjab Chief Minister had written to Shah alleging that the banned organization Sikhs for Justice is in touch with AAP. he Union Home Minister assured the Punjab Chief Minister that the central government took cognizance of the matter

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. 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 countrys 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.

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 countrys 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.
The tweet claimed that a call for the ban on entry of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders into Kuwait was endorsed by a group of Kuwaiti parliamentarians over the hijab controversy that originated in Karnataka.

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait on Friday strongly condemned a tweet by Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor wherein the parliamentarian had quoted a tweet by a Kuwaiti lawyer, Mejbel Al Sharika. The tweet claimed that a call for the ban on entry of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders into Kuwait was endorsed by a group of powerful Kuwaiti parliamentarians over the hijab controversy that originated in Karnataka. Sharing the tweet, Tharoor wrote, 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.

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

The Indian Embassy then issued a statement slamming Tharoor for retweeting a tweet by a Pakistani agent and revealed that Mejbel Al Sharika has been conferred the Ambassador of Peace award by Pakistan. The tweet by the Indian mission said, 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.

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

Issuing a clarification later, Tharoor said that he did not endorse the view of the individual in question but was concerned as the sentiment he conveyed is shared by many friends of India.

I dont endorse this individual, whom id never heard of, but am concerned about the sentiment he conveys, which is sadly shared by many who are friends of India. While accepting @indembkwts view, I urge GoI not2give ammo to such anti-India elements by condoning misconduct here. https://t.co/5McqqMwqtQ  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 18, 2022

Earlier, MEA had asked other countries to refrain from commenting on the issue of dress code in educational institutions in Karnataka, stating that motivated comments on our internal issues arent welcome.
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.
Three Democrats  Charlie Crist, Nikki Fried and Annette Taddeo  are vigorously competing for what in many ways is an unenviable job: running as the Democratic nominee against Floridas Republican governor, Ron DeSantis.

The nominee Democrats choose in the Aug. 23 primary could become Floridas next governor.

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Six months before primary day, theyre all running behind DeSantis in public opinion polls and money. DeSantis enjoys enormous popularity among the Republican Party base in an increasing red state and has a Donald Trump-like ability to command attention and dominate the news.

[ RELATED: Does the Democratic Party have any chance of defeating DeSantis in November? Here's what they have to do to have any hope. ]

Crist, Fried and Taddeo all lambaste DeSantis performance. All share views on major issues.

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And all three are courting key Democratic constituencies. Each of the three, for example, spoke to the mid-February winter conference of the Florida LGBTQ Democrats in St. Petersburg. Each of the three condemned abortion restrictions moving through the Republican-controlled Legislature.

That leaves Democratic primary voters to choose among Crist, Fried and Taddeo based on their assessments of the candidates backgrounds and personalities  and who they think has the best chance to defeat DeSantis.

Democratic candidates for Governor of Florida: Nikki Fried, Charlie Crist and Annette Taddeo. (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Many factors play into that assessment. In a party that increasingly prizes diversity, Crist is a 65-year-old white man, Fried is a 44-year-old-woman and Taddeo is a 54-year-old Hispanic woman. Fried and Taddeo are both Jewish.

Crist announced his candidacy in May 2021, Fried announced in June, and Taddeo announced in October. All had spent months running unofficially before formally entering the race.

Crist  a former Republican governor who is now a Democratic congressman  is the clear frontrunner for the nomination, thanks largely to his long tenure in multiple elected offices and several statewide candidacies, making him far more familiar to voters than Fried or Taddeo.

[ RELATED: Gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried says all-female ticket would help Democrats win everything ]

Right now, Charlies in the drivers seat six months out, said Chris Smith of Fort Lauderdale, a former Democratic Party leader in the Florida House and Florida Senate. He isnt endorsing any of the candidates in the primary contest.

It seems that Charlie Cist is the clear frontrunner, solely based on his name recognition and statewide experience, said Sean Forman, a political scientist at Barry University. It doesnt appear like thats going to change.

Even though the primary and election are months away, Forman said theres not a large window for Fried or Taddeo to overtake Crist.

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I just dont know what Nikki Fried can do to change the dynamics. Shes trying everything. Shes the main attack dog against everything that Governor DeSantis says or does. And she might get some social media traction, but its not leading to fundraising or the rise in poll numbers, Forman said.

[ RELATED: Operation BlackOut, spearheaded by Browards Shevrin Jones, aims to increase mail voting to aid Democrats ]

A Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy survey released Feb. 15 found 44% of Democrats surveyed supporting Crist, 27% Fried and 3% for Taddeo.

The survey of 400 likely Democratic primary voters had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

Kevin Cate, strategist for Frieds campaign, downplayed the Mason-Dixon numbers.

Writing on Twitter, he acknowledged that this poll sucks for every Democrat on here. But if anyone thinks this poll bodes well for Charlie, they are very misguided. He noted that Crist is universally well know, and Fried isnt, giving her much more room to grow in a potential general election matchup with DeSantis.

Crist also has a financial advantage. Reports show he raised $717,000 in January and had a balance of $4.3 million in his campaign accounts as of Feb. 1.

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Fried raised $313,000 in January, and had a balance of $3.6 million.

Taddeo raise $195,000 in January and had a balance of $759,000. As a state senator, Taddeo is restricted by rules prohibiting lawmakers from fundraising during a legislative session, putting her at a disadvantage to Crist and Fried.

A sign of stress in Frieds campaign: She changed campaign managers six months before the primary. It looks like disaster in that campaign, said Sean Foreman, a political scientist at Barry University.

As they attempt to appeal to Democratic primary voters, both Fried and Taddeo have cited Crists Republican past.

Lets start with the fact that Im a lifelong Democrat, Fried said at a February campaign event in Oakland Park when a woman asked how shes different from Crist. Lets start with the fact that Im not going to come here today and tell you what you want to hear and then go and do something different. What you see is who you get. I have been consistent on these issues literally my entire life.

Taddeo said when she announced she has tremendous respect for Crist but this race is not about Charlie or about me. This race is about the future of Florida. She also noted that shes been a lifelong Democrat.

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Republicans dont think much of any of the potential competitors.

Crist, Fried, and Taddeo lackluster campaigns barely resonate with their own base and are floundering statewide as they are mediocre and unaccomplished, Helen Aguirre Ferre, executive director of the Republican Party of Florida, said via email.

Charlie Crist, candidate for governor of Florida, speaks during a barbecue event held by the Century Village Democratic Club in July in Deerfield Beach, Florida. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel/TNS)

Charlie Crist

Crist is currently a Democratic congressman from St. Petersburg serving his third term.

Crist, 65, has a long history of election victories  and losses.

[ RELATED: Charlie Crist glided to Democratic nomination for governor in 2014. This time wont be so easy. ]

He was the states Republican governor from 2007 until 2011, after serving as a Republican state senator, education commissioner and attorney general.

Crists transformation began in February 2009 when, as governor, he hugged Barack Obama when the new Democratic president visited the state.

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Crist didnt run for re-election in 2010. Once seen as the sure Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010, Crist left the party when it became obvious hed be defeated by Marco Rubio. He ran for Senate as an independent/no-party-affiliation candidate, losing the general election to Rubio.

[ RELATED: Broward elected officials turn out for Charlie Crist, argue hes Democrats best hope against DeSantis ]

In 2014, he was the Democratic nominee for governor, losing to then-Gov. Rick Scott by 1 percentage point of the vote.

Crist has far more endorsements from elected officials than either of the other candidates. In Broward County alone, he has endorsements from dozens of mayors, county commissioners, state legislators and city commissioners.

Florida agriculture commissioner and Democratic candidate for governor Nikki Fried meets with Black business owners and entrepreneurs at Pots and Pans Cafe Oakland Park on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Nikki Fried

Fried, 44, is currently state agriculture commissioner and is the only Florida Democrat holding statewide office.

She was a lobbyist before she was elected. Among the causes she advocated for: medical marijuana.

The Miami native, later a Broward resident, was elected in 2018. Her platform, which she recalled recently at a community gathering in Oakland Park, was weed, weapons and water.

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She promised to promote medical marijuana and cannabis cultivation, shore up problems with concealed-weapons licensing and clean up Floridas polluted rivers and springs. Her agency, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, handles a vast list of tasks from inspecting gas pumps to administering free school lunches.

As the leading Democrat in Tallahassee, she has been one of the most outspoken critics of DeSantis, taking her message to national cable television news and building her name recognition through gas pump stickers that featured her smiling face.

[ RELATED: Supporters see Nikki Fried as Democrats best hope to topple Ron DeSantis ]

Her best-known known supporter may be Fred Guttenberg, who has become a nationally known advocate for combatting gun violence since his daughter Jaime was killed in the Feb. 14, 2018, massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Shes been endorsed by several state lawmakers and local government officials in South Florida, including state Rep. Kelly Skidmore from Palm Beach County, Robert Weinroth, a Palm Beach County commissioner currently serving as county mayor, and Patricia Good, vice chairwoman of the Broward School Board.

Annette Taddeo is a Florida state senator from Miami and a candidate for Florida governor.

Annette Taddeo

Taddeo, 54, a state senator from Miami, was born in Colombia and later came to the U.S. and earned a degree in commercial Spanish from the University of North Alabama. She is the founder and CEO of LanguageSpeak, a translation service based in Miami that lists major multi-national corporations and large Florida businesses as clients, including AT&T, Humana and the Calder Casino and Race Course.

[ RELATED: Taddeo becomes 3rd Democrat seeking to defeat DeSantis ]

She was first elected to the state Senate in 2017.

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Shes a past Miami-Dade County Democratic party chairwoman and was Crists pick for lieutenant governor when he was the unsuccessful 2014 Democratic nominee for governor.

[ RELATED: Annette Taddeo hopes visits to every Florida county can help her become governor ]

Taddeo, who has been endorsed by the Latino Victory Fund, would be the second Hispanic governor of the modern state after Republican Bob Martinez, who served from 1987 to 1991.

The last candidate to enter the race, she has fewest number of endorsements from other elected officials. Most are from Miami-Dade County.

Information from the Orlando Sentinel was used in this report.

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com or on Twitter @browardpolitics
CHESHIRE  A Cheshire Correctional Institution officer turned himself in to police after he was charged with bringing contraband  marijuana and a cellphone  into the prison, according to state police records.

The corrections officer, 39-year-old Noe Agramonte, is charged with unauthorized conveyance of items into a correctional institution, according to an arrest report from state police.

State police were called to the facility in January 2021 to investigate an inmate who allegedly possessed narcotics. A state trooper said there was marijuana in an inmates cell along with a piece of paper saying, Have your peoples go to a Cash App and send it to a certain phone number, according to an application for Agramontes arrest warrant.

Police later discovered the phone number was associated with a Cash App account belonging to Agramonte, the warrant stated.

In an interview the next day, Agramonte denied using the Cash App account and didnt recognize an inmate. Agramonte was placed on administrative leave. Meanwhile, officials also interviewed the inmate, who said Agramonte would drop marijuana at the bottom of a garbage can and have lengthy conversations with an inmate, the warrant stated.

The names of all inmates were redacted from Agramontes arrest warrant provided by state police.

The arrest warrant states an inmate had been suspected by corrections staff for bringing narcotics into the institution before an inmate was caught with marijuana.

Police also analyzed video footage showing Agramonte talking with an inmate, which contradicted his earlier statement of not recognizing the inmate. The footage also showed Agramonte entering a caustic supplies closet with an inmate for a significant amount of time, according to the arrest warrant.

Cheshire Correctional Institution staff suspected that the narcotics were stashed in that closet, the warrant states.

State police also analyzed various documents with Agramontes handwriting and records from Cash App, as well as interviewed several inmates who also alleged Agramonte brought in a cellphone. Records revealed that friends and family of inmates sent money to Agramonte for the marijauna andcell phone, the arrest warrant said.

In October, while an investigator interviewed Agramonte and his lawyer, Agramonte voluntarily resigned, according to the arrest warrant.

In late January, police applied for a warrant for Agramontes arrest charging him with unauthorized conveyance of items into a correctional institution.

Agramonte turned himself into Connecticut State Police Troop I barracks Thursday on the felony arrest warrant. He was released after posting a $10,000 bond, according to his arrest report.

Agramonte is scheduled to appear at Meriden Superior Court March 17, the report states.
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FAIRFIELD  As Charles Ohlenberg reflected on his 100 years of life, one central message came to mind.

Never give up  whatever happens, he said.

Charles Ohlenberg, a Fairfield resident and Holocaust survivor, turned 100 on Thursday. Even with his century worth of memories, his experience surviving the genocide, when most of his family did not, is still at the forefront of his mind.

I was born in Vienna, he said. My father was a doctor, and my mother was a medical student.

Years later, Germany annexed Austria in March of 1938. Ohlenberg still remembers Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, on Nov. 9 of that year when mass violence was carried out against Jews by Nazi Party paramilitary forces and civilians. He was 16 years old at the time.

My friend and I, we hitchhiked out of Vienna, and when we came back we saw the synagogue burning and all that, he said, later adding that anti-Semitism had been building up for years prior to the events.

After Kristallnacht, Charles Ohlenberg said he and his brother Paul were arrested because they were Jewish and spent time in a prison that was once a military base where his father served during World War I. When they were released he and his brother tried to flee to Paris to stay with an uncle.

Charles Ohlenberg said they were turned over to police by a taxi driver, as they had immigrated illegally, and were sent back.

He took us right to the police station and got some small reward, he said. So we went to jail for one night.

Charles Ohlenberg said they were sent back to Vienna, where his cousin informed him of the The Kindertransport, an effort by Great Britain to rescue children from Nazi-controlled territories. Approximately 10,000  predominantly Jewish  children were taken in during the operation.

You filled out all kinds of forms, he said. The British at that time allowed a certain number of children under a certain age to come to England for education purposes. I was lucky enough to be picked.

Elisabeth Ohlenberg, his wife, said he just made the cutoff for the Kindertransport, as 16 was the oldest a child could be to apply. She said most children accepted were much younger.

He went through Holland, and he always said the Dutch people were so kind to him, she said. They gave them chocolate in Holland. Then he went on a boat from the hook of Holland to England.

He was taken in by a Christadelphian family, and lived in Coventry. He said he was there during the Battle of Britain when Germanys air force bombed the United Kingdom heavily and consistently.

He said almost his entire family was killed in the Holocaust, including his parents and brother, while he was living in England.

I volunteered for the (Royal Air Force), but I was born in Vienna so they wouldnt take me, he said. I ended up in a [civilian] rescue squad. We were just kind of body snatching and helping people that got bombed during the war. We tended to first aid and repairs and stuff like that.

Charles Ohlenberg moved to New York in 1952 and married Elisabeth four years later after he met her at an English Speaking Union dance. He worked as a maitre d' at a variety of country clubs doing executive dining, while she worked as nurse. The couple had three children, and now have five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Every year for 35 years we have gotten together all of the family in the summer at a lake up in New Hampshire, Elisabeth Ohlenberg said.

Charles Ohlenberg said he likes the life he built for himself, adding he appreciates his 100 years of experiences. He said he has learned some lessons along the way, such as the consistency of change.

I noticed that, when youre young, you go out with different girls and when youre old you go out to different doctors, he said. Im just lucky to have survived all kinds of stuff and still be around. Live and let live.

joshua.labella@hearstmediact.com
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Periods of rain. Low 49F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 49F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has inaugurated two new development projects in the water and housing sector and also laid the foundation stone for a project in the transportation sector being set up at a total investment of $137 million.

The projects were launched by Saudi Fund for Development CEO Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al Marshad along with the President of Djibouti Ismail Omar Guelleh in the presence of other senior officials.

Al Marshad also inaugurated the construction of the 120-unit residential project in the presece of Amina Abdi Aden, Minister of Cities, Urban Planning and Housing. The project is being funded with a grant of $7 million from the Saudi government, provided through the SFD.

Funded with a grant of $10 million provided by Saudi Arabia through the SFD, it will involve the construction of 105km of water pipes and eight water tanks to pump clean water from the Bissidiro region.

Al Marshad and Guelleh also laid a foundation stone to upgrade 60km of the Djibouti-Galafi arterial road, which was originally funded by Saudi Arabia through the SFD, with $120 million grant.

The road will provide a vital economic and trading link with its neighbour countries.
Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State has commended party members for exemplifying the peaceful demeanor the state is known for. ...

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State has commended party members for exemplifying the peaceful demeanor the state is known for.

He said this at Boripe Ward 1, St Peters Primary School, Olotin, Iragbiji.

Appealing to citizens across the state to maintain peace and decorum as elections should not be a battle, he remarked that Osun being the most peaceful state in the country, the insinuations of violence making the rounds were mere speculations.

I want to appeal to all our people across the State to maintain peace. Election process should not be a battlefield or a do-or-die affair. Let everyone exercise his/her choice in determining who represents them at the Party level and ultimately at the general elections.

So far so good, I think this process has gone well contrary to the speculation of violence. We have been in contact with a number of places and we have received positive signals of peace.

Really, I dont see why choosing a candidate to represent the Party should bring violence, he said.

Oyetola also expressed confidence that he will emerge victorious in the primary election.

This is as he added that losing was not an option for a man commissioned by God for an assignment.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited has assured Nigerians that the company had placed significant orders of over 2.1 billio...

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.

It can be recalled that 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.
Nollywood actress, Sonia Ogiri, has spoken out about her battle with a facial scar that troubled her psychologically for years. The ...

Nollywood actress, Sonia Ogiri, has spoken out about her battle with a facial scar that troubled her psychologically for years.

The US-based actress who recently underwent a cosmetic surgery to cover the scar, said the mark on her face made her lose confidence and led to nights of endless tears.

On Saturday, via an Instagram post titled, My Scar, My Pain, the actress detailed her experience looking for jobs and relating with people while dealing with the traumatising effects of the scar.

She wrote, It all started 2014. I lived with this total stranger called scar since 2014, and ever since then, I lost all confidence even with the least things. I remember when I decided to settle in the USA, looking for job was traumatising because I would relate every rejection to the scar on my face.

Close friends in the movie industry all knew when it happened. I totally lost it. Nights I would cry endlessly, and how I tagged myself as ugly because its my face we talking about. Days I would feel like ending it all because I refused to accept my reality.

The actress claimed that despite not being the make up kind of person she had to start wearing cosmetics to temporarily cover up the scar.

Ogiri also noted how her mother constantly lamented about the scar which became a permanent identity. In response, the actress said she tried to pacify her by promising to have the scar taken off.

Honestly, I know thats not possible but at least let me try one more time, hence my first try was in Nigeria 2014. Im putting out my pain to help someone else. Some of us have a scar we battling with, it could be anything but trust me, you will overcome, she admonished.

Asking fans to wish her luck, Ogiri also revealed that she had two weeks to see the results of the surgery.

The mother-of-one also thanked her friends and family who loved her regardless of the said scar.

For some that always tell me I love your tribal mark, you hurt my feelings but never took it to heart. I cant wait to see my results guys, she wrote.
Parents of students in public secondary schools in Ogun State have signed an undertaking that their children and wards would not engage in h...





Parents of students in public secondary schools in Ogun State have signed an undertaking that their children and wards would not engage in hooliganism.





The undertaking is one of the strategies adopted by the state government to arrest hooliganism and other unruly conduct among students.





Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abeokuta on Saturday that the development had ensured peace within and outside schools premises.





The commissioner stated that the government had redoubled its efforts at ensuring that hooliganism and thuggery were brought to an end in its schools.





He said that the government engaged stakeholders including officials of the ministry, headteachers, principals, security agencies, teachers unions and parents to address misconducts by students.





Arigbabu added that the state government had set up counselling centres to take care of students who misbehaved and needed attention and rehabilitation.





Towards the end of First Term, last year, there were series of misbehaviours in these schools and situations where some parents went to schools to harass officials because their wards were disciplined.





We started various stakeholders engagements with the ministrys officials, zonal education officers, headteachers and principals of schools, teachers and teachers union; we also had engagement with security agencies.





To cap it, we decided that parents must sign an undertaking of good behaviour by their wards on their behalf as schools resumed for the Second Term, he told NAN.





The undertaking detailed that children would be of good behaviour, and parents would support the school in instilling discipline and would not come to school to disturb the peace.





Warrants were also made to confirm that whoever came to sign for the students would be ready to submit erring ones or subject themselves to all forms of discipline in school.





All these put together was capped with attendance target in which any learner that failed to come to school for at least 70 per cent of the term, will not be allowed to write examination.





All parents and students have signed the undertaking; it was 100 per cent compliance because they realised that anyone who failed to sign would not be allowed into the schools, Arigbabu added.





The commissioner stressed that the measures put together had helped in returning sanity into Ogun States public schools.
The University of Oxford, England, has introduced the teaching of Igbo Language as a course in the university.

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.
Global analytics software provider Fico has announced a partnership agreement with Advanced Financial Solutions (AFS), a risk, finance and compliance software and consulting firm headquartered in Bahrain.

Through this agreement, AFS will sell and support the Fico Blaze Advisor decision rules management system throughout the Middle East.

AFS has delivered more than 200 projects to financial institutions in the region.

As Ficos flagship rules authoring solution and worlds leading decision rules management system, Blaze Advisor enables organizations to maximize control over high-volume operational decisions.

The new product offers businesses, across multiple industries, with a scalable solution that delivers unprecedented agility and actionability for smarter, transparent, and more consistent business decisions.

It empowers business users with multiple methods for rule authoring, testing, deployment, and management.

"Our work with banks across the Middle East highlights the importance of this partnership with AFS," remarked Mark Farmer, the VP of Partner Management for Fico in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

"Automating decisions is absolutely critical to business success, and so is the ability to measure results swiftly and change strategies instantly. AFS understands the potential of this technology to transform business success in the region," remarked Farmer.

Juan Jarjour, managing director at AFS, said: "Fico is the global leader in decision management technology and it is company which our customers want to do business with."

"Our partnership will give businesses across the region greater access to the tools and the combined expertise of both firms to make their projects successful," he added.
The Zamfara State Police Command has unconditionally rescued 24 kidnap victims abducted in Gurgurawa village, Bungudu Local Government Area ...





The Zamfara State Police Command has unconditionally rescued 24 kidnap victims abducted in Gurgurawa village, Bungudu Local Government Area of the state, on Friday night.





Addressing newsmen at the commands headquarters in Gusau, the police spokesman, SP Mohammed Shehu, said police tactical operatives attached to 42 PMF Squadron Gusau, on anti-banditry operations along Gurgurawa axis received a distress call that armed bandits in large number have invaded the village and abducted some residents.





On receiving the information, the tactical operatives, in collaboration with the vigilante group of the area swung into action and mobilized to the location for an extensive search and rescue operation.





On sighting the operatives, the hoodlums started shooting sporadically but were repelled by the operatives. As a result of the superior firepower of the tactical operatives, the hoodlums fled and abandoned the victims.





Fourteen victims, mostly women, were rescued at the scene while 10 others, who scampered for safety, escaped back to the village unhurt. The victims received medical treatment before being debriefed by the police. All have been reunited with their families, he said.





SP Shehu said that seven operational motorcycles, belonging to the bandits were recovered during the operations.





The Commissioner of Police, Mr Ayuba N. Elkanah commended the resilience of the operatives and enjoined them to sustain the tempo, while assuring members of the public of the polices continuous commitment to end the lingering security challenges bedevilling the state.
Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), says he has written a book on how to prevent future pandemics. ...

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), says he has written a book on how to prevent future pandemics.

In a recent newsletter, Gates said he spent the last two years working with his partners and colleagues at the Gates Foundation to stop COVID-19.

He added that the book titled How to Prevent the Next Pandemic is about what he learned researching COVID-19 to make sure no one suffers through the misery of the last two years again.

The last two years have caused unbelievable amounts of hardship around the world whenever I see the suffering that COVID has created  every time I read about the latest death toll or hear about someone who lost their job or drive by a school that is closed  I cant help but think: We dont have to do this again, he said.

COVID has only made it clearer that the world needs to prioritize eliminating pandemics as a threat to humanity. Ive been following COVID since the early days of the outbreak, working with experts from inside and out of the Gates Foundation who are championing a more equitable response and have been fighting infectious diseases for decades.

Ive learned a lot in the process  both about this pandemic and how we stop the next one  and I want to share what Ive heard with people. So, I started writing a book about how we can make sure that no one suffers through a pandemic ever again.

He said that the book, which launches on May 3, 2022, contains a step by step plan, innovations and tools on how to equitably stop pathogens early.

He also said that he outlined processes that can be used to provide better healthcare for everyone globally.

In the book, I lay out the specific steps we can take to not only stop future pandemics but, in the process, provide better healthcare for everyone around the world. I outline the lessons we can learn from this pandemic, the innovations we need to save lives, and the new tools we need to stop pathogens early and equitably, Gates added.
New York state has delayed implementing a COVID-19 booster mandate for health care workers after hospitals complained they are at risk of losing too many employees due to the mandate. Ed Murray/Tribune News Service
Yes. Gov. Hochul chose Mr. Benjamin, and she's stuck with him through the election.

No. The state should have the option to remove someone under criminal indictment.

Vote

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The music club One Eyed Jacks closed during the pandemic and the building was bought by Ben Jaffe and partners, who opened the Toulouse Theatre in the space.

Now, One Eyed Jacks Presents is opening in the Decatur Street space formerly occupied by B.B. King's Blues Club. One Eyed Jacks owners Ryan Hesseling and Rio Hackford have taken over the space's lease, Hesseling told Gambit.

They'll open as "One Eyed Jacks Presents at 1104 Decatur" for a series of shows on the last weekend of Carnival. Boyfriend opens the club on Friday, Feb. 25. LSD Clownsystem performs Saturday, Feb. 26. Freedia Gras featuring Big Freedia, Sweet Crude and others is Sunday, Feb. 27, and Quintron and Miss Pussycat hold their annual Lundi Gras throwdown at the new spot. Tickets are available on the One Eyed Jacks website.

Since the closure of the old One Eyed Jacks, the group has presented shows at venues around town, including the new Toulouse Theatre, Gasa Gasa and Santos Bar. Moving forward, they'll move some of those shows to the Decatur space, as well as booking shows at other venues. They're currently working on shows for the spring festival season.

After the Carnival shows, they'll work out more details about the new space, Hesseling told Gambit. They expect to open the bar during the daytime, he says.

The burger pop-up-turned-restaurant Bub's NOLA will take over the kitchen, though it's not been determined if it will serve food at next week's shows.

The Decatur space is larger than the Toulouse Street club. It has a large room and two bars on the ground floor, as well as two more bars and a VIP space upstairs.

Hesseling says they're giving the space a makeover with wallpaper and lighting to give it a feel like the former One Eyed Jacks. They also will use the One Eyed Jacks logo on signs.

Toulouse Theatre was opened by Ben Jaffe, his wife Jeanette Jaffe and Clayton and Boo Randle in October 2021.
The Republican-dominated Louisiana Legislature wrapped up its special redistricting session as expected. Lawmakers maintained the GOPs firm hold on every state political body whose members are elected from districts  and kept Black-majority districts to their current, minimal numbers.

If I were writing my usual post-session Winnas & Loozas column, I would struggle to write more than three short sentences: Republicans won. Black people lost. No surprise.

Everything went according to form, as planned and executed by the GOP leadership.

To be fair, both political parties shared the same goal: draw districts at every level that would help them gain seats in future elections, starting this fall with the congressional contests and culminating in the 2023 statewide elections.

Individual lawmakers had the narrowest of interests: self-preservation and self-advancement. That led to some interesting intramural spats and, no doubt, some behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing that ultimately convinced a Dem or two to jump ship on some key votes.

Clancy DuBos: Redistricting session puts race and politics front and center The Republican-dominated Louisiana Legislature will mark the first day of Black History Month by convening a 20-day special session.

I predicted before the session began that it would end with no increase in Black-majority districts for the state House, the state Senate, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), the state Public Service Commission (PSC), the states congressional delegation or the state Supreme Court. I rarely make predictions, but this outcome was the surest thing since Secretariat in the 1973 Belmont  and about as lopsided for the winner.

In all but BESE, the House and Senate, the number of Black-majority seats for each elected body remains unchanged: one. Black people will continue to have two of BESEs eight elected seats.

Roughly 40% of Louisiana residents identified as minority in the 2020 Census, which ostensibly serves as the basis for drawing new district boundaries  and 33% percent are Black. If politics were as cut-and-dried as math, Black and minority voters henceforth would have three BESE seats, two PSC seats, two congressional seats and two or three state Supreme Court seats.

Elections typically boil down to numbers, but redistricting is all about power  and political advantage. Numbers matter only when its time to vote on new district boundaries, and Republicans have a decided advantage there: 27 of 39 votes in the Senate; 68 of 105 votes in the House. Equally if not more important, Black lawmakers currently hold only 10 Senate seats and 26 House seats.

Those numbers, too, wont change  unless Gov. John Bel Edwards intervenes with a veto or two and successfully defends an all-but-certain override session.

Edwards is no fool, and he is an ally of Black voters. Given the federal courts obliteration of the Voting Rights Act, he may be Black voters only hope of changing the course of things. JBE fought off GOP efforts to override his vetoes last summer, but things are different this time. This time lawmakers have more than pet projects on the line; their own political futures are at stake.

Edwards probably wont run for office again, so he doesnt have much to lose. Then again, he hates to lose. What happens next, if anything, isnt so easy to predict.
The New Orleans Health Department will be giving away COVID-19 tests during major Carnival parades this year, according to an announcement from City Hall on Friday.

At-home rapid tests will be distributed at first aid stations along the Uptown route and during the Endymion parade in Mid-City.

City officials earlier this week announced they were also working to set up a free rapid test site at the Louis Armstrong International Airport, hoping to stave off the virus amid an influx of tourism, though it is unclear about when that will be launched. They will continue in partnership with the National Guard to operate drive-up test sites, as well.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell cited declining numbers after a weeks-long surge of the omicron variant of COVID-19 though officials have stressed the importance of following the public health guidelines, which require masking indoors and proof of negative tests or vaccination in most indoor establishments, like bars, restaurants and other event venues.

There remains a high level of virus transmission, both locally and nationally, said health department director Dr. Jennifer Avegno in a news release. We want people to enjoy themselves, but we also want them to get tested regularly to protect other members in their circle who are at risk, like the elderly, people with serious health problems, and children under 5 who cannot get vaccinated yet.

Heres where to find tests along the route:

Uptown Parades (Fri., Feb. 18  Tues. Mar. 1) *see below for Sat., Feb. 26

-Napoleon & St. Charles

-Washington & St. Charles

-Felicity & St. Charles

-The Circle (Howard & St Charles)

-Canal & St Charles

Krewe of Tucks & Iris (Sat., Feb. 26 from 11 am-3 pm)

Napoleon & St. Charles

-Washington & St. Charles

-Felicity & St. Charles

-The Circle (Howard & St. Charles)

-Canal & St. Charles

Krewe of Endymion (Sat., Feb. 26, from 4 p.m.-8 p.m.)

-Canal & Broad

-Carrollton & Bienville
The Pro Bono Publico Foundation, a spinoff of the historic Rex organization, marked Rexs 150th anniversary Saturday by pledging $1.5 million to New Orleans area schools and education groups.

The foundation has already doled out almost $1 million in its current grant cycle to 78 recipients. Many of them gathered for coffee, king cake and jambalaya Saturday morning at the Rex den, the airplane hangar-like South Claiborne Avenue building that houses the Mardi Gras season krewe's celebrated floats, which roll on Fat Tuesday.

The crowd cheered the announcement from Pro Bono Publico and Rex board members that $1 million in grants are earmarked to help offset day-to-day expenses for teachers and other school workers. Another $500,000 will be used for larger projects. Previously funded projects have included technology for remote learning.

Recipients this year include the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, St. Michael Special School, Warren Easton Charter High School and Teach for America.

Seventh straight million-dollar year

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Its the seventh consecutive year that Pro Bono Publico has awarded at least $1 million in grants, even as the pandemic threw a wrench in some fundraising activities, said Merritt Lane, a board member.

We didnt have a parade last year. We didnt have a ball last year," Lane said. "But we still granted $1 million.

He was flanked by Pro Bono Publico board member Stephen Hales and Arnel Cosey, board president-elect for Bricolage Academy, a grant recipient.

The foundation was formed by Rex members in 2006 to help rebuild New Orleans' education system after Hurricane Katrina. Its title translates to for the public good."
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.
Wind-whipped flames are marching across more of New Mexicos tinder-dry mountainsides, forcing the evacuation of area residents and dozens of patients from the state's psychiatric hospital as firefighters scramble to keep new wildfires from growing. The big blaze burning near the community of Las Vegas has charred more than 217 square miles. Residents in neighborhoods on the edge of Las Vegas were told to be ready to leave their homes. It's the biggest wildfire in the U.S. and is moving quickly through groves of ponderosa pine because of hot, dry and windy conditions that make for extreme wildfire danger. Forecasters are warning of extreme fire danger across New Mexico and in western Texas.
Williamsport, Pa. -- Tags restaurant was a staple in the Williamsport restaurant scene from the day Aldo and Alivia Leah Tagliaferri opened their restaurant on Memorial Ave in 1959.

From 1959 to 2005, Tags operated as a family business through generations. The Tagliaferris first passed the restaurant unto their children Anthony and Theresa, and now, Alivia and Aldo Tagliaferri, the grandchildren of the original owners, continue the legacy with the Tags Take Out Store on 1116 Market St.

People bond over food and family. It was just a one of a kind restaurant. My dad always said you treat everybody with respect and everybody the same whether theyre a janitor or a senator, Alivia Tagliaferri said.

Weve been very fortunate with the following, and even just the newer customers around the neighborhood. Its so nice to see the new faces along with the old, its exciting, Aldo Tagliaferri added.

Tags Take Out store offers a limited Take-out menu with featured items each week. They offer homemade pasta, meat and cheese raviolis, Tags original sauce, and an extremely rare imported olive oil from Italy.

The structure of a take out store, as opposed to a restaurant, allows the Tagliaferris to ensure that the quality of the food is akin to that of the original Tags restaurant. They operate on a smaller scale as just two siblings without their original, large family of helpers, so takeout gives them more control over the product.

Were really happy bringing back the food to the community. With this style of operation, Aldo and I can stay faithful to recipes and consistent quality, Alivia Tagliaferri said.

In 2017, the siblings began operating out of the Carriage House catering venue with once a month pick-up options. Due to their loyal customer following, once a month turned into once a week, which turned into additional dine-in pop up operations out of The Buttery Biscuit, and The Herdic House on occasion. As demand for Tag's grew, the siblings decided to open the take out store.

A very loyal following of customers would always say we miss the sauce, we miss the meatballs, we miss the food, Aldo said, speaking on the consistent reminders of the original Tags food and the desire for the recipes to remain in the community.

Tags is only one of two restaurants in the United States that uses and sells Oropallo Olive Oil. The Oropallos, a seven-generation family of olive growers outside of Naples, produces the oil.

Im very proud, a new generation is starting. Im really happy theyre doing this, theyre doing a great job, Theresa Tagliaferri said. My husband and my father in-law greeted everyone that came in; they just made you feel at home."

The current hours for Tags Specialty Store are Monday, Tuesday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday, Thursday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For weekly menus and specials, follow Tags on Facebook.

Correction This article has been corrected to accurately describe the address of Tag's Take Out Store.

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Wellsboro, Pa. -- A choral celebration of the life and mission of Martin Luther King, Jr. will give students an opportunity to honor the notion of community together.

Six local choral groups will sing at the event, including the Hamilton-Gibson Youth Choir, the Rock L. Butler Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Chorus, the Wellsboro First Presbyterian Church Choir and Treble Choir, the Wellsboro Mens Chorus and Pine Pitch, a local a cappella group. Teachers from First Position Dance Studio will perform and there will be other visual arts as well.

The choirs will join the audience in singing three songs, including Let There Be Peace on Earth, Lift Every Voice and Sing, and Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Each group will also sing one or two other songs that they have selected.

Pine Pitch will sing Stand By Me.

We are looking forward to using our voices to sing again, said Karin Knaus, a member of the group and the organizer of this years Dr. King choral celebration. Pine Pitch hasnt sung together since March of 2020. This concert is always a wonderful time of bringing community members together.

We are excited to be able to gather for a celebration of the vision and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., said Thomas Putnam, who originally came up with the idea for the annual concert. We were not able to gather in 2020 due to a snow storm nor in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. This years choral celebration could not be held on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 17 as originally planned due to both a snowstorm and a high number of COVID cases. We're glad we can have it on the last Sunday of Black History Month, which is celebrated each year from Feb. 1 to March 1.

The Hamilton-Gibson Youth Choir, directed by Putnam, will sing the rousing spiritual "My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord" as well as "I Dream a World" with text by Langston Hughes and music by Connor Koppin. The piece features cello, viola and piano accompaniment. Accompanying the choir at the piano is Gary Citro.

The Wellsboro Mens Chorus, directed by Christina Simonis with Pat Davis at the piano, will sing Goin Home.

The First Presbyterian Church Choir will sing The River Jordan, a Georgia Sea Island Spiritual arranged by Jay Althouse; and Joy in the Morning by Natalie Sleeth. The First Presbyterian Church Treble Choir will sing Swing Low, a traditional spiritual arranged by Audrey Snyder. Director and piano accompanist is Marian Miller.

The Rock L. Butler Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Chorus directed by Morgan Shaffer with piano accompaniment by Marian Miller will sing an arrangement of Dona Nobis Pacem" by Mary Lynn Lightfoot and Ill Be There by the Jackson Five.

Dr. King was an American Baptist minister, a nonviolent activist and the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement from 1955 until his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. He led the fight against segregation to gain equal rights under United States law for Black Americans.

Both houses of Congress passed the bill to establish Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in 1983 and President Reagan signed it into law on Nov. 20 of that year. This federal holiday has been observed to mark King's birthday, his life and achievements on the third Monday of January each year since 1986.

The event will take place on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at the Wellsboro Area School District Administration Building at 227 Nichols Street.

Admission to the concert is free. Donations are accepted at the door. Proceeds will be contributed to the Tioga Homeless Initiative.

For information, call Hamilton-Gibson at (570) 724-2079 or email hamgib@gmail.com.

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A fast-moving storm will trigger locally heavy snow squalls and gusty winds as it races across the Upper Midwest on Friday night and across the Northeast on Saturday. The two conditions will combine forces to create sudden hazards for those traveling during the first part of the Presidents Day weekend, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.

The storm is an Alberta clipper, named after the western Canadian province it originated from, and it will not have a chance to grab moisture from the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean. But, even without that boost, heavy snow showers called snow squalls can hit hard and fast  much like how thunderstorms erupt in the summertime.Even though snow accumulations in most areas in the path of clipper storm are likely to be less than an inch, the snow squalls can be intense and can produce brief and dangerous whiteout conditions, AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson said.

AccuWeather forecasters warn that motorists should be alert for weather conditions that can change at a moments notice. The sudden and intense nature of the snow squalls can bring a rapid drop in visibility and a quick coating to half an inch of snow. Essentially, the weather can be just fine on the highway with dry roads in one minute, and the next, the visibility can drop to near-zero with roads rapidly transitioning from wet to slushy to snow-covered.

Conditions such as this in the past have contributed to massive and deadly multiple-vehicle pile-ups on the highways. In the Midwest, portions of interstates 39, 41 and 43 in Wisconsin, 69, 75, 94 and 196 in Michigan, 80 in Indiana and 77, 80 and 90 in Ohio will be in the path of the snow squalls Friday night.

In the Northeast, stretches of interstates 79, 80, 81, 86, 87, 89 and 91 will be the most likely to experience snow squalls on Saturday. However, there is the potential for squalls to reach the I-95 corridor in New England toward the end of the day, and sudden showers of rain and wet snow to occur in the New York City area and New Jersey during Saturday afternoon.

"Roads are not likely to become snow-covered in the zone from Philadelphia to New York City, due to temperatures within a few degrees of 40 at the time of the squalls," AccuWeather Senior Storm Warning Meteorologist Brian Wimer said, adding the quick-hitting showers can still be an inconvenience to motorists and pedestrians. Where the snow showers occur at the end of the day in parts of eastern New England, there is a better chance of a quick freeze-up before gusty winds promote drying.

Since the air will be slightly colder in eastern New England, compared to the coastal mid-Atlantic, there is a better chance of a ground-covering snow squall to hit in Boston, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Portland, Maine, than in New York City.

Patches of snow were already occurring on Friday morning from parts of the Dakotas to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. A band of snow squalls was advancing from parts of eastern Minnesota to northwestern Wisconsin at daybreak.

Early Friday evening, a brief snow squall can dip as far to the south as Milwaukee and Chicago. By the middle and latter part of the night, the snow squalls will pivot across southern Michigan, including the Detroit area. Late Friday night to Saturday morning, the flurries and heavier snow squalls will reach the zone from Cleveland to Buffalo, and can dip as far south as Pittsburgh.

Strong winds will accompany this clipper storm as well.

Frequent gusts from 40-50 mph will occur from eastern North Dakota to Delaware, New Jersey, southeastern New York and southern New England. Higher gusts ranging from 50-60 mph are most likely to blow along the southern and eastern shorelines of the Great Lakes and the high ground in West Virginia, western Maryland, western Pennsylvania and western New York, forecasters say. Within this zone, AccuWeather Local StormMax gusts near 70 mph are possible.

Winds will not be as strong as those produced by an intense storm that plowed through the coastal mid-Atlantic and southern New England on Friday morning. But, for areas farther west across the Great Lakes and in the central Appalachians, the winds could be locally stronger than when the same storm rolled through on Thursday and Thursday night. The gusty winds can cause the snow to blow around and can be powerful enough to cause sporadic power outages and break large tree limbs.

A brief shot of cold air will follow the clipper storm in the Midwest on Saturday and the Northeast during Saturday night, but temperatures are expected to recover to mild levels by early next week in advance of a storm emerging from the West. That new storm that will arrive Tuesday into Wednesday is likely to bring rain to many places from the Ohio Valley to the mid-Atlantic and southeastern New England. A second and colder storm that will follow on Thursday and Friday has the potential to bring ice and snow to areas that received mostly rain from the late-week storm.

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Williamsport, Pa. -- By a unanimous vote of 7-0, the Williamsport City Council voted to transition the embroiled River Valley Transit (RVT) into the River Valley Transit Authority (RVTA), effectively taking the operational and financial decisions out of the hands of City government, and placing them into the hands of a five-member board.

RVT is the last remaining transit agency in the state of Pennsylvania that is run by city government, a fact pointed out Thursday night by City Council President Adam Yoder, echoed by RVT General Manager Adam Winder, and Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter alike.

All parties support the move to the new form of governance, but there is yet to be a final agreement on who will sit on that board or how they'll be selected.

The current proposal is that the mayor would appoint new board members who would then have to be approved by council.

Done this way, "the biggest difference is that politics won't be involved," said Tim Miller of Old Lycoming Township. Miller, an operations manager, has been with RVT for 41 years. "I've seen the passage of many mayors, councils, and changes of administration. Going forward, decisions will be made based on what's needed for the authority, not based on someone's need to be re-elected," he said.

Taking politics out of the equation is something both Councilwoman Bonnie Katz and Winder said they'd like to see. "Board members should be users of the transit authority," Winder said. Eventually the board could grow to seven individuals, representing neighboring counties with whom the authority might partner.

During the public hearing portion of Thursday's meeting, Duane Forrest, Sr. of Williamsport, a 16-year employee of RVT, joined the nearly 100 RVT current and retired employees in the room to hear anticipated discussion.

"The past administration and past City Council should be held responsible for the problems RVT has had," he told Council. As the managing entity, it was their responsibility to do their due diligence, and he maintains that they didn't.

Still, Forrest and his fellow coworkers are happy that the ordinance presented to council on Thursday passed, and that the newly formed authority will have a chance to grow into a transit agency that services a larger region.

The ultimate goal is regionalization and making connections with other county transit authorities.

"The break from the city is good for everyone, especially for the riders who will be able to travel further," said David Pricher, Jr. of Jersey Shore, operations supervisor for RVT the last 7 years.

Troubled past

The vote comes after the 2021 audit findings of RVT's finances and what has been a lengthy investigation by the state Attorney General's office into misappropriated funds by the previous administration.

Related reading: Evidence of fraud: River Valley Transit audit uncovers 'inconsistencies'

In October 2021, RKL, the accounting and business consulting firm hired to perform an audit on RVT financials, revealed inconsistencies in the budget from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.

RKL concluded that RVT had used unauthorized Act 44 funds for expenses not related to public transportation, saying that PennDOT, if they so choose, could call the funds back.

Pension allocations, unearned revenue, and long-term debt were among the inconsistencies.

Transit funding comes from the Federal Transit Authority and PennDOT grants, and yet RKL discovered that RVT has a debt of nearly $11 million.

In response to the audit findings, Williamsport City Council passed an ordinance in December creating a Transit Oversight Committee. The standing committee meets to ensure the enforcement of proper checks and balances, adequate oversight, and full compliance.

Related reading: RVT will have oversight committee after recent financial issues

A concerning timeline

"Council is fully on board" to transition away from government oversight and to form RVTA, according to Yoder, who said he was pleased to see such a large turnout from the RVT staff. "It's clear they're in support of this."

However, Yoder voiced concern over moving too quickly to meet the July1 fiscal year deadline. "We have an opportunity to do this right," he said.

Leading up to the City Council meeting, RVT submitted a resolution to council before finalizing the meeting agenda, according to Yoder. "We wanted to have our 'i's' dotted and 't's' crossed," he said. A few adjustments, including changing the resolution to an ordinance and getting the solicitor review were necessary before presenting to the full City Council.

Now that the ordinance has passed, the city will need to obtain an EIN number for tax identification, a process that has been started by Jill Nagy, solicitor for RVT.

Other concerns include detangling the service contracts between RVT and the city. "We'll need a plan for formally cutting ties," said Yoder. For example, RVT handles the city's IT, and services city vehicles because they hold the state inspection licensing. The city will have to work out new contracts for both issues, and make decisions on where government offices will ultimately be housed, another issue the council has yet to solidify.

RVT feels confident that the details can be worked out, a new board can be elected, and that they can become an authority by the end of June.

"I have a lot of trust in Adam [Winder]. Going from the old administration to the new one, seeing it move forward gives me confidence that things will improve," said Justin Dymeck of Williamsport. "We'll get the tools we need faster, and keep the buses running smoothly." Dymeck has been a mechanic with RVT for 4.5 years.

The council's unanimous vote was met with overwhelming applause from those in the audience.

"I want to compliment the employees and union," said Councilman Randy Allison, addressing the large crowd. "Your showing here speaks more than words about what you care about, where your heart's at. This is the best transit system in the state. Through all the stress, you kept doing your job, serving the communities. You've done an A+ job in my eyes."

Funding approved for Williamsport Bureau of Fire

In another 7-0 vote, Council approved the expenditure of $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan funds and $700,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding to purchase new firefighting apparatus and building repairs for the Williamsport Bureau of Fire.

Fire Chief Sam Aunkst detailed bulding security issues, mold, cracks in the walls, roof issues, and boiler issues as just some of the ongoing problems the fire department has been dealing with.

American Rescue Plan funds are approved for safety expenditures, and will help the bureau secure a new pump truck.

Look for a full report on that funding in a separate article coming soon.

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Old Lycoming Township, Pa.  Judge Christian Frey denied bail for a man after authorities said he threatened people at the McDonald's on Lycoming Creek Road.

The Feb. 18, 2022 incident took place at approximately 9:18 a.m. when authorities said Azeem Jaleel Burton, 22, of Melfa, VA entered the store and demanded money. Staff at the restaurant informed officers Burton was recently terminated.

Despite reassurances a check was sent through the mail, Burton allegedly refused to leave and threatened to jump over the counter. According to the release, customers and staff prevented Burton from progressing over the counter.

Authorities said Burton attempted to engage customers, telling them to step outside. After being told one last time to leave, Burton allegedly stated, If yall dont have my money when I get back, it wont be pretty.

After leaving the restaurant, officers with the Old Lycoming Township Police Department, assisted by staff from McDonald's, located Burton in the Weis parking lot.

Burton was charged with several misdemeanors that included first-degree terroristic threats, third-degree trespassing, and disorderly conduct. After being denied bail, Burton will remain incarcerated at the Lycoming County Prison until a March 2 court date with William Solomon.

Docket sheet

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Keystone State News -- Chesapeake Bay states have until 2025 to implement practices to reduce watershed pollution, and a new report shows "climate-smart" farming can help prevent farm runoff.

In the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint, roughly 80% of the remaining pollution reduction must come from agriculture - and Pennsylvania is farthest behind among the Bay states. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation report said implementing regenerative farming practices, from rotational grazing to planting forest buffers along streams, can reduce animal waste and soil erosion.

Bill Chain, the foundation's senior agriculture program manager, said Pennsylvania has a lot of farm conservation work to do.

"Farmers are ready to adopt conservation practices, but need funding," he said. "Both the state and federal conservation funding fall woefully short of what's necessary to make that investment with family farms in improving water quality."

He said one step the state could take is to establish an Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program, which would fund best-management practices such as planting streamside trees and cover crops.

The report included real-life examples of farms that have converted to rotational grazing, including Blue Mountain View Farm in Lebanon County. Research has shown that nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution in local waterways decreased significantly after the farm made the switch.

Beth McGee, the foundation's director of science and agricultural policy, said these steps can have economic benefits for farmers, too.

"Adoption of these practices can also reduce the use of fertilizer," she said. "If we put less nitrogen on the ground, either in the form of manure or synthetic fertilizer, we will reduce the amount of nitrous oxide that is produced - and nitrous oxide is a very potent greenhouse gas."

The report said Pennsylvania needs an estimated $3 billion in agricultural funding to meet the 2025 Blueprint requirements.

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Sunbury, Pa.  A warrant was issued for a man allegedly living in Honduras after authorities in Sunbury charged him with several offenses that included corruption of minors and sexual assault.

Eutalio Ramos-Ortiz, 77, is accused of performing sexual acts against two minors aged between six and nine at the time of the alleged assaults authorities said were reported on Dec. 18, 2021. Ramos-Ortiz allegedly penetrated the minors with his fingers.

According to an affidavit, Ramos-Ortiz would make the minors perform fashion shows in their bathing suits. Ramos-Ortiz also allegedly made the minors apply cream to his genitals on several occasions.

These incidents, which both minors said happened several times, occurred as Ramos-Ortiz lived at a residence located near the 300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, according to Sunbury Police.

Ramos-Ortiz was charged with several felonies that included first-degree aggravated indecent assault, second-degree sexual assault, and third-degree corruption of minors. He was also charged with misdemeanors in first-degree indecent assault and indecent exposure.

Docket sheet

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Williamsport -- Bernadette Haas Jones, 65, of Williamsport passed away on February 10.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 6 at the Community Theatre League in Williamsport.

Bernadette was born in Williamsport to Fred K. and Frances W. Haas. She went to Williamsport Area High School and while there founded the drama club. She attended Bloomsburg State College, during which time she was a member of the Bloomsburg Players and interned at Williamsport Drama Workshop. Bernadette married Robert Jones in 1989. Bernadette was an actor first. She always said that acting was her first and foremost love. Bernadette also directed, choreographed, designed (set, lights, costumes, props), stage managed, produced, built and painted sets, technical directed, and taught. She devoted 50+ years to theatre and at last count she had worked with 24 companies across Pennsylvania, which doesnt include the ones that she created just so that she could do a singular show.

Bernadette is preceded in death by her parents, Fran and Fred.

Bernadette is survived by her husband, Bob, her children, Declan, and Sara, and her brothers, Mike Haas, Dave Haas, and Mark Haas.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Community Theatre League.

Arrangements are being handled by Maneval Allen Redmond Funeral Home, 500 W. 4th St., Williamsport.

Send condolences at www.jamesmaneval.com

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Napoleon, OH (43545)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
OPPO has been said to use flagship-grade processors from both Qualcomm and MediaTek in its upcoming top-end smartphone series since rumors of the devices in question, the Find X5 and X5 Pro, started to emerge. Now, the OEM has confirmed that this is in fact the case, and that the Pro will be, or at least will have, a Dimensity 9000 Edition.

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Update: OPPO has now launched the Find X5 Pro Dimensity Edition along with the more predictable Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered version of the same phone today (February 24, 2022). However, one could wonder how the OEM calls this phone the world's first Dimensity 9000-based flagship when it is apparently only going on sale on the Chinese market.

It comes in 2 new Find X5-series finishes (Ceramic White and Glaze Black), although it has only one RAM/storage configuration (12/256GB). Otherwise, it has all the same specs - such as an IP68-rated chassis, a 120Hz LTPO 2.0 AMOLED display and a 50MP main rear camera - just without mention of the MariSilicon X NPU. It will ship for 5,799 yuan (~US$915, or the same price as a new 12/512GB OnePlus 10 Pro Extreme Edition) from March 18, 2022.

Original Article: OPPO has now confirmed that the Find X5 series will launch soon, most likely in conjunction with MWC 2022. There has been some doubt and ambiguity as to the silicon on which these flagship vanilla and Pro variants will run. It has been posited that the OEM has hedged its bets a bit, as it has taken 2 potential prominent contenders, the Dimensity 9000 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, up for its new top-end line.

Now, OPPO has announced for the first time that this is the case: it has both top-end processors for the Find X3 and X3 Pro successors - which also had a different platform each themselves; now, it seems the same can be said for their successors.

The leaks and speculation about this newly confirmed possibility has also gone hand in hand with predictions that OPPO's newly-developed MariSilicon X co-processor is compatible with the 8 Gen 1 only, and the 9000-based Find X5 variant would thus have to do without this extra NPU and its supposed flashy features.

The OEM has also now indicated that this projection is also true: the "Find X5 Pro Dimensity Edition" has been teased in the absence of MariSilicon branding, whereas the Find X5 with an 8 Gen 1 has. Then again, OPPO has also hinted at a "Find X5 Pro dual-core imaging flagship phone" (in a Google-translated Weibo post), suggesting the phone will come with a choice of top-end chipset.

This might make sense in OPPO's case, as the Find X series is traditionally camera-focused and the co-processor is rated to boost performance in this area. Then again, it also seems it wants to be the first company to launch a flagship with the 9000, thanks to the second Pro edition.

As intriguing as this may be for many OPPO fans, it may also be bad news for those located outside China. Last-gen 1200-powered phones had a poor record of making it onto the global market; hopefully, the X5 Pro Dimensity Edition will not end up being a domestic exclusive, as with the X3.
Infections rates and reports of new deaths from coronavirus continue to decline as data shows a decrease in hospitalizations from COVID-19 patients.

A total of 34 more people died from COVID-19 in Northwest Indiana in a one-week period, according to data from the Indiana Department of Health.

Statistics updated Friday showed that there have been a total of 1,676 coronavirus-attributed deaths in Lake County, 517 in Porter County, 342 in LaPorte County, 66 in Newton County and 136 in Jasper County.

Last Friday, Lake County reported 1,658 deaths, meaning an additional 18 people have died of the virus in the county in a seven-day period, statistics show. In a one-week period, Porter County reported four new deaths, LaPorte County recorded 3 more, Newton County recorded three more and Jasper County reported six more deaths.

In total, COVID-19 has killed a total of 21,667 Hoosiers since the start of the pandemic, indicating an additional 369 deaths statewide in the last seven days, Friday data showed.

State health records show a total of 1,376 Hoosiers were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Friday, according to the Indiana Department of Health. Currently 15.1% of ICU beds are in use by coronavirus patients with 16.6% of ICU beds in the state available.

While weeks ago nearly the entire state was under the worse-possible red rating with coronavirus infections, several counties have shifted to the orange and yellow designations, showing a marked decrease of the virus's spread.

The color-coded classifications for Indiana's 92 counties now has 42 counties in the red rating. The red rating indicates an uncontrolled spread of coronavirus, which is classified as 200 or more positive cases per every 100,000 residents. Currently, 46 counties are in the orange rating, and four are in the yellow rating.

Lake County and Jasper County has shifted to the yellow rating, indicating 10 to 99 new cases per 100,000 residents each week. Porter, LaPorte and Newton counties have changed to the the orange rating, indicating there are 100 to 199 new cases per 100,000 residents each week.

Across state lines, a total of 7,747 residents in Calumet City and 6,747 residents in Lansing have tested positive for the virus.

State health officials are urging Hoosiers age 5 and up to reduce their chances of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death by getting vaccinated against COVID-19, or by getting a COVID-19 booster shot for those previously vaccinated, as soon as possible.

The free COVID-19 vaccine is available, in most cases without an appointment, at 1,488 locations across the state, including retail pharmacies, health clinics and hospitals.

Records show that 56.4% of Hoosiers age 5 and up, the state's eligible population, are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including 55.6% of eligible Lake County residents, 61.3% in Porter County, 56.1% in LaPorte County, 41.1% in Newton County and 46.2% in Jasper County.

So far, a total of 1,700,860 people have received a booster shot statewide.

A complete list of COVID-19 vaccine sites is available online at ourshot.in.gov.

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Cleveland-Cliffs looks forward to a bright future after posting record profits last year.

The steelmaker is projecting another strong year as automotive demand picks back up, it locks down more long-term contracts and shifts focus to bigger, more stable customers.

"The future, and specifically, 2022, is clearly bright for Cleveland-Cliffs," CEO Lourenco Goncalves said in a conference call for investors. "Underlying demand remains strong, infrastructure-related spending has started, particularly regarding electrical steels. And the chip shortage affecting the automotive has begun to ease, leading to meaningful pent-up demand for cars and trucks."

The Cleveland-based steelmaker, which has a large presence in Northwest Indiana, expects to benefit from the auto industry's rebound from the global semiconductor shortage.

"That should benefit Cleveland-Cliffs a lot more than any other steel company in the United States," Goncalves said in the conference call. "Let's make this abundantly clear to our investors. There is no other steel company, integrated or mini-mill, in the U.S. or more broadly in North America capable of supplying all the specs and all the tonnage we supply the American automotive industry. Cleveland-Cliffs already has all the equipment and technological capabilities that other companies are only now spending several billions of dollars to try to replicate by building new melt shops and new galvanizing lines."

Longtime mine operator Cleveland-Cliffs bought ArcelorMittal USA and AK Steel with the aim of becoming a premier supplier to the American auto industry.

"We typically sell 5 million tons of steel directly to automotive manufacturers and also sell another 2 million to 3 million tons through intermediaries. Put another way, almost half of our steel sales end up in automotive functions," Goncalves said. "Another interesting fact, even though we have not deliberately tried to grow our automotive market share in 2021, we have actually increased our market share through tons resourced by our clients. While the clients do not tell us why they are taking the order away from another steel company and reassigning this specific item to Cleveland-Cliffs, we can only assume that these other steel companies are not meeting the automotive industry's high standards."

Cleveland-Cliffs has a strategic advantage that has allowed it to return more money to shareholders, Goncalves said.

"That's probably why these competitors have to invest several billions of dollars to play catch-up. Cleveland-Cliffs does not have to spend this type of money and will not," he said. "With our capex needs in 2022 relatively low and strong confidence in our cash flows, we are very comfortable putting in place the $1 billion share buyback program just announced."

The steelmaker also already has 45% of its steel volumes sold under annual fixed-price contracts, which is the highest in the industry. It's looking to increase that amount.

"Another differentiating big feature of our way of doing business is the predictable pricing model that we have in place with automotive and tin plate and some select clients in other sectors as well," Goncalves said. "This feature eliminates the worst cancer in our industry, which is self-inflicted volatility. Going forward, we will work with more clients to move sales under this model. Real clients don't need indexes. They need reliable suppliers and fair prices."

Cleveland-Cliffs believes the entire steel industry will benefit from more predictability.

"The harm caused by the volatility of steel pricing is most damaging for smaller service centers, who leave out of their inventory values. Ironically, these same folks are the ones who create volatility in the first place, panic buying, double and triple ordering when supply is tight, and then halting purchases altogether when inventories are temporarily adequate, perpetuating a never-ending cyclicality," he said. "We are convinced that it is in everyone's best interest to limit volatility in our industry. And that's not only desirable but also feasible.

The steelmaker also is working to limit volatility by shifting focus to bigger customers.

"That's why we are moving away from sales to smaller players, further concentrating on the larger clients, which already make up the vast majority of our sales," Goncalves said. "At this point, all-important clients of Cleveland-Cliffs are being offered index-free deals to continue to do business with us. Marrying stable costs with stable prices up and down the supply chain can create a much healthier business environment for steel in the United States."

Celso Goncalves, Cleveland-Cliffs' executive vice president and chief financial officer, said the company remains in a strong financial position after strong market conditions and last year's "outstanding annual results."

"With this record annual profitability, we put the cash we generated to good use. We reinvested in our business, acquired the leading prime scrap processor in North America, deleveraged our balance sheet, and reduced our diluted share count by 10% last year," he said. "Looking ahead, with another year of considerable and predictable free cash flow in front of us, we have further accretive uses of capital already underway in 2022, including the $1 billion share repurchase authorization that we announced this morning. Just to give you an idea of how 2022 is going so far, on a year-over-year basis, we have already generated more adjusted EBITDA in January of 2022 alone than we did in the entire first quarter of 2021."

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Notre Dame Federal Credit Union has acquired Tucson, Arizona-based Mission Management & Trust Co. for an undisclosed sum.

The independent trust company that's chartered in Arizona offers trust and estate services, asset management and securities

"We welcome the employees and clients of Mission to the Notre Dame FCU family. Together, we will be able to offer even more services to more individuals in more communities than ever before," Notre Dame FCU President and CEO Tom Gryp said.

Mission Management & Trust Co. dates back to 1994.

"Over more than a quarter-century in Tucson, Mission has received acquisition offers from several interested financial firms," Chairman and CEO Carmen Bermudez said. "None showed how the combination with Mission would provide better service to our clients and to the communities we serve. We were immediately attracted, however, to Notre Dame Federal Credit Union. Their eight-decade history of excellent financial service plus a profound commitment to promoting community wellbeing blended perfectly with Mission's financial and social objectives. We look forward to providing even stronger, more extensive services to Mission clients in the years ahead."

Notre Dame Federal Credit Union recently opened its first Lake County location in Whiting and has named a Lake County market president. The South Bend-based credit union has more than $900 million in assets and 60,000 members.

"For far too long, trust and estate services were only tailored to meet the needs of high to ultra-high net worth clients," Gryp said. "Through this acquisition, we will be able to scale trust and estate services to meet the needs of a much broader, and often overlooked, group of individuals and families nationwide."

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Indiana University Northwest will host virtual talks by authors Eve L. Ewing and Debby Irving for its One BookOne CampusOne Community reading initiative.

The university in Gary plans to explore the themes of this year's book selection Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People" by Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald. The book, which is available at the IU Northwest bookstore, "explores the hidden biases carried by society from a lifetime of exposure to predetermined mindsets about age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, social class, sexuality, disability status and nationality."

"In doing so, the authors invite us to understand our own minds and challenge our self-perceptions, to reveal how our likes and dislikes, and judgments about peoples character, abilities and potential are shaped by hidden biases," IUN said in a press release. "Using the Implicit Association Test, which they co-developed, Banaji and Greenwald mine research findings from their labs, and more than 14 million completed tests, to paint a fascinating picture of how the human mind operates in social contexts. According to the authors, the titles 'good people' are the many people 'who strive to align their behavior with their good intentions.' By gaining awareness of our own biases, the authors assert, we can 'adapt beliefs and behavior and outsmart the machine in our heads so we can be fairer to those around us.'"

Ewing and Irving will discuss issues of race and equality raised in the book in their talks.

Ewing is slated to give a Zoom lecture at 8 p.m. Wednesday. She will read from her "1919" collection of poems exploring the Chicago Race Riot of 1919.

"The most intense of the riots that comprised the 'Red Summer' of violence across the nations cities, the eight-day uprising resulted in 38 deaths and nearly 500 injuries," IUN said in a press release. "Although it profoundly shaped the last century, the riot is unfamiliar, or altogether unknown, to many people today. Learn how Ewings use of speculative and Afrofuturist lenses in '1919' illuminates the thin line between the past and the present."

Irving, author of Waking Up White, will lead a workshop on how white people can make a paradigm shift from fixing and helping' those believed to be inferior" at 10 a.m. on March 24.

Both events are free and open to the public.

To watch Ewing's presentation, visit go.iu.edu/4ifO.

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More than 100 researchers from various Chinese institutes are working under the Earth 2.0 project to search for Earth-like planets in the Milky Way. What will they do?

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
VALPARAISO  Being 17 minutes late with his campaign finance report cost Valparaiso Councilman Robert Cotton $50.

The Porter County Election Board assessed the fine on Friday as the board begins a new phase of strictly enforcing the state law on timely reports. Cotton was one of five candidates with delinquent reports.

We are not obligated in any way to contact candidates with reminders, said Becky Rauch, assistant director of the Elections & Registration Office. Yet the department emailed candidates multiple times and pointed out the ability to file by mail, email, online or hand delivery.

Its very humiliating. However, its my responsibility, and I will accept it, Cotton said. It wont happen again.

We have been working through several cycles to remedy the condition of reports being late, Election Board President Paul Rausch said.

Board member Jeff Chidester said when he was county Democratic chairman, he was one minute late in filing a report in Indianapolis because his computer had crashed. He still had to pay $50, he said.

Porter Superior Court Judge Christopher Buckley brought a cashiers check for $100 because he filed his report the morning after the deadline. State law says the fine is $50 per day, and the clock restarts at midnight, board attorney Monica Conrad explained.

Showing lenience by reducing or waiving a fine requires a unanimous vote by the board, Conrad said.

Angela Crossin had her fine reduced to $50. She thought she had terminated her campaign account but hadnt done so, she said. There was $1.14 left in her campaign account.

Crossin moved to Michigan and contracted COVID-19, she said. It took awhile for her to get back to the office and find the certified letter explaining she had missed the deadline and had to appear before the board on Friday.

County Clerk Jessica Bailey torpedoed an attempt to waive her fine. Were one of three counties in Indiana that you can file online, she said. We cannot make it any easier.

We had people establish their accounts by 11 a.m. and still get it in by noon, she added.

Porter County Sheriff David Reynolds was seven days late, so the fine was $350. His campaign treasurers wife was sick, which contributed to the delay.

Reynolds said he had a blank check with his signature on it. He then found out it was a donation to a Christmas party. He could have submitted a report and noted the check as unaccounted for, he said, but didnt do so.

Deborah Lee was up for an $800 fine for being 16 days. She told the board she had a family emergency; her brother fell ill and subsequently died.

Board member David Bengs suggested reducing the fine to $50, but Bailey objected. Sixteen days, thats half a month, she said.

Member Ethan Lowe proposed reducing the fine to $150, but only if she files paperwork to dissolve the campaign and pay the fine by the end of February. If not, shell have to pay the full $800.

In other business, the board approved the plan for vote centers, to be approved Tuesday by the Board of Commissioners and County Council.

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HAMMOND  The lyrics of a song written more than 100 years ago still ring true today, Gary City Councilman William Godwin said Friday at Purdue University Northwest.

We have a story to tell. We have a history to be proud of, Godwin said. Were part of a living history.

Godwin, the current president of the Gary City Council, addressed the Black Excellence Brunch as part of PNWs Black History Month activities.

Lift Every Voice and Sing, the Black national anthem written in 1899, Godwin said, contains the lyrics:

Let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod.

Bitter the chastening rod.

More than a century since slavery was outlawed and African Americans could vote, problems remain, Godwin said. These include confrontations with police, housing discrimination, and voting rights.

Black excellence is about all of us, Godwin said, our unique experiences, our special skills, and different resources. We must do everything within our power to make ourselves better and make America better.

Through black excellence, the councilman continued, African Americans must lift up the voice of the best of all of us. Its never a solo; its always a choir.

Looking over an audience that included young people, Godwin recalled that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders were active in their 20s and 30s, not too far removed from college students.

We have to do our part, Godwin said. Use your talents to lift up and inspire others. Do it for a cause that is bigger than you.

Held in Alumni Hall, the brunch was among monthlong events at PNW that included lectures, skate parties, gatherings, and art displays at both campuses.

The schools Black History Month observance featured an open-house-style reception in the Multicultural Lounge on the Hammond campus. In addition, faculty members are presenting two lectures on racism and civic responsibilities.

Throughout February, PNW invited students and faculty members to share their original pieces of art celebrating black history.

This was the first such PNW brunch during Black History Month. Britt Hudson, Purdue Northwests assistant dean of students, explained, We wanted to have an opportunity to have black students, faculty, and staff together.

PNWs Black Student Union had previously held a formal dance, Hudson said, but this was the first such get-together sponsored by the university.

Hudson said black students represent 15% of PNWs enrollment.

Colin Fewer, Purdue Northwest associate vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of students, hoped Godwins comments makes some ripples today.

Fewer added, Its nice to have a classy celebration for Black History Month and give our students a chance to talk to each other.

PNW Chancellor Dr. Thomas L. Keon noted that black history should not be relegated to a month, but its something that goes on always.

Keon cited the need to understand the feelings of those who we captured, took away from their homelands, and then brought them to work on plantations for free  and subjugated to horrendous situations.

Diversity, Keon said, is the future of Northwest Indiana and the future of the U.S.

Attending the brunch were members of Sigma Gamma Rho, a black sorority chartered at PNW in 1976.

Raven White, the sorority president and a junior psychology major from Gary, said shes never had any negative racial experiences in college, but its still good to be around people who look like you.

Also represented was PNW chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. Arriana Bulling, the groups president and a junior mechanical engineering technology major from Gary, recalled engineering classes being surrounded by a bunch of white males.

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HAMMOND  A former East Chicago policeman who defrauded his fellow officers has avoided prison.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon imposed a probation period of two years on Francisco Aleman, a 14-year veteran of the East Chicago Police Department.

Aleman pleaded guilty July 20 to a felony count of wire fraud.

He gave up his right to make government prosecutors prove he is guilty to a jury to avoid being convicted at trial and facing a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment.

Aleman admitted he stole $70,151 from the Fraternal Order of Polices Lodge 59 in East Chicago between 2016 and 2019 when he was its treasurer.

Complaints by FOP members about missing money triggered an investigation by state police and the FBIs Organized Crime and Corruption Unit two years ago.

The U.S. Attorney charged Aleman last summer with illegally diverting FOP dues to his personal bank account on dozens of occasions.

Aleman's defense attorney, Kerry C. Connor, said this crime is the only stain on an otherwise law-abiding life.

She said he was raised by a loving family and achieved his dream of joining the East Chicago Police Department in 2007 and rose the rank of detective.

She said his life took a turn for the worse when his beloved mother died in 2017 and his wife divorced him.

Connor said Aleman remains a devoted father to his children, has taken full responsibility for his crime, started a new career.

The judge also ordered Aleman to pay his victims $70,151 restitution. Connor stated Aleman has cashed in his retirement funds to pay $35,000 of order court-ordered restitution.

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GARY  Federal and local officials said clean Lake Michigan and Grand Calumet River waters are worth the $1 billion.

That is the amount President Joe Biden and a bipartisan U.S. Congress voted is pouring into the restoration of water ways contaminated by a century of industrial pollution.

Its a proud day for Northwest Indiana, U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan said at Friday's press conference at the Gary/Chicago International Airport.

Gary Mayor Jerome Prince said the eight-year effort "brings a little closer to reality his vision of Gary as a destination city. Cleaning up the shoreline will encourage visitors and prompt some to consider Gary their home. We are poised for growth.

Speakers offered an uplifting vision of people eventually kayaking or paddle boating along the still contaminated waterways.

The billion dollars is Northwest Indianas slice of the $715 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act the president signed into law last November.

Mitch Landrieu, a White House senior advisor, told the meeting that this new money is in addition to $760,000 to upgrade the Gary airport.

He said the infrastructure bill will also fund $1.6 billion in repairs to more than 1,100 outdated bridges and $128 million to replace lead pipes and millions more to provide high-speed internet to homes across Indiana.

Landrieu said, "Our Build a better America program will ensure no one gets left behind ensure money goes to underserved and overburdened minority communities. Gary is one of those communities.

He said the infrastructure spending means jobs for union labor. Unions helped build the middle class and now they will help rebuild it.

We will start to think what Gary can be, and not just what Gary used to be, Landrieu said.

Debra Shore, the new regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said Gary and the rest of the areas industries made Northwest Indiana and economic driver, but at a terrible cost.

They made the Great Lakes a dumping ground for toxic chemicals, she said.

The Region is one of dozens of EPAs areas of concern in the Great Lakes region, but the federal government has spent little money since 1985 correcting it.

She said the 16-mile-long Grand Calumet River, flowing through Gary, Hammond, East Chicago and south suburban Chicago, took the brunt of pollution.

She said about half of the rivers length, including its Indiana Harbor section, will soon have been substantially dredged of millions of cubic yards of sediment long contaminated by heavy metals and a cocktail of toxic chemicals.

She said the new billion-dollar infusion will go much of the way to dredge the remaining half of the river in addition to clearing out invasive species.

She said it also will take years of monitors to ensure native fish and other species are recovering. She said she hopes the EPS can de-list the river as a concern after 2030.

This is truly a turning point for the Great Lakes, Shore said.

Mrvan said, No one should have to live near environmental area of concern. These additional resources will improve our Regions ability to create good-paying job opportunities and attract new businesses and residents.

Prince added, These funds will get us closer to re-engaging recreational activities of this natural resource for all citizens to enjoy."

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Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. will be the lone Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate because he is better at collecting autographs than his challengers.

The Indiana Election Commission Friday removed his two Democratic opponents  Valerie McCray, an Indianapolis child psychologist, and Haneefah Khaaliq, an Anderson, Indiana teacher  from the May 3 primary ballot.

Scott Yahne, a Valparaiso lawyer allied with McDermott, successfully challenged their qualification to be Senate candidates, on grounds they failed to gather enough voter signatures in all nine of the states congressional district.

McDermott beat back a challenge by McCray to invalidate his candidacy on grounds he failed to obtain enough valid signatures either.

Indiana law requires senate candidates to collect a total of 4,500 signatures from Indiana registered voters on petitions.

The law further requires candidates to get at least 500 signatures in each of the states nine congressional districts.

Yahne presented evidence that Khaaliq missed the 500-voter signature mark in five of the states congressional districts while McCray was short in all nine districts.

McCray accused McDermotts campaign of illegally copied signatures to reach the 4,500 requirement.

McDermott, who appeared before the commission, responded, Every one of those signatures are 100% valid. Its insulting. No wonder some people stay out of politics.

The commissioner voted unanimously to deny the challenge to McDermotts candidacy.

McDermott said afterwards he has to thank Kevin Smith, his friend and campaign leader, and hundreds of volunteers who scoured the state for signatures.

He said the process is difficult. You could send people knocking on doors around a block and nobody could be home or theyre not registered voters or they are registered Republicans who wouldnt support you.

He said his campaign used voter identification software, The same President Obama used.

McDermott said now that he is assured of winning the Democratic primary nomination, he can concentrate on fundraising for the fall election.

Ill need $5 million for this campaign, McDermott said. It will be nice not to have to spend some of that money in the spring primary too.

He will face incumbent U.S. Sen. Todd Young, who also got a pass in the spring primary as well.

Youngs campaign successfully challenged the candidacy of his Republican opponent, Danny Niederberger, a Carmel accountant, on grounds he failed to collect enough voter signatures as well.

Niederberger complained to the commission said he had enough signatures but Marion County (Indianapolis) election officials failed process them  verify the signatures belong to validly registered voters  quickly enough to meet the Feb. 4 deadline.

Timing is everything, Niederberger said.

Commissioner members told Niederberger he has a valid argument to make before the Indiana General Assembly to change the legal requirements in future.

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GARY  Plans to locate a trucking company in two vacant Gary schools have been derailed after over 90 people logged onto Zoom for a Plan Commission public hearing, Thursday, overwhelmingly to voice their opposition to the project.

Acclaimed journalist and former WBBM news anchor, Felicia Middlebrooks (Hill) got on the call to speak on behalf of her mother. Middlebrooks' family has lived near Ivanhoe Elementary for almost 60 years. She said the Djuric Trucking corporate office proposed for the former school would "obliterate" the neighborhood.

We have seen senseless disruptions here and all over the country targeting stable African American communities, it is indicative of environmental racism, said Middlebrooks, adding that if Djuric does not find a new location "this whole saga will result in a nightmare in this community.

Djuric, a Hammond-based trucking firm, was looking to relocate to Gary because its current location is being usurped for the South Shore Line's West Lake Corridor project.

In 2020, the City of Gary purchased six schools from the Gary Community School Corp. for $1. In September 2021, the Gary Redevelopment Commission accepted purchase agreements from Djuric Trucking Inc., for both Edison, located at 5400 West Fifth Ave., and Ivanhoe, located at 5700 West 15th Ave.

The total purchase price for both schools was $1 million. Djuric now has an option on the properties, but the schools still needed to be rezoned from R2 residential to Planned Unit Development (PUD). If the rezone does not get approval, the deal will be terminated, Gary Executive Director of Redevelopment AJ Bytnar explained.

Djuric planned on turning Ivanhoe into their corporate headquarters, making an initial investment of $6.5 million and turning Edison into their flatbed division, making an initial investment of $3.5 million.

During a Thursday Plan Commission public hearing for the proposed rezone, over 20 Gary residents spoke in opposition to the project.

After almost two hours of public comment, Mayor Jerome Prince said "I have heard the concerns of the residents loud and clear and at this particular time ... we certainly are going to ask that this be withdrawn."

The Plan Commission then tabled both rezones with two separate votes, both of 5-1 with three abstentions.

Residents shared a wide range of concerns, including the environmental impact of the truck emissions; Edison's proximity to the West Side Leadership Academy; the increased traffic; noise pollution; and the impact on property values.

At the beginning of the public hearing, Prince said both schools had been vacant and blighted for years, adding that Djuric's facilities would "beautify" the area and bring jobs and tax dollars to Gary. Dwight Gardner, Gary Park Board president said the home values around Ivanhoe are the highest they have ever been, adding that the Djuric facility would likely have a negative impact.

This is an already stable, vibrant residential neighborhood of which we have too few of in this community, said Howard Hendricks, who lives just a 10-minute walk from Ivanhoe. "Gary has any number of vacant pieces of property that are already zoned commercial ... if you must do this, please do it somewhere else."

According to Gary Municipal code, when applying for a rezone, mail certified letters must be sent to all property owners within 400 feet of the project. Many residents at the public hearing were upset they did not receive a letter. Middlebrooks and her mother even made copies of the letter they received and canvassed the neighborhood to raise awareness.

Nina Burton, who has two children attending West Side, learned about the public hearing from a Facebook post shared by Kimmie Gordon of GARD (Gary Advocates for Responsible Development). She said West Side parents, staff and students should have been contacted.

Not everyone who spoke opposed the project. Michele Blackmon lives across the street from Edison and said she has seen the vacant school be used as "dumping ground" for years. She said she supported Djuric's plans because she would rather see the school be "used for something positive."

Bytnar has said Djuric's location in Hammond is also near a residential neighborhood. Corrina Davis, who lives right behind Ivanhoe said she actually relocated from Hammond to Gary in part because of all the trucking in Hammond. Many residents said the current trucking along 15th Avenue near Ivanhoe and along Fifth Avenue near Edison has already created bad traffic and damaged the surrounding roads.

I reject the Djuric plan, even though I am a truck driver and I own a trucking business, said Antonio Davis, who has been a truck driver for 22 years. As a truck driver I know, drivers make mistakes, they tear some stuff up it is just the nature of the job.

In a statement released after the public hearing, Prince said the city will continue to work with Djuric to find a location that "is more suitable for their needs."

"We welcome economic development in this city. We want the Djuric Trucking Companies of the world to invest here," Prince said. "Our first priority, however, is our people. The people have spoken, and we have listened."

Because the rezones were tabled, Burton said Gary residents will now "have to wait and see what the actual plan is."

I am proud of us for really taking a stand. Regardless of what others think about our city, this is our city," Burton said. Hopefully they truly heard what the residents as a whole said; its not that we dont want economic development, we just want a plan where things are properly zoned and things are properly placed.

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MERRILLVILLE  Initial approval has been granted for a proposed 196-acre development, described as "massive," on Mississippi Street, and construction could begin as the weather gets warmer in coming months.

The Plan Commission recently supported Crow Holdings request to change the zoning classification of the land to an industrial special zoning district.

Crow Holdings plans to build multiple speculative facilities for a commercial/industrial complex on Mississippi Street between 93rd and 101st avenues. The buildings could have a total of about 2.3 million square feet of space when the development is finished.

Crow is prepared to commence this spring, April hopefully, Sean Andrews, of Crow Holdings, said of the construction schedule.

Before that happens, the project will need additional approval from the Plan Commission and other town panels.

Town officials have been supportive of the project since it was first discussed. Councilman Shawn Pettit, a Plan Commission member, said hes ecstatic about it and the opportunities it can bring to Merrillville.

As planning continues, Andrews said, hes working with town staff on a variety of aspects of the project, including a development agreement.

Looking forward to the next step, he said.

During a public hearing about the zone change request, two residents expressed concerns about drainage in that area of town.

Andrews said engineering work is ongoing, and he is collaborating with Matt Lake, executive director of Merrillville Stormwater Management, to ensure stormwater is adequately addressed in plans.

Steve King, Merrillvilles engineering administrator and public works director, said hes also working with Crow Holdings on traffic plans. That includes the possibility of a signalized intersection to help with safety and traffic flow.

This isnt the first project Crow Holdings has pursued in Merrillville. The company constructed the new facility that houses Midwest Truck & Auto Parts, Quality Pasta and Precision Turbo/Turbonetics in the AmeriPlex at the Crossroads business park along Broadway and south of 93rd Avenue.

Crow Holdings also is in the midst of creating another facility in AmeriPlex that will be about 270,000 square feet. Officials cant yet disclose the tenant that could occupy that space.

Pettit said that Crow Holdings has another parcel in AmeriPlex and that a 150,000-square-foot building could be constructed there.

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What is going on

In the beginning of the February, the F.D.A. announced that a panel of independent health experts would convene on Feb. 15 to determine if two doses of Pfizer-BioNTechs Covid-19 vaccine would be safe and effective for children ages 6 months through 4 years old. But in a highly unusual move, the agency called off this meeting just days before it was scheduled to occur, explaining that it would now wait to evaluate data from three doses instead of two. Pfizer is expected to have these results by May.

This pivot was especially perplexing because the F.D.A. had pressed Pfizer to initiate the review of two doses of the vaccine, despite disappointing clinical trial results from December, which found that two doses did not adequately protect children between 2 and 4 (though they did seem to protect those between 6 months and 2 years old). Pfizer has been saying since December that children under 5 would probably need three vaccine doses, each of which would be just one-tenth of the dose that those 12 and older receive.

By starting the approval process for two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the F.D.A. might have been able to certify at least those doses sooner rather than later, said Dr. Sallie Permar, chair of pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine. Then regulators could have added a third dose once trial data was available. Now the agency will likely review all three doses together in June.

Moderna has been testing a two-dose regimen for children under 6 that contains a slightly higher concentration of vaccine per dose compared to Pfizers shots. In a statement on Thursday, Moderna said that their vaccine was 51 percent effective in preventing Covid among children 6 months to 2 years old and 37 percent effective in children 2 to just under 6. The efficacy in infants is only slightly higher than preliminary results announced by the company in March, though Moderna said that the efficacy estimates are similar to vaccine efficacy estimates in adults against Omicron after two doses.

Moderna is also planning to evaluate booster doses of the vaccine, as well as a so-called bivalent booster, which will combine the existing vaccine with targeted protection against the Omicron variant for all pediatric groups. The company requested emergency authorization for a vaccine for children 6 to 11, as well as updated one for those 12 to 17 last month. (Currently, Pfizers vaccine is the only one authorized for children as young as 5.)
In the C.D.C. study, the agency said that the proportion of eating disorder visits doubled among teenage girls, set off by pandemic-related risk factors, like the lack of structure in daily routine, emotional distress and changes in food availability.

The agency said that the increase in tic disorders was atypical, as these disorders often present earlier, and are more common in boys. But the C.D.C., reinforcing speculation from other clinicians and researchers, said that some teenage girls may be developing tics after seeing the phenomenon spread widely on social media, notably on TikTok.

Stress of the pandemic or exposure to severe tics, highlighted on social media platforms, might be associated with increases in visits with tics and tic-like behavior among adolescent females, the C.D.C. wrote.

In a related report, the C.D.C. also said on Friday that the increase in visits for mental health issues occurred as emergency rooms reported sharp declines overall in visits during the pandemic. As compared with 2019, overall visits fell by 51 percent in 2020 and by 22 percent in 2021, declines that the agency attributed in part to families delaying care, and a drop in physical injuries from activities like swimming and running.

There was a decline in overall emergency room visits for mental health conditions among all youths, up to age 17. Increases occurred for particular maladies, and particularly among teenage girls.
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.
Helen La Lime (on the screen), the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti, speaks via a video link at a Security Council meeting on the situation in Haiti at UN Headquarters in New York, on Feb. 18, 2022. The top UN envoy for Haiti on Friday called for efforts to tackle gang violence in Haiti. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The top UN envoy for Haiti on Friday called for efforts to tackle gang violence in Haiti.

Gang violence continues to plunge major urban centers of Haiti into lawlessness and grief. Criminal armed groups have a strong hold on the economic and social lives of millions of children, women and men. Their indiscriminate use of abduction, murder, as well as sexual and gender-based violence as a means to terrorize local populations in the fight to extend their territorial control is particularly abhorrent, said Helen La Lime, the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti.

To stem this ever-growing wave of violent crime, the Haitian National Police has, within its limited capacity, sought to improve the effectiveness of its anti-gang operations, adopt a more balanced approach between prevention and repression, and rely on an increased police presence in sensitive areas, an approach which yielded modest temporary results in some zones in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, she told the Security Council in a briefing.

Yet an over-stretched, understaffed, and under-resourced police force cannot on its own curtail the alarming rise in gang-generated insecurity, she said.

To provide the Haitian National Police with much-needed relief, the Haitian government, its international partners, and the United Nations have jointly resolved to strengthen international support and coordination of assistance to the institution, with a view to ensuring its effective and structured long-term development, she said.

The gang phenomenon cannot be addressed through policing alone. A law enforcement approach, which incorporates a greater control of the illegal flow of weapons, needs to be complemented by socio-economic projects and reintegration activities aimed at generating employment and revenue in the neighborhoods most affected by the scourge of gang violence, said La Lime.

"Haitian authorities have adopted a national community violence reduction strategy premised on such a holistic approach, and we commend their efforts to ensure that it is swiftly and effectively implemented," she said.

On the political front, La Lime said it is imperative that all Haitian leaders resolve to engage constructively with one another to steer the country toward a process that will allow elections to occur.

The international community must also continue to engage with the Haitian government and other stakeholders not only to support efforts to create the necessary security and political conditions for the holding of national elections, but also to ensure that urgent structural reforms are undertaken to tackle gang violence, address impunity and corruption, strengthen the justice system and transform the economy in a sustainable manner, she said. 

Helen La Lime (on the screen), the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti, speaks via a video link at a Security Council meeting on the situation in Haiti at UN Headquarters in New York, on Feb. 18, 2022. The top UN envoy for Haiti on Friday called for efforts to tackle gang violence in Haiti. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)
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.
The single defense witness, a woman who lived in the Satilla Shores neighborhood where the defendants lived and where Mr. Arbery died, testified that on one occasion in 2019 she saw a white man who appeared suspicious under a bridge near the entrance to the neighborhood. A.J. Balbo, Mr. McMichaels lawyer, played a recording of a call Mr. McMichael made to authorities that summer after he, too, saw a white man under the bridge who he thought was suspicious and perhaps responsible for burglaries. The defendants have argued in both trials that they were on alert because of a rash of break-ins.

An advocate for Mr. Arberys family expressed skepticism about that line of argument.

The defense tried to use this witness to show that their clients arent racist, that they called the police on a white man and were concerned about crime, but just because you called the police on a white person doesnt mean youre not racist, said Lynn Whitfield, a senior attorney with the Transformative Justice Coalition who has been sitting with Mr. Arberys family during the court proceedings. They didnt chase the white man through the neighborhood with guns and kill him.

The jury is tasked with determining whether the men deprived Mr. Arbery of his right to use a public street because he was Black, not whether they committed murder. The men are also charged with attempted kidnapping, and the McMichaels are charged with one count each of using a weapon during a violent crime. If convicted, they face up to life in prison. Guilty verdicts would have practical ramifications if the mens state convictions were overturned on appeal.
Abbott Nutrition, a popular baby food manufacturer, announced on Thursday that it was voluntarily recalling three types of infant formula after four babies became sick with bacterial infections after consuming the products.

The recall includes select lots of Similac, Alimentum and EleCare formulas that were manufactured at an Abbott facility in Sturgis, Mich. It comes after the Food and Drug Administration received four consumer complaints of bacterial infections related to the formulas.

Three of the complaints concerned Cronobacter sakazakii, a bacterium that can cause severe, life-threatening infections or inflammation of the membranes that protect the brain and spine. Cronobacter infection may also cause bowel damage and may spread through the blood to other parts of the body, according to the F.D.A.

The F.D.A. had posted a recommendation on Thursday to parents warning them about the products after illnesses in Minnesota, Ohio and Texas resulted in the hospitalization of four infants. The bacterium may have contributed to a death in one case, the agency said.
Representative Jim Hagedorn, a second-term Minnesota Republican who was a staunch ally of former President Donald J. Trump and who joined with other members of his party in seeking to overturn the election of Joseph R. Biden Jr., died on Thursday. He was 59.

His wife, Jennifer Carnahan Hagedorn, the former chair of the Minnesota Republican Party, announced the death on Facebook. She did not specify the cause or say where he died. He had long been public about his three-year struggle with cancer and announced in January that he had tested positive for Covid-19.

Mr. Hagedorn was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer in 2019, shortly after he was sworn in as a first-term member of the House of Representatives. He underwent immunotherapy treatment at the Mayo Clinic, and doctors removed the affected kidney in December 2020. He said at the time that 99 percent of the cancer was gone, but he announced in July that it had returned.

Mr. Hagedorn had run for a House seat three times without success, in 2010, 2014 and 2016, when he lost by a hair to the incumbent, the Democrat Tim Walz. In 2018, after Mr. Walz left to run successfully for governor, Mr. Hagedorn narrowly won his seat in a race against the Democrat Dan Feehan.
I think theyre handling it as well as they can be, given the circumstances. Writ large, what the administration is doing right now is certainly what I would recommend doing. But I dont know whether we can say if its going to work or not. The real test is going to be over a long period of time. I dont think this is going to be a short, sharp crisis.

What do you mean?

Putins been trying to get a grip on Ukraine for years now. They cut off the gas to Ukraine in 2006. Hes been in power for 22 years, and the whole of that time, hes had Ukraine in the cross hairs one way or another, and its intensified over time. Putin wants to be the person who, on his watch, in his presidency, pulls Ukraine back into Russias orbit. And he could be president until 2036, in terms of whats possible for him.

Is this fundamentally ideological for him, or geopolitical?

Its about him personally  his legacy, his view of himself, his view of Russian history. Putin clearly sees himself as a protagonist in Russian history, and is putting himself in the place of previous Russian leaders whove tried to gather in what he sees as the Russian land. Ukraine is the outlier, the one that got away that hes got to bring back.

And does that mean that hes behaving irrationally here?

No, I dont think hes being irrational at all, from his perspective. Hes in a different frame from where we are. Hes living in history and his narrative of history. He also is part of a larger group of security people in Russia who have been opposed to NATO expansion; they want the U.S. out of Europe.

But it seems like hes made his security situation worse.

Thats from our perspective, on the outside. We dont know exactly what hes saying internally. From his point of view right now, hes put the squeeze on Ukraine and the Ukrainian economy is getting crushed. Hes got all of our attention. Were all running around doing nothing but talk about him. As he would say, hes got us listening to him now. Whether were hearing him on the terms that he wants us to is another matter.
In Seattle, home to one of the largest populations of bike commuters in the country, officials have overturned a decades-old regulation requiring cyclists to wear helmets because of what they called discriminatory enforcement of the rule against homeless people and people of color.

The King County Board of Health voted to repeal the requirement on Thursday, with only one member opposing the decision to roll back a measure that even critics acknowledge has saved lives.

The question before us yesterday wasnt the efficacy of helmets, said Girmay Zahilay, a board member who is also a member of the King County Council. The question before us was whether a helmet law thats enforced by police on balance produces results that outweigh the harm that that law creates.

Seattle is the largest city in the country to enforce a bike helmet requirement. The city of Tacoma, Wash., repealed its requirement in 2020, citing similar equity concerns, as did Dallas in 2014 for those 18 and older, as a means of encouraging more bike-sharing.
Hong Kong will postpone the election of its next leader so that it can focus on containing a surge in coronavirus cases driven by the Omicron variant, the citys chief executive said on Friday.

The leader of Hong Kong is not elected by the public, but by an election committee of more than 1,400 backers of Chinas Communist Party. The vote by that committee, which was to take place on March 27, was rescheduled for May 8, said the chief executive, Carrie Lam.

She also announced a plan to introduce mandatory testing for the citys entire population of 7.5 million. She had previously rejected calls from pro-Beijing lawmakers to introduce mandatory universal testing.

Our government needs to focus on the epidemic, Mrs. Lam said at a news conference on Friday. We cannot afford to lose.
WASHINGTON  President Biden said on Friday that the United States had intelligence showing that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had made a final decision to invade Ukraine.

We have reason to believe the Russian forces are planning to, intend to, attack Ukraine in the coming week, in the coming days, Mr. Biden said in the Roosevelt Room at the White House. We believe that they will target Ukraines capital Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million innocent people.

Asked whether he thought that Mr. Putin was still wavering, Mr. Biden said, Im convinced hes made the decision. Later he added that his impression of Mr. Putins intentions was based on U.S. intelligence.

Previously, the president and his top national security aides had said they did not know whether Mr. Putin had made a final decision to follow through with his threat of an invasion of Ukraine.
Two founding members of the Soviet Union  Russia and Ukraine  are once again in conflict. Here are some pivotal moments in the years leading up to Moscows decision to invade the country on Feb. 24, as well as a brief look at relations between Russia and Ukraine in the 20th century.

2014  Protesters in Ukraine overthrow President Viktor Yanukovych in February. He had been friendly to Russias interests. During the revolution, more than 100 people are killed in protests that centered on the main square in the capital Kyiv, often called the Maidan.

The interim government that followed this pro-Western revolution eventually signs a trade agreement with the European Union that is seen as a first step toward membership of the bloc.
The United States lifted a temporary ban on avocados from Mexico on Friday, allowing exports of the fruit to resume, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

The ban had been issued on Feb. 11 after a verbal threat was made to a U.S. inspector working in the country. That prompted the U.S.D.A. to warn that the suspension would remain in place for as long as necessary to ensure the appropriate actions are taken to secure the safety of inspection service personnel working in Mexico.

On Friday, the department said in a statement that it worked with agencies in Mexico to enact more safety measures for its inspectors. It did not elaborate on those measures.

The safety of U.S.D.A. employees simply doing their jobs is of paramount importance, the department said. U.S.D.A. is appreciative of the positive, collaborative relationship between the United States and Mexico that made resolution of this issue possible in a timely manner.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Kim Potter, a former police officer in the U.S. state of Minnesota who fatally shot African American man Daunte Wright last year, was sentenced to a total of two years in prison and supervised release on Friday.

The punishment includes 16 months in prison and eight months of supervised release after Potter was found guilty of first- and second-degree manslaughter in December.

Potter was attempting to arrest Wright on an open warrant on April 11, 2021 for failure to appear on a weapons charge when she drew her gun instead of her Taser.

Judge Regina Chu, handing down the sentence in a Minneapolis courtroom on Friday, said that Potter "never intended to hurt anyone" and that "her conduct cries out for a sentence significantly below the guidelines."

Wright's mother, Katie Wright, responded that they are "very disappointed in the outcome" and the justice system murdered her son "all over again."

"This isn't okay, this is the problem with our justice system today: white women's tears trump justice," she added, describing how Potter cried on the stand while apologizing for killing Wright.

Potter has been held without bail since her conviction in December. 
At the request of The New York Times, the Global Disinformation Index, a nonprofit research group, independently evaluated the report and said the research appeared reliable.

Here are some of the unsupported claims the European Expert Association researchers found.

Unsubstantiated Claim 1: Ukraine is planning to attack some separatist-held territories using chemical weapons.

On Dec. 21, the Russian defense minister, Sergei K. Shoigu, alleged that the Ukrainian army was preparing to attack two separatist-held territories in Ukraine. The next day, the state-owned news agency RIA Novosti published a report that claimed, without proof, that a stash of chemical weapons had been given to Ukraine by the United States, according to the researchers.

Throughout January and February, the researchers said, Russian-backed media spread the rumor, which was amplified on social media. Chemical weapons are already present on the territory of Ukraine, said a message in one anonymous Telegram channel with 24,500 followers. The post was viewed by 7,000 people.

Unsubstantiated Claim 2: The Ukrainian Army is preparing to attack Donbas.

Russian state media has been spreading rumors that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are planning an attack on Donbas, the separatist region in eastern Ukraine, with the help of American, British and Polish mercenaries, according to the researchers.

The rumor then spread on Facebook and YouTube. The Ukrainian people are waiting for Mother Russia to free their younger sister from the Nazis and the State Department, said one Facebook post that collected nearly 100 likes. On YouTube, a video spreading the same unproven claim collected more than 31,600 views.
At just five feet tall and 90 pounds, Mahoney was a slight but hardworking student. The programs standards were high, and few succeeded; of the 40 or so applicants in 1878, nine withdrew, 13 were considered unsuitable and nine of 18 who had been accepted for trial failed to be admitted. Mahoneys sister, Ellen, attempted to complete the program as well but failed the final exam.

Mahoneys guiding motto was, Work more and better the coming year than the previous year.

After she graduated, she became a private nurse, caring primarily for wealthy white patients whom she regarded as family. Many requested her care. I owe my life to that dear soul, one patient was quoted as saying in the 1954 journal article.

Her success opened doors for future generations of Black women in nursing, and she would devote the rest of her career to making the profession more accessible, particularly through her role as one of the first Black members of the Nurses Associated Alumnae of the United States and Canada, now the American Nurses Association. (A survey published in The Journal of Nursing Regulation found that 6.7 percent of nurses in the nation in 2020 were Black.)

Mary Ella Chayer, a former professor of nursing at the Teachers College at Columbia University, wrote of Mahoney in 1954: This nurse was an outstanding student of her time, an expert and tender practitioner, an exemplary citizen, and an untiring worker in both local and national organizations. She was a sound builder for the future, a builder of foundations on which others to follow may safely depend.
Cady, played in this movie by Robert De Niro, is both a threat to (whats left of) Bowdens confidence and an opportunity for Bowden to demonstrate mastery over his life and his family. And the story of this film is his utter failure to do either.

Cady does not just stalk and harass Bowden, he attempts  nearly successfully  to seduce his daughter as well. He makes a mockery of Bowdens attempts to intimidate him; he assaults the assistant with whom Bowden had a flirtatious relationship; he weaponizes and turns the law against Bowden; he breaks into Bowdens home and kills his housekeeper and private investigator; and he follows the Bowdens to their boat on the Cape Fear River (strapped to the bottom of their car the whole way), where he assaults and subdues the Bowdens and attempts to act as judge, jury and executioner for Sam Bowdens misdeeds. Scorseses hyper-stylized approach to the visuals and his (to use that word again) lurid fascination with the violence inflicted on the various characters only underscores the thematic distance between the two movies.

Bowden survives in this film because of the quick thinking of his daughter, who manages to injure Cady. The final confrontation is not a heroic fistfight as much as it is a brutal beating, each pummeling the other with stones in the mud and muck. When Cady finally dies, pulled away on the wreckage of the boat, Bowden is first relieved and then horrified by what hes done. Hes also alone; his wife and daughter  who saved themselves by jumping from the vessel  huddle together elsewhere on the bank of the river. Cady was a test for Noltes Bowden, and he failed it. He ends the story with whatever illusion of mastery he held stripped away from him.

I have no pat conclusion to end this with. This newsletter is for thinking aloud and I am, here, thinking out loud. What I will say though is that both Cape Fear films are absolutely worth your time. The later version, in particular, is a highlight of Scorseses career, a perfectly realized genre picture that departs from some of his usual concerns and interests but is also unmistakably his movie.

Consider this my recommendation for the weekend. Watch both films and take a minute to think about them.
As the Covid-19 pandemic shattered lives and livelihoods, experts somberly anticipated a decline in philanthropic donations. The World Bank predicted an alarming drop of 20 percent in global emigrant remittances as a result of the economic crisis. After all, the 2008 Great Recession led to reductions in charitable giving as well as a downturn in those crucial monetary transfers that immigrants send home. Yet remarkably, both forecasts failed, as monetary donations surged during the early days of the pandemic and the flow of immigrant remittances proved resilient.

Why did direct cash donations surge and remittances remain stable at a time of such economic fragility and employment precarity? The best explanation is that money took on new social meanings during the pandemic. At a time of excruciating social distancing, when quarantine rules separated us from one another, money became a tangible social connector, bridging the physical gap by allowing us to express concern for intimates and strangers. Notice the paradox: cold cash, the ultimate transactional medium, alchemized into a warm social currency, strengthening multiple social bonds and affirming community solidarity.

Consider the wave of pandemic-inspired charitable giving. In 2020, donations in the United States by individuals, bequests, foundations and corporations reached a record high of $471.44 billion, according to a study by the school of philanthropy at Indiana University. On top of gifts to traditional nonprofits, there was a noticeable surge in direct money transfers, as people gave digital cash gifts to struggling kin, friends, neighbors and small businesses, including more generous tips to workers risking their health, such as grocery delivery workers and even store clerks.

Many others gave money indirectly, ordering takeout from neighborhood restaurants, purchasing gift cards from local stores or continuing to pay workers for services they could no longer provide, such as housecleaning, day care and hair cutting. Crowdfunding campaigns also proliferated to support health workers or help families pay for food, living expenses, medical bills and funerals.
Follow our live coverage of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Four years after they finished a heartbreaking second at the last Olympics, Chinas Sui Wenjing and Han Cong finally won the gold medal in figure skatings pairs event on Saturday. Their victory, likely the last medal for the host nation, capped two scandal-tinged and tear-stained weeks for their sport with a nearly flawless performance, and added an exclamation point to Chinas best-ever medal haul from a Winter Games.

Sui and Han already knew the sting of a razor-thin margin at the Olympics. On Saturday, at last, they got to experience the joy of being on the winning side of one.

Their gold, just like their silver four years ago, came by the finest of margins: 63-hundredths of a point. When their score was posted on the scoreboard at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, confirming their victory over the Russian pair of Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, Sui and Han immediately began crying tears of joy. Within seconds, they disappeared into a celebratory scrum of coaches and team officials, including one holding a large Chinese flag.
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Open your eyes, the online post began, claiming, Many in our govt worship Satan.

That warning, published on a freewheeling online message board in October 2017, was the beginning of the movement now known as QAnon. Paul Furber was its first apostle.

The outlandish claim made perfect sense to Mr. Furber, a South African software developer and tech journalist long fascinated with American politics and conspiracy theories, he said in an interview. He still clung to Pizzagate, the debunked online lie that liberal Satanists were trafficking children from a Washington restaurant. He was also among the few who understood an obscure reference in the message to Operation Mockingbird, an alleged C.I.A. scheme to manipulate the news media.

As the stream of messages, most signed only Q, grew into a sprawling conspiracy theory, the mystery surrounding their authorship became a central fascination for its followers  who was the anonymous Q?
While the experiences of the most prominent civil rights figures have been well documented, the perspectives of many of the tens of thousands who stood beside them have been shared in a much more limited manner, or gone unrecorded altogether. The movement, after all, transpired across the country, historians say, in thousands of communities like Gainesville.

Efforts to capture these activists oral histories have existed for decades in some parts of the country. But the coronavirus pandemic jolted historians into action. Many see the coming years as their final chance to collect testimony from those who were never quoted in articles or named in history textbooks, even though they had dedicated their youth to seeking justice.

A lot of people my age who fought for freedom, there is so much we know that others wont because our stories are dying with us, Ms. Filer said on a recent afternoon. So the urgency to tell our history is here and now.

That urgency was felt by David Cline, a history professor at San Diego State University and one of the oral historians who was asked in 2013 to conduct interviews for the Civil Rights History Project. A joint initiative by the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, it collects testimony from participants in the civil rights movement.

Professor Cline said he knew what he was up against: time.

He packed his tan suit, put on a collared shirt and traversed the country, racing to find local activists.
Peter Earnest, who spent decades running undercover operatives for the C.I.A. during the Cold War and later drew on that expertise as the first executive director of the International Spy Museum in Washington, died on Feb. 13 in a hospital in Arlington, Va. He was 88.

His wife, Karen Rice, said the cause was congestive heart failure.

Unlike many former intelligence operatives, who tend to be tight-lipped, Mr. Earnest was a savvy and eager raconteur about his career with the C.I.A., including his years in Europe and the Middle East, where he recruited and managed agents involved in spying on the Soviet Union and its satellites. Those experiences  and his attitude  made him an excellent fit to run a museum devoted to international espionage.

One of his favorite stories involved a 1978 assignment to protect and debrief a Soviet defector, Arkady N. Schevchenko, moving him undercover from his apartment in New York to the Virginia suburbs. Mr. Shevchenko, who was posted to the United Nations as an under secretary general, was already spying for the C.I.A., and the Americans worried that he was about to be caught by the K.G.B.

Over a period of weeks, Mr. Earnests team interviewed Mr. Shevchenko  among his interrogators was Aldrich Ames, later revealed to be a Soviet spy himself  and dealt with his endless demands for clothing, girlfriends and even a vacation to the Caribbean. Mr. Earnest paid for all of it, handing over cash to the Russian defectors F.B.I. handlers.
In Wisconsin, Robin Vos, the Assembly speaker who has allowed vague theories about fraud to spread unchecked, is now struggling to rein them in. Even Mr. Voss careful attempts have turned election deniers sharply against him.

This is a real issue, said Timothy Ramthun, the Republican state representative who has turned his push to decertify the election into a nascent campaign for governor. Mr. Ramthun has asserted that if the Wisconsin Legislature decertifies the results and rescinds the states 10 electoral votes  an action with no basis in state or federal law  it could set off a movement that would oust President Biden from office.

We dont wear tinfoil hats, he said. Were not fringe.

Although support for the decertification campaign is difficult to measure, it wouldnt take much to make an impact in a state where elections are regularly decided by narrow margins. Mr. Ramthun is drawing crowds, and his campaign has already revived Republicans divisive debate over false claims of fraud in 2020. Nearly two-thirds of Wisconsin Republicans were not confident in the states 2020 presidential election results, according to an October poll from the Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee.

This is just not what the Republican Party needs right now, said Rob Swearingen, a Republican state representative from the conservative Northwoods. We shouldnt be fighting among ourselves about what happened, you know, a year and a half ago.

Wisconsin has the nations most active decertification effort. In Arizona, a Republican state legislator running for secretary of state, along with candidates for Congress, has called for recalling the states electoral votes. In September, Mr. Trump wrote a letter to Georgia officials asking them to decertify Mr. Bidens victory there, but no organized effort materialized.
Voters like Ms. Garza are worrying Democratic leaders, whose once tight grip and influence on the Texas-Mexico border region has loosened in recent electoral cycles. Republicans have claimed significant victories across South Texas, flipping Zapata County, south of Laredo on the bank of the Rio Grande, and a state district in San Antonio. They also made gains in the Rio Grande Valley, where the border counties delivered so many votes for Mr. Trump in 2020 that they helped negate the impact of white voters in urban and suburban areas of the state who voted for Joe Biden.

Much is at stake in Laredo, the most populous city of the 28th Congressional District, where Latinos are a majority, and which stretches from the eastern tip of San Antonio and includes a western chunk of the Rio Grande Valley. Since the district was drawn nearly three decades ago, the seat has been held by Democrats. Mr. Cuellar has represented the district since 2005. His moderate and sometimes conservative views  he was the only Congressional Democrat to vote against a U.S. House bill that would have nullified the states near-total ban on abortion that went into effect last September  have frequently endeared him to social conservatives and Republicans.

But he now finds himself locked in a tight fight against a much more liberal candidate backed by the progressive wing of the party that includes Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Mr. Cuellar, whose home was raided last month by the F.B.I. as part of an investigation that neither he nor the government has disclosed, beat his opponent, Jessica Cisneros, by four percentage points in 2020.
HONG KONG, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Friday strongly objected to the unfounded remarks about Hong Kong in the annual report 2021 on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy released by the European Parliament.

"Such repeated attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of our country and to misrepresent the principle of 'one country, two systems' and its implementation in the HKSAR are futile and disgusting," a spokesman for the HKSAR government said, adding that the HKSAR government will continue to firmly oppose and guard against foreign forces interfering in the internal affairs of Hong Kong.

Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the HKSAR has been implementing the principle of "one country, two systems," under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the HKSAR Basic Law. The central government has time and again made it clear that it will unswervingly implement the policy of "one country, two systems," which is the cornerstone of Hong Kong's long term prosperity and stability, the spokesman said.

Since the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong on June 30, 2020, stability has been restored in Hong Kong society. People's lives and property are protected, and they can once again enjoy their legitimate rights and freedoms, which the law clearly stipulates shall be protected under the HKSAR Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to Hong Kong in accordance with the law, the spokesman said.

The remark in the report referring to the national security law in Hong Kong as a "crackdown on Hong Kong's democracy and freedoms" could hardly be substantiated as illustrated by survey after survey, which confirmed public support for the law and much lessened anxiety among the international business community based in Hong Kong, the spokesman said.

The spokesman stressed that all law enforcement actions taken by Hong Kong law enforcement agencies are based on evidence, strictly according to the law and have nothing to do with the occupation, background or political stance of the individuals concerned. Also, all prosecutorial decisions made by the Department of Justice are based on evidence, applicable laws and the Prosecution Code, and are free from any interference. 
KYIV, Ukraine  Every February seems to be difficult for Julia Po. It is the month she had to leave her home in Crimea in 2014 after Russian troops annexed it and pro-Moscow separatists took control of parts of eastern Ukraine.

But this February has been particularly painful, with Russian troops massed on Ukraines borders and the United States and its allies warning that an invasion looks imminent. On Friday, President Biden, while still pressing for a diplomatic solution, said he believed that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had made a final decision to invade within a week and target Kyiv, Ukraines capital.

American officials said that as many as 190,000 Russian troops and members of aligned militias were arrayed near the borders and in the eastern regions held by the separatists. In the east, separatist leaders called for mass evacuations, claiming that Ukraines military was planning a large-scale attack  an assertion that Mr. Biden dismissed as a lie intended to give Russia a pretext to invade.

The crisis has taken a toll on many Ukrainians, including Ms. Po, an artist. She had been planning an exhibition in western Ukraine, but she forgot about it until the last moment, overwhelmed by stress over the Russian troop buildup.
PARIS  A former French modeling agent who had been charged with the rape of minors and was suspected of scouting girls for the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his Paris jail cell, a spokesman for the Paris prosecutor said on Saturday, in what appeared to be a suicide.

Jean-Luc Brunel, 75, was found hanging overnight in his cell at La Sante, a prison in southern Paris, according to a French official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because an investigation had been opened. Mr. Brunels death echoed that of Mr. Epstein, who hanged himself in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.

His decision was not guided by guilt but by a deep sense of injustice, his lawyers said in a statement, adding that Mr. Brunel had never stopped claiming his innocence.

Mr. Brunel had been charged with raping minors over 15 and sexual harassment, and he was placed in pretrial detention in 2020. He was also under investigation for human trafficking of minors for sexual exploitation, as part of a broader French inquiry into potential offenses committed in France in connection to the Epstein scandal.
Artillery shells struck a ring of front-line towns in eastern Ukraine on Friday, blowing out windows, hitting schools, homes and military positions  and stirring fears that the escalation is a prelude to direct Russian military action.

I have a small baby, said Nadya Lapygina, a resident of Staryi Aidar, one of several dozen towns hit by artillery and mortar fire on the northern border of the breakaway separatist region. You have no idea how scary it is to hide him from the shelling.

They huddled under the stairs in their home and were unharmed through two volleys on Thursday morning and Friday afternoon, Ms. Lapygina said. The fighting between government soldiers and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine began Thursday, with several dozen towns and villages on the government-controlled side being shelled, the authorities and aid groups said.

Ukrainian military officials and the defense minister confirmed the pickup in shelling, saying that Russian-backed separatists had fired 84 times with heavy weaponry on Thursday and Friday.
The sprawling plant is one of Europes largest fertilizer factories. A stray shell from returning fire from the Ukrainian Army risks hitting pressurized tanks and more than 12 miles of pipelines holding poisonous ammonia gas. The United States has warned the Russian government could stage an incident with poisonous chemicals to justify intervention.

Residents in the village of Luhansk, near Svitloldarsk, said both sides had been opening fire in recent days.

When we are very nervous, we will leave, said Yana Tinyakova, 31. But we built this house with our hands. We dont want to leave. This is ours. We have no place to escape to. If even we had a place to go, we dont want to, because this is our home.

The area is also seen as a potential flash point for a nearby water and pipe network that crosses the front line and supplies drinking water to several million people on both sides of the conflict, including residents of the city of Donetsk, one of the capitals of the two self-declared separatist states backed by Moscow in eastern Ukraine. A cutoff of that water supply amid fighting in 2014 hastened an outflow of refugees from the city.

On Saturday, Russias Interfax news agency, cited Eduard Basurin, a spokesman for the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic, as saying that shelling had damaged a pumping station and water pipes. He said the water supply was again at risk.
The balancing act has clearly ended, said Ales Michalovich, an opposition presidential candidate in 2010 who has been hounded relentlessly by Mr. Lukashenkos notoriously vicious security apparatus.

Backed by an expansive and brutal security system, Mr. Lukashenko shows no sign of losing his grip at home, if at the cost of becoming Mr. Putins enfeebled satrap.

His near total dependency on the Kremlin began in August 2020, after he declared an implausible landslide victory in a contested presidential election and had to call on Mr. Putin for help in suppressing huge street protests that followed. Russia bolstered his security forces and even provided journalists to fill the ranks of state propaganda organs thinned by mass defections.

Since then, Mr. Lukashenkos already tight room for maneuver has shrunk further.

His biggest export earner and taxpayer, a giant potash company, this month lost its only export route to foreign markets through a port in neighboring Lithuania, forcing it to turn to Russia for help. He said on Friday after his meeting with Mr. Putin that Belarus, with Russias help, would now build a new export port near St. Petersburg on the Baltic Sea.

His military, always far weaker than Russias, has in recent months lost any semblance of equal standing in its increasingly intimate relations with Russias armed forces, according to Western military officials.

We can no longer make a distinction between the Russian and Belarusian forces, said Lt. Gen. Valdemaras Rupsys, Lithuanias defense chief. Previously only air defenses and air surveillance systems were integrated, and now we observe a systemic integration and subordination of Belarusian forces to Russia.
Moscow, in another escalation toward a possible invasion of Ukraine, is issuing a growing drumbeat of accusations, all without evidence, that center on a single word.

What is happening in the Donbas today is genocide, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Tuesday, referring to Ukraines east.

Senior Russian officials and state media have since echoed Mr. Putins use of genocide. Russian diplomats circulated a document to the United Nations Security Council accusing Ukraine of exterminating the civilian population in its east.

On Friday, Russia-backed separatists, who control parts of Ukraines east, claimed that Ukraines military was about to attack, and ordered women and children to evacuate. Extensive coverage on Russian state media portrayed Russian minorities as fleeing a tyrannical Ukrainian military, and President Biden called such incidents ploys fabricated as pretext for a Russian invasion.
Mr. Zelensky made an emotional appeal to the West, saying that sanctions against Russia should begin immediately and that there was no point in daily declarations that attacks are imminent, as they are destroying the economy. He added that no deal should be struck with Russia that does not include his nation.

Its important for all our partners and friends to not agree about anything behind our back, he said. Were not panicking. Were very consistent that we are not responding to any provocations.

Western leaders there displayed a united front and issued repeated calls for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. Vice President Kamala Harris called the crisis a defining moment for European security and the defense of democratic values.

But Mr. Putin sent his own message, presiding over tests of nuclear-capable missiles.

Tensions between the United States and Russia have not been this high since the Cold War, and Russias nuclear drills on Saturday appeared carefully timed to deter the West from direct military involvement in Ukraine. In Munich, Ms. Harris warned that if Russia invaded Ukraine, the United States and its allies would target not only financial institutions and technology exports to Russia, but also those who are complicit and those who aid and direct this unprovoked invasion.

Russia continues to claim it is ready for talks, while at the same time it narrows the avenues for diplomacy, she said. Their actions simply do not match their words.
LONDON  Tens of thousands of homes were without power on Saturday, a day after a severe storm pummeled parts of Britain and northern Europe, killing at least eight people, damaging buildings and causing major travel disruptions across the region.

The storm, named Eunice by Britains weather service, led British authorities to issue a rare weather safety warning for London. On Saturday, train services were scrambling to accommodate travelers who had been stranded in city because of the storm. Rain and more winds were expected over the weekend, hindering recovery efforts.

Fierce gusts on Friday toppled trees and sent debris flying, killing at least three in Britain and Ireland.
MOSCOW  Vladimir Pozner was an English-language Soviet propaganda editor in Moscow in 1962, a job that gave him rare access to American newspapers and magazines. That allowed him to follow the Cuban Missile Crisis outside the Soviet media filter, and sense a world at the brink of war.

Mr. Pozner, a longtime Russian television journalist, says he now feels something similar.

The smell of war is very strong, he said in an interview on Friday, a day when shelling intensified along the front line in eastern Ukraine. If we talk about the relationship between Russia and the West  and in particular, the United States  I feel that it is as bad as it was at any time in the Cold War, and perhaps, in a certain sense, even worse.

Unlike 1962, it is not the threat of nuclear war but of a major land war that now looms over Europe. But the feeling that Russia and the United States are entering a new version of the Cold War  long posited by some commentators on both sides of the Atlantic  has become inescapable.

President Biden hinted at it on Tuesday in the East Room of the White House, pledging that if Russia invaded Ukraine, we will rally the world to oppose its aggression. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia drove the matter home on Saturday, when he oversaw a test launch of nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles that can evade American defenses.
The New York Times traveled with a paramilitary group that says it refuses to leave the front lines in Ukraines war in the east. But the government denies that theyre even there. What role can they have in a larger conflict with Russia?

Credit Credit... Andriy Dubchak for The New York Times
Members of Women's Federation for World Peace in Zambia pose for a photo in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, on Feb. 16, 2022. (Photo by Lillian Banda/Xinhua)

by Lillian Banda

LUSAKA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Despite numerous efforts by stakeholders to end gender-based violence in Zambia, incidences of violence against women and girls are still rampant, particularly in low-income areas of the country.

An initiative by the Women's Federation for World Peace (WFWP), an international non-governmental organization that works with and for women worldwide, however, is helping to end acts of violence in Zambian communities through its signature campaign.

The campaign, which seeks to build and restore peace in homes across the world, is empowering women in Zambia with tools to enable them to become champions of peace in their respective communities. Through the campaign, women are encouraged to be peacebuilders in homes and the wider society by promoting peaceful resolution of disputes among other things.

"There is a tendency by people involved in a dispute to resort to confrontational measures which often lead to violence. However, through sober dialogue, a lot more good can be attained. That is the central message of the signature campaign," said Annie Mwale, WFWP Zambia president.

Mwale observed that as a result of the campaign, there have been some noteworthy reduction in cases of domestic violence in general and acts of violence against women in particular in communities that have participated in the signature campaign.

"We continue to receive positive feedback from community leaders and women that have taken part in the signature campaign to the effect that their communities are registering a drop in incidences of violence against the female folk," she said.

WFWP has been working with community leaders including religious and village heads in mobilizing women to sign up for the campaign, which aims to reach 2 million women globally, according to Mwale.

In Zambia, activities for the signature campaign started toward the end of 2020 and are expected to go on till mid-2023.

"So far we have had over 19,000 signatures for peace from women in Lusaka, Eastern and Southern provinces of Zambia. We are set to reach the remaining seven provinces of the country," Mwale revealed.

She said that WFWP is seeking out signatures from women because they are key in promoting peace in homes and inculcating values in children and adults alike. And women spend more time with children and other members of the family hence the need to empower them with tools to enable them to be better peacebuilders.

"It is good to note that more women in Zambia are buying into the campaign and signing peace forms. This is a clear indication that Zambian women want violence-free environments," Mwale asserted. 
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine chose not to cancel his scheduled trip out of the country Saturday to attend a security conference in Munich, even as warnings from the West about a Russian invasion of his country grew increasingly urgent.

Some observers in Washington have expressed concern that his leaving the country at this critical moment could provide an opening for Moscow, which the West believes is intent on toppling Mr. Zelenskys government.

President Biden, asked whether it would be wise for Mr. Zelensky to leave, said on Friday that it was a judgment for the Ukrainian leader to make. Mr. Biden, who warned on Friday that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had made up his mind to attack Ukraine, said he had consulted with Mr. Zelensky a dozen times.

Despite his dire warning, Mr. Biden said there was still time for Mr. Putin to change his mind. And in that context, he said Mr. Zelenskys trip to the Munich Security Conference, the annual trans-Atlantic security gathering being held this weekend, could be useful.
Why do Russia, the U.S. and Europe care so much about Ukraine?

Both Russia and the West see Ukraine as a potential buffer against each other.

Russia considers Ukraine within its natural sphere of influence. Most of it was for centuries part of the Russian Empire, many Ukrainians are native Russian speakers and the country was part of the Soviet Union until winning independence in 1991.

Russia was unnerved when an uprising in 2014 replaced Ukraines Russia-friendly president with an unequivocally Western-facing government.

Most former Soviet republics and allies in Europe had already joined the European Union or NATO. Ukraines lurch away from Russian influence felt like the final death knell for Russian power in Eastern Europe.

To Europe and the United States, Ukraine matters in part because they see it as a bellwether for their own influence, and for Russian intentions in the rest of Europe.

Ukraine is not part of the European Union or NATO. But it receives considerable financial and military support from Europe and the United States. Russias invasion suggests that Moscow might feel empowered to turn up the pressure on other former Soviet republics that are now members of the Western alliance, like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
BRAIN Inflammation and low oxygen levels may cause cognitive problems. LUNGS Early evidence of oxygen limitations. CIRCULATORY SYSTEM Vascular damage and blood clots may trigger fatigue. IMMUNE SYSTEM Autoantibodies or viral remnants may set off a chain reaction. BRAIN Inflammation and low oxygen levels may cause cognitive problems. LUNGS Early evidence of oxygen limitations. CIRCULATORY SYSTEM Vascular damage and blood clots may trigger fatigue. IMMUNE SYSTEM Autoantibodies or viral remnants may set off a chain reaction.

Millions of people continue to suffer from exhaustion, cognitive problems and other long-lasting symptoms after a coronavirus infection. The exact causes of the illness, known as long Covid, are not known. But new research offers clues, describing the toll the illness takes on the body and why it can be so debilitating.

Diagnosing Long Covid

Patients with severe Covid may wind up in hospitals or on ventilators until their symptoms resolve. Damage to the body from severe Covid  pneumonia, low oxygen, inflammation  typically shows up on traditional diagnostic tests.

Long Covid is different: A chronic illness with a wide variety of symptoms, many of which are not explainable using conventional lab tests. Difficulties in detecting the illness have led some doctors to dismiss patients, or to misdiagnose their symptoms as psychosomatic. But researchers looking more deeply at long Covid patients have found visible dysfunction throughout the body.

Studies estimate that perhaps 10 to 30 percent of people infected with the coronavirus may develop long-term symptoms. Its unclear why some people develop long Covid and others dont, but four factors appear to increase the risk: high levels of viral RNA early during an infection, the presence of certain autoantibodies, the reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus and having Type 2 diabetes.

The Immune System

Dang, why am I always so sick?  Messiah Rodriguez, 17

Long Covid patients appear to have disrupted immune systems compared to post-Covid patients who fully recover. Many researchers believe chronic immune dysfunction after a coronavirus infection may set off a chain of symptoms throughout the body.

One possibility is that the body is still fighting remnants of the coronavirus. Researchers found that the virus spreads widely during an initial infection, and that viral genetic material can remain embedded in tissues  in the intestines, lymph nodes and elsewhere  for many months.

Thyroid Esophagus Spleen Appendix Adrenal gland Ovary Uterine lining Testes Thyroid Esophagus Spleen Appendix Adrenal gland Ovary Uterine lining Testes Coronavirus RNA is visible in different body tissues at 500x magnification. Daniel Chertow et al. , preprint via Research Square

Ongoing studies are trying to determine if these viral reservoirs cause inflammation in surrounding tissues, which could lead to brain fog, gastrointestinal problems and other symptoms.

Start of small intestine (duodenum) End of small intestine (terminal ileum) Start of small intestine (duodenum) End of small intestine (terminal ileum) Coronavirus components persist in one patients small intestine, 92 days after the start of their Covid symptoms. Christian Gaebler et al. , Nature

Researchers have also found evidence that Covid may trigger a lasting and damaging autoimmune response. Studies have found surprisingly high levels of autoantibodies, which mistakenly attack a patients own tissues, many months after an initial infection.

A third possibility is that the initial viral infection triggers chronic inflammation, possibly by reactivating other viruses in the patients body that are normally dormant. The reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus, which infects most people when they are young, might help predict whether a person will develop long Covid, one study found.

Inside the intricate world of the immune system, these explanations may coexist. And just as different long Covid patients may have different symptoms, they may also have different immune problems, too. Identifying the problems that are central to each patients illness will be critical for guiding treatment, said Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale.

For instance, a patient with autoantibodies might benefit from immunosuppressive medication, while a patient with remnants of the Covid virus should receive antivirals, Dr. Iwasaki said. Depending on what each person has, the treatment would be quite different.

The Circulatory System

Something as simple as climbing on a ladder all of a sudden became a mountain.  Eddie Palacios, 50

Many long Covid patients struggle with physical activity long after their initial infection, and experience a relapse of symptoms if they exercise. Initial studies suggest that dysfunction in the circulatory system might impair the flow of oxygen to muscles and other tissues, limiting aerobic capacity and causing severe fatigue.

In one study, patients with long-lasting Covid symptoms had unexpected responses to riding a bike. Despite having apparently normal hearts and lungs, their muscles were only able to extract a portion of the normal amount of oxygen from small blood vessels as they pedaled, markedly reducing their exercise capacity.

One possible culprit: Chronic inflammation may damage nerve fibers that help control circulation, a condition called small fiber neuropathy. The damaged fibers, seen in skin biopsies, are associated with dysautonomia, a malfunction of automatic functions like heart rate, breathing and digestion that is very common in long Covid patients.

Damaged nerve fibers Damaged nerve fibers Chronic inflammation in long Covid patients may damage small nerve fibers . Peter Novak et al. , Annals of Neurology

These findings demonstrate that people with long Covid are suffering systemic physical problems, rather than just being anxious or out of shape, said Dr. David M. Systrom, an exercise physiologist at Brigham and Womens Hospital who helped conduct the bike study.

You cant make up small fiber neuropathy by skin biopsy. That isnt in somebodys head, Dr. Systrom said. You cant make up poor oxygen extraction to this degree. All of these are objective measures of disease.

South African researchers found another circulation problem: Microscopic blood clots. Tiny clots that form during an initial Covid infection will typically break down naturally, but might persist in long Covid patients. These clots could block the tiny capillaries that carry oxygen to tissues throughout the body.

Healthy person Covid patient Long Covid patient 25 microns Healthy person 25 microns Covid patient Long Covid patient Platelets in the blood can become hyperactivated in Covid and long Covid patients, contributing to microclots. Etheresia Pretorius et al. , Cardiovascular Diabetology

Inflammatory substances called cytokines, which are often elevated in long Covid patients, may injure the mitochondria that power the bodys cells, making them less able to use oxygen. Walls of blood vessels may also become inflamed, limiting the uptake of oxygen.

Whatever the cause, low oxygen levels may contribute to long Covids most common symptom, severe fatigue. Some long Covid patients meet the criteria for ME/CFS (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome), which often starts after a viral infection. Researchers have found that ME/CFS patients also suffer from a lack of oxygen triggered by circulatory problems. That puts enormous strain on the bodys metabolism and makes simple activities feel like strenuous exercise.

The Brain

I approach a red light, my brain knows that its red, but its not reacting to the rest of my body to put my foot on the brake. Do you understand how terrifying that is?  Samantha Lewis, 34

Even people with mild cases of Covid can experience sustained cognitive impairments, including reduced attention, memory and word-finding. Possible long-term neurological problems from Covid constitute a major public health crisis, according to Dr. Avindra Nath, the clinical director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Researchers found a wide range of dysfunction in the brains of long Covid patients. Although it is unclear how often the virus directly penetrates the brain, even mild infections appear to cause significant brain inflammation, according to the researchers, who included Dr. Nath, Dr. Iwasaki and Dr. Michelle Monje, a neurologist at Stanford.

Infections may trigger the over-activation of immune cells called microglia in a way that appears similar to the process that can contribute to cognitive problems in aging and some neurodegenerative diseases.

Healthy brain tissue (white matter) Brain tissue in a Covid patient (white matter) Healthy brain tissue (gray matter) Brain tissue in a Covid patient (gray matter) Healthy brain tissue (white matter) Brain tissue in a Covid patient (white matter) Microglia are activated in the brain of a Covid patient, contributing to brain inflammation. Anthony Fernandez-Castaneda et al. , preprint via bioRxiv. Photos: Myoung-Hwa Lee

Another research group found that long Covid may significantly reduce the amount of blood that reaches the brain, a finding that has was also seen in patients with a related chronic condition, ME/CFS, before the pandemic.

The Lungs

I couldnt breathe. It literally felt like someone was sitting on my chest.  Angelica Baez, 23

Shortness of breath is a frequent symptom of long Covid. But common lung tests  including chest X-rays, CT scans and functional tests  often come back normal.

Using specialized M.R.I. scans, a team of British researchers found preliminary evidence of lung damage in a small group of long Covid patients who had never been hospitalized. Detailed scans of their lung function indicated that most of the patients took up oxygen less efficiently than healthy people did, even if the structure of their lungs appeared to be normal.

The researchers cautioned that a larger group of patients will be needed to confirm the findings. If the results hold up, possible explanations for the observed shortness of breath include microclots in lung tissues or a thickening of the blood-air barrier that regulates the uptake of oxygen in the lungs.

Living With Long Covid

Its really not something you can push through.  Dr. Abigail Bosk

Many hospitals now offer post-Covid clinics or recovery programs, which bring together doctors with experience treating long Covid patients. Given the number of patients, some doctors and programs have long waits for appointments. It can help to plan ahead and try multiple options.



The Times has written extensively about long Covid, including:
An unstoppable goal from a penalty by Roisin Egan, early in the final quarter was the differential as St Rynaghs confirmed their marginal superiority over Gailltir with a 2-11 to 1-11 victory in the AIB All-Ireland intermediate club camogie semi-final at Eire Og Nenagh.

AIB All-Ireland intermediate club camogie semi-final



St Rynagh's 2-11

Gailltir 1-11

The sides have enjoyed a wonderful rivalry in recent years, with Gailltir beating Rynaghs in an All-Ireland final before the Offaly women exacted revenge in the 2020 decider played in December and repeated the trick to book their spot in this years decider.

The penalty was awarded after a foul on Siobhan Flannery by Hannah Flynn, just a minute after Flannery had rifled a first-time shot of the sod inches wide when a goal seemed certain.

This time, her contribution did lead to a green flag, though Egans shot had to be inch-perfect and a bullet with that, as it hit the top corner to Ciara Jackmans right, the keeper almost getting her hurley to it.

Egan was monumental throughout, along with Kate Kenny and Flannery, and Kenny followed up quickly with a stupendous score, her fifth point. Within minutes of being level, Gailltir would go five down.

The gap went to five but they got it back to two, Molly Comerford and Annie Fitzgerald splitting the posts. Flannery landed a monstrous point with the last puck from a free and it was the Faithful women that progressed.

Gailltir started ideally with a sixth minute goal from the exciting Alannah OSullivan, who was alert to pounce when St Rynaghs goalie Ellen Gilligan, a hero of the All-Ireland final, was caught advancing too far under Kate Lynchs delivery and could only bat it up into the air. OSullivan was in like a flash to bat the sliotar to the net.

Crucially, St Rynaghs responded in kind inside 60 seconds, when Linda Sullivan dispossessed Jackman as the netminder attempted to gather the sliotar following a brilliant run by Emma Corcoran, and was able to finish to an empty net.

It was nip and tuck from there until the penalty, as Kenny and Aoife Fitzgerald exchanged points, while Laoise Forrest stood out for Gailltir with three points from play. But once Egan billowed the net, the Offaly girls were clear and that was the margin in the end. The champions must now wait to see who will stand in the way of promotion to the senior ranks at All-Ireland level, as Portaferry (Down) and Salthill-Knocknacarra cross swords in Abbotstown today/tomorrow (Sunday).
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BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Argentine counterpart, Alberto Fernandez, on Saturday exchanged congratulatory messages to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic relations.

Noting that China-Argentina friendly exchanges enjoy a long history, Xi said since the establishment of diplomatic ties half a century ago, bilateral relations have seen remarkable progress with cooperation in various fields increasingly deepened.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the people of the two countries have stood together and helped each other, writing a new chapter in the China-Argentina friendship, Xi added.

Xi stressed that when he met with President Fernandez not too long ago after the Argentine leader attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, they have drawn up a blueprint for the development of bilateral relations, and announced the launch of the 2022 Year of China-Argentina Friendship and Cooperation.

Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Argentina relations, and stands ready to work with President Fernandez to lift bilateral cooperation to a new level so as to benefit the two countries and their people.

Fernandez said in his message that on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, he would like to express the joy of the Argentine people to President Xi and the brotherly Chinese people.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries' exchanges in the fields of culture, science and technology, as well as economy have grown ever closer, he noted.

The Argentine government and people sincerely appreciate China's assistance during their toughest times in the fight against COVID-19, he said, adding that he would like to work with President Xi to promote bilateral cooperation and further consolidate the friendship between the two governments and the two peoples. 
euronews (in English) 19 Apr 2022

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Ukrainian military officials came under fire while touring the front line in eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian-backed separatist leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk signed general mobilization decrees. DW has the latest.
Tunisian Culture Minister Hayet Guermazi (L) and Chinese Ambassador to Tunisia Zhang Jianguo attend the signing ceremony of the Tunisia-China Cultural Cooperation Protocol 2021-2024 Executive Program in Tunis, Tunisia, on Feb. 18, 2022. (Photo by Adel Ezzine/Xinhua)

TUNIS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia on Friday signed a four-year implementation plan with China to promote cultural cooperation in areas such as cinema and cultural digitalization.

"Tunisia will work in cooperation with China to organize the first Chinese-Tunisian film festival," said Tunisian Culture Minister Hayet Guermazi during the signing ceremony of the Tunisia-China Cultural Cooperation Protocol 2021-2024 Executive Program.

Guermazi said there are several other projects planned in partnership with China, including theatric art, archeology and translation.

"Culture is the foundation of any tie, whether it is political, social, economic or even strategic," the minister told the ceremony, with the attendance of the Chinese Ambassador to Tunisia, Zhang Jianguo.

The protocol "will help us, together, to promote Tunisian-Chinese cooperation in the cultural field to generalize to other sectors," she noted.

For his part, Zhang said that both China and Tunisia have a long history and brilliant civilizations, and the record of friendly bilateral exchanges could date back to the ancient Carthage in the Phoenician period.

The Chinese ambassador noted that despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the past year has seen both sides participate in each other's cultural events, including those on the Chinese New Year celebration, book publication, cinematic art, and theatre.

He believed that the new program would safeguard the cultural cooperation between China and Tunisia in the near future. 
Two years ago, nine people from an immigrant background were shot dead by a far-right extremist in the western city of Hanau, near Frankfurt. Numerous memorial services were held across Germany to remember the victims.
U.S. Congress has asked Facebook: Who used fake overseas accounts to promote Canada's protest convoys? The chair of a powerful committee sent a letter to company founder Mark Zuckerberg that mentions past Russian behaviour as a concern.
Australia will not be sending troops to Ukraine in the event of a "regrettably inevitable" invasion by Russia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says.
Three young boys have died after being trapped in a vehicle that rolled into a pond in the US state of Michigan.
The Biden administration had asked the Supreme Court to reassess former president Donald Trump's "Remain in Mexico" migrant policy, which forces asylum-seekers to wait outside the US as their cases are reviewed.
Russian-backed separatist leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk signed general mobilization decrees as the conflict escalates. The US and its allies say Russia is looking for a pretext to invade Ukraine. DW has the latest.
Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine cited an immediate threat of aggression" from Ukrainian forces, amid fears that Russia might use the strife as a pretext for an invasion.
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The 76-year-old Epstein associate was found dead in his cell at around 1 a.m. Saturday during an overnight check by guards at La Sante prison in Paris, prosecutors told Le Monde.
The Belarusian opposition leader told Euronews the regime in Minsk is 'hiding its domestic crisis' behind military drills with Russia and the threat to Ukraine.
BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes a report of the United States on China's compliance with the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the assessment lacks legal and factual basis, China's Ministry of Commerce said Friday.

The report fails to objectively evaluate China's implementation of its WTO commitments in accordance with the WTO rules. Instead, it is based on unilateralism and trade protectionism, ignores China's tremendous achievements in implementing its WTO commitments, and denies China's important contributions to the multilateral trading system and the world economy, an official with the ministry said.

Having fully delivered on its accession commitments to the WTO and firmly abided by its rules, China has been widely recognized and commended by WTO members, the official noted.

Meanwhile, China has always been upholding multilateral trading system and practising true multilateralism, said the official.

China is ready to jointly safeguard the multilateral trading system along with other parties and work together to achieve concrete results for the 12th ministerial conference of the WTO, according to the ministry. 
"For eight years, Ukraine has been holding back one of the greatest armies in the world," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
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Bill Gates, Microsoft founder and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said that there is a great chance the world may experience a new pandemic despite the ease of COVID-19 cases worldwide.
Holly Nover grew up trying to hide her stutter.



I was very self conscious, said the 40-year-old St. Johns, Florida mom, whose 10-year-old son Colton also has a speech impediment. So I developed habits to switch my words so it wouldnt be noticed.



For centuries, people have feared being judged for stuttering, a condition often misunderstood as a psychological problem caused by things like bad parenting or emotional trauma. But research presented at a science conference on Saturday explores its biological underpinnings: genetics and brain differences.



By understanding the biology, were going to decrease the stigma. Were going to increase the acceptance, one of the speakers, Dr. Gerald Maguire, said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. He's a California psychiatrist who is involved in testing potential medications for stuttering based on the science.



Globally, 70 million people stutter, including President Joe Biden, who has spoken publicly about being mocked by classmates and a nun in Catholic school for his speech impediment. He said overcoming it was one of the hardest things hes ever done.



After a campaign event in 2020, his struggle came to the fore when he met a New Hampshire teen who also stuttered. Brayden Harrington said after his dad told him about Biden, he wanted to introduce himself and shake hands. They wound up talking for an hour.



Living with a stutter hasnt been easy, Brayden said, recalling a particularly difficult moment years ago when he got caught on words reciting the Gettysburg address in class, then went home and cried.



I want to carry on what Joe Biden said to me, he said. That this does not define you and that you can be much more than you see yourself as.



WHY DO PEOPLE STUTTER?



Stuttering has been documented as far...
'I don't know what the president of the Russian Federation wants, so I am proposing a meeting,' Ukraine's Zelenskyy says at the Munich Security Conference as fears of invasion increase
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Police in Canada say they have arrested at least 70 people and made progress in clearing out truckers who have paralyzed Ottawa for three weeks in a protest against the country's COVID-19 restrictions. (Feb. 18)


It would be easy to think that Ukraines second largest city, Kharkiv  as close as it is to the Russian border  would be hunkered down and fearful.
The second anti-pandemic work group from the Chinese mainland to support the COVID-19 control efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) gets ready to depart from Shenzhenwan Port in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

SHENZHEN, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A 114-member work group from the Chinese mainland departed for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Saturday to support the region's COVID-19 control efforts.

The group left from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen and will cooperate with the HKSAR government in critical care research, treatment, and nucleic acid testing to help Hong Kong control its latest resurgence of COVID-19.

The second anti-pandemic work group includes four critical care medical specialists, four administrative staff members, and 106 nucleic acid sampling personnel.

The first panel of epidemiology experts were sent from Guangdong Province to Hong Kong on Thursday, along with two mobile COVID-19 test vehicles. 

The second anti-pandemic work group from the Chinese mainland to support the COVID-19 control efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) arrives at south China's Hong Kong, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

The second anti-pandemic work group from the Chinese mainland to support the COVID-19 control efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) arrives at Shenzhenwan Port in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

The second anti-pandemic work group from the Chinese mainland to support the COVID-19 control efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) gets ready to depart from Shenzhenwan Port in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

The second anti-pandemic work group from the Chinese mainland to support the COVID-19 control efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) gets ready to depart from Shenzhenwan Port in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

The second anti-pandemic work group from the Chinese mainland to support the COVID-19 control efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) arrives at Shenzhenwan Port in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

A staff member carries anti-pandemic supplies at Shenzhenwan Port in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

The second anti-pandemic work group from the Chinese mainland to support the COVID-19 control efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) arrives at south China's Hong Kong, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Gang)
Ukraine has received a plane load of machine guns, surveillance gear and rifles as part of a Canadian military assistance package, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Saturday.
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.
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) Midland Branch has some exciting news about scholarships. Historically, the Midland Branch has endorsed two college scholarships to four recipients yearly. They are now expanding their scholarships to include supporting a recipient who intends to embark upon the technical/trade industry.

The AAUW Midland Branch Technical/Trade School Scholarship is awarded to women who are attending a trade or technical school or Michigan college in pursuit of a degree or certificate in skilled or technical trades. These include, but are not limited to, welding, construction, refrigeration, heating and cooling, automotive service technology, mechanical services, plumbing, electrical, culinary and CNA training and certification. The recipient must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher and provide an essay outlining their interest in the intended vocation.
Many major communities in the Great Lakes Bay Region and mid-Michigan have opted into allowing marijuana businesses, including Bay City, Saginaw, Mount Pleasant, and Pinconning Township.

However, the City of Midland remains hesitant to join them.

When Michigan voters chose to legalize recreational marijuana in the state of Michigan in 2018, Midland City Council chose not to opt in to letting those businesses operate here, whether medical or non-medical. However, one council member has been pushing to allow recreational shops to operate here in the Chemical City.

Council opted out of marijuana businesses in 2019 with a unanimous vote, due to a lack of direction from the state at that point. The topic of opting in was brought up again last year when council told City Attorney Jim Branson to explore the possibility of opting in. He presented his findings in January and council discussed its options.

However, members of council were torn on what to do. Council member Pam Hall wanted the city to opt in and said it should explore allowing marijuana businesses to operate in a professional way. Mayor Maureen Donker did not think this was a priority and that many people can go to surrounding communities if they want cannabis. Council member Steve Arnosky suggested that existing businesses should be allowed to operate marijuana testing labs.

Ultimately, council directed Branson to explore the possibility of allowing marijuana testing and marijuana transportation businesses in the city.

Council member Diane Brown Wilhelm told the Daily News recently that she has been hesitant to support opting in due to concerns regarding children being exposed to cannabis. She wants to see more data on what a retail business entails and what effects opting in has on a community, since it would be hard to back out if the city later regretted having opted in.

We need to have some very strategic discussions, Brown Wilhelm said.

But for her part, Hall said studies done in Colorado have been clear on how regulating marijuana has decreased cannabis use among school-aged children. People should not have to leave the city to buy recreational marijuana, or to get it for medical treatment, she said.

Hall also brought up the possibility of the economic opportunities that could come to Midland if it opted in. Municipalities can make revenue from licenses and a recreational marijuana excise tax.

Steve Scott, owner of Craft Hemp Company in Midland, said elected officials and lawmakers do not often use their due diligence to look into the marijuana industry and its benefits. If Midland opted in for just marijuana transportation and testing, Scott said the city would not see the job creation and tax benefits that it would with added retail options.

Bay City opted into marijuana businesses in 2019, with around 20 retail shops alone opening in the city since then. George Martini, fiscal services director for Bay City, said the city puts the marijuana revenue it earns into its general fund, which funds most major departments in the city.

Bay City's total marijuana revenue collection includes:

2018: $130,000

2019: $40,000

2020: $188,500

2021: $426,704

Hall said Midland is missing out on funds that could go towards capital improvements and could attract more business talent to the city.

More than enough time has shown the benefits to communities that allow marijuana in, Hall said.
As cities around Michigan consider the possibility of allowing marijuana dispensaries to operate within their communities, Midland remains closed to marijuana businesses.

Local officials recently considered the stigmas of cannabis use, the lack of extensive research on the substance and what they are observing in surrounding areas that have dispensaries.

Michigan voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2018, but communities have the option to opt out of allowing marijuana businesses  including dispensaries and testing sites  to operate within their borders.

In February 2019, the Midland City Council established an ordinance prohibiting the commercial use of marijuana. Personal use by individuals ages 21 and over is legal and is not affected by the ordinance.

Officer Brennon Warren, Community Relations Officer with the Midland Police Department, said there is a lot of reluctance and scrutiny when it comes to marijuana businesses because it is a newly legalized substance in some states, especially compared to alcohol, which has been nationally legalized for decades.

Four years is a very short period of time when it comes to something as influential as marijuana, Warren said.

Warren explained that, to his knowledge, law enforcement offices across Michigan havent seen an increase of crime directly correlating to the presence of marijuana dispensaries. Law enforcement agencies also have not seen an uptick in black market trade in cannabis that they originally expected.

In addition, marijuana businesses have the opportunity to support the community, both financially and through customer interactions.

Theres a lot of uncertainty with new things. I think a lot of people were on edge just because it was so new, and the way that marijuana and cannabis have been viewed in a negative light, nobody knew (what to expect), Warren said. I think were starting to see some more data behind it and how it may not be as bad as it was portrayed as.

Warren said that Midland is in a unique situation as Midland police adjust to the legal possession of marijuana and seek to educate the public about its effects. One big concern Warren voiced about having dispensaries in a community is the increased ease of accessibility while there is so much still unknown about cannabis and how it affects the body.

There havent been a lot of studies or research behind it because its had that negative light behind it, Warren said.

Steve Scott, who is the founder and owner of Craft Hemp Company in Downtown Midland, explained that there are few medical studies on marijuana. His wife, who attended medical school at the University of Michigan from 2004 to 2008 and is an ear surgeon, explained that physicians did not learn in medical school about the endocannabinoid system or interactions with cannabinoids.

A lot of people want to know about cannabis (or) CBD. They think that physicians are going to be well versed in this topic, (but) they are not, Scott said. Doctors are going to be cautious with it. That's why I get a lot of physicians that don't want to comment on that to their patientsbecause they don't know.

Medical marijuana can be used to treat certain conditions. In the mid-1980s and early 1990s, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of certain cannabinoids to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea, to stimulate appetites for conditions that cause weight loss such as AIDS, and to treat two forms of pediatric epilepsy. Cannabinoids are also used to treat chronic pain.

While adults ages 21 and over are allowed to use recreational and medical cannabis under the Michigan law, both local law enforcement and medical personnel agree that marijuana can impair a persons physical and mental capacities.

From a public health perspective, the focus is on safe use of marijuana, said Dr. Cathy Bodnar, medical director of Midland County Department of Public Health.

Public health concerns cited by Bodnar include operating motor vehicles under the influence of marijuana, the harmful impacts if it is ingested by young children or pets, and chronic daily doses causing a significantly higher risk of addiction.

Warren said the police department has received calls about individuals overdosing on cannabis products, which tends to cause the person to become paranoid as the substance affects their body. Warren explained that marijuana is like seeing a duck swim on a pond; while a person may feel calm on the outside, their heart rate and blood pressure increase and their organs work at a faster rate, just like the ducks feet quickly paddling underneath the water.

Scott explained that while a person can overdose from consuming too much marijuana, there have been no overdose deaths related to cannabis, whereas many deaths have resulted from alcohol and smoking.

The only way you can really die (from cannabis) is if a ton of marijuana falls on you, Scott said. But look how many deaths are related to alcohol and smoking every year; those are two legal things.

Just as it takes time to observe how marijuana affects a persons body, it will take time to see how the presence of marijuana will affect the wider community.

As a close look, not looking too far down the road, I think we are starting to see benefits behind (marijuana), Warren stated.
BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China has called for strengthening global cooperation in coordinating macro policies, as part of efforts to propel common development, according to the Ministry of Finance.

"Major developed countries should adopt responsible macroeconomic policies and appropriately control the spillover effects," Finance Minister Liu Kun said when attending the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors via videos recently.

Highlighting the importance of fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, Liu said that China is ready to work with other parties to advance the reform of the health governance system under the framework of the World Health Organization.

Liu also noted that China is the biggest contributor among the Group of 20 (G20) members to the success of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative for the poorest countries.

China calls on all parties to follow the existing G20 consensus, respect the independent decisions of debtor countries and promote steady progress of relevant work in a practical manner, said Liu.

Multilateral creditors, like the World Bank, should participate in debt mitigation actions in a substantive way, providing support for low-income countries, said Liu. 
Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined business, state and local officials for a tour of Hemlock Semiconductors facilities on Tuesday in Hemlock.

She gave praise for the global silicon and semiconductor chemicals manufacturer in light of a longstanding commitment to Michigan and its contributions to Michigans leadership position in the semiconductor supply chain.

Hemlock Semiconductors continued investment is further evidence that Michigan remains a place where high-tech talent needs can be met and companies of all sizes can grow, said Whitmer in a Tuesday press release. Hemlocks presence in Michigan underscores our global manufacturing and automotive R&D leadership in helping to address the universal industry demand for semiconductors while creating good jobs for Michigan workers.

According to the governor's office, Whitmer is tackling the chip crisis facing the auto industry. She worked to bring SK Siltron, a new semiconductor wafer manufacturing and R&D facility, with 150 jobs near Bay City to support electric vehicle growth and support auto industry needs in-state.

Michigans automotive industry purchased nearly $35 million in products and services from semiconductor companies in Michigan in 2020, building on the states leadership in semiconductor R&D and testing.

Whitmer also facilitated the opening of a new high-tech, Fortune 500 firm specializing in systems and software integral to chip and electronics manufacturing. The new KLA facility will create 600 good-paying jobs in Ann Arbor.

Hemlock Semiconductor is part of a growing, comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem in the state that is supported by SK Siltron, KLA in Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan, which is the top global institute for semiconductor training on todays issues to help solve tomorrows problems. As Michigan also continues leading the mobility industry in the development of electric and autonomous vehicles, demand for semiconductor manufacturers like Hemlock is expected to skyrocket over the coming years.

HSC is well-positioned to play a key role in building a robust domestic supply chain for semiconductors right here in Michigan, said Hemlock President and Chief Executive Officer AB Ghosh. Our hyper-pure polysilicon is a key component in the semiconductors found in billions of electronic devices around the world and in the solar panels that are essential to our transition to a clean energy economy. As a global market leader in both spaces, we see exciting tremendous growth opportunities ahead that will benefit HSC and the state of Michigan.

Whitmer called on federal officials to fund the CHIPS Act in her State of the State address to fight the ongoing chip crisis head-on and take advantage of this once-in-a-generation opportunity to help grow critical sectors in Michigans economy.

Hemlocks longstanding presence in Michigan underscores our demonstrated leadership in advanced manufacturing within the semiconductor field, said Michigan Economic Development Corporation CEO and Michigan Strategic Fund President and Chair Quentin Messer Jr, who joined Whitmer on the tour. We congratulate the entire Hemlock team on your tremendous growth and success and look forward to working together as you continue to grow and add jobs here in Michigan.
Homer United Methodist Church is having a Swiss Steak Dinner from 4:30 - 6:30 pm. on Friday, March 4 at 507 S. Homer Road, the corner of Prairie and Homer roads.

The cost is a free-will donation. Proceeds from the dinner will be used for missions and church expenses.
Northwood University is hosting two renowned Michigan journalists who created the Great Lakes Civility Project in a March 1 webinar that is open to the entire public.

Nolan Finley, of the Detroit News, and Stephen Henderson, of the Detroit Free Press, will be leading a 90-minute virtual session about the importance of civility and how to build it in relationships, workplaces and communities.

We are so pleased to host this Great Lakes Civility Project webinar, as the issue of civility is one that has been identified as a local issue in Midland, as well as one of importance around the state and across America, said Kristin Stehouwer, academic vice president and provost for Northwood University. It is incredibly timely, given the fact that Northwood University will be hosting esteemed author Arthur C. Brooks on March 17. Drawing from his book, Love Your Enemies, Brooks will share specific ways how we as Americans can counter the existing culture of contempt by disagreeing better.

Finley and Henderson are colleagues and friends who have spirited debates and hold opposing views on pretty much everything. They believe Americans are at their best when they can talk, disagree, even argue, but keep the dialogue going. The Civility Project helps make that happen through workshops that discuss how to agree to disagree, engage in civil conversation, build respect for each others humanity, learn to listen to other sides, use what you hear to challenge or affirm your own views, and stay curious.

This will be a worthwhile program for all ages, and we welcome any and all to tune in on March 1, Stehouwer said.

Stehouwer will be moderating an upcoming program on MCTV that will feature Northwood University faculty discussing Brooks upcoming visit and "Love Your Enemies.

Those interested in attending Brooks' keynote address may register online at www.northwood.edu/brooks Brooks' address is scheduled to take place 6:15-7:15 p.m. on March 17 in Riepma Arena. A book signing is set for 7:15-9 p.m., and everything is free and open to students, faculty, staff and the general public.

To register for the Great Lakes Civility Project webinar, which also is free and open to the entire public, visit https://bit.ly/3ryX4yl.
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Rep. Annette Glenn, R-Midland, continued her work to lower prescription drug costs in Michigan.

Glenn voted in favor of House Bill 4348, which will help patients save on drug prices by reforming regulations and improving transparency related to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). The legislation was approved in the House with overwhelming bipartisan support and advances to Gov. Whitmer for her consideration.

Families across Michigan struggle with the rising cost of prescription drugs, Glenn said. This is an important step to help rein in prices so people can get the medicine they need for themselves, their kids and their parents.

PBMs serve as middlemen among health plans, drug manufacturers and pharmacists. Unregulated practices by the PBM industry have contributed to the rising prices consumers pay for prescription drugs. House Bill 4348 would provide specific requirements for PBMs to improve transparency and address unfair business practices that unnecessarily increase drug prices.

The reforms target added fees charged retroactively to pharmacies, discriminatory purchase limits and price hikes for some pharmacies, and restrictions that prevent pharmacies from providing relevant medical information to patients or from discussing and selling less expensive alternatives.

The measure is just one of the many ways Glenn is fighting to make health care more affordable. She co-sponsors House Bill 4346, which would lower out-of-pocket costs for many diabetics in need of insulin. Insurance companies could charge no more than $50 for each 30-day supply.
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.
Palestine, TX (75801)

Today

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
People walk on a street in New York, the United States, on Feb. 9, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

To drop effective public health strategies such as vaccination and mask mandates too soon may likely worsen virus spread, experts warned.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- More states and major cities across the United States are lifting their vaccination and mask mandates as the rate of COVID-19 infections drops, but health experts have warned dropping pandemic protocols too soon may worsen the spread of the virus.

California, the most populous U.S. state, unveiled a milestone plan Thursday, as Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state would become the first in the nation to treat the coronavirus as a manageable, "endemic" risk.

This week, California ended its mask mandate for fully vaccinated residents, but state health officials still strongly encourage mask-wearing in public indoor spaces.

New York State also announced plans to drop its mask-or-vaccine mandate, which required businesses to demand proof of full vaccination or mask-wearing at all times in indoor public spaces.

On Thursday, New Jersey became the latest city to lift the requirement to show proof of vaccination at restaurants and other public venues.

More U.S. states and cities are doing the same as COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths drop nationwide.

The country is now averaging about 120,000 daily new cases, a decrease of 43 percent compared with the previous week, according to a new weekly report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday.

People visit the LA Art Show in Los Angeles, the United States, Jan. 19, 2022. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

New hospital admissions in the country is about 8,600 each day, a 28.8 percent decrease from the prior 7-day average.

Currently about 2,000 new deaths are reported in the country daily, a decrease of 14.5 percent compared with the previous week, CDC data showed.

But public health experts are watching the trend with wary eyes. They noted that while about 76 percent of the population has received at least one shot of vaccine, millions of people still have not.

To drop effective public health strategies such as vaccination and mask mandates too soon may likely worsen virus spread, experts warned.

"The coronavirus is an RNA virus that is constantly mutating. The next outbreak may return in fall or winter this year," Zhang Zuofeng, chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, told Xinhua.

But the next wave may not be as devastating as the outbreaks caused by the Delta and Omicron variants, as the toxicity of the coronavirus may decrease as the virus mutates to survive, Zhang noted.

The Omicron variant continued to be dominant in all infection cases in the United States, with the CDC predicting the national proportion of Omicron to be 100 percent for the week ending Feb. 12.

An Omicron subvariant, known as BA.2, made up 3.9 percent of all infections, up from 1.6 percent in the week ending Jan. 29.

A medical worker wearing a face mask collects a sample at a COVID-19 testing site in Manhattan of New York, the United States, Jan. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

The BA.2 virus is not just spreading faster than its distant cousin, it may also cause more severe disease and appears capable of thwarting some of the current key weapons against COVID-19, according to a new lab research from Japan.

"I wish the pandemic were over and it was safe to lift vaccine mandates, particularly in spaces where masks will be off for eating and drinking. This seems like a move to promote normalcy without there really being normalcy," said Sadiya Khan, an epidemiologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Khan said she is sympathetic to the business perspective to remove vaccine mandates and to encourage more patrons and guests. However, she added that "this especially puts in danger those who are immunocompromised or can't yet get vaccinated."

The United States went through last summer, when many thought things were getting back to normal and rolled back mitigation policies designed to stop the spread. However, the Delta variant came, followed by the even more contagious Omicron variant, which forced authorities to reimpose stricter pandemic protocols.

"This is not over. I think we need to be a bit more patient," said Anthony Santella, professor and interim chair at the Department of Health Administration and Policy at the University of New Haven. 
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdelhamid al-Dbaiba, has made a strong plea for the organisation of elections in Libya to satisfy the aspirations of Libyans, rejecting any idea of a new transitional phase that the Parliament and the High State Council are trying to impose
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The United Nations independent expert on human rights, Alioune Tine, who has been in Mali since 8 February, said on Friday after a meeting with the Malian Prime Minister, Choguel Kokalla Maiga, that the security situation in Mali has improved
Photo: (Photo : Janette Pellegrini/Getty Images for Cantor Fitzgerald)

Supermodel Linda Evangelista has come out of hiding after five years and decided to speak out about her botched fat-freezing procedure after seeing how this also affected her teenage son.

In an exclusive interview with People, Evangelista, 56, revealed for the first time that she chose to publicly tell her story because her experience has burdened her only child, August James or "Augie," 15 years old.

Since a CoolSculpting cosmetic procedure "brutally disfigured" her body, Evangelista has been unable to work in the industry that made her famous since the 1990s. She also lived in seclusion and refused to see people that her son asked her one day if she still remembers how she "used to be fun."

Evangelista said that Augie's question had been a wake-up call, and she hates how the cosmetic procedure changed her outlook and her relationship with her son. The supermodel also confessed that she's concerned this experience also changed Augie's concept of beauty, but she constantly reminds him that real beauty is on the inside.

Read Also: 'Real Housewives' Mom Shannon Beador Defends Daughters From Plastic Surgery Rumors

What Happened to Linda Evangelista?

In late 2021, Evangelista slowly came out of hiding and shared an emotional post on Instagram to confirm all the rumors and talks about why she has been out of the public eye for so long. After that post, Evangelista told her son that he might hear or read things about his mother, but the teenager assured her that he doesn't care about what people will say.

The Canadian runway star filed a $50 million lawsuit against Zeltiq Aesthetics for negligence, failure to warn clients of the side effects of a CoolSculpting procedure, and false advertising. She claimed that CoolSculpting, which was supposed to reduce the fat on her back, abdomen, thighs, and flanks, did the exact opposite.

As a result of her disfigured body, Evangelista said that she lost her livelihood and experienced sadness and cycles of deep depression. Evangelista also developed feelings of self-loathing.

Doctors diagnosed her with paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), a rare side effect of CoolSculpting. However, representatives of CoolSculpting told People that the procedure received FDA clearance in 2010. The treatment is also popular in many spas with a high customer satisfaction rating.

'The Light of My Life'

After coming out of hiding, many of Evangelista's friends in the fashion industry cheered her on. Designer and closest friend, Isaac Mizrahi, said that she was never the type to speak to the press, but they know her story about her botched fat-freezing procedure will raise awareness on the risks of cosmetic enhancements.

Evangelista also shields Augie from the limelight by rarely posting social media photos of her son, whom she calls "the light of my life." The mother shares her son with former boyfriend billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault, who is now married to actress Salma Hayek. It is understood that Evangelista is on good terms with Pinault and Hayek despite going through a child support battle in court in 2011.

Related Article: Salma Hayek Says Eating Too Many Fruits Caused Complications When She Got Pregnant in Her 40s
Photo: (Photo : GEORGES GOBET/AFP via Getty Images)

A 38-year-old virgin mom from the U.K. shared how she gave birth to a daughter, her mini-me, despite never having any sexual experience in her life.

Kimberley Godsall told Daily Mail that she gets a lot of comments from her friends about her immaculate conception, but she's not offended by the jokes. She sees the humor in her situation and feels proud that she was able to have a child despite remaining a virgin mom.

Godsall, who works as an exam tutor, had her baby, Scarlett, in 2019 following a two-year process of selecting a sperm donor and undergoing artificial insemination at the Care Fertility Clinic. She chose a Caucasian American sperm donor with blue eyes and reddish-brown hair through the online services of a sperm bank in Denmark.

However, before her procedure, Godsall had a series of consultations with her doctor since she is a virgin. They assured her that most of her concerns about conceiving without having sex would be psychological rather than physical reactions.

Read Also: Healthy Baby Born From Frozen Embryo 27 Years Ago Sets World Record

Why the Virgin Mom Never Had Sex

Godsall admits that she is not a religious person, but she values "saving herself" for the man she eventually marries. She had two boyfriends at different stages of her life, but her relationships with these men didn't last for three months.

She also longed to be a mother for as far as she could remember. She said that having a child is one of her lifelong dreams.

When she was in her early 30s, Godsall knew that her biological clock was ticking as the man of her dreams had yet to enter her life. So, she decided to take charge of her fate by going the unusual route of using a sperm donor for intrauterine insemination.

But its financial cost was nothing compared to the traumatic experience Godsall had to go through to have a baby. Since she has not experienced sex and saw an OBGYN only once in her life, Godsall admitted that whatever procedures the fertility doctors had to do with her vagina felt strange and painful.

The virgin mom had to go through more than one IVF procedure before finally learning that she was pregnant. Godsall said that while her pregnancy was smooth-sailing, the actual labor and delivery was another painful experience.

Despite this, Godsall felt everything was worth it after seeing Scarlett in the flesh. She still has a frozen second embryo in the clinic, but she wants to focus on her daughter for now.

Virgin Moms Pursuing Motherhood

However, the virgin mom is not the only woman who had chosen to turn to science, instead of the conventional methods, to have a baby. Dr. Maha Ragunath of the Care Fertility Clinic said there is a marked increase in the number of women going this route, especially from busy career women who want to pursue motherhood but have no time for a romantic life. Ragunath also said that while these women have never had many opportunities to explore their dating life and sexuality, they are "mentally prepared" and well-balanced to embrace parenthood.

Dr. Piave Lake, a mental health expert from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, said that women have the right to choose how they want to have kids, especially if they have the access and the means. Lake has spoken with a lot of would-be parents seeking a sperm or egg donor, and she understands fertility clinics have therapists who discuss the issue of IVF thoroughly with women who do not want to have sex.

Meanwhile, Godsall admitted that she does wonder about what having sex feels like and if she's missing out on something. Her decision, however, feels right for her than having a baby with the wrong person.

"The fact I have my little girl is far more important to me than any of that," the proud virgin mom said.

Related Article: In Vitro Fertilization Success Rate Explained: Does IVF Really Give False Hope to Parents?
Photo: (Photo : Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Taxpayers in Alabama could save as much as $200 per family after lawmakers passed a child tax credit shield that will not count as taxable income when they reconcile their taxes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) this April.

HB231, sponsored by Rep. Jim Carns, was unopposed during the Alabama Senate and Alabama House of Representatives session on Thursday, February 17. The measure is now with the office of Gov. Kay Ivey, who is expected to approve this law.

"She looks forward to receiving the bill and putting money back into the hands of hardworking Alabamians," the spokesperson for the governor told Al.Com.

Read Also: Additional $8,000 Child Tax Credit Due for Parents This Tax Season; How to File Claim

What the Child Tax Credit Shield Means for Alabama Taxpayers

According to Carns, unlike other states in America, Alabama and Louisiana do not have an automatic system that makes the child tax credit, distributed by the federal government from July to December 2021, tax-free. This means that when taxpayers file their tax returns on or before April 18, 2022, the money they received as child tax credit payments will count as income tax.

This legislation, however, excludes child tax credit payments from the computation of the parents' taxable income. Sen. Dan Roberts, who sponsored a version of the bill in the Senate, said that this means a family with two children may get up to $200 in credit exemption.

More than 560,000 families in Alabama received child tax credit payments last year, which went to expenses for food, rent, utilities, mortgage, and clothing. Carns said that it was crucial not to overlook this measure as it fulfills the actual intent of the American Rescue Plan, which was to provide relief for families during a pandemic crisis.

Carns also said that Alabama residents who filed their taxes earlier should contact the Department of Revenue to correct their tax returns to include this new tax shield. He believes, however, that most taxpayers won't file until April 15, leaving them enough time to get their tax numbers in order until the governor signs this bill into law.

Struggling Without Child Tax Credit

Meanwhile, a recent survey from Parents Together Action showed that 60 percent of parents struggled with their budget after the monthly child tax credit payments stopped in December. Allison Johnson, the director for the campaign, said that families living on an annual $100,000 income had been hit harder with the perfect storm of no more child tax credits, skyrocketing grocery prices, and consistently high virus transmission, especially among kids.

Parents Together Action has been lobbying Congress to bring back the monthly and enhanced version of the child tax credit. This time, the bill to renew this benefit under the Build Back Better program of the Biden administration has stalled among lawmakers.

On the other hand, the government is encouraging parents to file their tax returns because the other half of the child tax credit payments will still be released in a lump sum this tax season if they still qualify.

Related Article: Republican Senators Propose Child Tax Credit for Pregnant Moms Only
A 63-year-old farmer, Isaac Appah, who defiled his 12-year old greatgranddaughter at Twifo Hemang in the Central region, has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment in hard labour by the Circuit Court in Cape Coast.

The court presided over by Mrs Dorinda Smith Arthur, sentenced Appah after he pleaded guilty to the offence.



The complainant, Mrs Ruth Sarfo, a trader and mother of the victim live together with the convict in the same house at Twifo Hemang.



Detective Chief Inspector John Asare Bediako, prosecuting, told the court that, the convict had been sexually abusing the victim for the past three months.



He said Appah took advantage of the victim each time she was asked to send food to him on his farm.



Chief Inspector Bediako further said on Friday, February 04, the complainant realized some changes in her child and after thorough interrogation, the victim confessed her ordeal.



He said the complainant upon reporting to Police was given a Police medical report form to send the victim to a hospital for medical examination and treatment.



The report indicated that the victim had been sexually assaulted and her hymen broken.



Mr Bediako said the convict was immediately arrested, charged with defilement and arraigned.







Source: graphiconline.com









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Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low around 45F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low around 45F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
ABUJA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- A fuel-laden tanker exploded Friday following a head-on collision with a bus in Nigeria's southwest region, killing at least 17 people, the traffic police said.

The tanker caught fire at a town of the southwestern state of Ogun, along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, according to Florence Okpe, a spokeswoman for the Federal Road Safety Corps in Ogun.

A total of 14 bodies were burned beyond recognition, but three others have been identified and taken to a nearby morgue, Okpe told reporters at the scene of the incident.

"The suspected causes of the fatal crash were route violation and dangerous driving, which resulted in a head-on collision and fire outbreak," she said.

The traffic police spokeswoman said although the rescue operation had ended, rescuers who immediately rushed to the scene could not ascertain the total number of people involved.

Deadly road accidents are frequently reported in Nigeria, which are often caused by overloading, bad road conditions, and reckless driving. 
A group of parents of university students are appealing to members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to reconsider their strike action and return to the lecture halls.



They said much as they appreciate the concerns of the Association, it is time to rescind their decision in the interest of their students who are enduring the repercussions of the tussle between them and the National Labour Commission (NLC).



These were contained in a press release issued by the group as the fate of students remain uncertain more than a month after resumption of 2022/2023 academic year.



According to them, the cost implication of the strike action on parents, guardians, and sponsors of students is getting out of hand.



"After paying for hostels, bearing other costs and fees, our wards and guardians are staying on various university campuses doing nothing while we continue to give them allowances for their upkeep," part of the statement read.



It further read that, "It is our hope that UTAG will consider the plight of students as they continue to engage the government on their conditions of service."



"We believe the competent minister for education together with other key stakeholders will resolve the impasse. So we appeal to you to call off the strike action to alleviate the plight of parents and students," the statement urged.



The statement further reveals that it is unfortunate that students have been caught up in the feud between the striking lecturers and government and that something urgent must be done to resolve the impasse as soon as possible.



They further argued that the academic calendar had already been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore, any further delay in resumption of academic work could have dire consequences on the entire education system.



They, therefore, pleaded with the lecturers to consider the plight of students and parents even as they fight for what is due them.





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.

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The cries of Ghanaians about fuel price increases seem not to cause any changes as the prices keep soaring high from time to time.



Recently, fuel prices are almost reaching Ghc 8 per liter and with this going on, transport operators are compelled to increase transport fares which invariably will burden some passengers.



Not only is this current price increase affecting commercial vehicle drivers and passengers, it is also a burden to some private vehicle owners.



In respect of these challenges, there is an ongoing public outcry for government to either stabilize or reduce the fuel prices.



As the government works around the clock to find solutions to this petrol price problem, the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency, Henry Kwabena Kokofu is of the view that Ghanaians also have a role to play in ensuring the fuel prices do not hike up any further.



Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme Friday morning, Henry Kokofu noted that a lot of people are not using fuel productively and this negatively impacts the petroleum sector.



He, therefore, advised vehicle owners and drivers in the country to conserve fuel by being economical in its usage.



Citing some of the things he would have Ghanaians to either stop or check, he stated that it's not all the time that people should drive to every place.



"What can we do positively to reduce the expenses? Some factors are for us to conserve fuel. We must put it into productive use. Secondly, while you're not servicing your cars and as it turns old, its consumption rate also goes high. When you spark your car and revs the engine, while the smoke is coming out of the car (exhaust pipe), your money is also wasting away...''



" . . if we can, we should consider mass transport (like Aayalolo) and public transit buses efficiently . . ." he said.



This, among other factors he believes would help remedy the petrol situation in Ghana.



Listen to his full submissions below:





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Socialist Movement of Ghana (SMG) has condemned the arrest of some journalists for alleged publication of false news.



The Movement, in a media statement, said the practice by the police was a dangerous path, which could take the country back to a culture of silence.



The statement said the Movement, as part of its advocacy, would on Friday, Feburary25, 2022, organize a Pacarde Parade for free expression and in solidarity with Julian Assange, the Founder of Wiki Leaks, who was facing extradition from the United Kingdom to the United States of America.



The parade will involve about 100 cadres of their members, who will gather on the Swaniker Street, Abelempke to embark on the demonstration.



The SMG said it was firmly opposed to all attempts to criminalize speech and stifle the right to free expression.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Pneumonia, HIV and AIDS, Cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), and others are among the top 10 causes of death at the Akatsi Municipal Hospital in the Volta Region for the year 2021.



The figures indicate a rise in the various health cases in 2021 as compared to 2020.



This was made known to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during a visit to the hospital at Akatsi.



Mr Pascal Ayivor, the Hospital's Health Information Officer, disclosed to the GNA that there were nine Pneumonia related deaths in 2021 compared to one case in 2020.



Others included three HIV/AIDS deaths in 2020 which saw an increase of seven in 2021, Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) related deaths in 2020 were five as against eight in 2021.



Among the top 10 cases disclosed, Encephalopathy, Liver Disease, Tuberculosis, Anemia, Respiratory Failure, CCF, and Intestinal Obstruction.



On Clinical Care Services, Mr Ayivor said surgeries conducted from 2019 to 2020 also saw an increase from 564 to 946 respectively, whilst 1,808 surgeries were also conducted in 2021 representing 91.1 percent rise.



The hospital also recorded a total number of 47 deaths in 2021 as against 38 in 2020.



Dr. Karikari Bonsu, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, in an interaction with the GNA, said it was their hope to continue rendering quality healthcare to the people.



He added that some significant improvements in the healthcare delivery system were recorded over the years.



He, however, appealed to authorities to expedite processes to complete the abandoned Akatsi hospital project.





Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Sulemana Braimah, the executive director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has said the Ghanaian media is under siege following recent arrest of some personalities including media practitioners for false publication.



At least three individuals including the executive director of ASEPA Mensah Thompson and governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bono regional chairman Kwame Baffoe (popularly known as Abronye DC), are currently being tried in court over statements they made in the media that the police say amount to false publications.



Speaking on Asaase Radio Friday (18 February), Braimah said: So, if a journalist feel that, what is happening makes me unsafe and I am likely to be picked or to be arrested or to be beaten or bullied, then it leads to self-censorship and of course even if the person does not self-censor, he may or she may put out what he may put out there with fear.



And of course you dont want people to act while entertaining some fear. Journalists have to do the right thing, they have to be critical, they have to hold those in power to account, and do so without fear or a sense of intimidation, Braimah said.



According to him, the current environment does not encourage the practice of objective journalism.



But I think that if you speak to many journalists today, they will tell you that the kind of environment that we exist in now, it is one that is not too cordial for mental freedom to practice journalism. If you ask me, some of the things that are being said are reckless, Braimah added.



The state has charged social media activist and convenor of pressure group #FixTheCountry, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, with treason felony, contrary to section 182 (b) of the Criminal and other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).



According to the charge sheet filed at the Ashiaman District Court, the particulars of the offence indicates that the accused person, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, sometime in February 2022, prepared to undertake any unlawful means an enterprise that usurps the executive powers of the Government of Ghana.



The convenor of pressure group #FixTheCountry, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, was picked up by the Tema Regional Police on Saturday 12 February 2022, for allegedly stating that he would stage a coup in Ghana if Parliament passes the E-Levy bill.



In a statement, the police said on Saturday (12 February) that Barker-Vormawor is being kept at the Tema regional police command for further investigations into his social media post.



Kwabena Bobie Ansahs arrest

Kwabena Bobie Ansah, a presenter with Accra FM was arrested for publishing false news, police have said.



A statement issued by the police on Friday (11 February) said his arrest became necessary after turning down several invitations from the police to assist with the investigation.



Freedom with limitation

Speaking on The Forum on Asaase Radio on Saturday (12 February), Kwame Jantuah, a private legal practitioner said reckless speech has the potential of instigating unrest and therefore, the need for every freedom of speech to come with limitations.



He said: Barker-Vormawor is a constitutional lawyer and he should know better, shouldnt he? And we talk about free speech, free speech comes with responsibility. You dont just get up and say things and just walk free because free speech, comes with responsibility and limitations.



And the thing about it is that itll instigate others who want a leader or somebody to help them run that cause. I said here the last time, Ive lived through all the coups, from childhood to adulthood, it has not been a nice event. Nobody should even think about it because it wont help us. The situation were in today will be 10 times worse if theres a coup.



Mahamas rant

The former President John Mahama has in an open letter to President Nana Akufo-Addo condemned what he described as growing criminalisation of speech and journalism in Ghana.



Mahamas comment is coming a day after the arrest of Kwabena Bobie Ansah, a presenter with Accra FM  a radio station affiliated with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).



Mahamas open letter, which was posted on Facebook said: This is a dangerous blueprint you are fashioning for our dear nation and it must not be encouraged. Your actions as President have totally discredited your self-acquired accolade as a human rights lawyer and activist. Ghana has long emerged from the unfortunate past where journalists were cowed by incarceration and brutalization.



I fear that if you do not take immediate action to arrest this unfortunate trend, when you exit the high office of President in January 2025, freedom of speech and free media will certainly not be counted as part of the legacy you leave behind.

Source: asaaseradio.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Madam Hamidu Barikisu, a midwife with the Tumu Government Hospital, met her untimely death while two others were injured when a Toyota Hilux pickup collided with two motorbikes in Tumu in the Sissala East Municipality.



The Ghana Police Service confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency in Tumu on Saturday in an interview.



Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kumpe Gbele, the Municipal commander of Police, said at about 2130 hours on Thursday, February 17, Mahamud Munkaila, driver of the Toyota Hilux Pick-up was moving from Bolgatanga station junction towards Tumu hospital junction when it collided with the two motorbikes.



The victims, Madam Hamidu Barikisu, Miss Gifty Yaayin and Miss Sumaila Amina, were rushed to the Tumu Government hospital but Madam Hamidu Barikisu was pronounced dead on arrival.



Further checks at the hospital revealed that Gifty Yaayin was receiving treatment at the Tumu government hospital while Miss Sumaila Amina, who sustained severe injuries, had been transferred to the Wa regional hospital.



The remains of the deceased had since been sent to her hometown, Nyemeti for burial.



Mr Mohammed Sukparu, the Member of Parliament for the Sissala West Constituency, who was in the constituency at the time of the accident, rushed to the aid of the affected persons and later offered financial support.



He cautioned pedestrians and road users to abide by road rules and regulations to avoid needless deaths.



An eyewitness, who spoke to the GNA, blamed the accident on careless driving, explaining that the Toyota pickup vehicle ran into the victims, thereby crashing them into a gutter near an intersection.



The driver, Mr Mahamud Munkaila, the Police said, was in custody assisting in investigations.





Source: GNA









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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.

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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.

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Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly speaks during a media conference in Brussels, Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022. Canada's foreign affairs minister says she plans to travel to Asia and elsewhere before she releases the government's much-anticipated new policy on China. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Johanna Geron, Pool Photo via AP
DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- More than 60 percent of Tanzania's population of about 60 million people use traditional medicines for treating various diseases, a health ministry official has said.

Most of those Tanzanians get treated by traditional medicines against various diseases before or after seeking treatment in health centers or hospitals that provide modern healthcare services, Caroline Damian, director of Healthcare Services in the Ministry of Health, told a seminar in the capital, Dodoma, Thursday evening.

The seminar, which brought together practitioners in traditional medicines from across Tanzania, was aimed at exchanging experiences among the herbalists and discussing various challenges and strategies to improve the traditional and alternative medicines, according to a Health Ministry statement.

Damian said the Ministry of Health, through the Traditional and Alternative Health Practice Council, has so far managed to register 73 types of traditional medicines, out of which 20 had great positive results in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. 
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NEW DELHI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- India's airlines Air India will operate three flights to Ukraine next week to bring back those who are willing to leave the European country, confirmed an airlines official on Saturday.

"Air India will operate three flights between India-Ukraine (Boryspil International Airport) on Feb. 22nd, 24th and 26th. Booking open through Air India booking offices, Website, Call Center and authorized Travel Agents," the company tweeted.

An official at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), however, said it was merely an "increase in the number of commercial flights," not evacuation plans.

MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi mentioned two days ago that there were no immediate evacuation plans.

He said that India's embassy in Ukraine continued to function normally providing the required services to Indians there.

"No immediate evacuation plans, so don't have any special flights," said Bagchi at a regular press briefing on Thursday in New Delhi.

Indian carriers are being encouraged to operate chartered flights between India and Ukraine, added the spokesperson. 
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)
Plans are in place for several months of talks, exhibitions and movies around Aiken starting next week, in a collaborative effort between the Smithsonian Institution and the South Carolina Humanities Council, to explore questions of voting and the freedoms and responsibilities of citizens.

The movie "Selma," set for two Feb. 26 showings, is to be the first presentation in "Voices and Votes: Democracy in America," and events are to run through early September, with such host sites as Second Baptist Church, Aiken County Public Library and the Center for African American History, Art and Culture.

Eugene White, president of Aiken County's branch of the NAACP, is among the project's boosters. "I particularly think that it's quite relevant that we are in a season where voices that have not been heard before are finally being heard," he said, "and as a community, we're having to take the opportunity to learn how to hear those voices, and then it certainly is in perfect context now, in that we're having national conversations about voting  who gets the right to vote, and access to the ballot box  so it's a very timely exhibition that's coming to our community."

White, who is also a civil engineer, is to introduce the opening event, a "Selma" viewing at 2 p.m. Feb. 26 at Second Baptist's new facility, at 1151 York St. N.E. A second showing is set for the same day at 7 p.m. at Aiken Technical College.

The 2014 film, based on a violent 1965 clash in Alabama sometimes remembered as "Bloody Sunday," is billed on its website as "the true story of courage and hope that changed the world forever," and representing "an event that became a milestone victory for the civil rights movement."

The Rev. Doug Slaughter, Second Baptist's senior pastor, noted that his congregation is a co-sponsor of "Voices and Votes." He and his congregation, he said, "just think it's  an excellent opportunity, and it's important for us to participate because of the importance of voting."

He added, "Silence is the worst thing that can happen in a democratic society, and people must use their vote if they want to make a difference and make the changes that are necessary in this country."

The presentations are part of the Museum on Main Street outreach, run by the Smithsonians National Museum of American History  an adaption with "many of the same dynamic features: historical and contemporary photos; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives with short games and additional footage, photos, and information; and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material," as described on the Smithsonian's website.

Events in the next few weeks are to include "Sisterhood: South Carolina Suffragists," a documentary and talk set for March 8 at 7 p.m. at the Aiken County Public Library; and "Eulalie Salley and South Carolina Suffragists," a talk (with an exhibit) set for March 23 at 3:30 p.m. at in the Gregg-Graniteville Library on the campus of USC Aiken. "Iron Jawed Angels," a 2004 movie focusing on the American women's suffrage movement, is set for two March 26 showings: one at 2 p.m. at Second Baptist and the other at 7 p.m. at Aiken Technical College.

The program committee includes representatives of such organizations as Friends of the Aiken County Historical Museum, USC Aiken and the League of Women Voters. All events are free of charge, and organizers are emphasizing community-wide participation.

Slaughter said highlights will include a family festival set for June 25 in the festival center on Newberry Street, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. He also named a symposium set for July 23 at 5 p.m. at Second Baptist, coinciding with the opening of the "Voices and Votes" exhibit to be at Aiken County Historical Museum which will run July 23 to Sept. 3. Hours are to be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Retired educational administrator James Gallman has been among the series' organizers. "I think it's going to be wonderful for people who want to make sure that we are all making our voices heard, getting out and voting," he said.

He is familiar with the topic, as a current member of the NAACP's national board of directors, on which he has served for the past 15 years. Gallman was also the organization's state president for six years and president of the Aiken branch for nine years.

"I'm a firm believer that it doesn't matter what party you are. You ought to express your opinion about what we're doing and where we're going," he said, acknowledging "the necessity of voting and expressing how you feel and what you believe in."

The "Voices and Votes" series is to run for six months, with the final presentations being "The Big Debate," a symposium on Aug. 24 at 11 a.m. at the Etherredge Center; and a book talk titled "One Woman, One Vote," set for 6 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Center for African American History, Art and Culture.

For more information and a complete schedule of events aikenvoicesandvotes.com.
After more than 12 years, the liquid waste mission at the Savannah River Site will have a new contractor.

Savannah River Remediation turned an eight-year contract into 12.5 years of work, with the last two coming under the leadership of President Phil Breidenbach.

Breidenbach's term has been filled with accomplishments, not the least of which was handling a major pandemic. The outgoing president sat down with the Aiken Standard recently to discuss his time with SRR, the accomplishments of his team and the future of the mission.

Born and raised in South Dakota, Breidenbach attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, getting a bachelor's degree in metallurgical engineering. During his time in college, he met his wife and both were offered jobs in 1985 at Dupont, "which was the original contractor, if you will, at the Savannah River Site."

While his wife retired after the birth of the couple's second child in the 1990s, Breidenbach continued to work at the site until 2007 when he got the opportunity to move to work at a nuclear operation in Idaho at the Idaho National Lab.

After working there for seven years, a new opportunity came across his plate.

"The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (in New Mexico) had two events and was shut down and they asked me to go down there and develop the response (plan)," Breidenbach said. "Then, they asked me if Id lead the recovery operation there, and so I spent three years down there rebuilding that facility and working with the people and getting that plant started back up. (We) successfully got it restarted."

After that project, Breidenbach said he and his wife were asked where they wanted to go next.

"(We) said we wanted to go back home, to Aiken," he said.

In his 2017 return to the city, Breidenbach was the chief engineer for SRR for around two years before getting asked to take over as president and project manager.

However, it didn't take long for his world to get thrown for a loop, as the COVID-19 pandemic was declared the week after he started.

"Although there had been discussions over the years of how you would respond if there were major illnesses, those kinds of things, there was no playbook for dealing with a pandemic and so we had to write it," Breidenbach said.

"I think we made some very good decisions early on (that) kept our people safe, such that we were able to continue our mission basically throughout the entire pandemic," he continued. "The workforce did remarkable work, and we had many successes through that time."

In taking a big-picture look at his tenure, Breidenbach said the successes have been tremendous. When he came back, there was a lot of work being done to prepare for the Salt Waste Processing Facility to come online.

Breidenbach described this facility as being designed, constructed and started by the Parsons Company. Breidenbach's team prepared the material to feed the facility. During this process, operations were being done at a much higher level than ever before.

These rates were three to five times higher than the team had ever done, diminishing what used to take six months to six weeks.

"We made changes to our salt stone facility, completely redesigning many of the systems there," Breidenbach said. "Last year, we processed over 3 million gallons of material through that system. Thats more than has ever been processed before in that facility. We made 5 million gallons of salt stone grout. Thats more than has been made in the last five years combined."

However, the accomplishment he's most proud of is the safety of the work being done.

"We had fewer events in 2021 than we have had in the history of the contract while we were setting production records," Breidenbach said. "We just celebrated 10 million hours without a lost workday case, without injuring an employee such that they couldnt come back to work.

"When youre setting production records and youre setting records for safety and for the way work is being conducted, that always makes me feel good."

As for the incoming contractor, Savannah River Mission Completion, Breidenbach said he's known many of its team members for years and is confident in their ability to continue the work.

"The only thing that I would leave with them is focus on the mission and focus on how you do the work," he said.

Overall, Breidenbach described the work of his team as being to "eliminate the most significant environmental hazard in the state of South Carolina."

"When we wake up in the morning, thats what gets us out of bed: to go out there and conduct that mission," Breidenbach said. "With the right fundamentals in place and a mission thats that compelling, great things happen."

As for himself, Breidenbach will move into a vice president role at the corporate office of parent company Amentum.

"I think we have a project that ran really well," Breidenbach said in closing. 'Im proud of the work and Im proud of how we did the work."
Charleston International soon could offer new dining and retail options for travelers, including Chick-fil-A.

Hudson Group plans to set up a location of the fast-food chicken chain inside the passenger terminal by year's end, according to Brian Quinn, the New Jersey-based company's executive vice president and chief operating officer.

The deal involving the popular dining venue is contingent on the airport concession giant securing a 10-year contract extension to 2041 from the board that owns and operates Charleston International.

The Charleston County Aviation Authority on Feb. 17 authorized a new contract to be written for its consideration.

If the change is approved, Chick-fil-A would open in December  though not on Sundays under a longstanding corporate policy  behind the security checkpoint in a space now leased to retailer Eddie Bauer.

Plans also call for a walk-up window on the public side of the building.

"People can get off the plane and place an order on their way to baggage claim," Quinn said. "Or visitors to the airport also can place an order" without having to go through security.

Hudson Group focuses more on airport retail vendors than food, and the Chick-fil-A will be a first for the company.

Quinn has no doubts it will do well. Airport officials agreed.

"We are excited to be getting Chick-fil-A," CEO Elliot Summey said. "It's a revenue producer even though it's open just six days a week."

Chick-fil-A is one of several new concessions Hudson Group plans to bring to the airport under the tenant reshuffling.

Quinn outlined plans for a Sunglass Hut to open in October and a multi-tenant retail shop called Atrium to be set up in August where the Harley-Davidson store is now located.

Another newcomer will be the luggage company Tumi that will be set up inside Tech on the Go. It's scheduled to be ready by May.

Quinn also hopes to add a convenience store called Hudson Nonstop, where shoppers can buy items without interacting with a sales clerk. Its location has not been determined, but an opening is tentatively set for December.
COLUMBIA  The former Starbucks cafe in the Vista has not been in operation for months, but it looks like it will be a while longer before it has a new tenant.

There has been strong interest already expressed by possible tenants in the site at Gervais and Lincoln, according to Scott Garvin, president of Garvin Design Group and one of the partners that own the building.

However, Starbucks is still negotiating with the owners to get out of its lease, and until that deal is complete, the property cannot be shown to potential new clients, Garvin said.

There have been two or three inquiries from intriguing possible new users, Garvin said, but those talks cannot proceed until a deal with Starbucks is struck.

"I don't even have a key," Garvin said.

Garvin expects the site to be sought-after and he shot down speculation on social media that frequent damage to the location's large windows had made it an unattractive site. That has not been a major problem, he said.

The cafe closed in 2021 in an action that originally was called temporary. Only in early December did the company announce that the site would not reopen.

Like many companies, Starbucks has struggled with staffing issues and has focused in recent years on drive-thru sites, an option the Gervais Street location does not offer.

Other changes have been happening in the Vista.

The Jason's Deli restaurant at 823 Gervais closed on Feb. 7. Lunch restaurants have felt the pinch of the reduced number of downtown workers on weekdays.

Workers are getting close to completing the Cambria hotel at 1000 Lady St. The hotel is projecting an opening date of June 1, according to Abby Anderson, director of the Congaree Vista Guild.

It will offer a hotel of 144 rooms and is affiliated with the Choice Hotels chain.
When I was a young teenager, my father would gather the family at various times around the hi-fi. Know what that was? It was essentially a piece of furniture with built-in speakers on either end and a record player in the middle. What I remember most is that it often played a vinyl album of humorous stories told by a White man named Dick Reeves in the Gullah dialect.

I later would learn that Reeves worked for the Social Security office and sought to keep the Gullah language alive by telling stories that might educate and entertain various audiences. I found a decades-old interview with Reeves on the internet recently in which he stated he never sought to ridicule those who spoke this way; his only goal was to keep the language alive.

As he would tell his stories, he might start by saying, I was walking down Broad Street one fine spring day ... in a way that would immediately captivate you and make you feel you were walking on that sidewalk, too.

In some of his tales, he would offer a primer for some Gullah words. A bird is a bud, if you boil water, you bile it. His Charleston brogue allowed those Gullah conversations to paint pictures that in some ways are quietly fading away.

But you can thank the Charleston County Public Library for trying to keep the stories and the dialect from being permanently buried in pluff mud. A partnership with the International African American Museum will allow these stories to be heard.

Hello ... anybody there?

Heres the plan. Gullah-Geechee stories will be recorded and made available free and on demand. These stories will connect the community with the culture of these people who once occupied the plantations along the South Carolina/Georgia coast.

The idea is to have these stories available by dialing a number and then being directed by the prompts. All the particulars are still being finalized, but this phone line will be available 24/7. Heres the number: 843-805-6806.

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There are more people than you know who still use it and appreciate why this dialect speaks to the very heart of why the Lowcountry is a living, breathing entity. While it was born during a horrific period of our countrys history, it can also capture ones attention by weaving its own love stories for the creeks, the moss and the oyster beds that envelope the area so many remain drawn to.

Eighty-year-old Carolyn White is one of the storytellers. She explains that her grandparents worked on a James Island plantation and most of her stories came from her father. As Carolyn tells it, when the family went to town the chilren were told to mind your manners and mind your bidness. Ms. White also explains in one of her stories that eating food that you grew was something not everybody appreciated. She says, sweet potatoes cum out da field, those young chilren think it only come from Piggly Wiggly.

Can you hear me now?

When Charles Towne Landing was first built in the 1970s, one of my favorite exhibits featured an opportunity to stand under various audio cones to hear different languages from the various inhabitants of the region. I recall some Native American sounds, and I was always particularly drawn to the Gullah sound booth, as well.

That exhibit no longer exists, but this effort by the Charleston County Library in concert with the International African American Museum is laudable.

Were all better when we appreciate and better understand what came before us. The Gullah-Geechee stories can entertain and enlighten, all in the same phone call.

My first exposure to these stories came while huddled with my brothers and sister around the hi-fi. Im sure thats why I so enjoy talking with the ladies who make straw baskets near Meeting and Broad streets. Its also why I might randomly stop to engage with a man and his fishing pole on the Esau Jenkins bridge on the way to Wadmalaw Island.

It really doesnt matter what dialect is being spoken, as long as we keep trying to understand each other.
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.
A team of planners is working on a strategy to transform the district on either side of East North Street that connects Interstate 385 to downtown Greenville.

The area serves as a major entryway into the heart of the city and includes Greenville landmarks like the Bon Secours Wellness Arena, the Greenville County Law Enforcement Center and the Pettigru Historic District.

Juan Mullerat, founder of Miami-based urban planning firm Plusurbia, said while the district is one of the city's most trafficked arteries, it doesn't draw visitors and lacks a cohesive identity. He and his team hope to offer recommendations to change that.

"Right now, this entrance could be in Charlotte, it could be in Raleigh, it doesn't matter," he said. "It's not Greenville right now. So that's what we identified and think we can help improve."

Robert and Jennifer Donovan, who own the marketing firm DOM360 which is based in the gateway district, enlisted Plusurbia to conduct the analysis. Robert Donovan said they and other private donors contributed more than $200,000 to hire the planning firm.

Mayor Knox White said improving the corridor has been on the city's radar for years. The privately lead effort will create a path forward for making major improvements to the district as a whole, he said, as well as key area's such as the arena.

"It's never had any kind of focused attention and it's a gateway into Greenville," he said. "So it certainly appealed to us. To do anything to provide a plan for a better gateway into downtown is something that we've long wanted to see."

The study is in its early stages and the scope remains broad, Mullerrat said, but its aimed at revitalizing the district to make it a more seamless extension of downtown Greenville and a destination in its own right. Mullerat said his team will likely look at ways to enhance the assets that are already there, beautify the area, and increase walkability and connectivity.

Plusurbia is coordinating with the city, the county, the state Department of Transportation and local residents to determine what improvements are possible along the corridor and in the surrounding area.

On Feb. 18, the planning team hosted a public meeting to solicit input to better inform their vision for the district. Participants gathered around tables at the Coldwell Banker Caine office on Williams Street and used markers to draw suggestions on maps of the area in question.

Mullerat said during the meeting that the information gathered would be vital to the process going forward.

"Zoning, planning, mobility, connectivity, health, height of buildings, land use, all of those are important," he said. "I don't want to tell you what's important to me, because I don't live here. What I want to know is what's important to you."

A similar session is scheduled for Feb. 19, and the team will continue gathering input for the next several days. In the coming months, he said his team will compile the information they gathered to form a draft proposal.

"There will be a lot of back and forth between the city, the county and us to make sure what we are presenting is implementable," he said. "After that, we hope to present a formal draft to the city so they can take actionable steps."
As the omicron surge of the coronavirus pandemic continues to ebb in South Carolina, Clemson University announced Feb. 18 it will largely drop its longstanding mask mandate.

There are a few exceptions to the update. Masks will still be required inside Clemson's medical facilities and testing sites, the Clemson University Municipal Court and on public transportation. Students and staff who are exiting isolation and quarantine must still wear a mask for five days. The changes are effective Feb. 21.

"University health experts and leadership will continue to monitor COVID-19 daily. These protocols will be reviewed weekly, with any updates provided soon thereafter based on the status of COVID-19 at that time," the university's website said. "As always, should any significant developments occur in the meantime, the University will also issue guidance."

Clemson's announcement marks the latest in a string of high-profile institutions making similar moves.

On Feb. 17, Coastal Carolina University became the first of South Carolinas largest colleges to drop its indoor mask requirements this year. On the same day, S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Donald Beatty announced that masks will no longer be required inside county and municipal courthouses effective March 1. (At that point, masks will no longer be required inside the Clemson Municipal Court.)

The Supreme Court's mask mandate went into effect in July 2020 and since then, Beatty wrote, vaccines have been developed and are widely available at no cost. "Further," he said, "positive case and percent positive rates continue to fall, and other, similar mandates in existence at the time of that order have been rescinded."

To his point, daily COVID case counts in South Carolina have fallen dramatically since the peak of the omicron surge in January, when the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control was reporting more than 10,000 cases a day for several days running.

Fewer than 2,000 confirmed and probable cases were reported Feb. 18.

Even so, leading health organizations, including the state health department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, continue to encourage the use of masks indoors  along with vaccinations, social distancing and routine testing  as a way to mitigate the spread of disease.

A study published by the CDC earlier this month involving hundreds of Californians found that wearing an N95 or a KN95 mask indoors lowered the chances of catching COVID by 83 percent. Surgical masks and cloth masks offered lower levels of protection.

Meanwhile, the mask requirement at Charleston International Airport is still in effect, according to spokesman Spencer Pryor.

He said the requirement from the federal Transportation Security Administration runs through March 15, and he has not heard anything about any changes or lifting the requirement early.

David McMahon, TSA federal security director for South Carolina, said he had not heard about any forthcoming changes, either.

A spokesman for the College of Charleston told The Post and Courier on Friday that the college will announce some changes to its COVID policy on Feb. 21. The changes will go into effect on Feb. 28, but the college declined provide any specific information about what the updated policy will look like.

The University of South Carolina has no imminent plans to change its masking mandate, spokesman Jeff Stensland said.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
LJUBLJANA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Slovenia on Saturday started to ease COVID-19 restrictions as the number of new daily cases had been gradually falling over the past weeks.

From Saturday, it is possible to enter Slovenia without a vaccination certificate, a negative COVID-19 test or proof of recovery.

In the country, people no longer have to go into mandatory self-isolation after close contact with someone with COVID-19, the government said on its website.

The country reported 3,731 new COVID-19 infections on Friday, down from 3,818 a day before and well below the all-time high of 24,230 daily infections registered on Feb. 1, the National Institute of Public Health said on Saturday.

Certain other restrictions continue to remain in force, including a face mask mandate in all indoor public spaces and the obligation to present a vaccination certificate, proof of recent recovery from COVID-19 or a negative test before entering most indoor public spaces.

Capacity limits will also continue to apply in certain public indoor spaces.

Health Minister Janez Poklukar told reporters on Friday that the latter restrictions cannot be lifted until the number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals falls.

Almost 900 people were hospitalized on Friday with COVID-19, 103 of them in intensive care, said the minister.

According to Poklukar, Slovenia, with a population of 2.1 million, now ranks second in the world in terms of the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care per million citizens. 
NORTH CHARLESTON  Al Cannon remembers standing at the foot of a Navy Hospital operating table as if it were last night, watching in horror as doctors cut off part of the police uniform worn by one of his officers.

It was the early-morning hours of Feb. 18, 1985, and Cannon, who was chief of the North Charleston Police Department, had been called to the hospital after patrolman Robert Anthony Tony Way was shot.

"I'm sure that those who responded that night or who were in the department at that time really remember just how much we all suffered over (Way's) death," he said.

Cannon, the former Charleston County sheriff, spoke at a ceremony dedicating a portion of Rivers Avenue to the fallen officer, held on the 37th anniversary of his death.

Way is the only North Charleston cop to be killed in the line of duty since the departments founding in 1973.

Dozens of current and former law enforcement agents, as well as city and state officials, gathered next to the sign bearing Ways name.

The marker sits in front of the 76 gas station off Rivers Avenue, but the dedicated highway will span a roughly 2-mile stretch between its intersections with Mall Drive and McMillan Avenue.

Its about a mile up the road from the old Roses Hide-A-Way, the nightclub where Way was killed.

Cannon said he hasnt been by the site in quite some time. He doesnt know whether the concrete pad next to the little bar where Way was shot several times still exists.

Way and his partner, Dusty Poole, responded about 2 a.m. that night to an alarm at the nightclub  the second to go off in a week.

Gerald Wayne Smoak was arrested after being accused of breaking into the bar and stealing quarters from a pinball machine. He was 37 and still pulling those juvenile kinds of crimes, Cannon said.

Smoak was released on bail shortly after his arrest, and went back to the nightclub the night of Feb. 18.

Way and Poole saw Smoak run behind the building as they pulled up in their patrol car. Way got out and chased the man while his partner drove the car around the building to cut off the suspect's escape.

Poole heard several gunshots when he got out of the car, and found both Way and Smoak on the ground, bleeding.

Smoak died at the scene and Way was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later. Officials later determined Smoak was the first to fire his weapon.

Way, who would have turned 50 this June, left behind a wife, Audrey, and a 2-year-old son, Justin. His widow died in 2019.

Their son, Justin Way, spoke at the dedication ceremony, thanking the police, city and state officials who worked to get the road renamed.

Its been almost 40 years and the department is still honoring my father, he said.

North Charleston Police Chief Reggie Burgess, who has known Justin Way since he was a child, remembers coming home during a college break and hearing about the officer's death.

The news devastated him, Burgess said.

Once he joined the department, Burgess would travel to Washington, D.C., with the Way family to visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, where Tony Ways name is on the wall. Burgess would join them in prayer, he said.

Sen. Brian Adams, R-Goose Creek, who retired from law enforcement as a North Charleston cop, was instrumental in getting the Rivers Avenue dedication off the ground.

Adams called Tony Way a "true public servant" who "gave his life for his community."

He introduced the bill to the Senate on Feb. 17, 2021, which approved it the following month. The House adopted the bill in May, paving the way for the official dedication ceremony to take place on the next anniversary of the cop's death.

It is the second road in North Charleston dedicated to the officer. Tony Way Boulevard leads to the city's coliseum.
State lawmakers this week gave some indication as to how the half billion in plutonium settlement money now sitting in state coffers could be spent when the Senate on Tuesday passed a bill divvying up the largest federal payout in South Carolina history  and directed the largest portion of it back to Aiken, Barnwell and Allendale counties.

The bill now sits with the House Ways and Means committee, which can either take it up or begin drafting its own version as to how to distribute the $525 million from the 2020 settlement between the state of South Carolina and the U.S. Department of Energy over the failed plutonium conversion operation at the Savannah River Site.

Under the Senates bill, the largest cut of the money would come back to those areas most affected by the closure of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MOX): Aiken, Barnwell and Allendale counties would receive $341.25 million while the perimeter counties of Edgefield, Orangeburg and Hampton would get $52 million.

The Senate also has suggested in its bill that $131.3 million be made available to the 46 County Transportation Committees (CTCs) for various projects around the state.

Gov. Henry McMaster had at the end of last year outlined his own wish list for the money and in that blueprint had asked for the entire $525 million to stay with those counties affected by the loss of MOX operations and by the federal governments failure to remove stockpiled plutonium from SRS.

That was the same line of thinking given by state Rep. Bill Hixon, R-North Augusta, this week, who cited above all the layoffs that resulted from DOEs decision to end work on the MOX facility.

But state Sen. Tom Young, a District 24 Republican representing Aiken County, said that while he and others in his delegation had since day one advocated for a substantial portion of the funds to make its way back to the affected counties, that for the entire sum to do so was, from a political perspective, a non-starter.

I am very pleased with the Senates recommendations for the investments in Aiken County and with the bill that the Senate has passed, Young added. Young, who serves on the Senate Finance Committee, has been closely involved with seeking some kind of remediation for the impact of the closed facility since a series of litigation began in 2015.

Cyber, lock and dam in North Augusta

The Senates bill, should it come into law, would earmark $15 million for cyber industry infrastructure in North Augusta. That money, said both Young and Hixon, could be used to construct and outfit buildings along the specs of the Hull McKnight Cyber Center in Augusta in order to attract those in the industry to the South Carolina side of the river  and to attract high paying jobs to the city of North Augusta and its surrounding areas.

Also coming to North Augusta, should the Senate bill be adopted, is $20 million for the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam.

The lock and dam has been a point of contention for the past decade, ever since it first landed in the courts in 2012 over environmental concerns tied to the larger Savannah River Expansion Project (SHEP).

Though the dam is currently the responsibility of the Army Corps of Engineers, lawmakers chose to set aside the $20 million from the plutonium money as a budgetary failsafe should North Augusta or Aiken County be given the task of running the dam in the future, said Young.

Education, industrial parks in Aiken County

For greater Aiken County, the Senates bill is heavy on industrial park investment and includes $10 million for laying the groundwork  land and infrastructure  for a future such park at the eastern end of the county.

Neighborhood redevelopment for the city of Aiken is also prioritized under the Senates bill, particularly on the Northside near I-20 and in the citys downtown. Lawmakers also prioritized transportation safety, with some $29.5 million to aid in congestion relief along the Whiskey Road corridor.

Requests for some share of the settlement had come from all over, and Young estimated that in Aiken County alone the requests had totaled more than the total sum of the settlement. House and Senate leadership had made it known from the start their wishes for transformative investments in the areas of education, workforce, economic development and infrastructure, said Young, and this helped to guide where the money would go.

The Senate bill directs $30 million to Aiken County Public Schools to build a new career and technology center, while Aiken Technical College is looking at a possible $11.5 million for adding both a nursing facility and a welding lab to its campus.

Both Barnwell and Allendale counties would see the bulk of their shares directed to school facilities investment. The Senate bill would allocate $110 million to the construction of a consolidated high school and career center plus a K-8 building for Williston and Blackville. In Allendale, $15 million of the countys $19.5 million cut would go to facilities improvements at Allendale High School and other district buildings.

Young said he was hopeful when the task comes before colleagues in the House that they would retain at least the conceptual framework of the Senate bill, referencing its three-pronged approach to allocating the money among the affected counties of Aiken, Barnwell and Allendale; and the perimeter counties, with a third pot reserved for statewide transportation needs.

But Im also realistic that the House may a have a different perspective, he added. We will continue to work to get the best outcome possible for our citizens that we represent.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
The good news is that the agency that doles out tax incentives to recruit jobs to South Carolina has agreed to stop hiding so much public information from the public.

Henceforth, the S.C. Commerce Department will not redact the names of company executives and lawyers involved in incentive negotiations.

It will let us know, in most cases, whether companies are paying on average less than $15 an hour for the jobs we incentivize them to provide.

And when companies dont live up to their end of the deal  for instance by not creating the jobs they promised in return for incentives  it will even start enforcing the clawback agreements that it has taught companies arent worth the paper theyre written on.

If that sounds underwhelming, then youve already anticipated the bad news: the fact that we have to consider this good news.

Of course, if youve been paying attention to government in South Carolina for more than, oh, about five minutes, you know that the bad news isnt really news. We have a weak Freedom of Information law that is routinely violated because the penalty is low and isnt even assessed unless someone is willing to spend the money to challenge violators in court. And to keep spending the money through appeals that state and local agencies know theyre going to lose.

Thats precisely what the Commerce Department has done since Sen. Dick Harpootlian started asking questions in 2019 about a couple of incentive deals that went bad. Rather than providing him the information state law required, the agency turned over heavily redacted documents that looked like a comedian's parody of government secrecy.

When the storied Columbia attorney filed a lawsuit and won a blistering judicial smackdown of the agency, the agency appealed  a classic tactic designed to convince people its not worth the effort to go to court.

But then Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt retired and Harry Lightsey took over. And either because hes a lawyer who knew he wasnt going to be able to turn the ruling around or because he was someone new who didnt have the sort of ownership of the secrets that Mr. Hitt had or perhaps because hes more dedicated to open government, Mr. Lightsey reached out to Mr. Harpootlian about settling the lawsuit.

It took six months of negotiations, but a month ago the department announced it had reached an agreement, and last week the S.C. Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal under the terms of that settlement.

In addition to agreeing to end the most egregious violations cited in the suit, Commerce agreed to provide regular reporting on its incentives.

The agency also changed its FOI policy, acknowledging that incentive agreements are public once a deal is closed and committing to provide most information without charge as long as people make targeted requests rather than going on fishing expeditions. The fee schedule shows a surprising commitment to openness that other state and local agencies would do well to imitate  well, other than the $45 per hour charge for searching, retrieving and scanning larger search requests. That rate is much higher than other agencies charge.

Chris Kenney, an attorney in Mr. Harpootlians law office, told Columbias State newspaper that the settlement will ensure the public has a snapshot of what types of jobs are being created pursuant to these deals without being invasive as to the individual company, which will help us determine whether were getting our moneys worth for the incentives.

We welcome the openness that Commerce has promised to make standard operating procedure. More than that, we welcome Mr. Lightseys apparent interest in doing the publics business in public. We recognize that the Commerce Department has a culture of secrecy that dates back to before it was even created, and we urge the secretary to continue to push back against that culture  and to remember that his boss, Gov. Henry McMaster, has been an advocate for government transparency throughout his political career.

Indeed, it was uncharacteristic of Mr. McMaster to allow that secrecy to continue; perhaps he was afraid of killing the golden goose, as some lawmakers actually warned would happen if we had too much openness.

Fortunately, Mr. McMasters Commerce secretary understands that open government isnt just good for government critics such as Mr. Harpootlian. Its good for business. And we look forward to Mr. McMaster lending any support Mr. Lightsey needs to build on the openness down-payment made in the lawsuit settlement.

Its not a perfect agreement. In addition to that $45 per hour search fee, the agency continues to insist that its prohibited by law from telling us the value of job development tax credits it gives companies. The Legislature should clarify that this is public information, and it should codify the commitments made in the agreement  along with all the other changes its been putting off to make it more difficult for all state and local agencies to hide public information from the public.
BERLIN, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The German government on Saturday urged its citizens to leave Ukraine immediately, while Lufthansa plans to partially suspend flights to and from Ukraine from Monday.

"A military conflict is possible at any time... Leave the country in good time," The German Federal Foreign Office said in its security instructions on its official website.

Meanwhile, Lufthansa, the flag carrier and largest airline of Germany, announced that it will suspend its regular flights to Kiev and Odessa until the end of February.

Certain flights will still operate Saturday and Sunday, in order to offer travel options to those who have already booked. Those affected by the cancellations will be informed and rebooked on alternative flights, the company added.

However, Lufthansa said that flights to Lviv in western Ukraine will continue on a regular basis. 
With the Trudeau governments declaration of emergency Canadas Emergencies Act, Canada is under a form of martial law and one-man rule. The Toronto Suns Joe Warmington leads his story on the latest from Ottawa with this:

The violence the Prime Minister has expressed concern about during the three-week protest in Ottawa didnt unfold until Justin Trudeaus Emergencies Act police army was sent in to disperse the crowd.

The three major incidents Friday, under a form of martial law, were grotesque.

Video of Toronto Police Mounted Unit officers charging into the crowd and at least one horse trampling multiple people  including an elderly woman with a walker  was disturbing.

But that was not the only troubling incident.

Another saw a protester behind a police line repeatedly being smashed with an officers rifle.

And convoy organizer Benjamin Dichter also told the Toronto Sun one of drivers had his truck windows smashed by Ottawa Police (with) guns drawn and (he was) dragged out of his vehicle by force.
On February 12, residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, went to the polls to elect the chairpersons and councillors for the six area councils making up the territory.

The area councils are Abaji, Abuja Municipal (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.

A total of 14 political parties participated in the election. Over 400 candidates vied for the six chairmanship seats and 62 councillors positions, making it a total of 68 positions contested for.

Over 1.3 million voters were registered to vote in the election across the 2,229 polling units in the nations capital.

However, ahead of the election, INEC announced that the election would not be held in the newly-established 593 polling units because they had no registered voters. It deployed about 12,000 ad hoc staff for the election.

The election was the first to be organised by INEC in the new year.

The poll in FCT is unique because unlike Nigerias 36 states, the territory has no governor but is run by a minister who is appointed by the president of the country.

Also, unlike in the 36 states where state electoral commissions organise the council elections, the FCT council elections are statutorily conducted by INEC.

As it were, last Saturdays election was dominated by the APC and the PDP even though 14 parties fielded candidates for the positions.

Ahead of the election, the APC raised a 133-member Campaign Committee which included 16 serving governors and 12 federal ministers as well as members of the National Assembly for the same election.

On its part, the PDP named a 34-member campaign council, chaired by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State with Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo as Secretary; Nyesom Wike of Rivers and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto; former Senate President, David Mark, immediate past governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam, amongst others as members.

At the end of the exercise, the two major parties won three councils apiece. While APC won in Gwagwalada, Kwali and Abaji, PDP won in AMAC, Bwari and Kuje.

Here is how the FCT elections were won and lost.

Abaji Area Council

The election in Abaji was characterised by vote buying, late arrival of election materials, late commencement of poll, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) malfunction, and distortion of election process by miscreants.

Although 63,734 voters were expected for the poll in Abaji, located at the border with Kogi State, only 11,522 persons were able to cast their votes despite extended voting time.

Low turnout

While people trooped enmasse to the poll across the 10 wards that make up the area council, the late arrival of election materials and INEC officials at different PUs contributed greatly to the low turnout.

INEC had slated the poll for 8:30 a.m. but the exercise did not start in the PUs observed by PREMIUM TIMES in Abaji Central, Abaji South East, Abaji North East, Agyana/Pandagi, Rimba Ebagi and Nuku until 10 a.m.

This late commencement process was further compounded by the malfunction of BVAs, a development that killed the enthusiasm of some potential voters to participate in it.

Due to the large concentration of voters in the central, north-east and south-east areas of Abaji, only a few of the PUs closed at 2:30 p.m. as originally scheduled and even with the voting hours extended, some voters still went home disappointed.

Thugs invasion

The election was, however, not without violence. Just as some PUs were rounding up election activities in other council areas, some voters were running for safety in Abaji due to the invasion of suspected political thugs.

At about 1 p.m., thugs, estimated to be over 20, attacked PUs 001, 006, 008 and 004 in Agyana/Pandagi Primary School, Ward 4 of Abaji and thwarted the exercise.

The attack was aborted by the police who stepped in quickly. Unfortunately, the violence still led to the abrupt stoppage of the exercise.

At the end of the exercise, the APC beat the other parties to clinch the chairmanship seat. The APC candidate scored 7,280 votes to defeat Yahaya Garba of the PDP, who polled 4,063 votes.

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Interestingly, INEC could not declare a particular candidate of the APC winner because two aspirants are laying claim to the ticket. They are Muhammad Loko and Umar Abdullahi.

Mr Loko, had been declared the winner of the April 23, 2021 chairmanship primary of the APC in the area.

His name was controversially substituted by the APC with that of Mr Abdullahi who was later recognised by INEC as the partys flag bearer until recently.

Dissatisfied with this, Mr Loko approached an FCT High Court in Gudu district. The court on November 16, 2021, ruled in his favour and sacked Mr Abdullahi.

The latter appealed the ruling. However, the appeal court in January affirmed Mr Loko as the APC chairmanship candidate for the February 12 poll in Abaji.

Mr Abdullahi appealed to the Supreme Court whose ruling on the matter is now being awaited. It is based on this that INEC refused to declare any of the candidates the winner despite the APCs victory.

Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC)

In the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), It was a two-horse race between the APC and PDP candidates even though 10 other parties fielded candidates for the chairmanship and councillor positions.

At the end of the exercise, the PDP candidate, Christopher Zakka, was declared the winner having polled almost 20,000 votes to beat his closest rival, Murtala Karshi, of the APC.

The PDP won in 10 wards while the APC won in only two.

The wards won by the PDP were City Centre, Gwagwa, Nyanya, Kabusa, Jiwa, Gui, Garki, Orozo, Karu and Gwarimpa.

Those won by the APC were Karshi and Wuse.

The election was shaped by several factors, the most prominent of which were voter apathy, internal political squabbles and tribal sentiments.

Voter apathy/ late commencement

AMAC, the most cosmopolitan local council in Abuja, has 12 wards which makes it the biggest of the six councils; the other five councils have 10 wards each.

Despite wide publicity and resources spent, there was a very low turnout of voters and late commencement of voting in most polling units (PUs) in AMAC.

Some of the PUs, particularly within the city centre, Wuse, and Maitama Districts, had zero turnout while many others in the area council had less than two per cent turnout.

Several PUs visited by PREMIUM TIMES recorded a handful of people in attendance.

Also, some of the polling units across the area recorded glitches in the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) technology, which led to the delay in the taking off of the electoral process. This contributed to the reason the total number of votes cast in the AMAC was less than five per cent of registered voters.

Effect of Intra party litigation

Pre-election litigation could be said to be the major reason the APC, which currently controls AMAC, lost to the opposition PDP.

The APC had substituted Suleiman Gwagwa who won its primary election earlier last year with Mr Karshi who came second in the same election.

Mr Gwagwa, not satisfied with the action of the APC, filed a suit at the FCT High Court challenging the action of the party.

But the court dismissed the suit on the grounds that it was statute-barred.

Dissatisfied with the trial courts verdict, Mr Gwagwa again approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, where he sought to nullify the decision.

On December 3, 2021, the Appellate court dismissed the judgment of the FCT High Court.

The court held that Mr Gwagwa was duly elected as the APC candidate.

The matter went up to the Supreme Court which delivered judgment in favour of Mr Karshi a day before the election.

While the matter lasted at the apex court, Messrs Gwagwa and Karshi were uncertain about the outcome and thus may not have taken the campaigns as seriously as it deserves.

Possible role of ethnicity

The Gbagyi and the Gwandara are the two major ethnic groups in the FCT. Although there are other ethnic groups with AMAC being very cosmopolitan, the two are dominant in Abuja local politics.

While the Gbagyis saw the election as an opportunity to regain the seat they had occupied until the area council elections in 2015, the Gwandaras saw it as an opportunity for continuity.

Mr Zakka, popularly called Maikalangu, belongs to the Gbagyi ethnic group while Mr Karshi, also known as Yamarayi, is of the Gwandara ethnic group.

The outgoing AMAC chairman, Abdullahi Candido, is a Gwandara man as Mr Karshi who failed in his quest to take over from the former, his kinsman.

BWARI Area Council

Thousands trooped out in the Bwari Area Council to exercise their franchise.

One chairmanship position and 10 councillors seats were at stake.

The wards are Bwari Central, Byahzin, Dutse Alhaji, Igu, Kawu, Kubwa, Kuduru, Shere, Ushafa, and Usuman.

There are 23,1215 registered voters spread across the wards in the council.

456 votes were rejected out of a total of 22,646 cast. This equates to two per cent of the total votes cast throughout the wards.

Observations and infractions

Low voter participation, disenfranchisement of voters, malfunctioning of the BVAS and late commencement of voting characterised the election in Bwari.

Many of the polling units visited by PREMIUM TIMES experienced a scanty number of voters.

There was also the issue of imbalance in the distribution of voters to new polling units created by INEC.

This development also left many eligible voters stranded and frustrated, with many complaining.

INEC officials also arrived late at various polling units visited by our reporter. As a result of the logistic challenge, the exercise did not commence until about 9.30 a.m., one clear hour behind schedule. In such PUs, voting did not end until about 7 p.m.

This also had multiplier effects on the poll as it resulted in late sorting and counting of votes. The final collation of votes at the INEC office also began around midnight, largely due to the distance between some wards and the collation centre. The result of the election was not announced until 8 a.m. the following day (February 13).

Announcing the result, INEC Returning Officer, Amochi Madu, a professor at the University of Abuja, declared the candidate of the PDP, John Gabaya, as the chairman-elect.

Mr Gabaya, who was re-elected for a second three-year term, defeated his closest rival, Audi Shekwolo of the APC.

Mr Gabaya scored 13,045 votes, while Mr Shekwolo had 7,697 votes. The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Abubakar Abdullahi, came a distant third with 603 votes.

KWALI Area Council

After a keenly contested election in the Kwali Area Council, the APC candidate, Danladi Chiya, was declared winner and chairman-elect of the council.

According to the result announced by the Returning Officer for council, Wesley Daniel, Mr Chiya polled 7,646 votes to defeat his closest rival, Haruna Pai of the PDP, who scored 7,345 votes  a difference of 301 votes.

APC also won nine of the ten wards in the area council.

The entire electoral process, which lasted for about 30 hours, saw residents of the town voting late into night on Saturday.

History made

Aside from winning the chairmanship election in Kwali, the APC and its candidate made history by winning the election for a second term.

Mr Chiya, who is the councils incumbent chairman, will now serve his second term of three years in office.

This is the first time a candidate of a party will serve as chairman for two consecutive terms since the beginning of the current democratic dispensation.

The reason you see APC people jumping and shouting all over the place is because they want their candidate to win, and if he wins he will make history in Kwali.

Since inception no one has served two terms straight as chairman. It Is either you serve one term (three years) and leave or lose your second term bid and seek re-election again after. But nobody has won election twice, a resident of Kwali, David Yakubu, told PREMIUM TIMES during the voting exercise.

His words were evident in the behaviour of many APC supporters in almost all the polling units with many of them shouting sau biyu ne in Hausa language which could be translated to mean has to be two times or in this case, second term.

Abnormalities

One major factor that made the electoral process last over 30 hours was the malfunctioning of the BVAS (card reader) in many polling units  a setback recorded in the other five area councils.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how over 2,000 voters were stranded and frustrated as of 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Accreditation was scheduled to begin at 8.30 a.m.

Both party agents and leaders had complained and blamed INEC for failing to provide an alternative and relying wholly on the device.

The same was reported in many other polling units  especially those with a high number of registered voters. As a result, residents were still voting in some polling units as of 8 p.m.

Another factor that marred the election was vote buying by political parties.

Some voters were paid as low as N500 to vote for some candidates.

This paper reported how an APC agent was seen giving out money to some voters.

Saturdays election, however, recorded a relatively high turnout of voters in the Kwali Area Council. Residents, as early as 8;30 a.m., showed up at their polling units, and in their hundreds, to vote for their preferred candidates.

They were also very enthusiastic about exercising their rights to vote.

GWAGWALADA Area Council

On February 13, Abubakar Jubrin of the APC was declared the winner of Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election.

Mr Jibrin defeated the incumbent Vice Chairman of the council, Kassim Mohammed, by polling 11,125 votes against 9,579 votes of his opponent.

By the victory, Mr Jubril, who was the council chairman until 2015, will now serve a second term six years after.

While the APC clinched victory at the chairmanship level, the party was in the minority at the councils legislature as the party could only pick four councillorship seats against the six legislative seats won by PDP. There are 10 wards in the council.

Gwagwalada has 169,803 registered voters but only 22,455 of them were accredited to vote last Saturday. Eight political parties fielded candidates for the chairmanship and 10 councillors positions.

On the election day, logistics was a major challenge to INEC as many PUs did not start accreditation as the scheduled time of 8 a.m.

Aside from the late arrival of voting materials, in several polling units, including Health Clinic Open Space and Town Hall, the malfunctioning of the BVAS delayed the process leading to some units allowing voting into the night.

At Gwagwalada Town Hall polling units, INEC officials counted votes in the night using flashlights.

Most of the newly-created PUs did not have many registered voters. While some of the old ones had thousands of voters, the new ones had as low as three voters.

For instance, at PU 003, Health Clinic Open Space, there were 1,702 registered voters with hundreds queuing to vote while PU 33 at the centre of the same location had just six registered voters.

At Gwagwalada Town Hall, while PU 004 (an old PU) had 1,932 registered voters, PU 037, a new one in the same vicinity, had 13 registered voters.

Politics of the election

The election was not just a power contest between Messrs Jibrin and Mohammed, but a testing ground for different political gladiators in the council. Among them are the Minister of State for FCT, Ramatu Tijani, former House of Representatives member, Zakari Angulu, and the incumbent Chairman of the Council, Adamu Mustapha.

In 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Mrs Tijani as minister, a move that appeared to have momentarily addressed the agitation by FCT indigene to have a representative in the federal cabinet. Even though she is an indigene of Kogi State, the minister had been actively involved in FCT politics, particularly in Gwagwalada where she once served as Special Adviser to Council Chairman on Women and Youths Affairs in 2004.

In 2007, she made a bid to represent Abaji/Gwagwalada/Kuje/Kwali federal constituency in the House of Representatives but lost. Mrs Tijani is believed to be interested in running against Philip Aduda, the current Senate Chief Whip hence her passion to create upset during the recent council poll.

Mr Angulu, on his part, served as chairman of the council from 2007-2013. At the end of his tenure, he supported Mr Jibrin to succeed him, while he moved to the House of Representatives in 2015. Before the 2016 FCT elections, Messer Jibrin and Angulu had fallen out.

In the build-up to the 2016 area council election, it was believed that Mr Angulu supported Adamu Mustapha, who was in APGA, against his successor, thereby truncating Mr Jibrins second term ambition. The APC executive in Dobi ward reacted by suspending Mr Angulu for anti-party activities. But shortly after the 2016 election, Mr Mustapha and his deputy dumped APGA and moved to the APC.

Six years later (in 2022), there is realignment of forces. Mr Angulu lost his seat in the 2019 general election. Mr Mustapha is facing prosecution by the ICPC over alleged N10 million fraud. His support for his deputy drew the wrath of the leadership of his party which suspended him on January 31while the minister presented the flag of the party to Mr Jibrin.

Mr Mohammed, who protested the primary that produced Mr Jibrin decamped to the PDP where he was given the ticket of the party to run.

How APC won

Mrs Tijani is from Staff Quarters ward, Messrs Angulu and Mustapha from Dobi ward, while the APC and PDP candidates are from Gwarko and Zuba wards respectively.

According to the results declared by INEC, the minister of state lost her ward with 835 votes to 990 votes of the PDP, while Mr Angulu delivered the Dobi ward by 1,240 to 1,068 to the APC.

In Zuba, Mr Mohammed polled 682 votes against APCs 483 votes while in Gwarko, Mr Jibrin polled 2,233 against PDPs 753 votes. The margin of 1,498 was decisive in the election, considering that the difference between both candidates was 1,528 votes.

KUJE Area Council

The conclusion of elections in the Kuje council area saw Suleman Sabo of the PDP re-elected as its chairman for a second term.

While vote buying and voter apathy still subsist, poor road network, on-field poor conduct of electoral processes, late distribution of sensitive materials, delay in commencement of voting, deployment of officials and the malfunctioning of BVAS characterised the election in Kuje.

As a result of this, many voters were left stranded for hours at different polling units across the 10 wards where the election took place. Expectedly, the voters were noticed lamenting the sluggish process.

However, despite the decaying basic infrastructure observed across the communities where polling units were strategically positioned and which indicates governments absence, sensitive election materials were dispatched to all wards in a bid to encourage registered voters to vote.

The aftermath of this was evident in the delay in the collation of the result, which later pushed the conclusion of the entire process to the early hours of Sunday.

Kuje had a total number of registered voters of 127,444. But only 17.1 per cent (21,788) of this number were accredited to vote while 21,598 votes were cast at the election.

The election recorded 98.1 per cent (21,186) valid votes, with only 412 votes (1.9 per cent) rejected across the 10 wards.
Barely a month after the military dislodged bandits from Gando forest in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State, two communities said they paid N12 million to rescue 26 residents kidnapped by terrorists operating from the forest.

The two communities are Gana and Nasarawa Burkullu.

Gando, a thick forest at the edge of Gwashi and nearby communities, is used as a hideout by bandits operating in Anka, Bukkuyum and some areas of Kebbi State.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how soldiers stormed the forest, dislodged the bandits and rescued several rustled domestic animals.

A native of Gwashi, Ayuba Mohammed, told PREMIUM TIMES that the residents were jubilant because of the successes recorded by the soldiers.

Some cattle were recovered and brought back to us in the village. You can hear voices all over the place, people were happy that the bandits were scattered and their rustled cows recovered, he said.

Ibrahim Zauma, the Director-General on New Media to Governor Bello Matawalle, also said on his official Facebook page that soldiers recorded success in Bukkuyum.

Alhamdu lil Lah! Terrorist bandits in Gwashi axis of Bukkuyum Local Government Area met fire and fury from the gallant Nigerian Army. Reports from the area say the bandits enclave in Gando jungle was dislodged and several terrorists were killed, he posted.

Banditry

Bandits have been attacking rural communities, kidnapping people for ransom and rustling cattle for many years in the North-western part of Nigeria.

Banditry is the code name in the region for organised crimes like kidnapping, cattle rustling, mass abduction, arson and even armed robbery.

What started as farmers-herders clashes snowballed into cattle rustling before access to small arms emboldened the criminals to start raiding villages. Factors like mass poverty, illiteracy and a porous border with Niger Republic have complicated security issues for both the government and the people.

The activities of bandits have forced hundreds of people to leave villages in search of safety in towns.

We paid N12 million

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES on telephone Friday afternoon, some residents of the two communities said they contributed N12 million to rescue 26 people from the bandits.

Fourteen people were from Gana community while 12 were from Nasarawa Burkullu. Gana communities paid N7 million while Nasarawa Burkullu paid N5 million .

A traditional title holder at the office of the District Head of Zugu, who craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to journalists, said paying ransom and levies have become the new normal in the areas.

Just recently, they (bandits) imposed levies on nine of our villages. I think we discussed that with you? The issue of Gana and Nasarawa Burkullu communities is true because some of our colleagues (traditional rulers) even contributed money to the residents to rescue their relatives, he said.

He, however, said the military operation in January has reduced the frequency of attacks but insisted some people are still being held in the forest.

A youth leader in Bukkuyum, Abubakar Gero, confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES but said he did not know how much was paid for the residents to be released.

Yes, we were informed by some of our people in both Gana and Nasarawa Burkullu. I also know that they were still negotiating with the bandits some three weeks ago but I dont know how much they paid for the release. You know sometimes, it is not advisable to be telling people the process you have been involved in because the bandits have informants within us, he said.

Sani Badamasi, a local trader in Nasarawar Burkullu, said his niece and nephew, Ibrahim and Najaatu Muhammadu, were among those abducted and later released after payment of ransom.

When the bandits reached out to the people of our community after the abduction, our people decided to meet and pay the ransom quickly because most of those kidnapped were women so, we felt we should rescue them urgently. We did what we had to since the government doesnt care about us, he said.

Mr Badamasi, who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on telephone, however, refused to say how much his family paid to secure the release of its two members.

He said that when the bandits took a stand on what to collect, residents decided to come together to gather the money collectively.

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In Gana, Abdullahi Musa said households were taxed based on their status.

Some residents contributed money even without having anyone with the kidnappers. As for me, none of our family members was abducted but our household still gave N50,000 as our contribution,

Mr Musa sent a number of one of those abducted in Gana, Auwalu Dan Hajia, but when he heard it was a journalist, he said he would not speak. Efforts to reach other victims also failed.

Mr Musa said most of them were still in shock.

On how bandits held the victims in Gando forest despite the military operation of January, Mr Badamasi said the forest is vast and the soldiers did not cover it during the operation.

Yes, they succeeded in rescuing domestic animals but not human beings. They also didnt kill any bandit and the forest was not covered during the operation. We were all happy at first because we thought our people would be saved but walahi, it was weeks after the operation that we took the money to the bandits and they are still in the forest, he said.

When contacted, the police spokesperson in Zamfara State, Mohammed Shehu, promised to verify the story and revert.
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has invited the Ibrahim Shekarau-led faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano to join in seeking unity for the success of the party.

Mr Ganduje made the call as the rival faction announced it would take its case to the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal on Thursday restored the control of the APC in the state to the governor.

After Thursdays judgment by the appellate court, Mr Ganduje had threatened to crush the rival faction. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Shekaru faction accused the governor of incitement against its members in the remarks.

But in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, on Saturday, the governor adopted a conciliatory tone.

We are assuring you that our intention of a united and strong party is still on. Our great party APC is still one in Kano. All controversies are over, the governor was quoted in the statement.

Just as you are aware that during our wards, local governments and state congresses, INEC, Police, DSS and national headquarters of the party were present and endorsed the validity of all exercises.

Based on this, therefore, he disclosed that the party would sit with all party leaders across all the 44 local governments and discuss their strategies, to strengthen all party structures.

He also invited those who took their case to court before to come forth with the sole intention of building a stronger party, adding that, We are ready for the national convention coming up very soon.

Mr Anwar said thousands of party supporters had received the governor, state party Chairman Abdullahi Abbas and many top government functionaries, as they came back from Abuja, through Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), in a four-hour motorcade procession to the state secretariat of All Progressives Congress (APC), he reiterated his intention of solidifying party structures.

Present at the state party Secretariat were Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, 20 members of House of Representatives, members of the State House of Assembly, all Commissioners and other members of the state Executive Council, all chairmen of the 44 local governments, all party leaders from the 44 local governments, he said in the statement.

Shekarau faction head for Supreme Court

But Mr Shekarau has said his group (G7) would appeal the judgment of the Court of Appeal and appealed to its supporters to remain calm.

The group spoke through a statement co-signed by Mr Shekarau, Barau Jibrin, who is the senator for Kano North, and four members of the House of Representatives, including; Nasiru Abdua, Tijjani Jobe, Shaaban Sharada and Haruna Dederi; and the chairperson of Buhari Support Group, Shehu Dalhatu.

The statement read: Indeed, we have very high regard and respect for our courts and judicial system. And every judge has the constitutional powers to make a decision, one way or the other, in respect of any matter which comes before him.

What is heartwarming, however, is that the appellate system of our courts allows a party, who is dissatisfied with the decision given by one Court, to Appeal to a higher court.

It is in this regard that we, in very strong terms, urge all our supporters throughout Kano State and beyond to remain calm and focused because our lawyers have immediately commenced the processes of appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, being dissatisfied with the judgement of the Court of Appeal.

We urge all of you to remain steadfast and firm in your commitment and prayers and never be moved by any immature utterances coming from any quarters.

Recall that for three consecutive times we recorded similar successes and all the times we simply expressed our thanks and gratitude to Almighty Allah (SWT) without using any vulgar language against anyone. That is the kind of mature, disciplined and responsible leadership always expected from our leaders.

Although we have always appreciated the efforts of our party leaders in trying to move our great party forward, much more is still desired from them in terms of building stronger confidence in the party members. Members must be seen to be treated equally, fairly and equitably. What is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.

For more than 40 days after the judgment of the FCT High Court, the leadership refused to give recognition to the victorious party despite efforts to make them see reason to do so in obedience to the rule of law.

Conversely, however, barely a few hours after the judgement of the Court of Appeal, on the same day, we saw the leadership giving certificate to the person who emerged victorious in the appeal. All Courts should necessarily earn equal respect from citizens.

We humbly and respectfully urge our party leaders, to always take the right actions to protect the partys electoral viability. Party members should be inspired by the disciplined commitment of party leaders to support and implement lawful decisions.

We, unequivocally, wish to assure all our supporters and followers that we shall never give up this fight for the entrenchment of inclusiveness, equity and justice in the Kano State chapter of our great party., the All Progressives Congress (APC) until justice is not only done, but manifestly seen to have been done.

We urge you to continue to be loyal to the party and once more thank you all for your persistent prayers for our success and the success of APC.

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Please double your efforts in this regard as we continue our fight in the highest Court of the land, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the group said.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday 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.

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 decisions of the appeal court were delivered by Justices Haruna Tsammani, Gafai and J. Amadi.
A court document has directly linked the recently seized N10.9 billion worth of assets to the suspected unlawful activities of a deceased army general, Aminu Kano Maude.

The court document obtained by PREMIUM TIMES removes the confusing attribution of the assets to an unnamed top military officer in the two statements the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has since issued on the forfeiture of the properties.

In what has been criticised as the EFCCs undue concealment of the identity of the actual person behind the acquisition of the assets the commission had said in a statement on Monday that they were seized from a top military officer.

Without providing the name of the top military officer, the statement added that the assets were being controlled through proxies including the late General Aminu Maude, and companies such as Atlasfield Integrated Services Nigeria Limited, Marhaba Events Place, Aflac Plastics and Atlasfield Gas Plant Limited.

The anti-graft agencys follow-up statement on the following day  February 15  completely excluded Mr Maudes name while maintaining that the assets were being held by fronts and proxies to a top military officer.

The second statement which provided a list of 24 assets covered by the final forfeiture order obtained by the commission from the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, also raised the worth of the assets up from the about N3 billion indicated in the previous statement to N10.9 billion.

But both statements signed by the commissions spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, diverted attention away from Mr Maude as the central figure in the alleged fraudulent acquisition of the assets.

A copy of the earlier order issued by the Federal High Court judge, Nkeoye Maha, on May 13, 2020, for an interim forfeiture of the assets, however, explicitly linked the assets to Mr Maudes suspected unlawful activity.

The court order with the same title as provided by the EFCC in its application for the interim forfeiture order, says, In the matter of the ex-parte application by the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for interim forfeiture of order in respect of some assets situate in different parts of Nigeria suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity traced to on General Maude Aminu Kano (rtd) (a public officer) and his proxies both bodies and individuals.

The judge, in the court order went on to direct the EFCC to advertise the interim forfeiture order in This Day, Punch, Nation, Guardian Daily Trust or Leadership newspapers.

She order invited any person with justifiable grounds to oppose the issuance of an order for the final forfeiture of the assets to the federal government to appear in court to show cause.

Ms Maha also ordered the EFCC to file a certificate of compliance concerning the advertisement of the interim order not later than seven days.

On February 14, EFCC announced in a statement that the court had issued an order of final forfeiture of the 24 assets valued at N10.9 billion.

The list of the forfeited properties contained landed properties located in different parts of Kano, Katsina, Calabar (Cross River State) and Kaduna.

Among them are nine filling stations scattered in Kano with a total of 300 pumps.

They also included filling stations, Event Centres, Plazas, Block Industries, Truck Assembly Plant, Polythene Production factory and table water factory.

Mr Maude, who hailed from Kano, served in the army finance corps and died in November 2019.

Group demands the whole truth

An organisation, Coalition for Truth and Justice, on Friday, expressed worries over the seeming identity concealment posturing of the EFCC in its statements on its latest major assets forfeiture efforts.

We are also alarmed that the EFFC, either by omission or commission, elected to be clever by half. But they failed to realize that their actions have the tendency to affect the psychological state of those in the trenches fighting and sacrificing themselves for the country.

The EFCC must tell the truth to the country regarding the identity of the military officer who was able to amass properties worth billions of naira, the National Coordinator of the group, Timothy Charles, said in a statement.

ALSO READ: EFCC arrests suspected fake Army General over alleged N270 million fraud

Mr Charles said the EFCC is economical with the truth, adding that the blanket use of military officer is deceptive, mischievous, and a mockery of the anti-corruption crusade of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

EFCCs responds to media report

Given the seeming identity concealment portrayed in the EFCCs statement on the matter, Peoples Gazette, reported that on Brigadier General Jafaru Mohammed has been revealed as the top military officer fingered in the latest seizure.

The platform reported that Mr Mohammed currently serving as the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) was appointed by the EFCC in 2017 to take charge of the finances of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) after N13 billion belonging to the spy agency was found in a Lagos apartment.

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Responding to the report, EFCC described it as false in a statement on Friday.

EFCC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr Uwujaren, that Jafaru Mohammed was not an accountant of EFCC, but did not provide further clarity on the identity of the person from whom the forfeited properties were seized.

The commissions statement read in full: The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a report by an online news medium, Peoples Gazette, alleging that a certain Jafaru Mohammed whom it claimed stole N10.9billion from the NIA Ikoyi loot is an accountant of the EFCC.

The claim is false and intended to mislead the public. For the avoidance of doubt, the EFCC has no accountant by name, Jafaru Mohammed and could not have appointed him to serve in another agency.

It is infantile to suggest that the Commission would appoint an accountant for the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, which is not a department of the EFCC.

The public is enjoined to discountenance the report which is dripping with mischief for which Peoples Gazette has become notorious.
The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has advised judges to slam severe costs on lawyers who delay the course of justice in court.

Mr Osinbajo, a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said judges must take charge of their courts by determining the pace at which cases must progress.

The Vice President spoke on Friday evening at the 20th year memorial anniversary symposium in honour of a late legal practitioner, Bankole Aluko (SAN).

A statement by his spokesperson, Laolu Akande, quoted the Vice President as speaking on the theme: Administration of Justice: the Ideal Standard, the Nigeria Reality and Our Potential.

Severe costs should attend adjournments, there is no greater waste of taxpayers funds than for a scheduled case to have to be adjourned. It is only heavy costs that will discourage this malfeasance, Mr Osinbajo said of the intractable delays that have dogged Nigerias justice system.

Recently, Nigerias Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, argued over which arm of government was to blame for the slow pace of high profile cases in the country.

While Mr Malami during a television interview, blamed judges for the delay in prosecution of defendants, especially Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), the CJN attributed the issue to the inability of the executive arm of government to provide the needed court facilities for speedy trials.

But in his presentation, the Vice President said the justice institution and infrastructure remain key to reforming the system.

He argued that the judge is, of course, central to how our system of justice works. It is the court, not counsel that must determine the pace of cases.

Working conditions of judges

On the expectations from judicial officers, Mr Osinbajo said while we ask for the best from our judicial officers, we must equally ensure that the conditions under which they operate are not only befitting but are good enough to attract the best of minds in our profession.

He also called for fairness in the selection and appointment of judges.

The Vice President said the robustness and transparency of the processes in other jurisdictions provide comfort to the candidates of the fairness of the selection process; and enable the public to have front-row seat in some of these processes, arguing that such a process be replicated in Nigeria.

The VP extolled the late Mr Alukos mastery of his craft, highlighted his varied abilities, and praised his contributions to the legal profession in the country.

He described him as a truly iconic figure and recalled that he was always my preferred lawyer.

Technicality must give way to merit

Regarding the impact of the law on democracy, Mr Osinbajo noted that the democratic rights of the people and their confidence in the notion of a government of the people, by the people, for the people, suffers when the system of electoral justice fails to see itself as a handmaid of the democratic process.

Citing the decision of the Supreme Court in the 2019 elections in Zamfara State to buttress his point, the VP noted that to make sense, judicial decisions and reasoning must in most cases meet the common notions of fairness and justice.

The system of justice must recognize the larger principles that it serves. In judicial interpretation, the spirit is as important as the letter of the law. Otherwise, judicial decisions become technistic applications far removed from common sense.

The notions of justice that would meet public expectations of fairness and equity are those that promote substance over form. The observance of technicality over merit will always alienate the system of justice from the people it is meant to serve, Mr Osinbajo said.
At least, 18 people have been confirmed dead and several others injured after an attack by bandits in Kadaddaba in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The attack, which lasted from 10 p.m. on Friday to 4 a.m., was the first recorded in the village.

Kadaddaba is a few kilometres from the Federal Government College, Anka and is also not far from Anka town.

Bandits have been attacking rural communities, kidnapping people for ransom and rustling cattle for many years in the North-western part of Nigeria.

Banditry is the code name in the region for organised crimes like kidnapping, cattle rustling, mass abduction, arson and even armed robbery.

Bandits recently killed over 200 people in one of the worst atrocities attributed to bandits, in Anka and Bukkuyum local government areas.

A resident of Anka town, Ibrahim Danda, told PREMIUM TIMES over the telephone that the bandits stormed the village for the latest attack on motorcycles.

From what I have gathered, the bandits surrounded the whole village while others went in. They conducted house to house search, collecting money, foodstuff and domestic animals before they started shooting sporadically. Some of the residents who have run into the town (Anka) said those killed were either running or tried to resist the bandits attempt to take their valuables, he said.

On the number of those killed, Mr Danda, who is a lawyer, said the residents buried 16 people Saturday morning after the bandits left while two persons died at the General Hospital, Anka.

Those who were severely injured were brought to the hospital and two of them died today; one immediately he was brought while the other a few minutes before you called me (3:47 p.m). I was at the hospital, I couldnt count the number of those who have been admitted, he said.

Another resident of Anka, Ansar Aliyu, said he heard the gunshots while the community was being attacked.

I started hearing gunshots around 11 p.m and though I didnt knew from where it was coming, I knew that it was from that axis (Kadaddaba). In the morning, the Imam in our mosque announced that there had been an attack on Kadaddaba.

The state police spokesperson, Mohammed Shehu, could not be reached for comment as his known phone number failed to connect. An SMS sent to him was also not responded to.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos on Friday rallied support for the presidential aspiration of his predecessor and benefactor, Bola Tinubu.

The governor spoke at the opening session of the 17th Executive and Legislative Parley organised for all elected public office holders in Lagos State.

He said Mr Tinubu possesses the competency and magic wand to turn around the nations fortunes for general good.

Let me stress the importance of working together as one family, especially as we approach 2023, which is an all-important electioneering year.

There is a whole lot we can achieve together as a united bloc. I enjoin all of us to come together and rally round our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he gives the nations presidency a shot.

He has given himself to the good people of Lagos, and now he wants to replicate his progressive ideas at the national level. It is time to pay him back with our unwavering support. He is, no doubt, the right and best man for the job. He knows the issues plaguing our nation like the back of his hands and he has the magic wand to fix it.

Harvest period

The forum also offered Governor Sanwo-Olu an opportunity to share the strides recorded by his administration in the previous year and jointly review programmes in the pipelines with the delegates for more impactful results.

All members of the National Assembly from Lagos, State House of Assembly, the Executive Council, Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and members of the States All Progressives Congress (APC) executive are attending the three-day event holding at Marriott Hotels in Ikeja, with the theme: Mobilizing Citizens as a Social Capital Towards 2023 General Elections.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said the parley was organised with the ultimate goal of seeking inputs of critical public sector stakeholders and create strategic ways to implementing ideas that would alleviate the suffering of masses, while also improving life quality, as well as economic development.

The Governor said the executive arm, which he leads, had consistently thrown its doors open to diverse opinions and views, noting that the forum had become a part of the Governments effort towards distributing development across all parts of the State.

This administration, from the outset, did not delude itself into thinking it had the monopoly of knowledge with regards to finding the right solutions to the myriad challenges confronting the State.

This explains why we have consistently thrown our doors open to diverse opinions and views from various sources, while also creating a forum to rub minds with all critical stakeholders with a view to achieving the Greater Lagos of our dream.

The remarkable strides attained in the last two and a half years would have been impossible, but for the efforts of everyone gathered at this forum today.

The past year was particularly remarkable for us in our aspiration to improve infrastructure across the State, many of which have been commissioned, thus giving Lagosians a new lease of life. As a forward-looking Government, we are more focused on the present and the future than the past, because, no matter the level of successes it had brought to us, the past is no longer as important as the present and the future.

Despite the challenges faced by the State in the early months of the current administration, including the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the destruction orchestrated by the EndSARS protests, Mr Sanwo-Olu said his Government had raised its head high and had not let down the electorate. He said his administration had visible achievements with great impact to showcase as the first four-year tenure of his Government draws to the end.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said the current year and 2023 would be a harvest period for Lagos to reap more dividends of democracy, stressing that the State Government had fast-tracked the completion and delivery of key infrastructure, which includes Imota Rice Mill, 27-kilometre Blue Line and 32-kilometre Red Line rail projects.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said legislators, who are the closest to the people, must give in their best to ensure the executive succeeds.

Mr Gbajabiamila, represented by the Leader of Lagos Caucus in the Green Chamber, Dolapo Badru, described lawmakers as partys eyes at the grassroots, as he urged them to partner with the executives in enhancing development and mobilising people for the partys success.

The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, said the parley would help the participants to bond under a common vision and mission, as well as projecting beneficial political discussions.

Mr Obasa charged the executive and legislature to continue to work together for the progress and development of the State.

The Leader of GAC, Tajudeen Olusi, stressed the responsibilities imposed on political parties by the Constitution, advising all public officers under the APC to roll out their programmes in line with party manifesto.
Residents on Friday protested against the diversion of traffic by the Jigawa State government from a major highway in the Gwaram Local Government Area of the state, accusing the government of economic sabotage.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the government, last August, diverted traffic from the highway linking the state and Kano with North-east Nigeria, over concerns over the state of a major bridge following heavy downpours.

The bridge in Gwaram LGA is on the highway that links the state to Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba states.

The government directed heavy-duty trucks to instead, use the Gwaram-Kari highway until work is completed on the bridge.

Residents said the prolonged closure of the bridge has crippled economic activities in the area.

One of the protesters, Baban Fati, told reporters that the road closure has disrupted the supplies of essential commodities including fuel to Gwaram town.

Mr Baban-Fati, a motor driver, said the situation became dire after an iron barrier was constructed on the bridge to prevent trucks from crossing it.

He said the barrier prevented trucks from supplying essential commodities to Gwaram and neighbouring Darazo town in Bauchi State.

Residents came out to register their grievances following the negative economic impact occasioned by the road closure. Why cant they provide a local alternative for residents and road users?

With the iron barrier, fuel tanks and other heavy-duty trucks cannot enter Gwaram town. Now, there is no single fuel station in Gwaram that is dispensing fuel; that has made things difficult for the residents.

The prices of goods have skyrocketed in Gwaram because marketers have to spend more on transportation to make goods available. We have engaged our local authorities but their response was annoying, Mr Baban-Fati told reporters.

A leader of the Human Rights Network in Jigawa, Musbahu Basirka, told PREMIUM TIMES that the organisation engaged the protesters to avert the breakdown of law and order and other parties to ensure amicable resolution of the dispute.

The states Commissioner of Works and Transport, Aminu Usman, told reporters that the bridge got damaged during the last rainy season and has also continued sinking as a result of the heavily loaded vehicles crossing it.

He said the government installed the barrier to prevent a total collapse of the bridge. He, however, did not explain why the repair is taking so long.
Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, on Saturday, emerged winner in his ward, Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of the state, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries.

Announcing the result of the direct primary at St. Peters Primary School, ward 001, Iragbiji, Samson Oyebade, the electoral officer, said Oyetola scored 1,612 votes, to beat two other aspirants, Moshood Adeoti and Lasun Yusuf, who scored no vote.

He said 2,053 party members were accredited for the exercise, adding that 1,612 party members cast their votes for the governor.

In his remarks, the governor said he was not surprised that he won in his ward.

Mr Oyetola, who described the exercise as a family affair, said the primary was not expected to be a battlefield.

He also urged party members to brace up for the challenges ahead.

I want my fellow aspirants to see this exercise as a family affair and not a battle field.

Because God is always in control, there is no violence in the state, although violence is not expected.

I dont know why the agents of other aspirants are not here but we should all brace up for the challenges ahead and create opportunity for reconciliation, he said.

The governor described the turnout of the party members for the exercise as meaningful and impressive.

I thank God that we were able to do it peacefully.

All the members of the party have the opportunity to decide who will carry the flag of the party.

I want to appeal to all our people all over the state to please maintain peace.

This election process should not be a battle field. It should not be a do or die affair. There should be no violence.

Let everybody have the opportunity of participating in his choice of who should be the candidate of our party.

I think that is the process and I think it has gone very well, contrary to the speculation, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three aspirants for the primary are Mr Oyetola; former Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti, and Lasun Yusuf, former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives.

The APC Chairman in the state, Gboyega Famodun, said the primary would take place in 332 wards across the 30 local government areas of the state.

(NAN)
HAVANA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Cuba on Friday unveiled a national program for food security, including increasing production to reduce its reliance on imports.

"We are taking steps towards developing the agricultural sector amid the intensification of the U.S. blockade against Cuba, the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of climate change on the island," Agriculture Minister Idael Perez said.

"By doing so, we are making a strategic contribution to the country's national security," he added. The program is expected to be presented to the parliament for debate later this year.

The island nation, home to 11.2 million people, imports over 60 percent of the food it consumes, according to official statistics. 
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said solving the problems bedeviling Nigeria would require rebels who would speak truth to power.

He spoke on Saturday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while unveiling the autobiography of the Babanla Adinni of Egbaland, Tayo Sowunmi, titled Footprints Of A Rebel.

Mr Obasanjo added that having more rebels in the country at this time is the greatest step towards rebuilding Nigeria.

The autobiography reviewed by Hafsat Abiola Costello, founder of Kudirat Initiative for Democracy, was unveiled as part of the celebration of the 80th birthday of Mr Sowunmi, a former activist and elder statesman.

In his brief remarks, Mr Obasanjo noted that for Nigeria to move forward, it requires people who stand and speak for the truth.

Looking at the title of the book, I ask myself, why would someone call himself a rebel. But it is good, he said.

But the truth is that if you have to leave a life of honesty and integrity, you have to become a rebel. There would be some time you would be asked have to do something, but you would say no, this is not right. And when you say that you will become a rebel. You may even become a persona non grata.

Our country, there is no country that we can call our own except Nigeria. Our country, Nigeria, needs more of rebels. Those who would look at things straight in the face and say: this is not right, this, I will not be part of, this is not good for Nigeria.

He saluted the octogenarian for living an exemplary life worthy of emulation by the younger generation.

Earlier in his speech, the Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Tunde Bakare, called for inter-generational reintegration between older and younger generations, as part of efforts to rebuild the country

Mr Bakare added that it is a shame that while younger generations are taking over leadership positions in other countries, while the older generation refuses to leave the stage in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Police Force, Ekiti Command, on Saturday said it has arrested five suspected cultists and drug barons following a tip-off in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

Sunday Abutu, the commands Spokesperson, made this known in a statement in Ado-Ekiti.

Mr Abutu said the command, on February 18 at about 2.30 p.m, received a credible tip off that a group of suspected cultists were sighted at a hotel located on Ikere Road in Ado-Ekiti.

He said the commands Rapid Response Squad (RRS), upon receipt of the intelligence report, swung into action and the suspects (nameswitheld) were found in one of the hotel rooms.

Mr Abutu said the suspects were found with some incriminating items and were promptly arrested.

Upon searching the room, the following items were found in their possession and recovered, three packs of suspected Arizona Hemp, 50 wraps of suspected cocaine,15 packs of suspected loud hemp.

Others are 20 wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, 10 gas lighters, one sharp knife and a cash of N76,900, he said.

ALSO READ: NDLEA secures conviction against 35 drug dealers in Akwa Ibom

The commands spokesperson said the suspects, during interrogation, confessed to be illicit drug dealers.

Mr Abutu said the State Commissioner of Police, Tunde Mobayo, however, appreciated members of the public for their cooperation and support in providing timely and useful information that led to arrest of the suspects and other suspected criminal elements.

He said the police chief also assured the public that the command, under his watch, would not relent in its efforts to cripple the activities of criminals in the state. (NAN)
The Okomu Oil Palm Company in Edo State says it has suffered more attacks on its plantation by suspected terrorists.

In a statement by Fidelis Olise, Okomus oil palm communication officer on Friday, the company said the attack happened on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mr Fidelis in another message to PREMIUM TIMES Friday evening said, Today 18th February, the hoodlums set ablaze another part of Okomu rubber plantation.

This is the fourth attack on the company in less than three weeks. Earlier this month, PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the company suspended its operations in the aftermath of an attack which led to the death of one of its workers.

The company has been embroiled in disputes over land ownership and its use of military forces for the protection of its plantations and environs. Okomus plantation borders the Okomu National park, a major habitat to leopards, chimpanzees and elephants.

The company has been accused of violating the rights of the host community, including locking them out citizens, harassing outspoken members of the community with security agencies, and seizing land. The company denies wrongdoings.

Okomu is one of Nigerias leading oil palm companies listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE). It covers an area of 33, 112 hectares, of which 18, 879 hectares is currently planted with oil palm trees and 7,335 hectares with rubber trees.

According to Mr Olise, the same terrorists seemingly angered by the arrest of two of their supposed members carried out a further attack on innocent workers on the plantation.

He said the recent attack on the companys property is to avenge the arrest of the terroristaccomplices who apparently confessed to the theft of rubber captured by the Marine Police on a boat after it had left the Okomu Ijaw Community on its way to Delta State a day before.

The killing of innocent workers who are performing their legitimate duties and have no conflict or disagreement with any person whosoever is strongly condemned and the powers that be should immediately take action against those terrorists responsible for these murderous crimes, the company said.

The statement noted that attacks on companies like Okomu raise fears that assailants are now focusing on these types of establishments, intent on bringing them to their knees.

The oil palm company said the attacks pose a great threat to the current and future investments in Edo State and Nigeria as a whole, especially the agricultural sector.

The time has come for the Buhari and Obaseki Administrations to take concerted and decisive actions against these terrorists, otherwise investment in the agricultural sector will be greatly discouraged just as was the case with pipeline vandalization in the past, with the resultant negative effect on livelihoods and revenue accruing to both State and Federal Government coffers, the statement said.

It urged the police to immediately undertake a thorough investigation and bring all those linked to the heinous attacks to book, thereby showing that they are a force to be reckoned with, and reinstating confidence in their ability to fight crime.

The army too should be deployed to ensure that this area of Ovia South West LGA is safe for all concerned and terrorists and cultist groups are routed from this area for good, the company said.
The former governor of Osun State and Minister for Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has alleged that the governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress held in the state Saturday was marred by irregularities and rigged in favour of the incumbent governor.

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported how the minister said he would only concede defeat if the governorship primaries was free and fair.

Observations from the primary election indicate that the state Governor Gboyega Oyetola might be coasting home to victory.

Mr Aregbesola through his media aide, Sola Fasure, has, however, urged his supporters to remain calm even when provoked.

Read the statement:

On behalf of the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, I will like to thank you most sincerely for heeding the call earlier this morning to participate in our partys governorship primary and conduct yourselves most peacefully. You adopted a non-violent posture, even in the face of sore proggvocation.

You have demonstrated your loyalty to the party and democratic ideals. You have comported yourselves as Omoluabi in the true essence.

We have received and continue to receive the reports of the shenanigans of the officials who conducted the sham of an election. We have been inundated with reports state-wide of how your names were expunged from the partys voters register, which was not made available until this morning, contrary to the convention of making the list available to the candidates before the election.

We have heard of how party registration cards were being hawked this morning to the supporters of the state governor.

We have also received reports of how accreditation was not done at all in many wards and how people without the party identification just participated and queued behind the governor in many polling units.

We have received the report from our members and independent observers, how government officials and notable supporters of the governor officiated in the election, how votes were farcically counted in favour of the governor and how the votes recorded for him were more than the number of voters accredited ab initio in many units.

We have heard of the absence of result sheets and other vital documents for recording results and vital data. We note also the absence of INEC officials in most wards, casting serious doubt on the credibility of the election.

We note with shame and much regret the consternation of local and international observers on what they regard as a travesty of an election.

I will urge you to maintain your cool and calm. Be not downcast, be not agitated. Hold your head high. We are still receiving and studying all these reports and will take a definitive position on them.

You are urged not to take laws into your hands. Please leave the rest to the Almighty God and let us explore all peaceful and legal means for addressing the matter in order to obtain justice.

Please remain committed to peace and the rule of law. Be unflinching in your commitment to the democratic ideals. Democracy is for the long haul. As you all know, we never tire and we never give up on the cause we believe in. Be rest assured that victory is ours.
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter said that it embarked on an indefinite strike over the non-release of December 2021 allocations by FCTA.

The FCT NULGE President, Ibrahim Kabi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the strike had become imperative to enable them press home their demands.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the union had on Thursday, embarked on industrial action, which cut across workers from the six area councils of FCT.

Worried by the non- abatement of the current impasse between the FCTA and the area councils chairmen in FCT, the FCT NULGE embarked on an indefinite strike over none release of the allocation.

NULGE FCT chapter in a genuine efforts aimed at amicable settlement of the matter, met with the chairmen of the six (6) area councils on Feb. 16.

As a result of the deadlock, area councils workers in the FCT have continued to surfer untold hardship since the beginning of this year, as no meaningful efforts is in sight for payment of January salaries.

NULGEs resolutions and stand is that the strike has started indefinitely and there is no sign in sight when it will end, he said.

Mr Kabi maintained that the only resolution between the local governments and state governments was to grant Autonomy to the local governments.

He said that this would put an end to local government being treated as mere Ministry, Department and Agencys of states.

The immediate release of the area councils December 2021 allocation from FAAC is of essence to enable area councils pay January salary to their workers.

We are also asking that 10 per cent of the FCT IRS accruing to the area councils be released with a template of how to pay the area councils the backlog and arrears.

NULGE FCT is still committed to and will not relent on its oars in the push and fight for a local government autonomy in Nigeria, he said.

(NAN)
The African Union through its president, Macky Sall, has called on European countries to return Africas artefacts in their possession.

Mr Sall mentioned this in his speech at the ongoing EU-AU summit in Brussels. He said the restitution of African works remains a matter of high priority, because they are part of Africas civilizational identity.

If we want to build a new Europe-Africa relational ethic, based on respect and recognition of historical facts, we must pursue the work already started through the recommendations of the Savoy-Sarr report, Mr Sall said.

His position was part of the eight proposals from African leaders as contribution to the new partnership with Europe.

As colonial masters conquered Africa, thousands of its cultural artefacts were stolen . The conquerors took Africans as slaves to work on plantations and to build their countries while the artefacts were displayed in museums.

For instance, in 1897, the British launched a punitive expedition against Benin, in response to an attack on a British diplomatic expedition.

Apart from bronze sculptures and plaques, innumerable royal objects were taken as a result of the mission and these are scattered all over the world.

The Bangwa Queen of Cameroon which is now owned by France was either given to or looted by the German colonial agent Gustav Conrau in around 1899 before the territory was colonised, according to the BBC.

Africa over the years have continued to demand that artefacts stolen from her be returned to its original home.

Both Europe and the United Kingdom have responded but not without conditions.

For instance, in 2018, CNN reported that the British Museum has agreed to loan the plaques back to Benin Royal Museum in Edo State for an exhibition within three years.

PREMIUM TIMES reported last year how Cambridge University college handed over the statue of a bronze cockerel looted by British colonial forces.

While restitution has begun, Mr Salls call reinforces the stance of the African people on the ruins of colonialism and the clamour for the return of their stolen heritage.

Calls

Meanwhile, Mr Sall also called for a revision of the investment risk evaluation criteria in Africa noting that, the risk perception remains considerably higher than the real risk, which results in high insurance costs, penalises investment and reduces competitiveness of our economies.

He added that data has shown that 20 per cent of the ranking criteria for Africa is subjective.

For Africa, recent studies show that at least 20 per cent of the ranking criteria of our countries is based on subjective factors, while others are cultural or linguistic in nature, having nothing to do with risk indicators or stability of an economy.

We call for the simplification of formalities and procedures related to project funding conditions, respecting the rules of good governance and transparency. Very often, these formalities and procedures delay the drafting and execution of projects, which weakens public action and arouses expectations that are sometimes not fulfilled, he noted.

Mr Sall thanked Europe for its substantial vaccine donations to Africa and solicited fresh support for the reinforcement of the continents pharmaceutical and biotechnological capacities.
The Federal High Court in Abuja is considering changing the venue of the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to address the challenges it poses for court staff and other activities of the court.

Business owners, public servants and users of adjoining roads always face a lot of difficulties whenever the proceedings hold at the court complex along Shehu Shagari Road leading to Maitama, Abuja.

The Sun reported that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, disclosed the plan to change the venue of the trial to ease the challenges associated with the trial during a courtesy visit to him by the newly elected executives of the Abuja chapter of Nigerian Bar Association (Unity Bar) on February 16.

Mr Tsoho, who said the court was working on a long-term solution to the problem, lamented the restrictions security agents had to put in place during the trials.

He lamented how the measures always prevented lawyers and other litigants with ongoing cases from entering the court because of the trial.

He described the road blockage and tight security measures put in place during the trial as a worrisome development for the courts, lawyers, and litigants, as other courts presided by other judges cannot function anytime the case comes up.

Mr Tsoho said even though it was challenging, the court could not prevent the situation.

It is not truly the making of the court, Mr Tsoho said, adding that the security arrangement was something that had been forced upon the court as a necessary action due to the high number of people interested the trial.

If you observed, for those who were at the last hearing, the matter came up, but of course, the roads were free because the matter was shifted to late afternoon. The security operatives were advised not to close the access roads to the court until the time proximate to the trial. We are improving along the line, Mr Tsoho said.

The venue of the trial may have to change, Mr Tsoho hinted.

We are exploring the possibility of shifting the venue of the trial. That will be the best way out, otherwise, if the trial continues here, it will interfere with our business. We have 11 courts here but it is only one court that is trying Kanu, he said.

When?

The Chief Judge did not mention how soon the change of venue might happen.

It cannot yet be ascertained if the venue change will begin with the ruling the court, on Wednesday, scheduled to be delivered on April 8.

The trial judge, Binta Nyako, who handles Mr Kanus case, had, on Wednesday, heard an application by the defendant challenging the validity of the terrorism and treasonable felony charges preferred against him.

After the hearing of the application, which was opposed by the federal governments prosecuting team, the judge fixed April 8 for ruling.

A lawyer, Tope Temokun, recently sued Mr Tsoho and the State Security Service (SSS), the agency keeping custody of Mr Kanu since he was brought back to the country in June last year, over the restriction of journalists and others during the trial.

Premium Times reported how surprisingly, the SSS complied with the judges advice not to block access to the premises of the Federal High Court during Wednesdays proceedings.

It was reported that the trial judge, Ms Nyako, who fixed the sitting for 1 p.m., had advised the operatives of the SSS to inform their office about her recommendation.

A morning check on the trial day showed that the Federal High Court staff, lawyers, litigants, journalists, among others, had free access into the high-rise building and its surroundings.

There was free movement of people and vehicles within and outside the court before and during the hearing of the case.

Mr pleaded not guilty to the amended terrorism and treasonable felony charges arising from his alleged separatist activities in January.

Other matters

Meanwhile, the Sun also reported that Mr Tsoho assured the leadership of the Unity bar of the willingness of the bench to work harmoniously with the bar.

He also promised to address the issue of impromptu adjournment of cases by judges of the court without adequate information to lawyers in the matter.

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He, however, said given the sudden changes in schedule of judges and other court officials, impromptu adjournments of cases cannot be avoided.
It is interesting to note that the democratisation of education is recommended and encouraged by UNESCO and the other international organisations to fight against discrimination and illiteracy. It motivates the spread of compulsory primary and secondary education. It also encourages compensatory measures in the field of special education, education of migrants, exercising the rights to the education of minorities, adult education

Recently, I participated in a virtual thematic group meeting on the Democratisation of Higher Education in Nigeria through Open Access to celebrate the International Open Science Week.

The session was co-hosted by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa).

While TETFUND provides focused and transformative intervention in public tertiary Institutions in Nigeria through funding and effective project management, the TCC Africa provides capacity support in improving researchers output and visibility through training in scholarly and science communication.

In the meeting, Digital Science facilitated discussions on the state of investment in open access in higher education and the opportunities of support in the provision of open science tool and dimensions to help increase the research visibility and quality of outputs in Nigeria.

Democratisation as one of the keywords of the programme made me ponder for a while on how it could be related to education. Democratisation is originally a term, which is commonly used term in the political science lexicon. It simply implies embedding democracy to its core in a society.

On the other hand, democratisation entails participation, equality, equity, justice and regard for the rule of law. In a nutshell, I assumed that the democratisation of education would simply refer to equal and equitable acess of all citizens of a particular society to education, regardless of their social status, religion, ethnicity or tribe.

Shedding light on the topic, the Coordinator of TETFunds Research and Development Standing Committee (RDSC), Dr Mustapha Popoola, called for the democratisation of tertiary education in Nigeria. According to him, open access would not only democratise higher education but also expand its scientific spaces in the country. He said Open Educational Resources (OER) are educational resources that are freely available, such as lesson plans, activities, media, and support materials.

Open access, open data and open education form a broad open agenda that is essential to accelerating the way students discover knowledge and unleash their potentials to solve big problems and make discoveries.

Open access materials such as open access journal articles, open access textbooks and other scientific documents can support OER lesson plans.

In other words, educators and students can take advantage of an open approach to create personalised education programmes, using the latest relevant information to improve learning outcomes and make access to quality education more accessible, fair and affordable.

The fact that Nigerias educational system has some challenges, including under-funding, poor infrastructure, inadequate classrooms and teaching aids in undeniable. Yet, there are investors that are willing to support and provide some of the requirements to address the gap in that sector.

Meanwhile, research investors often demand that the results of their funding be made available openly. These investors, ranging from foundations and governments to universities around the world, all place great importance on leveraging their funding for results. With the open agenda, research funders can quickly and efficiently maximise their return on investment and achieve their goals.

It is interesting to note that the democratisation of education is recommended and encouraged by UNESCO and the other international organisations to fight against discrimination and illiteracy. It motivates the spread of compulsory primary and secondary education. It also encourages compensatory measures in the field of special education, education of migrants, exercising the rights to the education of minorities, adult education and the realisation of the permanent education.

The most important benefit of the democratisation of education is student ownership of their education, which could encourage higher attendance rates, greater participation in educational activities, higher student achievements and increased intrinsic motivation.

Digital education, often referred to as Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) or e-Learning, can also play greater roles in the democratisation of education. Exploring the use of digital technologies gives educators the opportunity to design engaging learning opportunities in the courses they teach, and these can take the form of blended or fully online courses and programmes that are quite easily accessible and affordable.

The success of any nation greatly depends on the quality and effectiveness of her educational sector.

An educational attainment is an instrument for effecting national growth and development for a sustainable economy. It is also the vehicle for improving the quality of life of individuals, as well as the societys growth and development.

From the foregoing, it is clear that education as a veritable tool for total emancipation and development is very essential for improving the quality of life of individuals in a society and that of the society itself. Hence, there is the need to make education equally accessible to all without any form of discrimination. However, in making education accessible to all, care should be taken so that quality is not compromised.

Government at all levels should therefore provide adequate funding for worthwhile educational programmes through various means including the innovative use of digital tools and technologies during teaching and learning.

Rahma Olamide Oladosu writes from Abuja and can be reached through: oladosurahma@gmail.com.
Proptech, also known as realtech, stands for property technology and refers to all the software, tools, websites, apps, and other digital solutions used by real estate professionals to optimise buying, selling, researching, marketing, financing, and other real estate activities.

Technological innovations have eased the way things are done across the work-life environment globally. Every facet of human activity is becoming increasingly powered by digital technology.

As it is obtainable in diverse industries, technology is also impacting the growth of the real estate or property industry in many different ways.

The property/real estate sector was initially slow to embrace digital transformation. However, with its realisation of the contribution of digital technology in other industries, property/real estate companies are gradually leveraging emerging technologies to reform their industry.

Today, the alignment between property management and technology has given rise to the fast-growing global proptech industry.

Proptech, also known as realtech, stands for property technology and refers to all the software, tools, websites, apps, and other digital solutions used by real estate professionals to optimise buying, selling, researching, marketing, financing, and other real estate activities.

As indicated above, proptech simply refers to the usage of technology and software to assist in real estate needs. These include those of landlords, tenants, investors, brokers, marketers, repair workers, maintenance teams, and property management companies. Proptech also covers smart building technology, space management, and architecture.

The implementation of proptech tools, processes, and strategies is helping to improve the value and performance of real estate and the whole property management ecosystem.

Artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality, big data, and analytics are some of the trends revolutionising the proptech market to enable buying, selling, renting, or managing property.

Virtual reality and inspection drones make it possible for owners, buyers, and investors to visualise or inspect a property without physically stepping into such property. It enables remote transactions and digital contracting that make the customer experience easier and faster.

The use of artificial intelligence, through networks of smart devices and sensors (IoT), helps to power the marketing and investment processes.

But the lack of transparency constitutes a major anomaly facing the global property/real estate industry. The introduction of proptech in real estate has put greater demands on the need for sustainable transparency and ethical practices.

Also, proptech solutions facilitate the ease of data collection, automation of paperwork, and cost reduction, and to open more opportunities for business growth, deliver more value to all parties and drive quality communication among landlords, tenants, and estate agents.

FinTech Global reports that the value of proptech companies was $7.1 billion, after the slump in 2020 due to the lockdown all around the world.

A few notable global protech companies are HomeViews (London), Acaboom (London), Ohmyhome (Singapore), Casavo (Milan), McMakler (Berlin), and Knotel (New York). (San Francisco), Divvy (San Francisco), and Homeday (Berlin).

In Nigeria, Fibre, Rumi, Eden Life, Estate Intel, Rent Small Small, Spleet, Property Deal Zone, and Yahshud Property Investment are among the popular proptech industry players.

These companies are making the real estate sector more accessible by simplifying the process for buyers, sellers, investors, and other parties to engage conveniently. They are now enhancing the services in the property technology space with innovative, efficient solutions.

But the lack of transparency constitutes a major anomaly facing the global property/real estate industry. The introduction of proptech in real estate has put greater demands on the need for sustainable transparency and ethical practices.

Property investors, developers, and governments at all levels are beginning to recognise the imperative of real estate transparency to the urban environment.

Real estate transparency is an essential ingredient of a well-functioning economy and society, because the industry focuses on one of mans greatest needs: Shelter.

Real estate transparency attracts new investments and business activity to a city, helps government and other key stakeholders make smarter decisions about infrastructure, and enables sound long-term planning.

Global real estate services company, JLL, defines a transparent real estate market as one in which stakeholders have ready access to high-quality market and performance benchmarks; where there is certainty, consistency, and rigorously enforced rules and regulations exist.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) should engage with real estate professional groups, public and private stakeholders to streamline innovative solutions that can be safely deployed to ensure transparency.

In this setting, corporate governance standards are found to be robust, and real estate transactions are carried out fairly and ethically.

According to JLL Global Real Estate Transparency Index, 2020, London occupies the top spot as the worlds most transparent real estate market. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sydney, and Washington DC round off the top 5.

Surprisingly, the global top 20 includes several small-to-mid-sized second-tier anglophone cities like Seattle, Denver, Brisbane, and Manchester, with Paris being the notable non-anglophone city.

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Real estate transparency in Nigeria is lacking due to the activity of quacks and fraudsters parading as real estate agents in the urban centres.

These unscrupulous individuals have been using the low digitalisation in real estate operations to perpetuate their criminal acts.

Stakeholders such as Real Estate Developers of Nigeria, the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, and others, would do the sector plenty of good by encouraging registered companies to adopt new technologies that are digitalising their operations.

Apart from efficiency, digitalisation would ensure the security of digital documents through the deployment of blockchain technology. This will minimise the incident of forged/fake documents used to defraud clients and landowners, thereby safeguarding the interest of stakeholders across the sector.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) should engage with real estate professional groups, public and private stakeholders to streamline innovative solutions that can be safely deployed to ensure transparency.

With the guidance and support of NITDA, tech developers and innovators would be empowered to give priority attention to the creation of innovative digital solutions for the emergence of more proptech startups in the countrys real estate industry.

In the long run, digital transformation of the property industry would promote engagement between PropTech and property businesses, while also providing opportunities to network with property professionals and technology investors.

Inyene Ibanga writes from Wuye District, Abuja; email: inyeneibanga@yahoo.com.


Millions of Nigerians are scattered across the globe as Nigerias greatest and biggest exports to the world. From the Americas to Europe, from Asia to Australia, there is no continent of the world where you will not find Nigerians striving to eke out a living for themselves.

Like it is for other countries, not all the citizens of Nigeria are the same in character. Whether they live at home in Nigeria or are pursuing their purpose in foreign lands, the configuration of Nigerians are the same. They come in three categories  the good, the bad and the outrageous.

The good are law abiding by choice and by nature. They are genuinely God-fearing whether they are deeply religious or not. Their consciences are alive. They love to live and let others live. They uphold rules, are ethical in conduct and are a blessing to their communities. They are honest, truthful, loathe evil, dislike oppression, love development and appreciate good deeds. They are neither partners of the leadership class that is systematically killing Nigeria nor patrons of the mindless citizens league that upholds indiscipline and lawlessness but complains the loudest that Nigeria is not a good country.

The bad are the exact opposite of the good. They are lawless by choice and by nature. They only obey the laws when the law enforcement regime is strict and unyielding to inducements. They are not God-fearing even though their deafening profession of religiousity loudly echoes to heaven and back. They are hypocrites, white-washed sepulchre full of dead mens bones. Their consciences are seared with hot iron and stone old dead. They love to live without caring if others live or die. They are the epitome of self-centered existence at its peak. They detest rules, are unethical in conduct and are a poison to their communities. They are dishonest, untruthful, love evil, espouse oppression, hate to contribute to development and dont appreciate good deeds. They are active partners of the leadership class that enslaves Nigeria and are key officials of the citizens cult that contributed to the destruction of Nigeria. They are too blinded by their self-righteous nature and obsession for survival at all cost to acknowledge that they are part of the worst things that ever happened to Nigeria.

The outrageous come in two classes  The outrageously good (the exceptional) and the outrageously bad (the terribly terrible).

One of the greatest hindrances to transformation in Nigeria is that most of the good Nigerians hardly ever seek or get the opportunity to lead in Nigeria because they love to work in silos instead of joining forces together to influence the society positively and provide good leadership for their country. They hate politics, label it dirty, and by so doing willingly surrendered their country to the bad and the terribly terrible to govern. Many of the good Nigerians in the diaspora left out of frustration. Most of the good ones at home have not learnt any lessons from how the aparthy of their kind has led to the current dilemma the country is wallowing in.

The Nigerians in Diaspora can further be classified into three broad classes.

1. The Grateful and Progressive

This category of Nigerians in the diaspora are usually grateful to God for the opportunities life gave them to leave Nigeria and are also often grateful to Nigeria for how the tough foundation the shambolic system of doing things in Nigeria took them through and for how it prepared them to excel in their new place of residence.

They were good before they left Nigeria but they became much better because of their new environment and the amazing opportunities it exposes them to.

These Nigerians join hands to build their new countries and they retain the love and concern for Nigeria in their hearts. They are like Nehemiah in the Bible. They are bothered about the broken walls of Nigeria and are most times genuinely seeking for roles to play in rebuilding the broken walls of their fatherland. They are good people. They are constructive critics whenever they chose to bare their minds about Nigeria. Together with the clan of good Nigerians at home, they are the best thing that ever happened to Nigeria and her global image. Whenever they have the opportunity to visit Nigeria or are called upon to serve Nigeria, their lives and actions exude values, excellence and standards of the highest caliber.

2. The Hybrid Cum Hypocrites

The Nigerians in Diaspora in this category were bad Nigerians or averagely fair Nigerians before they left home. They left home because they were either favoured or frustrated but resolved to forge ahead and find a new hope to do well for themselves in their chosen fields of endeavour. Most of them are law abiding abroad largely because of the fear of punishment. They behave well abroad because that is what the society expects. The bad behavior and character they left home with did not totally depart from them. It was only pushed into the idle mode of their souls to hibernate. Anytime they have opportunity to return home, their bad character and behavior get revived instantly and begin to rule over them. They drive the way they wont drive abroad whenever they are back home. They drop litters anywhere and everywhere they like. They simply throw away the good person they were abroad and wear their real personality all over again. They are always ready to take advantage of the system through their connections or the extra cash they can afford to use to oil their ways forward. Some of the people in this category always find it easy to steal Nigeria blind if they have access to government coffers. They embrace wasteful spending of government fund and engage in all manner of corrupt practices whenever they are appointed into public offices in Nigeria. They quickly return to their base after cashing out and they are never ashamed to continue to open their mouths wide in condemnation of Nigeria whenever occasion permits. Because most of them behave well abroad to avoid entering into trouble, they dont negatively affect the image of Nigeria abroad even though they dont significantly boost it as well. Their real nature do manifest abroad sometimes and pushes a few of them to run fowl of the law. At such instances, they draw negative attention to Nigeria and to other Nigerians in the diaspora.

3. The Grumpy and Garrulous

This is the third category of Nigerians in the diaspora. They are the terribly terrible. They were not good before they left home. They were part of the problems of Nigeria but will never acknowledge it. They left home in desperation and upon discovering the better lives in their new country of residence, they became bitter against Nigeria for the pain they thought Nigeria made them pass through before they got the opportunity to escape.

Most of these Nigerians are lazy and lousy. They hate hard work and love fast life. They are very loud in all conversation and discussions. They are uncultured and uncivilized but they live in denial of it. They are boastful and shamelessly arrogant. They talk too much and can break into a fight on the street. They love partying always. They are easy target of criminal fraternities. They are in a hurry to make money and are willing to do any dirty deal to make money. They are into wire frauds, drug business, fake businesses and all sorts of shady things.

They are armchair critics whenever occasion permits them to discuss Nigeria openly. No matter how many years they spend abroad, they are forever bitter but never better. They are the perfect profile of bad Nigerians and more. They are rebels against normalcy and lawful existence.

Anytime they are privileged to come home, they are human infectious disease to their communities. They are the people popularly known in Nigeria as  I just got back! They are the unprofitable ambassadors of Nigeria. No society becomes better because they are in it.

Whether in the Grateful and Progressive category, or in the Hybrid Hypocrites category or the Grumpy and Garrulous, they all have one thing in common. They believe they are better than their friends and families at home and were at no time part of the people whose actions and inactions reduced Nigeria to a crawling giant. Between the three groups, their annual remittances from abroad is the chunk of the financial lifeline that keeps Nigeria alive.

In their innermost beings, most Nigerians in the diaspora like their kiths and kin at home yearn to see the emergence of a truly great Nigeria. Many have waited for years unending and became too discouraged to have any hope for Nigerias survival again. Many of them have painfully concluded in their hearts that nothing good can ever come out of Nigeria again. But still, there remains within the diaspora community a remnant of Nigerians who believe Nigeria will be great if they that are abroad would join hands with those who are at home to birth a truly great Nigeria where opportunities will abound for all. They always see that New Nigeria around the corner and are amongst the Patriots actively working to make it happen. The latest efforts they are involved in is called My Great Nigeria Campaign. You can know more at www.mygreatnigeria.org to see what role you too can play to support.

Nigeria is not a lost cause. A nation is the sum total of the character of its people. If every bad and outrageously bad Nigerians would judge themselves, acknowledge their faults and consciously focus on self improvement and self transformation ideals, they will make themselves worthy of becoming members of the good Nigerians team and Nigeria would be saved by all of them working together.

Olanrewaju Osho is a pastor, nation builder and technotician. He is an incurable optimist that Nigeria will be great. He was the FCT Senatorial candidate of Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party in the 2019 elections.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Capitol Police announced on Friday that they are planning for extra security ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden's first State of the Union (SOTU) address scheduled for March 1, as protests launched by truckers in neighboring Canada are spilling over.

Law enforcement agencies across the National Capital Region "are aware of plans for a series of truck convoys" arriving in Washington, D.C. around the time of the Biden's speech to the joint session of Congress, according to a press release.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently warned state and local law enforcement agencies that demonstrations similar to truck protests in Canada could begin "in major metropolitan cities in the United States."

Truckers have held protests in Canada against the country's COVID-19 restrictions over the past few weeks by blocking city traffic and border crossings with the United States.

Canadian police began arresting protesters on Friday days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau empowered law enforcement authorities to declare the blockades illegal, tow away trucks, arrest the drivers, suspend their licenses, and freeze their bank accounts.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Tuesday that the administration is "constantly assessing any impacts or any security impacts" from potential truck protests in the United States.

All 535 members of Congress are expected to attend Biden's SOTU address. They will have to wear masks the whole time and submit a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours of the event.

U.S. presidents are required by the country's constitution to "give to the Congress information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient."

Biden spoke to a joint session of Congress in April last year but the remarks are not considered a State of the Union address until the president's second calendar year in office. 
Plattsburgh, NY (12901)

Today

Periods of rain. Low around 50F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low around 50F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 
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MONTGOMERY, Ala., Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Leigh O'Dell of Beasley Allen, Co-Lead Counsel for the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee in consolidated multidistrict litigation (MDL) in New Jersey federal court, on behalf of approximately 38,000 women and families harmed by Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder, released the following statement at the conclusion of a hearing regarding Johnson & Johnson's LTL bankruptcy filing:

"In today's closing arguments in the LTL bankruptcy hearing, J&J attorneys implored the court to 'protect the claimants from their greedy lawyers.' Johnson & Johnson's talc products have harmed or killed thousands of consumers. Now, desperate to avoid responsibility, its high-priced lawyers  some making considerably more than $1000 an hour  are criticizing ovarian cancer victims and those suffering from mesothelioma for hiring lawyers of their own. This attempt at blaming and shaming won't work and ultimately, we believe our clients will prevail in the face of J&J's reprehensible conduct."

Leigh O'Dell

Co-Lead Counsel for Plaintiffs' Steering Committee in the Talc MDL

Media Contact

Mark Annick

214-213-1754

[email protected]

SOURCE Beasley Allen
DALLAS, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Avocados From Mexico (AFM) and the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA) applaud the hard work and collaboration that has allowed the Mexican avocado export program to restart with inspections and avocado exports to the United States to resume, effective today.

The Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM), working closely with the USDA and local authorities have enacted additional measures that enhance safety for USDA's inspectors and the full value chain in Mexico.

Avocado imports to the U.S. have a positive socioeconomic impact on both Mexico and U.S. In 2021, 2.4 billion pounds of avocados were imported into the U.S. from the Mexican state of Michoacan, representing the vast majority of avocados in the U.S. (more than 8 in 10 avocados in the U.S. come from Mexico). Mexican avocado imports contributed more than $6.5 billion in U.S. economic output, according to a 2020 study by Texas A&M University. Much of that economic benefit accrued at the wholesale, retail and service industries at both state and national levels.

"We are extremely appreciative of the diligence and hard work of APEAM and all of the officials on the ground in Mexico to work together to develop a solution to this complex situation," according to Ron Campbell, Executive Director at The Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association. "We are pleased that Mexico and the United States will continue working together to fortify the continuous supply chains that promote economic growth and development for this important industry in both countries."

About Avocados From Mexico

Avocados From Mexico (AFM) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA), formed for the purpose of advertising, promotion, public relations and research for all stakeholders of Avocados From Mexico. Under agreements, MHAIA and the Mexican Avocado Producers & Packers (APEAM) have combined resources to fund and manage AFM, with the intent to provide a focused, highly- effective and efficient marketing program in the United States. AFM is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

###

Media Contact:

Ana Ambrosi

[email protected]

SOURCE Avocados From Mexico
HOUSTON, Feb. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Coastline Exploration Limited ("Coastline"), the upstream oil and gas company focused on East Africa, announces that it has signed seven Production Sharing Agreements ("PSAs") covering offshore, deep-water blocks of the Federal Republic of Somalia. These PSAs enable Coastline to proceed with plans to explore for oil and gas on the many prospects and leads identified in these offshore blocks.

W. Richard Anderson, Chief Executive of Coastline, commented, "Somalia contains the largest remaining unexplored set of basins situated in warm waters in the world. We are honoured and excited to be part of its future development. The Government of Somalia and the Ministry of Petroleum have spent a great deal of time and effort to ensure the country has the proper legal and administrative infrastructure to support oil and gas exploration with the passing of the Petroleum Law, adoption of the Revenue Sharing Agreement among the Federal Government and its Members States and the establishment of the Somali Petroleum Authority to provide continuing support for the anticipated growth in the sector."

Jake UIrich, Coastline's Chairman, continued "After a rigorous negotiating process, we are delighted to have signed these inaugural PSAs with the Somali Government. This marks a defining moment for the country. The way is now open for other oil and gas companies to join us in our quest for commercial discoveries through the current licensing round and, also through direct negotiations with the Somali oil and gas authorities. Revenues from the discovery of commercial quantities of hydrocarbons could be a major positive for Somalia from which the government could finance investments in education, infrastructure, healthcare and other vital services, which will benefit all of the people of Somalia, including women and minorities, by helping provide for continued economic growth and improving the standard of living."

The signing ceremony was witnessed, amongst others, by the Chairman & CEO and Vice-Chair of the Somali Petroleum Authority who highlighted their desire for the expected economic and social benefits for the Somali people.

About Coastline Exploration

Founded in 2018, Coastline Exploration was established to help develop the hydrocarbon industry within East Africa. Following the discovery of commercial quantities of oil in Kenya and Uganda, coupled with world-class offshore gas reserves in Tanzania and Mozambique, Coastline Exploration believes there is huge potential for further significant oil and gas discoveries across the region.

www.coastlineexploration.com

Enquiries

Hudson Sandler

Dan de Belder/Francis Kerrigan

+44 (0)207 796 4133

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Coastline Exploration Limited
Vendor Insights

The goat milk market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as product innovation to compete in the market. Companies are engaging in launching innovative products to stay up in the market. For instance, Baiyue Goat Milk Group Co. Ltd. offers goat milk products like Yubao Goat Milk.

The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including:

Baiyue Goat Milk Group Co. Ltd.

Dairy Goat Co-Operative Ltd.

Delamere Dairy Ltd.

Emmi Group

Hay Dairies Pte Ltd.

Ice House Farm

Meyenberg Goat Milk Products

St Helen's Farm Ltd.

Summerhill Goat Dairy

Unica Global BV

Find additional highlights on the growth strategies adopted by vendors and their product offerings, Read Free Sample Report .

Geographical Market Analysis

APAC was the largest revenue-generating regional segment of the goat milk market. 52% of the market's growth will originate from APAC during the forecast period. China and India are the key markets for goat milk in APAC. Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in other regions. In addition, North America is another country with a potential market. The significant increase in the demand for goat milk owing to the awareness about its health benefits will facilitate the goat milk market growth in North America over the forecast period.

Furthermore, countries such as the US, France, and Spain are expected to emerge as prominent markets for goat milk market's growth during the forecast period.

Know more about this market's geographical distribution along with the detailed analysis of the top regions. https://www.technavio.com/report/goat-milk-market-industry-analysis

Key Segment Analysis

The fresh goat milk product segment led the market in 2021. The segment is anticipated to account for the largest share during the forecast period mainly due to The significant increase in the demand for fresh goat milk owing to its multiple benefits such as it helps to reduce bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol, has low lactose or milk sugar, and others.

View FREE Sample : to know additional highlights and key points on various market segments and their impact in coming years.

Key Market Trend & Challenge:

The rising demand for lactose-free and lower lactose products is one of the key factors influencing the market's growth during the forecast period. The number of lactose-intolerant individuals is increasing in European countries like Italy, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Poland, France, the UK, and others. With an increase in the number of lactose-intolerant people, the demand for lactose-free products or products with low lactose content will increase at a fast pace, which will drive the growth of the global goat milk market during the forecast period.

However, product recalls are emerging as one of the key challenges likely to limit the market's growth during the forecast period. Improper handling of the raw materials or supplies can adversely affect the safety and quality of the finished products. Thus, sometimes, companies recall their own manufactured products realizing the defect. This severely affects the brand image of a company along with its operation and sales. For instance, in December 2021, the UK-based St Helen's Farm recalled its goat butter products due to the presence of metal in these products.

Download free sample for highlights on market Drivers & Challenges affecting the Goat Milk market.

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Don't miss out on the opportunity to speak to our analyst and know more insights about this market report. Our analysts can also help you customize this report according to your needs. Our analysts and industry experts will work directly with you to understand your requirements and provide you with customized data in a short amount of time.

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Goat Milk Powder Market by Distribution Channel and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Goat Milk Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.81% Market growth 2022-2026 $ 2.52 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 3.91 Regional analysis APAC, Europe, North America, MEA, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 54% Key consumer countries China, India, US, France, and Spain Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled Baiyue Goat Milk Group Co. Ltd., Dairy Goat Co-Operative Ltd., Delamere Dairy Ltd., Emmi Group, Hay Dairies Pte Ltd., Ice House Farm, Meyenberg Goat Milk Products, Summerhill Goat Dairy, and Unica Global BV Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for the forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Executive Summary



Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2021

Market outlook: Forecast for 2021 - 2026

Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Product

Market segments

Comparison by Product

Fresh goat milk - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Processed goat milk - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Market opportunity by Product

Customer landscape



Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 MEA - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Baiyue Goat Milk Group Co. Ltd.

Dairy Goat Co-Operative Ltd.

Delamere Dairy Ltd.

Emmi Group

Hay Dairies Pte Ltd.

Ice House Farm

Meyenberg Goat Milk Products

St Helen's Farm Ltd.

Summerhill Goat Dairy

Unica Global BV

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us:

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com

SOURCE Technavio
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ).

In September of 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") issued a cease-and-desist order to the Company for its "failure to disclose between November 2015 and June 2016 material information regarding its print supplies channel inventory management and sales practices," relating to a variety of tactics used to increase quarterly operating profit, while leading to "an erosion of profit margin and an increase in channel inventory." The SEC also announced that the Company had agreed to pay $6 million to settle the charges.

The Company has also been sued in a securities class action lawsuit for failing to disclose material information, violating federal securities laws, which remains ingoing.

KSF's investigation is focusing on whether HP's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to HP's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws.

If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of HP shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-hpq/ to learn more.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients  including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors  in seeking to recover investment losses due to corporate fraud and malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

[email protected]

1-877-515-1850

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Leidos Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LDOS).

On February 23, 2021, the Company disclosed disappointing 4Q and full year 2020 financial results, including only $163 million in sales (or $326 million annualized), falling well short of the projected $500 million sales, and expected cash flow of $850 million, well below analyst estimates of $1.083 billion. Then, on February 15, 2022, the Company filed its 10-K, disclosing that in late 2021 it had discovered activities by its employees, third party representatives, and subcontractors that raised concerns regarding some of its international operations. The Company subsequently initiated an internal investigation to identify potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and self-reported the internal investigation to the DOJ and SEC.

KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Leidos' officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to the Company's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws.

If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of Leidos shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-ldos/ to learn more.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients  including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors  in seeking to recover investment losses due to corporate fraud and malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner

[email protected]

1-877-515-1850

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
BOSTON, Feb. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the clinical teaching arm for Harvard Medical School and one of the world's most prestigious hospitals, has resolved a federal whistleblower case stemming from allegations that some of the hospital's orthopedic surgeons engaged in overlapping surgeries that violated federal Medicare and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Medicaid rules.

MGH will pay $14.6 million to the federal government and Massachusetts and change its informed consent language to better apprise patients of when their surgeon has an overlapping surgical obligation.

The settlement  reached after extensive discovery  resolves claims brought by an anesthesiologist, Dr. Lisa Wollman, in the matter of United States ex rel. Lisa Wollman, M.D. et. al. v. Massachusetts General Hospital, et al., No. 1:15-CV-11890-ADB.

Dr. Wollman brought her suit under the Federal and Massachusetts False Claims Acts. These statutes allow individuals, under certain circumstances, to bring suit in the name of the government to return money to the government treasury.

Dr. Wollman, known under the False Claims Act as the "Relator," brought her suit as a vehicle to address patient care issues; she alleged the following:

Teaching surgeons were not present for or performing the key and critical portions of certain surgeries;

Teaching surgeons did not wait until the key and critical portions of one surgery had been completed before beginning a second, overlapping surgery;

Teaching surgeons did not designate another qualified surgeon to be immediately available to assist as needed in the non-key and non-critical portions of the overlapping surgeries for which the teaching surgeons were not present;

The government was billed for excessive anesthesia services;

Informed consent was not adequate for overlapping surgeries.

In addition to the monetary payment, Mass General Brigham shall add the following language to its standardized procedural consent form for Massachusetts-based hospitals within its system:

My surgeon has informed me that my surgery is scheduled to overlap with another procedure she/he is scheduled to perform. I understand that this means my surgeon will be present in the operating room during the critical parts of my surgery but may not be present for my entire surgery. I understand that my surgeon or another qualified surgeon will be immediately available should the need arise during my surgery.

"This lawsuit was a catalyst for an important dialogue that will cause a world-renowned institution to set a precedent for a new standard of care in informed consent for overlapping surgeries," said Reuben Guttman of Guttman, Buschner & Brooks, PLLC, the lead counsel for Dr. Wollman.

"MGH has new leadership, and I am pleased this case put us in the position where we could have a dialogue that will improve patient care and, as importantly, transparency," said Dr. Wollman.

Dr. Wollman initially filed her case in 2015 and pursued it even after the government declined to intervene. She persisted with an amended complaint despite dismissal by the court of her original filing.

An amended complaint resulted in a court decision, United States ex rel. Wollman v. Massachusetts General Hospital, 394 F. Supp. 3d 174 (D. Mass. 2019), which laid the legal groundwork for the government and other whistleblowers to challenge improper overlapping surgeries. Since the court's precedential ruling, overlapping surgery cases have been brought and resolved in New York and Arizona.

The highly contested litigation also resulted in a ruling denying the applicability of the peer review privilege under the federal False Claims Act, United States v. Massachusetts Gen. Hosp., Inc., 498 F. Supp. 3d 186 (D. Mass. 2020), and a ruling on the applicability of a privilege for an internal review of Dr. Wollman's allegations conducted by a Boston law firm, see United States ex rel. Wollman v. Massachusetts General Hospital, 475 F. Supp. 3d 45 (D. Mass. 2020).

The case received assistance from the United States Attorney's Office in Boston and the Office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. In particular, Relator recognizes the essential support from Assistant United States Attorney Abraham George and Kevin Lownds, Deputy Chief of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Division.

As a consequence of the Covid epidemic, much of the active litigation of the case  including oral arguments and all depositions  was conducted by remote technology.

Counsel from GBB who worked on the case included: Reuben Guttman, Traci Buschner, Justin Brooks, Liz Shofner, the Hon. Nancy Gertner (Ret.), and Dan Guttman.

Co-counsel at Burns & Levinson in Boston included: Paul Mastrocola.

The Relator recognizes the prior groundbreaking efforts of Burns & Levinson and, particularly, Ellen Zucker in their representation of Dr. Dennis Burke who  with Dr. Wollman  raised concerns about concurrent surgery.

Guttman, Buschner & Brooks PLLC is a boutique firm whose attorneys have worked on cases recovering nearly $6 billion for state and federal governments, including a $280 million recovery in a non-intervened case against Celgene Corporation on the brink of trial (U.S. ex rel. Brown v. Celgene) and a settlement against Humana Inc. achieved on the brink of trial (U.S. ex rel. Graves v. Humana). Attorneys at the firm represented the lead whistleblower in U.S. ex rel. McCoyd v. Abbott Labs, which involved the recovery of $1.6 billion for the government; one of several whistleblowers bringing FCA cases against GlaxoSmithKline in 2012, which resulted in the recovery of $1.04 billion (U.S. ex rel. Graydon v. GSK); one of the whistleblowers bringing FCA cases against Pfizer which resulted in the recovery of $2.3 billion (U.S. ex rel. DeMott v. Pfizer); the lead whistleblowers in U.S. ex rel. Sandler and Paris v. Pfizer, which resulted in a recovery of $257.4 million; the lead whistleblower in U.S. ex rel. Szymoniak v. Bank of America, which resulted in the recovery of $95 million; three of the whistleblowers in FCA cases against a large hospital chain (U.S. ex rel. Doghramji v. CHS), which resulted in the recovery of $98 million; the lead whistleblower in U.S. ex rel. Kurnik v. Amgen, which resulted in the aggregate recovery of $30 million from Amgen, Inc., Omnicare, and PharMerica Corp.; and the whistleblower in U.S. ex rel. Abrahamsen v. Hudson Valley, which resulted in a recovery of $5.3 million to the federal government and state government. More information on GBB can be found at www.gbblegal.com. The firm also maintains the following informational site for whistleblowers, the media, and academics: www.whistleblowerlaws.com .

Inquiries may be directed to Traci Buschner at [email protected] or 202-800-3003.

SOURCE Guttman, Buschner & Brooks PLLC
Procurement Real Estate Property Purchasing Procurement report explains key category management objectives that should form the base for sourcing strategy, including:

Top-line growth

Scalability of inputs

Green initiatives

Category innovations

Supply base rationalization

Demand forecasting and governance

Minimalization of ad hoc purchases

Adherence to regulatory nuances

Cost savings

Customer retention

Reduction of TCO

Supply assurance

Sign Up for a Sample Procurement Real Estate Property Purchasing Procurement Market Report: www.spendedge.com/report/real-estate-property-purchasing-procurement-market-intelligence-report

This report evaluates suppliers based on provision for applicable insurance policy, real-time analysis, pipeline software solutions, and conduct pipeline surveys. In addition, suppliers are also shortlisted based on business needs, technical specifications, operational requirements, security compliance, regulatory mandates, legal requirements, quality control, change management procedures, pricing models, penalty clauses, SLA nuances, acceptance criteria, and evaluation criteria.

Related Reports on Managed Services Include:

Mobile Device Management - Forecast and Analysis: The mobile device management procurement category is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.22%. International Business Machines Corp., BlackBerry Ltd., and Microsoft Corp. are among the prominent suppliers in mobile device management market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. Corporate Training Sourcing and Procurement Report: Corporate Training Procurement, prices will increase by 8.93% - 9.40% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a Moderate bargaining power in this market.. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. Temporary Corporate Housing - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: This report offers detailed insights and analysis of the major cost drivers, volume drivers, and innovations of the temporary corporate housing procurement and sourcing market, which the global suppliers have been leveraging to gain a competitive edge across regions. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report.

Table of Content

Executive Summary

Market Insights

Category Pricing Insights

Cost-saving Opportunities

Best Practices

Category Ecosystem

Category Management Strategy

Category Management Enablers

Suppliers Selection

Suppliers under Coverage

US Market Insights

Category scope

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions.

Contact

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us

SOURCE SpendEdge
Learn more about the BestRobotic here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bestrobtic/1697676906

The current leading technology most pool cleaners use is "Gyroscopic Navigation", but this technology comes with quite a few disadvantages. The inability to navigate intelligently often causes the robotic to hit the walls of the pool and low cleaning coverage - which can make the pool visually unappealing and reduce the desire to use the swimming pool for people.

Whether it's a sweeping robot, weeding robot, window cleaning robot, or pool cleaning robot, all cleaning robots are designed to reduce the amount of labor and time necessary for that cleaning task. Automated, efficient, and worry-free cleaning is the main purpose of these types of electronic cleaning devices.

- 100% Fully A utomatic & Hassle-Free Cleaning

The above-mentioned military-level sonar technology which is currently mainly used for marine resource exploration, fish detection, and underground exploration. The BestRobtic is the only pool cleaning robot using this technology today. Due to each bottom of the pool having more or fewer potholes, a new altitude sensor (IMU chip) was specially designed by the BestRobtic R&D team to automatically sense the texture of the pool bottom more quickly and accurately with more precise automatic steering.

- Compared with earlier pool cleaning devices, the use of sonar technology and the addition of an altitude sensor are technological breakthroughs that incorporate intelligent navigation and help it achieve a thorough clean. These additions bring the cleaning coverage rate up to 99.99% and guarantee the durability of the pool walls. In addition to improving navigation. With automatic obstacle sensing, automatic obstacle avoidance, automatic turning, automatic cleaning along the wall, and automatic escape (BestRobtic exclusive patent), these 5 perfectly integrated automatic functions will keep every swimming pool sparkling clean. Many swimming pool cleaning robots often get stuck on steps, corners, drainage pipes, and other obstacles inside the pool - In order to fundamentally solve this trouble, the BestRobtic R&D team spent 3 months developing an automatic escape algorithm from the data of thousands of tests, lowering the risk of the BestRobtic getting stuck by 99.99%.

Main benefits of Seauto's BestRobtic Pool Cleaner

- A T rue S mart N avigation C leaning

The BestRobtic introduces a one-of-a-kind "Sonar Technology" the world to of wireless pool cleaning robots. This technology creates a number of benefits, ranging from a longer life cycle and exceptional cleaning to extreme cost-effectiveness and no longer fear about the light-refracting in water - A true smart navigation cleaning.

- Sonar Technology Let clean ing be Hassle-Free

BestRobtic is 100% automation clean, also comes with other practical features, such as anti-collision technology that traditional pool robots lack. Say goodbye to the 15-year-long reign (since 2007) of gyro navigation.

The SEAUTO Team also focuses on the research and development of special robots for underwater cleaning, and is the first to refine sonar technology (that of military submarines) and add it to pool cleaning robotics. Thanks to the brand-new Sonar Tech automatic sensing system makes the pool cleaning robot no longer the "fool hitting the wall" brought by traditional gyroscope navigation, and fundamentally solves the problem of damaging the pool walls and floor.

- Affordable, Everyone can afford it

Cleaning services often have an annual fee of $2,000-$4,000 (a labor cost of $200/hour) or more, with a weekly or biweekly cleaning cycle.

Cleaning with the BestRobtic will reduce the amount of labor costs and effort, and saves pool owners thousands of dollars per year.

- Greatly Upgraded Cleaning Ability

180W BLDC dual motors [2 x 90W] -> Provides flexible movement and bidirectional rotation, bringing cleaning coverage up to 99.99% 150W Powerful Drainage Motor -> Creates effective water absorption for a better cleaning effect. Picks up debris as small as 0.12mm -> While other products can only detect items 0.18mm or larger, the BestRobtic easily picks up leaves, gravel, fine powder, sand, pollen, and algae of all sizes 4000ml Filter Container -> Large enough to debris of any size while reducing the frequency of cleaning The cleaning time is as high as 100min or more, covering a pool area of more than 861 sqft (80) The TPE brushes ensure the durability of any pool bottom, which 100% no cause damage to the bottom of the pool, leaving scratches and more. The BestRobtic up to 6000GPH powerful section has been tested to pick up rocks as large as 34* 18 *15 mm and weight 6.9g, and can even pick up hard objects like metal bottle caps easily!

- User Friendly Features:

BestRobtic can clean swimming pools of various shapes, and can also be used in a variety of other locations including hot springs.

According to research, the temperature of hot springs ranges from 40-45C (104-113F), many cleaning devices only work in temperatures of 10-35C (50- 95F). However, BestRobtic can clean effectively and thoroughly in temperatures 10-50C (50-122F).

- Easy to Use:

Despite the many features this powerful device has, it only weighs 14.10lbs(6.4KG) - Meaning BestRobtic is easier to carry and clean.

- 100% Environmentally Conscious Materials:

The BestRobtic has been certified by UN38.3, FCC, IC, C-Tick RCM, CE-EMC, CE-LVD, UKCA-EMC, UKCA-LVD, complies with market regulations and safety and environmental standards, and complies with international (US, England , Canada , Australia , China , EU) quality management standards. In GB/T 4208-2017 enclosure protection level (IP code), the BestRobtic has achieved the highest dustproof and waterproof rating of IP68 - 100% dustproof and 100% waterproof. The BestRobtic adopts ABS+ PC material based on rich experience in water decontamination patents. The ABS is a strong thermoplastic polymer structural material. It's often used for building materials. This material's hardness, wear resistance, oil resistance, chemical resistance (heat resistance, acid and alkali resistance) allow it to be unaffected by water, inorganic salts, alkalis, and other acids. The PC material, known as transparent alloy, has high mechanical strength, excellent heat resistance, impact resistance, is flame retardant and has no additives. This includes UL94 V-0 flame-retardant properties. The BestRobtic operates at a volume of less than 40dB. Among the 5 types of urban environmental noise standards, the BestRobtic achieves the quietest standard of 0 (the standard in areas at night such as recuperation areas and high-end villas).

- Price & Crowdfunding details

The BestRobtic is making its worldwide debut on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter, where it will be available at just $359 for the first 500 backers and $419 for normal price. After Kickstarter, BestRobtic's price on Amazon will be over $499.

The campaign will last for approximately one month, offering many benefits, discounts and special promotions to brand early supporters. After Kickstarter, backers will be the first in the world to receive their BestRobtic, and later in the year it will become available via the regular BestRobtic distribution channels at a slightly higher price.

BestRobtic team promises to begin shipping within 20 working days after the crowdfunding campaign ends, which means backers can receive their products as early as April 2022 (the exact time depends on different countries).

Learn more about the BestRobotic here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bestrobtic/1697676906

- Customer Service:

12-month warranty and offer a 30-day free return policy for product replacement if there are any issues with product quality. And have set up local after-sales service centers in the US + AU + EU.

- About BestRobtic

Shenzhen Seauto Technology Co., Ltd. is a technology company focusing on the R&D, manufacturing and marketing of smart water products and outdoor products. The BestRobtic brand is headquartered in China and has a marketing center in Los Angeles, USA.

The team has a background in the fields of shipbuilding, underwater navigation, and cleaning robot dynamics, and after continuous research, testing, and upgrading, have successfully created this new product.

Company Name: Shenzhen Seauto Technology Co., Ltd

Customer Service Email: [email protected]

Media Email: [email protected]

Official website: www.bestrobtic.com

Kickstarter website: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bestrobtic/1697676906

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Bestrobtic-103905882146232

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2504400543025997

Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3y4BGH4UVHXJG-hCFjrUNw

SOURCE BestRobtic
Chinese Ambassador to Tunisia Zhang Jianguo (R) and Tunisian Culture Minister Hayet Guermazi sign a four-year implementation plan in Tunis, capital of Tunisia, on Feb. 18, 2022. (Photo by Adel Ezzine/Xinhua)

TUNIS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia on Friday signed a four-year implementation plan with China to promote cultural cooperation in areas such as cinema and cultural digitalization.

"Tunisia will work in cooperation with China to organize the first Chinese-Tunisian film festival," said Tunisian Culture Minister Hayet Guermazi during the signing ceremony of the Tunisia-China Cultural Cooperation Protocol 2021-2024 Executive Program.

Guermazi said there are several other projects planned in partnership with China, including theatric art, archeology and translation.

"Culture is the foundation of any tie, whether it is political, social, economic or even strategic," the minister told the ceremony, with the attendance of the Chinese Ambassador to Tunisia, Zhang Jianguo.

The protocol "will help us, together, to promote Tunisian-Chinese cooperation in the cultural field to generalize to other sectors," she noted.

For his part, Zhang said that both China and Tunisia have a long history and brilliant civilizations, and the record of friendly bilateral exchanges could date back to the ancient Carthage in the Phoenician period.

The Chinese ambassador noted that despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the past year has seen both sides participate in each other's cultural events, including those on the Chinese New Year celebration, book publication, cinematic art, and theatre.

He believed that the new program would safeguard the cultural cooperation between China and Tunisia in the near future. 
TALLINN, Estonia, Feb. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite easing of COVID-19 restrictions over time, people still prefer to conduct a significant part of their routine online. That remains true for education and skill acquisition, and leading online academy Webacademyst seems to once again be at the forefront of efforts to bring proper education to the virtual sphere. The brand has recently launched its 2022 curriculum, including a wide array of courses relevant to today's conditions, in terms of economics, business, marketing, lifestyle and other aspects.

"It was George Washington Carver who said that education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom, and we couldn't agree with that saying more," commented John Grant-Ceder, spokesperson for Webacademyst. "That's why we've carefully crafted this new course list, giving extra attention to each and every lesson on the plan. After months of hard work, I can truly say that we're providing a significant stepping stone to the future, for those willing to grasp this opportunity."

Knowledge is power

Among the new courses added to Webacademyst's roster, one can find a syllabus on marketing bestselling books on Amazon in 2022, growing an idea into a business, and creating a mobile app with no coding background - and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Furthermore, Webacademyst has also pledged to frequently update its content, so more interesting courses are expected to be launched later on this year.

"We're constantly feeling the pulse, looking for relevant material to provide our students," added Grant-Cedar, "so there's definitely more to come. On behalf of our team of expert tutors, I would like to thank the thousands who have already participated in our curriculums and given their feedback. We do not take this for granted, and we are going to keep working hard for you."

About Webacademyst

Based on the belief that knowledge should be democratized, Webacademyst was founded amidst the Coronavirus pandemic with a goal of making knowledge accessible worldwide. Today, the brand boasts a list of tens of interactive courses, all passed online with a flexible schedule so that they can fit anyone's routine. Should students be dissatisfied with the material or the tutors, Webacademyst is committed to a 14 day money back guarantee. More information regarding that, as well as full schedules of all courses, can be found online on the company's website.

SOURCE WebAcademyst
SEATTLE, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Welfare & Pension Administration Service, Inc. ("WPAS") is providing notice of a data event. Welfare & Pension Administration Service, Inc. ("WPAS") is a third-party administration firm that specializes in multi-employer benefit plan administration. This notice provides you with information about the incident, WPAS's response, and steps you may take to protect your personal information, should you feel it necessary.

What Happened? On July 21, 2021, WPAS discovered that portions of its computer network were infected with malware that affected certain systems. WPAS promptly activated its Incident Response Team, isolated the affected systems, initiated other containment measures, and with the assistance of third-party forensic specialists, launched an investigation into the nature and scope of the incident. On or about July 28, 2021, the investigation confirmed that certain folders may have been accessed or removed from WPAS's system. WPAS therefore undertook a lengthy, time-intensive, and thorough review of the affected folders to identify the information that was potentially impacted and to whom it related. On or around December 20, 2021, this process was completed and WPAS has been working with client funds to provide notification to potentially impacted individuals as quickly as possible.

What Information Was Involved? While the specific impacted information varies by individual; the investigation determined that the information which may have been impacted includes individual name, date of birth, Social Security number, driver's license number, passport number, employer identification number, financial account information and payment card information, electronic or digital signature, medical claims information, medical treatment or diagnosis information, prescription information, health insurance identification number, and health insurance group number. Importantly, there is no indication specific information was accessed or misused. However, together with and on behalf of its client funds, WPAS is providing notice of this incident.

What We Are Doing. Information security is one of WPAS's highest priorities, and it has security measures in place to protect information in its care. Upon discovering this incident, WPAS promptly took steps to mitigate potential harm from the event, including resetting passwords across the network, bringing in third-party forensic specialists to assist with the investigation and remediation, and notifying federal law enforcement of this event. WPAS is continuing to review and enhance existing policies and procedures and is implementing additional safeguards to further secure the information in its systems and reduce the likelihood of a similar future event. WPAS is also assisting its client funds with notifying relevant regulatory authorities.

As an added precaution, WPAS is offering access to credit monitoring and identity protection services through Kroll, at no cost to individuals. You will find information on how to activate these services in the below "Steps Individuals Can Take To Help Protect Information."

What You Can Do. WPAS is not aware of any fraudulent misuse of information. As a general precaution, WPAS encourages individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing account statements and monitoring free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. Individuals can also review the information contained in the attached "Steps Individuals Can Take To Help Protect Information."

For More Information. If you have additional questions or concerns, please call the dedicated assistance line at (855) 568-2075, which is available Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. You may also write to WPAS at PO Box 34203, Seattle, WA 98124-1203.

STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT INFORMATION

Credit Monitoring

Visit wpas.kroll.com to activate and take advantage of your identity monitoring services.

You have until May 19, 2022 to activate your identity monitoring services.

For more information about Kroll and your Identity Monitoring services, you can visit info.krollmonitoring.com.

Monitor Accounts

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of your credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended "fraud alert" on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer's credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer's credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer's identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a "credit freeze" on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer's express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on your credit report. To request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:

Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.); Social Security number; Date of birth; Addresses for the prior two to five years; Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill; A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver's license or ID card, etc.); and A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if you are a victim of identity theft.

Should you wish to place a credit freeze, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

Equifax Experian TransUnion https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ https://www.experian.com/help/ https://www.transunion.com/credit-help 888-298-0045 1-888-397-3742 833-395-6938 Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 Experian Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016 Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 Experian Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

Additional Information

You may further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps you can take to protect your personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. You can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state Attorney General. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.

For District of Columbia residents, the District of Columbia Attorney General may be contacted at: 400 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001; 202-727-3400; and [email protected] . For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-528-8662 or 1-888-743-0023; and www.oag.state.md.us . For New Mexico residents, you have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in your credit file has been used against you, the right to know what is in your credit file, the right to ask for your credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to your file is limited; you must give your consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; you may limit "prescreened" offers of credit and insurance you get based on information in your credit report; and you may seek damages from violator. You may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage you to review your rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting

www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov/ . For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov . For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; www.riag.ri.gov ; and 1-401-274-4400. Under Rhode Island law, you have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this incident.

SOURCE Welfare & Pension Administration Service, Inc.
Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (LSE:RR.) is expected to reveal an improved but not entirely encouraging performance on Thursday, thats according to UBS.

The engineers aerospace division continues to be impacted by the slow pace of recovery in aviation, the Swiss bank reckons.

Analysts at UBS anticipate second-half group sales of 6.3bn, which would equate to a 27% rise on the preceding six months or an 8% improvement against last years comparatives.

UBS, in its model, pencils in around 3bn for aerospace along with 1.8bn for power systems and 1.6bn for the defence division. It highlighted, however, that aerospace - where billable income it tied to engine flying hours - remains under pressure as airlines continue to grapple with the post-Covid world.

We retain a more cautious view on the recovery of long-haul and corporate travel, which Rolls-Royce is overexposed to given its widebody engine bias, the banks analysts said in a note.

January and February were meanwhile seen to have had a gradual improvement in engine flying hours, they noted, with the first quarter of 2022 seen rebounding to the equivalent of 51% of pre-pandemic levels (whereas, this time last year it was 41%).

Global flight schedules for widebody fleet have remained flat in the year-to-date (January, 54% of 2019 levels), but expected to rebound strongly from Mar 2022 (64% in Mar 2022 and 77% in 2022) but they could see downside risks, UBS said.

We stick to more conservative scenario in our forecasts, with Civil Aerospace revenues at 2.4bn in 1H22 (-21% sequentially) and 5.8bn for FY21 (+13% y-o-y), as Omicron restrictions continue to weigh on the international travel recovery.

The bank said that the power systems business will likely remain under pressure due to supply chain issues and - without geopolitical context or innuendo  noted that defence should continue holding up well.

Rolls-Royce reports its full-year results for 2021 on Thursday, February 24.
Moscow, Feb 19 : 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, Xinhua news agency reported.

"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.
Bamako, Feb 19 : The Malian government has called on France to immediately withdraw the Barkhane and Takuba forces from the national territory under the supervision of the Malian authorities, said a statement on Friday by Abdoulaye Maiga, the spokesperson for the Malian government.

This decision was taken by Bamako, in view of the "repeated breaches of the defence agreement" between Mali and France, said Maiga in the statement. Maiga is also the Malian Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the statement, the Malian government insisted that it had taken note of the "unilateral decision of February 17, 2022" of the French authorities to withdraw the military forces Barkhane and Takuba in "violation of the agreements" binding France and Mali as well as involving "other partners".

The Malian authorities said that this decision (withdrawal of Barkhane and Takuba) followed the "unilateral announcements" by France on June 3, 2021 of the suspension of joint operations with the Malian Armed Forces, and on June 10, 2021 the end of Operation Barkhane. For Bamako, these unilateral decisions "without notice and without prior consultation of the Malian side" constitute a "flagrant violation of the legal framework" binding the two countries.

The Malian authorities also stressed that they do not share France's satisfaction with the impact of its military operations in Mali.

"Despite the presence of Operation Barkhane and international forces, from 2013 to 2021, Mali risked partition and the terrorist threat, initially located in the north, spread throughout the national territory." Contrary to "the allegations relating to the deterioration of the security situation," the authorities of the transition have undertaken proactive actions to diversify partnerships, made enormous efforts to enable the Malian Armed Forces to ramp up and significantly improve the security situation on the ground over the past six months, so as to create the conditions for the holding of elections, read the statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday officially announced the withdrawal of French and European forces Barkhane and Takuba from Mali.

Facing the press at the Elysee, he assured that the European soldiers present in Mali would be redeployed in Niger on the side of the so-called three-border (Niger-Burkina Faso-Mali) region. This withdrawal, according to Paris, must be spread over four to six months.

Since 2012, Mali has been facing deep and multifaceted security, political and economic crises. Separatist insurrections, jihadi incursions and inter-communal violence have left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced in this West African country.
Patna, Feb 19 : The man considered to be the mastermind behind the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts is among the 38 out of 49 people who have been given death penalty by a special court. Taushif Pathan, lodged in central jail in Bihar's Gaya, had appeared in the court proceeding through video conferencing.

"When the court had announce death penalty to 38 terrorists including Taushif Pathan, we increased the security in and outside the jail. We are closely monitoring his activities," Vijay Kumar Arora, Superintendent of Gaya central jail, said on Friday.

Sources said that when the court had announced death penalty, he went under extreme shock. He was mumbling while watching the screen. The security personnel present inside the room were, however, unable to hear the voice.

After the serial blasts in Ahmedabad, Pathan fled and secretly lived in Gaya. He was staying at a rented accommodation in Rajendra Ashram locality.

After few months of silence, he started recruiting new members to set up a terror network for banned terror outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

A top official of Gaya prison said: "He used to go to a cyber cafe to find potential members having extremist ideology and establish communications to other members to pass the messages. Anurag Basu, the operator of that cyber cafe, detected his suspicious activities for the first time. He managed to establish that Taushif was involved in terror activities. Accordingly, he informed the police." The police had arrested Taushif Pathan on September 15, 2017. After a few days, Ahmedabad police arrived in Gaya and took him on the transit remand. After 12 days of interrogation, he was taken to Ahmedabad on September 27, 2017 to present him in the court.

After completion of investigation in serial blast 2008, he was sent back to Gaya on March 9, 2020. Since then, he has been staying in Gaya central jail. Gaya police have also registered FIR under forgery and IT act.
Srinagar, Feb 19 : A gunfight erupted between terrorists and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, police said on Saturday.

"Encounter had started at Chermarg, Zainapora area. Police and security forces are on the job," the police said.

A joint team of the police and the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where the terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the gunfight.
Kabul, Feb 19 : Adela Raz, the Afghan Ambassador to the US, has stepped down from her post, a senior official at the mission said, calling the new restrictions imposed by the US Department of State on the Embassy as the reason for her resignation.

Afghan Deputy Ambassador Abdul Hadi Nijrabi told TOLO News on Friday that the US State Department had decided to stop political and diplomatic activities of Afghanistan in the US.

He said the State Department in a letter to the Afghanistan embassy in Washington demanded the diplomatic activities be halted.

"The letter sent by the US State Department to the embassy said only the ambassador is allowed to continue work from home, but not on political and diplomatic activities. The rest of the diplomats cannot work anymore," he said.

Raz is the third senior Afghan diplomat who stepped down from her position within the past six months, TOLO News reported.

Previously, the Afghan Ambassadors in China and Turkmenistan resigned from their positions.

With the Taliban taking over the country last August, the Afghanistan diplomatic missions have been facing economic problems.

Officials at the Afghanistan embassy in Washington said that the financial system of the mission has been suspended by a bank for over four months.

"It has been over four months that the salaries of the Afghanistan embassy's (staffs) have been suspended. All diplomats are facing problems," TOLO News quoted Safi Delawar, who worked as an adviser for the Afghanistan embassy in Washington, as saying.

The Afghanistan embassies in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Italy, Poland and Iran are said to be facing similar economic challenges.

The Taliban-led government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) however, has welcomed the closure of those embassies which are not in contact with the incumbent regime.

"The Afghanistan diplomatic missions being closed in many countries is a good act because they don't cooperate with the current government and are trying to misuse their authority," said an official from the Ministry.
Sanaa, Feb 19 : A mediation conducted by local tribal figures has failed to release five UN staffers reportedly kidnapped in Yemen's turbulent southern province of Abyan, a government official said.

"Over the past few days, a high-ranking committee composed of local tribal figures conducted a series of negotiation rounds with an armed group for the aim of releasing the kidnapped UN staff in Abyan," the official told Xinhua news agency on Friday.

"The tribal mediation efforts ended in deadlock ... because the kidnappers demand a ransom of $5 million ... while the UN officials and the local Yemeni authorities refuse to pay ransom for their release," he added.

There were attempts to form a new mediation committee to conduct another round of negotiations with the kidnappers during the upcoming days, according to the official.

On February 12, Russell Geekie, senior communications advisor to the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, confirmed that five UN staff members were kidnapped in Abyan "after having completed a field mission".

So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the kidnap, but local media indicated that the gunmen believed to be members of the Yemen-based Al Qaeda branch intercepted a UN vehicle in Mudiyah district, east of Abyan.

The Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) network, which mostly operates in eastern and southern provinces, has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against security forces in the country.

The AQAP has exploited years of deadly conflict between the Yemeni government and Houthi militia to expand its presence in some key areas of the war-ravaged Arab country.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday arrested Hawala dealer Enamul Haque in connection with a Prevention of Money Laundering case pertaining to cattle smuggling across the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.

The ED will produce Haque before Rouse Avenue District Court in Delhi on Saturday afternoon.

Trinamool Congress leader Vinay Mishra and his brother Vikas Mishra are also involved in the matter. In March 2021, the ED had arrested Vikas and attached the property of Vinay.

It had been alleged that they had been receiving money from Haque through Hawala Channel.

In November 2020, Haque was placed under arrest by the CBI. He was accused of bribing BSF officials to keep his illegal cattle smuggling business running through India Bangladesh border.

The ED's case is on the basis of the CBI's FIR. The CBI has already charge-sheeted Enamul.

The ED is likely to seek custodial remand of Haque as they have to confront him with several documents.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday paid tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary.

Paying homage to the great Maratha king, the Prime Minister said that his outstanding leadership and emphasis on social welfare has been inspiring people for generations.

"I bow to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti. His outstanding leadership and emphasis on social welfare has been inspiring people for generations. He was uncompromising when it came to standing up for values of truth and justice. We are committed to fulfilling his vision," Modi tweeted.

Also taking to Twitter, the Vice President said: "My tributes to legendary Maratha warrior king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary. Known for his undaunted courage and exceptional warfare strategies, Shivaji Maharaj was a ruler ahead of his time. His love for our motherland continues to inspire every Indian."
New Delhi, Feb 19 : In the last 24 hours, India registered 22,270 new Covid-19 cases, marking an additional 14 per cent decline, said the Union Health Ministry on Saturday.

Also in the same time span, 325 additional fatalities were reported which increased the overall death toll to 5,11,230.

Meanwhile, the active Covid case has reduced to 2,53,739 which constitute 0.59 per cent of the country's total positive cases.

The recovery of 60,298 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally to 4,20,37,536. Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.21 per cent, said Union Health Ministry.

Also in the same period, a total of 12,35,471 tests were conducted across the country, which took the total to over 75.81 crore.

While the weekly positivity rate stood at 2.50 per cent, the daily positivity rate increased to 1.80 per cent.

With the administration of over 36 lakh vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's Covid inoculation coverage reached 175.03 crore as of Saturday morning. This had been achieved through 1,98,09,200 sessions.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Kochi, Feb 19 : Twenty20, a local political party, on Saturday demanded the arrest of CPI(M) legislator P.V. Sreenijin in connection with the assault on its 38-year-old member leading to his death.

According to Sabu Jacob, the Twenty20, Deepu, 38, a Dalit activist of the outfit, was murdered by the CPI(M).

Deepu, an active worker of Twenty20, was beaten up by a group of people at his village last week and he succumbed to the injuries on Friday.

After the incident the police arrested four locals.

Jacob, who heads Kitex group of companies, was in the news last year when he, after having differences with various departments of the Kerala government, decided to make a fresh investment of over Rs 3,000 crore in Telengana.

Speaking to the media, Jacob said this was a perfectly planned out murder carried out in consultation with a lawyer or a seasoned politician on how to eliminate someone without causing any external injuries.

"Deepu who lived in a Dalit colony near here where Twenty20 was very active and he has been a loyal party worker. As he was coming out from a house he was brutally attacked by a group. The murderers had the backing of CPI-M legislator Sreenijin and he should be made the number one accused. Peace has disappeared in the area as 50 of our workers have been attacked, ever since he became a legislator," said Jacob.

Sreenijin, the son-in-law of former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court K.G.Balakrishnan, was a Congress leader and had contested the 2011 Assembly polls but lost and later joined the CPI(M) and won the April 2021 Assembly polls from the Kunnathunadu Assembly constituency, near here.

"I am being targeted by airing baseless allegations and dragged into this. Am ready to cooperate with any probe and am willing to give my mobile to the police. I know those who have been arrested but have had no association with them and I think the present probe is going on in the right direction," said Sreenijin.

Twenty20, presently is in power, in a few local bodies in and around Kizhekamabalam, near here and was able to root out both the Congress and the CPI(M), the principal leading political parties in the locality.

The autopsy of Deepu is being held on Saturday at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital, after which the body would be taken in a convoy to his home, near here.
Washington, Feb 19 : Capitol Police announced hat they are planning for extra security ahead of US President Joe Biden's first State of the Union (SOTU) address scheduled for March 1, as protests launched by truckers in neighbouring Canada are spilling over.

Law enforcement agencies across the National Capital Region "are aware of plans for a series of truck convoys" arriving in Washington, D.C. around the time of the Biden's speech to the joint session of Congress, Xinhua news agency quoted the Capitol Police as saying in a statement.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently warned state and local law enforcement agencies that demonstrations similar to truck protests in Canada could begin "in major metropolitan cities in the US".

Truckers have held protests in Canada against the country's Covid-19 restrictions over the past few weeks by blocking city traffic and border crossings with the US.

Canadian police began arresting protesters on Friday days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau empowered law enforcement authorities to declare the blockades illegal, tow away trucks, arrest the drivers, suspend their licenses, and freeze their bank accounts.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said earlier this week that the administration is "constantly assessing any impacts or any security impacts" from potential truck protests in the US.

All 535 members of Congress are expected to attend Biden's SOTU address.

They will have to wear masks the whole time and submit a negative Covid-19 test within 24 hours of the event.

US Presidents are required by the country's Constitution to "give to the Congress information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient".

Biden spoke to a joint session of Congress in April last year but the remarks are not considered a State of the Union address until the President's second calendar year in office.
Chennai, Feb 19 : Actor-politician Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has demanded the cancellation of the urban local body elections at a booth in Keeranur Municipality as the poster pasted outside of it did not contain the party's 'torch light' symbol.

According to MNM, the non-printing of its electoral symbol in the posters pasted outside the polling booth in Keeranur Municipality Ward No.5 is an act of denying the fundamental right of its candidate.

The State Election Commission has to ensure the existence of the electoral symbol in the posters as well as in the voting machines before the start of polling, MNM said.

If this is not done then the polling in that booth should be cancelled and repoll should be held, the party demanded.

Polling has been peaceful for the urban local bodies in Tamil Nadu began at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning.

About 2.79 crote voters are expected to vote in over 30,000 booths to elect their representatives in the urban local bodies.

Except for minor glitches in the Electronic Voting Machines in some booths, polling is smooth in other centres.

While several parties are in the contest, the fight is largely between the ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK.

Counting of votes will be on February 22.
Hyderabad, Feb 19 : At least five devotees, who were on their way to the Medaram Jatara, were killed in a road accident in Telangana's Mulugu district on Saturday, police said.

A car in which the devotees were travelling collided head-on with a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus on the Warangal-Medaram road.

According to the police, the accident occurred near Gattamma temple when the car with six family members inside, rammed into the bus coming from the opposite direction. One person was injured and was admitted to a local hospital.

Rescue workers had a tough time retrieving the bodies from the car as it was badly mangled in the collision. However, there were no casualties among bus passengers.

The accident led to a huge traffic jam on the highway. The damaged car had to be removed with the help of a crane to clear the road.

The deceased belonging to Chandrupatla village in Mulugu district, were on their way for darshan of Sammakka Saralamma Jatara Medaram Jatara (a festival celebrated in Telangana to honour Hindu tribal goddesses).

Saturday is the last day of the four-day tribal fair, which is considered the biggest in Asia.
Tunis, Feb 19 : Tunisian President Kais Saied has decided to extend the state of emergency imposed across the country until the end of 2022.

"President Saied decided to extend the state of emergency in the entire territory of the republic for a period of more than 10 months, starting from Saturday to December 31, 2022," Xinhua news agency quoted the Journal of the Republic of Tunisia, an official biweekly gazette, as saying.

It is considered one of the longest extensions since the state of emergency was first declared in Tunisia on November 24, 2015, following a bomb attack on a bus carrying presidential guards, killing 12 of them.
Rome, Feb 19 : A copy of the famed Mona Lisa painting 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 centrepieces of the Louvre Museum in Paris, is among the world's most famous paintings, reports Xinhua news agency.

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," MP 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 on 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.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : From off-the-radar beach breaks and nature escapades to scenic backwaters and wellness getaways, this years Most Welcoming Cities in India for 2022 by Booking.com have all been selected for consistently providing outstanding hospitality.

Palolem, Goa A popular beach with white sand and calm waters in the bay of South Goa, Palolem has been recognised as the #1 Most Welcoming City in India in 2022, as per traveller reviews on Booking.com. You can experience the whole of Palolem beach by walking as it is a stretch of white sand that extends up to a mile. While in Palolem, travellers can find a plethora of activities to indulge in, be it on the beach or in the water! From watching the sunset as you kayak in the water and making photographic memories to taking a long walk with your loved ones and stopping by the shacks to try traditional Goan food, Palolem is a place worth visiting and going back to.

Agonda, Goa Agonda, ranking second on the list of the most welcoming cities, is a great place to escape from the hustle-bustle of the usual Goan life, especially if you are a fan of quiet beaches. This destination is a quaint village with a number of palm and coconut trees along tranquil waters. It is also among the main 3 nesting grounds for Olive Ridley turtles, so you have the chance to watch them from a close distance as they swim ashore and go back to the sea. Once in Agonda, you are in for some quiet mornings and lazy afternoons as you take a dip in the sea followed by relishing delicious fresh seafood. The beach has aesthetically pleasing cafes and restaurants which make for a perfect wine and dine with your friends and family. So if you have got two days free in your schedule, Agonda awaits you! Mararikulam, Kerala

Popularly known for Marari beach, Mararikulam is Kerala's most beautiful destination, with crystal clear blue water and fine white sand. The life of Mararikulam is known to be associated with the culture of Coastal Malabar and the warmth of the beautiful sea, which makes it really exciting for travellers. Once you have arrived in Mararikulam, you are in for a peaceful break as you watch stunning sunsets every day and enjoy locally cooked food. Not so far away from Alleppey, you can also find lesser-known beaches in Mararikulam. Thumpoly beach is one such beach inhabited by the serene and natural environment scattered by many birds. A laid back, slow vacation is looking forward to you in this small and sleepy fisherman's village.

Thekkady, Kerala Home to India's most enchanting natural wildlife sanctuaries, Thekkady is a hill station situated in the Idukki districts of Kerala at an altitude of 700-900 meters above sea level. Surrounded by scenic western ghats, rich plantations and dense forests, this hilltown is perfect for travellers who are wildlife enthusiasts. You can watch wildlife at a close range while boating on an artificial lake at one of the world's most natural wildlife reserves - the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Along with experiencing the wildlife, you can visit Kumily to shop for locally grown traditional spices or take a quick trip to Murikkady to explore cardamom, coffee and pepper plantations.

Varkala, Kerala Known to be the only town in Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea, Varkala is a travellers paradise. Palm-covered red cliffs and golden beaches have made it a popular setting for self-care and self-love. The city boasts of yoga studios, ashrams and teacher training schools as well impromptu classes that are often hosted on the beach. Along with the serene cleansing beach, the town of Varkala also houses forts, pilgrimage sites, springs, natural fisheries and more. So if Varkala is soon to be on your bucket list, get ready for complete rejuvenation.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Seoul, Feb 19 : The South Korean labour ministry raided an air conditioning component manufacturer in the southern city of Changwon over suspected violations of the workplace disaster prevention law after 16 workers were diagnosed with acute poisoning with a hazardous substance.

It is the first alleged workplace disaster offence involving industrial diseases. Previous labour ministry probes mainly involved workplace accidents.

The raid into Doosung Co came after acute chloroform intoxication was reported in the 16 workers showing liver function problems after they were exposed to as high as six times the normally permitted level of the chemical during a product cleansing process.

Following the finding, the labor ministry ordered an immediate halt to the cleansing process, reports Yonhap news agency.

Chloroform, also known as trichloromethane, is a colourless, volatile liquid. When inhaled by humans at a concentrated level, it can damage the liver.

"Acute poisoning happened in more than 10 workers at the same time from the same cause," a ministry official said. "As this is a very serious case, we conducted the raid swiftly." Officials wrapped up the search in about 12 hours and seized documents regarding the company's management of chemicals and overall safety measures.

The ministry also launched a probe into a company that supplies the liquid to Doosung, the official added.
San Francisco, Feb 19 : Indian-American judge Manish Shah has sentenced Muhammad Ateeq, 33, of Rawalpindi, Pakistan, to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay approximately $48 million in restitution.

In addition, judge Shah in the Northern District of Illinois in the US ordered the forfeiture of a $2.4 million cashier's check and over $1 million in cash, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said in a statement.

According to court documents, Ateeq worked in the Islamabad office of Home Health Care Consulting, an entity that controlled Medicare billing and maintenance of electronic medical records for over 20 home health agencies located in Illinois, Indiana, Nevada and Texas.

While working at Home Health Care Consulting, Ateeq used a variety of fake identities, including "Nilesh Patel", "Sanjay Kapoor" and "Rajesh Desai" to acquire and manage home health agencies in the US.

Once the agencies were under Ateeq's control, he "caused the agencies to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for home health services, resulting in over $40 million in payments for services that were never rendered", the DoJ said.

As part of the money laundering conspiracy, Ateeq directed his US employees to deposit cheques of fraud proceeds into US bank accounts designated by overseas customers of overseas money transmitting businesses.

The money transmitting businesses then issued cash payments to Ateeq in Pakistan, as well as deposits into bank accounts in Pakistan under Ateeq's control.

"Ateeq also directed US employees to use fraud proceeds to purchase expensive watches and other luxury items in the United States and then deliver the items to Ateeq's associates in Dubai," said the DoJ.

The FBI Chicago Field Office and US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) investigated the case.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : The NIA has learnt that underworld don Dawood Ibrahim has been spreading terror activities across India through his recently formed Special Unit.

On February 7, the probe agency lodged a case against Dawood Ibrahim and others under various sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act after receiving the vital inputs in this respect.

The NIA has learnt that top politicians and businessmen living Delhi and in Mumabi are on the radar of the D-Company.

He planned to carry out terrorists activities through his men. Their main intention was to execute bomb blast operation across India.

Recently, the home ministry had given approval to NIA to look after the D-company cases and start a thorough probe.

An NIA official told IANS that the name of Dawood Ibrahim and his aides were mentioned in the FIR filed by the NIA.

For quite a long time, Dawood had been spreading terror activities across India. He has also pumped money through Hawala channels to financially help those who are working at his behest to create unrest across India, he said.

The agencies have been keeping a close eye on the activities of the D-company and has found that in recent past they have recruited people across India to create riot-like situation.

They are promoting anti-national activities and are also trying to create rift between different religious groups.

Earlier, a lot of information was shared with the NIA regarding the involvement of Dawood in a lot of anti-national activities that took place across India. The probe agency learnt that Dawood was recruiting people in India and was financially and logistically helping them to create a riot like situation.

Different social media platforms were being used by D-company to communicate. NIA had intercepted a few of them and came to know that how a deep rooted conspiracy was being hatched.

On the basis of the materials available, the NIA had lodged an FIR against Dawood and D company.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : A woman was found dead in a house located at the national capital's Burari area, an official said Saturday.

The accused was identified as Aman.

According to the official, a call was received at 8.00 p.m. on Friday stating that a girl has been murdered at Kaushik Enclave, Burari, Delhi.

"On reaching the spot, caller Priyanka Rawat submitted that when she arrived at her home in the evening, she found a girl's body on the floor of her bedroom," the official said.

The police then registered a case under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

A Crime Team of Delhi Police was also called to examine the spot and take all evidence.

It was learnt that the prime accused of the murder was the woman's husband who called the police.

"The accused had invited the woman after his wife left home to meet her relative. Once the wife returned home, she found the body in her bedroom," said an official.

The police has formed several teams to nab the accused at the earliest.

"The investigation is in progress," the official added.
Lucknow, Feb 19 : Launching a scathing attack on BJP turncoats, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the small-time leaders who ditched the saffron party are now struggling to secure seats.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Adityanath touched upon several issues, including his 80-20 remark, the Samajwadi Party's poll promises, Jinnah and Hijab rows, and forming the government in the state with 300-plus seats.

He claimed that the saffron party will win 80 per cent of the seats in the state Assembly polls. "We are fighting the poll on the planks of nationalism, development and good governance," he told IANS.

"Those who have left the party are finding it difficult to secure a seat. If these people had a mass base, then they should have fought from their traditional seats, like I am contesting. All of them are leaving their seats and running," the chief minister said.

On the charge that the Yogi government takes action against criminals on the basis of their caste, the chief minister, in a veiled attack on the Samajwadi Party, asked: "Who has given tickets to professional criminals in Kairana, Rampur and Mau?" Yogi claimed that SP is no longer Samajwadi, but it has become 'mafiawadi', 'dangawadi' and 'parivaarwadi' (the party which supports the mafia, riots and dynastic politics).

On SP promising free ration for five years, the chief minister told IANS: "Uttar Pradesh has not forgotten the misgovernance of SP. A food scam occurred during SP's regime. At that time, rations meant for the poor were usurped by SP's goons. When they could not distribute regular ration, how would they distribute it for free? People have seen SP's work and its adventures. Now, nobody will be influenced by them." On SP promising money for the development of temples and maths, the chief minister said: "Saints of Ayodhya, people of the nation and 'Ram bhakts' (Ram devotees) have not forgotten the time when the SP regime ordered police firing on Kar Sevaks.

"The truth is that their party's name is Samajwadi, but they are 'dangawadi' (provoking riots) and their mentality is 'parivarwadi' (dynastic). They don't have holistic and inclusive thinking, so development, good governance and establishing the rule of law are like a daydream for them." When asked that opposition parties are teaming up to defeat the BJP, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also supporting them, Adityanath said that in 2019, the SP, BSP ansd RLD stitched an alliance but at that time too, the saffron party won 80 per cent seats. This time the alliance is not that big and people have also seen the work of the double engine government." When asked that though the BJP talks about 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas' (inclusive growth for all), it has not given a ticket to any Muslim, the chief minister said that elections are based on the support and trust of people.

"Those who apply for a ticket are reviewed at the district and region levels and then their names are recommended to the high command. Those who are able to earn public trust are given tickets," he pointed out.

When IANS asked him pointedly whether the BJP will get Muslim votes this time, the chief minister said: "The Prime Minister has played a major role in helping Muslim women get rid of malpractices such as triple talaq. Benefits of all welfare schemes under which gas connections are provided, PM Awaas Yojana and doubling rations are being extended to Muslim families too.

"Rising above caste and religion, people have voted for the BJP in the first two phases of the polls. The trend is continuing. At a few places, fanatics are trying to stop Muslim women from casting votes. The Election Commission should take cognisance of the matter." On the performance of SP, BSP and the Congress in the polls, the chief minister exuded confidence that the BJP will win 80 per cent of the seats, while the three opposition parties are engaged in a triangular contest for 20 per cent of the votes.

On the stray cattle nuisance, the chief minister pointed out that "5,500 cow shelters have been opened in the state".

He added: "Stray cattle increased in the state as they give less milk. We are working on improving the breeds. In organic farming, cattle play an important role. The double-engine government will solve the problem. We will not let cattle go to slaughter houses and at the same time will not let stray cows harm what the farmers produce." On the Jinnah and Hijab rows gathering momentum just prior to elections, the chief minister said during his conversation with IANS that to divert people's attention from good governance and development, SP made a 'sick' effort to honour Jinnah on the birth anniversary of the Iron Man Sardar Patel.

"It is an insult to the freedom fighters of the country," the chief minister told IANS. "When we were discussing welfare schemes to be extended to the sugarcane farmers of the state, SP was busy glorifying Jinnah. When we were talking about rural development, they were talking about Pakistan. SP is making futile attempts to rake up such issues and divert people's attention from the main issues, which are development and good governance." On the restoration of old-age pension, the chief minister said the new pension scheme has been introduced during SP's tenure. In the eight years they spent ruling the state, they treated government employees unjustly. They did not submit the employees' contribution and even did not open their accounts.

On the issue of power shortages, the chief minister recalled how their genesis could be dated back to the SP-led government. "It was in their regime that there was a power shortage and now they are promising people 300 free units," the chief minister said. "People will not get influenced by them." He added: "Government employees know they got an opportunity to work with a government that's transparent. Even during the Corona pandemic, their dearness allowance and transport allowance were not deducted. The employees are with the BJP." When asked if there's anything for the middle class, the chief minister said: "Our strategy for the next five years is ready. We will provide free electricity by installing a solar panel on each tubewell. Common consumers are getting electricity at slashed rates." When it was pointed out that the people are not angry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but with the public representatives of the party, the chief minister said: "Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, we have taken several important steps. In Uttar Pradesh, everyone is getting security and the benefits of development schemes, but we don't believe in an appeasement policy." He added: "The government's intentions are clear. The people have admired the government's work. Public representatives who have done good work in their areas are getting people's love, and those who could not live up to the expectations of common folk face their wrath.

"But the elections are being conducted to elect a government. In such circumstances, every seat is important and the BJP will get people's love." On the '80 versus 20' remark, the chief minister said those who think positively, are nationalists and support welfare schemes come in the 80 per cent bracket, while those who like mafia rule, crime, anarchy and corruption come in the 20 per cent. He reiterated that the BJP is getting 80 per cent of the votes.

Replying to another question, he said the BJP was getting 80 per cent of the seats in the first two phases. People's excitement shows that the BJP is getting their blessings. When the results are announced on March 10, the party will bag more than 300 seats.

The chief minister said that people are happy with the work done in the state relating to security, law and order, development, good governance, and public welfare schemes, and the unprecedented work in the field of respect for faith.
Los Angeles, Feb 19 : Hollywood star Jake Gyllenhaal took over the reins for camera and direction from Michael Bay for a scene during the making of the upcoming movie 'Ambulance' thereby surprising his co-star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, reports 'Variety'.

Abdul-Mateen recently told Esquire as part of the magazine's Gyllenhaal cover story, "There were times when he would take the camera from Mike (Bay) and then you look around and Jake is shooting the scene. I had never seen anything like that before. I'm curious about those things, but I would never ask the director if I could shoot a scene." As quoted by Abdul-Mateen, Gyllenhaal made the entire 'Ambulance' set "his playground" during production. Gyllenhaal often used to wonder as to what filming a Bay movie would be like, adding the filmmaker "can be brash and he can be awkward" on set.

The film stars Abdul-Mateen as an army veteran in the depth of despair, he turns to "brother" Gyllenhaal for help when he needs $231,000 to pay for his wife's surgery. As a solution, Gyllenhaal cooks up a plans to pull off a $32 million bank robbery.

Things go downhill when Gyllenhaal's character, who has a checkered past, mistakenly lets a cop, who ultimately gets shot, into the bank during the robbery. They steal an ambulance to use as a getaway vehicle when the heist goes south. Of course, it turns out to be carrying said police officer and an EMT, turning the already-complicated ordeal into a hostage situation.

The film is set to debut in theaters on April 8.
New York, Feb 19 : The much anticipated former US President Donald Trump's social network 'Truth Social' has been delayed until March, The New York Times reported.

However, it is currently listed on the App Store with an "expected" February 21 launch date (Presidents' Day), the Verge reported.

On the other hand, media reports also suggest that the app has already rolled out to about 500 beta testers.

Meanwhile, screenshots from the App store, reveal that Truth Social looks like it will be quite similar to Twitter.

The microblogging site was Trump's preferred social network, but following the January 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol, he was permanently banned.

Truth Social is Trump's second attempt at a new platform. In May last year, he launched a blog which was shut down in less than a month.

The new app is being made by the Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), Trump's media company helmed by former US Representative Devin Nunes.

However, the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that intends to take TMTG public, which may also be a reason for the delay, the report said.

Trump has also made the first post on the Truth Social app.

His son, Donald Trump Jr. on Tuesday, shared a screenshot of the former President's first post on the social media platform.

"Get ready! Your favorite President will see you soon," he wrote on the new platform.
Los Angeles, Feb 19 : The music video for the song 'Bakin' by American rapper Desiigner, features American actor, comic and television host Bob Saget in a never seen before avatar in his final role, reports Deadline.

Bob, who passed away in January, can be seen as the chef trying to give a different meaning to the song title, working at a party house in the Hollywood Hills where parental guidance is definitely suggested. The music video features an opening cameo by Snoop Dogg, who suggests that Desiigner "Get Bob on the job." The video shows Saget cooking some bacon and grabbing cash in the kitchen, along with porn star Kendra Sunderland. The song presents a different side of Saget that was only known to friends and comedy clubgoers. His fans, who know him only through his Full House character, Danny Tanner, are in for a surprise with the video.

As per Deadline, the music video was shot in December, just a few weeks before Saget's death on January 9 in an Orlando, Florida hotel room. The end of the video has a memorium, with "Rest In Peace Bob Saget" and added footage from the shoot.
Los Angeles, Feb 19 : 'Pageboy', the memoir of Canadian actor-producer Elliot Page has been sold to Flatiron Books for a sum of $3 million. The deal was made based on a 49-page proposal shopped by UTA, reports Deadline.

As per Deadline, Page has a truly compelling story to tell about a long battle against homophobic hatred, both in his hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia and in Hollywood. Before his transition, Page lists several occasions where homophobic bullies bogged him down, with few willing to help. A beer thrown in Toronto, a menacing loudmouth chasing Page into a restaurant in Hollywood, this was something that happened often to Page.

Although the loathsome industry people in Hollywood weren't named, there was one particular male film director who tried to seduce Page when the latter was 16; and the time that a big movie star - who would later say he was ossified and blacked out in a clumsy apology - berated Page at a party in an outrageous homophobic rant.

This second incident happened just after Page had come out as queer. The actor accused Page's bold announcement of being false in a torrent that grew louder. However, nobody in the room, not even Page's closest friends, came to his rescue. It remains unclear if they were shocked, or afraid to say anything because of the powerful position of the actor, who at that time was one of the biggest stars in town.

The memoir will be published in 2023, and has the potential to be groundbreaking not only about transgender identity, but about courage in the face of adversity.
Bengaluru, Feb 19 : Karnataka Congress chief D. K. Shivakumar on Saturday urged the ruling BJP to issue a government notification and start land acquisition for the Mekedatu project, which has become a flash point between the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments.

"Mere statements will not serve the purpose. They (BJP) have a double engine government, both in the state as well as at the Centre, they can take up the work whenever they want, but CM Bommai has announced that they will take up this project and remained quiet," Shivakumar said, adding that the BJP has no interest in irrigation projects of the state.

"We are making preparations for Mekedatu padayatra and we have started morning walks for the purpose. I had been to Cubbon Park, since it was locked, I am on my morning walk here at Vidhana Soudha. We have intimated about padayatra on Mekedatu to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and police department about our scheduled programme between February 27 and March 3," stated Shivakumar.

Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar explained that as CM Bommai is likely to present the budget on March 4 or 5, the padayatra has been cut short by two days. "We are launching agitations in the interest of the state and the nation. Mekedatu padayatra is taken up for the purpose of drinking water and agriculture," he said.

The Congress leaders, who had launched a padayatra on January 9 from Mekedatu amid the Covid third wave, had agreed to stop the agitation on January 13 after the High Court's intervention.

The Congress will resume the padayatra from where it was stopped. It has planned to conduct protest rallies in all assembly segments of the capital city Bengaluru for five days before congregating at Basavanagudi National College Grounds.

It has a target of reaching out to 2 crore people in Bengaluru, Urban, Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara districts through this campaign. Political experts opine that this movement would be a shot in the arm for the Congress party ahead of the civic polls in Bengaluru and local body elections.
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 19 : Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Saturday said he will raise the issue of recruitment by state cabinet ministers of personal staff members, who become eligible for lifelong pension after they complete two years of service.

This statement by the Governor comes a day after his address to the state Assembly.

Things went for a toss on Thursday evening when news surfaced that Khan had refused to sign his address to the Assembly. This led to a war of words between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Khan after which the Chief Secretary had to intervene to smoothen matters.

It was only after that, that news spread that Khan was angry about the way CPI(M) leaders appointed their staff members and replaced them after two years, who then become eligible for lifelong pension.

Another reason why the Governor was upset was the controversy surrounding the appointment of senior journalist Hari S. Kartha, who is also a state BJP committee member.

Khan was angry after a letter from K.R.Jyothilal, the General Administration Secretary, cleared the appointment of Kartha. The letter mentioned that such an appointment is being made for the first time.

On Thursday, Khan signed his address after Jyothilal was removed from his position.

Before flying to Delhi, the Governor on Saturday said he came to know about the appointment of staff only from the CPI(M) just three days back.

"I raised this issue and wanted to end it by implementing it as a policy. I was a Union Minister and had just 11 staff members. But in Kerala every Cabinet Minister has more than 20 staff. Nowhere in the country such a thing exists where these appointees, who retire after two years, gets lifelong pension and a new set of staff is appointed," he added.

"I am not going to leave this issue and will pursue it. I have asked for all the files on this matter and want to make it clear that I will not allow anyone to run the Raj Bhavan. I am only answerable to the President," Khan said.

Asked about the allegations of appointing a BJP leader to his staff, Khan said he is preparing a list of the total number of political appointments made to the Raj Bhavan in the past, adding that Kartha has resigned from the state BJP committee.

"I never asked for the removal of anyone. A Secretary alone can't write that letter, which was unacceptable to me. Poor thing (Secretary) only carries out what he is being told, but I will not allow anyone to control the Raj Bhavan," the Governor added.

Khan slammed former State Electricity Minister A.K.Balan for his rude comments.

"He lost his job as a Cabinet Minister and therefore, to please someone he might have made such remarks," the Governor said.

Khan added that Balan should refrain from using "Balanish' statements (word 'Balan' in Malayalam means a child) The Governor slammed the Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan and said it would be better if he learns from former Opposition leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala.

Satheesan said he does not require advice from Khan.

"I don't need advice from the Governor, who in his political career has worked with five different parties," he added.
United Nations, Feb 19 : The last UN staff member detained by authorities in Ethiopia is now free, a spokesman for the world body said.

"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, reports Xinhua news agency.

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 UN does not keep data on ethnicity.

"For us, they were Ethiopians who were working for the UN," 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."
Canberra, Feb 19 : Thousands of Australians on Saturday gathered in the Northern Territory (NT) to mark the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin carried out by 242 Japanese aircraft during World War II.

The official anniversary ceremony at Darwin's Bicentennial Park saw throngs of attendees including veterans, survivors and politicians as the NT Government has called for the day to be made a national public holiday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Sirens blared at 9.58 a.m. to mark the exact time air raid sirens began on February 19, 1942.

The Bombing of Darwin started 64 air raids on the Top End of the NT, which continued until November 1943.

In the bombing of Darwin, 252 lives were tragically lost in two separate raids, including members of all three Australian armed services, allied personnel, merchant seamen and Australian civilians, according to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

"Throughout the city, little was spared -- the post office, the cable office, the government house, police barracks, air force station and the local hospitals were attacked," Morrison said at the ceremony.

Brian Winspear, 101, one of the last surviving veterans of the attack, told News Corp Australia that the bombing caught the defending forces by surprise.

"It was pretty scary and ever since then I've had hearing problems," he said. "Nobody took any notice of the people dying around you." "Death was very normal, there were no funerals and no mourning. It was scary, it was a scary time," he said.
Chennai, Feb 19 : In a setback for the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), the Supreme Court has expunged the former's uncalled remarks against former Member (Non-Life), Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) P.J. Joseph.

The Supreme Court in its recent order on an appeal filed by IRDAI against Atkins Special Risks Ltd and others said: "Having heard learned counsel for the parties and on perusal of record, we are of the opinion that the remarks made by the Tribunal against Mr. P.J. Joseph in paragraphs 8 and 9 of the impugned order dated March 16, 2018 as well as the comments in paragraph 1 of the said order were uncalled for and deserve to be set aside." "I am happy that the uncalled remarks by SAT in its order has been expunged," Joseph told IANS.

The SAT on March 16, 2018 setting aside an IRDAI order had said: "We fail to understand as to how Member (non-life) could make such false statement in the impugned order. In our opinion, the impugned order passed by P.J. Joseph (non-life) virtually amounts to aiding and abetting corruption in the insurance business by the regulator which cannot be tolerated." The SAT had directed the insurance regulator to entrust the matter to a competent officer other than Joseph for fresh orders on Atkins complaint on merits.

The SAT's remarks were questioned by legal eagles then.

"The stinging remarks against the Member (Non-Life) by name, with due respect to the SAT, are quite unfortunate and seem to be crossing swords with the repeated and well advised principle of 'judicial restraint' by the Supreme Court of India," D. Varadarajan, a Supreme Court advocate specialising in company/competition/insurance laws, had told IANS.

Going by an SAT order dated March 16, the concerned IRDAI official was not even arraigned as a party, Varadarajan added.

The IRDAI on January 9, 2018, disposed off the complaint by London-based reinsurance broker Atkins Special Risks Ltd against rival Marsh India Insurance Brokers Pvt Ltd of poaching its reinsurance business offering unlawful payment to Jagdish Pershad Gupta, Chairman, Jagson International Ltd.

Atkins' complaint was that between 2002 to 2012 it provided international reinsurance cover to Jagson. From 2010 onwards Jagson's Gupta started demanding, through email, a cut in Atkins commission.

In 2012, Jagson's reinsurance business was given to Marsh.

Atkins hired a private investigation firm to find out any payment of kick-backs by Marsh to Gupta.

As per the SAT's order, the investigation firm had confirmed kick-backs to Gupta for diverting the reinsurance business to Marsh from Atkins.

Atkins alleged that during the telephonic conversation, Gupta had said that Marsh had agreed to pay him $4,00,000 in order to obtain Jagson's business.

The SAT, in its order, said Atkins had relied on documentary evidence in support of the contention that Gupta had sought a bribe and was bribed by the officers of Marsh for diverting the reinsurance business from the appellant to Marsh.

The IRDAI stand that Atkins did not submit any documentary proof is false, said SAT.

An IRDAI official had then told IANS that the proof given by Atkins was not strong and hence focused investigation on Marsh's books were not made.

The right to appoint or change reinsurance broker vests with the primary insurer. Interestingly, neither the IRDAI's order nor the SAT order mentions the name of the primary insurer for Jagson or the reason for the change in reinsurance broker.

Reinsurance plays a major role in insuring huge risks. Many private general insurers are happy to front the business as the primary insurer passing on the lion's portion of the risk to reinsurers. As a result the reinsurance brokers gained importance, a senior industry official had told IANS.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : The Pakistan Prime Ministers Office shared pictures from the luncheon hosted by Imran Khan in honour of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who was on his first ever visit to the country.

As seen in the picture, Khan and Gates are sitting with several senior government officials at the main table. If one takes a close look at the picture, someone between Faisal Sultan and Mahmood Khan seems to be missing, as per media reports.

It was the ISI Chief Lieutenant General Nadeem Anjum who had been photoshopped from the meeting picture as he has asked all responsible authorities not to reveal his photograph or video footage from any official meeting he attends.

"Picture on the right is (poorly) photoshopped to take out a person who sat by the door...," a Twitter user said.

In December 2021, Anjum has asked all authorities concerned not to release to the media his picture or video footage, made during any official meeting, The News reported.

It's a standing instruction for all concerned from the incumbent DG ISI not to release any of his pictures or video footage of any official meeting that he attends, the report said.

For the same reason, ever since his appointment as the DG ISI, none of his picture or video footage has been released to the media. Lt-Gen (retd) Amjad Shoaib, while commenting on it, said the basic principle of intelligence services is to stay away from the media's eye
New Delhi, Feb 19 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA), on Saturday conducted raids in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Rajasthan in connection with a terror case.

Searches were carried out simultaneously in districts Sopore, Kupwara, Shopian, Rajouri, Budgam, Ganderbal of Jammu & Kashmir and Jodhpur district of Rajasthan to gather evidence against the suspects, an NIA official said.

"The case relates to planning and conspiracy for undertaking violent terrorist acts in J&K and other major cities, including New Delhi, by cadres of prescribed terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al Badr and their affiliates such as The Resistance Front (TRF), People Against Fascist Forces (PAFF). We have arrested 28 persons in the case so far," he added.

During the raids, various incriminating documents, digital devices, SIM cards, digital storage devices have been seized.

Further investigation in the matter is underway.
Mumbai, Feb 19 : Popular TV actor Karanvir Bohra and his wife, digital content creator Teejay Sidhu, are receiving a lot of love for the short film they made titled 'My Pink Shoes', marking the acting debut of their five-year-old twin daughters Bella and Vienna.

In conversation with IANS, the celebrity couple open up on making films with their children and the biggest challenges of modern-day parenting.

The story of 'My Pink Shoes' revolves around a little girl who asked for a pair of pink shoes on her birthday as a gift but eventually what she does with the gift left her mother surprised.

The film was released on February 14 on YouTube and ever since the film was released, the couple is receiving a lot of positive feedback on how adorable their children look on-screen.

Asked about if as parents they are taking it as a sign of their children becoming actors in the future, Teejay told IANS: "Well, this could be a sign because they are very comfortable in front of the camera and whenever we play pretend games, they act very well. At times they play police-police, doctor-patient and other small games where both my daughters react as if they are really acting! "Theoretically, they do not know they are acting but they are doing it all in fun and games. And yes, they are very expressive. But both my daughters are also equally interested in painting, art-craft etc. So as parents we are just exposing them to all things colourful." Adding to that, Karanvir said, "Yes I think as parents we should just open the doors so that they can play with their imagination and find their voice. We will not instruct them to become someone, be it an actor, painter, dancer...anything. When we were young we also used to try out everything and eventually we felt 'ye main kar sakta hoon.' That's the inner voice they should find instead of us telling them." Being the parents of three children, as Teejay delivered another baby girl Gia in December 2020, the couple shared how in the pandemic and digital era where the screen time for everybody has increased, parenting has got its new set of challenges.

"But more than challenges I would like to say, we should stop looking at children and parenthood as a burden and end of our freedom. Children adjust to everything. We have to have our personal, professional lives as well as happy times with children. So, there is no 'right time' to have children, have them and grow with them, parenthood never stops your ambition," said Teejay who is a travel vlogger and former VJ.

However, Karanvir believes that sharing responsibility without making each other feel guilty is very important.

"I think that typical mindset of fathers can't be the caregiver and mothers cannot be the provider financially should be stopped. I think that is why when a father takes care of a child when the mother is out, we give extra credit to the father. Do we do that to the mother and say 'thank you for taking care of my kids', no we don't," said Karanvir.

He went on adding, "As adults, we also tend to spend a lot of time on social media because we are addicted to that. That is how we are making our children get addicted to screen. Unless we change ourselves, we cannot expect children to do the same. I and Teejay do a lot of art, craft painting with our daughters and they bring along their friends too...away from cellphones."
New Delhi, Feb 19 : The Union Health Ministry on Saturday clarified that media reports claiming LIC IPO data confirming massive death numbers in 2021 are speculative and not factual.

"There has been a media report published related to IPO proposed to be issued by LIC, wherein mentioning the details of policies and claims settled by LIC, a speculative and biased interpretation has been made that the Covid-19 related mortalities could be more than those recorded officially. It is clarified that these reports are speculative and baseless", said health ministry in a statement.

The ministry said further that while claims settled by LIC relate to Life insurance policies taken by policy holders for deaths due to all causes, but the news reports conclude that this would imply Covid deaths were underreported. "A flawed interpretation like this is not based on facts and highlights the bias of the author. It also reveals lack of understanding of how the Covid-19 deaths in India are collated and published daily in public domain since the beginning of the pandemic", the ministry said.

India has a very transparent and efficient system of reporting COVID-19 deaths. Right from the Gram Panchayat level to the District-level and the State level, the process of reporting deaths is monitored and carried out transparently. The Government of India has adopted a globally recognised categorization to classify COVID deaths, the ministry clarified. "In the model so adopted, compilation of the total deaths in India is undertaken by the Centre based on the independent reporting by the States", it added.

"All States and UTs were engaged through multiple platforms, formal communications, video conferences and through deployment of Central teams for correct recording of deaths in accordance with the prescribed guidelines. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also issued 'Guidance for appropriate recording of COVID-19 related deaths in India' for correct recording of all deaths as per ICD-10 codes recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO)", the ministry said.

"Quoting issues as sensitive as death during a global public health crisis like Covid-19 should be dealt with utmost sensitivity and authenticity. India has a robust Civil Registration System (CRS) and Sample Registration System (SRS) which was in place even before the COVID-19 pandemic and covers all States and UTs", ministry added.

The ministry further said that the registration of deaths in the country has a legal backing. The registration is done under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act (RBD Act, 1969) by functionaries appointed by the State Governments. Thus, data generated through CRS has utmost credibility and should be used rather than depending on unauthenticated data, the ministry said further.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Bhubaneswar, Feb 19 : President Ram Nath Kovind, along with his wife Savita Kovind, arrived here this afternoon on a two-day Odisha visit.

A special plane carrying him landed at the Biju Patnaik International Airport, where Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, chief secretary, DGP and other senior officials received him.

Kovind left for Puri in a special IAF aircraft soon after arriving here at the airport.

After a short halt in the Puri Raj Bhawan, the President and his wife will be visiting Jagannath temple in the evening. In view of his visit, no devotees are being allowed inside the shrine from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m, officials said.

After visiting the temple, the President will stay the night at the Raj Bhawan in Puri.

On Sunday, the President will inaugurate the three-year celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Srimad Bhakti Sidhant Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada, the founder of Goudiya Mission. He will also visit Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Mutt at 10.30 a.m, the officials informed.

Tight security has been put in place in the Puri town for the visit. Around 40 platoons of police force have been deployed as part of the security arrangement in the pilgrim town.

Puri Superintendent of Police, Kanwar Vishal Singh said that the security arrangements have been made as per the protocols. Special forces have been deployed on the route and venues, Singh said.

This is the President's third visit to Puri. Last time, the President and the first lady had visited the pilgrim town in March 2021.
Hyderabad, Feb 19 : Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) working president T. Jayaprakash Reddy on Saturday dropped his plans to quit the party.

He told reporters that for now he will not be leaving the party. He said he took the decision on a suggestion by the high command.

Jagga Reddy, as the leader is popularly known, said some people in the Congress party were running a false propaganda against him and he would write a letter to party's national president Sonia Gandhi.

The member of Telangana State Legislative Assembly said he also lodged a complaint with the police about social media posts against him.

Jagga Reddy had earlier announced that he will take a decision on Saturday in quitting or continuing in the party.

The MLA from Sangareddy called on senior party leader V. Hanumantha Rao, who advised him not to leave the party. Rao wanted him to fight injustice by staying in the party. The MLA told him that he would take a final decision after consulting party workers. During their meeting, TPCC general secretary B. Kishan fell at the feet of Jagga Reddy, begging him not to quit the party.

Hanumantha Rao said a misinformation campaign was being run against him and Jagga Reddy on social media. He alleged that their detractors were spreading lies that they were planning to join Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). The former MP said they have lodged a complaint with Jubilee Hills police station and will also complain to the Election Commission.

In December, Jagga Reddy had written a letter to Sonia Gandhi complaining about TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy's style of functioning. He had urged her to direct Revanth Reddy to change his style of functioning or appoint a new TPCC chief who works for the party's prospects.

The MLA had taken strong exception to Revanth Reddy calling for a protest program 'Rachabanda' at Erravelli without prior intimation to him despite him being the local MLA. Jagga Reddy said the TPCC chief was not functioning along party lines and was instead using such programs for his own benefit.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : Ukraine's Russian-backed breakaway eastern territories have ordered military mobilisations amid escalation in fighting, BBC reported.

Men of fighting age in the self-declared people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk are being put on stand-by, the report said.

Monitors report a "dramatic increase" in attacks along the line dividing rebel and government forces.

US President Joe Biden says he is convinced Russia will invade Ukraine, an allegation Moscow denies.

Western nations have accused Russia of trying to stage a crisis in the breakaway regions to give it a reason to launch an offensive.

The US estimates there are 169,000-190,000 Russian personnel massed along Ukraine's borders, a figure that includes separatist fighters in Donetsk and Luhansk, BBC reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is expected to oversee major drills of Russia's strategic nuclear missile forces on Saturday, has said the situation in eastern Ukraine is deteriorating.

He said he remained willing to discuss the crisis with Western leaders, but accused them of ignoring Russia's security concerns, the report added.

In the German city of Munich, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to meet Western leaders including US Vice-President Kamala Harris at a security conference.

Ukraine, a former Soviet republic with historic ties to Russia, is not a member of Nato or the European Union but has close relations with both.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his meeting with a delegation comprising of Afghan sikhs and Hindus at his residence in New Delhi on Friday February 19,2022.(Photo:IANS/PIB) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his meeting with a delegation comprising of Afghan sikhs and Hindus at his residence in New Delhi on Friday February 19,2022.(Photo:IANS/PIB) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Feb 19 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met the members of the Sikh-Hindu delegation from Afghanistan who came to thank him for their safe evacuation from the war-torn nation along with the Guru Granth Sahib Swaroop.

Welcoming the team at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, his official residence, the Prime Minister underscored the works his government did for the community.

The discussion also included the difficulties faced by them in Afghanistan and the help extended by the government in bringing them to India safely. "In this light, Modi also talked about the significance of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and its benefits for the community, a release from the Prime Minister's Office said.

He also assured them of continuous support in future as well.

Prime Minister Modi also highlighted the significance of the tradition of honouring Guru Granth Sahib, in light of which special arrangements were made to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan. He spoke about the immense love that he has received from Afghans over the years and fondly recalled his visit to Kabul.

Delegate member Manjinder Singh Sirsa thanked the Prime Minister for sending help from India for bringing back the community safely, and said that when no one stood by them, it was the Prime Minister who extended timely help.

Other members of the delegation also expressed their gratitude to the Prime Minister for for the same.

Emotions ran high when they heard him talking about making special arrangements to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan to India with proper reverence, they said.

Hailing the PM for bringing about CAA, they said it would help the community immensely. He is not just the Prime Minister of India, but of the entire world since he understands the difficulties faced especially by Hindus and Sikhs across the world and makes all-out efforts to provide immediate help during crisis, the delegation members said.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Union Minister of State Meenakashi Lekhi were also present on the occasion, the release added.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : Two people were killed after their car rammed into a truck in the national capital, an official said on Saturday.

The deceased were identified as Vinod Kumar and Krishna Solanki, both residents of Palam village.

The incident took place on the intervening night of February 18-19.

"At about 2.50 a.m., a PCR call regarding accident of a Mercedes car on road from Dhaula Kuan towards Gurugram was received," the official said.

He informed that five people -- Vinod Kumar, Krishan Solanki, Nitin, Jitender and Karan Bhardwaj were returning home after attending marriage function in Faridabad.

"They were driving fast and as per the version of bypassers they rammed their car into a truck," said the official.

Two boys died in the accident while the other three are currently under treatment at a hospital.

The cops have registered a case at Delhi Cantt police station and initiated an investigation.

"Teams have been deployed and CCTV cameras are being checked to identify and trace the offending vehicle," the official added.
Gonda : , Feb 19 (IANS) In high octane battle for UP, the BJP has been targeting Congress over the statement of the Punjab Chief Minister who said that 'Bhaiye from UP, Bihar should not be allowed to enter Punjab. Several speakers talked of this issue mostly in areas going to polls in fifth and sixth phase.

The issue of migrants is carefully raked up to muster support for the BJP as the migrants are mostly from eastern UP and Bihar who work in Punjab.

Rajnath Singh who addressed three rallies in eastern UP on Saturday, raked up this issue again and said, "Very bad. Punjab Chief Minister Channi has said he will not let workers from UP & Bihar work in Punjab and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi was clapping beside him." Though Channi has clarified on the issue but for BJP it has become a political issue.

The controversy broke after the Punjab Chief Minister flanked by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "Won't allow Bhaiyas to rule you," but later he clarified and claimed that his statement was twisted by the opposition parties and the media.

"My statement was against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, (and AAP leaders) Durgesh Pathak and Sanjay Singh who came from outside and are creating disturbance here. My statement is not for common people of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan who come to Punjab for work. Their contribution in the making of Punjab is immense and I have great respect for them," Channi said in a video statement.
Bhopal, Feb 19 : All waste dumping sites in the country will be converted into green zones in the next two-three years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while digitally inaugurating Asia's largest Bio-CNG plant in Madhya Pradesh's financial capital Indore, on Saturday.

The Prime Minister asserted that in almost every city in the country, several acres of land is being used for dumping wastes. In the last few years, many dumping sites have been converted into green zones through modern technology and Indore is one of them.

"Under the Clean India Mission part-2, our government decided to remove these waste dumping sites and convert them into a green zone. Centre is providing all help to the states and the municipal corporations," he said.

Congratulating Madhya Pradesh government and the Indore Municipal Corporation for setting up Asia's largest Bio-CNG plant, the Prime Minister said, this development will not only help in removing municipal waste and to convert into energy but it will also improve tourism in the city.

"The site where this Bio-CNG plant has been set up, till a few years back, was a huge garbage mountain, but today that waste dumping site has been converted into a green zone. I congratulate Indore Municipal Corporation and the state government for their relentless efforts in this sector. I believe that municipal corporations of other cities will follow Indore and will make their cities clean and green," Modi said.

He said the municipal waste that has been a bigger problem in the country, so far, especially in the big cities, is now becoming a source of renewable energy. "The technology for converting waste into energy was available in the country, but it did not get appropriate attention. My government has decided to make this dumped waste into a source of energy," PM added.

Touted as the largest such facility in Asia by local civic officials, the plant will produce 18,000 kg of Bio-CNG daily, which will be used to power Indore Municipal Corporation's transport buses. It will also produce a large quantity of compost.

The technology for Indore's Bio-CNG has been imported from Denmark. The preparation of Bio-CNG takes around 20 to 25 days. This biogas contains 55-60 per cent methane. For converting biogas to CNG, 95 per cent methane is required. So, after cleaning and upgrading it gets converted to Bio-CNG. A filling station has also been built where city buses of the municipal corporation can get CNG.

"We are planning to convert all the city buses to CNG; this will also help purify the air quality. With a total capacity of 550 MT, the plant will produce CNG with 96 per cent pure methane gas. The plant has been set up on the waste-to-wealth concept of the Prime Minister wherein biogas will be generated through wet waste," Indore Collector Manish Singh said.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : The Supreme Court has allowed a 100 per cent visually impaired student to appear for counseling for admission to MD psychiatry.

A bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Surya Kant said: "Issue notice... Pending further orders, the provisional allotment of a seat to the petitioner in the MD Psychiatry course at Topiwala National Medical College, Mumbai, shall not be disturbed to his detriment and the petitioner would be permitted to participate in the ongoing process of counselling." The top court order came on a special leave petition filed by Iyer Seetharaman Venugopalan challenging the Bombay High Court order passed on February 2, which declined to entertain the petitioner's interim prayer to permit him to participate in the counselling process of NEET for postgraduate medical courses.

The petitioner, a young MBBS doctor, was declared ineligible for post-graduate medical course by the Disability Assessment Board due to his disability -- 100 per cent impaired vision in both eyes -- due to which he was denied admission in the course.

The petitioner, who cleared NEET-PG entrance exam, challenged the decision of the Board in the Bombay High Court along with a challenge to the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations (Amendment) 2019.

These regulations mention that persons with low vision above 40 per cent can be allowed under disability quota subject to condition that visual disability is brought to a level less than benchmark disability of 40 per cent with advanced low vision aids.

The petitioner claimed these regulations violated fundamental rights, and they are not backed by any expert input and that it does not consider functional abilities on a case to case basis in respect of each discipline or medical field.

Senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan, assisted by a team of advocates from Karanjawala and Co., appeared for the petitioner.
Lucknow, Feb 19 : In the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is hopeful of getting votes from the Muslim community and is busy trying to woo them.

After implementing the law against "Triple talaq", the Modi government is trying to send a message that it is committed to provide justice to Muslim women and is confident that the latter will vote for the BJP in the ongoing elections.

However, like in the past elections, the BJP has not fielded a single Muslim candidate this time too, but its NDA ally Apna Dal has fielded one against the Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Abdullah Azam Khan, the son of Mohammed Azam Khan, from the Suar Assembly constituency of Rampur district.

On the other hand, opposition parties such as the SP, BSP and Congress have fielded a large number of Muslim candidates and are keen to secure the Muslim votebank.

The BJP, however, feels that the various welfare schemes implemented by the governments both at the Centre and in the state will influence the Muslim voters. This is the reason that the saffron party is hopeful of getting votes from the community.

Bharatiya Janata Party workers have made all-out efforts in the Assembly constituencies where the Muslim votes will likely have a huge impact on the election results. The BJP's star campaigner Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a recent election rally said Muslim women are aware of the corruption-free and clean image of his government.

"My government has freed Muslim women from the archaic practice of Triple talaq and enacted a law against it to protect their fundamental rights," Modi said.

Modi added that the opposition parties which consider themselves as 'custodians of the Muslim community' are feeling insecure with women from the community praising him.

"If the Muslim votes transfer to the BJP, then their (opposition parties) politics will be in danger, so new ways are being found to curtail the rights of Muslim sisters and daughters. However, it remains to be seen if the statements of opposition parties resonate with the Muslims," he said.

According to the 2011 population census, the number of Muslims in the country is 3.85 crore, which is nearly 19.26 per cent of the entire population of Uttar Pradesh. The majority of them live in western and eastern Uttar Pradesh, Rohilkhand, Terai and Awadh regions.

Shaista Ambar, President of the All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board, says "Elections are the biggest festival of democracy where every citizen of the country must actively participate. The election process helps in taking the country forward, providing employment, and the citizens have a right to elect a person of their choice. The Modi government has implemented various welfare schemes such as construction of toilets, houses, providing free ration cards etc which have benefitted crores of people in the country. Several opposition parties have given condemnable statements to vitiate the political discourse but Muslims must vote for the party which maintains peace and gives employment." Nur Bano, a resident of Kanpur, says that Muslim women will cast their votes but it is not necessary to tell whom they will vote for. The Modi government has done a lot of good work. The biggest step has been criminalisation of Triple talaq. Providing free ration to Muslim women is another major achievement of the Modi government. What more can be expected from any party other than these two major steps? The only issue which remains is providing employment to youth from the community, she adds.

Uttar Pradesh BJP Minority Morcha General Secretary, Danish Azad says that the BJP government does not discriminate among people on the basis of their caste or religion. The last person in line, including Muslims, is availing the benefits of each and every welfare scheme.

"Our Muslim sisters have attained freedom from the regressive practice like Triple talaq. Every poor section of the society is being provided free toilets, houses etc. The people will choose only that government which works for the interest of people. During the ongoing state Assembly elections, the Muslims will vote in favour of the BJP and will help it form the government," Azad says."
Chandigarh, Feb 19 : Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday said keeping in mind the vision of modern Haryana, this time the state Budget will give priority to promises made to the people.

The Chief Minister was speaking during a virtual meeting with party leaders and workers in Delhi. He said the government is committed for education, agriculture and farmers' welfare. "Whatever will be good for the public, work is being done in that direction." The state is also working for the development of Haryanvi culture and tourism, he said. The government is also working for the welfare of the ex-servicemen and the soldiers.

The Chief Minister said before preparing the Budget, suggestions were invited. Pre-Budget discussions were held with major departments. "It is the effort of the government that the Budget is being prepared keeping in mind the all-round development and the future of Haryana," an official statement quoting Khattar said.

The Budget session of the Vidhan Sabha will begin from March 2.
Tumakuru : , Feb 19 (IANS) Karnataka police have arrested a girl who allegedly killed her mother to cover up her affair with her cousin brother in Koratagere city in Tumakuru district. Both the girl and her cousin, identified as Shailaja (21) and Puneeth (26), have been arrested by the police.

The duo allegedly killed Savithramma (45), who objected to their relationship, by suffocating her to death before dumping the body in a water sump.

After Savithramma found about their affair, she reprimanded them and asked them to discontinue the affair. They were also warned not to be in touch over phone calls or messages.

However, the accused continued the affair and after a few days, hatched a conspiracy to kill Savithramma.

On January 30, the duo suffocated her to death and to make it look like an accident, they had dumped her body into a water sump.

While the case was considered as an accident initially, the police soon grew suspicious about the activities of the accused. When they were picked up and grilled, they confessed to the crime.
Geneva, Feb 19 : Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia are the first six countries that will receive the technology needed to produce mRNA vaccines in the African continent, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced.

The global mRNA technology transfer hub was established by the WHO in June, last year, to support manufacturers in low-and middle-income countries to produce their own vaccines, ensuring that they have all the necessary operating procedures and know-how to manufacture mRNA vaccines at scale and according to international standards.

While the hub is primarily set up to address the Covid-19 emergency, it has the potential to expand manufacturing capacity for other products as well, putting countries in the driver's seat when it comes to the kinds of vaccines and other products they need to address their health priorities.

"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," said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the European Union - African Union summit in Brussels on Friday.

"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," he added.

Depending on the infrastructure, workforce and clinical research and regulatory capacity in place, 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.

The WHO mRNA technology transfer hub is part of a larger effort aimed at empowering low- and middle-income countries to produce their own vaccines, medicines and diagnostics to address health emergencies and reach universal health coverage.

The initial effort is centred on mRNA technologies and biologicals, which are important for vaccine manufacturing and can also be used for other products, such as insulin to treat diabetes, cancer medicines and, potentially, vaccines for other priority diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV.

The ultimate goal is to extend capacity building for national and regional production to all health technologies.

Africa's first Covid mRNA vaccine technology-transfer hub has been set up in South Africa, with participants including Afrigen, the Biovac Institute and local universities.

Earlier this month, the researchers made microlitres of the vaccine based on Moderna's Covid shot.

Moderna's shot was chosen to replicate because more information on its development was available publicly, compared with Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine.
Amaravati, Feb 19 : Days after being shunted out as the Director General of Police, D. Gautam Sawang has been appointed as the Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC).

The Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Biswabhusan Harichandan, made the appointment in exercise of the powers conferred under Articles 316 (1) and 316 (2) of the Constitution of India. Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma issued a government order in this regard.

The Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government issued the order after consultation with Sawang, who was removed as the police chief in a surprise move on February 15.

The Indian Police Service (IPS) officer will hold the post of APPSC for a period of six years. However, as per the APPSC's regulations, he will be deemed retired from service.

Sawang's new appointment is seen as an honourable exit along with extension of service as the 1986-batch IPS officer is due to retire in July next year.

Currently, the APPSC is headed by incharge Chairman A.V. Ramana Reddy after the exit of former Chairman Uday Bhaskar.

On Tuesday, the Andhra Pradesh government shunted out Sawang as DGP and appointed Kasi Reddy V.R.N. Reddy as the new police chief.

Sawang was directed to report to the government in the General Administration Department for further postings.

KVRN Reddy, Director General of Police (Intelligence), has been placed in full additional charge of the post of DGP until further orders.

Belonging to the 1992 batch of the Indian Police Service (IPS), KVRN Reddy has been serving as the intelligence chief of the state since August 2020.

Sawang's transfer came nearly two weeks after government employees held a huge protest in Vijayawada despite police denying permission and imposing restrictions in the city.

Thousands of employees from across the state managed to reach the city for 'Chalo Vijayawada' on February 3. This was seen as a big failure of the police.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had reportedly taken serious note of the incident. The next day he had called the DGP and sought an explanation from him.

After assuming office as the Chief Minister in May 2019, Jagan Mohan Reddy had picked Gautam Sawang as the police chief.

Sawang, a 1986-batch IPS officer, succeeded R.P. Thakur, who was transferred and posted as Commissioner, Printing and Stationery and Stores Purchase.

Before Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh, Sawang worked in various positions, including Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Maoist-hit Warangal district.

In 2015, he became the Commissioner of Police in Vijayawada, and three years later, he was appointed as Andhra Pradesh DG, Vigilance and Enforcement.

From 2009-12, he served as a Commissioner for UN Police in Liberia.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : India's industry bodies have welcomed India-United Arab Emirates (UAE) trade pact, citing it as an enabler to increase exports.

On Friday, India and the UAE entered into a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

The agreement to boost bilateral trade is expected to be implemented within 60 days and entails enhanced market access and reduced tariff.

It is expected that the CEPA will lead to an increase in bilateral trade from the current $60 to $100 billion in the next five years.

The India-UAE CEPA is the first bilateral trade accord concluded by the UAE, and is also India's first bilateral trade agreement in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

At present, UAE is India's second largest export destination next only to the US.

In the first nine months of the current financial year, India's exports to the UAE has already crossed $20 billion.

"CEPA with UAE will be extremely beneficial to Indian exports, particularly for the labour-intensive sectors like agriculture and processed food, including meat and marine products, gems and jewellery, apparel and textiles, leather and footwear as well as other sectors like engineering, organic chemicals, plastics, paper and paper products, iron and steel, electrical and electronics goods, automobile and auto components and pharmaceuticals," said A. Sakthivel, President, Federation of Indian Export Organisations.

"The free trade agreement (FTA) will result in exponential growth in India's exports to UAE and will also open the market to other Gulf Cooperation Council countries." According to Engineering Export Promotion Council India Chairman, Mahesh Desai, "The India-UAE FTA will provide major push to the engineering goods exports' as a result of lowering of import duty on most items." Besides, he said the import duty concessions are expected to allow the engineering exports to grow by 10 per cent in the first two years and then the average by nearly 15 per cent in the next three years.

The UAE has been India's third largest export destination for engineering items despite the constraint of average 5 per cent import duty.

"With the import duty now coming down to 'zero' we see the share of engineering goods in UAE's total import increasing at a fast pace," Desai added.

Furthermore, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) Chairman, Narendra Goenka, said, "With India supplying $1,515 million of apparel to the UAE as compared to its total imports of $3,517 million, Indian apparel exports contribute a decent share of 43 per cent." "The trade pact would result in a drop of 5 per cent import duty for Indian readymade garments. This will further strengthen the dominant position of Indian apparels in the UAE." In addition, Goenka said the trade pact will particularly benefit the knitted garments segment and increase significant employment opportunities in clusters across India.

The textiles and apparel industry in India is the second largest employer in the country providing direct employment to 45 million people and 60 million people respectively in the allied industries.

"Tracing the export chain, we find that our apparel exports to the UAE also cater to the apparel needs of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the UK," AEPC Chairman added.

"The UAE is a large retail market with players across the value chain, including major western fashion chains, wholesale buyers from North Africa and the Middle East."
New Delhi, Feb 19 : The Centre has provided 'Y' category VIP security to former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and poet Kumar Vishwas, government sources said here on Saturday.

After a thorough review and based on intelligence inputs, the Centre decided to provide Vishwas VIP security through the Central Reserve Police Force, sources added.

The security of Vishwas was reviewed on Friday following his statement that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wanted to become the Prime Minister of "Independent Khalistan".

Reacting to the allegations levelled against him, Kejriwal on Friday said he is the "world's sweetest terrorist" who provides hospitals, schools, electricity etc.

Recently, a video clip went viral which showed the former AAP leader alleging that Kejriwal wanted to become either the Punjab Chief Minister or Prime Minister of an Independent Khalistan without naming him.

The AAP chief was also seen meeting separatist elements during 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Vishwas alleged.

The Election Commission banned the circulation of the video clip on Wednesday, but lifted the ban on Thursday.

The AAP termed the video as "false, misleading and a handiwork of rival parties".

Reacting to the developments, Kejriwal said on Friday, "This is comedy. If their allegations are to be believed, I am a big terrorist and if that is the case, what were security agencies doing in the last 10 years? "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..."
Chennai, Feb 19 : Well-known Tamil actress Gayathrie, who shot to the limelight for her performance in the light-hearted comedy 'Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom', on Saturday announced that her Instagram account had been hacked.

The actress took to Twitter to make the announcement. She said, "My Instagram has been hacked! Working on recovering it! Please ignore any messages you receive from my account!" Actor Premgi, who is also scoring the music for his brother, director Venkat Prabhu's next film, responded to Gayathrie on Twitter saying that he too had received a message from her account.

The actress enquired if he had clicked on any link in the message to which Premgi replied that he did but then, didn't log in.

Gayathrie, who has a number of films in different stages of production including the Vijay Sethupathi-starrer 'Maamanithan' waiting for release, isn't the first celebrity whose Instagram account has been hacked.

Earlier too, several actresses have faced the same problem including Nazriya, Amritha Aiyer and Pooja Hegde.
Kolkata, Feb 19 : West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee again ran into confrontation when the former returned the latter's recommendation to convene an assembly session from March 7, stating that the proposal did not meet constitutional norms.

In a video tweet the governor said, "Constitution permits the governor to summon the House on the recommendation of the cabinet. This is spelt out in the constitution as also the process is laid down in the rule of business." "The government sent me a file on February 17 seeking to summon the assembly on March 7. However, that had the endorsement of only the Chief Minister. The role of the cabinet decision in this situation is necessary," the governor said.

"The only option that I had was to send the file back to the government so that they can send it back with constitutional compliance. As and when the file comes the matter will be considered in accordance with the constitution," he added.

"Hon'ble CM Mamata Banerjee's recommendation to summon assembly on March 7 had to be returned for constitutional compliance as Guv summons assembly on the recommendation made by the Cabinet after due compliance of Rules of Business under article 166(3) of constitution," Dhankhar also wrote in his tweet.

The governor attached a letter that he wrote to the government as he sent back the file. "Only option was to remit the file and for constitutional compliance," he added.

Expressing disappointment, TMC national spokesperson Sukhendu Sekhar Roy noted that Dhankhar had previously "sat over files" duly approved by people's representatives, and returning the recommendation for assembly session was the latest move to "stall administrative work".

"He has also put on hold the bill seeking creation of Bally municipality. The recommendation for summoning the House has been made to him by the chief minister with due endorsement by the parliamentary affairs minister. How come he inferred that it did not have the sanction of the cabinet?" Roy added.

"He is trying to run a parallel administration and he is doing this perhaps from deep rooted frustration - might be for the defeat in the election," state Education Minister Bratya Basu said.
Chennai/New Delhi, Feb 19 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has virtually inaugurated the drone manufacturing facilities of Garuda Aerospace at Manesar in Gurugram and in Chennai, said a top company official.

The Chennai-based Garuda Aerospace is a drone-as-a-service (DAAS) company.

According to Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder & CEO, Garuda Aerospace, Modi virtually inaugurated the drone manufacturing facilities in two locations and also pressed a button resulting in the taking off of 100 Kisan drones simultaneously in 100 villages.

The 100 drones commenced agriculture spraying operations in 16 different states to celebrate 75 years of Independence as part of the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', Jayaprakash added.

"Glad to have witnessed Kisan Drones in action at 100 places across the country. This is a commendable initiative by a vibrant start-up, @garuda_india. Innovative technology will empower our farmers and make agriculture more profitable," Modi tweeted.

Modi said the occasion will not just be a milestone for the drone sector but also open up a multitude of possibilities.

"I have been told that Garuda Aerospace has planned 1 lakh 'Made in India' drones in the next two years. This will give employment and opportunities to hundreds of youth," Modi said.

The Budget announcements this year had prioritised technology and innovation and mentioned the use of kisan drones among the varied sectors wherein drones can be used.

"Having liberalised the Drone Rules in 2021, the government has consistently been encouraging Aatmanirbhar Bharat with major policy decisions on Drone Shakthi and banning the import of foreign Drones," Modi added.

"We have reposed our faith in the young talent and brought in new suitable policies," the Prime Minister said and appreciated the youngsters taking risks in the new field even as he assured that the Centre will always back them.

Garuda has taken a space on lease for making its drones from Defsys Solutions in Gurugram, Jayaprakash said.

According to him, the Defsys Solutions' facility is equipped with advanced design and prototype testing capabilities.

The 2.5-acre facility is a hub for drone software design, hardware structural testing, type certification, and manufacturing capacity of 40 drones per day.

Garuda's proposed Chennai plant is located on a 20-acre facility where mass volume manufacturing capacity of 100 drones per day and manufacturing of 100,000 kisan drones are being planned over the next two years, Jayaprakash added.

The site is also the proposed RPTO (Remote Pilot Training) facility which aims to train aspiring drone pilots.

"Having our drone facilities launched by the Prime Minister fuels Garuda's vision to become India's first ever drone unicorn startup that manufactures six lakh drones and deploy one drone in each Indian village by 2025," Jayaprakash said.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : The Chhattisgarh government on Saturday claimed that only 2,12,162 metric tonnes of chemical fertilizers have been supplied to the state by the Centre for the Rabi season 2021-22 so far as against 7.50 lakh metric tonnes.

This is just 52 per cent of the supply plan issued by the central government for Chhattisgarh from October to February. The allocation of fertilizers to Chhattisgarh is not being done as per the approved quantity and supply plan by the Government of India, the state government claimed.

Chhattisgarh Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Ravindra Choubey informed that Chhattisgarh Government has demanded 7.50 lakh metric tonnes of chemical fertilizers from the Government of India for the Rabi year 2021-22. However, Government of India has given approval to supply only 4.11 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizers, which is just 55 per cent of the state's demand.

The quantity of fertilizer demanded by Chhattisgarh has already been reduced by 45 per cent by the Centre. Of the 4.11 lakh metric tonnes of fertilizers approved by the Government of India to Chhattisgarh for the current Rabi season include 2 lakh metric tonnes of Urea, 60,000 metric tonnes of DAP, 50,000 metric tonnes of NPK, 26,000 metric tonnes of MOP and 75,000 metric tonnes of SSP.

Choubey said that against the approved quantity of 4.11 lakh metric tonnes, the Centre has issued a plan to supply 3,46,225 metric tonnes of fertilizers to Chhattisgarh from October to February. Against the supply plan, only 2,12,162 metric tonnes of chemical fertilizers have been supplied to the state, which is only 52 per cent of the approved quantity.

He added that the information regarding providing 4.36 lakh metric tonnes of chemical fertilizers by Government of India, against the total requirement of Chhattisgarh, is false and misleading.

The state Agriculture Minister also informed that in Rabi season 2021-22, even if the amount of chemical fertilizers saved in the state as on October 1, 2021, and the quantity of new supply by the Government of India are combined, the total quantity of chemical fertilizers is 3,69,817 metric tonnes, which is much less than 4,36,000 metric tonnes of the quantity being informed by the Government of India.
The most plaintive words, across languages, could be "If I could turn back time/the clock". While what the future will bring hangs heavy on most people, and many may not forgo a way to plumb its secrets; while human science has yet to devise a way to enable time travel, human culture, especially its literature, has no such limitations.

Time travel across various media -- from "Dr Who" to "Star Trek: The Original Series" (TV, films, spin-off novels), from Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" to "Back to the Future" series, and from Harry Potter (remember the third installment?), to an array of science fiction masterpieces -- shows that the trope has flourished for more than a century now, and become a staple of science fiction.

However, the earliest occurrences crop up in some unexpected places.

The Vishnu Purana tells us of the solar dynasty monarch Raivata Kakudmi, who travels to the abode of the celestial creator Brahma to consult him on a pressing matter. He only spends a day there but is surprised to find, on his return to the mortal realm, that several aeons have passed.

There are similar stories in other traditions too, especially of the "Seven Sleepers", who hid in a cave to avoid persecution of the Christians in the then Roman empire, went to sleep, and woke up centuries later. A version is also found in The Quran ("Sura Al-Kahf"/"The Cave").

These instances, and in early literary manifestations -- "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) by Washington Irving and of several others, who sleep through the ages to awaken in the future -- are more cases of time dilation than time travel. But that would soon change as science fiction emerged and flourished.

The idea of a device, or some unknown natural or supernatural occurrence, propelling the user into the future, or the past, is generally held to begin with H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" (1895), though Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" (1843), in which the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is confronted with his past and future, and given a choice to change the latter, is an earlier example in some respects.

Among the earliest known works of time travel, by means of a device rather than supernatural power, is American journalist-author Edward Page Mitchell's short story "The Clock That Went Backward" (1881), in which two boys go back in time and space, courtesy of the device, and make a mark in history.

As the story was targeted at younger readers, it did not create much of a splash.

Though Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" (1889), about the eponymous hero travelling back to the era of the Knights of the Round Table and bringing in elements of the future, came first, it was Wells who laid the basis for the sub-genre of science fiction.

But to be considered a time travel story, a work must contain a few defining elements, such as a mechanism by which to travel through time, usually a time machine.

There is one more key element, which we'll return to soon.

Time travel stories also come in various flavours.

One is about the inevitability of fate where the protagonists go to the future, only to find a dystopian world which is a consequence of happenings in their own time, and return to their time and try to prevent what they saw from happening.

They may or may not be successful, and if it is the latter, well, you can't fight fate. The "Time Scout" books by Robert Asprin and Linda Evans are a good example.

Then there are the ones where a trip into the past shows that history is different from what they thought it was, and then they change it so that it conforms to what they "know" as history -- they think they "changed the past", but this has already been done. "There Will Be Time" by Poul Anderson, Eoin Colfer's "Artemis Fowl", Robert Heinlein's "The Door into Summer" and some of his stories serve as examples.

Another variant sees the heroes go to the past because things went wrong there and they want to change it to make a better "present". This throws up some sub-variants, especially when villains go to the past to change it so that the present is better for them (Austin Grossman's uproarious superhero novel "Soon I Will Be Invincible"), and thus, bad for the heroes, who might follow them to foil the attempts (Terry Pratchett's "Night Watch").

And then, even sometimes well-intentioned time travellers heading to the past to try and make it "better", may end up making it worse, either by altering the future for the bad, creating a situation where the cause-effect paradigm or even the fabric of reality is threatened, or drawing the adverse attention of entities who would like time to go as it was.

Then, there is what is known as "Hitler's Time Travel Exemption Act", where it is impossible to go back and stop a real-life bad thing from happening -- say, killing Adolf Hitler before he comes to power, or savingJohn F. Kennedy from an assassin's bullet. Either it makes things worse -- the villain is replaced with an even more evil, but efficient, one or saving a hero has unwelcome consequences, or time itself will prevent this.

Stephen Fry's "Making History" is what happens when you go back to eliminate Hitler, Stephen King's "11/22/63" (about saving JFK), and Ben Elton's "Time and Time Again" (about averting the assassination that led to World War I).

Getting trapped leaves our heroes stuck in the past, and they now have to find how to get to their present in the future, or wait for someone to rescue them. If they can't, they have to choose between living a quiet life and trying not to interfere with the past, or using their future knowledge to make the past better.

Or they might discover that they're in a situation and can't change anything even if they wanted to. An example can be found in Books 2 and 3 ("The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe" -- for the trapped part -- and "Life, the Universe and Everything", for the chancy rescue part) of Douglas Adam's "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". Isaac Asimov's "The End of Eternity" is about being unable to change anything.

Taking from the multiple worlds theory view of quantum mechanics, some stories presage a visit to the past and changes made there, creating an alternate timeline where the future will have changed, for better or worse, due to their intervention and they might not even be able to return there. (Asimov's Norby series deals with this as well as Eric Flint's "1632", and its sequels by other writers too.) Then there are the ones about organisations that patrol time and prevent changes which could affect the past/present/future, or threaten causality, space-time, or existence. Poul Anderson's "Time Patrol" series is among the best.

The temporal paradox element focuses on time travel so affecting causality that it may lead to the time travellers not being able to make the trip at all, and this could lead to the end of time/the world, or their own existence, at the least.

If all this leaves you confused, don't doubt yourself. It's now time for one most essential feature of time travel stories left to be revealed -- the mind games it entails. Our minds are so attuned to the unidirectional, unispeed movement of time, that the paradoxes and mess of causality that permeate and define it, leaves many struggling to grasp the leaps in logic demanded.

If you still are interested, begin with the anthologies by Mike Ashley for the Mammoth Book and British Library Science Classics series, or for Kindle readers, the Wildside Press Megapacks of time travel stories (four at the last count) for the shorter version, and a whole galaxy of the longer form. Indian examples are virtually absent, with just Shovon Chowdhury's "The Competent Authority" or Trisha Das' "Kama's Last Sutra" qualifying.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)
Agartala, Feb 19 : Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said on Saturday that operations of passenger aircraft from Agartala airport to two important Bangladesh cities -- Dhaka and Chittagong -- would be started soon.

Taking to Twitter, the Chief Minister said: "Finally, MBB Airport in Agartala is now set to have international flight service with Dhaka and Chittagong. My heartfelt thanks to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji and Civil Aviation Minister Shri JM Scindia ji for this initiative to fulfil the dream of the people of Tripura." "The proposed international flight service with Bangladesh will surely boost Tripura's tourism and take the state to a new height in terms of air connectivity. It will also benefit the people of Bangladesh in various ways and strengthen the cordial relation between the two countries," Deb said in another tweet.

An official from the transport department said that under the UDAN-RCS, bids would soon be floated by the Civil Aviation Ministry to finalise the routes.

"In the proposed tender, expression of interest would be sought from the airline companies keen to operate flights in the Agartala-Dhaka-Chittagong routes," the official said, adding that the entire process would be completed within the next six months.

The Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport in Agartala became ready to operate international flights after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new integrated terminal building on January 4.

According to the officials of the Airport Authority of India, the MBB airport, located 20 km north of Agartala, is the second busiest airport in the northeast after the Guwahati airport in terms of handling of aircraft and passengers.

The Guwahati and Manipur airports were earlier declared international airports.

Built at a cost of Rs 500 crore and with a built-up area of 30,000 sq mt, the new integrated terminal building at the MBB airport has been designed to handle 1,500 passengers, including 200 international passengers, during peak hours and it is equipped with all modern amenities.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : Former MD and CEO of NSE Chitra Ramkrishna refused to reveal the identity of the unknown person she was seeking guidance from and sought to claim that the unknown person is a spiritual force.

From a perusal of the emails between the two, it is evident that the unknown person is a physical being and has gone on vacations with Chitra to "chill".

It is apparent that Chitra refused to reveal the identity of the unknown person and has sought to claim that the unknown person is a spiritual force, a SEBI probe found.

Chitra submitted to SEBI that the unknown person is a spiritual force having no physical persona. SEBI found that she made incorrect and misleading submission before NSE that the unknown person was a 'siddha-purusha' or 'paramhans' who did not have physical persona and could materialise at will.

It is observed, based on the e-mail correspondences between the unknown person and Chitra and the statement before SEBI that the unknown person and Chitra have met several times during the year 2015.

In her statement dated April 14, 2018, before SEBI, she has submitted to have attended the meeting with the unknown person at the Swamimalai temple in Delhi and also met him on occasions in holy places.

An e-mail dated February 17, 2015 from the unknown person to the noticee - "...p.s, keep bags ready I am planning a travel to Seychelles next month, will try if you can come with me, before Kanchan goes to london with Kaanchana and Barghava and you to New Zealand with two children. HK is a preferred transit or Singapore for onward journey. In case you need help pi let me know Seshu will do the needful. If you know swimming then we could enjoy a sea bath in Seychelles and rest in the beach. I am asking my tour operator to connect with Kanchan for all of our tickets." Another e-mail dated February 18, 2015 from the unknown person to the noticee - "Today you are looking Awesome. You must learn different ways to platt your hair which will make your looks interesting and appealing!! Just a free advice, I know you will grab this. Keep March mid a little free." E-mail dated February 25, 2015 from the unknown person to the noticee - "...PS : I overheard with Kanchan when you said lets pack and leave, Get ready count down starts now I accomodate for Seychelles where you can chill it out." An E-mail dated September 16, 2015 from the unknown person to the noticee - "Did you hear that Makara Kundala song I sent? You must hear the resonance of that iterations. I am happy to see cheer, on your face and absolutely from your heart. I did rejoice the time yesterday with you. These small things you did for yourself make you feel younger and energetic." Chitra has stated that the unknown person having email id 'rigyajursama@outlook.com' was a 'siddha-purusha' or 'paramhansa' who did not have physical persona and could materialize at will.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
Hyderabad, Feb 19 : Tens of thousands of devotees offered prayers to tribal deities at Medaram in Mulugu district of Telangana on Saturday on the last day of Medaram Jatara.

Tribals from different parts of Telangana and neighbouring states made a beeline to pay obeisance to Sammakka and Saralamma and offer jaggery as per the tradition.

The four-day fair, considered as the largest tribal fair in Asia, came to an end with the priests taking back the deities to forest as per the tradition.

Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan was among those who offered prayers on the last day of Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, the governor offered prayers and made the offerings.

The tribal priests, officials, Mulugu MLA Seetakka and others welcomed the governor, who went round the 'Gaddelu' and performed the special pujas duly following the traditional native rituals.

Later, interacting with the media persons, she stated that she had offered prayers for the wellbeing of the nation and the State. She extended special wishes to the tribal people on the celebration of the native tribal festival and termed the fair as one of the unique native tribal celebrations in the country.

The governor emphasized on the need to promote, protect, and perpetuate the rich and unique cultural traditions and practices of the indigenous people.

Referring to her road journey to Medaram, Soundararajan said that she thought it would give her an opportunity to better understand the conditions at the grassroots level and connect better with the people in rural and tribal habitations.

The governor highlighted the need to work intensively for the all-round development of the tribal population and stated that the Raj Bhavan's initiative to improve the nutritional status of the people belonging to the primitive tribal groups was one such activity.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who was scheduled to visit Medaram to take part in the tribal fair on Friday, cancelled his program at the last moment. No reasons were given for the cancellation of the visit.

State ministers Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Gangula Kamalakar, Malla Reddy, Indrakaran Reddy and T. Srinivas Yadav and several MLAs of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) were in Medaram on Friday to welcome the chief minister.

BJP's state president Bandi Sanjay, who attended the tribal festival on Friday, slammed the chief minister for cancelling his visit. He alleged that KCR has insulted the tribal community and Telangana culture by skipping the festival.

Union minister for tourism and culture G. Kishan Reddy had also visited Medaram on Friday and participated in the rituals.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy also had darshan at Medaram Jatara on Saturday. Like all other devotees, he offered 'bangaram' (jaggery) to the deities.

Revanth Reddy, who is also a member of Lok Sabha, said Medaram Jatara should be declared a national festival. He said it was unfortunate that the state and the central governments were not giving proper recognition to the festival, which is next only to Kumbh Mela.

Over a crore people are estimated to have visited Jatara during the last few days. Many devotees offered prayers even before the beginning of the fair on February 16.

Tribals congregate at Medaram once in two years to celebrate the valour of legendary warriors Sammakka and Sarakka.

The tribals treat them as goddesses and hail their bravery in trying to protect them. Belonging to the Koya tribe, the mother-daughter duo died while fighting against the Kakatiya empire.

The legend is that Sammakka and her daughter Saralamma fought against levy of taxes on tribals during drought conditions by the then Kakatiya rulers in the 12th century.

Tribal king Medaraju was ruling the tribal habitations on the banks of river Godavari, and was supposed to pay a royalty to the Kakatiya kings. However, due to severe prolonged drought, Medaraju failed to pay a royalty. Treating it as defiance, the Kakatiya Kings invaded the region. Fighting with the Kakatiya army, Medaraju and all kin died. His daughter Sammakka and her daughter Sarakka or Saralamma too died in the fight.

According to local lore, Sammakka who was fatigued went above the Chilukalagutta hillocks and disappeared. The Adivasis who reportedly went in search of her only found a casket of vermilion under a bamboo tree.
Chandigarh, Feb 19 : A day ahead of Assembly elections in Punjab, Balbir Singh Sidhu, former Cabinet minister and Congress candidate from Mohali, on Saturday termed the surprise check at his brother's home a result of frustration of the opposition on seeing his clear victory in the elections.

Addressing the media, Sidhu dared AAP Mohali candidate, Kulwant Singh, to fight him politically like a leader and not play "vendetta politics" from behind the scenes.

He said the police reached his brother's home suddenly and without any written complaint.

"Yet we (Sidhu and his brother) fully cooperated with the police during the search. The police failed to find anything. In my long political career, I never did anything wrong. It was a clear case of political vendetta to tarnish me and my family's name and goodwill on the direction of the AAP Mohali candidate," the Congress leader alleged.

The surprise check on Friday evening was a result of the AAP candidate's frustration, Sidhu added.

"I have reached to this position in my political career with long years of hard work. You can't get people's goodwill and affection in a few days. You have to work hard for that," he said.

Commenting on some machines meant for disabled people found during the police search, Sidhu added that on World Disability Day, "we distribute machines, tricycles, wheelchairs etc. to differently-abled children in the memory of my Olympian elder brother, late Baldev Singh Sidhu, who played a big role in my political career".

The Congress leader also threatened to file a defamation case against Kulwant Singh.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified draft revised norms for emissions from generator that would be common for all fuels and even upcoming fuels.

This would be effective from July 2023.

Currently, there are three different emission standards for the generator sets based on different fuel gasoline, diesel and dedicated CNG, dedicated LPG, dual fuels & Bi-fuels. "The revised standards are a single standard covering all available fuels and upcoming fuels viz producer gas, hydrogen gas etc," the proposal has said.

The draft notification was issued late on Friday night.

The India Genset Emission Standards-IV+ given for gen sets in two categories mentions the limits NO (Oxides of Nitrogen); HC (Hydrocarbon); CO (Carbon Monoxide); PM (Particulate Matter) and also for CI (Compression Ignition) and PI (Positive Ignition).

"We had an experts' group formed to study this and then we also had the findings peer reviewed and only then issued this draft notification," said a senior scientist from the Ministry.

Air pollution is an increasing menace across India and amongst the point sources of emissions, generators using different fuels are a prominent source. The Centre has also taken a number of regulatory measures for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution in the country. With availability of cleaner fuels such as BS VI, the regulation on emission from DG sets is required to be improvised, the Ministry's draft notification said.

There would be certifications based on types of engines and there would be authorized agencies for certifications.

The emission limits for new engines up to 800 kW used for power generating set shall come into force from July 1, 2023 with the draft also mentioning the transition provisions for Gensets and Genset Engines manufactured as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB-II) norms.
New Delhi, Feb 19 : The Election Commission on Saturday banned Telangana BJP MLA T. Raja Singh from campaigning in UP assembly election for 72 hours. The 72-hour ban began from 6 p.m. on Saturday.

The poll body has also directed the chief electoral officer, Telangana, to register an FIR against Singh under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of the People Act.

The EC had issued a notice to Singh on Wednesday, after a video of his threatening UP electors who did not support Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was shared across media platforms. The poll body had asked Singh to provide an explanation as to why action should not be initiated against him. However, the BJP MLA from Telangana had sought more time to file his reply to the ECI notice. He was granted time until 1 p.m. on Saturday.

The EC said in the order that no response had been received from Singh or his advocate in the stipulated time.

"Commission observes that due to fast dissemination of information in this digital age, the statements made are not confined to the place of its occurrence, and Commission has again seen the video recording of the impugned statement and has observed that being a public representative such statements made by Mr Singh are utterly irresponsible and intimidating to the voters that have the undertone and propensity to undue influence the elections in the State of Uttar Pradesh," the order reads.

The EC said, in its view, Singh had violated the Model Code of Conduct as well as sections of the Indian Penal Code and Representation of the People Act 1951, and Para 4 of part 1 'General Conduct' of Model Code of Conduct, for the guidance of political parties and candidates by making the impugned statement.
London, Feb 20 : In a prickly interaction with a moderator, S Jaishankar, Indian External Affairs Minister, remarked in a panel discussion at the annual Munich Security Conference that ties with China are going through a very difficult phase.

Answering a question on the Sino-India situation, the minister explained: "It's a problem we are having with China; and the problem is this: that for 45 years there was peace, there was stable border management, there were no military casualties from 1975. That changed because we had agreements with China not to bring military forces to the border, we call it border but it's a line of actual control, and the Chinese violated those agreements. Now the state of the border will determine the state of the relationship. That's natural. So obviously relations with China are going through a very difficult phase." Asked if the relationship with the West had improved as a result of the confrontation with China, he replied: "My relations with the West were quite decent before June 2020." The questioner pointed out: "A recent poll, I think it was published just last week, indicates that on this occasion of the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India relations which we celebrate this year, levels of trust between ASEAN countries and India are fairly low. India ranks fifth, after Japan, the United States, the EU and China; and only 16.6 per cent of respondents in this poll have said that they have confidence in India." Jaishankar answered: "I am a politician, so I believe in polls. But I have never seen a poll which has made any sense to me when it comes to foreign policy. So I guess what you cited is probably part of a long list. I would say our relations right now with ASEAN are actually growing well. The two big changes which are taking place are, we have much stronger security cooperation with the ASEAN and the other is physical connectivity." There was a charge of lack of principle between India's attitude towards China and policy towards Russia, when it came to the latter's current stand-off with Ukraine. The minister challenged this by saying: "I don't think the situations in the Indo-Pacific and the trans-Atlantic are really analogous. We have quite distinct challenges between what's happening here (Europe) and what happening in the Indo-Pacific." He added: "I think principles and interests are balanced and if people were so principled in this part of the world, they would have been practicing those principles in Asia or in Afghanistan." Jaishankar was speaking at a panel discussion on 'A Sea Change? Regional Order and Security in the Indo-Pacific'. Other speakers in the conversation were representatives of the three other QUAD member countries, namely Yoshimasa Hayashi, foreign minister in Japan, Marise Payne, the Australian foreign minister, and Jeanne Shaheen, a US senator.

Thirty heads of government or state and over 100 minister rank officials are attending the weekend conference.
Imphal, Feb 20 : Condemning the attack on the father of one of his party's candidates, Meghalaya Chief Minister and NPP President Conrad K. Sangma on Saturday urged the Election Commission to take adequate security measures in Manipur to conduct a violence-free election.

Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh and leader of the National People's Party's (NPP) said that party's Andro constituency Candidate L. Sanjoy Singh's father L. Shamjai Singh was shot in the right shoulder on Friday night while he was at a campaign programme at Yairipok Yambem Leikai.

Unidentified assailants opened fire and Shamjai Singh was hit on the right shoulder and shifted to the hospital, the deputy chief minister said.

Sangma, who visited the hospital to see the condition of Shamjai Singh, said that a party delegation met Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Agrawal and demanded to arrange adequate security to hold the free and fair elections to the Manipur assembly.

"The current trend suggests that the election might not be free and fair. Hence, we have demanded deployment of additional central paramilitary forces in Manipur especially in the vulnerable areas," he told the media.

Asserting that the NPP would secure win in a large number of seats in the state, Sangma said that such attacks prove that the party is growing stronger.

The NPP, the dominant party of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, has been an ally of the BJP in both the northeastern states (Meghalaya and Manipur) since 2017, but in the current assembly elections both the parties are contesting against each other.

The NPP has put up 28 candidates while the BJP has fielded its candidates in all the 60 seats in the Manipur elections. Polling to the 60-member assembly will take place in two phases on February 27 and March 5. Votes will be counted on March 10.
Tehran, Feb 20 : Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Saturday that any possible agreement between Iran and world powers in the Austrian capital of Vienna must include removal of anti-Iran sanctions and valid guarantees for the implementation of commitments, according to the presidential website.

Raisi made the remarks during a phone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Xinhua news agency reported.

"In the course of negotiations, the Islamic Republic of Iran has offered constructive proposals and has examined the proposals by the other sides of the talks and their compliance with the interests of the Iranian people," Raisi said.

He also warned against "political pressures or claims made with the aim of maintaining pressure on the Iranian people," which has undermined the prospect of reaching an agreement in the talks aimed at reviving the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

For his part, Macron said that good progress has been made in the Vienna talks, expressing the hope that the talks would draw conclusions as soon as possible.

Former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of 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 programmes.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in Vienna between Iran and the remaining parties, namely Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, with the US indirectly involved in the talks, to revive the landmark deal.
Check up It is a heavy order to convince children that going to see the doctor is not scary. But it can be done through educational and interactive experiences, which help them understand that what we do is help keep people healthy.

Experience the museum exhibit based on Disney Juniors Peabody Award-winning television series Doc McStuffins as it returns to The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis. Doc McStuffins: The Exhibit opens February 12, 2022 and runs through May 15, 2022.

This exhibit, produced by The Childrens Museum and Disney Junior, made its first Indianapolis appearance in 2016. It has been wildly popular with the preschool set as it has toured museums across the United States for more than five years. The animated series will celebrate its 10th anniversary throughout 2022.

The highly interactive English and Spanish bilingual experience transports kids and families from Docs backyard clinic to the McStuffins Toy Hospital. There, families are invited to help Doc perform check-ups and diagnose toy patients, while learning about healthy habits, compassion and nurturing care.

Riley Childrens at Indiana University Health, the states only comprehensive pediatric health system, has partnered with The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis to provide an opportunity for children to become comfortable in a healthcare setting.

It is a heavy order to convince children that going to see the doctor is not scary, said Dr. Paul Haut, chief operating officer of Riley Childrens Health. But it can be done through educational and interactive experiences, which help them understand that what we do is help keep people healthy. By teaching visitors about healthy habits, such as practicing good hand hygiene, exercising regularly and eating well, we hope this exhibit will put childrens minds at ease, while supporting our mission to keep all Hoosier children healthy.

Doc McStuffins serves as a great role model to children and adults, encouraging them to explore the importance of taking care of their own bodies as well as caring for others. Children and families are living in an era when our health dominates conversations and the news, said Jennifer Pace Robinson, president and CEO, The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis. This interactive exhibit is a place where families can have important health conversations. Through imaginative play, we hope our visitors will learn more about health, science, and medicine and discover that children can be anything they want to be when they grow up.

Disney Junior's Peabody Award-winning Doc McStuffins is an imaginative animated series about a six-year-old girl who communicates with and heals stuffed animals and broken toys out of her backyard playhouse clinic and in the magical McStuffins Toy Hospital. Created and executive-produced by Humanitas Prize and Emmy Award-winning Chris Nee, the series is globally recognized for its modeling of good health practices and helping young viewers understand the importance of taking care of oneself and others.

The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis is proud to partner with Riley Childrens at Indiana University Health, Old National Bank and Ice Miller LLP.

About The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a nonprofit institution committed to creating extraordinary learning experiences across the arts, sciences, and humanities that have the power to transform the lives of children and families. For more information about The Children's Museum, visit http://www.childrensmuseum.org, follow us on Twitter @TCMIndy, Instagram@childrensmuseum, YouTube.com/IndyTCM, and Facebook. Disney character live appearances are not part of the exhibit.

About Riley Childrens at Indiana University Health

For more than 90 years, Riley at IU Health has been one of the nations leading childrens hospitals. Each year, Riley at Indiana University Health provides compassionate care, support and comfort to 215,000 inpatients and outpatients from across Indiana, the nation and the world. Physicians at Riley at IU Health provide comprehensive care, from the routine to the most complex, in every field of pediatric medicine and surgery. Riley at IU Health is nationally ranked as a top childrens hospital by U.S.News & World Report and is the only nationally ranked childrens hospital in Indiana. Part of Indiana University Health, Riley at IU Health enjoys a unique partnership with the Indiana University School of Medicine, giving our highly skilled physicians access to innovative treatments using the latest research and technology.
Drivers of Jacksonville, North Carolina, can now buy three tires from Don Williamson Nissan and get the fourth one at $1 only.

Drivers who are interested in changing the tires of their vehicles should look no further. At Don Williamson Nissan in Jacksonville, North Carolina, customers can purchase three tires at original prices and get the fourth one at $1 only. This offer is only valid for Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, Toyo and Yokohama OEM, OEA and WIN tires. Individuals must know that this offer cannot be combined with any other offer and will end on April 30, 2022.

In addition to the special offer on the fourth tire, the dealership has an ongoing Nissan Price Match offer. If a customer brings in an eligible competitor quote, Don Williamson Nissan will match the price and will provide an additional 5% credit on select eligible tires. This offer is valid on new dealer-installed OEM, OEA and WIN tires purchased via Nissan Maintenance Advantage Program.

To learn more about the exclusive tire offers at Don Williamson Nissan, interested parties can contact the dealership by dialing 855-827-8447. They can also visit them in person at 310 Western Boulevard in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
Customers can sell their old cars at a Toyota dealership in Milford, Connecticut, without any hassle.

Drivers who are looking to purchase a new vehicle but want to sell their old car can now do so from the comfort of their homes. Colonial Toyota, an automotive dealership in Milford, Connecticut, is offering an online service where customers can share their old vehicles details and photos to get a firm offer of its value. Once the seller shares the necessary information, the dealerships team of experts will contact the customer within three business hours to share the offer details. If the seller accepts the offer, the dealership will then schedule a vehicle inspection and hand over the check after transferring the title.

The best part about selling an old vehicle to Colonial Toyota is that even if the customer does not buy a new car, the dealership will still purchase the old vehicle. The dealership has an extensive inventory of new Toyota models and efficient pre-owned vehicles. Drivers can easily buy a new Toyota from Colonial Toyota as they work with a variety of financial institutions to tailor the best finance packages for everyone.

Interested parties can contact Colonial Toyota by dialing 203-403-6890. They can also visit the dealership at 470 Boston Post Road in Milford, Connecticut, for further information.
JJ hugging his brothers as a result of a reunification process. ACNUR/ Angelica Montes

Following two years of pro bono representation, attorney Elba Gutierrez, together with Law Clerk Fernando Alamilla, in the Mexico City office of Greenberg Traurig, LLP obtained refugee status for client JJ, a Salvadoran man. JJ had been persecuted in El Salvador for refusing to cooperate with gangs and for his sexual orientation. Greenberg Traurigs team also represented him in the reunification process with his two brothers in Mexico, just in time for the 2021 holidays. The case was referred to the firm by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

The protection of human rights is key in defending democracy and the Rule of Law. These cases are important because they offer protection to people who are vulnerable to revictimization and abuse of authority by governmental agencies, said Gutierrez, Practice Attorney and Pro Bono Manager at Greenberg Traurig. Witnessing the three brothers reunited and hugging each other at the airport has been one of the most heartwarming scenes I have seen.

In early 2020, JJ was detained by Mexican immigration authorities. He was held under precarious conditions at an unofficial immigration center near the southern border. Greenberg Traurigs work included representing JJ in his release from the immigration detention center, counseling during his refugee status determination, and family reunification before the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR). JJs two younger siblings were also victims of attempted forced recruitment and gang threats in their home country. The legal strategy included litigation and amparo lawsuits, given that COMAR has suspended process times in refugee status determination, family reunifications, and other procedures, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which represents a breach of human rights. Although refugees in Mexico have the right to family reunification, COMARs requirements can make the process extremely challenging.

JJs reunification case is a triumph for him and his siblings, as well as a legal victory. Johanna Roldan, Senior Protection Officer at UNHCR in Mexico mentioned, Greenberg Traurigs work shows how access to legal counselling and representation can make a difference, not only within refugee status determination procedures, but also in accessing fundamental rights and rebuilding their lives in host communities. Lawyers not only help refugees navigate administrative and legal procedures but empower them to access rights they are entitled to. We appreciate the excellent work the team of lawyers at GT is doing, which contributes to strengthening the asylum space in Mexico.

The current migratory context is very complex, with policies that severely limit the rights of people who are most vulnerable. We feel honored to contribute to the protection of migrants and asylum seekers human rights through the alliance of our pro bono program with the UNHCR Mexico, said Daniela Reyes, Pro Bono Coordinator at Greenberg Traurigs Mexico City office.

In 2017, Greenberg Traurig became the first firm in Mexico to sign a collaboration agreement with UNHCR. The firm has since assisted other law firms to manage similar cases. In addition to the work with UNHCR, Greenberg Traurig represents vulnerable refugees around the world as part of its award-winning pro bono program. The Mexico City office was recently recognized by Appleseed Foundation as Law Firm of the Year in a ceremony held in November 2021.

About Greenberg Traurigs Pro Bono Program:

Greenberg Traurig lawyers across the firms offices provide pro bono legal services to the indigent and working poor, as well as to numerous civic and charitable organizations dedicated to assisting them. The firm worldwide focuses its resources on specialized and interrelated issues including civil rights and affirmative action, anti-human trafficking, family law matters, childrens rights, criminal appeals, immigration and political asylum, housing, and homelessness.

About Greenberg Traurigs Mexico City Office:

Greenberg Traurigs Mexico City office offers clients innovative, strategic advice and legal services that span both traditional fields and contemporary regulatory sectors. The office has more than 60 bilingual attorneys who have been contributors to major national projects in Mexico and leverages the resources and reach of the firms global platform to provide clients with tailored legal services reflective of the specific industry and market conditions in which they operate. The Mexico City office is an integral part of the firms award-winning Latin America Practice, and has been recognized with leading competition, corporate, M&A, infrastructure, real estate, privacy, energy, administrative litigation, and banking practices in Mexico.

About Greenberg Traurig:

Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2400 attorneys in 42 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm, often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono, reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021. The firm is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, NLJ 250, and Law360 (US) 400. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com
A $500 bonus is available for first responders at Hyundai of St. Augustine for the purchase or lease of select new Hyundai vehicles.

There is some exciting piece of news for the professionals we count on after an emergency near the St. Augustine area in Florida. Hyundai Of St. Augustine is offering a First Responders Program to drivers in St. Augustine, Florida. Eligible customers can get a $500 bonus towards the purchase or lease of select new Hyundai vehicles from the dealership. This offer stands good from June 4, 2019 to Jan. 31, 2022.

To be eligible for this program drivers must be active First Responders at the commencement of the program period. Customers classified as First Responders under this program must be professionals who are active as Police Officers, State Troopers and Federal Law Enforcement Officers, Sheriffs/Sheriff Deputies, Firefighters (paid or volunteer), Correctional Officers, EMT/Paramedics and 911 Dispatchers and their spouses. New or unused Hyundai vehicles at Hyundai of St. Augustine are eligible for the program. Also, please note that for finance contracts, this rebate must be applied toward the down payment whereas, for lease contracts, the rebate must be applied toward the Capitalized Cost Reduction or amount due at lease signing.

Interested parties are encouraged to visit the Hyundai of St. Augustine dealership at 2898 US 1 South, St. Augustine, Florida, 32086 or browse the official website. For any further information regarding the program, drivers can also reach out to the dealership staff at 904-567-7175.
"George was a true pioneer in the staffing industry who achieved tremendous success by embodying PrideStaff's core values of integrity, trust, reliability, respect, innovation, and, of course, pride."

PrideStaff, a nationally franchised staffing organization, is pleased to announce that their late leader and visionary, Founder and long-term CEO George Rogers, was recently inducted into Staffing Industry Analysts' (SIA) Staffing 100 Hall of Fame.

SIA initially created the Staffing 100 North America list to recognize influential individuals who chart a course for the future of the staffing industry. After several years, SIA discovered that there was a group of people who made this list year after year  including Rogers, who was named to the Staffing 100 North America list for five consecutive years. In 2017, SIA created an even more selective list, the Staffing 100 Hall of Fame, to honor this distinguished group of consistent standouts in the workforce ecosystem. This unranked list includes CEOs, entrepreneurs, consultants, technologists, innovators and others who spearhead growth for their organization and the industry, and who exhibit the qualities of empowerment, persistence, integrity, strong leadership and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

"I am thrilled, but not at all surprised, that Staffing Industry Analysts has chosen to honor George in this way," stated PrideStaff Co-CEO Tammi Heaton. "His passion for helping others and entrepreneurial spirit drove him to build an industry-leading franchise organization that makes a real difference to the employers, job seekers and local communities that we serve.

"George was a true pioneer in the staffing industry who achieved tremendous success by embodying PrideStaff's core values of integrity, trust, reliability, respect, innovation, and, of course, pride," continued Heaton. "He is deeply missed, and Co-CEO & CFO Mike Aprile and I are proud to carry on his legacy of innovation and service excellence at the leading edge of a dynamic industry that positively impacts so many people."

As The PrideStaff Companies' Founder and late CEO, Rogers lived out his passion for providing people with opportunities to create meaningful careers. From its home office in Fresno, Rogers steadily built his single-office staffing firm into a nationwide, commercial franchise with a mission to "Consistently provide client experiences focused on what they value most." Over the years, Rogers vision for growth and development also resulted in the launch of four additional divisions  PrideStaff Financial, Rx relief, Insurance Relief, and G.A. Rogers & Associates  each dedicated to serving niche areas within the staffing and recruiting industry. Today, the PrideStaff system operates over 85 franchised and company-owned locations across the country and continues to expand each year.

By investing in client and talent experience, PrideStaff has become the only staffing firm in the U.S. and Canada with over $100 million in annual revenue to earn ClearlyRated's coveted Best of Staffing 10-Year Client and Talent Diamond Awards for the last three consecutive years. The 10-year Diamond Award is earned by fewer than 0.5 percent of all staffing firms, placing PrideStaff in a truly elite group of companies that lead the industry in satisfaction.

About PrideStaff

PrideStaff was founded in the 1970s as 100% company-owned units and began staffing franchising in 1995. They operate over 85 offices in North America to serve more than 5,000 clients and are headquartered in Fresno, CA. With 40 plus years in the staffing business, PrideStaff offers the resources and expertise of a national firm with the spirit, dedication and personal service of smaller, entrepreneurial firms. PrideStaff is the only nationwide, commercial staffing firm in the U.S. and Canada with over $100 million in annual revenue to earn ClearlyRateds prestigious Best of Staffing Diamond Awards nine years in a row, highlighting exceptional client and talent service quality.

For more information on our services, or for staffing franchise information, visit our website.
The first shots of the second American Civil War may have already been fired, the investigative journalist Robert Evans argues in his 2018 podcast It Could Happen Here. Drawing on his experience covering civil wars in Iraq, Ukraine, and Syria, the iHeartRadio host demonstrated to millions of listeners that the United States is closer to a nationwide sectarian conflict than they had previously imagined. In his debut novel, After the Revolution, Evans imagines an America crumbling in the chaotic aftermath of such a war.

Evanss publishing model is as revolutionary as his subject matter. He self-published the book in digital and audio formats in August 2021 and released them for free. I dont think Ill ever sell a fiction book in the traditional sense, he says. I view it as an act of solidarity with other poor people who like to read fiction.

The premise for After the Revolution came to Evans as an 18-year-old walking around his hometown of Richardson, Tex., on an actually hallucinogenic dose of MDMA. He developed the idea over the next 10 years while working as a writer, editor, and video producer for Cracked and publishing his first book, the tongue-in-cheek nonfiction volume A Brief History of Vice, with Penguin Random House.

But it wasnt until I went to Iraq that how to actually write [After the Revolution] started coming together, he says. In 2016, Cracked sent Evans to embed with Iraqi Kurdish militias fighting ISIS.

In the novel, Evans envisions a United States fractured into at least 15 independent governments with different ideologies. Most of the action happens in a version of Texas inspired by his experience in Iraq. The area surrounding the left-libertarian Free City of Austin is powered by automation, but opportunity is scarce due to recurring assaults from the Heavenly Kingdom, a Taliban-like Christian state occupying the Deep South.

Evans tells the story through three characters caught in the crossfire: Manny, a fixer guiding journalists through the war-torn Texas landscape; Sasha, a young woman recruited by the Heavenly Kingdom; and Roland, a heavily augmented (or chromed) cyborg supersoldier numbing memories of his violent past in a fugue of drugs, booze, and self-imposed exile.

Despite the postcollapse setting, Evans was determined not to write a pure dystopian or utopian story because thats more realistic. He contrasts the Heavenly Kingdoms oppressive theocracy with new societies based on leftist principles that rise to oppose it.

The most radical example is a nomadic anarchist commune called Rolling Fuck. Its as if Burning Man were permanent and mobile and had the most advanced technology on the planet. The city is a haven for the chromedtranshumanist cyborgs, some of whom can switch genders at willwhere they drink beer laced with LSD and regularly have polyamorous fondle boat parties. The Fuckians are sophisticated warriors, but their progressive culture reckons with the responsibility that comes with their technological power.

After the Revolutions thrilling action scenes are tempered by the trauma Evans witnessed in Iraq and Ukraine. A big influence was watching the United States military bombing Mosul, Evans says. I spent one morning watching airstrikes land in the Old City, then minutes later walked through and there were live munitions, bodies in the rubble, all that shit. Evans says he took direct fire at least three times, and he recalls at least one incident when bullets whizzed past his head while he was embedded with a federal police mortar unit.

The violence, combined with other personal issues, took a toll on Evans. At the end of 2017, he and his wife broke up. I started having outrageous PTSD, just years worth of not taking care of my mental health compounding, and thats when I wrote most of the book, Evan says. It was primarily written as a way to process my post-traumatic stress disorder and my grief at the end of a relationship.

Evans chose to release After the Revolution for free because the story was too intertwined with his trauma and growth to look at as a financial instrument. Evans could have taken After the Revolution to a major publisherhe has another nonfiction book deal in the worksbut, thanks to his six-figure social media following and 10 million monthly podcast listeners, he didnt have to. I dont think this book could have possibly sold without the person writing it having a significant audience already, Evans says.

His decision was also inspired by such copyleft literary heroes as Attack Surface author Cory Doctorowwho lauded the bookand Evanss mentor and editor at Cracked, John Dies at the End author Jason Pargin. Both authors are known for providing their books at no charge. Pargin first released chapters of his novel, later adapted to a feature film, as a pioneering comedy blog, and Doctorow gives away many of his books to readers.

Though profit isnt his primary motive, Evanss approach is paying off. He brought After the Revolution to his producers at iHeartMedia, where he hosts popular shows including Behind the Bastards and a daily edition of It Could Happen Here. iHeartMedia agreed to release the audiobook as an ad-supported podcast, and now its the networks most popular fiction series. On August 16, 2021, the company launched a new progressive subnetwork called Cool Zone Media with Evans as the creative lead.

On May 3, Evans will release a paperback edition of After the Revolution through AK Press, an Oakland-based anarchist collective that has been publishing leftist literature for over 20 years. Robert is in a unique position. His voice has found a pretty large audience, and hes using it to push people to change, not just be entertained, says AK Press collective member Zach Blue. After the Revolution is a timely companion to the host of great nonfiction books out now, and coming soon, that investigate the radicalization of the right and the increasing threat of violence in the U.S.

After the Revolution reveals a large audience hungry for stories that acknowledge the threat of fascism. That audience has already financed the After the Revolution sequel, raising nearly $50,000 on GoFundMemore than double Evanss $20,000 goal.

After the Revolution shows that the way that the book trade operates is not the only way, Blue says. Publishers complain about large entities like Amazon, but they can always do things differently, and authors can do things differently. The work Robert does is proof that theres more than one way to get art out into the world.

Beckett Mufson is a journalist, copywriter, and cofounder of creative agency The Auxiliary.
New York City, NY (11385)

Today

Cloudy with light rain developing after midnight. Low 51F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Cloudy with light rain developing after midnight. Low 51F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Disney+ announced on Friday a second season of Launchpad, which features a collection of live-action shorts made by filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds.

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Season 2 will arrive on Disney+ in 2023. The company chose six writers, five directors and one director/writer from almost 2,000 applicants.

The short films that will be featured include Beautiful, FL from director Gabriela Ortega and writers Joel Perez and Adrian Ferbeyre; Black Belts from director Spencer Glover and writer Xavier Stiles; and The Ghost from director Erica Eng and writer Kevin Park.

Also available will be Maxine by director and writer Niki Ang; Project CC from director Cashmere Jasmine and writer Jasmine Johnson; and The Roof from director Alexander Bocchieri and writer W.A.W. Parker.

"Our first season of Launchpad has already proven to be a real launchpad for success with Ann Marie Pace set to direct an episode of Disney+'s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. This season we have twelve talented filmmakers who are telling deeply personal and meaningful stories that will resonate with audiences everywhere," Mahin Ibrahim, director, representation and inclusion strategies, creative talent pathways who oversees Launchpad, said in a statement.
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On Tuesday, the Georgia House of Representatives sent House Bill 890 to Governor Brian Kemp. The bill redraws the Athens-Clarke County Commission district lines according to a map submitted by the four Republican members of the Athens delegation to the Georgia General Assembly.
At noon on Sunday, Taylor Ooley set up the Love.Craft Athens space with clothes she brought from home and a few of her own sustainable products. This only being the second clothing swap she has ever hosted, she came in with few expectations, but many goals for the event.
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Sparked by global warming and other forms of climate change, tropical butterflies are starting to arrive in Hong Kong and Taiwan in greater numbers, while temperate-zone species like the monarch appear to be dwindling in the region, conservationists told RFA.



"Seven new butterfly species were discovered in Hong Kong in 2021, including swallowtails, gray butterflies, and nymphs; most of them were tropical species," Gary Chan, project officer at Hong Kong's Fengyuan Butterfly Reserve, told RFA.



"Breeding records were found in Hong Kong for several of these species, which indicates that these weren't just strays arriving in Hong Kong with horticultural imports or the monsoon," Chan said.



According to Chan, Neptis cartica and Ancema blanka were both found in Hong Kong for the first time in 2021, along with Zeltus amasa, which is usually native to Malaysia, Thailand, India, Myanmar, Borneo and other points south of Hong Kong.



Meanwhile, tropical migrants are also being spotted in Taiwan, according to Hsu Yu-feng, a butterfly expert at Taiwan National Normal University.



Between 1985 and 2008, at least seven new species of tropical butterfly were found to have settled on the island, including Appias olfern peducaea, which traveled north from the Philippines to settle in the southern port city of Kaohsiung in 2000.



Even butterflies once found only in southern Taiwan are now found across the island, Hsu told RFA.



"When I was an undergraduate student in the 1980s, I went to Kenting [on the southern coast] to see Graphium agamemnon," Hsu recalled. "Then, I saw it for the first time on this university college campus last year, and it was breeding here."



Zeltus amasa. Credit: Wikimedia/Milind Bhakare. SE Asia warming faster

Troides aeacus kaguya is another example of a butterfly that once only lived in southern Taiwan, and can now be found all over the island, he said.



The changes come as temperatures in east and southeast Asia have risen more rapidly than the global average in recent decades, Chan said.



"There are many more places where tropical butterflies and other insects can breed, so that's why we're seeing this northward migration, or dispersal behavior," he said.



Hsu said the butterflies didn't actually migrate, however; rather, their habitats are expanding due to rising temperatures.



"Once upon a time, the more northerly areas were colder, and not suitable for them to settle in, but they are suitable now, because temperatures have risen," Hsu said.



"The north is warming at a higher rate than the south, meaning the difference in temperatures between north and south has been reduced," he said. "That's why southern butterflies are now living in the north."



But the changes are forcing out butterflies that need a temperate climate to breed in, experts said.



Ancema blanka. Credit: Wikicommons/Atudu. Few monarchs now
A cease-fire appeared to be holding in the restive border area between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan after Kyrgyz officials said 31 of the country's citizens were killed in clashes with Tajiks, who appear to have recorded fewer casualties.

Kyrgyz Deputy Health Minister Aliza Soltonbekova told RFE/RL on April 30 that 154 of her country's citizens, including 23 law enforcement, security, and military personnel, were injured during April 28-29 clashes.

Kyrgyz authorities said earlier that some 20,000 people, mainly women and children, had been evacuated from villages near the border since April 29.

Tajikistan, an authoritarian state with tight control over the flow of information, has been more quiet on the extent of causalities, saying only that two Tajik citizens sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to the hospital on April 29 and that another seven locals were injured in clashes.

Correspondents for RFE/RL's Tajik Service reported from the area that at least 12 Tajik citizens, including four military personnel, were killed and dozens of others injured in the clashes, which broke out on April 28 after residents on both sides of the border started throwing stones at each other.

Officials in the southwestern region of Batken said earlier in the day that 13,500 Kyrgyz, mainly women and children, were evacuated from the area, while two individuals were missing.

The situation rapidly escalated, leading to Kyrgyz and Tajik forces exchanging gunfire in the Batken region's Leilek district.

Late on April 29, the two countries' foreign ministries announced they had agreed to a cease-fire and would pull back troops while resolving the conflict through diplomacy.

Tajikistan's Khovar state news agency said on April 30 that President Emomali Rahmon held talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart, Sadyr Japarov, to discuss the situation along the border.



According to the report, the two presidents agreed to continue joint efforts to stabilize the ongoing situation and resolve the demarcation of the border between the two Central Asian nations in the future.



Rahmon invited Japarov to Dushanbe to further discuss border-demarcation plans and Japarov accepted the invitation, the Khovar report said, adding that the visit's date was yet to be determined.



The agency also said that delegations from both nations will convene in Kyrgyzstans Batken region on May 1 to discuss the demarcation and delimitation of the borders.



Later on April 30, delegations from both countries met on neutral territory, at the Kyzyl-Bel checkpoint, and agreed to withdraw all troops from the state border line, they said in a joint statement.



The statement said the delegations were headed by the two countries' national security committees -- Tajik Saimumin Yatimov and Kyrgyz Kamchybek Tashiev.



The meeting was held in the spirit of mutual understanding and good neighborly relations. The parties expressed their desire and readiness to resolve all issues through negotiations, the statement said.

Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev on April 30 hailed the cease-fire and expressed hope that Kyrgyz and Tajik authorities "will be able to settle all disputed issues exclusively through peaceful means."

"For my part, I am ready to make efforts to find mutually acceptable solutions and restore mutual trust," Toqaev's statement said.

Russia's Foreign Ministry called on Bishkek and Dushanbe to reach further long-term agreements on normalizing the situation along the border.



Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on April 30 that Moscow was following "with concern" the abrupt escalation of tensions on the disputed segment of the border, adding that Russia "was ready to assist in resolving the situation by political and diplomatic means."



Peter Stano, lead spokesperson for the European Union's Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, called on Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to implement the cease-fire agreement "without delay for a lasting and peaceful solution."



"Both sides will need to undertake all the necessary steps to avoid any conflict in the future. The EU stands ready to provide, if needed, technical assistance through its regional programs dealing with border management and water management, as well as continued political support for a stability and prosperity in the region, which are key priorities of the EU Strategy on Central Asia," Stano said in the statement.

Kyrgyz police in the Batken region blamed Tajik citizens for the escalation, saying they started shooting at a military unit located in the village of Kok-Tash, while gunfire was also reported from the Tajik side near the Kyrgyz village of Ak-Sai.

Tajikistan's Border Guard Service rejected the Kyrgyz account, saying that Kyrgyz military personnel were the first to shoot when they opened fire at Tajik border units near the Golovnoi water distribution center, located in territory that Tajik authorities claim jurisdiction over.

Like many other border areas in Central Asia, almost half of the 970-kilometer Kyrgyz-Tajik border has not been demarcated since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

The situation is particularly complicated near the numerous exclaves in the volatile Ferghana Valley, where the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan meet.
More than 100 people who were evacuated from a steel plant in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol have arrived in Zaporizhzhya, the Mariupol city council said, as Russian forces resumed their assault on the complex.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the major developments on Russia's invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, the plight of civilians, and Western reaction. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

The council said in a statement that the people who arrived in Zaporizhzhya -- a city about 230 kilometers northwest of Mariupol -- were receiving assistance after emerging from weeks in the bunkers of the sprawling Azovstal plant.



Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said 156 people were evacuated. She said several hundred more people remained inside the plant and tens of thousands of women, children, and elderly remain in Mariupol.



"There is no medicine, water, or communication services," she said at a briefing on May 3, adding that the authorities needed to rescue everyone who wants to escape.



The United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross coordinated the evacuation of women, children, and the elderly from the steel works.

"We would have hoped that many more people would have been able to join the convoy and get out of hell. That is why we have mixed feelings," Pascal Hundt of the ICRC told journalists on a video conference call.



Osnat Lubrani, UN humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, said that 101 women, men, children, and older people could finally leave the plant, and several dozen more joined the convoy in a town on the outskirts of Mariupol. Some evacuees decided not to stay with the convoy and headed to destinations other than Zaporizhzhya, Lubrani said.



A few women who arrived in Zaporizhzhya held up handmade signs calling on the Ukrainian authorities to evacuate soldiers still holed up in the plant and their relatives and loved ones who are trapped.



UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he hoped the continued coordination with Kyiv and Moscow will lead to more humanitarian pauses that will allow civilians safe passage from the fighting.

WATCH: Current Time reporter Borys Sachalko comes under fire as he accompanies a Red Cross team attempting to evacuate a village that lies between Russian-occupied Kherson and Ukrainian-held Mikolayiv in southern Ukraine.

Despite the calls for additional evacuations, Russian troops began to storm the plant soon after the latest group of people got out, Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communications under the National Security and Defense Council said in a statement on May 3.



According to the Vereshchuk, Russia purposely resumed the assault after some civilians got out.



"This was their plan: to allow some civilians to leave and then continue bombing. However, civilians remain there, there are people who did not have time to get out from under the rubble because the blockages were so heavy that in two days they simply could not lift them physically. We need to continue the humanitarian operation, including Azovstal," Vereshchuk said.

French President Emmanuel Macron also urged that evacuations from the steel plant be allowed to continue.



Macron spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on May 3, calling on Russia to rise to the level of its responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council by ending its devastating aggression, an Elysee statement said.



The storming of the plant comes days after Putin said he had called off plans for such an operation. Putin instead said he wanted Russian forces to blockade the sprawling plant "so a fly can't get through."

Later on May 3, Russian strikes began targeting the western city of Lviv. The strikes happened just before 8:30 p.m. local time. It wasnt immediately clear what was targeted.



Mayor Andriy Sadoviy wrote on social media that people in the city should take shelter. Train service out of Lviv was suspended.



Sadoviy acknowledged in another message that the attacks had damaged power stations, cutting off electricity in some districts.



The governor of the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine said Russian troops shelled a coke plant in the city of Avdiyivka, killing at least 10 people and wounding 15 more.



"The Russians knew exactly where to aim -- the workers just finished their shift and were waiting for a bus at a bus stop to take them home," Pavlo Kyrylenko wrote in a Telegram post. "Another cynical crime by Russians on our land."

Kyrylenko said 11 more people were killed in the shelling of four towns in the region. The number includes five killed in the town of Lyman and four in Vuhledar.



Kyrylenko said the death toll on May 3 was the highest on a single day since a Russian strike on a train station in the city of Kramatorsk killed 57 people on April 8 and injured 109 others.

WATCH: Ukrainian troops southeast of Kharkiv survey heavy damage to a community cultural center, reflecting on the impact on locals, now all but gone.

Ukrainian officials say the Russian military also struck railroad infrastructure across the country on May 3.



Oleksandr Kamyshin, head of the state-run Ukrainian railways, said the Russian strikes hit six railway stations in the countrys central and western regions, inflicting heavy damage.



The governor of the Dnipro region, Valentyn Reznichenko, said Russian missiles struck railway infrastructure in the area, leaving one person wounded and disrupting train service.

Earlier on May 3, in a video address to the parliament in Kyiv, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced 300 million pounds ($376 million) worth of extra military aid for Ukraine.

Britain has already sent military equipment, including missiles and missile launchers, to Ukraine. The new aid will consist of electronic warfare equipment, a battery radar system, GPS jamming equipment, and thousands of night vision devices.



In his speech, Johnson referred to a 1940 address by World War II leader Winston Churchill as Britain faced Nazi Germany's aggression.

"The British people showed such unity and resolve that we remember our time of greatest peril as our finest hour," Johnson told the Verkhovna Rada. "This is Ukraine's finest hour, an epic chapter in your national story that will be remembered and recounted for generations to come."

"We will carry on supplying Ukraine...with weapons, funding, and humanitarian aid, until we have achieved our long-term goal, which must be so to fortify Ukraine that no one will ever dare to attack you again," Johnson said.

In Brussels, the EU's executive indicated it was prepared to propose another sanctions package to punish Moscow for invading Ukraine. But Slovakia and Hungary will not support sanctions against Russian energy, including on oil imports.



The two countries say they are too reliant on Russian oil and there are no immediate alternatives.

The sanctions will also target the Russia's largest bank, Sberbank, which will be excluded from the global banking communications system SWIFT, unnamed diplomats said.

Fighting also raged in the strategic port city of Odesa and across Ukraine's east. A 15-year-old boy was killed in a fresh Russian strike on Odesa, the city council said.

Ukraine's second-biggest city, Kharkiv, was under shelling, the military said on May 3, while the General Staff said Ukrainian forces were defending the approach to Kharkiv from Izyum, some 120 kilometers to the southeast.



Since Russia launched its unprovoked war on February 24, its troops have failed to completely take over any major Ukrainian city.

On the diplomatic front, Germany's conservative opposition leader traveled to Kyiv on May 3 for meetings with Ukrainian officials, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz made clear that he wouldn't be visiting Ukraine any time soon.

Friedrich Merz, who heads former Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Union bloc, visited the town of Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, which has been heavily bombarded by Russian forces.

Scholz refused to go to Ukraine because of Kyiv's refusal to invite Germany's head of state, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whom Ukrainians accuse of cozying up to Russia during his time as foreign minister.

"It can't work that a country that provides so much military aid, so much financial aid...you then say that the president can't come," Scholz told public broadcaster ZDF late on May 2.

The United States warned that Moscow was planning to formally take over regions in Ukraine's east.



Michael Carpenter, the U.S. ambassador to the OSCE, said Russia is planning to imminently annex the territories of Luhansk and Donetsk in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, using referendums after failing to overthrow the government in Kyiv.



Russia encountered surprisingly staunch resistance in the north around the regions of Kyiv and Chernihiv, which forced it to redeploy its troops in the south and east, where fighting has intensified in recent days.



Ukraine's east and south are seen as key strategic goals for Russia, allowing it a land link to Crimea.

Separately, Russia's state news agency TASS quoted the Defense Ministry on May 3 as saying that more than 1 million people, including nearly 200,000 children, had been taken from Ukraine to Russia in the past two months.



Defense Ministry official Mikhail Mizintsev said those civilians "were evacuated to the territory of the Russian Federation from the dangerous regions" of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, and from other parts that came under Russian control.

No details were provided on the location or circumstances of the moves.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, BBC, and dpa
"I've seen with my own eyes the movement of tracked military vehicles on the streets of the city," said a resident of the Belarusian town of Khoyniki, in the southeastern corner of the country not far from the Ukrainian border, when asked about the Russian forces in his country for joint military exercises.

"The soldiers have settled in the surrounding forests," the local, who asked not to be identified, added. "They drink a lot and sell a lot of their diesel fuel. They are living in tents."

The first Russian troops began arriving in Belarus for the unexpected Union Determination-2022 exercises on January 18. The maneuvers, a 10-day exercise set to end on February 20 and involving an estimated 30,000 Russian troops and almost the entire Belarusian military, come at a time when Russia has massed military assets around Ukraine and in the occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea, sparking fears of a new invasion.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has called the Belarus exercises "the biggest Russian deployment there since the Cold War."

Khoyniki, some 50 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border, was not originally on the Belarusian Defense Ministry's map for the exercises, but the military issued a new map when they began on February 10 after the appearance of Russian forces in the area was widely reported. Yet another map with additional locations of Russian forces was issued on February 15.

According to a Telegram channel that covers developments on Belarus's railroads, the Russians began unloading military equipment in Khoyniki on the night of February 14-15. The channel reported that soldiers unloading equipment frequently remain on the tracks even as other trains approach within 200 meters of them.

"The engineers nearly have to apply their emergency brakes to avoid running them over," the channel wrote.

In addition, loading ramps, rolling stock, and other railroad equipment were reportedly damaged at Khoyniki, the channel reported.

"Military equipment is frequently dropped from the platforms during unloading," the channel wrote. "After unloading, a lot of abandoned equipment -- body armor, helmets, personal gear -- remained."

The same report claimed the troops left the rail lines littered with trash.

"Over a stretch of 3 kilometers there were 100-liter trash bags every 20 meters, as well vodka bottles, empty plastic beer kegs, and empty cookie packages," the Telegram channel reported. An anonymous commenter responded acerbically that the state railway would just arrange an "emergency" Saturday working day and "the railway workers will clean up everything after our 'brothers.'"

According to a February 15 statement by the Belarusian Defense Ministry, the 465th Tactical Missile Brigade conducted an exercise at the nearby Paleski firing range during which a missile reportedly hit a target over 60 kilometers away. If the missile had been fired in a southeasterly direction, it would have been able to reach the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv.

As tension mounted amid reports of increased shelling in eastern Ukraine, adding to fears that Russia could launch a new offensive against its neighbor, authoritarian Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on February 18.

Ahead of the visit to Russia, Lukashenka said he and Putin would discuss whether the Russian forces would leave Belarus when the exercises conclude.

U.S. officials say that Russia has been planning for a possible invasion of Ukraine that could come any day, and there are concerns that the troops now in Belarus could be used to attack Ukraine from the north.

RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson contributed to this report.
A group of officials and journalists including Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskiy came under mortar fire on February 19 as they were visiting Novoluhanske village in the Donetsk region, close to the area controlled by Russia-backed separatists. RFE/RL Ukrainian Service reporter Maryan Kushnir and a number of other international journalists had to seek shelter as well.
Richmond, KY (40475)

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Greenville, TX (75401)

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Roanoke Rapids, NC (27870)

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Danvers, MA (01923)

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On Tuesday, scores of Disney fans will celebrate Halloween with a ride through the Haunted Mansion at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim.

Carlsbad resident Roland Rolly Crump, 87, wont be among those rolling through the spooky attraction in pitch-black doom buggies, but he will be there in true ghostly spirit.

Crump is one of the last surviving Disney Imagineers whose designs and models were used to create the popular ride, which opened on Aug. 9, 1969. Much in the ride has changed over the years, but Crumps stamp can still be seen throughout the attraction.

All of the grim-grinning ghosts who magically materialize in the ballroom and doom buggies were developed by Crump and his design partner, Yale Gracey, as well as the haunted pipe organ and the floating head in the fortune tellers crystal ball.

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From an early age, Crump was fascinated with magic and Halloween, so he said getting the Haunted Mansion assignment was a dream come true.

Disney gave Gracey and I an open door to come up with ideas, he said, We didnt have a clue on how to come up with ghosts and illusions, but we had our imagination and we had a lot of fun figuring things out.

But like all ghost stories, theres a sad story behind it. Walt Disneys sudden death in December 1966, midway through the mansions development, delayed its debut for years and dramatically changed its design.

Disney had been a big fan of Crumps stranger creature designs and had planned to build a stand-alone Museum of the Weird next to the mansion to display Crumps and others work. But Disneys unexpected passing at age 65  just a month after a terminal lung cancer diagnosis  derailed the project and the designs were scrapped.

Carlsbad resident Roland Rolly Crump, 87, talks about his career in an interview last year. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune )

Some of these designs can be found this winter on the walls of the Oceanside Museum of Art, which is hosting a 140-piece retrospective exhibit of Crumps artwork, Rolly Crump: Its Kind of a Cute Story. It runs through Feb. 18.

Crumps concept drawings for a haunted Gypsy wagon, coffin-shaped grandfather clock and melting-candle man are just a small part of the exhibition, which features other Disney designs, vivid paintings of geishas and Josephine Baker, Dia de los Muertos-inspired art, sculpture, nudes, papier-mache creatures, counterculture posters, dolls, toys and video.

Museum marketing director Collette Murphy Stefanko says the Crump show has been one of the most popular and wide-reaching exhibits its ever produced, drawing non-traditional museum visitors as well as a Disney fan who flew in from Florida.

His work is incredibly important, said Katie Sanderson, museum exhibitions manager and registrar. This kind of work expands the boundaries of what a lot of people consider to be art. It most definitely belongs in a museum.

Crump said hes deeply honored by the exhibit, which is named for his 2012 autobiography. His career was also profiled last year in Vista filmmaker Ken Kebows documentary The Whimsical Imagineer. But for Crump, the most prestigious honor was the 2004 Walt Disney Legends Award, because Crump treasured his relationship with his boss.

I loved him, Crump said. He was the leader of the pack. He knew how to take ideas to the next level and he loved all of his guys. He could climb inside of you and see through your eyes.

Crump was a 22-year-old amateur artist in 1952 when a friend helped him get a portfolio review meeting with executives at the 60-acre Disney studio in Burbank. He started out as an in-betweener, finishing the painting on animation cels drawn by the lead artists for films including Peter Pan and Lady and the Tramp. For One Hundred and One Dalmatians, he spent six months painting spots on dozens of cartoon puppies.

In his off hours, he hung out in the model shops, where he watched and helped designers build attractions for Disneyland, which opened in July 1955. In 1959, his whimsical designs of metal mobiles and air-driven propellers landed him a job as a Disney Imagineer.

For Disneyland, he designed totem pole gods for the Tiki Room, the animated clock tower for Its a Small World, Tomorrowland elements, bandstands and much more. The Haunted Mansion was one of his longest-term projects.

Walt Disney gave Crump and Gracey, who was known for his ingenuity with special effects, their own studio in the early 60s and a full year to come up with some ghosts. After months of research, they chose a solution thats still in use today, an old-fashioned illusion known as Peppers ghost.

Named for 19th-century exhibitor John Henry Pepper, it creates the near-transparent reflected image of a moving object with a trick of light through a pane of glass.

Initially, the mansion was to have been a walk-through attraction with a central storyline thats told through a series of scenes in separate rooms: A ship captain murders his wife, seals her body behind a brick wall in his mansion, then dies in a storm at sea. His ghost returns to haunt the mansion and, in revenge, his wifes ghost haunts him.

Gracey and Crump developed one two-minute scene with full-sized models and ghostly effects and Disney loved it. But trouble was brewing. Different teams of artists and designers were contributing their own ideas for the mansion. Some worried that a too-spooky attraction wouldnt work at family-friendly Disneyland, so they came up with funnier, unrelated scares.

Imagineer Rolly Crumps Gypsy wagon, which was designed to have exploding special effects every few minutes, was proposed for the Haunted Mansion or Museum of the Weird. This drawing and many others can be seen this winter at the Oceanside Museum of Art. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune )

After Disneys death, the mansion was re-conceived as a ride-through, which meant long narrative scenes wouldnt work. Instead, the ride became what Crump calls a mishmash of ideas. Only the sailing ship weather vane on the mansions roof remains from the original concept.

Disappointed by the changes at the company after Disneys death, Crump left in 1970. Gracey retired five years later and was tragically killed by a burglar in 1983. All the other lead mansion Imagineers  Marc Davis, Xavier Atencio, Claude Coates and Ken Anderson  have also passed.

Crumps son, Chris, followed in his dads footsteps, spending 29 years in Disneys Imagineering department. Hell turn 64 on Halloween, which he said was always his familys favorite day of the year. His dad built him and his siblings elaborate costumes for trick-or-treating and his mom loved frightening them with scary masks.

Having Rolly as a dad was like growing up in art school, Chris said. There was always something being put together at home. Im not surprised his work is still appreciated today. Its real fun, colorful and playful. Hes a crazy guy, a nut, and everybody loves him.

Rolly Crump: Its Kind of a Cute Story

When: Exhibit runs through Feb. 18.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays. Noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Where: Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside.

Tickets: $8, general. $5, seniors (over 65). Free, military and students with ID and children 18 and under.

Phone: (760) 435-3720

Online: oma-online.org/crump/

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
This time next month, retired Navy SEAL Lance Cummings of Cardiff will be leading a troupe of real and weekend warriors on an arduous trek across Greece, retracing the epic journey of ancient Spartas 300 soldiers to face the invading army of Persia in 480 BC.

This time, the goal wont be combat but charity. The 21 athletes  a mix of active-duty and retired SEALS and other service members, wounded warriors and ultra athletes  are on track to raise $300,000 for three nonprofit groups: CharityVision, the Navy SEAL Foundation and the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation.

Doherty, an Encinitas resident and former Navy SEAL, was one of the American CIA workers killed in the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya. He and Cummings were good friends.

Cummings, 57, said he came up with the idea to create the Sparta300 For Charity event after watching the movie The 300 and reading books and historical accounts of the incredible training, endurance and bravery of Spartas King Leonidas and his 300-man army.

Those men, each carrying fighting equipment weighing more than 60 pounds, ran more than 250 miles in six days to meet the much-larger Persian army that was preparing to invade their homeland.

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The Spartans were slaughtered but they died fighting in such heroic and strategic fashion that their story has been the subject of countless legends, poems, songs, books and films. Now theyve also inspired what could be the first cross-country re-creation of their journey.

Cummings knows a little something about the Spartans training and dedication. During his long career in Navy special operations, he deployed overseas 16 times to the Middle East, Asia and South America. Since his retirement in 2011, hes been working part-time training athletes in SEAL-style fitness skills and as a chiropractor for both people and animals.

Through their bravery, the Spartans changed the course of human history, Cummings said. When they went to battle that day, there was no exit strategy. Unless you really love your country, youre not going to fight for it. Thats what the Spartans and the SEALs have in common. I feel a kinship with that story.

Born and raised in Macon, Ga., Cummings joined the SEALS at age 22 after a year of Navy fleet service in Connecticut. He served on active duty until 1995, then joined the reserves for five years while he earned his chiropractic degree and started a practice in Georgia.

He was reactivated after 9/11 and sent to Afghanistan for a year. Then he became a private contractor, working first for Blackwater and then, after moving to San Diego in 2004, for the Navy, setting up its human performance initiative program for soon-to-deploy SEAL teams. The program assesses potential health problems and does preventive therapy to reduce the risk of injuries in the field.

Lance Cummings, 57, of Cardiff hikes with his dog, Buddy, on Thursday in San Elijo Hills area of San Marcos. Hes in training for a Spartan-inspired rucking (hiking with a weighted pack) trip across Greece in May that will cover 250 miles in eight days. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Cummings started doing charitable work in 2015 when he and his wife, Michele Grad, signed up for an arthritis charity event where they pedaled 525 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles on a tandem bicycle. Grad said that her husband found the fund-raising experience so addicting, hes been looking for ways to do more ever since.

The idea for Sparta300 for Charity was conceived in early 2016. A friend told Cummings about a Greek special-events company that was organizing a staged foot race that would follow the Spartans journey. The company wasnt able to recruit enough endurance runners, so it canceled the race but it agreed to serve as the on-the-ground organizer for the Sparta300 in May.

The Sparta300 will cover the same ground as the Spartans, but the requirements are less extreme. Each participant will carry a 25-30 pound pack as well as a PVC pipe to represent a sword. They can wear running shoes rather than sandals, and they will spend their nights in hotels.

Theyll also be walking and climbing, rather than running the whole time. Theyll cover the distance in eight days, rather than six, with a goal of finishing 30 miles every day. The participants will start at 6 a.m. May 5 in what was once Sparta and will finish May 14 in Thermopylae, site of the epic battle.

The entry fee for each participant is 1,300 Euros (about $1,383), which covers all ground expenses except air travel. Theyre also encouraged to raise $10,000 for charity. Cummings is also raising donations through corporate sponsorships and an online auction of items that range from a beach cruiser to cases of wine to a personal handgun safety class that hes teaching.

The unusual nature of the Sparta300 has attracted a wide variety of participants. All are Americans and all but one are men (the lone woman is in the Army Reserves in Idaho). Besides a number of SEALs and other servicemen, there are a few celebrity ultra-athletes.

They include James Lawrence, whos know as the Iron Cowboy, for setting the Guinness World Record in 2015 for competing in 50 Ironman events on 50 consecutive days in all 50 U.S. states.

Theres a wounded warrior with a prosthetic leg and Graham Dessert, a Kansas athlete whos been posting his training videos for the team on the Sparta 300 for charity Facebook page.

Also new to the team is athlete Kyle Maynard, a quadruple amputee whos competed as a mixed martial artist and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro without the use of prosthetics. Maynard will use prosthetic legs for part of the journey and will also ride in a specially designed backpack worn by one of the other team members the rest of the time.

Cummings said he plans to lead the team through Greece, so hes been doing his own rucking (walking while carrying weight) to prepare for the trip.

He spends at least three hours a day, five days a week walking, hiking and climbing in parks around North County with his 7-year-old German shepherd, Buddy. He anticipates the highlight of the trip will be when the group arrives at their destination at the battlefield of Thermopylae, where he said he has a surprised planned for the team.

Hes hoping to plan a similar charity event like Sparta300 every year, but they wont be the same course. He would like to find a similar adventure trip to an iconic location that re-creates a famous journey that had history-changing importance. Some of the projects will re-create battles, but others might be something endurance-oriented, like a swim across the English Channel.

Cummings and his wife have twin 9-year-olds whove had a little less time with their dad lately because of his training and event preparation. He said he hopes that this project will be an example to them as well as the children of others on the trip.

The Spartans traveled with a support team who did everything to take care of the men so they could focus on their job, Cummings said. Everyone on this trip has their own support team at home and theyve made their own sacrifices.

Were hoping that these children will see how hard their dads are working to give back to someone else and hopefully it will balance out the scales.

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
Opening a food hall in one of the countys most-iconic structures, the former Pea Soup Andersens windmill building in Carlsbad, has brought its founder a windfall of publicity.

But Carlsbad resident James Markham never figured on the challenges hed face creating the ambitious Windmill Food Hall project inside a 36-year-old, wood-frame structure that has not worn well with age.

As Markhams construction crew worked on the long-delayed, 12,000-square-foot project this past summer, they uncovered a massive amount of wood rot, water damage, creaking timbers and a leaky roof in the old-fashioned, Danish-style structure.

Fortunately, the buildings longtime owner is sparing no expense in repairing and replacing everything necessary to restore the project to its former glory in time for the food halls newly revised opening in early December.

Since the 1980s, the 44,000-square-foot, two-story windmill building at 890 Palomar Airport Road has been owned by Carlsbad Properties Inc., a corporation of the Southwest Carpenters Pension Trust.

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For most of the past two decades, its downstairs restaurant space was occupied by a TGI Fridays restaurant. It wasnt until after the restaurant closed in March 2016 that officials with Southwest Carpenters inspected the property and realized its state of disrepair.

The mass appeal of a food hall project and Markhams contagious enthusiasm for reinvigorating the building became the catalyst for a complete restoration of the property, said Jenny Gage, spokeswoman for Washington Capital Management Inc., the investment advisor for Southwest Carpenters.

Its exciting, Gage said Friday. The building itself is so iconic in Carlsbad and the city is very supportive of what were trying to do. The ownership intends to hold this asset long term and see it back in its glory again.

Construction on the new front patio of the Windmill Food Hall in Carlsbad exposed water damage at the base of the support beams for the 36-year-old buildings windmill tower. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)

The windmill-topped building was constructed in 1982 as the southernmost location of Pea Soup Andersens, a cafe/hotel company founded in Buellton in 1924 by Denmark-born restaurateur Anton Andersen.

The property includes the windmill building, a 150-room hotel and a food mart/gas station. Gage said it was either built by or acquired by Southwest Carpenters in the 1980s.

The Pea Soup Andersens hotel/restaurant closed in 1988. In the 1990s, the hotel was leased by Holiday Inn. Its now run by RAR Hospitality as the Carlsbad By the Sea Hotel.

The windmill buildings second floor was used for decades as a wedding and banquet hall, but its been shuttered for many years except for a small room the hotel uses for breakfast service.

Gage said that the restoration this fall will include a renovation of the upstairs hall so that it, too, can resume operation. Theres even the hope that the windmills long-broken fan blades will one day spin again, but Gage said it may not be feasible.

The extent of the structures wood damage can be seen in a walk around the buildings exterior. Telephone pole-size wood columns that hold up the windmill towers balcony are eaten through with water damage to the point some of their bases dont even touch the ground anymore.

This decrepit fence and support structure for gas and water lines will soon be replaced by the owner of Carlsbads iconic windmill building. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Behind a tumbledown wood fence, a wood trellis structure that supports the gas and water lines feeding the hall and hotel are also on the verge of collapse. Markham said all of this wood will be replaced or reinforced by Southwest Carpenters at a cost of well over $100,000.

Inside the building, the food hall is nearing completion. In a walk-through Thursday, Markham showed how all of the interiors 11 food vendor stations are now framed, drywalled, wired and plumbed for move-in. The halls 52-seat indoor/outdoor bar is framed and plumbed as well. Leases are signed for all but one of the tenant booths plus a restaurant in the base of the windmill tower.

The Windmill Food Hall is the largest individual construction project ever undertaken by Markham, a serial restaurant entrepreneur whose credits include the national chains Pieology, Project Pie and Mod Pizza and the local breakfast/bar spot Crackheads.

Markham has long been praised by magazines like Entrepreneur, Restaurant Hospitality and Business News Daily for his innovative, ahead-of-the-curve thinking.

One of the trend curves hes been watching for the past few years is the proliferation of food halls.

A food hall eliminates the veto vote, he said, referring to families arguing over where to eat. Not only does it touch everyones palate, it can also act as an incubator for new restaurant startups. You can go to any city and some of the best food is found in farmers markets and food halls where these hard-working people are doing it because they love their food and believe in it.

James Markham plans to open his Windmill Food Hall in Carlsbads iconic windmill building in early December. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)

For research, Markham visited food halls in seven states and found a favorite in Napa Valleys Oxbow Public Market. He likes its approachability, sunny open-air look and all-ages appeal.

These will be the hallmarks of Windmill Food Hall, along with a nightlife scene for adults that will include late-night bar hours and special events like movie screenings.

Windmill Food Hall will have a vintage look with black-and-white checkered subway tile flooring, custom leather stools, banquettes and wingback chairs and roll-up garage door-style windows.

Markham is hiring several local mural and graffiti artists to create indoor and outdoor art that will change every few months. There will be old-school Skee-ball, shuffleboard and video games, a quieter book-lined library seating area for adults and, possibly, a play area for children.

With his wife and children, Markham taste-tested and hand-picked all the vendors who will occupy the halls indoor booths. They include Bing Haus rolled ice cream; Bread and Cheese grilled sandwiches; Cross Street Chicken & Beer; Lobster West; Taco Lady; Thai-Style Chicken; Notorious Burgers; a Korean hot pot spot; and a Belgian waffle and fries shop.

In one booth, Markham will open the first location of his Jarfood concept, where savory foods will be cooked in sous-vide water baths and served hot. Hes also planning to open a second location of Crackheads, which is a combination breakfast sandwich and coffee eatery by day and cocktail bar by night. The original Crackheads operates from two container buildings on a corner lot in Carlsbad Village.

Hes also considering opening his latest take on quick-service pizza. Markham believes the build-and-bake pizza shops that he pioneered in the early 2000s are now yesterdays news. Hed like to open an old-school New York-style slice shop where diners can add extra gourmet toppings like burrata cheese.

Gage said many investors approached Southwest Carpenters in recent years to lease the restaurant space, but no one but Markham came forward with a creative, tourism-friendly idea that will invigorate the entire property, including the hotel, and benefit the community at large.

Its cool and exciting, she said. Hes got a lot of ideas.

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
Dear Mediator:

Our neighborhood has a longstanding problem with a property owner who repairs cars all night long, with lots of banging noises and people coming and going. Our street is not zoned for an auto repair shop. Our Neighborhood Watch group has complained repeatedly to police, city staff and elected officials. They all say the same thing: He has been cited, he has agreed to clean up his property, and they will monitor the situation. But instead of cleaning up, he keeps adding more cars to his lawn and along our street.

Outraged in El Cajon

Dear Outraged:

In a perfect metropolis, agencies that enforce city codes would have enough resources and tenacity to pursue justice relentlessly, and violators would face swift consequences.

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In the real world of modern cities, code enforcement units are underfunded and overburdened, and the imposition of penalties involves herculean administrative work. Knowing that, offenders can keep on offending with rueful promises of compliance they never intend to keep.

The resulting cat-and-mouse game  the sluggish municipal cat never quite catching the wily scofflaw mouse  puts too many neighborhoods in a state of siege.

Our community mediators are well-versed in these standoffs. One of the resolution strategies they offer is based on the Safe Streets Now initiative, a model that could give your group a new path forward.

Launched in California in 1990, Safe Streets Now empowers citizens to carry out their own nuisance abatement measures through civil courts. The program began as a response to illegal drug activity in residential communities, but it quickly expanded to cover boisterous party houses, incessantly barking dogs and industrial activities that pose environmental risks.

Such public scourges are addressed by California Civil Codes 3479 and 3480, which rule out anything which is injurious to health ... so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property and which affects at the same time an entire community or neighborhood.

The last phrase is pivotal. An individual who lives next to a house-from-hell faces a lonely uphill battle. Several neighbors with such a house in their midst can join forces.

Your group has already completed the first two of the four steps in the Safe Streets Now playbook. You have documentation of the infractions (and you should continue building that record of notes and photos), and you have carried out notification of authorities, who in turn have notified the violator.

Steps three and four are negotiation and litigation via San Diego Countys small claims court, which allows individuals to seek up to $10,000 in civil damages. Given how long this problem of environmental toxins and disruptive noise has lasted, your group might consider pursuing both steps simultaneously.

The key to the success of Safe Streets Now has been neighbors filing consolidated small claims cases that put defendants at risk of substantial civil judgments. The threat of financial ruin, especially where evidence of wrongdoing is clear, can move people from intransigence to compliance.

These are the legal options available to your group. Now lets consider the human dimensions of the problem.

A person who persists in operating an illegal business in the face of imminent reprisals is suffering from one of two afflictions: delusion that he can somehow evade justice or desperation because he sees no other course.

Either way, this man could use assistance. Offer to help him scout alternative sites for fixing cars by drawing on your groups collective resources. That could provide the stimulus he needs to get his business on a viable footing.

His personal difficulties are not relevant under the law. But engaging him in an effort to surmount those difficulties would be an act of neighborly kindness. Such an exchange would help you understand his situation, and youll need that when you enter mediation and work with him on achieving resolution.

Steven P. Dinkin is a professional mediator who has served as president of the San-Diego based National Conflict Resolution Center since 2003.

Do you have a conflict that needs a resolution? Please share your story with The Mediator via email at mediatethis@ncrconline.com. All submissions will be kept anonymous.
Sanford, NC (27330)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Honoring 80 Years of Santee Cooper Power Generation

MONCKS CORNER, S.C.  Santee Coopers Jefferies Hydroelectric Station has been generating electricity for 80 years. On Feb. 17, 1942, the station first generated electricity and continues today to provide clean, renewable energy to South Carolinians.

Santee Cooper hydropower has a strong connection to wartime efforts and rural electrification. In April 1934, Governor Blackwood signed a bill to create the South Carolina Public Service Authority, known as Santee Cooper, to construct two reservoirs (Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie) and a hydroelectric plant to serve the rural South Carolina population, which in turn would spark prosperity in the Depression-ravaged state.

Construction began in 1939. Just two years later, President Roosevelt named Santee Coopers Pinopolis Power Plant, now Jefferies Hydroelectric Station, a national defense project and accelerated its construction as America joined World War II.

When Jefferies began generating electricity in 1942, its first customer was Pittsburgh Metallurgical Co., a defense contractor in North Charleston that made ferrochromium, a key defense metal used to harden steel for ships and tanks. Santee Cooper later served the Charleston Naval Shipyard and the Charleston Naval Base and today still serves, Joint Base Charleston.

Along with the war effort, Santee Cooper supported the people of South Carolina.

Santee Cooper was started along with a lot of other projects to pick up jobs for this country and, in particular, for South Carolina, to improve the quality of life for the residents overall. That is still the mission today, said Jody Perry, a 39-year Santee Cooper employee who retired in 2018 as Superintendent of Operations at Jefferies.

Jefferies is named for Richard M. Jefferies, South Carolina governor from March 1942 to January 1943 and Santee Coopers General Manager for 21 years.

The Santee Cooper project became the nations biggest land-clearing effort and the largest federal Works Progress Administration project east of the Mississippi River during the New Deal. More than 12,500 workers toiled for 27 months, clearing swamps and woodlands, building dams and dikes, and constructing a powerhouse and navigation lock. The navigation lock at the Pinopolis Dam was itself a monumental construction. A 75-foot drop from Lake Moultrie to the Tailrace Canal, it was the highest single-lift lock in the world at the time.

With its giant gears and mammoth gates, the lock system would allow boats to travel from Columbia through the Santee Cooper Lake system and lock to the Cooper River and on to Charleston. Miles of dams and dikes were built to hold back the water for release through the turbines at the Pinopolis Power Plant.

The remarkable effort of constructing the massive Santee Cooper project was considered an engineering feat in its day, and more than 65,000 people from all over the country visited the site to marvel at its construction. From start to finish, it took a mere two years, two months and 22 days. What was created was one of South Carolinas most resource-laden assets, an important source of energy, jobs and industrial development.

The hydro units can be brought online in about five minutes, making it an important source of reserve power and important in integrating intermittent renewables. Eighty years after it came online, Jefferies Hydro remains Santee Coopers most economical energy source.

One of the reasons I think Jefferies has been around for 80 years is the people. We have an employee whose grandfather worked on the land clearing as a young teenager. When you have people like that, its personal to them. When they come to work every day, they understand the mission. They understand why this site is here. You see that in the work they provide, said Carey Salisbury, Renewable Generation Manager.
Woot!

Take a minute and think about how dirty your smartphone really gets during the day. If youre anything like me, youre constantly on the dang thing, and you probably never really clean it more than just wiping the smudges away. I know I dont. Thats where UV sanitizers come in, like this one from Samsung on sale right now at Woot!

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Cleaning your smartphone (and other devices) can be hard. You dont want to just spray all-purpose cleaner on them or you run the risk of permanently damaging them. And sure, wiping the screens on occasion will remove smudges, but it doesnt really go much deeper than that. Bacteria and germs are still there.
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 8:30-10 a.m. (PST)

Via Zoom: Register here

Serena Cosgrove, PhD, associate professor in international studies and faculty coordinator of the Central America Initiative at Seattle University, will present at a session on the theme of "Harnessing the Unique Role of Faith Actors to Protect Vulnerable Children from Gang Violence and Organized Crime in the Northern Triangle and Mexico."

Dr. Cosgrove is author of Surviving the Americas: Garifuna Persistence from Nicaragua to New York City and Understanding Global Poverty: Causes, Solutions, and Capabilities, both published in 2021.

This Solutions Summit Series event is an opportunity to reflect on the situation of violence in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico and its impact on children, and on the need for a multi-stakeholder approach that includes faith actors, to address its complexity. It will highlight approaches and promising practices by faith actors to contribute to reduce the number of children who become victims of, or who are recruited by, gangs and organized criminal groups and catalyze joint-actions and multi-stakeholder efforts and further support for the work of the Alliance for the Protection of Children.

The Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement (CEIE) is a planning partner of the event. To learn more about the center, its core team of students, staff and faculty and view current projects, visit the center.

The event flyer can be viewed at Protecting Vulnerable Children.
Filipa Ioannou/The Chronicle

A woman having dinner in San Francisco at a window seat in a Market Street restaurant was injured when a bullet pierced the glass and either grazed or sprayed her with shattered glass.

The woman, 85, was apparently injured as a result of gunfire from a fight involving a large group of juveniles in the Safeway parking lot across Market Street at about 4:50 p.m. on Tuesday, San Francisco police said. At one point during the fight, police said, someone pulled out and fired into the crowd that was fighting.
Lets talk about the good old days, two years ago, when we all went to work in an office or somewhere else five days a week, when a virus was something that raged on the other side of the world and a mask was something we wore on Halloween.

The worlds changed since then, even in our little city by the bay. San Francisco was particularly vulnerable when everything shut down in March 2020. Our biggest industry was tourism. We were riding a tech boom. Think of all those new glass towers south of Market. Remember all those shuttle buses with the tinted windows full of migrating techies?

Everybody wanted to live here, we were told. Thats why rents were so high and apartments were so scarce. Business was booming and commuting to work on BART or the Muni Metro or driving on the Bay Bridge was such an ordeal we used to thank God it was Friday.

All thats changed, and maybe forever. I was down on lower Market Street at 5:30 in the afternoon just this past week. That used to be the height of rush hour, and I braced myself for the crowds at the Embarcadero Station, calling on my city-cunning to score a seat on a Muni train. I knew just where to stand on the platform and how to zip past the slowpokes. That way I wouldnt have to stand in a pack of strangers packed in like the proverbial sardines in a can.

I didnt have to bother. The station was practically empty. Seats for everyone. The same at Montgomery and Powell. Later in the week I rode the Stockton Street bus, which used to be famous for crowding. I got a seat there, too.

Something has shifted; work has shifted. Maybe thats good. But it surely is different. All those big glass towers. Even the venerable skyscrapers along Montgomery Street. Almost empty.

Recent figures from Kastle Systems, a Fremont firm that measured access card swipes in buildings and businesses in 10 major cities, showed that only 31.6% of the workforce returned to the office in the second week of February. The highest rate of return was in Austin, Texas, with 35% of workers back. The lowest rate of returned workers in the top 10 markets was San Francisco, where only 23.3% of workers were in the office. San Jose was in ninth place, with 26%.

Thats not likely to change, even as the omicron variant fades and the masks come off. Salesforce, San Franciscos largest private employer and the occupant of the citys tallest building, announced the other day that it expects to have much of its workforce stay fully or partially remote.

Think of some other numbers: San Franciscos Muni system, the largest in the area, has half the ridership it had two years ago. BART has an even bigger decline. Both of these systems were built to move workers and commuters in and out of central cities and are hemorrhaging money. At some point, after federal stimulus funds dry up, there will be a reckoning.

This is not to mention the citys other problems: homelessness, crime, drugs, and a sense that San Francisco has lost its way.

I wonder whether people are ever going to go back to work in the way we all did even two years ago, or whether the retail shopping district will ever come back to life, or that the citys sense of style will ever return. I know someone who keeps telling me that things will never be the same, and maybe shes right.

The COVID lockdown may only have been a catalyst for changes that were on the way anyway  like the decline of in-person shopping and the growth of remote work. Why head to an office in a high-rise at Fremont and Mission streets when you can work in a cabin on the Sonoma County coast? Why drive and park downtown and go to a store when you can shop at home and have the goods delivered to your door?

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Maybe shutting down everything in March 2020 is like the Summer of Love that changed San Francisco, or the day in 2007 when Steve Jobs stood up in Moscone Center and introduced the iPhone and changed the world.

The way we work in San Francisco may change, and some of the famous parts of the city may fade away, the way the old City of Paris, the Fox Theater, and Playland-at-the-Beach vanished.

But through it all, the essence of the city remained. It still is a place that has grand opera, a parklet restaurant that looks like a Lisbon tramcar, another one that offers Japanese Peruvian cuisine, has a landmark like the Castro Theatre, dozens of little libraries on neighborhood street corners, and people who care about the city.

The trick, of course, is to keep what makes San Francisco special. Right now, I think is a special time in this effort, especially because everything has shifted. The people who gave up on the city seem to have already moved out, and those of us who are left look like they will stick with San Francisco.

I think you have to be optimistic. This is a city that has always reinvented itself. Things will never be the same, but maybe thats a good thing. Maybe these are the good old days.

Carl Noltes columns run on Sunday. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Carlnoltesf
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On her first day as a staff chaplain at UCSF, the Rev. Jessica Easter got a phone call relaying that her father had died.

While grappling with her own grief, and after moving to the Bay Area from Chicago, Easter was confronted with the daily pain and suffering brought on by COVID-19, finding her services increasingly in demand from patients and staff alike. It was October 2020, a point in the pandemic when vaccines were not yet widely available and the virus was killing 700 to 800 people a day in the U.S.

When I took the position here, I had to have a come-to-Jesus moment with prayer and with family, said Easter, 33. We didnt have a vaccine at the time. And I was flying across the country to possibly get COVID and die.

The same month she started the new job, Easters sister gave birth to a niece, Olivia, whose giggling photos and videos she turned to when the weight of consoling a patient struggling with COVID became almost too much.

Thats a lot of life and death happening in one month, Easter said. That has really colored how Ive approached my work ... They go hand in hand.

Hospitals such as UCSF have seen their ICUs swell with COVID patients throughout the pandemic, at times threatening to overwhelm the capacity for care or the human limits of what doctors, nurses and staff can handle. And during that time, chaplains, who offer spiritual guidance to patients, have been at the center of the grief and misery  consoling heartbroken families, patients on the verge of death and exhausted, anguished hospital staff.

Chaplains have also had to find ways to minister to themselves. Some studies have found that chaplains in hospitals faced a higher risk of burnout than those in other settings.

Early in the pandemic, when she was still in Chicago, Easter recalled trying to comfort a family whose child had to be intubated because of a coronavirus infection.

I was called to support his mother, and I couldnt go into the room because of COVID safety rules, Easter said. Instead, she called the mother on her cell phone and pressed her hands to the glass of the sliding door separating them, praying.

Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Their dual role in supporting both patients and families, and providers, is really an important takeaway, said Dr. Kevin Thornton, a specialist in critical care medicine and anesthesiologist in the ICU at UCSF who is also one of the medical directors of the adult cardiac ICUs.

What I think chaplains ... can help us contextualize is that theres one certainty in life and that is death is something we will all face.

Easter trained to be a chaplain at a rural hospital in North Carolina. She recalled a time when a boy having an asthma attack was driven to the emergency room by a friend, only to get in a car crash on the way there. By the time they arrived, the boys airway had constricted. He was dead on arrival.

I was paged to provide support to the family, and they requested that I say a prayer, Easter said. She placed her hands over the boys chest and prayed, realizing it was the first time she had touched someone who had died. I thought I had felt his heart beating. But really, it was my heart beating through my palms.

For Easter, who is a member of the Religious Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers, and takes part in the Lindisfarne New Monastic Community, repeated and visceral experiences with death before the pandemic, and especially during it, changed how she sees life.

These experiences went beyond the spread of the virus. In October 2021, she was robbed at gunpoint in Oakland, an encounter she said was terrifying. The thief took her backpack. But she refused to give up her phone, telling her assailant she needed it to call her niece.

I brought up my niece because shes one of the many things that gives me a reason to live, Easter said. With the knowledge, the wisdom that death is inevitable, that this ride will end eventually, it does make me bold in a lot of ways. Ive seen a lot of death, and its made me hungry for life.

Contemplating her own death, Easter said, has translated into her work as a chaplain. Its made me reflect on my own mortality, she said. What makes a good death?

Still, there are moments when she and other chaplains can celebrate life.

After getting her initial course of vaccinations, Easter was able to take part in some of those celebratory moments that make her job meaningful, including a baptism of a baby who was in intensive care, stricken with COVID. Although the mother, also hospitalized and intubated because of COVID, couldnt be in the room, rituals like baptisms have allowed us to operate as a type of community, Easter said. As a representation of the divine, a representation of their family that may or may not be able to be present.

Thornton recalled a dying patient in the ICU whose faith called for singing at the bedside during death, something chaplains relayed to the care team from the family. With limits on visitors and occupancy to curb the spread of the virus, the medical team worked with the chaplains to accommodate the family and the ritual.

The Rev. Robert L. Perkins, executive director and head of chaplains for the California Practical Chaplain Association, compared the pandemic to a pressure cooker of multiple compounded levels of stress that can have lasting physiological effects.

Chaplains, Perkins said, learn how to Press the pause button on all of the normal bodily reactions physically, mentally or psychologically, when exposed to a stressful situation. But leaning on that method for too long, he said, can be unhealthy.

Theyve continually got the pause button on. When they become overwhelmed they think theres something wrong with them, Perkins said. Chaplains ... are unlikely to seek help because they are the helpers.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

UCSF chaplain Jamie Kimmel, a Buddhist, said he had sleep difficulties and flashes of anger during the pandemic. I felt an intense heaviness, difficulty sleeping sometimes, verging on burnout, he recounted, adding that he would often leave work angry and frustrated.

All this made sense to me, he said, but it didnt mean it wasnt hard.

Samantha Laurey/The Chronicle

In the early days of the pandemic, when neither he nor a dying persons family could be with them in a hospital room because of the virus, video calls on iPads were the best option.

It was hard, said Kimmel, 41. Referring to the emotions spurred by those socially distant interactions, he said, Part of the way I dealt with that is actually just to bring that into the room. He would tell families, This shouldnt be happening like this. And Im sorry.

Kimmel said his Buddhist background and training have helped him process waves of suffering, and to remember that the pandemic will not last forever.

As my teacher has told me, impermanence is not a concept. Its real, and its something we feel, he said.

Thornton, the anesthesiologist, said that early in the pandemic a chaplain checked in with him when they were both in a hospital elevator. That led to a broader conversation about how chaplains were pivoting to supporting the heavily taxed hospital staff  and eventually prompted a weekly Zoom meeting where they could talk about workers anxiety over many issues, including the prospect of bringing COVID home to their families.

Thornton said chaplains have become more integrated into care teams in the ICU during the pandemic. He said a chaplain joins a weekly meeting of physicians, nurses, nutritionists and other specialists to go over each patients care plan.

Having Jamie and the chaplains as part of that really infuses that humanity, he said. They help us gather the fuller picture of who our patients are as people.

Yet, through all the spiritual tending, chaplains must reflect on themselves as people, too.

Easter said regular video calls with her home congregation in the Chicago area serve as a reminder that she is part of something larger. I have fallen into the very human trap of thinking I should be able to do all of this, she said. Well, were not in normal times.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice
College students constitute an environmental burden.

Thats essentially what Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brad Seligman ruled this week when he froze enrollment increases at UC Berkeley in response to a lawsuit by a local NIMBY group called Save Berkeleys Neighborhoods. The judge found that the university failed to account for the impact of increased enrollment  including late-night parties and crowded parks  in its plans to add more student and faculty housing, in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act, known as CEQA.

Thousands of otherwise qualified students will be denied admission to UC Berkeley should the ruling stand, the latest piece of evidence that the states signature environmental law has become irreparably detached from a 21st century understanding of what constitutes environmental harm in the age of global warming.

Something has to give.

Humanitys grasp of the nature of our environment has changed since CEQA was signed into law by Gov. Ronald Reagan in the 1970s. Californias communities and wildlands still need to be protected from the harms of localized pollution  the primary focus of the original law. But climate science has since revealed the role local planning decisions collectively play in the broader ecological health of the planet.

Party noise may be annoying, but it is not an environmental hazard on the same level as climate emissions.

As UC Davis law professor and CEQA critic Chris Elmendorf put it in an interview: More people living in Berkeley is an environmental boon, because if they cant live in Berkeley where will they live instead?

Save Berkeleys Neighborhoods has an answer: Its president, Phillip Bokovoy, wants the university to accommodate growth on a satellite campus miles away in Richmond. And while doing so would indeed mitigate localized environmental impacts in Berkeley, it would create even more extreme environmental impacts in a neighboring community  one that lacks the public transit and other sustainable infrastructure that Berkeley does.

That apparently doesnt bother Bokovoy, who seems to regard change to the existing quality of life in his city as the paramount concern.

Well end up like Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur  dense Asian cities where theres no transportation network, he said of UC Berkeleys plans back in August. Nobodys talking about that.

Nor should they be.

Putting aside the uncomfortable racial undertones of Bokovoys comment, and the fact that all three of those cities arguably have better transit networks than the Bay Area, what about our 21st century understanding of climate science suggests pushing development to the margins constitutes meaningful environmental protection?

Its fine to treat induced population growth as an environmental problem if the project is a wildlands development near Tahoe, Elmendorf says. But its ridiculous to treat it as a problem  one to be mitigated and avoided to the maximum feasible extent  in an urbanized area like Berkeley.

CEQA fails to substantively differentiate between dense, climate friendly urban development in a place like Berkeley, and sprawl  essentially treating all development as a similar environmental nuisance. And despite the almost daily introduction of new evidence of CEQAs failure to mesh with contemporary scientific priorities of environmental harm, efforts to reform the law now vie with Proposition 13 for the title of third rail of California politics.

State Senator Scott Wiener has teased a legislative response to the Berkeley student housing ruling. We wish him success.

But while a likely CEQA carve out to help UC Berkeley navigate its current dilemma is a necessary short-term fix, Californians cannot continue to indulge the broader failures of an environmental law that imbues party noise with the same or greater gravity that it does greenhouse gas emissions. Our state needs and deserves stringent laws that protect residents and the natural environment from pollution and bad actors. But nonsensical rules invite nonsensical planning. And thats what were getting.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
This is how wars begin.

Last Thursday, President Biden deployed around 5,000 paratroopers from the storied 82nd Airborne Division to Poland in whats turning into a standoff against Russia over Ukraine.

Eight years ago, the Kremlin annexed the Crimea peninsula, an act globally condemned as breaking international law. Putin has since amassed an estimated 150,000 ground troops near the border of Ukraine, threatening a full-scale invasion. Washingtons response is now reminiscent of the escalations that fueled the ongoing feud between the two superpowers during the Cold War. The Biden administration says that this sudden deployment of paratroopers and other soldiers is not intended as preparation for a fight with the Russians in Ukraine should they invade. Instead, the White House insists that U.S. troops will serve as an element of international aid to Americans and refugees escaping the potential military conflict.

I wish I could believe that.

I wish I could believe that we sent the 82nd anywhere just to help. But thats not what the 82nd does.

I know the level of terror and mayhem just one battalion of elite paratroopers from this division can deliver  because from 2002 to 2006 I was an infantry squad leader in the 82nd helping to deliver it. For context, the 5,000 paratroopers gathering around Ukraine is about 4,500 more than it took us to occupy thousands of square miles in the most dangerous places on Earth during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The 82nd Airborne Division is Americas rapid response infantry. Its been called The Presidential Unit, as it can be ready to deploy to any point on the planet within 18 hours. The divisions unequaled readiness and level of training has made it one of the most utilized divisions since its inception in 1942  especially over the past two decades. Thats the reason that someone like me, who signed up for just one enlistment, still managed three combat tours.

The 82nd was at the head of the fight in the European theater during WWII, when the Soviet Union was our ally. Military generals agreed that a new strategic and elite fighting unit was need in order to successfully invade Nazi-occupied France, one that could be expected to fight faster, harder and longer than any other troops on the ground. Out of this need came the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, the latter of which is no longer active.

Paratroopers arrive on the field of battle by hurling themselves out of a moving airplane, oftentimes while under enemy fire. Their arrival in Europe marked the first time in the war that the Germans faced a formidable enemy. Those paratroopers were the tip of the spear in the victory at Normandy and the eventual defeat of the Nazi party.

During Vietnam, the 82nd Airborne was used in the cities of Hue and Khe Sanh, the bloodiest locations during and after the Tet Offensive of 1968. Since Vietnam, the 82nd is the only conventional military unit to engage in direct infantry and combat action in Grenada, Panama and the First Gulf War.

The 82nd has only been sent on one significant modern day peacekeeping mission  to provide extra security to the streets of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Most of the soldiers who went there were fresh back from a tour in Iraq. They were sent there to strike fear into the hearts of an already disenfranchised people  and it worked.

82nd Airborne paratroopers are not aid workers. They are not peacekeepers. They are not humanitarians. They are elite killers who train day in and day out to execute the bloodiest of missions.

I hold my time in the 82nd Airborne Division with equal parts pride and shame. Pride in knowing that I was part of one of the best fighting units the world has ever known. And shame in knowing what that means when youre actually on the ground.

I say all this to hammer home the point that the 82nd Airborne is not deployed lightly. If paratroopers are on the ground, it means a fight is almost certainly imminent. As a student of history, and as a veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division, Im now dripping with unease.

At best, this deployment of paratroopers is a major show of force to Putin, stating that America will not stand by and let Russia invade Ukraine without a fight. At worst  frankly, I dont want to speak it into being.

The ranks of the 82nd are made up of career combat soldiers. They are the very best at what they do. But, make no mistake, what they do is swiftly and efficiently kill enemy combatants.

Joseph Holsworth is a veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is the author of two novels and holds a masters in fine arts in writing from California College of the Arts.
More San Franciscans voted to recall three school board members than elected them in 2018, despite a relatively low turnout in the special election last week.

With nearly 175,000 votes counted, and few remaining ballots still outstanding, the tally demonstrated a clear landslide and countered claims that the recall was a Republican-fueled election dominated by white families frustrated with the boards progressive politics.

The voter turnout as of Friday was at 35%.

More than 131,000 voters ousted board member Alison Collins, who received 122,865 votes in 2018 when she was elected to the job.

Board President Gabriela Lopez received 123,463 recall votes compared with 117,843 in 2018, while Faauuga Moliga received 117,843 recall votes, nearly 10,000 more than the 107,989 who elected him.

The data also shows that a majority of voters in every neighborhood in San Francisco supported the removal of Collins and Lopez, while all but one, North Bernal Heights, voted to oust Moliga.

The recall divided the city for the past year, with a grassroots effort of frustrated parents and community members pushing for the board members removal over the slow reopening of schools during the pandemic and the boards focus on controversial issues such as renaming 44 school sites and ending the merit-based admission system at Lowell High School.

Opponents of the recall said that the election was a waste of time, money and energy that could have been better directed toward students and that commissioners were carrying out a racial justice agenda that many voters back and is meant to address inequity in the schools. They pointed out wealthy investors, including some Republicans, largely bankrolled the recall effort.

Voters specifically targeted Collins over racially offensive tweets she made before her election, saying Asian Americans used white supremacist thinking to assimilate and get ahead.

Amid calls for her resignation from city leaders and community groups, she sued the district and five fellow board members for $87 million after the board stripped her of the vice presidency and her seat on committees. The lawsuit was tossed out of court before the first hearing.

Within the next few weeks, Mayor London Breed is expected to appoint replacements to finish out the commissioners terms, which end in early January 2023. To remain in office, the replacements would have to run in the upcoming November election, but might have an edge as incumbents.

The voters of this city have delivered a clear message that the school board must focus on the essentials of delivering a well-run school system above all else, Breed said in a statement on election night. There are many critical decisions in the coming months  addressing a significant budget deficit, hiring a new Superintendent, and navigating our emergence from this pandemic. ... The school district has a lot of work to do.

Collins and Lopez remain in office, and will not officially be removed until 10 days after the Board of Supervisors accepts the results. New board members would probably take seats around March 11. Moliga, however, stepped down Wednesday. His seat will be vacant until Breed appoints a replacement.

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Collins and Lopez remained defiant last week, attributing the recall to white supremacy, a backlash against social justice issues and deep-pocketed Republicans.

So if you fight for racial justice, this is the consequence, Lopez said Thursday on Twitter. Dont be mistaken, white supremacists are enjoying this. And the support of the recall is aligned with this.

We now know what it costs to buy an election in San Francisco, Collins said in a statement, referring to the nearly $2 million raised in the pro-recall effort. This is a backlash against progress, similar to what we are seeing nationally.

Yet the vast majority of voters who recalled them, more than 90%, were Democrats, as were many if not most of the venture capitalists, wealthy donors and individuals who contributed to the campaign.

While a few large contributions came from investors, nearly 2,000 individuals have donated to this campaign, and approximately 84% of them live in San Francisco, said Marie-Jose Durquet, a former district teacher whose own children attended city schools. People from all walks of life desire a school board that behaves responsibly and delivers a quality education for children.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Jilltucker
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In early 2021, Lily Ho embarked on what she thought would be a quick civic engagement project to install security cameras throughout San Franciscos Chinatown, where crime and anti-Asian bias intensified during the pandemic.

Ho, a 39-year-old banker who grew up attending weekly language classes in Chinatown, thought sending more video documentation to the cloud could help bridge the gulf between authorities and disenchanted locals who felt like their safety concerns werent being taken seriously enough.

Its not rocket science, Ho remembered thinking at the time. Just arm a bunch of storefronts with security cameras. How hard could it be?

According to the team of technology consultants she hired, very.

Block after block, merchants and residents revealed that, if they had any internet at all, they were relying on ancient dial-up or slow DSL connections. In the tech capital of the world, Chinatown appeared to be an internet dead zone.

Ten months later, Hos team managed to install cameras on only one of the historic districts 30 blocks. The districts digital divide has ramifications beyond public safety. Ho said she heard from restaurants that were unable to transition to online deliveries during the roving lockdowns, from parents whose children couldnt log onto remote learning, from residents incapable of scheduling tele-health appointments, and from business owners, residents and others who simply gave up on connecting to the World Wide Web whatsoever.

In a historic district with origins in government-sanctioned isolation, Ho found herself going up against internet giants.

This is wrong, she said she thought in early 2021. So who do we talk to about this?

Exclusion and inequity

First settled in 1848, Chinatown has always been ghettoized, said Justin Hoover, executive director of the Chinese Historical Society of America.

The history of the Chinese in Chinatown is one of exclusion and inequity, he told The Chronicle.

Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

In the mid-1800s, city ordinances limited where Chinese immigrants could live and work while their children were forbidden from attending public schools. During the 1900 bubonic plague, police officers sealed off Chinatown, preventing people from coming or going.

Today, low-income families cram into rooms designed for one person in Chinatowns numerous single-room-occupancy hotels, and there are few parklets or outdoor spaces for recreation, Hoover said. Not being able to access a critical utility like high-speed internet is just the latest hardship.

Were each left to fight our own battle to get better internet or get left behind, said Hoover, whose office is in the the former YWCA building, where single Chinese women found a social outlet from the 1930s to the 1980s.

And yet, the states broadband map shows parts of Chinatown to be among the areas most wired for fast internet, performing much better than the neighboring financial district. Points on the map directly contradict what merchants and residents say they experience on a daily basis.

Terrie Prosper, a spokesperson for the California Public Utility Commission, told The Chronicle the broadband map represents the maximum possible speed for the area, not what speed users will sign up for. Many businesses opt for a lower plan and would get slower speed than the maximum for that reason, Prosper said.

Ho thinks the technical explanations dont take into account Chinatowns history of exclusion.

Its racism, Ho said. There is literally a (digital) infrastructure line around Chinatown.

Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

Ho requested meetings with the areas major service providers, AT&T and Comcast. Comcast met with community leaders in July 2021 and sent a team to walk the district that September.

The company acknowledged issues with high-speed internet in the neighborhood and challenges to improving it, telling The Chronicle its technicians have been denied access to buildings by owners, and that the community does not want its sidewalks dug up to lay new fiber-optic cables.

Ho acknowledged these as legitimate challenges, but said it sounded like Comcast was blaming the community instead of finding ways to work with it. She noted that there is no Chinese language option when calling the company.

Joan Hammel, senior director of external communications for Comcast in California, said in an email that her company has a deep, sincere commitment to finding solutions to serve Chinatown.

For a district that has been hit hard by the loss of tourism and day-to-day foot traffic, the struggle to connect with the world outside its boundaries has been acute.

Searching for connection

On Feb. 13, The Chronicle accompanied Ho as she checked internet speeds door-to-door on a block of Clay Street opposite Portsmouth Square. Of the 10 open businesses, the average download speed was 12.85 megabits per second and average upload speed was 0.89 Mbps.

The Federal Communications Commission sets the baseline for adequate broadband coverage at 25 Mbps for downloads and 3 Mbps for uploads.

Three businesses had no internet service at all.

The Powell Trading Co. jewelry store registered 0.94 Mbps upload and 9.4 Mbps download, while a bookkeeping office a few doors down had the fastest speeds of the day  0.78 Mbps upload and 16.2 Mbps download.

Waverly Services and Print shop registered an upload speed of 0.82 Mbps and a download speed of 15.2 Mbps. Laura Lis store is one of the businesses Ho was hoping to outfit with a security camera. In June 2021, Li said her windows were smashed along with others on the block.

Everybody started putting (up) cardboard, which makes this place look junky because everything is boarded up, Li said. Everybody is scared.

Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

Chinatown saw 57 reported incidents of malicious mischief-breaking windows last year, more than double either of the previous three years, according to San Francisco Police Department incident data.

Last month, on the same block, Vivian Lo, manager of the Chen Tseng Trading Co., said she arrived at work to find a bullet hole in her front window.

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The lack of adequate internet speed has hindered other aspects of daily life in Chinatown. Sam Wo restaurant worker Ms. Ju, who did not give her first name, said her children could not access the internet during the pandemic and fell behind in school.

The school gave my kids two computers and two hotspots but we could not use the computers because the hotspots did not work, she said.

Ho does believe Comcast is more serious about fixing the internet issues in Chinatown than its competitor, AT&T, which has not met with community leaders. Of the six merchants with internet service that The Chronicle spoke to on Clay Street, all had AT&T and paid between $65 and $75 per month. Upload speeds were consistently zero and download speeds ranged from 9 Mbps to 16.2 Mbps.

When a reporter visited AT&Ts website and entered an address of a Clay Street business that did not currently have internet service, the only plan offered was Internet Basic 6 with Speeds up to 6 Mbps for $60 per month. Ho said such plans are overpriced for the speed offered, and wishes AT&T would do better. They cant even say they are trying, Ho said.

AT&T declined interview requests for this story and referred comment to USTelecom, a broadband industry group.

The group provided The Chronicle with a statement saying there are a variety of reasons internet speeds may vary, including the condition of an individuals home computer and router; traffic congestion at points outside of the local connection; and multiple devices sharing a Wi-Fi connection.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who represents the district, said the cost of upgrading Chinatowns older buildings to accommodate faster internet should not fall on the community alone. In October, his office and the city Department of Technology launched a $200,000 pilot project that outfitted five SRO buildings with high-speed internet.

The effort started after Peskin heard from residents at the pandemics outset about how the lack of reliable internet created new barriers to accessing lifeline services, including getting groceries.

Our high-speed internet pilot program for SRO residents proved that we can actually bridge the access gap when we invest real dollars in communities where the highest need is, rather than where profit lies, he wrote in an email to The Chronicle.

A recent internet speed test at one of the newly wired buildings registered a download speed of 31.3 Mbps and an upload speed of 34.1 Mbps  more than enough to run a security camera and provide satisfactory internet to residents, Ho said.

Ashley Cheng found a different way around the slow internet speeds for her nonprofit organization, the Charity Cultural Services Center. She sought out Monkeybrains, an internet service provider that installs antennas on its customers roofs to transmit data wirelessly through radio waves from a main tower site connected to a fiber-optic network. The company started in 1998 as a disruptor to the lock that the telecommunications giants had on the market, said Carlos Michaud, a company spokesperson.

We are very far removed from the limitations of having to run a ground cable, Michaud said. No digging up the sidewalk to lay cables, no opening interior walls in buildings to pass wires through. The company does need the permission of building owners to install antennas on the roofs.

The company provides free internet to many low-income housing complexes in San Francisco, and in return the city allows Monkeybrains to utilize some of their fiber-optic cables in the ground, Michaud said.

Ho believes this could be a viable solution for much of Chinatown. Her ultimate goal is to improve internet access for the whole neighborhood.

High-speed internet is an essential part of (Chinatowns) survival, she said.

San Francisco Chronicle data reporter Susie Neilson contributed to this report.

Deepa Fernandes is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: deepa.fernandes@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @deepafern
After weeks battling the bewildering bureaucracy of San Franciscos criminal justice system, Danielle Kuzinich finally has some answers in the strange case of the thrashed parklet and the do-nothing cops.

Just before dawn on Dec. 31, firefighters witnessed a man wrecking the charming parklet outside the San Francisco Wine Society in the Financial District and notified police. Security camera footage from a nearby hotel shows police arriving, chatting with a firefighter, talking to a man sitting next to piles of parklet debris and leaving. It then shows the man continuing to trash the area.

Now, a man police believe is the culprit is in jail  busted only because he allegedly went on to commit more vandalism days after the Wine Society mess. But the episode spotlighted an issue bigger than one arrest: a pattern of some officers on the San Francisco force seemingly uninterested in dealing with crime.

Numerous readers shared stories of police indifference after reading last weeks column about Kuzinichs frustrating experience  and how it adds to their feeling that San Francisco city government, and its criminal justice system in particular, is broken.

They had questions. Is property crime in some ways allowed in our city? Are police on an unofficial strike or work stoppage?

In a visit to The Chronicle newsroom Tuesday, Police Chief Bill Scott promised thats not the case.

I can confidently say thats not happening, he said. I get a report every morning of last nights activities, and theres a lot of great work being done.

He acknowledged, though, that the department has serious morale issues because of understaffing, intense scrutiny amid the police reform movement and tussles with District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Still, he said, thats no excuse for not addressing crime.

Despite the reason that an officer may be in that mental state where they might think its not a big deal for them to bother with it, it is a big deal, Scott said. And when they dont do their job, I have to hold them accountable.

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

After reading the column about the parklet, Supervisor Hillary Ronen wrote a letter to Scott demanding answers. She told him shed witnessed officers tell her constituents theres no point in investigating or arresting a suspect because Boudin wont prosecute anyway  an assertion the D.A. rejects, though he does strive to reduce incarceration.

The letter highlighted alarming data backing up many residents concerns that police have thrown up their hands. For example, last year the Department of Police Accountability opened 595 cases into alleged police wrongdoing; the largest share by far, 42.6%, related to neglect of duty. That percentage has ticked up steadily since 2016, when neglect of duty made up 32% of complaints.

Ronens letter stated that of all the crimes reported in San Francisco in 2021, just 8.1% led to arrests, the lowest rate in a decade. Just 3.5% of reported property crimes yielded arrests. And, of course, that doesnt include all the crimes residents have stopped bothering to tell police about.

According to the supervisor, police clearance rates dipped last year in many crime categories  including rape, arson, robbery, burglary, car theft and assault.

Despite loud, nationwide calls for defunding the police, the San Francisco Police Department was never defunded. Last year, its budget increased by $28 million to a total of $683 million, and Ronen is wondering what that money is paying for, particularly as the city invests in teams designed to divert some mental health crisis calls away from police.

Even if you think Chesa is the worst possible prosecutor weve ever had, and we should vote him out of office, the police still have to do their job, said Ronen, a supporter of Boudin.

Ronen said many hardworking police officers are successfully avoiding unnecessary force, particularly against Black and Latino men, while still addressing crime  and their colleagues who arent bothering are doing them a disservice.

Unless we come up with some other groundbreaking way to keep communities safe and orderly, we have to rely on police officers to do their jobs, she said.

Yet again and again, San Franciscans say theyre calling for police officers who either dont show up or brush them off when they do respond. Often, they hear nothing after they report crimes.

After Jordan Staniscias e-bike was stolen from his apartment in the Mission District in September, he surmised the thieves were part of an organized ring because they were spotted on video casing the building over the course of a few days and somehow obtained a universal key to the building. The thieves also nabbed a scooter, packages and another bike.

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle 2021

For the next several weeks, Staniscia tracked his bike to various locations in the Tenderloin and Bayview via a GPS device affixed to it. He repeatedly called police asking for help getting it back, but got nowhere.

Then he spotted it for sale online and called police again. He said they advised him to pose as a buyer and arrange to meet the thief in front of the Mission Police Station. Maybe, the police said, an officer could come outside to help.

Im sitting there thinking, Excuse me? This person could be armed, Staniscia said. It seemed like a gamble to me and a dangerous one.

Finally, someone else bought the bike online, and Staniscia could tell from the GPS device it had traveled to San Jose. He called San Jose police and provided the address of the apparent buyer. Within 45 minutes, police had the bike.

I kid you not  45 minutes, Staniscia said. They took my complaint as a real thing, as a real problem. They seemed to believe me.

Eric Meyerson knows the feeling of getting the brush-off. While walking his dog around 9 p.m. on Dec. 20, he noticed a big group of people at Sunnyside Playground  and fresh spray paint on a sign. He didnt think much of it until his teenage daughter spotted an acquaintance on Instagram posting real-time photos of tagging at the playground. He called the police nonemergency number and then saw a police car slowly drive by, but keep going.

The next morning, he woke up to see the entire playground  including the restrooms, walls, utility boxes and signs  covered in paint. The taggers also hit the back of his home, which abuts the park. He called police again. Officers arrived, but seemed uninterested in the crime or the Instagram handle of one of the apparent taggers.

When I told them, Hey, I know who did this, I was expecting them to be interested in that information, he said.

Just down the street from the playground, Patrick Linehan spotted two people rifling through a storage shed at the Sunnyside Elementary campus on the night of Feb. 13.

He said he called police  who arrived but dismissed his concerns and watched as a car with its headlights off pulled up to collect the alleged vandals and drove away.

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They were just gaslighting me, Linehan said of the officers who kept claiming he hadnt seen what hed seen. They didnt want to be bothered.

Richard Parina, 76, lives in the Tenderloin and ventures daily to the Main Library. Almost every time, he sees people dealing drugs and fencing stolen items in U.N. Plaza while officers stand nearby shooting the breeze. On a recent walk, he asked the officers why they werent doing anything.

He said an officer first asked if he was a reporter. When he said he wasnt, the officer said, The D.A. wont do anything to prosecute if we make an arrest, so were here to protect people like you from the bad elements.

Parina said he understands the officers reluctance and supports the recall of Boudin. Data shows that repeat drug-dealing offenders are spending just five days in jail for each arrest under Boudin compared with 18 days before he took office, even as fentanyl has become far more widespread during his tenure and overdose deaths have soared.

I thanked (the officer) for his service and continued to my bus stop thinking that the city I grew up in and lived in all my life was in deep trouble, Parina said.

An official for the police union, which represents rank-and-file officers, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment about officers apathy.

Police Department representatives didnt respond to requests for comment about the individual encounters described in this column, but spokesperson Matt Dorsey said officers are in a double bind because theyre alternately told theyre using too much force or that theyre shrugging off crime.

I was thinking of changing our units outgoing voicemail message to, Youve reached the SFPD Media Relations Unit. If youre doing a story on police who dont do enough, press 1. If youre doing a story on police who do too much, press 2, he quipped.

He said the department recognizes that public criticism comes with the job and that police officers swear an oath to safeguard San Francisco, and they take that extremely seriously.

Kuzinich isnt so sure. Shes gone through a mind-bending obstacle course at the SFPD trying to get answers about her busted parklet.

Finally, Kuzinich learned some facts. Brandon Porter, 29, was arrested the morning of Jan. 12 for throwing items at passing cars on Laguna Street. A business owner told officers at the scene that Porter had just vandalized her business as well. Hes been in jail ever since.

Police said he appears to have three other arrests from last year, though a rule about providing the public no information about crimes older than 90 days prevented them from sharing details.

While its unclear how police connected Porter to the vandalism at the Wine Society, the District Attorneys Office charged Porter Thursday with felony second-degree burglary and felony vandalism. The office also filed a motion to revoke his probation in a previous case. He was due to be arraigned late Friday and assigned a lawyer.

Kuzinich said she believes the case would have stalled if she hadnt spoken out. She filed a complaint with the Department of Police Accountability, but was warned any resolution could take up to nine months.

Ive taken all the steps I can, she said. The system is broken.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf
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WASHINGTON >> Booming online retail sales are good news for the U.S. Postal Service, but its carriers are incurring a cost: more dog bites.

Dog attacks on postal workers rose last year to 6,755, up 206 from the previous year and the highest in three decades, as Internet shopping booms and consumers increasingly demand seven-day-a-week package delivery and groceries dropped at their doorstep. The high for attacks dated back to the 1980s, at more than 7,000, before maulings by pit bulls and other potentially aggressive dogs became a public issue.

Los Angeles topped the 2016 list with 80 attacks on postal workers, followed by Houston with 62 and Cleveland with 60.

The Postal Service released its annual figures last week as part of National Dog Bite Prevention Week.

A longtime cliche of movies, dog biting of mail carriers  or at least dog chasing  is no laughing matter for the post office. Medical expenses and workers compensation cost the Postal Service millions of dollars each year.

Overall, an estimated 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs annually, mostly children. In the last year, dog attacks on carriers rose 3 percent. Still, while dog bite claims are rising, there are signs attacks may be less severe: The average cost per claim fell last year by more than 10 percent to $33,230, according to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm.

Its always on your mind as a carrier, Is there a dog in the area and is it a threat? said James Solomon, a 17-year postal carrier. Officially, 2 percent of carriers were bitten last year, but Solomon says every carrier he knows has some kind of dog experience to tell, from outrunning to cajoling a territorial pet.

The post office hopes more public awareness will help.

After a 14 percent jump in dog attacks in 2015, the post office launched a Trip Hazards app on handheld devices to help warn carriers of potentially hostile dogs. Customers are asked on package pickup applications if there are dogs at their addresses. In extreme cases, residents will be told to pick up mail at a post office until a repeat offender dog is restrained.

Even good dogs have bad days, said U.S. Postal Service Safety Director Linda DeCarlo in Los Angeles. Dog bite prevention training and continuing education are important to keep pet owners, pets and those who visit homes  like letter carriers  happy and healthy.

She urges owners to secure their dogs in a separate room before opening the door and to remind family members not to take mail directly from letter carriers in front of their dog, which may view it as a threatening gesture.

Rising dog attacks come amid double-digit increases in the post offices package business. While U.S. population growth means more residences to deliver to, postal carriers are also visiting homes more frequently and at all times of day, with packages or groceries in hand, thanks to agreements struck with Amazon in 2013 and 2014.

United Parcel Service said its 66,000 deliverers suffered about 900 dog bites last year, a percentage that has remained fairly stable. Spokesman Dan McMackin, a former UPS driver who used to carry dog biscuits to woo surly pets, said he found pit bulls and smaller dog breeds to be more nettlesome than hunting dogs  such as Labrador retrievers and beagles  who dont have much to prove.

FedEx Corp. said it does not collect numbers on dog attacks.

Solomon, who lives in Hatboro, Pennsylvania, said he thought he had learned all the tricks to prevent attacks: watch the dogs mannerisms, use the mail satchel as a shield, or pull out the emergency dog spray if needed  it contains an extract of cayenne pepper.

But last week, those safeguards werent enough when a woman answered his knock.

It was three little hot dogs who came out and bit me on the shin, Solomon said, describing dachshunds. It didnt hurt that much, but it was very aggressive, one after the other.

Robert Lieb, a professor of supply chain management at Northeastern University, said he expects dog attacks to keep increasing. Still, the online industry continues to change, and dogs may prove to be less of a problem if Amazon changes its delivery to a new method: drones.

The question is whether drones will land or parachute the packages down, said Lieb, a former shipping consultant. I would see eagles, not dogs, taking out drones.
* Please consult your primary care provider before starting any new supplement, to ensure if they are right for you.

(Ad) Cannabis has been used for its medicinal qualities by cultures all over the world for far longer than its been illegal in the United States. At the same time, the market for CBD is saturated and that can make it difficult to find an honest source that tells you exactly what to expect from the products on offer.

Among the conditions CBD is believed to be able to treat is anxietyin all its many forms. Even if doctors and researchers arent yet sure why CBD has these effects, its worth exploring the power behind this magic little molecule and finding out which brands offer the most reliable CBD products today.

Contents

Does CBD work for anxiety?

According to the studies mentioned below, it does work.

Since cannabis has been illegal for so long, and has therefore not been researched thoroughly, more lab work needs to be done in order to answer questions around things like optimal dosing and treatable conditions. Our best scientific guess right now is that CBD probably has an effect on anxiety because it has an effect on serotonin levels in the brain.

For those who have a hard time getting to sleep, a study conducted in 2019 showed that nearly 80% of participants improved their sleep cycle with the use of CBD. A much smaller study on 11 patients with PTSD also showed significant improvement in their conditions with the help of CBD. In fact, when researchers reviewed 49 studies on CBD as a treatment for anxiety they found that CBD could potentially treat everything from social anxiety to OCD. When considering CBD as a remedy, always consult your doctor ahead of time.

CBD has shown quite a lot of potential to be used as a treatment for anything from mild anxiety to depression. Still, the only treatment the FDA has approved so far is the use of CBD for a few specific forms of epilepsy. The product used to treat these specific forms of epilepsy is also created by just one company, producing one approved brand of CBD spray known as Epidiolex.

Best CBD products for anxiety

If youre looking for a reliable and trustworthy CBD product, an ideal approach is to look for products that have undergone third-party lab testing. You could take your chances with any number of CBD products available on the market, and you may even find something that works for you, but products that have been tested are better able to back up the claims made on the labeling. They can tell you how much CBD the product contains and are far easier to dose as a result.

In this case weve chosen Botany Farms, a well-reviewed Minnesota-based brand that has third-party test results available on its website.

Best high CBD strains for anxiety

If were going to try to use CBD to help with anxiety, it may be ideal to start with some high CBD strains. While pre-rolls and bong rips arent exactly the way the FDA would recommend treating your anxiety, many cannabis enthusiasts and even a few experts stand by the fabled entourage effect that smoking flower provides.

According to Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, the man who first isolated THC, the chemical compounds in cannabis work together in unison to create the effects we feel. Everything from its flavor to its aroma and that fuzzy full-body effect you get when you smoke is a result of a chemical dance known as the entourage effect. In essence, the belief is that each chemical compound in cannabis bolsters the other compounds when they are consumed together.

So, with that in mind, here are a few buds you might want to consider if youre looking to use CBD to help with anxiety.

Bubba Kush: As an indica, this strain is usually the choice of those who are looking to relax. After all, it comes from a lineage known to reach THC levels of up to 26%which would normally be a little extreme for someone whos not quite used to smoking cannabis. However, in this CBD-heavy version of Bubba Kush by Botany Farms, the THC has been all but bred out of the flower in order to provide a powerful kick of CBD while leaving the THC levels lower than 0.3%. With CBD levels of 15 to 20%, this strain is one of the best options if youre looking to try a high CBD strain. In addition to its high CBD content, Bubba Kush is also known to contain limonene, which the company says is believed to have stress relieving effects. Sour Space Candy: This hybrid strain is another high CBD option that contains 16.4% CBD, which is probably why some people describe it as a social strain and consider it to have an ideal CBD dosage for social anxiety. This strain also contains a terpene known as caryophyllene, which the company says is thought to regulate mood. Sour Lifter: With a CBD level of 17.3%, this strain may be yet another good choice if youre looking to test the stress-relieving effects of cannabis, though we recommend that you start slow if testing is what you intend to do. As for terpenes, this strain contains a few that the company says are believed to improve mood, like myrcene, caryophyllene, and limonene.

Best CBD tincture for anxiety

Beyond the traditional flower form of cannabis, which you grind up and smoke, there are distillates and extracts. These are refined products that have isolated the cannabis plants active compounds to produce concentrated edible, smokable, dissolvable alternatives to cannabis flower.

When it comes to distillates and extracts, there are three types of CBD products youll come across in the market.

Full-spectrum CBD: These products are usually derived from hemp plants to ensure that they have little THC content, but still contain other cannabinoids and terpenes that could work together with CBD. Full-spectrum CBD products are often sought after by consumers as the most beneficial and effective because they contain terpenes and other compounds that are believed to enhance the effects of CBD.

These products are usually derived from hemp plants to ensure that they have little THC content, but still contain other cannabinoids and terpenes that could work together with CBD. Full-spectrum CBD products are often sought after by consumers as the most beneficial and effective because they contain terpenes and other compounds that are believed to enhance the effects of CBD. Broad-spectrum CBD: Products considered broad spectrum contain CBD, as well as other cannabinoids and terpenes, but have removed as much THC as possible.

Products considered broad spectrum contain CBD, as well as other cannabinoids and terpenes, but have removed as much THC as possible. CBD isolate: These products contain CBD that has been isolated and extracted from the cannabis plant in a lab. It is the purest form of CBD you can obtain and contains no other cannabinoids or terpenes. While these products offer the most potent and accurate dosage of CBD, its believed that the full effects of CBD are diminished in this form because they lack the terpenes and cannabinoids necessary to activate the entourage effect.

There is also a fourth option, known as hemp seed oil, which is derived from hemp seeds, but since hemp oil doesnt contain any active cannabinoids, theres really no such thing as CBD hemp seed oil for anxiety. Instead, youre much better off using this extract when cooking rather than seeking out the most trustworthy brand of hemp seed oil for anxiety.

Among these extracts and distillates, one of the most popular are tinctures, which are droppable CBD liquids that you can consume directly from the dropper or add to food and drink.

If full-spectrum CBD is considered most effective, then live resin extracts are the next level up. While most extracts are made by extracting the compounds from dried flowers, live resin extracts are derived from the living plant, shortly after its been harvested. The idea behind the live extraction process is that it captures terpenes that may be lost after the plant has been cured and prepared for smoking. These types of products are expected to offer the highest yield of terpenes.

CBD tincture for anxiety and sleep

CBD tinctures are often considered an ideal option for those who are looking for a sleep aid. This is because they take a relatively short time to begin working. While edibles can take up to an hour for our bodies to break down and process, concentrates offer quicker results that you may appreciate if youre trying to get to sleep.

Botany Farms offers a rather unique live-resin CBD tincture that also contains delta-8 THC. This particular blend may be worth a try for those looking to get a good nights rest, because the specific form of THC this tincture contains is thought to produce a calming effect on the mind, while producing less psychoactive responses. according to the National Cancer Institute.

CBD tincture for depression and anxiety

Just as CBD tinctures may help you rest at night, CBD tinctures may also make your day more enjoyable, as they can be added to your favorite foods or your morning coffee.

If you suffer from depression, its likely that a health care professional has recommended 5-HT1 tablets that can be purchased at pharmacies as mood stabilizing supplements. Researchers believe that CBD may have a similar effect on 5-HT1A receptors, which release serotonin and regulate our mood.

A study conducted on animals showed that CBD had the ability to produce antidepressant effects, while many studies have shown promising results for stress-related depression.

CBD tincture for pain and anxiety

When it comes to pain relief, the results for CBD are a bit uncertain. This is because researchers believe that its actually THC that is responsible for the pain-relieving potential cannabis has, despite countless testimonials from CBD users who stand by its effectiveness at treating pain.

In fact, a medication that contains both THC and CBD, known as Sativex, has been approved by health officials in Canada for pain-related symptoms of multiple sclerosis as well as for pain related to cancer treatment. Speak to your doctor about this before using Sativex since it has not been approved in the states yet.

Whats more, researchers at Harvard Medical School and Bostons McLean Hospital have determined that long-term cannabis use could potentially treat chronic pain.

So, if youre looking for possible pain relief-related anxiety, a low THC/high-CBD blend, like the one offered by Botany Farms, may be a great option.

Best CBD gummies for anxiety

At a glance, you might not think theres any nuance to ordering gummy candies online, but an unfortunate symptom of the gray market is that some products arent what they seem.

For example, there is a difference between hemp gummies and CBD gummies. While one is made with CBD extract, the other is made with the previously mentioned hemp seed oil and contains little to no CBD. This means that those hemp oil gummies you ordered wont provide much relief, but could act as a tasty placebo. This is why its important to read product descriptions carefully and understand the difference between the products on offer.

Another detail you might run into when looking for CBD gummies for anxiety and stress is the type of extract that was used in the recipe for the gummies. The type of CBD isolate, broad spectrum or full spectrum, that is used will give the gummies varying potency and differing effects. Many who use CBD gummies for anxiety and depression will tell you they rely on broad spectrum CBD gummies and will also look for gummies made with natural flavors, like those offered by Botany Farms, to mask the skunky taste that usually accompanies cannabis gummies.

Is CBD or CBG better for anxiety?

Theres anecdotal evidence to suggest that CBG might be better at treating anxiety, but we cant say for sure whether its better or worse than CBD. So far the biggest discovery about CBG is that it can potentially help mice deal with depression and a number of other ailments, including pain. As far as humans go, most of the evidence is still anecdotalword of mouth recommendations from the folks who swear by it.

CBG is likely to be the next big thing on the cannabis market. From a molecular perspective, its the compound that eventually becomes CBD and THC in the cannabis plant. Its a cannabinoid that develops in the plant as it grows. For this reason, its rare to find cannabis strains that are high in CBG once theyve been harvested and prepared for consumption.

Best CBD for social anxiety

If you suffer from social anxiety, what you may be looking for is something that comes on slowly and sticks with you throughout an evening.

In this case, CBD administered orally might be a solid choice. This means anything from edibles to gummies and oils. Keep in mind that these products take time for our body to digest and process.

Its also a good idea to approach the dosage cautiously, as some people experience increased anxiety. This is why tinctures are a solid choice, because the droppers allow you to dose more accurately, and increase the dose if needed. Read each recommended dosage cautiously and always speak to your doctor before starting any new supplement or drug for optimal benefits.

Best CBD for anxiety and panic attacks

If you are looking to use CBD for anxiety attacks, you may be seeking more immediate relief. In this case, you might be looking for a high CBD flower. CBD products that are inhaled have a much faster onset time because they are delivered to the bloodstream through the lungs rather than having to be digested like edibles.

CBD dosage for anxiety

Heres where we run into the problems caused by prohibition. For the past 50 years, its been extremely difficult to get CBD into a lab without the DEAs approval. This doesnt mean that no one knows what dosage of CBD is reasonable; studies have shown that 300mg to 600 mg could be used to possibly ease social anxiety, but theres really no one who can currently give you the ideal CBD dosage for social anxiety.

Unfortunately, this means that youll have to do a lot of work yourself, both when it comes to dosing and finding the right products. This is why its important to start slow and keep track of the dosage and the changes you experience each time you increase. This is also why its important to inform your doctor and to find a reliable source of CBD to treat anxiety properly. Not only is it possible to waste your money on a placebo, but a review of 84 available products showed that more than a quarter of them were labeled incorrectly and contained less CBD than they claimed, while some even contained THC.

CBD tincture dosage for anxiety

Of all the products above, tinctures and oils are probably the best place to start. They offer the most effective way to measure your dose because they come with handy little droppers that allow you to portion out each dose according to your need and tolerance.

While a precise CBD dosage for treating anxiety is not known, tinctures are the ideal choice for someone who is just starting out and trying to figure out exactly what effect CBD has on their anxiety.

How to use CBD tincture for anxiety

The first rule youll learn to follow is start low and go slow. Its also very important to remember that CBD may have some adverse effects when combined with other medications. Research has shown that CBD can interact adversely with warfarin and other blood thinners, as well as opioids, antidepressants, antihistamines, antipsychotics, calcium channel blockers, and benzodiazepines. With this in mind, its best to try CBD at a time when you are not taking any prescription medicationsespecially when youre trying to determine its effects on your bodyand also to consult your doctor about its potential interactions with any medications youre taking.

If you decide to give tinctures a try, measure out the dose in the dropper and place the drops under your tongue. This is the ideal spot to administer the tincture because it can be absorbed by the arterial pathways under the tongue, rather than having to go through the digestive system. With a regular dose administration, you should feel the effects within as little as 15 minutes.

Where to buy CBD for anxiety

The Internet is flooded with places to buy all kinds of CBD products. This is why we always recommend that you go with a product that has been third-party lab tested, and that it displays its results openly, like Botany Farms does. This is important to make sure youre buying something that is great quality and reliable. After all, what youre looking for is potential relief to help with your anxiety. Botany Farms is our top recommended brand on the market today due to its thorough testing, efficacy, and because it offers a wide range of products that have been grown and developed with care. It also has stellar reviews from its customers, making its online shop an excellent place to start.

*The statements made regarding our products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from health care practitioners. Please consult your health care professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act require this notice. However, we have lab testing results.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had a meeting on February 18 in Munich with Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office of Germany Tobias Lindner.

The sides exchanged ideas on effective cooperation between the two countries in bilateral and multilateral platforms, the Armenian foreign ministry said. FM Mirzoyan was pleased to note the positive dynamics of the friendly relations between Armenia and Germany, anchored on historical ties, common values and mutual interests.

Mirzoyan and Lindner expressed readiness to deepen cooperation between the two countries ahead of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

They exchanged ideas over several pressing issues of the regional and international agenda. FM Mirzoyan briefed Lindner on the situation in Nagorno Karabakh and the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The need for a comprehensive and lasting resolution of the NK conflict under the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship was highlighted.

The issue of the immediate repatriation of the Armenian POWs and other detainees held in Azerbaijan was discussed.

The normalization process between Armenia and Turkey was also discussed.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. 10,356 people have crossed into Russia from Donbas amid the Russian-Ukrainian tensions, RIA Novosti reported citing an anonymous source familiar with the matter.

As of 10:00, 10,356 people crossed the border, 4527 of whom are citizens of Russia, 5806 are citizens of Ukraine, and 23 are foreigners, the source told RIA Novosti.

Earlier the authorities of Donetsk and Lugansk republics ordered evacuation of civilians into Rostov Region.
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OTTAWA - The police warning boomed from speakers: "You must leave. You will be arrested."

After weeks of a light-touch response followed by days of such warnings, as critics urged them to act, police in Canada's national capital on Friday tramped through inches of snow and began closing in on self-styled "Freedom Convoy" protesters, who have paralyzed the downtown area with their illegally parked big rigs, bringing ordinary movement through the city to a grinding halt and disrupting the lives of residents.

Ottawa's Interim Police Chief Steve Bell told reporters that authorities had arrested at least 100 people for various offenses, including mischief, as of Friday afternoon. They included several convoy organizers and boosters. Police said they also had towed 21 vehicles.

Bell said officers were carrying out a "methodical and well-resourced plan" and would work until "the residents and community have their entire city back." Police on Friday afternoon said in a tweet that some protesters were assaulting officers and trying to remove their weapons.

The arrests marked the start of an operation to crack down on the demonstrations against coronavirus restrictions and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that have spurred the resignation of Ottawa's police chief, eroded faith in public institutions and prompted the prime minister to invoke never-before-used emergency powers.

Ottawa's former police chief called the blockades a "siege." A local councilor said the demonstrations that have snarled the roads around Parliament - where protesters largely had free rein, blaring their horns at all hours and setting up bouncy castles and an inflatable hot tub - were a "carnival of chaos."

On Friday afternoon, a group of demonstrators gathered around a makeshift stage on Wellington Street, a blockaded thoroughfare in front of Parliament, to sing "O Canada" and "Sweet Caroline." A DJ said that when the police arrived, he would be "calm" and assured the crowd that none of them were doing anything illegal.

Under the Emergencies Act, a 1988 law invoked for the first time by Trudeau this week to quell the unrest, the protest area on Parliament Hill and in the surrounding parliamentary precinct has been declared a prohibited public assembly. The House of Commons canceled its Friday sitting because of the police operation.

Inside the area where the core of the remaining truckers and demonstrators were holed up, the mood was a mix of somber, celebratory and defiant. Protesters shoveled snow to create barricades in the street and block in their vehicles. Others were indignant and surprised that police were moving against their illegal encampments.

Two women in front of Parliament walked around with coffee cups and discussed their tactic for smuggling in new sympathizers: Add their names to hotel reservations so they could get past the roughly 100 checkpoints that police had set up on Thursday.

Patrick Philon, 33, was pulling two carts of yellow jerrycans filled with fuel to distribute to truckers Friday morning.

"I brought it in by foot," said the man from Spanish, Ontario. "The police have all ways in pretty much blocked . . . so that's what we have to do. We're Canadian. We ain't scared. We're dirty, sweaty. Trudeau should try it sometime."

Armed police began dismantling the blockades - now in their third week - on the eastern perimeter of the protest zone before moving west toward Parliament Hill. They were backed by armored tactical vehicles, officers on horseback and police in tactical gear and with gas masks from across the provincial border in Quebec.

Lines of police squared off for hours at several intersections, slowly pushing back against crowds and going truck-by-truck to arrest drivers. A hovering drone and two armed officers on a rooftop loomed above one intersection. Several big rigs left on their own.

Trumpets, drums, and shouts of "shame on you," "hold the line" and "this our tax money at work" echoed through the crowd. At one point, a lone counterprotester walked through demonstrators, yelling, "Go back to Mar-a-Lago" and "Donald Trump loves you guys!"

As police made a push forward, five people bowed their heads in a circle, praying to Jesus. After police moved in on a truck behind their line to extricate the driver, protesters turned to who would be next: a middle-aged man sitting in his red truck with a Bible quote on it. Supporters shook his hand and thanked him.

Several convoy leaders, including Tamara Lich, a woman involved in separatist politics in Alberta; Chris Barber, a far-right agitator; and Daniel Bulford, a former officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, are among those who have been arrested.

On Friday morning, several demonstrators huddled around a cellphone, listening closely to the latest Facebook video from Pat King, an extremist figure who has said "the only way this is going to be solved is with bullets," as he urged people to head to Parliament "and start doing your protest stuff."

Several hours later, King appeared to have been arrested during another live-stream. He was listed as a regional organizer for the convoy, though other convoy organizers later sought to distance themselves from him.

Canadian authorities say a "significant element" of funding for the convoy has come from the United States, where some Republican politicians and right-wing media have taken up the cause.

Barbara Perry, a criminology professor at Ontario Tech University, said the demonstrations have been "a real shot in the arm" and "booster" for the far-right.

The convoy has "grown into a quite amorphous movement, but there was always the potential that it would attract elements of the far-right because some of the original organizers have lengthy ties to far-right movements, illiberal movements and anti-authority movements in Canada," she said.

The protests have been highly organized, with military-style logistics hubs keeping food, fuel and other resources flowing to the encampments, where each block has its own captain and night patrol. Volunteers open up their homes and hotel rooms for participants to shower and do laundry.

Among police, concern remains over whether some of the convoy participants are armed. The stakes rose Monday, when police arrested 11 people and seized guns and ammunition at a border blockade in Coutts, Alberta. Some protesters left to avoid violence. Police charged four people with conspiracy to commit murder.

It was one of several U.S.-Canada border crossings that has been blockaded. Police say all have been cleared.

Canada's public safety minister, Marco Mendicino, said Thursday that some involved with the Coutts blockade had "strong ties to a far-right extreme organization with leaders who are in Ottawa." He said that a subset of the demonstrators want to overthrow the government.

On Friday afternoon, Freedom Convoy 2022 acknowledged the arrests of several of its organizers.

"This is a grass-roots movement and others will fill their roles," read a statement from the group. "We will continue to hold the line. We refuse to bow to abuses of power."

But hours later, Benjamin Dichter, a convoy organizer with a history of Islamophobic comments and who was listed as a press contact on the statement, tweeted that he had left Ottawa.

He said he would be on Tucker Carlson on Friday night.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had a meeting with the Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on February 19 in Munich.

The foreign ministers exchanged views over the prospects of establishing relations and cooperation between Armenia and Saudi Arabia, expressing readiness to work over the development of bilateral and multilateral agendas, the Armenian foreign ministry said in a press release.

FM Mirzoyan expressed conviction that there is potential to develop cooperation in the fields of information and high technologies, healthcare, tourism and culture.

Ararat Mirzoyan and Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud stressed the importance of intensifying the commercial-economic ties, implementation of investment projects and contacts between business circles.
After long-running champion Amy Schneider was defeated Jan. 26, it seemed like the Bay Areas time in the Jeopardy! spotlight had passed. But on Thursday, another local contestant was crowned as the shows new champion.

Matt Takimoto, a fifth grade teacher at Oaklands Glenview Elementary, drove from his home in Moraga to Los Angeles to tape his episode of the show late last year.

Its been kind of a whirlwind since taping in December and having to hold on to it and not tell anybody. My class was very curious about it, as 10-year-olds tend to be, Takimoto told SFGATE.

Takimoto feels his strongest categories are pop culture and sports, but hes weaker in areas such as literature and ancient history.

Like most Jeopardy! fans, he looks up to recent champion Schneider.

Amys a monster. Shes a madwoman. Shes a genius, Takimoto said. I already had respect for those super champs like Amy or Matt or Ken or James. Then getting a chance to experience taping, they tape a weeks worth of episodes in one day. Being able to run a weeks worth of games, where youre basically doing trivia for five or six hours, thats hard.

One tip he offered future contestants, which he wishes he had known before his appearance, is to practice physically writing down your answer for Final Jeopardy on a whiteboard or piece of paper.

That is a whole other mechanism, and it affects your timing. That wouldve lessened the anxiety of writing it down while the music is going, Takimoto said.

Courtesy Jeopardy Productions, Inc.

Regular Jeopardy! viewers might have noticed he made a very risky Double Jeopardy, betting $4,000, which moved him into second place. But that was all part of Takimotos plan, and he didnt regret the choice.

One of my goals was if I get a chance to make it a true Daily Double, I was going to make it a true Daily Double, Takimoto said. Four thousand dollars, thats kind of become known as the Amy wager because she wagered that a lot. ... Ken said during the commercial break that he liked the wager.

Another notable moment on the show was Takimotos correct answer during the Final Jeopardy round. He was the only contestant to get the question right, correctly guessing the character that has been on TV for more than 50 years and is only 6 1/2 years old.

I had been to San Diego Comic-Con three years ago, and I got to go to the Sesame Street 50th anniversary panel. That fact that Sesame Street had just turned 50 was fresh in my mind, Takimoto said. Since Elmo was added in the 90s, and Big Bird approaches most situations in a childlike manner, he felt confident with his guess. But then before the host revealed the answer, there was a short break for the judges to verify something.

I almost exploded. Im on the precipice of finding out if I was actually right, then we paused for  I have no idea how long. It couldve been 30 seconds, it couldve been a year. That was very nerve-wracking, but I ended up being right.

Takimotos one-day winnings were $21,400, and he said he plans to use his earnings to travel, possibly to Europe, South Africa or Japan.

One thing that surprised Takimoto about the experience was that he didnt anticipate the staffs ability to put contestants at ease and calm their nerves. Also, he wasnt expecting to get a barrage of complimentary tweets about his looks.

My girlfriend was like, Am I going to have to hunt somebody down? Whats going on here? Its always really funny to see the opinions people have, Takimoto says. My favorite one was that somebody said Charles [Fogelman] and I looked like grown-up Zack and Slater from Saved by the Bell. I lost it at that one.
714 | April 29, 2022 17:31 Denmark becomes the first country to stop its Covid vaccination program

702 | April 29, 2022 16:07 A group of students who participated in the 44-day Artsakh War received support from the Armenian Relief Society

673 | April 29, 2022 15:20 Psychological seminar held in Stepanakert

671 | April 30, 2022 09:38 Azerbaijani officials should specify which territories they see in the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan - Grigoryan

634 | April 29, 2022 15:53 Armenian, Azerbaijani, Russian FMs' meeting to be held in Dushanbe

605 | April 29, 2022 15:00 Euro zone inflation hits record high of 7.5%

600 | April 30, 2022 12:01 Russian operation in Ukraine contributes to freeing world from Western oppression - Lavrov

586 | April 30, 2022 10:40 NATO doing everything to prevent political agreements between Russia and Ukraine  Lavrov
In this weeks air travel news, new international route options from SFO are coming soon to Germany, New Zealand and Canada; Alaska Airlines introduces a new way to buy tickets in bulk; the list of countries easing up on their COVID-related entry restrictions continues to grow; CDC adds Tahiti, South Korea to its do not travel list; international route news from Delta, Cayman Airways and Iberia; Delta expands its Hawaii network; the Star Alliance lounge at Los Angeles International will now let travelers buy their way in; and American Expresss Centurion lounges will start charging members to bring in guests next year.

Bay Area travelers will benefit from more international flight options in the months ahead, with new or resuming service from SFO to Germany, New Zealand and Canada. The German carrier Condor, which focuses on the leisure market, said it will introduce new service between Frankfurt and San Francisco International starting in May, operating three flights a week. Condor said its summer schedule will include 12 U.S. cities; newly added gateways this year besides San Francisco are Los Angeles and Boston. In the western U.S., Condor will also fly from Frankfurt to Portland, Seattle, Las Vegas and Phoenix this summer.

Although New Zealand will only gradually reopen to international travel this year, the website Simple Flying reports that Air New Zealand is planning to bring back more long-haul routes, including Auckland-San Francisco beginning April 14. The airlines only current U.S. destination is Los Angeles. Under New Zealands recently announced reopening plans, visitors from the U.S. and other non-visa countries wont be allowed to visit until July; even then, theyll have to show proof of vaccination, get a negative result on a pre-departure COVID test, quarantine for seven days after arrival, and take two more rapid antigen tests several days apart.

The Canadian ultra-low-fare carrier Swoop said it plans to add five more transborder destinations to its summer schedule this year, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Nashville, Chicago and New York. The carrier set a June 6 launch date for new service between San Francisco and Edmonton, Alberta, when it will operate four flights a week. It will also begin Edmonton-Los Angeles service on June 23 with three weekly flights. Fares on both routes will start at $99 (Canadian). Swoop said it will also extend its winter schedule into the summer season on several routes, including service to Edmonton from Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Diego.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is trying to entice California residents with a new pricing product that lets them buy multiple flights for a fixed monthly rate. Its called Flight Pass, and its available now for travel on Alaskas intrastate California routes and flights from California to Reno-Tahoe, Las Vegas and Phoenix. An Air Pass subscription is good for 12 months  i.e., customers are buying a specific number of roundtrip flights in economy class for a fixed rate that will be charged to their credit card each month, and flight credits deposited into their account monthly or bi-monthly. With annual plans starting at $49 per month, this new way to fly allows travelers to lock in main cabin deals for a full year and rewards subscribers with lower-than-average fares on eligible flights, the airline said. Travelers can select a pass for six, 12 or 24 roundtrip flights in a year when they subscribe to the program at www.flightpass.alaskaair.com. The lowest-priced Flight Pass starts at $49 a month for six flights, and it requires buyers to book their flights at least 14 days before travel and no more than 90 days in advance. The more flexible Flight Pass Pro starts at $199 per month and allows reservations to be made up to two hours before departure. Alaska operates 100 flights a day connecting 13 California airports to each other and to the Nevada and Arizona airports mentioned above. Pass holders will still earn elite-qualifying miles in the airlines Mileage Plan loyalty program. For details, click on the above link.

Foreign nations, especially in Europe, are continuing to change their COVID-related travel restrictions. France is the latest major destination to ease up on its entry requirements for U.S. and other international visitors. As of this week, fully vaccinated Americans are no longer required to get a negative COVID test result 48 hours before boarding their flight to France. According to the U.S. Embassy, U.S. visitors only need to show their CDC card as proof of vaccination. Unvaccinated individuals must still get a negative test before arrival in France and may be subject to additional testing after arrival. If it has been more than nine months since their second dose of vaccine (or the single dose of Johnson & Johnson), visitors must now show proof of a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated. Travelers who received the booster more than 9 months after their second dose may still enter France, so long as one week has passed since they received the booster dose, the Embassy noted. Keep in mind that visitors will also have to get a vaccine pass, which has slightly different rules, at a French pharmacy in order to enter restaurants, museums and trains.

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Germany has removed the U.S. and 16 other non-E.U. nations from its COVID high-risk list effective Feb. 20. With that change, travelers coming from those nations will no longer be subject to a quarantine upon arrival and wont have to register online before their trip. However, travelers must still present proof that they have completed COVID vaccinations within the past nine months, or received a booster shot. The government will also accept a negative COVID test result or proof of recovery from the virus. The test can be a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before entry to Germany, or a rapid antigen test taken within 48 hours.

Greece also changed its rules this week so that vaccinated U.S. travelers no longer have to get a negative test result before leaving home. Under the new regulations, Americans can enter Greece by presenting just one of three things: a vaccination certificate showing the last shot was received less than nine months ago (or a booster shot that carries no time limit); a negative result on a PCR test less than 72 hours before departure or an antigen test less than 24 hours before departure; or a certificate of COVID illness valid for 180 days. Visitors must also complete a passenger locator form before arrival.

Switzerland has gone even farther, announcing this week that all COVID-related entry restrictions have been lifted effective immediately. It will no longer be necessary to provide proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test or complete an entry form, according to the Swiss Federal Council. The country also said it will stop issuing COVID certificates valid only in Switzerland and will no longer require anyone to wear a mask to gain entry to shops restaurants, museums and other public venues.

Another change in entry rules came from Canadas government, which said this week it is easing pre-arrival testing requirements for air travelers who are fully vaccinated. (The government does not require a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated.) Effective Feb. 28, they will have the option of getting a negative COVID result on either a rapid antigen test taken the day before their flight into Canada or a molecular test (i.e. a PCR test) taken no more than 72 hours before their flight. (Currently, all tests must be molecular.) Taking a rapid antigen test at home is not sufficient to meet the pre-entry requirement  it must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased and must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service, the government said. Unvaccinated travelers arent allowed into the country unless they are in one of a few exempt categories. Canada said it will also begin randomly selecting passengers for testing after arrival, although they wont have to quarantine while waiting for the results.

Japan is also taking steps to reopen to foreign visitors starting in March  but not to tourists. Business travelers and foreign students will be the first groups allowed in, but still with restrictions. According to the Japan Times, the countrys current limit of 3,500 people a day allowed into the country will increase to 5,000, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said this week that the mandatory quarantine period for foreigners who are fully vaxxed and boosted will be shortened to three days from seven, and that visitors must be tested before and after arrival. The government has been under increasing pressure from the business and education communities to start letting foreigners back in.

Keep in mind that if you do take an overseas trip as more nations relax their COVID entry rules, the U.S. still requires that you get a negative result on a COVID test no more than 24 hours before boarding your flight back home.

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Planning a trip to Tahiti in the weeks ahead? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week added French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea, etc.) to its Level 4 do not travel list due to very high COVID risk levels. South Korea was also added to the Level 4 list this week, along with a few less-popular destinations including Belarus, the Comoros, Azerbaijan, and the French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic. More than half the worlds countries are now on the CDCs Level 4 list, but the agency has no authority to prevent Americans from traveling to them; its list is only a public health advisory.

Tim Jue

In international route news, while Delta has announced plans to increase capacity to Europe this summer, Simple Flying reports that the airline is taking the opposite tack across the Pacific as some key destinations there still maintain entry bans or severe restrictions due to COVID. The site noted that Deltas latest schedule updates show no service to Tokyo Haneda from Los Angeles, Honolulu, Minneapolis-St. Paul or Portland until the end of October. Flights to Seoul Incheon arent scheduled until mid-September from Portland and late October from Minneapolis-St. Paul. However, these schedules could change as the COVID situation evolves. Elsewhere, Cayman Airways is coming back to Denver International on Feb. 26, where it will operate one 737MAX flight a week (on Saturdays) to the Cayman Islands through early August. And Spains Iberia Airlines, a member of Americans Oneworld alliance thats due to resume seasonal San Francisco-Madrid service three days a week starting June 1, will also add seasonal flights from Madrid to Dallas/Ft. Worth and Washington Dulles, both starting June 1 with four weekly departures on each route.

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Hawaii will be getting more service from Delta next fall. The carrier said this week it plans to begin non-stop flights from its Atlanta hub to Maui and from its Detroit hub to Honolulu starting Nov. 17, followed by the launch of service from New York JFK to Honolulu Dec. 17. Delta already flies to Hawaii from Los Angeles, Seattle, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. In other news, Delta plans to resume hot meal service next month for first class customers on flights longer than 900 miles.

The Star Alliance lounge at Los Angeles International Airport  located in the Bradley International Terminal  is now allowing paid entry to guests who would otherwise not be eligible to use the facility. The lounge provides dining for guests along with work and relaxation areas, and it has an outdoor terrace and shower suites. The Star Alliance includes United, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand and several other airlines, and free lounge access is available to premium customers on member carriers. The Star Alliance said travelers who want to reserve and buy a LAX lounge pass can do so at its website (www.staralliance.com). It said the option is available now, but it didnt say what a pass would cost. The website might not yet be up to speed with this new option; when we checked it out on Friday (Feb. 18) and tried to book a LAX lounge pass, the system showed them as unavailable no matter which date we tried.

Weve reported in the past how American Express has sometimes imposed entry limits at its airport Centurion Lounges during especially busy periods, but next year the company is reportedly planning to take away some of the existing benefits for travelers who are entitled to use those facilities  i.e., holders of AmExs high-end Centurion and Platinum cards (both personal and business). According to Boardingarea.com, starting Feb. 1 of next year, Platinum cardholders will no longer be able to bring up to two guests and/or family members into the lounges for free. Instead, theyll have to pay a $50 fee for each guest, including spouses, or $30 for each child aged 2-17. There is one way around these fees, though: Just spend at least $75,000 on your card during the most recent calendar year.
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The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia informs that the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan continues releasing disinformation, accusing the Armenian military in opening fire at Azerbaijani military positions at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

February 19, 2022, 11:43 Armenian Defense Ministry calls on Azerbaijan to refrain from spreading disinformation

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 19, ARTSAKHPRESS: Particularly, in the evening of February 18, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan released a statement falsely claiming that on the same day the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire in the direction of the Azerbaijani combat positions deployed in the north-eastern section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The Ministry of Defense of Armenia calls on the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan to refrain from spreading false information regarding the border situation, which doesnt contribute to the establishment of stability on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia said.
The ESEO anecdote began in Ambala Cantt, Haryana, India, in 2011 with the combined efforts of Deepak Nagpal and Sumit Nagpal. Deepak Nagpal, CEO of ESEO Solutions, had his entrepreneurial instincts stirred when he noticed the inconsistencies in the digital marketing field. He understood he had to start someplace because sustaining himself in such SEO firms was becoming exceedingly challenging. He had an inspiration and realized he needed to start his digital firm that would value clients and businesses by providing content-based SEO services. This was the motivating force behind his decision to become his own boss.

Deepak Nagpal's road hasn't been easy, but his brother Sumit and other family members have always been there for him through thick and thin. With a team of four people, ESEO landed its first customer in 2011, and by the end of 2013, it had grown to a 10-person team and had worked on more than 55 projects.

Since most of the clients are based in the Delhi-NCR region, and maintaining smooth communication was a huge difficulty for the aspiring CEOs, they went with their gut and moved all operations to a separate space in Gurugram, Haryana, in 2015.

This decision proved to be a crucial factor in the company's breakthrough growth, as it reached new milestones with 350+ projects and a workforce of 50+ individuals in 2016. Since then, the company has consistently outperformed all of its peers and competitors in the digital marketing sector, both domestically and internationally.

Our best accomplishment has been in changing the way conventional SEO strategies and approaches work, which are unproductive, immoral, and still in operation.ESEO has become the buzz among modern firms in a very short time, with a vision to help small businesses develop and build a strong online presence with cost-effective digital marketing solutions.

With an inclination toward a content-based strategy, we have expanded the inherent value of internet marketing, and the distinctive values added include innovation, authenticity, quality, and service.

The consistency of the digital marketing techniques and their successes have allowed ESEO Solutions to not only become one of the most sought-after digital marketing companies in the country but also to establish a niche for itself in the minds of entrepreneurs and enterprises. The company has built a large pool of satisfied customers in the local and worldwide market owing to its unique and customized service portfolio.

All of our premium services are ROI-driven, which helps brands significantly expand their reach and revenues. Transparent reporting with clients regularly solidifies the bond we share and ensures long-term relationships

Quality content is the inherent feature of all services that the company provides. We create high-quality SEO-based content that quickly connects and engages clients and customers. The company's dominant position in the worldwide digital marketing market is built on strict adherence to realistic ranking timeframes and accuracy in traffic estimates as per the industry standards.

There are no compromises in the company's values. Because of these qualities, customers have trusted the brand. The trust that ESEO commands is its most valuable asset. Care and commitment are visible in every project we handle, attributable to the founders' direct engagement, and only experienced digital marketing experts go above and beyond to ensure each project exceeds a client's expectations.

Unlike most digital marketing firms, we do not engage in mass marketing. Each project or client is given the attention it deserves to produce the best possible result. The year 2021 will be remembered for its triumphs and accomplishments, as we signed important global clients such as Goibibo, MakeMyTrip, Mettl, and many more. In addition, after registering as a reputable digital marketing agency in the UAE with a staff of 70+ digital marketing experts, we expanded into the UAE. The firm is hopeful that the year 2022 would bring new skies to capture with an abundance of opportunities. It is all prepared to enter the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and several other countries.
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San Mateo, CA (94402)

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Clear to partly cloudy. Low 48F. WSW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.
Stella Tosyan has initiated a small production of clothes in Stepanakert. She has created a local brand  NANE; it is produced for Na(men) and Ne (women).

February 19, 2022, 11:50 Every Armenian should be proud of the "Made in Artsakh" label. Local Manufacturer

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 19, ARTSAKHPRESS: In an interview with Artsakhpress, Stella said that being a consumer, she always prefers to buy a product that has an "address".

When your business has a "name and address", it facilitates the process of moving forward and becoming popular. When your business has a "name and address", it facilitates the process of moving forward and becoming popular.

That is why the idea of NANE has arisen. NANE is a hobby for me, depending on the successes and achievements, with the prospect of becoming a major job and business," said Stella.

"Consumers in NANE are just beginning to recognize the product. For this short period, I think, sufficient results have been registered.

The clothes are made according to the requirements of the customers.

And the orders are of different nature, from Armenian costumes, medical uniforms and evening dresses to sports, children's clothes and even military uniforms, said S. Tosyan said.

She noted that her dream is to make her product more popular, to have her own corner to work, where she will be able to develop NANE, presenting the brand not only in Artsakh, but also to Armenians living abroad.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Model turned author Alison Brahe-Daddo and actor husband Cameron Daddo talk about the highs and lows of 30 years of matrimony, and why they turned to a marriage counsellor to save theirs. Alison, how would you describe your three decades of marriage?

The marriage has gone through so many evolvements. We went from being incredibly young and naive when we met to evolving into a couple who relocated to America and built a new life in LA. That then led to us seeing a marriage counsellor [due to Camerons infidelity] and doing therapy together. Id say thats where our marriage evolved the most. We had to understand why we were so attracted to each other, what were our downfalls, and ways we could work to stay together. We returned to Sydney in 2016 and are in a new phase of the marriage now. Our three children have grown up, so our responsibility for parenting is a lot less. For us its working out what we can do as a couple again. We started our podcast [Separate Bathrooms] in 2019, and we both want to learn Italian. Did seeing a counsellor help?

It is so important to find the right therapist for you. The one we found was our second choice, as the first one was a terrible experience. Find someone you are both comfortable with; you cant feel the therapist is siding with one person. You need to feel supported and in a loving environment and both be on board with the process of change. You cant push shit uphill, especially if your partner isnt into it and youre at a crossroads in the relationship. We both wanted the relationship to work, so that was a good starting point. POL top, $300, and skirt, $275. Country Road belt, $60. Aristides Fine Jewels Adora diamond necklace, $2400, and pink sapphire necklace, $800. Petite Grand earrings, $140, and bracelets, $180 and $170 (all jewellery worn throughout). Alias Mae Sommer sandals, $200. Credit:Damian Bennett Is your book, Queen Menopause, inspired by your own journey?

I hit the perimenopause stage at 45 and wondered what was happening to me. No one had shared their experiences or feelings about it  and I have a Mum around, and older sisters. I had some tough symptoms. I wasnt well with adrenal fatigue and that caused all sorts of hormonal issues.

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If Id had someone to talk me through it and tell me its all right because you get to the end, Id have been better prepared. I spoke to various women about their menopause journey for the book. There is a post-menopausal best that is like a second lease on life: things start to happen in an emotional and mental way, more than a physical way. Loading What made you want to write about menopause?

I had written articles for publications in the UK and always loved writing. I had my heart set on childrens books, but it was the words menopausal mother of three in my Instagram profile that caught the attention of my publisher, who approached me a month later to ask if I wanted to do this book. I nearly fell of my chair and couldnt believe the stars had aligned. You started modelling at 16, appearing on the covers of Dolly, Cosmopolitan and Cleo. What would you tell your younger self if you could step back in time?

Im a believer of, It is what it is. I think I was too young to get into modelling. I dropped out in year 11 and wish Id finished school and had more time to find out about myself before the modelling world swept me off my feet. It became a place of deep insecurity for me  and I was already that sort of girl  but it really came to a head when I stopped modelling. I was like, Will anyone take me seriously after spending 10 years looking pretty? Alison and Cameron in 1995. Credit:Fairfax Media Your time in LA was focused on raising your family. At what point did you realise you wanted to study again?

I was so happy to be the stay-at-home mum and raise kids while Cameron worked. His work was so random, you didnt know when or how long hed be away. Once my third child got to a certain age, I went back into the workforce. My dreams of becoming a teacher also came true. I got an early childhood teaching degree from UCLA. It was agonising to say goodbye to all of that when we returned to Australia, but Im glad we came back to experience our country pre-pandemic. We got out of the US before the Trump years, too.

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Cam and I really grew up as individuals in America: the 25 years I spent there is half of my life! Wed only been married eight months when we moved there and I had my 23rd birthday in Los Angeles. Ive been on a life journey from the 20s to my 40s. Zara shirt, $80, and pants, $80. Alias Mae Polly sandals, $200. Credit:Damian Bennett Did you feel much pressure to maintain your body shape after you stopped modelling?

I am aware of the privilege of being a model. Im aware there were girls who wished they had a body like mine when they were 16, which makes me cringe. Meanwhile, I was wishing I had a body like Elle Macphersons. As a 52-year-old who is a size 14 with a muffin top and cellulite from neck to knee, I feel more pressure back in Australia than I did in America. Nobody in the US could compare me to my younger self. But here, I still get that all the time. That is where it is tricky for me. People must look at me and think, Holy crap, what happened to you? Im gentler on myself nowadays and remind myself its okay to be as I am. But its definitely an issue. Im aware there were girls who wished they had a body like mine when they were 16, which makes me cringe. Meanwhile, I was wishing I had a body like Elle Macphersons. Cameron, what prompted your decision to join Dancing with the Stars, and what was Alisons reaction?

I felt I hadnt been challenged much over the two years of the pandemic, so DWTS seemed a natural progression to getting myself out there again. I like to surf and maintain fitness, but ballroom dancing is a whole new thing. I am grateful for the experience. Alison has always been supportive of what Ive wanted to do. Id actually like us to take up ballroom dancing as a couple. Alison wears Unikspace kimono, T-shirt and pants, Aristides necklaces, Petite Grand earrings and bracelets, Alias Mae sandals. Cameron wears Saba shirt. Credit:Damian Bennett How do you reflect on your marriage and its longevity?

With all relationships, the first few years are easy. But once you get past the superficial and into the nitty-gritty, you get deeper into understanding why youre together. For us its been a deep soul-growth experience. A marriage is like a dance: you have to allow your partner space, and it takes two. Weve grown as individuals and yet remain committed to one another.

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Shimon Hayut pictured on a private jet. Credit:Instagram/Supplied The way the human processing system works, we tend to assume that positive qualities go together, says Forgas. If somebodys really wealthy, we are probably more inclined to believe they are also going to be more trustworthy or reliable or wise, or worth listening to. Its called the halo effect, in behavioural psychology. And its one of hundreds of default mental shortcuts that help keep our brains from becoming overwhelmed by decision-making, says Dr Meg Elkins, a behavioural and cultural economist at RMITs Behavioural Business Lab. [Because] weve got 10,000 decisions to make in one day. And the halo effect is in part what helped Sydney writer Stephanie Wood to fall in love with a con artist she calls Joe, even amid early signs that threatened to turn her off. They included a broken top tooth and the time he asked her, You must be well-connected? Pretentious nong, she thought of the man she met through an online dating site who claimed to live in a house on Sydney Harbour and farm sheep on a property in the NSW southern highlands. Two strikes, youre out.

Anna Sorokin before she was unmasked as a fraudster, when she went by the name Anna Delvey. Credit:Sergio Corvacho There were other moments that gave her pause. For a farmer, she noticed, he had very soft hands. Nothing made sense; his stories shifted and contradicted themselves, she wrote in a Good Weekend feature about the experience  and later turned into the book, Fake  about the rural property Joe said hed made an offer on, boasting a mansion, olive orchard and vineyard. But she was persuaded to think he was a decent, remarkable package, in part because of his illustrious background. He came from a well-known, distinguished family  his grandfather a prominent businessman  that was, she was led to believe, politically progressive (something she values greatly). I had this information about his background and I attributed other qualities to him because of that, she says of the man who also wooed her with weekends away and love declarations. I attributed kindness, sincerity, gentleness, and those things really matter to me, [and] honesty. And while she says shes not someone who enjoys flashy things and cant think of anything worse than a designer handbag, she admits: It wouldnt be honest of me to say that [his wealth] wasnt on some level appealing  It was attractive on the level that he was someone who I could perhaps lean on a little bit after so many years of doing it myself.

All of us, says Elkins, are primed by evolutionary biology to be lured in by success. We have these implicit markings on us, or actions, from birth, for the way we respond to people who are successful and leaders. We cant help but have that [positive] bias, she says. But why do some people end up being duped by fraudsters who present themselves as being wealthy, while others dont? No one knows for sure. But it isnt a matter of lacking intelligence.

After Wood published her story, she says she was contacted by hundreds of women whod been duped by con artists, many of whom presented as being wealthy. She has since interviewed about 50 of these women. I have spoken to a magistrate who fell for a guy like this, multiple lawyers, academics, doctors, teachers; we are not talking about stupid women, says Wood, whose experience will be the focus of an episode of ABCs Australian Story on March 7. Stephanie Wood wrote the book Fake after falling for a con artist. Credit:Nic Walker Forgas thinks that people whove studied analytical science and sceptical thinking often have an extra defence against being duped. You do need to have training in sceptical thinking, essentially scientific thinking, he says. The question of How do we know that something is true? What are the criteria?.

Still, Shimon Hayut and Anna Sorokin went to elaborate lengths to trick their victims into thinking they were fabulously wealthy. Hayut took women on private jets and sent doctored photos of his bodyguard, bleeding, to convince them he was in danger. Sorokin wore the right labels (Balenciaga, Celine), footed the bill for expensive meals she hosted for celebrities, athletes and CEOs and, as one acquaintance put it, someone mentioned that she flew in on a private jet. Loading Their pretend lives were convincing partly because of social proof, says Elkins. The powerful social and psychological phenomenon explains how we often look to how others are behaving and take our cues from them. Theres this lovely quote by [playwright] George Bernard Shaw, The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not the way she behaves, but how shes treated, says Elkins. So with Anna, shell give you clues that this [other] person has accepted her, and then we go, Oh, OK, shes got the blue influencer tick. But however naturally vulnerable all of us are to being gullible in the face of deception, so, too, can our gut instincts sometimes steer us, eventually, from danger. I never gave Joe the keys to my apartment, says Wood, of the man she dated for 15 months, and who  she eventually discovered  was not only in a long-term relationship with another woman but was an undischarged bankrupt with a criminal record.
Furniture as art is not a new phenomenon. The David Gill Gallery and the Carpenters Workshop Gallery in Londons Mayfair have been retailing it for many years, in a similar manner to how fine art is sold through galleries.

However, unlike paintings that cannot be touched, this furniture is mostly used for the intention that it was made.

A Michael Gittings design called I Found Tou in The Forest Dreaming Credit:Sally Dan-Cuthbert Gallery

The concept of furniture as art was first introduced to Australia through retailers such as the Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney.

We call this functional or sculptural art, says Dan-Cuthbert, pointing out the many chairs, stools, benches and mirrors that can be found in her gallery, which specialises in Australian and New Zealand creatives.
Enough is enough. Women are sick of gendered attacks, sick of misogynistic slurs, sick of being treated as the chattels of men, sick of being gaslit and undermined. Sick of being blamed for the abuse which is levelled against them because, the apologists say, they brought it upon themselves with their political beliefs.

All of these things have happened to women in the past few weeks and all of them have happened to conservative women, aided, abetted and sometimes administered by women who identify with the progressive side of politics.

If a woman on the conservative side of politics expresses her view on, well, pretty much anything, the suggestion has been that she is doing the bidding of a man.

They have been accused in these pages by columnist Jenna Price of being human shields. By participating in a TV show to Meet the Morrisons the Prime Ministers wife, Jenny Morrison, was apparently delivering a personal sacrifice to shore up his moral reputation. What a demeaning suggestion after 30 years of marriage.
From April 2020 to January 2022, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show, 1.23 million people arrived in Australia and 1.52 million people left. Thats less than the usual comings and goings in a single month before the pandemic. Progressively through November and December, the federal government first lifted the embargo on Australian citizens leaving the country, then allowed groups such as international students, backpackers on working holiday visas and skilled migrants to return. But then, in a move Liberal backbencher Dave Sharma says was more art than science to appease public opinion, the opening of the border stalled in the face of the Omicron outbreak. With a backlog of visa applications for the government to process, the number of inbound passengers has remained a trickle. That changes on Monday, with the welcoming back of general tourism and other visa holders not included in the earlier changes. Australia is officially open again - albeit with a vaccine mandate and Western Australia still a holdout.

A spokesperson for Health Minister Greg Hunt says this is possible because the Omicron peak has largely passed, there are better treatment options for COVID-19, and most of all because Australians have been magnificent in stepping forward for vaccines, with 94 per cent of those aged 16 and above fully vaccinated. He says the closure of the international border was not taken lightly, but has helped protect lives and protect livelihoods. The travel ban left airports in the major cities deserted. Credit:James Brickwood Professor Catherine Bennett, the chair of epidemiology at Deakin University, agrees closing the borders early on was the right call. When we were holding off to buy time to a) get a vaccine and b) roll it out, [closing the border] was the tough way to go, but it was the right way to go, Bennett says.

The closed border definitely gave us an advantage as an island nation because we had the potential to hold most of the virus at the border and when we did have incursions, we were able to deal with it because they were still relatively limited seeding events. Loading But there is no doubt there was a human cost, from the hundreds of thousands of stranded Aussies who found it difficult or impossible to return home, to the millions of Australians with family ties abroad separated from loved ones. Senator Kristina Keneally understands this from personal experience. She has told The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age about her grief over missing the death and funeral of her beloved father, John Kerscher, who died in Ohio in November 2020. Keneally, Labors spokeswoman on home affairs and immigration, credits the closure of the international border as one of the most effective policy measures to flatten the curve of COVID-19, particularly in the first wave of the pandemic.

Whats unfortunate is that what followed was a policy complacency, that [the government] saw the border closure as the only thing that needed to be done, Keneally says. Throughout the pandemic, Keneally has repeatedly hammered the federal government to invest in national quarantine facilities, something she says is still needed because the pandemic isnt necessarily the last health challenge were going to face, and this pandemic isnt even necessarily over. She says the facilities could be used to accommodate people after natural disasters as well as for quarantine. For Keneally, one of the biggest failures of the pandemic was the inability to get stranded Australians home, with the queue of citizens waiting to return seemingly stuck at 35,000 to 40,000 for well over a year. (It was continually replenished by new people who had been trying to wait out the pandemic finally calling time and deciding to come home.) One of the great lessons we should take out of this pandemic is that we as a country should never abandon our own citizens overseas, Keneally says. Surely a most fundamental Australian proposition is that we dont leave our mates behind. Yet many returned Australians have found little sympathy for what they went through, with friends back home either not understanding the hardships they endured or shrugging it off as a choice they made. They speak of a new streak of insularity in the national character and say the border policies - now weaponised against Australian citizens - have changed the way Australia is perceived overseas.

Jock Gardiner, 28, recently arrived back in Tamworth after two years of postgraduate studies in the Netherlands, mostly online during lockdown in a foreign country. He says Australias policies make the news in Europe and people watch shows like Border Force, all adding to this perception of Australia being a bit isolationist and a bit over the top in its reactions to these kinds of external threats. Loading In August 2020 Sharma described the ban on Australians leaving the country without an exemption as a pretty extraordinary restriction on peoples liberty, while independent MP Zali Steggall said it put Australia on par with North Korea. Sharma accepts the health rationale for the closed borders and says the policy did its job in keeping Australia safe before vaccines became available. However, he remains uncomfortable with the restrictions on citizens leaving the country as a matter of fundamental human rights.

He says if Labor had its way, the government would still be in the process of building quarantine facilities and rightly being criticised for wasting taxpayers money. But Steggall agrees with Keneally that quarantine facilities could still be needed. She is calling for the establishment of an apolitical National Centre for Disease Control and a royal commission into the medical response to the pandemic at both federal and state levels, not to cast blame but to learn lessons. As the MP for a multicultural electorate on Sydneys northern beaches, Steggalls office was busy helping people obtain exemptions and navigate the closed borders. She supported closing the borders in March 2020 as an emergency measure but says it should never have gone on for two years. As well as the personal pain for those affected, Steggall says industries like tourism are still on their knees and points out there are still no plans to kickstart the cruise industry. Like Sharma, Steggall maintains the restrictions on Australians leaving the country were a fairly big overreach on our human rights and freedom of movement and not something youd associate with a liberal democracy.

She also does not understand why parents were left out of the arrangements that allowed the immediate family of Australian citizens and permanent residents to enter the country for so long. Christie Hewlett, from Ryde in Sydney, who emigrated from Britain in 2013, had flights booked to visit family in April 2020, which were cancelled because of the pandemic. She then found out she was pregnant and hoped her parents might be able to visit by the time the baby was born. Hewletts baby is now 14 months old and still yet to meet her British relatives, but the family of three will fly to Europe next week. Christie Hewlett with her partner Chris Carrero and daughter Betsy. Credit:Renee Nowytarger Were very excited, but until were physically there, we still wont quite believe it because of everything thats happened, Hewlett says.

It felt like my livelihood was being sacrificed: Joe Comer. Credit:Justin McManus Before it was definitely [a mindset] that you can always get back within a day. I dont think Ill ever take that for granted again. Hewlett plans to stay in Australia, but immigration figures show hundreds of thousands of expats have found the tyranny of distance too great and packed up and moved home. Partners in less established or less conventional relationships were also out in the cold. For Joe Comer from Pascoe Vale, being forcibly separated from his partner for 20 of the past 24 months had a catastrophic impact on his mental health and changed his perception of Australia and the protective shield of citizenship.

When the Department of Home Affairs and the Prime Minister repeatedly use this rhetoric that weve saved 30,000 lives, it felt like my life was being sacrificed in some way as a result, Comer says. Not my life but my livelihood and my vision for the future and my hope and my optimism. Joe Comer with his partner Noah from Liechtenstein. The couple lived together in Switzerland before the pandemic. Comer, 36, lived with his partner Noah in Switzerland before the pandemic but needs to spend a significant amount of time in his hometown of Melbourne to be near his mother, who is elderly and lives with a disability. The couple had an established de facto relationship that was recognised by Centrelink, but did not count for Australian Border Force. When the couple finally had a civil union ceremony in Switzerland after international travel opened for citizens, it finally tipped the balance and gave Noah his rights as a partner. The border is now almost at its pre-pandemic settings, but not quite.

First, unvaccinated travellers - and those like Santiago jabbed with the wrong vaccine - must still apply for an exemption and some believe this is unfair, given vaccinated people are still contracting and spreading the virus. Second, Western Australia will not drop its hard border for several weeks. Theres still a cap of 530 passengers a week from international flights and as a result, airlines are rerouting international passengers via other states, who are then boarding domestic flights to WA. Even when the WA border opens on March 3, both international and interstate visitors will still require a G2G pass and interstate visitors are now required to be triple vaccinated. Keneally says she does not understand why the Morrison government hasnt taken a greater interest in national leadership to bring the country back together, rather than stepping back from the crisis and outsourcing these decisions to the states. It strikes me that we could end up in a circumstance where states again are determining who comes to this country and the vaccination status under which they come, she quips.
Like many Sydney ocean swimmers and surfers, I did not sleep well on Wednesday night after hearing the news of the shark fatality between Malabar and Little Bay.

Hours earlier I had swum in the same ocean, just kilometres from the attack site, as I do most days off Coogee Beach. While Im rocked about this death, I am not shocked.

Swimming for me is not merely exercise. It is a spiritual experience. I delight in the details of the ocean floor, the patterns on the eagle rays, the brilliant blues and yellows of the gropers, the scores of schools of fish on the reef. But I am always looking out for the man in the gray suit, as surfers call sharks. Sometimes I see them - small Port Jacksons mainly - and I swim fast in the opposite direction, just like unsuspecting swimmers caught on the drone shark app (check it out).

I think about death by great white most days I swim out beyond the breakers.
As your paper reported, this month marks the 80th anniversary of the fall of Singapore and the beginning of the incarceration of the men and women associated with the 8th Division. I knew some of them  Hirst, Halloran, Stewart and Newton (The day Singapore fell, 80 years on, February 13).

These men served in the 2/19 Battalion. This battalion suffered more casualties than any other Australian battalion in WWII. They were devastated in the battle of the Muar, with their 1000 pitted against the Japanese Guards division of 20,000. They took the brunt of the Japanese invasion of Singapore. The four people I knew were imprisoned in Changi, sent to the Burma railroad and worked in Hellfire Pass. They were then returned to Changi and took a ship to Japan to work as slave labour in the coal mine at Ohama.

From the tales they told they were bravest when they didnt have a gun, they were compassionate when surrounded by people who simply didnt care, they were at their most honest when grains of rice were counted out to ensure all had a chance to survive, they displayed an amazing level of tenderness in the face of brutality. These were real heroes, daily risking their lives for the sake of others over a period of years.

After the war they remained lifelong mates with each one beside the others in their last hours. I miss them all. Most among them I miss one, my father, whom I loved and who loved me.

Phil Hirst, Wollongong
Queensland has recorded 10 COVID-related deaths amid 4919 new cases, while the Chief Health Officer expects the number of cases in Queensland to plateau in the coming days or weeks.

Of the 10 deaths, Dr John Gerrard said two were unvaccinated, while four were aged-care residents.

Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said the number of hospitalisations was far fewer than expected. Credit:Fairfax Media

We now have 391 people in public hospitals [with COVID] ... that includes 31 people in intensive care units, he said.

Among school-aged children, very stable. Were reporting 1507 cases of COVID-19 among school-aged children between the ages of five and 17.
Walking through the fruit and vegetable section of Preston Market on a Saturday afternoon can be a clamorous experience. As closing time ticks nearer, the shouting gets louder.

Avocados, whole tray going cheap! Beautiful tomatoes, unbelievable prices!

Two fruit shops have closed up at Preston Market in recent months. Credit:Justin McManus

Its been a little bit quieter, however, among the rows of gleaming capsicums and crates of soil-covered potatoes in the past month or so after the closure of two well-established market fruiterers.

Both had traded at Preston Market for several decades before shuttering for good last month.
In 1974, the live music sector and the trade union movement bumped heads when Bob Hawke, then president of the ACTU, effectively imposed a green ban on the great Frank Sinatra after he made sexist comments towards female journalists.

June 1974: Frank Sinatra declines an interview with Ann Pilmer on his way to Melbournes Festival Hall. Credit:Geoff Ampt

Hawke, who would become prime minister nine years later, enforced a union ban on Sinatras tour until he apologised.

There would be no refuelling of his private plane, no production for his show ... hell, there would be no fancy backstage catering rider or breakfast in bed at his luxury hotel.

If you dont apologise your stay in this country could be indefinite. You wont be allowed to leave Australia unless you can walk on water, Hawke threatened in a statement to Ol Blue Eyes, who with his mob connections back home wasnt used to being pushed around.
One of my first history columns for The Citizen was in 2006. I reported that in 1850, many men listed in the census for that year built the 8-mile plank road from the town line on Havens Avenue to Owasco village. The Owasco Plank Road Co. had its offices over the village store. This road that originally followed the Cayuga Indian trails was later called Owasco Road, or Route 38A.

A large group of men was boarding in the Kelly homestead at the foot of Owasco Lake. It included a boy of 16 and the oldest worker was 35 years of age. The census listed them all as Irish and laborers. I believe that this road gang all came here and found work three years after the potato famine occurred. The youngest child of the Kellys was listed as born in Ireland in 1848, during the famine.

Last month, I reported how Owasco Road was rerouted and straightened. The state found it necessary to do this to eliminate the accidents that occurred repeatedly on the curve directly in the very center of Owasco village.

The in-depth newspaper search on the history of our local roads with the resultant labor conditions provided the following information. It is about White Bridge Road, or Route 437.

Did you know this road and bridge crossing the Owasco River is the shortest road in New York state? It is, and the history and labor struggle of building this road proved very revealing.

A gang of Italian workers from Pennsylvania was hired by the Brayer Brothers Co. to build the road. The men went on strike July 6, 1912, for higher wages. They wanted their daily wage to be increased from $1.25 a day to $1.50. The Auburn Semiweekly Journal headline recorded a too familiar labor story, Italians on Strike." There are pages listing these strikes using the exact three words.

The news article said how the company men went to Syracuse and brought back a gang of colored men to replace the Italians." This did not bode well with the workers, and trouble was anticipated.

My newspaper research revealed these hard-working Italian gangs of workers had a long list of labor complaints. I read of the countless attempts for justice for them from as early as 1897.

This happened when 500 Italians working on the Erie Canal walked alongside the canal from Port Byron to Weedsport. They gathered and collected support from their fellow workers laboring in the ditches as they marched, complete with bands.

These repeated strikes showed the long, sad reputation of exploitation. Their complaints were valid. All wanted higher wages; some opted for improved living conditions. One newspaper account told how they were living in shanties on site, with a company store charging them exorbitant prices. By 1922, the Italian laborers were still striking, but now for an eight-hour work day. It was denied, with the Brayers Brothers stating, All road building crews in New York state work 10-hour shifts.

Italian road gangs were hired to work in many cities and towns across New York state and Pennsylvania. This work was on municipal projects such as canals, railroad track building, installing sewers, water departments and road building. They performed the jobs no one else wanted. This employment required a strong workforce for the backbreaking work, and the Italians and Irish locally filled the bill.

Route 437 or White Bridge Road did get completed. This was just in time for the trolleys, trains, buses and cars bringing the public to Owasco Lakeside Park.

My sympathy for them was aroused by a personal, emotional family story. My cousins (all deceased now) from a family of seven told me of the difficult times they experienced as children when their father (my great-uncle Arthur Ruetsch) was fired from his job at one of the large local factories for being a union organizer. His daughters told me how they walked the railroad tracks near their Perrine Street home, collecting and picking up the coal left by the trains to warm their home.

Laurel Auchampaugh is the Owasco historian and can be reached at the Owasco Town Hall from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday afternoons or at historian@owascony.gov. Todd Gaglianese assisted with research and securing photos for this column.

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Its a lunchtime favourite consisting of a crusty white baguette filled with meat, pate, coriander, spring onion, cucumber, carrot and chilli. Usually its pretty cheap  so how much should a banh mi cost?

As inflation rises, for some the price of a Vietnamese pork roll remains one of the more closely watched indicators of the cost of living. A price rise of just 50 cents is cause for alarm among penny pinchers.

However one Vietnamese chef thinks were not paying enough for a banh mi: Its not valued enough, said Jerry Mai, owner and chef of the Pho Nom and Bia Hoi restaurants.

Philip Mallis with a banh mi roll at the Phuoc Thanh bakery in Richmond. Credit:Eddie Jim

Weve paid the same price at some bakeries for years, how does that cover the cost of making them?
Mr Pfister discovered the fossil on a ranch in Montana which Dr Fitzgerald describes as dinosaur fossil heaven where he has an agreement with the landowner and was on-site to excavate a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil. Heavy rain meant Mr Pfister took a different route to the excavation site than usual and noticed what was the tip of the pelvis of the Triceratops uncovered by the rain and shining in the afternoon light. The near-complete fossil of a 67 million-year-old adult triceratops that once roamed Montana. Credit:Heinrich Mallison In the US fossils which are found on private land are private property and can be sold, however, Dr Fitzgerald and the museum team had to negotiate a legal and ethical minefield around acquiring the Triceratops fossil. Its a process, Dr Fitzgerald said. First of all, it had to be established that was available. It had to be established, what the status of the land was that it was on... because of some high-profile and controversial transactions involving fossils.

The most infamous of these is Sue the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever unearthed which is displayed in the Field Museum in Chicago after an FBI-led task force seized the fossil from the commercial bone dealers who found it and engaged in a custody battle in the US Federal Court. Dr Fitzgerald says the complex patchwork of land ownership, status and permit requirements meant Melbourne Museum had to spend more than a year undertaking due diligence over who owned what and who even had the legal right to sell the fossil. Dr Erich Fitzgerald with a 3D printed replica of the Triceratops fossils jaw. Credit:Joe Armao Dinosaur hunters and bone dealers are controversial and Dr Fitzgerald says there are legitimate questions as to whether there should ever be the sale of natural heritage such as fossils, but he takes a pragmatic approach. A fossil like this would have been sold irrespective, he says. I take the view as a professional palaeontologist that we need to make the most of the situation as it is.

Dr Fitzgerald says a fossil such as Horridus belongs in a museum where it can be studied and seen by as many people as possible. By purchasing the fossil, Museums Victoria has brought it into public ownership, making it accessible in perpetuity, not only for scientific research, but for everyone, he says. That doesnt necessarily happen, in fact it often does not happen and fossils like this can disappear into someones living room or mantelpiece or an attic. Preparing the tailbone of the Triceratops fossil at the Melbourne Museum. Credit:Eugene Hyland Once the deal was done the team at Dino Lab started preparing the dinosaur fossil for transportation to Australia, working with the Melbourne Museum experts remotely via Zoom because of the pandemic. The Dino Lab team impregnated the fossil bones with an acrylic resin to help strengthen them. The bones were then secured in plaster cases known as field jackets and packed into eight crates the size of cars before being flown to Australia in July last year.

Dani Measday says the fossils are both heavy and delicate. Credit:Eugene Hyland Once Horridus arrived a team which at times numbered 40 museum staff got to work unpacking and carefully cataloguing it. Dani Measday, conservator of natural sciences at Melbourne Museum, was part of the team unpacking and assembling the fossils 266 bones which she compares to a particularly complicated and fraught jigsaw puzzle. Fossils are really heavy, and theyre also quite unusual shapes and sizes, this really strange combination of incredibly heavy and incredibly fragile, she says. Theyve been underground and the ground moves and youve got 67 million years of tectonic activity in that area thats moving the ground and compressing things and crushing things so a lot of them are filled with this network of fractures throughout the bones. Concerned that some of the fossil could break under its own weight each piece was carefully cushioned and supported before being registered, catalogued and condition reports prepared noting chemical stability, physical stability and any sign of damage.

The area where the fossil was found has the potential to have naturally occurring radioactive material so museum staff wore protective gear while working with the dinosaur fossil and carefully assembling it piece by piece on an armature to display it. Any missing pieces were identified and replicas made which were painted in a light grey colour to distinguish them from the actual fossil. Melbourne Museum staff assembling the Triceratops fossil on its armature for display. Credit:Tim Carrafa Nine months on, the Triceratops fossil is complete and the finishing touches are being put by museum staff to the displays that will accompany Horridus in the Melbourne Museums permanent collection. Dr Fitzgerald says its been worth all the careful negotiation and preparation.
The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the (alcohol) prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. Albert Einstein, 1921

I know enough to be sure that what we now have is badly broken, ineffective, and even counterproductive to the harm minimisation aims of Australias national illicit drugs policy. Mick Palmer, 2017, a former Australian Federal Police commissioner.

Former AFP commissioner turned drug reform advocate Mick Palmer. Credit:Louie Douvis

Almost a century apart, one of the greatest intellects in human history and one of Australias leading law-enforcers expressed the same truth.

Halfway between those two evidence-based statements, the so-called War on Drugs was launched.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says political parties must hear the concerns of anti-vaccine and anti-mandate protesters  even if they dont agree with them  and vowed to differentiate the Nationals from their Liberal coalition partners.

Months of protests across the country about COVID-19 health measures culminated in a crowd of more than 10,000 protesters converging on Canberra last weekend, one of the largest protests in the capital in years.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce in the House of Representatives. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

A host of right-leaning parties including Pauline Hansons One Nation, Clive Palmers United Australia Party and the Liberal Democrats are looking to capitalise on that disaffection, and are eyeing off winning Senate seats in the coming poll, particularly in Queensland and NSW.

Mr Joyce, whose at-times fractious relationship with Prime Minister Scott Morrison was revealed by The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age two weeks ago, said politicians and much of the media had made a mistake by focusing on the more extreme fringes of the protest movement.
A couple of years later you have trans and gender identity issues put in the lap of feminism, she says. They are, for me, the biggest departures from what had gone before. While Second Wave feminists of the 60s and 70s were stereotyped as bra-burning man-haters, younger generations, loosely grouped as Third Wave feminists, have reacted against the rigidity of their elders when it comes to rejecting gender roles, care for personal appearance, and the inter-personal politics of sex. Recent splits between Millennial and Gen Z feminists have led some to ask whether we have arrived at a Fourth Wave of feminism, powered by social media, changing ideas about gender, and a form of identity politics that doesnt automatically centre female oppression. Tilly Lawless, a 29-year-old author and sex worker, believes the Fourth Wave has arrived.

The third wave was about empowerment at the individual level, it was obsessed with representation: We need Hillary Clinton in the White House because shes a woman, Lawless believes. Fourth wave feminism is a little more critical of supporting people just because of their gender. Its looking at things more systemically rather than just looking at individuals. Young women such as Tame and Brittany Higgins, who is 26, have recently shot to prominence as the nations most visible young feminists. Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins at the National Press Club in Canberra last week. Credit:James Brickwood

Both have largely delighted older feminists with their frank and unapologetic confrontation of structural power. But other older people (including the Prime Ministers wife Jenny Morrison) were dismayed by what they perceived as Tames lack of politeness when she met the Prime Minister at an Australian of the Year function last month, generating news photographs that went viral. Women have been angry for a really long time, says Rosewarne. The difference is the visibility of that anger. Unlike previous generations, todays young feminists dont need the mainstream media to notice them or amplify their cause.

Grace Tame with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Jenny Morrison. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen They can launch critiques of powerful figures (notably the Prime Minister Scott Morrison) from wherever they happen to be with their smartphone. These young women are digital natives who have come of age with the internet, and they can control their narrative, says Rosewarne. Young women can raise their voices via social media, but they can also be educated through it. There are young people who have learned their feminism from [social media website] Tumblr, says Rosewarne.

These young women are digital natives who have come of age with the internet, and they can control their narrative, says Rosewarne. Credit:Justin McManus But the central role of social media in contemporary feminism attracts its own critique. Should the complexities of the womens movement be condensed into a bite-sized TikTok video? Can they be? Lawless, who has 50,000 Instagram followers, says that unfortunately, we are having complex, nuanced things reduced to soundbites. Things that have multiple books written about them are reduced to an infographic stuck up on someones [Instagram] story, she says.

If social media serves as a gateway to knowledge, thats fine. I would love if the feminism-lite or Feminism 101 people access via TikToks, led people to further engage and think about feminism, Lawless says. But as she is the first to admit, TikTok and Instagram are also visual mediums that reward aesthetically pleasing content, not to mention female nudity. If I want something important to be read, I have to post a semi-nude photo, she says. Social media does force you to think about aesthetic. And some things that are important dont have an aesthetic.

Social media has also led to the rise of influencer feminism and others who make money on the internet under the banner of feminism, but with a loose connection to it. So you will have Kim Kardashian posting a photo of herself naked on International Womens Day with the hashtag #empowerment, explains Rosewarne. You see this picked up by advertising, this idea that any individual decision is empowering, that youre doing this for you, and not for the male gaze. But to Rosewarne, thats not feminism. How does that advance female equality?

Its not issues-based feminism, its a justification for personal choice. Probably the most controversial point of difference between older and younger generations of feminists is over trans people. Younger feminists are more likely to believe that trans women are women and welcome trans people to the movement. This is confronting to some older feminists who believe biological sex, and the experience of living in a biologically female body, is central to the cause. Prominent older feminists including Germaine Greer and JK Rowling have challenged the idea that trans women are women, earning themselves the charge of being TERFs (trans exclusionary radical feminists).

TERF is an insult freely thrown by Millennial and Gen Z feminists, although TERFs prefer to call themselves gender critical feminists. Second wave feminism is obviously full of TERFS and SWERFs, says Lawless (a SWERF is a sex-worker exclusionary radical feminist). They think that sex workers and trans women and trans men are traitors working undercover for the patriarchy. Young feminists are also more likely to emphasise intersectionality - the idea that womens overlapping identities, such as their race, class, and sexual orientation, will impact the way they experience oppression. Yasmin Poole, 23, is one such feminist.

She is a youth advocate and a national ambassador for girls charity Plan International Australia, and she defines her intersectional feminism as including diverse women and non-binary people. Yasmin Poole is a youth advocate and a national ambassador for Plan International Australia. Credit:Martin Ollman If we want to create a free world, we also have to have conversations about race and class, she says. Young women view it as structural. There is less about the individual onus and girlboss feminism, more about questioning why certain structures have historically kept us out. Girlboss feminism is a reference to the Millennial feminist trend which updated the sisters doing it for themselves ethos of the 1980s.

Girlboss feminism emphasised individual choice, leaning in in the corporate sphere, and put forward the idea that all womens choices were inherently feminist because a woman made them. We are sceptical of that, says Poole. It isnt just about women having a position of power, its about what you do with it. You have to do more than that to create an equal world. The arguments and occasional tensions within the feminist movement are the best testament to its ongoing relevance, and its vitality. Rosewarne says that there has always been gatekeeping in feminism, and refers back to her PhD supervisor.
Attorney-General Michaelia Cash made this clear under close questioning in Senate Estimates this week. The reasons for keeping the amount secret are obscure. It is taxpayer money being shelled out, but we dont know how much. Loading After he retired from the High Court in 2013, Dyson Heydon was appointed by then-prime minister Tony Abbott to lead the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption. At its conclusion, one of Justice Heydons recommendations as royal commissioner was for the Commonwealth to legislate to make it a criminal offence for unions to pay the fines of their officials, when those officials broke the law. The government at the time, led by Malcolm Turnbull, pledged to implement this ban on unions reimbursing their officials.

The issue had been fought out by unions in the federal court. In one case, the Australian Building and Construction Commission - the industry watchdog set up after the royal commission - wanted to force union officials to pay their own fines, as a deterrent to bad behaviour. The argument was that if unions picked up the bill, penalties for thuggery and corruption would be seen as simply the cost of doing business and would encourage the behaviour. There is no question the Commonwealth will seek to recover any of the taxpayer monies from Justice Heydon, however much they may be. Damages calculations of this sort include estimations of loss of income and opportunity of the victims.

In the case of Heydons former associates, actuarial evidence was submitted by their lawyers showing the kind of money the women might have earned, had they stayed in the law. High Court associateships are highly sought-after, a rare prize awarded to only the brightest graduates. Non-disclosure agreements, have been used by sexual harassers to silence women and cover up their crimes and misdeeds. Those women could have, and should have, gone on to become barristers, top prosecutors and judges. Instead, they all left the law, the profession they had loved.

Loading In a compelling interview on 7.30 this week, one of the women, Alex Eggerking, said Heydon had destroyed my love for the law. Her words brought to mind the poignancy of former Liberal staffer and alleged rape victim Brittany Higgins. Higgins recently told the National Press Club that her job as a political staffer was the most fulfilling job I ever had. She also ruled out returning to it.

But aside from the question of cash, the interesting thing about both the Prince Andrew and Dyson Heydon cases is that the women did not sign non-disclosure agreements preventing them from telling their stories. Loading Sure, in both cases, NDAs would have been largely redundant - the alleged misconduct of both men has been well publicised and the women have spoken out. But the fact that the women arent legally gagged is significant, and shows some progress has been made in how we redress allegations of sexual misconduct, centring on the survivors right to control his or her own story. Non-disclosure agreements, once intended to protect trade secrets and intellectual property in legal disputes, have been used by sexual harassers to silence women and cover up their crimes and misdeeds.

Hollywoods Harvey Weinstein, notorious progenitor of the #metoo movement, had an army of lawyers who forced women into signing NDAs to protect his interests and reputation. This helped him carry on raping women. In 2019 I spoke to one of his former assistants, Rowena Chiu. She said Weinstein tried to rape her in a Venice hotel room in 1998. Rowena Chiu said the sheer number of women who come out with allegations against Weinstein was staggering and she was amazed at how it had trigged an entire movement. Credit:Kathy LaBarre This led to her and a colleague being pressured into taking a 125,000 settlement and signing a non-disclosure agreement so onerous it was risky for Chiu to tell a lawyer, a psychologist or even her family about the assault (which Weinstein denied). She was not even allowed to keep a copy of the document. The use of NDAs by perpetrators of misconduct, and the institutions they work for, is increasingly on the nose.

Loading An international campaign called Cant Buy My Silence is lobbying for a ban on the use of NDAs in cases of harassment, abuse and bullying unless the victim requests confidentiality. The founder of the campaign, another of Weinsteins victims, called NDAs dreadful, demoralising things with no justice in them. In Australia, Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins 2020 Respect@Work inquiry into sexual harassment looked at NDAs. The Respect@Work Council, set up to implement the response to the inquiry, met on Friday and had NDAs on its agenda. The inquiry heard from many victims of sexual harassment who said their NDAs had impeded their recovery.
Violence in eastern Ukraine has spiked in recent days as Ukraine and the two regions held by the rebels each accused the other of escalation. Russia on Saturday said at least two shells fired from a government-held part of eastern Ukraine landed across the border, but Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed that claim as a fake statement. Sporadic violence has broken out for years along the line separating Ukrainian forces from the Russia-backed rebels, but the recent shelling and bombing spike could set off a full-scale war. The two Russian-backed, self-proclaimed republics in Ukraines Donetsk and Luhansk regions were hit by more than 1400 explosions on Friday, and almost 2000 ceasefire violations were registered in the area by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said monitors on Saturday, a diplomatic source told Reuters. The United States and many European countries have alleged for months that Russia, which has moved about 150,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, is trying to create pretexts to invade. They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday during a visit to Lithuania.

Harris opened her meeting with Zelensky by saying the world was at a decisive moment in history. Earlier, Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russia separatist government in Ukraines Donetsk region, cited an immediate threat of aggression from Ukrainian forces in his announcement. Ukrainian officials vehemently denied having plans to take rebel-controlled areas by force. I appeal to all the men in the republic who can hold weapons to defend their families, their children, wives, mothers, Pushilin said. Together we will achieve the coveted victory that we all need. Russian-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus on Saturday. Credit:AP A similar statement followed from his counterpart in the Luhansk region. On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians to Russia with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscows efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the evacuation orders could be a tactic to provide the spark for a broader attack. To say it very clearly, Ukraine did not give any grounds for the evacuation that was ordered yesterday, she said. Those are the facts on the ground. We must not allow supposed reasons for war to be constructed out of hot air. Loading US President Joe Biden said the previous day that based on the latest American intelligence, he was now convinced that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade neighbouring Ukraine and assault the capital. 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.

Biden was briefed on Harris meetings in Munich and has been getting regular updates on the Ukraine situation, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on Saturday. Biden will discuss Ukraine during a meeting with his National Security Council on Sunday, she said. Meanwhile, Russia conducted massive nuclear drills on Saturday. The Kremlin said Putin, who pledged to protect Russias national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats, was watching the drills together with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko from the situation room. Notably, the planned exercise involves the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014. Underscoring the Wests concerns of an imminent invasion, a US defence official said an estimated 40 to 50 per cent of the ground forces deployed in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border have moved into attack positions closer to the border.

The 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 defence official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal US military assessments. Loading The official also said the number of Russian ground units known as battalion tactical groups in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each group has 750 to 1000 soldiers. Lines of communication between Moscow and the West remain open: the American and Russian defence chiefs spoke on Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron scheduled a phone call with Putin on Sunday. US 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 the pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people. Violations of a 2015 ceasefire agreement, including shelling and shooting along the line of contact, have been common.

A car bomb exploded in the centre of the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk on Friday. Adding to the tensions, two explosions shook the rebel-controlled city of Luhansk early on Saturday. No injuries were reported in the incidents. Ukraines military said two of its soldiers died in firing from the rebel side on Saturday. By Saturday morning, the separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which form Ukraines industrial heartland known as the Donbas, said that thousands of residents of the rebel-controlled areas had been evacuated to Russia. Russia has issued about 700,000 passports to residents of the rebel-held territories. Claims that Russian citizens are being endangered might be used as justification for military action. Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk rebel government, alleged in a video statement that Ukraine 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 AP confirmed. US authorities have alleged that the Kremlins effort to come up with an invasion pretext could include staged, prerecorded videos. Authorities in Russias Rostov region, which borders eastern Ukraine, declared a state of emergency because of the influx of evacuees. Media reports on Saturday described chaos at some of the camps assigned to accommodate the people from eastern Ukraine. The reports said there were long lines of buses and hundreds of people waiting in the cold for hours on end to be housed without access to food or bathroom facilities. Putin ordered the Russian government to offer 10,000 rubles (about $180) to each evacuee, an amount equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in eastern Ukraine. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson draw parallels between the independence of Ukraine and Taiwan. Credit:Getty Images British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, also speaking at the Munich conference, said that if Western nations failed to live up to their promises to support Ukraines independence, that would have damaging consequences worldwide, including for Taiwan.
Intelligence agencies, prodded by the White House, have declassified information, which in turn has been briefed to Congress, shared with reporters and discussed by Pentagon and State Department spokespeople. We are trying to stop a war. Jake Sullivan, US National Security Advisor The last time Russia moved against Ukraine, in 2014, intelligence officials blocked the Obama administration from sharing what they knew. But the Biden administration has studied those mistakes. Loading We have learned a lot, especially since 2014, about how Russia uses the information space as part of its overall security and military apparatus, said Emily Horne, spokesperson for the National Security Council. And we have learned a lot about how to deny them some impact in that space.

But the disclosures are complicated by history. Before the United States invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Bush administration released intelligence that officials said justified preemptive action, including purported intercepts of Iraqi military conversations, photos of mobile biological weapons labs and statements accusing Baghdad of building a fleet of drones to launch a chemical attack on the US. The material was all wrong, reliant on sources who lied, incorrect interpretations of Iraqs actions and senior officials who looked at raw intelligence and saw what they wanted to see. But this situation, US officials say, is different. Washingtons claims about Russian troop build-up have been confirmed by commercial satellite imagery of a quality previously unavailable. The details of Moscows secret disinformation plots are in line with the Kremlins propaganda campaigns that play out on social media platforms and have been tracked by independent researchers. Most importantly, the officials said, there is a fundamental distinction between Iraq in 2003 and Ukraine in 2022. In Iraq, intelligence was used and deployed from this very podium to start a war, Sullivan said. We are trying to stop a war. Debris from a blown up car, in Donetsk, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, eastern Ukraine, on Friday. The US says Russia is creating false pretexts to invade. Credit:AP One US intelligence official said that when the countrys spy agencies have information that could help the world make better judgments about Russian activity, it should be released, as long as the government can avoid exposing how the information was collected or who passed it along.

It is, according to some strategists, a full-fledged information battle. I think it is great, said Beth Sanner, a former top intelligence official who regularly briefed former US president Donald Trump. My guess is that these disclosures are freaking the Kremlin and the security services out. And, more important, it can narrow Putins options and make him think twice. Loading The Ukrainian government has expressed unease with the US disclosures. President Volodymyr Zelensky said last Saturday that too much information about a possible Russian offensive was sowing unnecessary fear. For all the disclosures, the US has provided no evidence of the disinformation plots they say they have uncovered. Intelligence officials have argued that sharing details would give Russia clues to how they work. That, in turn, would allow Moscow to plug the leaks and would amount to disarming in the middle of an information war, officials said.

Those concerns show how difficult it is for any democracy to go toe-to-toe with an autocratic state, like Russia. Unconstrained by truth, the Kremlin is simply better at such unconventional warfare. Remember, Vladimir Putin is a KGB guy. He doesnt think like Biden does, said Daniel Hoffman, a former Moscow station chief for the CIA. Putin comes from Mars, and Bidens from Venus. Vladimir Putin is playing his own game, and his chess games may be a little different than ours. Loading During many of his recent military forays, Putin has used disinformation to create doubt about what he is doing. Such tactics have slowed international responses and allowed Putin to more easily achieve his aims. When masked men began taking over government buildings in Crimea in February 2014, Moscow said they were part of a locally led pro-Russian uprising. Only after Crimea was taken over was it clear the little green men were Russian military forces. Showing its ease with information warfare, Moscow responded quickly after Biden administration officials warned Congress members this month about the enormous possible human costs if Putin launched a full invasion. Madness and scaremongering continues, Russias deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyansky, wrote last weekend on Twitter. What if we would say that US could seize London in a week and cause 300K civilian deaths? All this based on our intelligence sources that we wont disclose.

After Sullivans remarks, Russias Foreign Ministry accused the US of conducting a coordinated information attack that it said was aimed at undermining and discrediting Russias fair demands for security guarantees, as well as at justifying Western geopolitical aspirations and military absorption of Ukraines territory. The Kremlin has been on a full propaganda push since last year, not just in Russia but also in the separatist regions of eastern Ukraine and even in Kyiv, the capital. Moscow has accused Ukraine of plotting a genocide against ethnic Russians and denounced Ukrainians as Nazi sympathisers. Russian officials have also accused Ukraine and the US of hatching secret plots to justify an intervention or invasion of separatist-controlled territory. Ukrainian Presidential President Volodymyr Zelensky (right) visits the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, which borders Russia, on Thursday. Credit:Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP The US began disclosing Russian maneuvering in early December when it declassified intelligence assessments that predicted Russia could eventually mass 175,000 troops for an invasion of Ukraine. Russia struck back that month with its own allegations. In a claim repeated on social media and Moscow-aligned conspiracy sites, the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on December 21 that some 120 military contractors from the US had moved an unidentified chemical component into Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine to carry out provocations.

While the US allegations of the Russian troop build-up have been verified by commercial satellite imagery, there is no evidence for the Russian claims, which US officials have called completely false. Even before the US began disclosing Russian military plans and plots, Haines decided to share more intelligence with allies, leading to her visit to Brussels on November 17. The Biden administration was determined not to see a repeat of 2014, when NATO was confused and caught by surprise when Russian forces took over Ukraines Crimean Peninsula largely unopposed. Senior Obama administration officials recalled their frustration when the intelligence agencies would not allow the White House to tell NATO, let alone the public, what Washington knew about Russias moves. I can remember a dozen times when I thought our interests would be advanced if we just told the world what we knew, said Michael McFaul, who was the US ambassador to Russia when it annexed Crimea.

Philip Breedlove, a retired four-star Air Force general who was NATOs supreme allied commander for Europe when Russia invaded Crimea and the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine, took matters into his own hands. In the first two invasions of Ukraine  Crimea and Donbass  I used commercial available imagery to make the facts on the ground clear, he said this past week. An even more important lesson, according to former officials, was Russias interference in the 2016 US election. Critics, including officials from the Obama administration, have said the United States was too passive in drawing attention to Russian influence operations. The recent disclosures, said Jeh Johnson, a former homeland security secretary, are a way for the Biden administration to avoid old errors and make clear to Putin that America knows what you are doing, and we are putting your business out in the street and compromising your operations. This is payback for 2016, Johnson said.

The current information battle is playing out in a new era, when technology has allowed conspiracy theories to spread faster and wider than anytime before. At the same time, trust in government has further eroded. And that has meant many efforts to get ahead of Russian information operations are met with deep scepticism. If the US government just comes out and says, No, thats wrong, some people will say, Prove it. Show me the videotape. Show me the audio recording, said Glenn Gerstell, a former general counsel for the National Security Agency. Its an irreversible path once you start down that. And of course, the whole danger is that it risks disclosing sources and methods. Loading The danger of exposing those intelligence collection techniques is real. The Kremlin could lock down its communications right before a potential invasion. This strategy is not risk-free, Sanner said. If Russians are able to figure out the sources or they change how they communicate or just start locking down, it has the potential to partially blind us right at the very moment when we may need it.
Wirtz, VA (24184)

Today

Mostly cloudy with scattered thunderstorms mainly during the evening. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with scattered thunderstorms mainly during the evening. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister of St. Maarten Silveria E. Jacobs hosted the new Dutch State Secretary of Kingdom Relations and Digitalization, Ms. Alexandra van Huffelen in her first in-person meetings during her introductory tour of St. Maarten today, Friday, February 18, 2022. The first meeting was held with the Prime Minister, followed by a meeting with the full Council of Ministers. This was followed by a meeting with the Minister of Finance. State Secretary Van Huffelen was accompanied by the Director-General of the Government Information Service Henk Brons, Director of Kingdom Relations/Countries at the Ministry of the Interior Saskia de Reuver, Dutch representative on St. Maarten Chris Johnson as well as political advisors in her delegation for all three meetings. Prime Minister Jacobs was supported by Secretary-General of the Ministry of General Affairs Hensley Plantijn, as well as her senior and legal advisors in the cabinet, while the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Finance Arno Peels, as well as the legal and policy advisors of the Finance Cabinet, supported the Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion. The Secretary-General Cassandra Jansen and secretariat staff of the Council of Ministers were also in attendance to support during all three meetings held with the State Secretary.

Throughout the three introductory meetings, a positive commitment was pledged for the realization of the desires and goals of St. Maarten based on equity while maintaining good communication and transparency, openness, building trust and an understanding of the realities on both sides including an understanding of what is/is not possible for both St. Maarten and the Netherlands.

State Secretary Van Huffelen confirmed that the intention of the Kingdom Act COHO, currently executed by the Temporary Working Organization (TWO), is to render assistance that will continue not only in monetary form but in strengthening the basis for a more robust and resilient Government. A more cooperative relationship has been pledged for future Kingdom Relations and this includes addressing poverty, climate change, education, and the environment.

Prime Minister Jacobs and her cabinet expressed the challenges that the Government of St. Maarten faces in terms of among others capacity of staff, the high cost of living, the difficulty of hiring persons due to the 12.5% cost-cutting measures to increase capacity, and the yearly threat of hurricanes compared to the rest of the Dutch Kingdom to State Secretary Van Huffelen. Prime Minister Jacobs informed that based on the above, an assessment should be done collaboratively, of the effects of the measures on the affected workers, to be able to decide on the best way forward regarding the temporary measures.

Updates, concerns, and queries were provided by each Minister related to their respective ministry. Follow-up discussions will continue with relevant Ministers as they join on the various aspects of the project tour with State Secretary Van Huffelen during her three-day visit. The working visit began with meetings today, followed by a tour of the Pointe Blanche prison with Prime Minister Jacobs and the Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson. The tour will continue with a visit to other recovery projects on Saturday and Sunday. The introductory tour with State Secretary Van Huffelen will also include visits and meetings with various key stakeholders within the community.

Todays face-to-face meetings were enlightening, positive and a good start to continued respectful, equitable dialogue and negotiations in the days, weeks, months and years to come in Kingdom Relations, Prime Minister Jacobs stated.
Upstate New Yorks influence on the State Legislature has been waning for years.

Of course, we all knew that. But a decision made at the start of the legislative session is reducing your voice in the state Assembly to barely a whisper. Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples Stokes, D-Buffalo and Assembly majority leader, and her fellow Democrats passed a rules change limiting debate in legislation being considered on the Assembly floor to 16 of the Assemblys 145 members and to only five minutes per member. Peoples-Stokes justified the move by reasoning the Assembly can pass more legislation if it spends less time on floor debates.

That may be true  but much of the legislation passing through the Assembly now is close to useless. The first month of the legislative session has seen 286 bills passed in the Assembly. Assembly members often rush through many of these bills because they are either for local issues relating to a specific Assembly district or they are non-controversial items that are passed with little opposition. Changing the Assembly rules isnt about pushing through more legislation that most state residents dont really care about.

Its not even about helping Democrats get what they want. With a supermajority of both legislative chambers, Republicans can do very little to prevent Democrats from passing legislation outside of legal challenges.

Being a Republican in the state Legislature is about working behind the scenes to influence legislation and, if that doesnt work, saying your piece on the Assembly floor so that the record can show your opposition. Democrats dont want to hear that opposition any more, so they decided to change the Assemblys rules to keep any opposition to an absolute minimum.

The bigger question is this  why spend so much time pushing legislation that aims to get as many people voting as possible only to silence the legislators they elect? Why should people vote if the chances are good their elected Assembly representative wont be able to speak out on the major issues that come before the Assembly?

If Democrats really believed in the policies they are passing in the state Assembly, they wouldnt be working so hard to limit debate on the big issues.

 Dunkirk Evening Observer

In a bizarre tirade likening charter schools to COVID, Assemblyman Phil Ramos exposed himself and like-minded Democratic lawmakers as beyond ignorant.

Charter schools have kind of taken on the characteristics of coronavirus. We create a vaccine, and they morph into something else, like the Delta and Omicron variants, Ramos (D-Central Islip) charged.

Oh, and since it was an NAACP-sponsored forum, he threw in the claim that charters impose a discriminatory system on our people. He also called the charter movement a bunch of poverty pimps.

His actual gripe, it turns out, is that a second charter school just got OKd to open in his area, offering families a chance to escape from the 7,500-student Central Islip school district, where (per State Education Department data) just 39% of black and 40% of white third-graders test as proficient in English, and only 29% of Hispanics. The math scores are terrible, too.

Charters, in short, offer hope for the kids, but trouble for the schools that Ramos teacher-union pals control. He only sees someone stealing the students as if the regular system owns them and the taxpayer funds that are supposed to support their education.

Families see liberation, but Ramos & Co. only see someone taking their control away.

 New York Post

Stephen Penhollow, Falconer Central School superintendent, is asking the question that is on the collective mind of all school students and their parents  what will the states next round of guidance be for schools?

State officials have renewed the mask mandate for schools until at least early March. But even if mask mandates are lifted then, that doesnt necessarily mean school will return to normal as everyone knew it before March 2020.

I dont know if they know what the plan is because this pandemic has seemed to have thrown everyone curve balls at one point or another, Penhollow said during a recent board meeting. But a lot of schools are starting to look at when this ends, how are we going to come out of this? What is it going to look like, so we can be prepared.

Maureen Donahue, Southwestern Central School superintendent, recently remarked to board members that there are children whose parents started kindergarten two years ago and havent yet been inside one of Southwesterns buildings. Those children are now in second grade, and parents havent spent the type of time in a school building with their children that they typically would. And while many schools use apps to communicate with parents, there is no replacement for face-to-face contact between teachers, students and parents.

In our opinion, state officials not only need to make a decision on masks, but on the other guidelines schools have to deal with. And school officials who havent already done so need to begin welcoming the public back into school buildings.

The time has come to learn to live with COVID rather than let COVID run our lives. Nowhere is that more true than in our schools.

 Jamestown Post-Journal
FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2019, file photo, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin speaks with reporters in Frankfort, Ky., as he conceded the gubernatorial race to Democrat challenger Andy Beshear. Kentucky lawmakers advanced a proposal Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, to limit a governor's pardon powers, reflecting the anger still burning over former Gov. Bevin's flurry of last-minute pardons in late 2019. The proposed constitutional change would prevent the former Republican governor's successors from doing the same thing in their final days in office. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)
Edith (Edi) Marie Smith, daughter of the late Glen Lester and Dorothy Jane Allison, was born in Youngstown, OH on Friday, October 11th, 1963, and she departed this life on Saturday, April 30th, 2022, having attained the age of 59 years. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death b
Hundreds of Flagstaff and Coconino County notables gathered in the High Country Conference Center Friday to celebrate winners of this year's Athena Awards.

Amanda Guay, community health director for North Country HealthCare, was selected as this year's winner, while W.L. Gore & Associates product specialist Holly Lauridsen took home the Athena Young Professionals award.

It was the first in-person celebration of the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce's annual celebration since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 event took place shortly before the start of the pandemic and the 2021 ceremony was held virtually as case numbers continued to fluctuate across the state.

Before announcing the winners, President and CEO of the Chamber Julie Pastrick told the crowd that the judges struggled to select only one winner out of the many strong nominees this year. The annual award recognizes women who achieved excellence in their field and served the community.

Guay, who joked she had a speech tucked in her boot "just in case," said she was shocked to win. As the community health director, Guay has written countless in federal grants to bring additional resource assistance to the community.

She is also a strong advocate for public health and the needs of vulnerable populations, striving to make safety and health accessible to all.

"It means so much to me that the work I do and am so passionate about also resonates with others," she said.

Lauridsen leads a team overseeing new product development at Gore.

She is passionate about ensuring patients have access to quality healthcare and treatment, Pastrick said. Lauridsen said she was honored to be recognized alongside so many other exceptional women and thanked her team.

"It's such an honor to be constantly motivated and surrounded by other wonderful folks who inspire me to give back to the community and do the best that I can every single day," she said.

Ducey addresses Flagstaff, state growth

Gov. Doug Ducey stopped by the ceremony after announcing the dedication of $68 million to develop 195 miles of high-speed internet broadband along Interstate 40.

"The new connectivity will: give more homes access to reliable, safe and fast Internet; help improve public safety by getting more state troopers and first responders connected to the internet; increase access to education; improve the safety and efficiency of commerce and transportation; and help more Arizonans get the care they need through telemedicine," Ducey said.

The expansion will improve internet connections throughout Coconino, Yavapai and Mohave counties.

Ducey touted Flagstaff's growth in both construction and tourism during his speech, referencing recent state funding given to Flagstaff Blues and Brews Festival, Creative Flagstaff, Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition, Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, Lowell Observatory and other local organizations.

"Its hard to remember a time when our economy relied on tourism and construction," Ducey said. "These are still critical components of our state and they will continue to be. But you all have created new avenues for Arizonans to find work, make a living and join the industries of the future."

He pointed to Flagstaff's post-pandemic recovery, noting that the city has recovered more than 90% of jobs lost since March 2020 and Coconino County's unemployment rate, which is below the state average. The county had the largest decrease in unemployment rates statewide in 2021.

He pivoted from topic to topic, touching on school choice, simplified tax code, infrastructure investments and Arizona's continued drought.

"One area where our work clearly isnt done is on water," Ducey said. "We passed a monumental policy that we were told would never happen  the Drought Contingency Plan. Then last year ... we put our money where our mouth is  $200 million to invest in the water technology of the future."

He also addressed the upcoming wildfire season, which is poised to be especially devastating given the current drought conditions plaguing much of the region and state. Flagstaff residents will see additional resources in the proposed budget for this, Ducey said, and his office is continuing to proactively work with other administrators nationwide.

"Wildfire protection and management is always top of mind in Arizona -- especially with the drought we're having," he said.

Reporter Bree Burkitt can be reached at 928-556-2250 or bburkitt@azdailysun.com.

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STAMFORD  Three weeks after part of an indoor garage collapsed in a South End high-rise apartment building, residents are looking for more answers.

The murmurs about the damage infiltrate everything: dog park chatter, gossip sessions at shops, the Facebook pages for Harbor Point residents and other social media platforms.

Part of the fifth-floor outdoor terrace at Allure  a 23-story waterfront high-rise that opened in 2019  collapsed on Feb. 1, temporarily leaving parts of the parking garage and building amenity spaces underneath the terrace unusable. No one was injured, and there was no damage to personal property.

But after the dust cleared and after the owners  preeminent Stamford developer Building and Land Technology  assured tenants at Allure that its engineers believed the partial collapse to be an isolated occurrence, some of the Harbor Point residents and tenants said they remained unsatisfied with the developers response.

Ive had to be proactive about concerns that Ive had living in the building to get answers, Allure resident Cathy Lewandowski said. They are not proactively updating us ... and thats why I fear for my safety.

Lewandowski and other residents say the slow pace of additional information from the developer has fueled fear and paranoia that has spread online, particularly on Facebook.

Lewandowski has swapped tales with others about surface cracks in some walls at Allure and dripping water on certain garage floors, previously minor annoyances which now prompt concerned speculation in online chats.

BLT declined to comment on specific concerns from residents, but company spokesman Rob Blanchard said, We take any resident concern very seriously and have a highly responsive and dedicated team on site to address any issue. We encourage any residents to share any questions or issues they may have with our team.

No obvious risks ahead

BLTs message in the weeks since has stayed consistent. Building management at Allure, in at least four emails to residents since Feb. 1, has emphasized that the building is stable and that internal and external investigations are underway.

City officials also maintain that the building continues to be safe for residents.

No obvious risks have been detected, according to a statement put out by Stamfords Operations Department after the partial terrace collapse.

BLT has retained structural engineering firm Henderson Rodgers, based out of Houston, Texas, to evaluate the conditions at Allure. City officials have also hired engineers from Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. to perform an independent forensic investigation of the causes of the collapse.

Early comments from Henderson Rodgers sketch out a rough picture of what happened at the parking garage. A Feb. 2 letter from the firm written to BLTs construction head describes the collapsed floor, or local slab failure, as an issue that does not compromise the global stability of the property.

Slab failure broadly refers to cracks in the concrete that impact structural integrity: Failures might be due to deficient design or construction, or to inadequate maintenance, but most are due to excessive loading, according to a 2017 article from Structure Magazine.

Henderson Rodgers recommended BLT install temporary support beams throughout the impacted region. After the terrace collapse, floor-to-ceiling poles appeared in parking spots and next to concrete columns on the affected floor.

Regardless of the cause, BLT will have to rebuild parts of the parking garage, experts said. Stamford officials say they will closely follow that process.

Theyre not permitted to remove and rebuild (the garage) until we issue the (building) permit, city Operations Director Matt Quinones said. The Stamford Board of Representatives is also slated to discuss Allure at its next Public Safety Committee meeting on Tuesday.

BLT told residents in a Friday email that it anticipates that this repair work will commence shortly.

Stay or go?

Though building management has communicated in emails that engineers are confident that the issue is limited to this specific area and have designed a plan for repair, the communications still feel sparse, some residents said.

Allure resident Katie  who asked to be identified only by her first name out of concerns about her lease  has avoided jumping to many conclusions: Im not an engineer, she said  but that doesnt mean shes not worried.

Katie said she and her fiancee never planned to stay at Allure long after tying the knot  they plan to marry over the summer  and figured they would start house-hunting afterward.

But when the terrace caved in, staying in the building for almost another year seemed like too long, the 28-year-old said. Her unease about the safety of the building lingered and she quickly set her sights on a move-out date in early March, she said.

If our lease honestly was ending in like April, May, even maybe June, I think we would have had more of a Lets just stick it out until then mentality, she said.

But Katie also characterized her decision to break the lease as atypical. Most of the people she knows will stay until their leases end before exploring other options, she said.

Allure resident Maris Cohen falls in that second group. Cohen raised alarms on social media when she saw parts of the terrace had collapsed, but terminating her lease feels like a step too far, she said.

Frankly, moving is a pain, she said. But she and her partner plan to start looking at condos in Stamford in June when their lease ends, especially if the company raises rent in response to the housing market, she said.

As for Lewandowski, she said she plans to leave Allure, where shes lived since relocating from Nashville in 2020, in April. And she knows at least seven other residents terminating their leases after the terrace collapse, she said.

The it wasnt the only reason she wants to leave, just another straw: In her two years living at Allure, Lewandowski has leveled many complaints against management.

While some are more everyday maintenance flaws, Lewandowski points to persistent water leaks from her apartment window during January 2021 as an example of problems shes had while living in Allure. Construction workers visited her ninth-floor apartment and installed a new window, which she said was improperly put in in the first place.

BLT declined to comment on specific concerns from residents like Lewandowski.

Lewandowski spends about $4,600 a month for her two-bedroom corner unit at Allure, she said.

After a year and a half of frustrations, it feels like too much, she said.

Its $3,000 more than what I was paying in Nashville, Lewandowski said.

veronica.delvalle@hearstmediact.com
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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.
NEW HAVEN  Tweed-New Haven Regional Airport straddles New Haven and East Haven, and has had its share of ups and downs over the years. Some nearby residents and officials see it as an asset, while others consider it a burden. With new services starting recently, the small airport is busier than it has been in a while, and there are more changes on the horizon.

Here are five things you need to know about Tweed:

1. Its home to Avelo Airlines

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Tweed has been in the news lately, particularly since Avelo Airlines, a new, low-cost startup airline, announced last May that it would make Tweed its first East Coast base of operations and begin flying later in the year.

Avelo, the only commercial airline currently serving Tweed, which uses the booking symbol HVN, has since added flights to six Florida destinations  Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Fort Myers and Sarasota-Bradenton  using three jets that are currently based there.

Last week, Avelo announced plans to add flights beginning in May to four more other destinations: Nashville, Tenn.; Savannah, Ga.-Hilton Head, S.C.; Charleston, S.C.; and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

All of the flights are on full-size Boeing Next-Generation 737-700 jets.

Avelo Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy has said that three additional 737-700s will be delivered to be based at Tweed over the coming months, and more destinations soon will be added. He would not say which destinations the airline plans to announce.

In its first 100 days serving Tweed, Avelo hired 109 people and spurred more than $20 million in local economic impact, with additional destinations coming soon, Levy has said.

During the next few months, the airline plans to double both the size of its fleet in New Haven  to six airplanes  and the amount of local people it employs to more than 200, as it adds several new routes, he said.

During Avelos first three months of service, it flew nearly 70,000 customers on nearly 600 flights to and from New Haven, Levy has said.

2. Theres a proposed expansion under way

Courtesy of Avports

Tweed also has been in the news because of a proposed $70 million-$100 million expansion project. The project would involve lengthening the usable portion of the runway for takeoffs by more than 1,000 feet, from 5,600 feet to 6,635 feet, by paving portions of the existing, unpaved runway safety areas.

It also would involve building a new terminal on the East Haven side of the airport and moving the airports entrance to that side to provide access via Hemingway Avenue, which is a largely-commercial state road.

The approach to Tweed currently is on New Haven city streets, largely along Townsend Avenue, and runs almost entire through residential neighborhoods after people exit Interstate 95.

Tweeds longtime operator, Avports LLC, owned by a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs, would finance an initial $70 million expansion under a 43-year airport lease agreement with the Tweed New Haven Airport Authority which the Board of Alders unanimously approved in September, which opens the door for airport expansion.

But while Tweed is busier than it has been in years, much still needs to happen  and not everyone in the neighborhood is on board.

3. After many years of spotty service, service is growing

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

When it comes to commercial flights, Tweed is busier now than it has been in decades  but it still is not as busy as it was as recently as the mid-1990s.

As recently as 1996, Tweed was served by four airlines, with United flying full-size 737 jets to Chicago, United Express flying turboprops to Washington Dulles Airport, US Airways Express flying turpoprops to Philadephia and Continental Express flying turboprops to Newark.

The Tweed New Haven Airport Authority was formed to enable the city to move quicker to rebuild the airports service after United, United Express and Continental Express all pulled out, leaving US Air Express, which later became part of American Airlines network after American and US Airways merged.

For years after US Air stopped flying into Reagan National Airport following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Tweed offered service to just one destination: Philadelphia International Airport, although there were short-lived additions of service. Most notable was a period when Delta Connection flew from New Haven to Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport from 2004-06.

More recently, American Eagle flew between Tweed and both Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C., before the coronavirus pandemic ultimately spelled the end of Americans service. It ceased all flights in October 2020, then resumed flights to Philadelphia in January 2021 after receiving federal CARES Act funding, then suspended service to New Haven at the end of September 2021.

4. Tweeds planned growth is not a done deal

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Asked at Feb. 11 press conference to celebrate Avelos first 100 days of service, Tweed New Haven Airport Authority Executive Director Sean Scanlon said that nothing will be finalized  and no applications will be filed  until the current environmental assessment being done on improvements recommended in Tweeds 20-year master plan update is completed.

He hopes to see that happen by this summer.

The proposed runway extension, the proposed new 70,000-square-foot terminal and any new entrance all would require approvals Tweed has yet to seek, including from the East Haven Planning and Zoning Commission and Inland Wetlands Agency and the state Department of Environmental Protection, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration.

Scanlon also said the airport authoritys new agreement with Avports, which would extend Avports contract to manage the airport and map out how its relationship with the city and the authority for the next four decades, also is still being negotiated.

Last years Board of Alders approval was done with the understanding that the Avports agreement still would have to be worked out. Scanlon said its important to get it right.

5. Some neighbors oppose the expansion

Mark Zaretsky / Hearst Connecticut Media

At every public meeting, and many of the press conference the airport holds, residents opposed to further expansion  or in some cases to any additional service  attend.

Residents, including members of a Stop Tweed Expansion Facebook group and an environmental and opposition group called 10,000 Hawks, complain about noise, traffic, occasional flooding, aircraft exhaust and other quality of life issues.

Opponents also have raised questions about how climate change and associated sea level rise might affect the airport  which is located close to Long Island Sound and borders tidal wetlands. Some experts have suggested that those are valid questions.

In recent weeks, some neighbors have photographed and filmed Avelo flights taking off and landing to show how low they sometimes fly and how loud they can be.

Others have taken to posting details of when commercial flights take off and land so others can watch for them and monitor when they arrive late  and even measured sound threshold levels using apps on their smart phones.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
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Milton, PA (17847)

Today

Rain likely, heavy at times in the evening. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Rain likely, heavy at times in the evening. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
BUTLER TWP.  State Sen. John Gordner, R-27, Berwick, spoke to Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce members Thursday morning on a number of topics, including the proposed tolling of two Interstate 80 bridges in Luzerne County.

Gordner, who was attending the chambers monthly Red Carpet Breakfast at Sand Springs, called the tolling proposal unconstitutional and illegal and said it will be challenged in court.

Despite opposition, the state Department of Transportation appears to be fast-tracking the project, which will see tolls placed on two bridges for drivers exiting Luzerne County, he said.

The original proposal called for tolls on both eastbound and westbound lanes of both bridges  one over the Nescopeck Creek near the Columbia County line and the other over the Lehigh River at White Haven, he said.

PennDOT plans on awarding a contract for the tolling project, Gordner said, in either February or March, and engineering under the National Environmental Policy Act hasnt been done yet, Gordner said.

They want to ensure this gets done in the last year of this administration, he said. So they are planning to award a multimillion-dollar contract for 30 to 35 years, sometime this month or next month, without even being done and while a lawsuit is pending. Stay tuned.

The court battle could be good or bad, Gordner said, but the best strategy would be to wait for November and the next administration to take office.

The proposal was not what the Legislature planned under public-private partnerships in 2012, and its not necessary, he said.

The federal infrastructure bill passed in November allocates $11.3 billion to Pennsylvania for roads over the next five years and another $1.6 billion for bridges, Gordner said.

So you know what we dont need, he asked. We dont need a tolling plan for nine bridges in different places, including four on Interstate 80.

The proposal needs, at the very least, to be delayed, Gordner said, or the courts to find the action illegal.

PennDOT has argued that it needs a new way to generate transportation revenue, noting that the state gas tax is generating less revenue because of more fuel efficient vehicles and, more recently, more people working from home and thereby driving less.

Pennsylvanians pay 58 cents per gallon under the gas tax but PennDOT gets only about 33 cents of it for roads and bridges.

Gordner, whose district serves Columbia, Northumberland, Montour and Snyder counties, and portions of Luzerne County, also noted that the courts will be looking at redistricting.

Gordner will pick up more Luzerne County communities under the new district maps for the Senate, he said, and believes they will hold. GOP House members, however, feel they were very gerrymandered and will challenge, he said.

State Sen. Dave Argalls realigned district will pick up more of the Hazleton area, including the Hazleton, West Hazleton and Hazle Twp., but the Schuylkill County politician is no stranger to the area, he said.

Gordner called the state budget proposal that Gov. Tom Wolf introduced last week worthless. It calls for an 11% increase in spending and spends all of the federal American Rescue Plan funds and part of the states rainy day fund, he said.

No one wants to see a repeat of the waning days of Gov. Ed Rendells administration in 2010 when all funds were expended and the federal dollars went away, leaving the state with a more than $2 billion deficit, he said.

We will not do that again, Gordner said.

The good news is that the state has a surplus of $1.8 billion so far this fiscal year, which ends in June, and is projected climb to $2.8 billion, he said. However, the independent fiscal office is projecting collecting $2 billion less in the coming years, he said.

So $2 billion less is expected next year, Gordner said. And this year, the governors budget doesnt account for that.

So, if youre going to come up with a budget that poses 11% increase in spending, youre going to spend a lot of money that you have, and when that when that goes away, theres gonna be a huge deficit, he said.

The state cannot do that again, Gordner said.

So, unfortunately, what the governor presented to us, is just worthless, he said.
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A Billings man was sentenced to nearly nine years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty in federal court to narcotics and firearm charges.

Djavon Lamont King, 31, was indicted along with several others in 2020 as being part of a drug and sex trafficking ring that operated in and outside of Billings.

A conspiracy to distribute cocaine and ecstasy is serious and, in furtherance of that conspiracy, King brandished a firearm during a physical confrontation in which an individual was assaulted. Such violent conduct, especially when buttressed by Kings past, support a significant sentence, wrote U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson in a sentencing memorandum filed in U.S. District Court.

King and one of the co-defendants in the indictment, Mario Juan Drake, planned to distribute cocaine and ecstasy in Billings, prosecutors alleged. In April 2019, King and Drake met with a buyer after that buyer had assaulted someone during a transaction for drugs. King, Drake and others who attended the meeting assaulted the buyer while carrying firearm as retaliation for the failed drug deal, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The initial indictment filed against King charged him, Drake, William Maurice Newkirk, Dejon Anthony Duncan and Anthony Marcos Chadwell with a slew of drug and human trafficking crimes involving the coercion of young women and girls into commercial sex. All of the men charged have either pleaded guilty or been sentenced for their involvement. Chadwell was sentenced to a total of three years in prison Wednesday after admitting to drug trafficking and promoting prostitution.

King reached a plea agreement with prosecutors in February 2021, admitting to each count of conspiracy with intent to distribute cocaine and ecstasy, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The details of that agreement have been sealed. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters sentenced King to eight years and nine months in prison Thursday, followed by three years of supervised release.

King had previously been convicted of robbery in Yellowstone County, according to court documents. He is currently in custody at Yellowstone County Detention Facility.

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If you had the good sense to buy Tesla stock, this would be a good time to sell it. Electric cars are not going to be the next big thing.

I have seen three great inventions during my life  cellphones, remote control devices for television and wheels on suitcases. That last one was particularly stunning. When I was a young man, people schlepped their suitcases through the airport. If you werent strong enough to carry your luggage, you either hired a porter or rented a cart. Most people schlepped.

One day I was at an airport and saw a fellow walking along pulling his suitcase. I did a double-take. The suitcase had wheels. There goes a weirdo, I thought. The next time I was at an airport, everybody but me was pulling their suitcase.

The cellphone and remote control devices also took the world by storm, but they involved new technology. Wheels had been around for thousands of years.

Technology aside, what do those three inventions have in common?

They made things easier.

Electric cars make things better, but better does not move the marketing needle.

Truth is, electric cars make things more difficult. If you want to go on a road trip, you cant just pull into a small town and fill up at a gas station. You need to find a charging station.

Would electric cars lower our carbon footprint and so, reduce the accelerations of climate change?

Smart people say yes, but we no longer trust smart people. We call them elites. Were sick of them. Plus, there are counterarguments. For one thing, the batteries need a source of electricity to get charged. It isnt as if theyre running on solar power. So there will be dueling experts. We know how it goes with dueling experts. Half the people believe Dr. Fauci, and half believe the Pillow Guy.

There is also the very question of climate change. There are skeptics.

Shrewd investors look realistically at the world around them. Do that for a moment here. Do you think people are going to embrace something just because the elites say it will help the planet? I remember when there was a move to ban plastic bags at grocery stores. Plastic bags find their way into the oceans and do great damage, the elites told us. If we simply banned them from grocery stores and made people use canvas or paper bags, we could do some real good.

Hearing these arguments, the Missouri Legislature quickly passed a law making it illegal for municipalities to ban plastic bags at grocery stores.

That was in 2015, and things have gotten worse. Or better, depending on how you look at these things.

Its not just that people wont listen to experts. We have learned to ignore our lying eyes.

Face masks are just one example. My wife was a dentist. She always wore a mask. It was considered basic hygiene. Surgeons wore masks. Basic hygiene again.

In June, 2020, when COVID was still relatively new, two hair stylists at a Great Clips in Springfield, Missouri, tested positive. While infected themselves, the two stylists had worked on 140 clients. It seemed we were about to have our first big outbreak. That did not happen. None of the clients was infected. Neither were the six coworkers. Nor any of the people they worked on.

Clay Goddard, the Green County Director of Health, said, The take-away to me is clear and Im not going to gloss over it. I was an early skeptic of masking. When I looked at the practice in Asia, I believed that to be a cultural phenomenon and Im on the record saying that. This changed my mind entirely.

Late last month, the Springfield School Board voted against a temporary mask mandate. Maybe that was smart. Our attorney general would have sued the district had they imposed one.

That is the reality of our times, yes to plastic bags and no to masks.

This is not a good time for electric cars.

Plus, they will become another battle in our Culture Wars. The Democrats are not just coming for your guns. This time they want your trucks, too. In fact, please throw your guns in the back of your pickup, and the government will haul everything away. That will be about as popular as defunding the police.

It seems increasingly likely that the Democrats will lose control of Congress in November. It is awfully hard to imagine a Republican Congress committing a lot of money to a national network of charging stations. Without such a network, traveling will continue to be more difficult with electric cars.

How many successful inventions make life more difficult?

We liberals had our two-year window to build our network. It was never really wide open, but there was a tiny crack of opportunity. That is gone.

If you bought Telsa stock a few years ago, you have had a wonderful ride. You probably even felt good about yourself while you were making money. I am guessing that is not a good sign. The people who bought tulip bulbs in Holland in 1634 probably felt good about themselves. Who knew that beautiful flowers could be such a smart investment? It is always better to feel slightly squeamish as you make money. Selling weapons to third world countries is a good investment.

If you own a Tesla, you probably feel you are displaying your goodness just by driving around. If so, you are living in a bubble. The rest of the country does not share your good-earth fantasies. SUVs, baby. Big trucks. Thats what the world craves.

Thats what investors should be thinking about. What do people want? They want easy. They dont want to have to leave the couch to change the channel or answer the phone. And certainly, they dont want to have to carry their suitcase through the airport.

What a wonderful invention that was.

The only thing an electric car has in common with a suitcase with wheels is the wheels.

Smart Money is avoiding Tesla.

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Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville is the largest ancient civilization north of Mexico, with the largest ancient earthwork in the western hemisphere. And inside the interpretive center, the soothing, ambient flute music keeps playing.

And playing. And playing.

Thats another problem, said Lori Belknap, the superintendent of the site, on a recent tour of the building. Weve got our computer system that turns everything on and off. Its so old that it barely functions. And we cant figure out how to shut that off. It just plays all the time.

The visitors center at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, at 30 Ramey Street, will close March 1 and will remain closed for at least a year while it gets much-needed nearly $7 million in upgrades.

People are still welcome to explore the grounds, and enrich their visit with a new app that uses augmented reality to show them what structures once existed here  but more on that later.

The interpretive centers parking lot will be closed off, but visitors can still park in lots across the street.

The work to the building, which opened in 1989, includes a new roof, HVAC system, lighting, and fire suppression and security systems. The work was approved by the Illinois Capital Development Board, because Cahokia Mounds is part of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Belknap hopes to find more funds to update some exhibits, such as modernizing some graphics, adding quotes and indigenous voices, and fixing a broken leg on one of the life-sized mannequins now removed from a walk-through diorama showing how as many as 20,000 people lived here about 1,000 years ago.

The mounds were a part of their culture, with conical-shaped ones used for burials and the larger, 100-foot tall Monks Mound built to elevate a larger ceremonial building on top. The Mississippians lived here for about 300 years before gradually abandoning it by the late 1300s.

A theater inside the visitors center shows a short film before the screen rises dramatically to reveal the life-sized diorama of life in the village. But because tiles from the ceiling are loose, officials decided to close the theater a couple of years ago  and the introduction to Cahokia Mounds is a little less dramatic.

Visitors have another way to experience the site: they can download a new app, launched in December, that uses AR technology to show what the property looked like at different points in history. Belknap got the idea for the app about five years ago with the popularity of other apps like Pokemon Go. She applied for and received a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to have the app developed.

Visitors download the app for $4.99 (or rent an iPad from the site for $15) and take it around the grounds, where they stop at various Knowledge Point icons to orient their device and look at the screen. They can then move a slider and watch dwellings, a temple, stockade fence and other features appear on the landscape. There are six points to explore on Monks Mound, with a tour of the Grand Plaza on the visitors center side to be added soon.

It really gives you a sense of what was there, said Belknap. There is one part where you stand on the palisade wall, and you can see the bastions, and you can see the guards standing in the bastions. The other cool thing about it is it not just based on what we think, its based on actual data, and excavations that have been done. We know exactly what was there.

The center hopes to host guided walks and tours of the grounds starting in the spring. Programming has been difficult to host in recent years because of staffing issues and, more recently, the pandemic.

When the building was constructed, 14 people were on staff. Now, because of state funding cuts and staff attrition, there are 5. They havent hosted larger archaeology and childrens day events for a few years now because of staffing and an aging volunteer force.

Before the pandemic, the center would get about 260,000 visitors a year, from all 50 states and 80 countries. In 2021, it got about 146,000 visitors. With the pandemic, school field trips dropped drastically. A suggested donation is $7 for an adult or $15 a family. Visitors give an average of 50 cents.

Belknap doesnt have state advertising funds to remind people about the site. I think thats why its sort of on everyones back burner  theres nothing out there thats reminding you, hey, come to Cahokia Mounds.

The temptation to sled on the mounds in the winter proves too great for some, despite no sledding signs posted at the bottom. And staff often chase off ATV riders, who leave ruts on the mounds.

Work continues to make the site part of the National Park Service system. The HeartLands Conservancy, an advocacy group, has been working for 10 years on elevating the status of Cahokia Mounds and other Mississippian mound and village sites in the region, including mounds in Madison, St. Clair and Monroe counties, as well as Sugarloaf Mound in St. Louis. The group wants them designated as the Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park.

The name is a mouthful, but the designation could provide more protection, status, publicity and money. State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, introduced a bill seeking the status and also submitted a letter to the president, who could issue an executive order on the matter.

Laura Lyon of the conservancy said its a long process to create a unit of the National Park Service, and 10 years of work isnt unheard of.

They dont want to turn the keys over to the National Parks Service, she explained, but rather collaborate with it to use state and national resources to protect the site.

Its one of those sites that you really need to be there to really experience it, Lyon said, adding that reading about it or driving by it on the highway isnt the same. Theres something about being at the human scale, and looking at a 100-foot mound that has been there for more than a millennium. The connection on the ground is awe-inspiring.

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site





When Visitors center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday-Sunday; it will close March 1 for renovations, grounds will remain open from sunrise to sundown  Where 30 Ramey Street, Collinsville  How much $7 individual, $15 family donation suggested  More info cahokiamounds.org

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LINCOLN COUNTY  A plea deal has secured a 20-year prison sentence for Cole Michael McCall, who crashed into a creek in Elsberry and left his girlfriend behind as floodwaters swallowed up her and his pickup truck.

McCall, 23, pleaded guilty Jan. 14 of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Jennelle Wulfmeier. Punishments in that case and two other felony cases were combined last month after McCalls pleas, said Lincoln County Prosecutor Michael Wood.

Wulfmeier, 20, was a passenger in McCalls 2005 Chevrolet Silverado that crashed on Jan. 10, 2020. On a rainy night, McCall was being chased by another motorist who said McCall had given him phony dollar bills in a transaction.

McCalls pickup crashed at the end of South Seventh Street in Elsberry and hit a levee. The vehicle went airborne and landed in a swollen creek called Lost Creek.

McCall escaped the pickup and yelled to the man pursuing him to call 911 because his girlfriend was still inside, Wood said. (Wulfmeier's family disputes that Wulfmeier and McCall were dating).

Wulfmeier wasnt able to get out as the pickup sank, police said. It drifted with the current and was found the next day. A deputy coroner pronounced Wulfmeier dead at the scene.

After running from the sinking truck, McCall stole a car with the keys inside a few blocks away on Third Street. He drove to St. Charles, where he crashed into a ditch and was arrested, police said.

McCall had been living in St. Charles County when Wulfmeier died, but recent court files listed his address as an apartment in Winfield, Missouri.

In addition to involuntary manslaughter, McCall pleaded guilty of tampering, forgery, leaving the scene of an accident and stealing a motor vehicle.

Judge Milan Berry handed down the prison sentences for McCall. Some overlap, some run back to back, culminating in the 20 years total, Wood said.

I am saddened by the loss of life for this child and my heart goes out to her family, Wood said in a statement released Wednesday. Given the circumstances involved and after discussions with the family of the victim, we believed that 20 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections was an appropriate sentence, and that justice would be adequately served.

Wood praised Elsberry police, the Lincoln County sheriff's office and Missouri Highway Patrol for their work, along with assistant prosecutor John Krehmeyer, who was the lead prosecutor on the case.

McCalls lawyer, Grant Wobig, could not be reached for comment.

In an online obituary, Wulfmeier was remembered as a kind, fun-loving person. She graduated from the Francis Howell School District in 2018 and was looking forward to all that life would bring, her obituary said.

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LADUE  A newspaper carrier rolled to a stop as a car on Ladue Road blocked his path. Gunmen casually left their car, then bolted to the newspaper carriers SUV and ordered him to get out.

He figured theyd shoot him if he surrendered his vehicle. So he decided to buy some time, hoping someone would drive by and interrupt the carjacking.

I was thinking: What would rattle them? the carrier said. And so I said, Hey, police are following me. Theyre going to be coming soon.

That lie early Tuesday was just enough to distract the gunmen, who glanced back to look down the street.

With that, the carrier punched the gas pedal and drove around the car blocking his path. Gunshots hit his car  and one hit him in the back  as he drove away.

The carrier is a 57-year-old man named Matt, of St. Louis County. In an interview Friday, he asked that his last name be withheld out of security concerns. The gunmen have not been caught.

The shooting was about 2:45 a.m. Tuesday at Ladue Road and Maryhill Drive in Ladue, just east of the border with Creve Coeur. Matt was delivering the Post-Dispatch.

One bullet fired at Matts Honda CRV shattered a window and lodged near a visor. One took out a tire.

And a third bullet pierced the back of the SUV, sailed through the drivers seat and smacked Matt in the middle of his back. He felt pain and heat. He found the bullet in his Adidas ski coat. His back was bruised and had burns over a 5-inch circle.

Ladue police Chief Ken Andreski Jr. said the two gunmen, in their late teens or early 20s, got away in a red sedan, possibly a Pontiac Grand Prix.

Police remained tight-lipped Friday about their search for the shooters. Andreski told the Post-Dispatch in an email that no arrests have been made but that the investigation is ongoing and progressing well.

The chief wouldnt say if detectives have a detailed description of the suspects to share with the public. He wouldnt say whether the suspects vehicle has been recovered or if doorbell or other surveillance cameras provided anything useful.

Post-Dispatch newspapers are among several newspapers distributed by an outside contractor, St. Louis News Distribution Services.

Matt has been delivering papers for 20 years. He has two routes. He is a sales manager for another company during the day.

He knows his routes so well, hes memorized every bend, turn and dip in the road. In all his years as a carrier, hes never been robbed or attacked  before Tuesday, he said. His vehicle has been hit twice by presumed drunken drivers. On the overnight shift, he draws attention of police as he drives in and out of subdivisions. Hes been stopped numerous times and says he gets along well with officers once he explains what hes doing.

Early Tuesday, Matt was driving east on Ladue Road, about a third of the way through his four-hour newspaper route. Before he got to Lindbergh Boulevard, he noticed a car behind him about 100 yards back. He turned off his dome light, in case they were up to no good. Once his SUV and the other car were through the intersection, Matt said the car pulled ahead of his vehicle. The car stopped at an angle in front of him, blocking the eastbound lane.

Two men got out of the car, as if they were going to walk away, but suddenly bolted toward me, Matt said. One came to his drivers side door, hovering over Matts left shoulder. The other was at the front passenger window. What Matt saw most clearly, he said, was silver  the glint of metal on part of a handgun each man carried.

One man grabbed at the door handle. Matt had kept his vehicle in drive with his doors locked.

They yelled at him, cursing, to get out, but Matt didnt leave. He rolled down the passenger-side window just a little bit. He was buying time.

I was trying to slow down the process, Matt said in an interview Friday. Trying to keep them calm.

To himself, he thought: Come on police. Come around that corner.

To the gunmen, though, Matt said something else: Hey, Ive got to take my hat off. I cant hear you.

One man cursed again at Matt to get out.

Matts mind raced. Thats when he lied about police following him  the distraction that gave Matt time to escape. He drove around the suspects car, through a gap to its right, rubbed his tires against the curb and got away.

The gunmen fired shots at Matts fleeing SUV. Matt ducked his head.

I got up to 105 mph, Matt recalled, as he raced along the roads he knew so well. He hoped a police car would stop him and come to his aid, but that didnt happen. He drove to The Gatesworth, a senior citizen center on his route. He knew there was an outpost there for University City police. It was about 3 miles from where hed been shot.

When he got to The Gatesworth, he told an officer what happened and then an ambulance arrived.

It was a great feeling that I got there, he said. That was my sanctuary.

Police typically tell crime victims to never resist a robbery. A few friends have since asked Matt why he didnt give up the car.

Because Ive heard stories that when you get out of the car, they will shoot you in the legs so you cant run for help, Matt said. Inside a car I at least had metal and window and use that as cover.

After the shooting early Tuesday, Matt was evaluated at a hospital and sent home. His boss told him to take time off, but Matt chose to be back at work for his route later that night. He said he knew he would replay the experience in his head if he was left in a quiet home. So he chose to work to keep busy.

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Firefighters rescued one person from a burning home on Friday morning in Casper.

Medics took the person to Wyoming Medical Center for treatment. In a statement, Casper Fire-EMS said the person's name was not being released for a time.

The fire ignited in a home on the 400 block of Kirk Avenue in central Casper, Crews responded at 2:45 a.m. to find flames burning out the back, according to the department.

Crews had a hard time getting inside due to what the department called "significant amounts of stored materials and household goods." As some firefighters sprayed water on the flames, others entered through the windows and began searching inside.

They found and rescued one person. Beyond that person, no other injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and authorities said they planned to release more information what it becomes available.

Seven fire units responded to the blaze. Along with Casper, an Evansville crew assisted in the incident.

One day earlier, Mills and Natrona County firefighters extinguished a blaze burning at a home on the 500 block of South Fourth Avenue in Mills, according to those agencies.

One person inside the home made it outside on their own after waking to the sound of smoke detectors. That person was later treated for smoke inhalation at Wyoming Medical Center.

Firefighters searched the home and found two dogs inside. Both were unconscious. Crews revived one animal; a second dog died.

Damage to the home left it uninhabitable for now.

The cause of that fire remains under investigation.

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ST. LOUIS  Candace Yanceys French bulldog CJ was her pride and joy.

She paid $4,500 when she bought him as a puppy to have him flown from California along with his purebred American Kennel Club paperwork. She fed him premium food designed for bulldogs for his sensitive stomach. She had shirts for him and ran an Instagram account under his name.

So on Oct. 20, Yancey was shocked when, she says, CJ was stolen from outside her Florissant townhome complex.

Yancey said it was close to midnight when CJ started to whine to go outside.

Yancey let him outside to the patch of grass outside her unit at The Groves complex in the 2900 block of Santiago Drive. When she went outside to check on him, Yancey saw him approach a nearby car she didnt recognize.

He was real friendly, always wanting people to pet him and give him attention Yancey said. So he went right up to them.

Yancey said she saw a man in a white and blue T-shirt call CJ into his Dodge sedan. She ran to the car, yelling for CJ and then heard the man cocking a gun, she said.

The car sped off as Yancey ran to the exit of the complex to try and stop them. Yancey was able to take down a license plate of a red sedan following the Dodge with her dog but couldnt see the plate of the car with CJ in it, she said.

She said she called Florissant police and asked if they had found CJ but was told no dog there matched the bulldogs description, she said.

Florissant police said she had not told them that the dog was stolen. They said she never asked to file a police report.

She still has no idea where CJ might be, she said.

I want my dog back, she said. Im not giving up now.

I remember her screaming for CJ looking for him, Yanceys neighbor Lisa Rogers said. She loved that dog like her baby.

Another dog theft happened in St. Louis in October 2019. In that case, a woman was walking her three Alapaha Blue Blood bulldog puppies in front of her home when a man asked to take a look at them and then stole the dogs at gunpoint.

Thefts of French bulldogs have also become more widely reported across the country in the past two years, particularly in California, where there have been several news reports on the trend.

High demand for the dogs for their friendly demeanor, pointy ears and stocky frame has driven up their value in recent years.

Yancey asks anyone who knows of CJs whereabouts to call 314-625-2027.

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ST. FRANCOIS COUNTY  A Farmington motorist was killed Friday after failing to yield to crossing traffic at the intersection of two roads, according to a Highway Patrol crash report.

Curtis E. Persons, 55, of Farmington was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash about 5:45 p.m. Friday at Hillsboro Road and Conway Road.

Persons was eastbound on Conway and failed to yield to a truck northbound on Hillsboro, according to the crash report. The driver of the truck was uninjured.

Persons was not wearing a seat belt, the report said.

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JEFFERSON CITY  Former U.S. Sen. John Danforth, in an interview with the Post-Dispatch, predicted a center-right independent candidate would file to run for U.S. Senate in Missouri, an assertion bound to rattle a crowded race in the Republican-leaning state.

He based his prediction on the results of a new poll that suggests an independent candidate  one who promotes a message of unity instead of division  would have a strong chance of winning the general election.

Have I, over a long period of time, wished that somebody would go forward with a message of reconciliation and healing in America? Yeah, Ive said that to a lot of people, Danforth said Friday.

But Danforth emphasized he didnt have someone in mind.

I dont have a candidate, and Im not a kingmaker, he said. Lets see what materializes.

Danforth, 85, of Ladue, a Republican who represented Missouri in the U.S. Senate from 1976 to 1995, predicted an independent candidate wouldnt get lost in the mix, as others have in past elections. He presented a recent poll of 800 likely voters in the November election, which he said illustrated widespread repudiation of both major political parties. Danforth said he would be interested in financially supporting the right persons bid.

We dont have a person yet, and we havent started the fundraising yet, but just let me say that I am 100% certain that this campaign would be very, very well-funded, Danforth said. Certainly I would be into it and other people that I know would be into it.

Candidate filing for this years elections opens Tuesday and ends March 29. At least a half-dozen candidates in both major political parties have announced plans to run for the Senate seat being vacated by current U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.

The Republicans include U.S. Reps. Vicky Hartzler and Billy Long; Attorney General Eric Schmitt; Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan; St. Louis lawyer Mark McCloskey; and former Gov. Eric Greitens, who resigned in 2018 amid scandal.

The Democrats include Marine veteran Lucas Kunce, the top fundraiser who describes himself as a populist; along with former state Sen. Scott Sifton, D-south St. Louis County, who said recently he was the first candidate to visit all of the states 114 counties. Spencer Toder, Jewel Kelly, Tim Shepard and Gena Ross are also running.

I believe, and the poll has really shown, that there are a number of people who are looking for something else, and I think that they will support it, Danforth said. If this campaign, and it will be conducted, I dont know  theres no doubt about that. If this camp  when this campaign goes forward, it would go forward to win.

Asked to clarify that the campaign was a certainty, Danforth said, yes.

I just know from these figures that the campaign must go forward, he said.

The survey, conducted by Miami-based Bendixen & Amandi International between Feb. 2 and 6, found that a Republican running as an Independent would receive 28% of the vote, compared with a Republican who will support the Trump wing of the GOP winning 31% and a Democrat who will support Chuck Schumer also receiving 31%.

That puts a hypothetical candidate within the polls margin of error of 3.5%.

The poll was commissioned by Danforth and the Serve America Movement, led by former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, a Florida Republican who has rebuked the Trump wing of the party.

It also found that when presented with the names of the leading candidates for both parties, the race tightened, with the Republican (Greitens) winning 27%, the Democrat (Kunce) garnering 25%, and the independent winning 26%.

Ten percent of voters moved away from their previous support of a major party candidate to undecided when presented with names of candidates, according to a news release.

Respondents also registered overwhelming disapproval with the state of the two political parties, according to the results.

The poll found that 80% of respondents strongly or somewhat agreed with this message: The United States is dangerously divided, politicians on both the left and the right encourage that division by playing on perceived grievances and turning Americans into enemies of each other.

As a result, we are close to a constitutional crisis in our government and a complete loss of public confidence in our institutions and elections. It is time for our elected officials to reject the politics that intentionally divides us and commit themselves to holding America together as one indivisible nation.

Asked why he wasnt backing any of the major party candidates, Danforth said I dont understand how to distinguish among the Republican candidates.

All of them are using the word fight all the time, which to me is very interesting, he said.

They believe, this is their stated position, that America is at war, that thats just fine, and that they want to go to Washington to join in the fray, Danforth said.

I dont see any distinction, he said. Maybe its too early in the campaign.

Among the Democrats, I dont know these people at all, Danforth said. I wouldnt know them if they walked up to me.

He said he was aware of Kunce, originally from Jefferson City, who hasnt held elected office.

He described Kunces message as very populist and us-against-them.

Danforth said the kind of candidate who can win would be a Republican but a Republican who runs as a healing person who wants to bring the country together.

There are all kinds of issues that are before the country, Danforth said when asked what the center-right candidates platform would include. This is bigger than issues and its bigger than party. And its going to require people, a lot of people who differ on a lot of issues.

But the overriding point of the campaign is lets put those differences apart just for now and re-create a system where we can agree to disagree again, Danforth said.

He added, the politicians  Republicans and Democrats  are intentionally riling people up and turning them against each other.

When children go to school and put their hands over their heart they pledge allegiance to one nation, under God, indivisible, Danforth said, adding the American project is being undermined and its being undermined by politics that has gone far left and far right.

Ranked-choice voting

In the interview, Danforth also endorsed a ballot initiative in the works that would institute ranked-choice voting in Missouri. Proponents from the Republican and Democratic parties have endorsed the plan, saying it would compel candidates to appeal to a broad coalition of voters rather than party bases.

Danforth said the independent would caucus with the Republicans.

Asked if Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., would play a role in the campaign, Danforth said, McConnell would be focused on keeping the Republican seat.

Danforth said his ideal candidate would share traits in common with GOP figures such as Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska  three Republicans who mostly side with the Republicans but who have broken with the party when it comes to issues such as voting to convict Trump after he was impeached by the House following the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

The great purpose of America has been to hold ourselves together as one country, Danforth said. And that is what our constitutional structure does and it is one weve taken great pride in as a country.

The last time Danforth weighed in on a Missouri Senate contest was in 2018, when he actively promoted Josh Hawley, the Missouri attorney general who challenged and defeated incumbent U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill. Last year, on the day after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Danforth called his support for Hawley the worst mistake of his life.

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JEFFERSON CITY  The department that operates Missouri's Women, Infants and Children (WIC) supplemental nutrition program is urging participants to check their infant formula to ensure it's not part of a recalled batch linked to bacterial contamination.

The warning came in response to a recall by Abbott, one of the country's largest infant formula makers, of certain lots of Similac, Alimentum and EleCare with expiration dates of April 1 or later. The product was distributed throughout the U.S. and overseas, the company said in a statement.

The Food and Drug Administration said it is investigating four reports of infants who were hospitalized after consuming the formula, including one who died.

The FDA said it is working with federal and local authorities in Minnesota, Ohio and Texas  the states where the infant infections were reported.

Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services said the powdered formulas included in the recall are 12.6-ounce Similac Total Comfort, 12.5-ounce Similac for Spit Up, all EleCare Infant and Junior, and all Similac Alimentum. The powdered formula products that might be included in this recall are: 12.5-ounce Similac Sensitive and 12.4-ounce Similac Advance.

The first two digits of the recalled lot numbers are 22 through 37, and also will contain K8, SH or Z2. They will have an expiration of April 1 or later.

Abbott has set up a website where parents can check if their products have been recalled: www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.

If a state program participant's product is affected by the recall, it should not be used, according to a health and senior services statement. Participants can call their local WIC agency or check the website at wic.mo.gov.
CLAYTON  A St. Louis County judge on Friday denied Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitts request for a preliminary injunction against the countys mask mandate and dismissed three of four counts in the states lawsuit alleging the public health order was unlawful.

Despite the ruling, the countys mask mandate may not be in place for much longer, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said.

If COVID-19 numbers in the region continue to decline, Page said his administration could lift the order by the end of the month.

Our numbers look promising, Page said in a tweet, and our public health experts are hopeful that we can move from a mask requirement to mask recommendation by the end of the month.

Shortly after Pages announcement that he could lift the mask mandate by the end of the month, Schmitt claimed victory, alleging it was his lawsuit that forced the decision. The case was set for a March 9 hearing.

Hes dropping his illegal mask mandate right before our court date, Schmitt said in a tweet. The last Premier of. Covidstan doesnt want to lose in court again. Predicable. #NoMaskMandates

But in an order handed down Friday afternoon, Judge Richard Stewart turned down the request for the preliminary injunction and dismissed the bulk of Schmitts case.

Stewart allowed Schmitt to continue the case with one remaining count: that the mask order is arbitrary and capricious.

But the judge said Schmitts argument was vague and conclusory and wasnt specific enough in its claim that the county didnt consider large swath[s] of relevant science, data, statistics, studies, or alternatives.

He gave Schmitt 15 days to amend the petition.

In a lengthy statement, Schmitt spokesman Chris Nuelle said the attorney general will continue to litigate the remaining count in the case but will not appeal the dismissal of the three others.

This fight is far from over and we will continue to litigate this case vigorously, Nuelle said.

Count four of our lawsuit is still ongoing, and we plan to further prove to the Court that mask mandates are ineffective and the negative health outcomes outweigh any benefits. Weve beaten Sam Page in court before, and we plan to do it again. Were pleased that the Court correctly concluded that the mask mandate does not apply to schools and schoolchildren, and the Courts order specifically exempts schools. Further, we will continue to work with the legislature to make it clear that these mask mandates are illegal under the law. Make no mistake, we will not stop until illegal mask mandates imposed by petty tyrants like Sam Page are rescinded, and we will continue to fight for the people of St. Louis County.

Page tweeted later that he was pleased with the ruling dismissing the Attorney Generals unfounded lawsuit. Despite some comments to the contrary, not one of @STLCountys COVID-19 public health orders has ever been invalidated.

Schmitt, who had sued Jan. 5 to block the mask mandate a day after the County Council approved the measure, had argued the countys mask order violated a state law requiring local politicians approval of public health orders because the council had previously rejected a mask mandate in July.

But Stewart on Friday said Schmitts argument was too expansive of an interpretation of the state law.

The County Councils act of terminating or rescinding prior orders does not preclude it from enacting similar new orders, Stewart said.

Stewart also rejected two other arguments Schmitt made: that the county mask order could not be applied to school districts, and that the county could only require masking by making it an ordinance, with criminal penalties.

The mask order specifies that it doesnt apply to schools, Stewart said.

Schmitt was asking the court to enjoin the county from action it is not taking, against an institution it is not regulating, Stewart said.

The judge also said there is no requirement that the mask order contain criminal penalties because the government has broad discretion to determine how laws are enforced.

Page on Friday shared a letter from Dr. Faisal Khan, acting public health director, citing rapid improvement in the decline of new daily COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations from all-time record highs over December and January.

The statement indicated the county could lift its mask mandate earlier than previously expected; Page had said earlier this week that he would consider the idea once the countys seven-day average of new cases dropped below 50 and the positivity rate below 8%.

The latest county data available shows the average daily rate of 178 new cases per day and the positivity rate of 11.7%. But the numbers are a marked decline from a week ago, when the county was seeing nearly 300 new cases a day.

We expect that this continuing improvement in pandemic tracking metrics will allow us to reconsider the status of the existing Public Health Face Covering Order by the end of February 2022, Khan said.

Lifting the countys mask order would follow similar decisions by Democratic-led states dropping their mask mandates and other restrictions in response to improving data. Washington and New Mexico were among the latest states on Friday to lift mask mandates.

The state of Illinois on Feb. 28 will end its requirement that face coverings be worn in most indoor spaces.

Missouri has not had a statewide mask requirement, but St. Louis County was among local Democratic-led jurisdictions with one. A mask mandate remains in effect in the city of St. Louis until March 6.

In Kansas City, a mask mandate for schools expired Thursday after Mayor Quinton Lucas said he would not extend the mask rule.

Khan, in his letter, also warned that even after weeks of decline, COVID-19 continues to spread at high levels.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines high transmission as more than 100 new daily cases per 100,000 residents. As of Friday, the county was seeing 125 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents.

Even though there is reason for optimism, it should be noted that COVID-19 transmission in the community continues to remain between very high and high levels, Khan said.

And the county needed to remain vigilant in monitoring COVID-19 spread in the case of new variants of the deadly airborne disease.

While we continue to be hopeful, the experience of the last two years of this pandemic shows us that surges can occur with new variants/sub-variants during the summer and fall. As the virus adapts we must adapt along with it. We continue to remain vigilant in monitoring the situation on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis.

About 62% of county residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and a total 70% have had at least one dose.

The county offers COVID-19 testing and vaccination at its three public health clinics. Appointments can be made at ReviveSTL.com.

Updated at 6:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18(tncms-asset)d7b91e24-9053-11ec-9c17-00163ec2aa77[3](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)6c58a058-8f88-11ec-948e-00163ec2aa77[4](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)51749da4-8eb7-11ec-8a47-00163ec2aa77[5](/tncms-asset)

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RTHK: Show of force as Canada police close in on protesters

Police in riot gear cleared the main protest hub in downtown Ottawa on Saturday, using batons and pepper spray, smashing truck windows and arresting dozens of die-hard protesters as they moved to finally end a weeks-long siege of the Canadian capital.

After a night marked by clashes, protesters  some in body armor  held firm, linking arms and hurling gas canisters and smoke grenades at advancing police, while chanting "freedom".

But by midday, police, backed by tactical vehicles and overwatched by snipers, said they had cleared Wellington Street in front of parliament  the epicentre of the trucker-led demonstrations which began almost a month ago in protest at Covid vaccine rules.

"We told you to leave," Ottawa police tweeted to the demonstrators, announcing 47 new arrests in the largest police operation ever seen in the capital, drawing hundreds of officers from across the nation.

Police said they used a "chemical irritant"  apparently pepper spray  against protesters "refusing to comply with orders to move", adding that several protesters in body armor and carrying smoke grenades and fireworks were subdued and arrested.

Police said that 38 vehicles had been towed since Friday  many of the big rigs clogging the city centre having already left when the police advance began.

Within minutes of deploying, police had claimed a section of road in front of the prime minister's office and a stage where demonstrators had rallied crowds of supporters, pointing guns as they smashed windows of trucks and ordered occupants out, with smoke filling the air.

A short time later, police had retaken much of the parliamentary precinct, although hundreds of protesters were holding out in nearby sidestreets.

As the operation unfolded outside parliament, lawmakers inside the complex resumed debating Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's controversial use of emergency powers  for the first time in 50 years  to subdue the protests.

Prior to Friday, police had arrested 25 people blocking border crossings to the United States. Since then, at least 150 more protesters in Ottawa have been taken away in handcuffs, including three organisers. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is investigating if GoFundMe violated Montana consumer protection laws when the crowdfunding site redirected donations meant to sustain protesters demonstrating against vaccine mandates in Canada.

It was unclear Friday if Knudsen has identified any alleged victims of GoFundMe's decision to halt the funds for the protesters. The story first reported by the Daily Wire and a Friday press release from the Attorney General's Office made no mention of actual victims in Montana.

In the Daily Wire story published Thursday, Knudsen said Montana donors "very likely" participated in the social media fundraising, considering Montana's border with Canada. On Friday, a spokesperson for Knudsen's office said the AG had been contacted by "concerned Montanans" about the matter.

Knudsen's probe follows the lead of chief legal officials in Florida, Louisiana, West Virginia, Texas, and other conservative states. Experts told the Associated Press this week that supporting the protests from outside Canada offers an platform for conservatives to galvanize voters during the midterm election year. Indeed, a Republican state Sen. from Hamilton held a rally to support of the Canada protests on a busy roadway in Missoula about a week after the protests began in Canada.

The protests began in late January after Canada repealed an exemption for truckers under the country's vaccine requirement to enter the country.

In a letter sent to the Sacramento, California company dated Thursday, Knudsen explains he is inquiring into potential violations of the Montana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act. He asks a series of questions, including whether GoFundMe considered canceling fundraisers for protests in 2020, when several major U.S. cities were ensnared in demonstrations against police brutality following the in-custody death of George Floyd.

The crowdfunding site told the Associated Press it decided to cut off funding for the organizers and refund donors because it had determined the effort violated the site's terms of service due to unlawful activity. At this stage in the 18-day protest, Ottawa's premier said the protests had shifted into an "occupation" that resulted in blaring horns, traffic gridlock and harassment of local residents.

The protests had also manifested on several ports along the U.S.-Canadian border, including Coutts, across from Montana's Sweet Grass port of entry. The demonstrations involving thousands of vehicles and shipping trucks disrupted travel for Montana shipping companies. Those protests dissolved this week one day after the Royal Mounted Canadian Police arrested 11 people and seized a cache of firearms and ammunition from "a small organized group within the larger Coutts protest."

Even impeding operations at the port could likely be considered illegal in Montana after lawmakers passed a bill during the 2021 intended to protect critical infrastructure. During committee discussions about House Bill 481, bill sponsor Steve Gunderson, a Republican representative from Libby, held oil pipelines up as a motivating example for passing the bill, although the bill's language does include "ports" in its definition of infrastructure protected under the legislation. The bill amped up penalties for trespassing or impeding operations when the offenses occur at, for example, ports.

Emilee Cantrell, a spokesperson for Knudsen, said Friday the AG's Office had not received any reports of unlawful behavior at the Sweet Grass port.

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Eric Greitens is the worst of the worst. He earns the title just by virtue of the credible sexual-assault allegations that drove him out of the Missouri governors office in 2018.

But wait, theres more! You want chameleon-like hypocrisy? This is a former Democrat and humanitarian activist who turned into a fire-breathing right-winger the millisecond it served his political ambitions. You want campaign-finance shenanigans? Greitens was criminally charged for that, until his resignation as governor made it go away. You want testosterone-addled stunt-politics? Go to YouTube and check out his infamous machine gun campaign ad from 2016.

It really is difficult to imagine anyone more demonstrably unfit for public office than Eric Greitens.

And Ill cast my vote for him on Aug. 2.

Thats the day Missouri voters will go to the polls to pick the Republican and Democratic nominees for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Roy Blunt. Astonishingly, some polls show Greitens leading the GOP pack  an indication that Missouris Republican base is in orbit around Jupiter or something.

This has the national party in a panic, because back on planet Earth, Greitens is still widely viewed as a crooked creep. One new poll finds that, if the general election were held today, Greitens would edge out top Democrat Lucas Kunce by just 4 percentage points  barely outside the polls margin for error  with almost 20% undecided. Thats a terrible showing for a Republican former governor against an unknown Democrat in a deep-red state that Donald Trump won by more than 15 points in 2020.

Which is why, after some soul-searching, Im planning to vote for Greitens in the primary, and will encourage it for others who understand how important it is to prevent the GOP from retaking the Senate. If helping Republicans nominate a potentially unelectable Senate candidate accomplishes that, it will be a ballot well-cast.

Such crossover voting is legal in Missouri, which has open primaries. Some want to change that so voters could only vote in their own parties primaries. The argument is that strategically participating in the other partys primary (known as tactical voting) is a form of political sabotage, and not what voting is supposed to be about.

Im actually somewhat sympathetic to that argument, and very uncomfortable about casting a vote for someone like Greitens  not in hopes that he will win the office, but that he and his party will ultimately lose it. That level of cynicism doesnt come naturally to me. At least, it didnt used to.

But the urgency of preventing a GOP Senate takeover this year goes beyond mere policy issues. Its about the fear, which even serious conservatives are expressing lately, that todays Republican Party is a threat to democracy itself. What else can you say about a party that continues to support an ex-president who tried to overturn a valid election? A party that still refuses to acknowledge that the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol was an attempted coup against more than 80 million voters? A party that even now is busily overhauling state election laws with an eye toward making such coups easier to pull off in the future?

There are downsides (beyond nausea) to walking into a polling place and marking a primary ballot for Greitens. There is, of course, the strong possibility that, should he win the GOP nomination in August, he will go on to win the general election in November.

But suppose the worst happens and Missouri does end up with a Sen. Greitens? Its not like the other Republican options include any Abe Lincolns or Teddy Roosevelts.

Notable GOP candidates include state Attorney General Eric Schmitt, whose campaign strategy has been to sue school districts for trying to protect students and teachers from the coronavirus, in hopes the anti-science right will love him for it. I may be cynical these days, but at least my cynicism isnt endangering lives.

Theres Mark McCloskey, the ambulance-chasing lawyer whose only qualification for office is that he stood on his lawn in bare feet brandishing a semi-automatic rifle at peaceful protesters, and then acted like hed single-handedly invaded Normandy.

Then theres U.S. Rep. Billy Long, whose whole Trumpier-than-thou schtick has long been the very definition of pathetic  until he redefined the word last week by whining to the national media about Sen. Josh Hawleys decision to endorse Rep. Vicky Hartzler for the Senate instead of him.

Hartzler might be the least-objectionable of the GOP candidates, if only because, while others were baying at the moon in defense of an indefensible president, she was mainly keeping her head down. Ostrich-like. Sen. Blunt-like.

You know whats missing from this field? Any hint of courage in an era that demands it. Theres not a Liz Cheney or an Adam Kinzinger in the bunch. Instead, there is a bunch of Trump sycophants, or Trump-dodgers, and nothing else.

So, yes: I will cast my vote for the machine-gun toting, campaign-law-violating, alleged-mistress-assaulting, pretend-conservative demagogue, in hopes he can achieve the near-impossible and send a Missouri Democrat to the Senate.

And should Greitens end up in the Senate instead, making Missouri look still more ridiculous while further proving that a party-wide psychosis now grips the GOP  so be it. Heck, Hawley cant be expected to carry the whole load himself.

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Last month, a bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to the White House expressing their concerns about how much nurse-staffing agencies are charging hospitals during the pandemic. While the language of the letter appears to be focused on the agencies, there is much concern among the health professionals I know that this will lead to actions on the potential earnings of nurses. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, who signed the letter, should focus more on the profiteering action of the agencies and not the earnings of the nurses.

Many nurses left jobs they were happy with because the increase in pay was too good to pass up, even if they knew it was a temporary situation. And with good results. Hospital systems that could afford to pay the difference, did so. If a health care companys profits end up going to pay for their workers instead of margin for their shareholders, that is good for the economy. More money in the hands of more people is not just a slogan for the tax-averse but should also be the anthem of how businesses are run.

If the reports are true of staffing agencies charging high prices but not passing that on to their workers, then those agencies should be held accountable. But lets dont start down the path of regulating traveling nurse pay as a way to prevent their agencies from gouging hospitals.

Andrew Maynard  Maryland Heights
Over the last two decades North Korea has become a major source of malicious and mercenary hacking efforts. Over the last decade North Korea concentrated its Cyber War efforts on raising cash for their bankrupt communist economy. This has long been big news in South Korea, which was one of the first targets of North Korean hackers and remains at the top of the North Korean target list. The rest of the world was seen as an endless source of victims for Internet-based attacks seeking money. While Russian and Chinese Cyber War efforts are seen as major military and economic threats, North Korea is regarded as an annoying petty thief and not worth media or government Internet protection attention.

Over the last year this attitude has changed, something demonstrated recently when an individual Internet security specialist got fed up with lack of government or media response to the constant North Korean hacking. This was triggered by an early 2021 North Korean attack against Internet security researchers, in order to get a better sense of what this community knew and to steal whatever useful (to hackers) new security protection and testing tools out there. One of the North Korea targets was a security specialist who later identified himself as P4x. Like many other Internet security experts, P4x had software installed that detected and blocked such hacks and the North Korea one was no different. P4x reported the attack to government agencies that handled such things, providing an example of the malware the North Koreans used. Months passed andP4x heard nothing from the government and, when he contacted the FBI, which investigated and prosecuted Internet based crimes, he was told that the North Korean hack was being investigated but would say nothing more. As a veteran Internet security expert, P4x knew this meant nothing was being done. So, he decided to hack back and do it in a way that would be visible to the rest of the world. It took months of work to probe North Korean websites, servers and hacker facilities. P4x knew that North Korea had little access to the world-wide Internet and most North Korea users were confined to an intranet that only accessed websites based in North Korea.

By the end of 2021 P4x was ready to start his individual attack on the North Korean Internet. By mid-January 2022 these attacks became newsworthy because they were shutting down large segments of the North Korean Internet presence. The shut downs only lasted a few hours but it became obvious to Internet experts and some reporters for publications that specialized in Internet news that the North Koreans had been hacked. This gave Px4 an opportunity to contact one of these journalists (from Wired magazine) and provide the proof (screen shots only the hacker would have) of how he did it and why. Px4 did not disclose which North Korea vulnerabilities he had found and exploited, but did comment that it was common knowledge that the North Korean Internet and operating system was out-of-date, poorly maintained and vulnerable. Px4 avoided interfering with any government-sponsored hacking operations that might be underway and took down the most visible North Korea Internet targets. Px4s efforts also generated calls from other Internet security specialists to start a joint effort. So Px4 created a dark web (not accessible via search engines) website called FUNK, where Internet security specialists can discuss further actions against the North Korean menace.

This sort of thing is very popular in South Korea, which has been a frequent target of North Korean Cyber War campaigns. This includes infrastructure attacks against targets like South Korean nuclear power plants, which generate about a third of its electricity. The first North Korea attacks against the nuclear plants were traced back to servers in northeast China. South Korea tried to persuade China to crack down on North Korean hackers using servers in China. South Korea is a major supplier of nuclear power plant components to China and in 2016 sold China a complete nuclear power plant. China had its own priorities and refused to crack down on the North Korean hackers.

North Korean attacks often demonstrate new methods of getting past security. One example was smishing, which is a two-step process similar to phishing. What both of these methods have in common is the exploitation of human error. This is frequently used for attacks via the Internet against specific civilian, military, and government individuals using psychology, rather than just technology. Phishing is often carried out in the form of an official looking email, with a file attached, sent to people at a specific military or government organization. It is usually an email they weren't expecting but from someone they recognize. This is known in the trade as "spear fishing" (or "phishing"). The attachment, if opened, secretly installs a program that sends files and information from the email recipient's PC to the spear fisher's computer. Smishing does not try to deliver malware but simply gets the recipient to reply to the message. The hackers then respond with a message that does contain the malware. This sort of cleverness is seen as the sort of thing the North Korean would develop. North Korean hackers have been increasingly successful at launching Internet based attacks in South Korea.

In 2014 North Korea managed to distribute games containing spy software to over 20,000 South Korean smartphone users. The North Korean spyware was seeking information from banks as well as documents relating to reunification plans and defense matters. The spyware allowed the North Koreans to transfer data from the infected smartphone and secretly turn on the camera. The government quickly found a way to block this sort of thing. North Korea denied any involvement, as it usually does. But since 2000 the evidence has been piling up of increasing North Korean Internet based espionage via the Internet.

Long believed to be nonexistent, North Korea cyberwarriors do exist. North Korea has had personnel working on Internet issues since the early 1990s. Their Mirim College program has trained several thousand Internet engineers and hackers so far. North Korea has a unit devoted to Internet based warfare and this unit is increasingly active.

Since the late 1980s, Mirim College in North Korea has been known as a facility that specialized in training electronic warfare specialists. But by the late 1990s, the school was found to be teaching students how to hack the Internet and other types of networks. Originally named after the district of Pyongyang it was in, the college eventually moved and expanded. It had several name changes but its official name was always Military Camp 144 of the Korean People's Army. Students wore military uniforms and security on the school grounds was strict. Each year 120 students were accepted, largely from the elite high schools or as transfers from the best universities. Students stayed for 5 years. The school contained five departments: electronic engineering, command automation (hacking), programming, technical reconnaissance (electronic warfare), and computer science. There's also a graduate school, with a 3-year course resulting in the equivalent of a Masters Degree. Only about a hundred or so students are allowed.

It was long thought that those Mirim College grads were hard at work maintaining the government intranet, not plotting Cyber War against the south. Moreover, for a few years North Korea was allowed to sell programming services to South Korean firms. Not a lot, but the work was competent and cheap. Because of that it was known that there was some software engineering capability north of the DMZ. It was believed that this was being used to raise money for the government up there, not form a major Internet crime operation. Soon there was growing evidence of North Korean hackers at work in several areas of illegal activity. The Cyber War attacks apparently began around 2005, quietly and nothing too ambitious. But year-by-year, the attacks increased in frequency, intensity, and boldness. By 2009, the North Korean hackers were apparently ready for making major assaults on South Korea's extensive Internet infrastructure, as well as systems (utilities, especially) that are kept off the Internet.

Deceased (since 2011) North Korean leader Kim Jong Il had always been a big fan of PCs and electronic gadgets in general. He not only founded Mirim but backed it consistently. The only form of displeasure from Kim was suspicions that those who graduated from 1986 through the early 1990s had been tainted by visits (until 1991) by Russian electronic warfare experts. Some Mirim students also went to Russia to study for a semester or two. All these students were suspected of having become spies for the Russians, and most, if not all, were purged from the Internet hacking program. Thus, it wasn't until the end of the 1990s that there were a sufficient number of trusted Internet experts that could be used to begin building a Cyber War organization.

South Korea has to be wary because they have become more dependent on the web than any other on the planet, with the exception of the United States. As in the past, if the north is to start any new kind of mischief, they try it out on South Korea first. While many of the first serious attacks in 2009 were more annoying than anything else, they revealed a new threat out there, and one that not only got worse but turned out to be from the usual suspects. Now the threat is very real and growing rapidly.
An Army units series of color re-creations of old black-and-white photos is a reminder of the battles Black soldiers have fought in war and in the fight for equality at home.

To mark Black History Month, the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., has been releasing one historic photo each week, alongside its modern re-creation.

The first two photos, shared side-by-side on Twitter, earned the praise of the Armys top enlisted leader and others.

Really well done, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston said in a post that shared a photo of helicopter crew chief Cpl. Kayla Noyles of the 16th CAB mirroring an older photo of Lt. Col. Marcella A. Hayes Ng.

Really well done. Looking forward to the rest of the campaign. #Blackhistorymonth2022 https://t.co/o0EW4J0VE3  SMA Michael Grinston (@16thSMA) February 2, 2022

Some 42 years ago, then-2nd Lt. Hayes was the first Black woman in the U.S. military to receive aviator wings.

People like Marcella Hayes inspire and motivate me to keep going because they make me realize the sky is the limit, Noyles was quoted saying in a tweet.

Like Hayes, Noyles strives to be an example for the next little girl or boy of color to show that they are capable of overcoming whatever obstacles they may face in any profession, she said.

Females are already scarce in Army aviation, Noyles said. Black females are a rarity.

Four re-creations were shot by Staff Sgt. ShaTyra Reed, according to information in the Pentagons online repository of images and press materials.

But one set in particular, featuring soldiers of the 24th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War, hints at the troubled legacy of the Armys treatment of its Black soldiers.

The modern version shows three noncommissioned officers posing like three first lieutenants with the 24th Infantry Regiment on Aug. 9, 1950, poring over a map.

While the Korean War was the first conflict in which desegregated American units took part, the segregated 24th Infantry Regiment, which was founded in the post-Civil War era, was at the center of several events that illustrated the harms discrimination wrought in Americas military.

In 1917, over 150 members of the regiment were involved in a deadly riot and mutiny that arose after a confrontation between white civilian police and Black military police in Houston.

One of the worst of World War I and the only race riot in U.S. history where more whites died than Blacks, it contributed to factors that led to the marginalization of Black units during both world wars, a 1996 Army review of the 24th Infantry Regiments performance in Korea found.

Until the Army took corrective action by upgrading several valor medals in the 1990s, no Black Americans were awarded the Medal of Honor in either war.

In Korea, the 24th Infantry Regiments Pfc. William Thompson became the first Black man to earn the nations highest valor medal since the Spanish-American War, just days before the 1950 photo highlighted in the 16th CAB series.

But the following month, Maj. Gen. William B. Kean would ask the Eighth Army to disband the regiment because it was untrustworthy and incapable of carrying out missions expected of an infantry regiment.

A controversy over the units performance persisted for decades, until the Army ordered a study. Researchers found the units performance had been hurt by many racial injustices that broke down trust and unit cohesion before and during its Korea deployment.

The regiments successes, despite those difficulties, can only underscore the courage and determination of those among its members who chose to persevere and to do their duty in the face of adversity, the studys authors found.

The segregated regiment was inactivated in October 1951, by which time the Army had lifted restrictions on how many Blacks could be recruited. Commanders began putting them in whatever units needed them.

Fears of hostility and tension between Blacks and whites proved unfounded, and performance improved in the integrated combat units, said the study authors.

But despite attempts to root it out, racism and discrimination have persisted in the military for decades, The Associated Press found in a recent investigation.

And a recent study found that some 42% of active-duty troops of color rejected assignments to certain bases over concerns about racism at those locations.
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:

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.

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OTTAWA  Police escalated operations Saturday and cleared out the bulk of Ottawa's self-styled "Freedom Convoy" protesters to bring an end to more than three weeks of disruption declared illegal under an unprecedented emergency order.

The protests opened a new chapter in far-right and anti-health mandate movements at home and abroad while shaking up Canadian politics and raising numerous questions about law enforcement and why it took so long to unclog the streets of Canada's capital city.

Defiant demonstrators, draped in Canadian flags, acknowledged that the protest's end was near Saturday even as some made a last stand. But several told The Washington Post that they planned to regroup or join future anti-government demonstrations.

"We are going to win," people shouted at police even as they were forced to retreat.

Interim Ottawa police chief Steve Bell warned them of consequences ahead. "If you are involved in this protest, we will actively look to identify you and follow up with financial sanctions and criminal charges," he said.

Police said they arrested 170 protesters as of Saturday afternoon, but standoffs continued in the snow and freezing temperatures, which dipped into the teens, as law enforcement officers pushed to disperse straggling demonstrators, and tow trucks slowly pulled away the remaining parked big rigs that have paralyzed parts of the city, including Parliament Hill, the seat of Canada's government.

As protesters' numbers dwindled, law enforcement officers armed with batons and guns, some on horseback, appeared to advance at a faster and more forceful pace than the day before as a drone hovered above. Though largely restrained, tensions remained high, as protesters, facing hefty fines or prison time, continued to gather along the remaining front lines, some bringing with them children and dogs.

At midday, organizers of one key group, Freedom Convoy 2022, much of whose leadership has been arrested or left Ottawa, issued a call for truckers to move from a central encampment in front of Canada's Parliament "to avoid further [police] brutality." They asked for police to give time for vehicles to move.

With so many moving parts - the presence of children, the possibility of violence, the tightly packed vehicles and combustible fuel - the police have taken a largely restrained approach, even by Canadian standards. Police officers, some in tactical gear, have continued to leave open exits for demonstrators and drivers who decide to leave.

Alongside arrests, police said they used a "chemical irritant," pepper spray, against some demonstrators they described as "assaultive." Police said in a tweet Saturday that some of the arrested had body armor, smoke grenades and fireworks on them.

"We told you to leave," Ottawa police said in a tweet Saturday. "We gave you time to leave. We were slow and methodical, yet you were assaultive and aggressive with officers and the horses."

As conditions unfolded on the ground, Canadian Parliament resumed debate Saturday over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's invocation Monday of the 1988 Emergencies Act, which gives the government broad powers for up to 30 days. Parliament must vote within seven days of the act's invocation to approve or reject it.

Under the Emergencies Act, banks can freeze assets suspected of being used to fund the protest and can suspend the insurance and business accounts connected to vehicles found here. Thousands of dollars in fines have been imposed on drivers, several of whom told The Washington Post they did not expect to pay and would litigate in court.

Police say they can retroactively fine or charge people documented to be violating laws.

Use of the act is expected to be approved, although the move has drawn criticism from both the left and the right.

On Thursday, police set up about 100 checkpoints and other road closures in Ottawa's downtown to keep out protester reinforcements.

Among those arrested were three key protest organizers: Alberta separatist Tamara Lich, far-right agitator Chris Barber, and Pat King, who said "bullets" were the only way to end health mandates. Another key influencer, former Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer Daniel Bulford, turned himself in Friday.

Barber was released on bail late Friday on the condition that he leave Ottawa and not contact or finance the protest, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Lich appeared in court Saturday on charges of counseling to promote mischief, but the judge in the case said she would have to wait a few days for a decision on bail.

Lich, Barber and a third organizer, Benjamin Dichter, who left Ottawa Friday, are named in a class-action lawsuit filed by Ottawa resident Zexi Li, 21, over damages caused by the demonstrations.

Peter Sloly resigned as Ottawa's police chief Tuesday after heavy criticism of his department's handling of the unrest.

While protesters held block parties the past three weekends as police stood by, many Ottawa residents complained of being harassed and intimidated by some demonstrators and being unable to sleep or work amid incessant honking and blocked streets.

Some protesters have demanded an end to all pandemic-related mandates. Others said they wanted Trudeau ousted or tried in court. The protests in Canada, which have also targeted and shut down border crossings, have inspired copycats in European capitals.

But Stephanie Carvin, an associate professor of international relations at Carleton University in Ottawa, said it was not "a movement driven by truckers frustrated by mandates."

"It is a movement of anti-government extremists that have successfully tapped into the exhaustion of a lot of Canadians who are frustrated after four lockdowns and going onto year three of this [pandemic]," she said. "They were able to frame their grievances around this issue."

Patrick Philon, 33, of Spanish, Ontario, said Saturday that he had great respect for the truckers, even those who left.

"They did their part to start a worldwide movement," he said by a police standoff next to the prime minister's office. "We will stand here and hold the line."

Philon was gearing up for what was next for him: joining another protest or satellite demonstrator camp around Ottawa.

Michael, a 66-year-old from Hamilton, Ontario, who would give only his first name because he said he feared his neighbors finding out he was here, grew emotional as he contemplated the end of the protest.

"I'm so moved by what these guys are doing, and I've been doing nothing," Michael said.

He acknowledged that what drew him out, in part, was what some would acknowledge as a "conspiracy" - the false claim that Trudeau was controlled by "globalists" and "the World Economic Forum," a sentiment shared by several protesters interviewed by The Post.

Michael said he had donated to the protest's now-frozen online fundraisers on GoFundMe and GiveSendGo, as well as more than 500 Canadian dollars in person.

"It's over," he said. "But just wait until the summer. . . . There will be something else like this that we didn't expect."
Jean-Luc Brunel, the former head of a French model agency who was accused of rape in the 1990s and later of supplying young girls to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, was found hanged in his Paris prison cell early Saturday, French prosecutors confirmed to local media.

The 76-year-old was found dead in his cell at around 1 a.m. Saturday during an overnight check by guards at La Sante prison in Paris, prosecutors told Le Monde. Brunel was being held as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged rape of minors and trafficking of minors for sexual exploitation. Several models had accused him of sexual assault and rape, and French police had interviewed many potential witnesses in the case. Brunel had denied the allegations.

He was a close associate of Epstein's - and the two men's deaths were similar in nature. Epstein, 66, died by suicide in his prison cell in August 2019 while awaiting his own trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

Brunel's attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment. They told Le Monde that the apparent suicide of their client "was not driven by guilt, but by a deep sense of injustice."

"Jean-Luc Brunel [had] continued to proclaim his innocence," the attorneys said.

Among his alleged victims was former model Thysia Huisman, who accused Brunel of abuse when she was 18 in 1991. Huisman expressed her disappointment early Saturday.

"I am in shock. Was this really suicide?" she tweeted. "And it feels disappointing. This is a completely different ending without any real justice for his victims."

Brunel's death comes days after Britain's Prince Andrew settled the sexual abuse lawsuit brought by a woman who says she was trafficked to him by Epstein, a multimillionaire investor whose well-known associates also included Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, among others. The amount and details of the settlement between Andrew and Virginia Roberts Giuffre - who said she was recruited as a teenager by Epstein and his longtime paramour, Ghislaine Maxwell, in Palm Beach, Fla. - were not disclosed in a court filing this week.

Maxwell faces as much as 65 years in prison after being convicted in December of sex-trafficking charges for assisting Epstein in abusing young girls.

Brunel was a model talent scout for the Karin Models agency, which he went on to lead. When he was banned from the agency after a BBC report highlighting his alleged abuse, he moved to the United States. Through Maxwell, he was introduced to Epstein, who gave him funding to found Brunel's U.S. agency, MC2 Model Management, according to the Guardian. Brunel, who is credited with discovering supermodels such as Christy Turlington and Milla Jovovich, became a frequent companion of Epstein's whenever the financier traveled to France.

For years, several American models in Paris had accused Brunel of sexual misconduct - groping and other sexual advances, drugging women's drinks, rape - in the hope that he would be stopped. But justice was considered elusive for Brunel's alleged victims, much as it was for the women who accused Epstein of abuse only to see him serve just 13 months in jail more than a decade ago.

In December 2020, Brunel was arrested at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris shortly before boarding a plane for Dakar. French authorities said Brunel was a central figure in the probe into alleged sexual exploitation of women and girls by Epstein and his inner circle. Brunel was released on bail last November but was ordered to return to prison while awaiting trial.

Attorney Brad Edwards, who represents Giuffre, told The Washington Post that the apparent suicide spoke volumes about the case. Giuffre has said in court documents that Epstein pressured her to have sex with Brunel when she was a teenager. Edwards, who said he has represented more than 60 Epstein victims, likened Brunels's motivations in the alleged suicide to Epstein's.

"Rather than be held accountable, he just checked out," he said of Brunel. "They're both very selfish people, so if the world isn't going to be what they want it to be, then there's no sense in living."
STUTTGART, Germany  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday the U.S. is still examining whether to add forces in the Baltic region, where allies have stepped up calls that NATO send more reinforcements amid fears Moscow will launch a new invasion into Ukraine.

The U.S. already has added additional troops in Poland and Romania to assure allies nervous about potential Russian aggression in the region.

But to date, no new U.S. troops have been sent to the Baltics. Allies in the region are now directly urging top U.S. officials to bring in more troops, ideally on a permanent basis.

Austin, who was in Lithuania for meetings with defense officials from all three Baltic states, said he had no new announcements on whether the U.S. would add new forces.

There are things we continue to assess, Austin told reporters in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius.

The heads of the three Baltic states met Friday with Vice President Kamala Harris in Munich and all delivered the same message: they need more U.S. troops.

We welcome the decisions already made by the U.S. administration to deploy additional forces in Europe. And we also hope that you increase the presence in the Baltic countries, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told Harris during talks at the Munich Security Conference, where global leaders met over the weekend.

Austin heard the same requests during his visit to Lithuania for defense talks.

I think we are already at the point where we have to tell the adversary that we are reinforcing the Baltic countries, said acting defense minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, who noted that after Russias initial intervention in 2014 in Ukraine, Baltic states were among the first to be reinforced by allies.

Unable to make new troop commitments during his visit, Austin sought to reassure Lithuanian officials that the U.S. was nonetheless committed to the defense of the Baltic states.

Any attack against Lithuania is an attack against us all within NATO, Austin said.

The Baltics are widely regarded by security analysts as an area where NATO is most vulnerable to Russia, given Moscows military and geographic advantages.

So far, 4,700 extra troops have been sent to Poland, 300 to Germany and 1,000 have been repositioned from Germany to Romania. A company from the Germany-based U.S. 2nd Cavalry Regiment also is being sent to Bulgaria.

Its possible the U.S. could be holding off on a Baltic deployment as a contingency move, should Russia follow through and invade Ukraine.

In 2014, U.S. soldiers from the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade were among the forces that flowed into the Baltics in the aftermath of Moscows intervention in Ukraine. While U.S.-based 82nd and 101st Airborne units have been sent to Europe to reinforce allies, the 173rd hasnt received those orders for now.

Still, the 173rd Airborne, a designated response force for U.S. European Command, generally operates at a heightened tempo.

U.S. Army Europe and Africa on Friday declined to comment on whether troops with the 173rd and additional 2nd Cavalry Regiment elements were on standby to mobilize, but said they each maintain a high state of readiness.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade and the 2nd Cavalry Regiment are always ready to support our allies and partners, USAREUR-AF said in a statement.
MIAMI (Tribune News Service)  Donning princess costumes and paper pirate hats, dozens of kids of U.S. Coast Guard members stationed in Miami surrounded first lady Jill Biden on Friday as she read them a childrens book about friendship.

What is the moral of the story? Biden asked the group of about 120 children sitting on the floor of the hangar at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station at the Opa-locka Executive Airport.

Be kind to others, one kid answered. I love that, Biden responded.

The visit was part of a listening session that Biden hosted with military spouses ahead of the Blue Star Books reading event, a partnership between Blue Star Families, an organization that supports military families and veterans, and Walt Disney Corporation to provide books for military families with school-age children.

Biden has visited 17 different military bases as part of the Joining Forces initiative from the White House, which aims to increase employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for spouses who are forced to move frequently, education for children of military families and promoting emotional well-being. The Friday event was the first one with Coast Guard families.

We simply cannot expect to maintain even our most dedicated service members if theyre forced to choose between love of country and love of family, Biden told a small gathering of spouses and media ahead of reading the childrens book  Norman Didnt Do It! (Yes, he did.)" by Ryan T. Higgins.

Supporting your physical, social and emotional health is a national security imperative, she added.

Joining her in Miami were U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson and Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security John Tien. Earlier in the day, Biden made a short stop in Tampa to the Moffitt Cancer Center, as the Biden administration relaunched the Cancer Moonshot. The program aims to reduce the death rate from cancer by 50% over 25 years.

I just want you to know the president, my husband, loves you and cares about you, and so do I, Biden told the crowd.

-------

2022 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
WASHINGTON - Last month Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., sent eight colleagues a gift to mark the bonds they forged in the impeachment trial of Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

"Chance made us co-workers," read the message on a candle from Cicilline, noting that "crazy psycho" events made "us friends."

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., when posting a picture of the gift, clarified they were the second Trump impeachment managers because "the former president was that bad" and was impeached twice.

A year later, the nine impeachment managers have remained in close contact. They're part of the "strange club," as Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., described it, one of just four sets of House members to ever try a presidential impeachment case in the Senate.

This group has largely returned to rank-and-file status, going back to their normal committee work and providing constituent services back in their districts. They suffer from a bit of political whiplash, because while they recorded the most bipartisan conviction vote ever for a presidential impeachment, Trump has not shrunk from the limelight.

He is still considering another run for president and many House Republicans remain loyal to the former president as he continues to spout his claims about the 2020 election.

The warnings that the managers sounded during last year's trial, said Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., "are just as real and serious today as they were a year ago."

Their team's leader, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., is continuing to pursue Trump through his work on the House's select committee investigating the attack on the Capitol. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., is pursuing a lawsuit against Trump and some of his closest allies for their role in inciting the riot.

They are trying to focus on advancing President Joe Biden's legislative agenda, but one eye often lurks toward Trump and his ongoing attacks on the 2020 results. They emphasize there are no regrets, that they laid out the evidence in a compelling narrative that brought along seven Senate Republicans, falling 10 votes shy of the 67 needed to convict and prevent Trump from running for office again.

"My only regret is that 10 Republican senators did not join Richard Burr, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse and Pat Toomey in doing the right thing," Neguse said, naming the seven Republican senators who voted to convict. "It seems like a lot, but 10 senators is not a lot. We got 85% of the way there on conviction."

A year later, the managers are largely involved in some work related to the riot. Neguse is part of a team that is negotiating changes to the Electoral Count Act, the 1877 relic that Trump tried to exploit by pressuring Vice President Mike Pence to reject certain states' electors in hopes of overturning the election.

Neguse disagrees with the many Democrats who only want to update that law after passing a much broader legislation designed to protect voting rights - which has remained deadlocked in a 50-50 Senate, where every Republican has filibustered the package.

Without changes to the Electoral Count Act, Neguse said, there could in the near future be a repeat of the effort to overturn the election, only this time it might be successful. "We have to reform the Electoral Count Act. It's crucial that we get it done," he said.

Cicilline is pushing his Democratic colleagues to move beyond talking about the legislative agenda ahead of the November midterm election, warning that they need to have a sharper focus on linking today's Republicans to Trump.

"We have a responsibility to call that out. This is dangerous. We cannot ignore the danger of this Republican Party," he said, making clear that Biden can largely try to stay above the fray. "He doesn't have to be in these daily battles. It's on us to correctly characterize what they're doing."

Dean has a different personal task that she first brought up during the Democratic caucus's conference call a day or two after the attacks. "We also have to catalogue the good, and I fear we haven't done that," she said referring to the bravery shown by many members as rioters ransacked the Capitol.

She noted the actions of Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., who served three tours as an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan, helping stunned lawmakers during the siege inside the House, and Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., an emergency room doctor with expertise on mental trauma, counseling members in real time when they sheltered in a secure location across the street.

Dean wishes congressional officials had left intact some of the damage done by the violence - a shattered window or broken benches - as a reminder to visitors to the Capitol for years to come of what transpired on Jan. 6.

Raskin views his select committee work as a continuation of where the managers left off last February. The managers focused "on one guy and one crime," Raskin explained, but the select committee is examining the "whole sequence of events" and all the players.

A year ago the managers exposed just one phone call involving Trump during the siege, from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., pleading for him to call off his supporters. "Now we know there was nothing at all unique or anomalous about that," Raskin said, as the committee has revealed many similar calls and texts from Trump allies.

These managers almost to a person believe that Trump is weaker now, even if so many House Republicans line up directly behind him, as more information comes out about his actions in the run-up to the Capitol attack and his personal finances face heavy scrutiny in a New York investigation.

Neguse and Cicilline believe that, had another 10 or 15 Republicans voted to convict in the Senate, Trump's support would have cratered because he would have been barred from the presidency. "There would have been a significant shift in public opinion," Neguse said.

Senate Republicans, even those who oppose the ex-president, aren't so sure.

"No," said Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., who voted to convict, said as he held back some laughter. "I think it would've just increased the arsenal of tools."

Burr, who was censured by the North Carolina Republicans for his vote, thinks that Trump would have maintained the same level of support among base voters regardless of the outcome of the Senate trial, although he blames the media for focusing so much on the former president.

Yet even Trump supporters in the Senate are careful not to praise his behavior last year. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., only cited Trump's departure from office as the reason for his vote to acquit Trump.

"You can't impeach a prior president," Scott said. As chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Scott does not want GOP candidates re-litigating the 2020 election this summer and fall.

"The election's going to be about Biden. It's a referendum on what he's done," Scott said.

Scott's words are a small consolation to the managers, akin to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., delivering a fiery speech blaming Trump for the riot after he voted to acquit. The managers had essentially proven their case, but didn't win the vote.

Raskin always believed the case was so strong that his goal wasn't just 67 votes. "We're going for all 100," he told the other managers, who included Reps. Diana DeGette of Colorado and Joaquin Castro of Texas.

Raskin acknowledged that he stayed up deep into the night for weeks after, playing out different scenarios of how the group could have presented the case and won the verdict. But his ideas - asking senators to not sit in partisan sides of the aisle, requesting secret ballots on votes - were brushed aside by allies in the Senate who warned him of not wanting to look like "Professor Raskin in the Senate."

Just after the final votes, Dean gave everyone a gift: a flask with the Capitol logo on it.

Democratic Del. Stacey Plaskett, a former prosecutor who is the nonvoting delegate from the Virgin Islands, poured some rum. They toasted their effort.

"What an honor," Dean recalled. "What an extraordinary honor to be part of that team. I believe we did it pretty damn well."
LOS ANGELES (Tribune News Service)  With a Russian invasion of Ukraine appearing imminent on Friday, thousands of miles away in Los Angeles Ukrainian and Russian expatriates who have relatives on both sides of the border are feeling anxious about whats coming next.

People are nervous and worried and just waiting for the ball to drop, said Alexander Gurfinkel, a 32-year-old software engineer who moved from Ukraine as a child and now lives in West Hollywood.

Ukraine has been involved in a conflict with Russia since 2014 when former President of Ukraine Yanukovych was ousted from his office after a violent stand-off with pro-European protestors in Kyiv. Amid the following chaos, Russia swiftly occupied and annexed the Crimean peninsula and provided military support to pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine, who later declared Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics.

Los Angeles County is home to roughly 26,000 expats from Ukraine. Many of them believe any direct clash between the two countries would not just result in a humanitarian crisis, but it would further divide people who have families on both sides of the border.

Like many fellow Ukrainians, Gurfinkel has been closely following the news.

While most of his relatives have already immigrated to the U.S., he still has family and friends who live in the countrys capital, Kyiv.

In 2014, they watched the conflict with pro-Russian insurgents unfold but did not feel an immediate impact. Eight years later, the bloody conflict in Eastern Ukraine has no end in sight.

This time, he added, Ukrainians sense that their situation is dire, as the country faces the war on a much larger scale that could devastate the whole country.

In recent weeks, the United States has pulled its personnel from the embassy in Kyiv, urging the U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine.

The Biden administration has been warning that a Russian attack on Ukraine is imminent, even after President Vladimir Putin promised to withdraw its troops from the Ukrainian border. The Kremlin has insisted the buildup was just a routine military exercise that posed no threat to its eastern neighbor.

On Friday, Russian President Vladamir Putin announced massive drills of his nations strategic nuclear forces that Russian officials said had long been planned. The announcement came a day after President Joe Bidens warning that Russia could invade Ukraine within days. He reiterated that warning on Friday, adding that he was convinced Putin has decided to invade, citing U.S. intelligence reports.

Ukrainian expat Kyrylo Ledovskoy said the recent news sparked memories of the 2014 attacks on his homeland.

Back then, Ledovskoy said he was glued to his screen for days, watching live streams from Kyiv documenting the pro-European protests followed by the annexation of Crimea.

Ledovskoy said he was shocked when the following year he visited his parents in Kharkiv, witnessing how his peaceful hometown near the Russian border turned into something more like a military base with tanks, heavy artillery, helicopters and bomb shelters signs.

In recent weeks, Ledovskoy has worked out contingency plans with his parents and other relatives still living in Kharkiv, in case their phone connection and electricity get cut off during a potential invasion.

Ledovskoy, 47, said he is trying to remain optimistic despite grim reports from home.

There is this factor of fatigue, Ledovskoy said in Russian. Its been eight years and everyone is so tired of being afraid.

Still, as he watched the Biden administration and other Western leaders speak out against the current Kremlins military buildup, he said, he felt pleasantly surprised from reports that any potential aggression from Moscow wouldnt go unpunished.

The eight-year-long conflict has divided Russian and Ukrainian immigrants in the U.S. into supporters and critics.

Gurfinkel said he has lost several friends since the beginning of the conflict, causing him to avoid discussing the Russian-Ukrainian conflict with fellow expats.

Its impossible for me to have this conversation in a room full of people without somebody coming at me and saying: Youre wrong. This is the fact, this is how it happened, he said.

Still, many Ukrainian and Russian immigrants believed the idea of a potential war seemed unreal.

Rina Atroshenko, who left Ukraine as a child and who now owns restaurant Traktir in Tarzana, said she still perceives the two nations as one.

When my parents immigrated, it was the U.S.S.R, she said. So it was one culture, cuisine, family values, and beliefs.

Atroshenko said she would rather see her guests argue about Ukrainian and Russian recipes and whose dish tastes better than see them fight over politics.

I would rather talk about the food and where thats divided, she said. This is more Russian. This is more Ukrainian, but that is all the same culture and same cuisine, just a little different recipe. I believe everybody wants to do the same thing, everybody wants peace.

Her friends in both Kyiv and Moscow, she added, were skeptical that the two countries were on the edge of the war, and believed the Biden administration was stirring up the pot.

It reminds me of the movie Wag the Dog, she said, adding that the U.S. was dealing with many pressing domestic issues, including crime, homelessness and gas prices. We have so many problems here that, lets pay attention to whats going on there.

No one there actually believes that anything is going to happen, Atroshenko, 54, said. I think its more the U.S. trying to divide Russia and Ukraine.

The two nations share more than just their love for pelmeni and cheese patties known as syrniki. They are historically and culturally intertwined.

Robert English, director of the USC School of International Relations, said the issue of Russians and Ukrainian self-identity turned into identity games by politicians on both sides.

All former Soviet republics, including Russia and Ukraine, are kind of wounded, even crippled in terms of their own self-understanding, their conception of their place in the world of who they are, their identity, he said.

For nearly 70 years, they were all denied independence, the sovereignty to pursue their own calling and their own best interests, English added.

Instead, they had an artificial Marxist-Leninist, Soviet identity imposed on them, he said. So there was officially no Russian nationalism, no Ukrainian nationals, no Armenian, no Baltic nationalism because that was illegal.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, those republics found themselves wounded, confused, the kind of a hole in their hearts, English said.

But the search for their identity coincided with a dim economic outlook in the worst possible circumstances which favored demagogues, which favored extreme nationalists and sadly demonizing other people, usually their neighbors, he added.

Ordinary Russians and Ukrainians would get along fine, English added.

They really just want to live a good life but the failures of their political and economic leaders, have divided them and pitted them against each other, he said.

For Gurfinkel, the division is felt like never before.

I just wish for the world that was as calm as 2014 was, he said. If we can get back to that level of calm, Id love that to happen. Id love this whole event to stop escalating and everybody to calm down, but in my opinion, with Putin, you never know what happens next.

___

2022 MediaNews Group, Inc.

Visit dailynews.com .
Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Rob Watson will leave the district at the end of the school year, he wrote in an email to staff on Friday.

The MCPS Board of Trustees will discuss plans to find a new superintendent during a Feb. 22 meeting.

"It is with mixed emotions that I share this decision with you today," Watson wrote. "My time with MCPS, including my former time as a principal, has been some of the most rewarding of my 29 years in public education. I will leave with many happy memories and proud to have served with each of you."

Watson said he will be leaving his position on June 30, 2022 to take the role as the executive director of School Administrators of Montana (SAM), an organization that advocates for public education. Watson will begin in his new role on July 1.

He replaces retired director Kirk Miller, who served in the position since 2012. Miller retires after a 41-year career in public education.

"Dr. Watsons wealth of experience, collaborative abilities, and commitment to action for the education of Montanas students has earned the respect of not only the education community but of all Montanans who have had the opportunity to engage with him," a release from the School Administrators of Montana (SAM) said.

He spoke about the change during a press conference Friday afternoon.

"I've been a strong advocate for public education and the power that public ed plays in people's lives," Watson said. "I'll continue to talk that same message; I just think my opportunity will be greater because I'll have a larger audience to talk to."

SAM, created in 1971, is an organization of more than 1,000 active members and advocates at the state Legislature.

Watson came to Missoula County Public Schools in 2019 following Mark Thane's retirement. Watson was the Bozeman School District superintendent from 2012 to 2019 and was principal at Bozeman High School from 2009 to 2012.

He was Missoula Sentinel's principal from 2005 to 2009 and also held the position at Rattlesnake Elementary School and C.S. Porter Middle School. He has worked as a school administrator in Great Falls, and began his career as a teacher in Anchorage, Alaska.

One of his fondest memories working for MCPS was a clinic early in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, he said.

"We hosted a vaccine clinic for over 1,000 teachers, bus drivers, school secretaries and we got the YMCA volunteers over here to get vaccinated as well," Watson said. "That was probably best to see the look on their faces and experience that."

Watson does not expect the district's mask mandate to last through the end of the school year, he said. He thinks that the district is "within two or three weeks" of getting rid of the mandate, adding that some metrics the district uses are close to a level that would allow for removal of the policy.

There are other loose ends to tie up as well, such as school and bus schedules as well as calendars, which he said many in the district are anxiously awaiting.

Watson was named Montana Superintendent of the Year in 2019. He holds a bachelor's degree from Montana State University, a master's degree from the University of Alaska and a doctorate from the University of Montana.

He is also a recipient of the GV Erickson award, which is the highest recognition given by SAM to school administrators.

"From now until the end of the school year, I remain committed to our work," Watson wrote in the email. "I am looking forward to wrapping up a great school year and establishing our plans for next year. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your superintendent."

Jordan Hansen covers news and local government for the Missoulian. Shout at him on Twitter @jordyhansen or send him an email at Jordan.Hansen@Missoulian.com

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The Ministry of Health is reporting 1901 new community cases of Covid-19. There are also 14 new cases identified at the border.

There are 76 people in hospital with Covid-19, but none in HDU or ICU. More than 25,000 booster shot were administered on Friday, making a total of more than 2.1 million booster shots given nationwide.

In NZ there are 11,601 active community cases that have been identified in the past 21 days and are not yet classified as recovered.

Of the new community cases reported on Saturday, there are 33 new cases in Northland, 1240 in Auckland, 249 in Waikato, 66 in Bay of Plenty, 11 in Lakes, 22 in Hawkes Bay, 12 in MidCentral, 10 in Whanganui, 10 in Taranaki, 12 in Tairawhiti, 17 in Wairarapa, 38 in Capital and Coast, 31 in Hutt Valley, 40 in Nelson Marlborough, 40 in Canterbury, two in South Canterbury, one in West Coast, 65 in Southern, and two of unknown region.

There are 76 people in hospital with Covid-19, including one in Northland, seven in North Shore, 25 in Middlemore, 36 in Auckland, one in Rotorua, three in Tauranga, two in Waikato and one in Tairawhiti.

More than 2.1 million booster shots have now been given nationally, with over 25,000 administered on Friday.

The booster dose is critical in our fight against the Omicron variant as it continues to spread through the country, and its vital that the success of last weeks Big Boost push continues, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

New Zealanders have made great progress around getting vaccinated and boosted, but we cant afford to relax now.

Getting the booster dose greatly reduces your chances of getting severely ill and requiring hospital care if you test positive for Covid-19, so if its been three months since your last dose, please book your booster today.

To continue to encourage booster uptake, the Ministry of Health is now reporting the percentage of the eligible population who have received a booster by DHB region.

How you can support the Covid-19 response

Under Phase 2, the health response will, more than ever, be supported by everyone playing their part to lessen the impact of the Omicron outbreak, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

This means wear your mask, use your vaccine pass, and keep your distance. And, if you havent already, get boosted.

With the response focusing on the most high-risk locations of interest, such as aged care and correction facilities, people will play a bigger role in identifying their own contacts and exposure events.

This means if you test positive for Covid-19, its more important than ever that you let your employer and potential contacts know, so they can act.

If you test positive, you will get a text from 2328 with an access code and a link to the contact tracing form to complete as well as information regarding self-isolation and general advice for cases.

Completing this form as soon as possible will ensure we can alert people who have been potentially exposed and is vital in supporting the health response to Omicron under Phase 2.

Most people with Omicron will have mild illness and won't require additional support. Those who need more support whether its because they are unable to use the self-service technology or that they have high health or social needs, will receive supported assistance throughout their isolation period tailored to their individual needs.

As always, anyone with any cold or flu symptoms that could be Covid-19 is asked to get a test and isolate at home until a negative result is returned and they are feeling well.

Regardless of your test result, it is still important that anyone who is unwell stays home to reduce the spread of other viruses.

The most common early symptom of the Omicron variant is a cough, followed by a sore throat.

COVID-19 vaccine update

Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people aged 12 and over): 4,237,941 first doses (96%); 3,951,572 second doses (95%); 2,107,058 booster doses (65%).

Vaccines administered yesterday:1,039 first doses; 897 second doses; 761 paediatric doses; 25,364 booster doses.

Maori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 517,450 first doses (91%); 495,172 second doses (87%).

Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 279,734 first doses (98%); 273,135 second doses (95%).

Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 222,188 first doses (47%).

Maori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 31,694 first doses (27%).

Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 18,605 first doses (38%).

Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)

Northland DHB: first doses (90%); second doses (88%), booster doses (66%)

Auckland Metro DHBs: first doses (97%); second doses (96%), booster doses (62%)

Waikato DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%), booster doses (62%)

Bay of Plenty DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%), booster doses (64%)

Lakes DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (91%), booster doses (65%)

MidCentral DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (68%)

Tairawhiti DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (90%), booster doses (65%)

Whanganui DHB: first doses (92%); second doses (90%), booster doses (70%)

Hawkes Bay DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (67%)

Taranaki DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (93%), booster doses (63%)

Wairarapa DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (71%)

Capital and Coast DHB: first doses (99%); second doses (98%), booster doses (71%)

Hutt Valley DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (69%)

Nelson Marlborough DHB: first doses (97%); second doses (95%), booster doses (73%)

West Coast DHB: first doses (93%); second doses (91%), booster doses (70%)

Canterbury DHB: first doses (100%); second doses (98%), booster doses (66%)

South Canterbury DHB: first doses (95%); second doses (94%), booster doses (71%)

Southern DHB: first doses (98%); second doses (96%), booster doses (71%)

Hospitalisations

Cases in hospital: total number 76: Northland: 1; North Shore: 7; Middlemore: 25; Auckland: 36; Rotorua: 1; Tauranga: 3; Waikato: 2; Tairawhiti: 1

Average age of current hospitalisations: 59

Cases in ICU or HDU: 0

Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (10 cases / 17.5%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (3 cases / 5.3%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (39 cases / 68.4%); unknown (5 cases / 8.8%).

Cases

Seven day rolling average of community cases: 1,232

Seven day rolling average of border cases: 11

Number of new community cases: 1,901

Location of new community cases*: Northland (33), Auckland (1,240), Waikato (249), Bay of Plenty (66), Lakes (11), Hawkes Bay (22), MidCentral (12), Whanganui (10), Taranaki (10), Tairawhiti (12), Wairarapa (17), Capital and Coast (38), Hutt Valley (31), Nelson Marlborough (40), Canterbury (40), South Canterbury (2), West Coast (1), Southern (65). Unknown (2)

Number of new cases identified at the border: 14 (including 5 historical cases)

Location of origin of border cases: Malaysia (1), Singapore (1), Full travel history not obtained (7).

Number of active community cases (total): 11,601 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)

Confirmed cases (total): 28,360

* Please note, the Ministry of Healths daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO.

Tests
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Who knows, at this writing, what Vladimir Putin will decide to do with the forces hes massed along Ukraines borders?

If Putin backs down, maybe thanks to some face-saving diplomatic formula, the Biden administration will deserve full credit for masterly crisis management: whipping into line our European allies, particularly Germany; thwarting Russian covert operations by leaking details to the media; expanding Americas military presence in front-line NATO states; working on ways to supply Europe with liquefied natural gas; refusing to negotiate at Ukraines expense; threatening sanctions against Moscow that, for once, have real teeth.

If Putin doesnt back down, these were still the right and necessary steps. They just werent sufficient.

Either way, the crisis should serve as a tutorial on what the so-called post-Pax Americana world will look like. In a fantasy version of that world  a world in which American power isnt constantly being called upon to address faraway crises or reassure nervous allies  the United States trades the burdens of being a superpower for the modest but more manageable, affordable and humane ambitions of a normal country.

Our military shrinks to a size adequate for national defense, not global policing. We spend the savings on mending the frayed edges of society.

Our allies stop freeloading off our security guarantees and start spending more on their own defense.

Our foreign policy becomes less arrogant and more collaborative. We lose the illusion that we can, or should, solve other peoples problems, and we free ourselves from the personal sacrifices and moral compromises that go with that illusion.

Our economic policies shift to adapt to a less-globalized world. Instead of depending on China for low-cost manufacturing and labor, we reinvest in American workers and factories and become independent in everything from energy to microchips.

Its a tempting vision, a left-right marriage of George McGoverns Come Home, America and Donald Trumps America First. Its also been thought of before: Bob La Follette Jr., the progressive senator from Wisconsin, and Father Charles Coughlin, the antisemitic radio host, shared the same sorts of ideas in the run-up to World War II. They had broad public appeal all the way through Dec. 6, 1941.

Whats wrong with those ideas? For starters, global order is not a self-generating phenomenon. In the absence of Pax Americana, would the United Nations be capable of enforcing rules of the road, like freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, over which as much as one-third of the worlds commercial traffic passes? How about regional alliances, like the European Union or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations? Dont count on it.

This has some obvious knock-on effects. Its an invitation to predatory behavior  precisely of the kind were witnessing on Ukraines borders and also seeing signs of over the Taiwan Strait. And predatory behavior is rarely satisfied. A Russia that possesses more of Ukraine or a China that seizes Taiwan will each want more. Theyll be in a stronger position to get it.

Another obvious consequence: There will be no peace dividend in a post-Pax Americana world. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the United States today spends historically little on defense  about 3.7% of gross domestic product, compared to more than 5% in the last year of the Carter administration. But military spending would have to return to Cold War levels for an era in which core U.S. interests were constantly threatened by hostile and confident powers.

We would also find ourselves perplexed and frightened by the behavior of our traditional allies. Instead of having freeloaders, we would enter a world of freelancers, countries aggressively out for themselves, irrespective of American wishes or established norms. Without the assurance of U.S. protection, what would keep a future Japanese government from rapidly fielding a vast nuclear arsenal as a response to China? Why shouldnt Turkey and Saudi Arabia go nuclear, too, particularly if Iran winds up with a bomb?

A world in which several combustible regions each have multiple nuclear powers in varying configurations of alliance and hostility is a recipe for miscalculation, accident and tragedy.

Its also not a formula for prosperity. The idea that the United States should aspire to some sort of autarky is divorced from any conceivable economic reality. In a post-Pax Americana world, we would simply have to depend on flows of trade at the mercy of hostile powers and unexpected events.

Most dangerously, the post-Pax Americana world is one in which liberal democracy would wither. This is already happening abroad, from Budapest to Ankara to Mexico City. Why shouldnt it happen here, too?

Charismatic dictatorships often inspire a current of admiration among democratic publics; its why a corner of the progressive left admired the Castro regime in Cuba, just as the new far right is quietly infatuated with Putin. Anyone who says it cant happen here must have slept through the past five years.

Whatever happens next in Ukraine, it wont matter as much as the lessons we draw from it. Only the innocent think that an America that turns its back on the world will be left alone in turn.

Bret Stephens writes for the New York Times.

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...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. * WHERE...Portions of Arkansas and Oklahoma, including the following counties, in Arkansas, Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Madison, Sebastian and Washington AR. In Oklahoma, Adair, Cherokee, Choctaw, Craig, Creek, Delaware, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Nowata, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pittsburg, Pushmataha, Rogers, Sequoyah, Tulsa, Wagoner and Washington OK. * WHEN...From Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff will likely result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations, especially in areas that have already received heavy rainfall over the past few days. Several main-stem rivers could go into flood. A few locations could see significant flash flooding. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - A slowly moving upper low will move across the area Wednesday into early Thursday. Multiple rounds of thunderstorms are likely with the potential for very heavy rainfall. Widespread 2 to 3 inches of rain is expected with locally higher amounts of 5 to 6 inches. The heavier rain will begin to shift east of far southeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas early Thursday afternoon. - 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. &&
The oil industry has rebranded North Dakotas Bakken as mature, which means the easily recoverable oil has been drilled. The state should take this into consideration in future dealings with oil companies.

State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms reported this week on his attendance at a Texas oil conference. He talked with leaders from 10 companies operating in the Bakken. From what they told him, the state can expect low rates of growth, with some companies holding their production flat.

Companies are increasing their operations in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico, where drilling is more productive. Even with oil prices soaring, it hasnt increased interest in the Bakken.

Unfortunately for North Dakota, seven pilot projects to get more oil out of the rock where wells have been drilled havent been successful. Until new technologies are developed, it appears interest in the Bakken will continue to wane. Helms said theres interest in future pilot projects, but concerns about feasibility could hinder the efforts.

Helms said the state could see small annual production increases, but drilling will likely taper off in several years. That means state officials may need to rethink future estimates of oil revenue. We know from the recent past that oil prices and revenue can go up and down quickly.

The state has been able to take advantage of the oil boom for more than a decade, though the end of the glory days may be in sight. Last year a federal estimate indicated that western North Dakota contains another 4.3 billion barrels of untapped recoverable oil, a 40% drop from the last estimate in 2013. Recovering it, as noted earlier, wont be as easy as during the beginning of the boom.

Less oil revenue could alter how the state uses the oil tax-supported Legacy Fund in the future, and it should result in changes in the relationship of the state to the oil industry.

State leadership needs to keep in mind that theres probably an end date for when oil revenue can be counted on carrying the state. Fortunately, steps are being taken to diversify the state economy and should be ramped up.

There are plans to pipe natural gas from the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation to a plant in the Beulah area to produce hydrogen. It fits into Gov. Doug Burgums goal of making the state carbon neutral by 2030. There are other projects in different stages of development.

While oil will remain part of North Dakota for some time, it cant be counted on for driving the economy very far into the future. If the oil industry sees better outcomes in Texas, New Mexico or elsewhere, state leaders shouldnt be foolish enough to believe they can tempt the industry to focus on North Dakota.

State leaders need to develop a more mature relationship with the oil industry.

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Wyoming state representative Andy Schwartz explained to his colleague in the Wyoming legislature that presenting neutral both-side-ism around astoundingly important events in history is worthless. To truly understand the horrific nature of these actions one must find them uncomfortable.

Schwartz's speech broke the Republican supermajority and they could not achieve a 2/3rds vote to pass their ban on Critical Race Theory. 60 of the 67 members of the legislature are Republicans.

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re: A trip up North in a quest for snow | Toyota Fortuner 4x4 Day 4 continued

By 6pm I was on the treacherous Sangla-Chitkul road and it had started to get dark.



Now things had started to get a bit freaky.

It was getting dark, the roads were very treacherous with no boundaries with space just enough for the Fortuner to pass and I felt that my car lost 25-30% of power. My parents after seeing the roads started to question my overzealous attempt to go to Chitkul. Questions like what was the need for all this? "arent we going to see the same mountains there too ? , why do you make such foolish decisions? , where will stay for the night, if the hotels are closed ? were being hurled at me one after the other by both of them while I was negotiating the treacherous roads.



Videos showing the treacherous nature of the roads

https://youtu.be/yBlBfG41Py0



https://youtu.be/5tsif7e6c6g



At one part of the stretch there was a wet patch on which the car skidded a bit as it was black ice and my dad just freaked out. I calmed him down by saying that I have switched to 4x4 and not to worry.



Continuing to Chitkul was now out to the question. We were reaching Sangla in about 2 km so we decided to stay the night in Sangla. Decided to check in at the first hotel we find. However once we entered Sangla it felt like a ghost town. There was not a single soul on the road and all establishments were shut and it was only 7pm at the moment.Thats when I got into panic mode for the first time. What if I dont get a hotel any where ? Im not heading back to Rampur on those treacherous roads again, this time I would be on the outer side of the cliff!



Decided to check on Makemytrip. Most properties had the tag check with property for bookings thats when I saw a Hotel which said it was open. I searched for the number online and called them to check if they were open. I got a callback from the property manager that they were open. I asked them whether they had blankets, hot water and most importantly accessibility.

The property manager replied in affirmative for food and blanket and said that the property is at a 300m walk from the parking area. Just out of curiosity I asked him if any one else is staying there at the moment and to my surprise he said that 12 rooms were occupied. I was shocked and pleased to here that. Now the hotel was around 7km from Sangla which would be another 20min of driving. I was constantly in touch with the Property manager all through out the route as getting lost in the Wilderness was the last thing I wanted.



I reached the hotel entrance and the care taker had sent 2 boys to carry our luggage. Parking on top was full but I managed to find a spot after the incline as I didnt want my parents to climb the steep slippery slope. It was 3C outside and we now had to walk around 300m in snow to reach the resort. Walking such a distance with luggage in our hand caused all the cold to run away.

We checked in to our room and came down for dinner. My dad forgetting to get his phone from the car and me going back down to get it back was the perfect end to the day! After walking for 1 km in the cold all I was not feeling cold any more.



While dinner was being served I saw the group who were staying there having a bonfire. We had our dinner and retired into our electric blankets for the night. Although the temperatures dipped to -10c at night we were all super comfy thanks to the electric blankets.





Our cozy wooden room

Day 5

Sangla-Narkanda 167km

Since it was pitch dark by the time we reached the hotel we had no clue as to how our surroundings looked like. We could just hear the river flowing full gusto right next to us. I got up in the morning and opened the window curtain however the windows were frozen. I therefore decided to walk go out and check the scenery.



And I was truly stunned by what I saw on all 4 sides of the hotel. The hotel was in the midst of Snow clad mountain ranges on all sides and below was the river Baspa flowing in full glory!







The view from the Hotel



The care taker explained to me that mountain ranges were Kinner Kailash and another mountain range whose name I have now forgotten.











Some more pictures for viewing pleasure











The Kinner Kailash Mountain range on the left; Baspa river flowing below.Some more pictures for viewing pleasure

We had planned to check out from Hotel Batseri today itself as there was snowfall prediction in Sangla for the afternoon and we didnt want to be stuck over here by chance it snows heavily and the roads are closed. So we were planning on going to Narkanda. When I was having breakfast I heard the group people also say that they were going to Narkanda. So I asked them where they were staying in Narkanda. They said they were staying at Tethys Ski resort so I too booked a room at Tethys via make my trip thinking Ill have some company there.

Post breakfast we left immediately however the group started a bit later.





At the Hotel Parking, pictures don't do justice to the incline angle. Had to engage 4L to move the vehicle from stand still.







We were now on our way to Narkanda. Yesterday's exhaustion from the traffic was still present. However, everything went smoothly. We were in and out of Rampur Bushahir in a jiffy. We decided not to stop for lunch and head on to the hotel directly.

















Petrol pump with a view;Aptly named Snowline Petrol Pump





We reached Tethy's, Narkanda around 4pm.

Parked at Tethy's





View from the room

Enroute NarkandaPetrol pump with a view;Aptly named Snowline Petrol PumpWe reached Tethy's, Narkanda around 4pm.Parked at Tethy'sView from the room

In an hours time the group had also reached and I started chatting with their group leader Mr. Kabir Wariach who is also a winner of the Rainforest Challenge and an avid offroader. We discussed about our cars, modifications and many other topics. He was kind enough to invite me to the bon fire. We all mingled together and I made a couple of new friends there.



When I told them that I had come driving all the way from Mumbai just to see and drive in snow, they were all astonished. What shocked them all the more is the fact that I got my parents along !



Now even they started praying that it starts to snow so that I would not go empty handed !



By 10:30pm we could see small snowflakes around our bon fire area and we were all happy. Post a lecture on how a heart functions and the difference between a cardiac arrest and a heart attack by captain sahab we all called it a night.



It was pure coincidence that I met this group at Batseri. What could have easily become a nightmare for us turned out to be a blessing in disguise! That's the beauty of a road trip. By 6pm I was on the treacherous Sangla-Chitkul road and it had started to get dark.Now things had started to get a bit freaky.It was getting dark, the roads were very treacherous with no boundaries with space just enough for the Fortuner to pass and I felt that my car lost 25-30% of power. My parents after seeing the roads started to question my overzealous attempt to go to Chitkul. Questions like what was the need for all this? "arent we going to see the same mountains there too ? , why do you make such foolish decisions? , where will stay for the night, if the hotels are closed ? were being hurled at me one after the other by both of them while I was negotiating the treacherous roads.At one part of the stretch there was a wet patch on which the car skidded a bit as it was black ice and my dad just freaked out. I calmed him down by saying that I have switched to 4x4 and not to worry.Continuing to Chitkul was now out to the question. We were reaching Sangla in about 2 km so we decided to stay the night in Sangla. Decided to check in at the first hotel we find. However once we entered Sangla it felt like a ghost town. There was not a single soul on the road and all establishments were shut and it was only 7pm at the moment.Thats when I got into panic mode for the first time. What if I dont get a hotel any where ? Im not heading back to Rampur on those treacherous roads again, this time I would be on the outer side of the cliff!Decided to check on Makemytrip. Most properties had the tag check with property for bookings thats when I saw a Hotel which said it was open. I searched for the number online and called them to check if they were open. I got a callback from the property manager that they were open. I asked them whether they had blankets, hot water and most importantly accessibility.The property manager replied in affirmative for food and blanket and said that the property is at a 300m walk from the parking area. Just out of curiosity I asked him if any one else is staying there at the moment and to my surprise he said that 12 rooms were occupied. I was shocked and pleased to here that. Now the hotel was around 7km from Sangla which would be another 20min of driving. I was constantly in touch with the Property manager all through out the route as getting lost in the Wilderness was the last thing I wanted.I reached the hotel entrance and the care taker had sent 2 boys to carry our luggage. Parking on top was full but I managed to find a spot after the incline as I didnt want my parents to climb the steep slippery slope. It was 3C outside and we now had to walk around 300m in snow to reach the resort. Walking such a distance with luggage in our hand caused all the cold to run away.We checked in to our room and came down for dinner. My dad forgetting to get his phone from the car and me going back down to get it back was the perfect end to the day! After walking for 1 km in the cold all I was not feeling cold any more.While dinner was being served I saw the group who were staying there having a bonfire. We had our dinner and retired into our electric blankets for the night. Although the temperatures dipped to -10c at night we were all super comfy thanks to the electric blankets.Day 5Since it was pitch dark by the time we reached the hotel we had no clue as to how our surroundings looked like. We could just hear the river flowing full gusto right next to us. I got up in the morning and opened the window curtain however the windows were frozen. I therefore decided to walk go out and check the scenery.And I was truly stunned by what I saw on all 4 sides of the hotel. The hotel was in the midst of Snow clad mountain ranges on all sides and below was the river Baspa flowing in full glory!The care taker explained to me that mountain ranges were Kinner Kailash and another mountain range whose name I have now forgotten.We had planned to check out from Hotel Batseri today itself as there was snowfall prediction in Sangla for the afternoon and we didnt want to be stuck over here by chance it snows heavily and the roads are closed. So we were planning on going to Narkanda. When I was having breakfast I heard the group people also say that they were going to Narkanda. So I asked them where they were staying in Narkanda. They said they were staying at Tethys Ski resort so I too booked a room at Tethys via make my trip thinking Ill have some company there.Post breakfast we left immediately however the group started a bit later. Hotel Batseri was the best hotel we stayed in during our entire trip. Right from the scenic location, to the food and the hospitality showered on us that too in such harsh weather with such a beautiful smile on their face truly deserves praise. I would whole heartedly recommend this place to any one who wants to go to Chitkul. Its wonderful how the best memories are made by mistake on road trips!We were now on our way to Narkanda. Yesterday's exhaustion from the traffic was still present. However, everything went smoothly. We were in and out of Rampur Bushahir in a jiffy. We decided not to stop for lunch and head on to the hotel directly.In an hours time the group had also reached and I started chatting with their group leader Mr. Kabir Wariach who is also a winner of the Rainforest Challenge and an avid offroader. We discussed about our cars, modifications and many other topics. He was kind enough to invite me to the bon fire. We all mingled together and I made a couple of new friends there.When I told them that I had come driving all the way from Mumbai just to see and drive in snow, they were all astonished. What shocked them all the more is the fact that I got my parents along !Now even they started praying that it starts to snow so that I would not go empty handed !By 10:30pm we could see small snowflakes around our bon fire area and we were all happy. Post a lecture on how a heart functions and the difference between a cardiac arrest and a heart attack by captain sahab we all called it a night.It was pure coincidence that I met this group at Batseri. What could have easily become a nightmare for us turned out to be a blessing in disguise! That's the beauty of a road trip. Last edited by dean5545 : 18th February 2022 at 21:11 .
Adobe Creative Suite - Definition et Explications

Introduction

Adobe Creative Suite est une suite logicielle de graphisme professionnel produite par Adobe Systems.

Creative Suite 2

Sortie pour la premiere fois en 2003, la suite est disponible en edition Standard et Premium.

Voici la composition des versions Standard et Premium en 2006 ( Creative Suite 2.3):

Edition standard Adobe Illustrator CS2 (v. 12) Adobe Photoshop (Photoshop est un logiciel de retouche, de traitement et de dessin assiste par ordinateur...) Adobe InDesign CS2 (v. 4) Adobe Version Cue CS2 Adobe Bridge (v. 1.0) Guide de conception et des ressources pour l'entrainement



Edition Premium Adobe Illustrator CS2 (v. 12) Adobe Photoshop CS2 (v. 9) avec Image Ready CS2 (v. 9) Adobe InDesign CS2 (v. 4) Adobe Version Cue CS2 Adobe Bridge (v. 1.0) Guide de conception et des ressources pour l'entrainement Adobe GoLive CS2 (v. 8) Adobe Acrobat (Adobe Reader a ete le premier logiciel a supporter le format de document PDF d'Adobe Systems. Le...) Dreamweaver (v. 8)



Certains des composants de la suite Creative utilisent le moteur de rendu (Un moteur de rendu (rendering engine) est un composant logiciel permettant de generer des images...) Presto qui est utilise par le navigateur web (Un navigateur Web est un logiciel concu pour consulter le World Wide Web. Techniquement, c'est...) Opera depuis sa version 7.

Creative Suite 4

Les six editions differentes de la Creative Suite 4 sont disponibles depuis octobre 2008 aux Etats-Unis.

En France, les six editions sont disponibles depuis novembre 2008 :

Creative Suite Design Standard ( Prix : 2 032  HT. Mise a jour (Une mise a jour, souvent abrege en MAJ ou MaJ, est l'action qui consiste a...) 716,40  HT): InDesign (v. 6) Photoshop (v. 11) Illustrator (v. 14) Adobe Acrobat Professional (v. 9) Adobe Bridge Adobe Device Central Version Cue

( Prix : HT. HT):

Creative Suite Design Premium (Prix : 2 630  HT. Mise a jour (Le jour ou la journee est l'intervalle qui separe le lever du coucher du Soleil ; c'est la...) 895,80  HT): InDesign (v. 6) Photoshop Extended (v. 11) Illustrator (v. 14) Flash Professional (v. 10) Dreamweaver (v. 10)

(Prix : HT. Mise a HT):

Creative Suite web Standard (Prix : 999  . Mise a jour a partir de 449  HT): Flash Professional (v. 10) Dreamweaver (v. 10) Fireworks Contribute

(Prix : . Mise a jour a partir de HT):

Creative Suite web Premium (Prix : 2 271,20  HT. Mise a jour a partir de 776,20  HT): Photoshop Extended (v. 11) Illustrator (v. 14) Adobe Acrobat Professional (v. 9)) Flash Professional (v. 9) Dreamweaver (v. 10) Fireworks Contribute

(Prix : HT. Mise a jour a partir de HT):

Creative Suite Production Premium (Prix : 2 510,40  HT. Mise a jour a partir de 836  HT): Photoshop Extended (v. 11) Illustrator (v. 14) Flash Professional (v. 10) After Effects Premiere Pro Soundbooth (en) Encore

(Prix : HT. Mise a jour a partir de HT):

Creative Suite Master Collection (Prix : 3 586,80  HT. Mise a jour a partir de 1 194,80  HT): InDesign (v. 6) Photoshop Extended (v. 11) Illustrator (v. 14) Adobe Acrobat Professional (v. 9) Flash Professional (v. 10) Dreamweaver (v. 10) Fireworks Contribute After Effects Premiere Pro Soundbooth (en) Encore OnLocation (en) Ultra (ULTra (pour (en) Urban Light Transport ) est un systeme de transport...)

(Prix : HT. Mise a jour a partir de HT):

Creative Suite 3

Les six editions differentes de la Creative Suite 3 sont disponibles depuis mai 2006 aux Etats-Unis.

En France, quatre editions sont sorties au mois (Le mois (Du lat. mensis mois, et anciennement au plur. menstrues) est une periode de temps...) de juillet 2006 :

Creative Suite Design Standard ( Prix : 1 699  HT. Mise a jour a partir de 510  HT): InDesign (v. 5) Photoshop (v. 10) Illustrator (v. 13) Adobe Acrobat Professional (v. 8)

( Prix : HT. Mise a jour a partir de HT):

Creative Suite Design Premium (Prix : 2 199  HT. Mise a jour a partir de 810  HT): InDesign (v. 5) Photoshop Extended (v. 10) Illustrator (v. 13) Flash Professional (v. 9) Dreamweaver (v. 9)

(Prix : HT. Mise a jour a partir de HT):

Creative Suite web Standard (Prix : 1 194,80  . Mise a jour a partir de 477,20  HT): Flash Professional (v. 9) Dreamweaver (v. 9) Fireworks Contribute

(Prix : . Mise a jour a partir de HT):

Creative Suite web Premium (Prix : 1 899  HT. Mise a jour a partir de 610  HT): Photoshop Extended (v. 10) Illustrator (v. 13) Adobe Acrobat Professional (v. 8)) Flash Professional (v. 9) Dreamweaver (v. 9) Fireworks Contribute

(Prix : HT. Mise a jour a partir de HT):

Et les deux dernieres pour le troisieme trimestre 2007 :

Creative Suite Production Premium (Prix : 2 199  HT. Mise a jour a partir de 810  HT): Photoshop Extended (v. 10) Illustrator (v. 13) Flash Professional (v. 9) After Effects Premiere Pro Soundbooth (en) Encore

(Prix : HT. Mise a jour a partir de HT):
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(Photo : Unsplash/ Andrew Valdivia) Peloton

Peloton is known for its instructors rather than its bike. Users love Peloton because of the instructor personalities, music playlists, and mantras.

As the company fixes its hardware issues and goes through a massive corporate restructuring, it still prides itself on its incredible software platform.

Peloton's Bike Video Games

Peloton's first massive new feature in a long while is a software feature, and it involves no instructors. The feature was added a year after experts questioned whether Peloton or outdoor bikes were better.

The feature, Lanebreak, can turn bike rides into games. It is similar to Mario Kart, according to News Update.

Users will pedal along a floating virtual track; they will encounter prompts and challenges while they do so. Lanebreak was first announced last year, and some users were able to access the feature while it was in its beta form.

Now, it is rolling out as a software update to Peloton bikes in Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia.

Also Read: Peloton Reveals SEC Probe, Investigations that Question the Safety and Injuries of their Exercise Equipment

Peloton is not the first digital health and fitness app to launch gamification to keep users engaged. For Peloton, it may be a way to lure new subscribers. It is also a way of allowing users to interact more with the company's software.

Lanebreaks charts a virtual path through a bike ride, giving visual cues for users to adjust their resistance instead of just having an instructor shout through a 2D tablet.

The chief executive of Zwift, Eric Min, told WIRED that relying solely on instructor-led video content is not scalable or creative enough.

Peloton is not putting the feature front and center in its bike app, which suggests it is still a feature that is meant to complement the main classes.

The feature can be found under the More Rides tab, where Scenic Rides can be seen too. Lanebreak workouts range from 10 to 30 minutes long, and just like the instructor-led classes, they include playlists of popular songs.

How Lanebreak Works

So how does the new Peloton feature work? You will notice that the interactive mechanics are broken down into Breakers, Streams, and Beats.

Users are prompted to adjust the bike's resistance knob in order to navigate to the right lane and hit fast-changing cadence and resistance goals.

The Breakers mechanic is the favorite among users as it is visually and audibly pleasing. You can charge the breakers to 100% capacity by pedaling faster, which allows you to move more. You can also engage in a short 10-minute Lanebreak class, which is similar to playing a video game.

Currently, Lanebreak only works on Peloton Bike and Bike+ and not the mobile app or the treadmill. It does not feature the Leaderboard that users usually see during a live or on-demand class.

A spokesperson for Peloton said that users could see the Leaderboard before and after your ride, so users can get a sense of who the competition is and check the rank after the fact, according to The Verge.

Lanebreak's gamification is not suited to each user. The most customization that the feature offers is around its intensity level. There is the beginner level, intermediate, advanced, and expert level. Otherwise, the feature is a hop-on and "go" type.

Related Article: Peloton Under Investigation Due to Several Injuries Involving its Equipment

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
An Intel cloud gaming service rumored to compete with NVIDIA's GeForce Now has been rumored to be in the works.

Called Project Endgame, the service will reportedly be powered by Intel's upcoming Arc graphics cards and is due to launch any time this year, writes Digital Trends.

The project was revealed during a recent investor meeting, where Intel released a roadmap for its future products. For now, much of that roadmap is dominated by their plans for their Arc discrete GPUs. But aside from how Project Endgame will be powered by Arc, Team Blue didn't say anything more.

But despite using Arc graphics cards (which are intended for gamers), Project Endgame wasn't stated to be actually aimed at gamers-at least for now. Though in time, Intel could announce that within the next few months if they do plan to launch the service this year.

Launching the cloud service for workstations could still make sense, though. There are some users out there who would require GPU acceleration for certain workloads, like video editing, which can be provided by Arc graphics cards via the cloud, writes Tom's Hardware.

Should the workstation plan push through, there is a chance that Intel will be using their data center-focused Xe GPUs like the Arctic Sound-M, instead of the discrete Arc graphics cards for desktops that they look to launch soon.

Whatever happens, an Intel cloud gaming service will be a direct competitor to NVIDIA GeForce Now based on how it is supposed to work. GeForce Now uses a similar principle with their service, as they allow users to "emulate" an RTX graphics card to play games over the cloud. As of this writing, Team Green's service allows folks to emulate something as high-end as an RTX 3080.

Read Also: Intel ARC GPUs Won't Have a Crypto Mining Lock-- Bad News for Gamers?

Has This Intel Cloud Gaming Service Been Planned For A While?

Judging from a recent acquisition made by Intel last year, maybe they've had it in the works ever since.

VentureBeat reported back in November 2021 that Intel has acquired RemoteMyApp, a cloud gaming startup based in Poland, for an undisclosed sum. RemoteMyApp is a third-party provider of cloud gaming solutions to businesses, and its acquisition could have bolstered Intel's confidence that they could compete in a market where NVIDIA GeForce Now is a major player.

Among the offerings from RemoteMyApp includes Vortex.gg. This subscription-based service based on the IBM cloud offers access to games like "League Of Legends," "Fortnite," and even "GTA V" for $9.99 a month. The only thing about it is that it offers 50 minutes of playtime, while GeForce Now allows for unlimited playtime for the same price.

It is not indicated whether MyRemoteApp's services are going to be used for Project Endgame-at least not yet. But if they are, then Intel will have to find a way to improve that limited playtime if they really want to shake up the cloud gaming market.

Related Article: Intel 13th Gen 'Raptor Lake' CPU Teased With 24 Cores, 32 Threads

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by RJ Pierce

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Meta, Facebook's parent company, has fired its manager of global community development, Jeren A. Miles, after a video of him went viral on YouTube, Reddit and other social media sites. He was featured in a video conducted by amateurs who did sting operations to catch pedophiles.

Meta Fires Manager of Global Community Development

According to TechCrunch, the 2-hour video was posted by an amateur group called PCI Predator Catchers Indianapolis on its YouTube page.

The video did not depict Miles caught in any sexual activity, nor admitting to any sex act, nor admitting to intending to carry out any sexual activity. It is not clear what the legal ramifications of this will be.

However, the video does feature two people questioning Miles, who during the interrogation admits to having graphic and inappropriate communications with a 13-year-old boy. It is damning enough exchange that Miles has deleted all of his social profiles on sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Also Read: Meta Facebook App Down But Says Service is Back Now-What Happened to Messenger, Instagram?

A Meta spokesperson released a statement regarding the incident. The social media company believes that the seriousness of the allegations can't be overstated.

The company also confirmed that Miles is no longer with them. The spokesperson added that they are actively investigating the situation and refuse to provide further comment at this time.

Meta's statement was given to TechCrunch reporter Ingrid Lunden by Drew Pusateri.

Meta has had controversy after controversy for years, ranging from data protection and privacy issues, poor product executions, and failing user numbers on the site. Now, the company is battling underage sex scandals.

Refreshing its PR

Despite all of the problems, the company is trying to refresh its PR offense. Just this week, the company named former U.K politician Nick Clegg as their president of global affairs, according to CNBC.

Nick Clegg was a former deputy prime minister of the U.K. He has been elevated to new heights at the social media company under a new title of president of global affairs in its senior management team.

The position is an upgrade on the VP of global affairs and communications title Clegg was recruited for back in 2018, with more responsibilities and a direct reporting line to Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg in addition to COO Sheryl Sandberg.

So why is a British man relevant to a tech giant that is based in the United States? In a statement announcing Clegg's new position, Zuckerberg stated that Clegg would be key to helping Meta chart the choppy waters of a regulatory landscape and at the same time rebranding its data-mining ad company as a future-building metaverse company.

European regulations poised to target Meta's tracking-based ad business model. Checking which could get the ball rolling to fund an expensive rebranding of its ads business is just a more invasive and immersive surveillance environment.

Long-delayed enforcement of existing EU privacy laws also pose a threat to Meta's empire. They now threaten to cut off its lucrative transatlantic data flows.

And if Google Analytics breach the EU's General Data Protection Regulation over personal data exports, it is difficult to see how even a well-paid Meta lawyer could successfully defend a claim that Facebook's data flows don't.

Related Article: Meta To Remove Facebook Face Recognition Algorithms, Templates-What Are the Benefits to Users?

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Spotify experienced a glitch with its podcast shows in general, and it is not only on selected shows like the "Joe Rogan Experience" and other titles in the platform. The issue caused a massive stir on Twitter where users speculate that there is something more behind this outage of shows, with doubts about the "technical glitch" from Spotify's camp.

Spotify Glitch: No More "Joe Rogan Experience," Other Podcasts?

Spotify faces an alleged "glitch" about the recent disappearances of shows, including the highly controversial "Joe Rogan Experience" and other podcasts on the platform. According to a report from the Rolling Stones, the platform briefly lost the podcast and other titles on its digital channels, and for a time, fans became confused about the situation.

Anthony Pompliano, a known entrepreneur and investor, brought this incident to his Twitter platform, to which he presented some doubts over what is happening on the streaming media. Moreover, other users are also questioning what happened over at the streaming giant that initially stood by the podcast, to which it paid $200 million for its deal.

The "Joe Rogan Experience" is now back on Spotify, but other shows are still missing.

Read Also: Kanye West to Bring 'Donda 2' to 'Stem Player' Only; No Digital Release for Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify

Joe Rogan's podcast is not available in the Spotify app at the moment.   Pomp  (@APompliano) February 18, 2022

Did Spotify Remove Joe Rogan's Podcast in the Platform?

Spotify is now the center of another controversy that involves the Joe Rogan podcast being recently lost and back again in the platform. Users doubted that the company removed the podcast from its platform due to its issues, but it returned after several hours without any explanation.

It remains a "technical glitch" from the Swedish streaming giant to date.

Spotify, Podcasts, and Joe Rogan

Spotify became the center of controversy early this year, and it is because it chose a podcast creator, Joe Rogan, over a renowned musician, Neil Young, to stream on its platform. However, there was no choice as Young said that he would leave the platform if Spotify would not let go of Rogan and his show that is rid of COVID misinformation.

After this issue, Spotify's action was to add "Content Advisory" warnings about what the podcast contains, giving people an idea if it has heavy topics like what Joe Rogan's show brought. A significant backlash against Spotify rose in the past weeks, and this is because different streaming artists also boycotted the platform due to its stand.

Now, it seemed for some that Spotify already removed Joe Rogan and other similar podcasts from its platform after previously standing by it in the wake of Young's outrage.

Nevertheless, the "glitch" of lost podcast shows and content are now the centers of controversy that revolves within Spotify, with no statements regarding the issue.

Related Article: Spotify, Joe Rogan Deal Reportedly Costs DOUBLE Than Previously Expected

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Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Salesforce's NFT ventures are still on the drawing board, but some employees threaten to leave the company if it launches its cloud platform for the tokens. The dispute is based on the company's plans to push for a new platform that will focus on the famous tokens in the modern world.

Its employees are now at a standpoint as mixed opinions are present in the internal conflict.

Salesforce NFT: Employees to Quit if it Launches the Cloud Platform

According to a report from the Thomas Reuters Foundation News, several employees expressed their strong feelings about an NFT cloud platform that will launch from Salesforce. The employees are not onboard the digital token platform that the company will soon have, with some threatening to quit if it pushes with it.

A report last week talked about what Salesforce will focus on in the coming years, and it is the NFT platform that it aims to bring for its users. The company's workforce is not all against the venture, and it faces mixed reviews from its employees about the platform.

Salesforce said that it considers different opinions or feelings about its dive into NFTs.

Read Also: An Out-Of-This-World NFT Experience: BAPESTM and Artemis Space NetworkTM are taking BAPESTM NFTs to the International Space Station

Salesforce NFT: What is it About?

Salesforce is another company that will dive into the world of NFTs in this modern world, and it took them several years to make it happen despite the world transitioning to it in the past months. Nevertheless, NFTs are a booming business for some sellers and platforms that allow their sale, mainly because they generate traffic and revenue.

NFTs and the Digital World

The world is looking at a wave of NFTs coming to it, and it involves a lot of companies coming in to bring their take on the tokens with modern options to purchase it. One of the most popular takes on NFTs now is the collaboration between Coinbase and The Rolling Stones magazine to bring the animated tokens to their platform for sale.

However, some still focus on their "real world" ties and denounce the digital token and its emergence now. A renowned artist and rapper known as "Ye," expressed his position regarding the NFTs, which he says he will act against by building something more tangible in this world, apart from the digital art it brings forth now.

There are pros and cons to everything in this world, and that includes the NFTs. Salesforce employees are presenting different opinions regarding it, and it brings a healthy discussion on the company's venture to the digital token to which it plans to launch.

For now, Salesforce is taking the opinions of these employees to record and considering both sides regarding the mixed views about its NFT cloud.

Related Article: Most Bizarre NFTs Sold to Date | Digital Toiler Paper, Jack Dorsey's First Tweet, and More

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Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tehachapi, CA (93561)

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Mostly clear. Low 41F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph, becoming NE and decreasing to 5 to 10 mph..

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Jean-Luc Brunel, a French "modelling agent" accused of trafficking young girls for billionaire sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein, was found dead in his jail cell this morning, hanged. Brunel, 76, was detained in an investigation into whether Epstein had committed sex crimes on French territory or against French victims. Brunel went on the run at the same time as Ghislaine Maxwell, reports Sky News, but was soon arrested at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.

A frequent companion of Epstein, Brunel was considered central to the French investigation into the alleged sexual exploitation of women and girls by the disgraced US financier and his associates. Multiple women identified themselves as victims and have spoken to police since the French probe was opened in 2019. Virginia Giuffre claimed Brunel offered girls modelling jobs in the US, but was actually recruiting them for Epstein.

Speculation and sarcastic jokes are everywhere, an army of instant experts talking authoritatively about someone they learned about minutes earlier. If there is reason to be cynical and presumptive, the point is surely that we'll just never know.
Buffalo has a new university, albeit one with more than a century of history in higher education.

DYouville College officials announced Friday that the institution going forward will be known as DYouville University, after the New York State Board of Regents recently granted approval for the long-awaited name change.

DYouville President Lorrie Clemo said the new status marked the institutions expanded focus on advanced studies, research and applied scholarship and will help in attracting future students, especially those from other states and countries.

It puts us on the map globally, she said.

But Clemo also said the designation will not fundamentally alter the nature of the institution and what it does.

Even as a university, DYouville, founded in 1908, will continue to focus on academic excellence, finding new ways to enhance the student experience, and promoting equity and access to higher education, she said.

DYouville students, staff, faculty, trustees and alumni celebrated the new status of the campus on Buffalos West Side with a lunch and gathering inside Kavinoky Theatre that included remarks by Clemo, Regent Catherine Collins of Buffalo and others.

The name change has been in the works since 2007, under former President Sister Denise Roche, who began asking the state Education Department for a charter amendment. Clemo and the colleges board of trustees submitted another petition for a charter amendment in 2018.

The Board of Regents voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the change for DYouville, as well as for Touro College on Long Island and Utica College in Utica.

Collins said it took a long time for state education officials to solicit broad public input and develop new criteria by which to grant such a name change, because it hadnt happened in many years in New York State.

When people send back their comments you have to take them and look at them and see if theyre really meaningful for us as we go and write the criteria, she said.

Collins said there wasnt significant opposition to the applications, but the Regents couldnt go by criteria that was last used many decades ago and did not reflect current realities in higher education.

Outside of New York, though, many colleges were seeking and receiving designations as universities, and Clemo said that was holding back an institution like DYouville, particularly when recruiting for students internationally.

Health Professions Hub expands D'Youville's role on the West Side DYouville College Health Professions Hub opens Thursday to redouble the school mission to educate students and serve its surrounding West Side community.

In other countries, even in Canada, said Clemo, a college is thought to be a two-year institution, whereas university is understood as a place to earn bachelors degrees or higher.

So, when students are searching for a new school and are looking for graduate programs this will help us with their finding us, as well, she said.

In New York, to be considered a university, an institution must offer a range of undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, as well as degrees in two or more professional field and doctoral programs in at least three academic fields.

DYouville over the past two decades has dramatically increased its advanced program offerings, particularly in the health sciences and now offers eight doctoral degrees.

Clemo was criticized for jumping the gun on the state approval. As early as 2019, she had directed DYouville staff to refer to the institution in its official materials as a university. DYouville began widely marketing itself as a university in 2020.

Clemo said DYouvilles investment in the name change would pay off well beyond the institution, leading to a broader network of community partnerships to provide students with more experiential learning opportunities through clinicals, internships and study abroad arrangements.

In addition, she predicted that the new designation would have a significant regional economic impact and foster more entrepreneurship in Western New York, which further propels the Buffalo renaissance, leading the way for new industries and new jobs.

Student Government Association President John Rizik said he was excited that DYouvilles new name finally reflects who we are  a university.

But if you ask about my experience, a university is all Ive ever known, he said.

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Since September 2021, the Venezuelan authorities have carried out 16 special operations whereby 62 people accused of being part of Colombian terrorist groups were arrested

On Monday, Venezuela announced that its Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) deactivated over 900 homemade antipersonnel mines (aka leg breakers) planted by Colombian Armed Terrorists and Drug Traffickers (TANCOL) in the state of Apure.

"Over 900 explosive traps made with disposable plastic containers with shrapnel were deactivated in the Arenales sector," the head of the FANB's Strategic Operational Command (CEOFANB), Domingo Hernandez said, pointing out that these antipersonnel mines are used to cause terror to the population.

"The FANB continues to take over TANCOL hideouts in the farthest reaches of the Apure state," he said, emphasizing that Venezuelan soldiers continue to "expel the invaders."

On Feb. 11, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez reported on the progress of Operation Bolivian Shield 2022, which has been taking place in the border areas with Colombia since the beginning of the year.

Como se desarticulo al Koki y compania, tambien se libra una dura batalla en la frontera de Apure con Colombia contra los TANCOL.



Son cientos las minas antipersonales y bombas que se han desactivado y detonado (de forma controlada) en los ultimos dias#PatriaLibreYSoberana pic.twitter.com/KRbqrPwvmv  Carolina Cruz (@zuipa06) February 8, 2022

The tweet reads, "Just as the Koki gang was dismantled, a tough battle is being waged against the TANCOLs on the Apure border with Colombia. Hundreds of antipersonnel mines and bombs have been deactivated and detonated in a controlled manner in recent days."

Besides confirming the death of 8 civilians in Apure caused by the detonation of antipersonnel mines, he announced that the FANB neutralized 9 Colombian terrorists and captured 56 TANCOL members.

Since September 2021, the Venezuelan authorities have carried out 16 special operations in which 62 people accused of being part of Colombian terrorist groups were arrested.

In March 2021, the state of Apure was the scene of an armed conflict between Bolivarian soldiers and a group of dissidents from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). On that occasion, eight Venezuelan soldiers were kidnapped by the TANCOL for over a month.


We can create everything ourselves: a scientist of the Russian Academy of Sciences - about the lunar program of the Russian Federation and international cooperation in space exploration
The forms of artwork in Albright-Knox Northland's sixth and closing exhibition, "In These Truths," are familiar to art-goers.

But the paintings, sculptures, installations and video  from figurative to conceptual to abstraction  are the first at AK Northland that speak to the Black neighborhood where the museum resides, said Buffalo artist Edreys Wajed, a co-curator of the exhibit.

The exhibit celebrates the work of 23 living Black artists, including several from Buffalo, and from five countries in all. In addition to Wajed, the exhibit is co-curated by Buffalo artist Aitina Fareed-Cooke in collaboration with Aaron Ott, the gallery's curator of public art.

"We at the Albright talk about the transformative nature of art, and it is a truth of this exhibition," Ott said. "This exhibition, right now, is absolutely electric with work."

The light-filled, airy Albright-Knox Northland opened in January 2020, two months after the main campus closed for construction. It will close on June 5.

Wajed hopes that shows like this, rather than being a novelty, will find a voice at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum when it reopens in 2023.

"The community is represented in the building," Wajed said. "Just because these doors are closing and this exhibit is the closing exhibit does not mean the conversation stops here."

One of the pieces Wajed is particularly moved by is Allana Clarke's "Solace," made from hair bonding glue that Clarke felt pressured to use as a child in order to adhere to cultural norms and beauty standards.

"The piece, to me, is about repurposing, reusing and taking the power away from something detrimental to her experience," Wajed said. "She lays out the hair glue flat, putty knives it all over and then as it starts to gel and harden, she can move these things around.

"In this case she's no longer relying on it for her beauty but taking it to make something beautiful," he said.

Another artwork Wajed is particularly struck by is Derek Fordjour's "Ennead Rising." The piece features a lawn jockey riding a horse repeated in nine panels made from acrylic, charcoal, cardboard and oil pastel on newspaper.

"From the back, you see the silhouettes," Wajed said. "But when you get up close, you see the meticulous nature of the work  all these little tabs of painted paper, cardboard that's cut out and dug up, the textures, the intentional removal and subtraction of certain pieces on nine different canvasses. The way he laid it out is brilliant."

Fareed-Cooke said the Northland space is a beautiful one to view the exhibit.

"Every single piece has its moment, and you are able to exist in that moment," Fareed-Cooke said. "It's not cluttered. You have space to move around. And the lighting coming through the windows adds shadow that lives across certain pieces."

At a press event to preview the exhibit, Fareed-Cooke recited a poem.

"This is an orchestra of thought, moments of harmony crescendo throughout each piece. Can you hear it?" she said in conclusion. "That sound speaks, it speaks truth unshackled, and in these truths are our existence. Come see, come eat, come be with us in these truths."

Many of the artists in the show have Buffalo connections.

Albright-Knox's 'sensational' transformation underway, but will cost more and take longer It is easy to see the progress of the Jeffrey E. Gundlach Building two years into construction on the Albright-Knox Art Gallery grounds, but Covid-19-related supply chain problems have pushed its reopening as the Buffalo AKG Art Museum into the first half of 2023.

George Hughes, born in Ghana, is a painting professor at the University at Buffalo. Julia Bottoms is a muralist who, like Wajed, worked on the Freedom Wall. Phyllis Thompson's work is represented by contemporary paintings and works from the 1970s that haven't been exhibited before.

"We want to talk about Black culture and Black production as a nonhomogeneous thing  something that is as diverse and complex as the community itself," Ott said.

Ott said the show reflects the Albright-Knox's commitment to being more inclusive and relevant, including to communities of color that historically attend in low numbers.

"Our sincere intent is to make sure that the Albright is an organization that is truly for our community and welcomes everyone," he said.

Janne Siren, the museum's director, said this principle is now firmly embedded as a museum priority.

"Inclusion, diversity, equity and access are part of everything we are, do and want to be," Siren said. "It is the air we breathe, it's who we are and who we want to become."

Mark Sommer covers preservation, development, the waterfront, culture and more. He's also a former arts editor at The News.

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A rendering shared Thursday by Merrimac Fort Partners LLC for a proposed project on Lot 161 CR and Pond Lots in Mountain Village that would include a luxury hotel and mix of residences. (Courtesy image)
The former chief of CCS Oncology, once one of the region's largest providers of cancer care, has been barred from practicing medicine in New York but won a victory when a federal whistleblower's complaint fizzled out.

The state Board for Professional Medical Conduct this month revoked the medical license of Dr. Won Sam Yi following a lengthy review of the care he provided to seven seriously ill cancer patients, six of whom died.

The state Health Department in 2018 had brought numerous charges of professional misconduct against Yi. Officials accused him of delivering powerful doses of radiation to patients beyond standards of care in such cases.

The board upheld nearly all of the departmental charges and found Yi failed to take responsibility or show contrition for his treatment decisions.

"He is a danger to potential new patients should he be reinstated as a radiation oncologist," board members wrote on Feb. 4.

However, in newly unsealed court papers, federal and state government lawyers said they would not support claims made in 2015 by a former CCS employee that the practice defrauded taxpayers out of millions of dollars. And Yi's lawyer in the state disciplinary proceedings said he will appeal the panel's conclusions.

"It's one of the more egregiously incorrect decisions I've ever seen," attorney Anthony Scher said.

A radiation oncologist who began practicing medicine in New York in 2006, Yi served as president and CEO of CCS Oncology and led a rapid expansion of the practice, including beyond cancer care, fueled in part by extensive advertising. He bought the company in 2008 and was its sole shareholder.

Yi's CCS Oncology and CCS Medical practices at one time had 36 physicians serving hundreds of patients at two dozen clinics and offices in Western New York. But CCS had struggled financially since 2016, when Independent Health announced it was removing CCS Oncology from its network, and several vendors and lenders had sued CCS and Yi for nonpayment.

The FBI in March 2018 raided numerous CCS locations, seizing reams of financial and other data as part of an investigation into possible Medicare billing fraud at the practice.

In April 2018, CCS filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing millions of dollars owed to Bank of America and other creditors. Weeks later it shuttered its doors.

Financially battered CCS Oncology tells patients it will shut down next week The financially troubled CCS Oncology, once one of the regions largest private cancer practices, will shut down operations next week. CCS Oncology and CCS Medical, its non-oncology branch, began mailing notices of the closing to about 1,000 patients on Thursday, two weeks after the practice filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. That figure includes patients actively receiving treatment and some

The FBI raid came months after The Buffalo News in June 2017 reported the existence of the federal investigation and the whistleblower complaint.

In that civil lawsuit, filed under seal in 2015 in district court here, a former CCS employee argued the practices physicians and other staffers engaged in widespread fraud and other misconduct, including billing for more expensive procedures than were actually performed, billing for procedures that never were performed and performing medically unnecessary procedures on patients.

Yi and his attorneys have emphatically denied any wrongdoing.

Following the decision by the U.S. Department of Justice not to intervene, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara in August ordered the complaint, which was filed under the federal False Claims Act, unsealed. The state Attorney General's Office later made a similar decision not to support the lawsuit.

Barbara Burns, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Buffalo, declined comment on the intervention decision. She also said she couldn't comment on the existence or status of any federal investigation.

Cortney Hansen, a former radiation therapy technologist with CCS, had filed the lawsuit against the company, alleging CCS had defrauded taxpayers out of $10 million to $15 million.

"Cortney Hansen is a very principled person. She didn't do this for any financial benefit," her attorney, David Harrison, said Wednesday. While Hansen could have seen a financial gain, under the terms of the False Claims Act, if the government recovered any damages from CCS and Yi, Harrison said this wasn't her primary motivation.

The federal government intervenes in only a small number of False Claims Act complaints, just 25% by one count. Harrison said there could be many reasons why authorities didn't intervene in Hansen's complaint  including the fact that CCS shut down operations nearly four years ago while owing millions of dollars to creditors.

Hansen opted to voluntarily withdraw her complaint on Nov. 2. But Harrison said his client feels vindicated by the state board's decision to revoke Yi's medical license.

"We're glad that this result is what it is," Harrison said, "and we're happy that he's not going to be treating patients, at least any time soon."

The state's misconduct charges against Yi were made public in December 2018. Hearings, document submissions and deliberations took place over the ensuing months and years.

The state accused Yi of "gross negligence," "gross incompetence" and other misconduct in treating seven patients between 2009 and 2013 at various CCS locations. The five male and two female patients, identified as Patient A through Patient G, ranged in age from 27 to 72.

Yi, for example, was accused of providing whole-brain radiation therapy to a 43-year-old female patient for about six weeks in 2012 "contrary to medical indications" and without taking into account prior doses of such treatment. The patient died on Dec. 20, 2012.

The Health Department and Yi called their own experts to discuss whether Yi followed, or violated, accepted standards of care for cancer patients.

In the case of the 43-year-old woman, identified as Patient A, the board concluded Yi improperly treated her with a high dose of radiation intended to cure her cancer when, in fact, her disease was at a point it could not be cured. As with other patients, the board concluded, Yi instead should have administered lower, "palliative" doses of radiation intended to address her symptoms and relieve her pain in the final stages of her life.

Ultimately, the state board, for all but one of the patients in question, found Yi guilty of misconduct in his treatment decisions. Yi, they wrote, frequently administered radiation doses without taking into account how much radiation therapy the patients had received previously and without considering the risk of serious complications for them.

Yi can, and will, appeal the board's decision in state court, said his attorney, who outlined two key points he will raise in his challenge.

First, Scher said, some of the patients were offered a different form of treatment, such as chemotherapy, but rejected it in favor of radiation therapy. Yi felt he should listen to his patients' desires and not force them to accept therapy they opposed, Scher said.

Second, Scher said "standards of care," particularly for cancer patients, are not precise guidelines that oncologists must follow to the letter. They are allowed to deviate, in a reasonable way, from such standards, he said, emphasizing Yi's overall record as a doctor.

"Dr. Yi has treated over 10,000 patients in his career," Scher said. "These handful of cases don't represent the thousands of success stories that he's had."

In other legal cases, the bankruptcy proceedings involving CCS Oncology, CCS Medical and related entities all closed between 2019 and 2021. There are two pending cases in U.S. Bankruptcy Court directly involving Yi.

Also, the U.S. Labor Department last year accused Yi and CCS of withholding $101,000 between January and April 2018 from employees' paychecks but failing, as required, to put that money into their 401K retirement plans. Yi and CCS in December settled the case by agreeing to pay $35,000 over the next four years.

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TODAY

 Hopkins County Genealogical Society and the Historical Society of Hopkins County will host a Donut Saturday February 19th, at the Government Center, 56 N. Main St., at 10:00 am. Mary Lou Kapfhammer, author of In Praise of Americanism will present the program about Susan Starling Towles starting the Henderson Library & the Audubon Museum. Everyone is welcome. Please us north entrance.

UPCOMING

 Hopkins County Genealogical Society will meet on February 22nd, Tuesday, at the Government Center, 56 N Main St. at 7:00 pm. Dr. Lynn Leigh, author, will present the program on his book My Friend The President. Everyone welcome, please use north entrance.

 Hopkins County Cemetery Preservation Board will meet Thursday, February 24th at 2:00 pm at the Government Center, 56 N. Main St.

 Madisonville Community College will be offering a Free 8-week MIG Welding class from March 1 through April 22, 2022 from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday for eligible participants. Welding jacket, steel toed boots, gloves, safety glasses and school supplies are provided. Call 270-824-1761 for more information.

ONGOING

 Hopkins County Local History Classes will be held the first Monday of each month at the Hopkins County Regional Senior Activity Center located at 200 N. Main St. Classes will last from 10:00 to 11 a.m. with Spencer and Linda Brewer.

 The Madisonville City Council meets on the first and third Monday night of each month, at 4:30 p.m. at the City Council Chambers. If the regular meeting falls on a legal holiday, the meeting will take place on the next day at the same time.

To submit items to The Messenger for publication, email us a mhughes @the-messenger.com.

Town Crier notices are for non-profit and community oriented events only. Due to spacing, items submitted may be edited as needed.
Madisonville, KY (42431)

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Ada, OK (74820)

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A few clouds with an isolated thunderstorm possible after midnight. Low 54F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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Gerald Stone, left, in 1979 with his original 60 Minutes reporting team: Ray Martin, Ian Leslie and George Negus. Credit: Howard, Bob Hawke or Paul Keating, and have 50 per cent of the people say Its clear from that interview, youre a card-carrying Commie, and the other half, youre a blue ribbon Liberal. But I do have strong political views. Fitz: Go on? RM: Goughs Its Time campaign was 50 years ago to the year. I think its time [again]. I have interviewed every Prime Minister since Bob Menzies and I think this is the most incompetent government weve had. Its time. Fitz: Beyond occasionally being interviewed by you, I first got to know you when we did that thing at Leichhardt Town Hall as the cameras rolled on changing the Australian flag and getting rid of the Union Jack. Thats the first time I remember you taking flak for having a really strong political stance.

RM: Yeah, thats right. But I took probably more flak when I went public with the fact my sister and I had done some family history to discover my great-great-grandfather, an Irishman, had set up life with a Kamilaroi woman outside Gunnedah. Im very proud of it and I wrote a piece in the Womens Weekly about that and the hit-back [was ferocious] that a percentage of my blood was Aboriginal. Fitz: Do you identify as being Aboriginal? RM: No. I acknowledge that 15/16th of my blood is Irish, 1/16 of my blood is Aboriginal, and Im very proud of both. Fitz: Every time I run into you these days, you have a camera crew in tow. And youre heading for the hills somewhere doing substantive journalism, for the likes of ABC and SBS. Is it that you made your money in commercial TV, and now youre telling stories you want to tell rather than stories that pay the mortgage? RM: No question of that. I am able now to do things that I want to do. So, if theres something I dont want to do I dont do it, whereas if you work for a newspaper full time or a network, you usually have to do what youre asked to do.

Fitz: What are you pushing now? What are your journalistic political passions, the stories that need to be told? RM: I am pushing  and have been pushing for the last 40 years long before I realised that I had any Aboriginal blood  reconciliation. Im ashamed of Australias Aboriginal policy over the years. As Sir William Dean says, thats probably the festering sore of Australian society that we still shamefully treat our First Australians, so badly. Fitz: I love the line, Over the mountains down in the valley lives. The former talk show host. Everybody knows his name. Its one of Paul Simons most famous lyrics from Graceland. You were also a long-time host of the talk-show Midday. For the hell of it, can you give us your best war story? Who were your best and worst guests? Ray Martin and Geoff Harvey on the Midday Show in 1986. RM: Interviewing Sir Donald Bradman was the best. Ive never met anyone who was that superior to everybody else in his trade or his profession, whether it be arts or sport or business. The athlete Michael Johnson was the worst. He was one of great athletes of all time, but he was a pig a man, most particularly after I asked him about drugs in sport. He sort of stood up and raised his fist. I thought, please hit me because three cameras are on you, but dont hit me too bloody hard!

Loading Fitz: Youll be pleased to hear that I dont think you look much older now than in your halcyon days at Channel Nine in the 80s and 90s, but do you ever drive past that massive hole in the ground at Artarmon now, to see where the network once stood and feel old, that the entire schtick of that once magical place is just gone. And now even more people who were a part of it are gone, too? RM: (Softly.) I do indeed. But I wouldnt change a thing. Fitz: Okay, last question. No one who worked for Kerry Packer for as long as you did can come away without a killer Packer story. Whats yours? RM: One night, Negus, Jana and I were having dinner with Kerry, and Jana was telling a story about having just interviewed Mick Jagger in Paris on a Rolling Stones tour. She told it really well, about how Jagger had these long skinny shoes with pointy toes, and she said, My god youve got big feet. And in this Scouse accent Jagger replied, You know what they say, big feet, big willie. We all laughed and at this point Kerry put his big boot on the table and said Look at these -size 18! Brought the house down.

Fitz: Such times youve known, Ray . . . Ray: Better than working for a living! Tweet of the week

Grace Tame, @TamePunk, makes reply to the kerfuffle of a photo published of her, as a 19-year-old sitting with a friend, with a bong on her lap. Quote of the Week 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. Della Ross, a friend of shark attack victim Simon Nellist, taken by a great white at Little Bay on Wednesday. What they said Prince Andrew paying a huge sum of money to someone he said he didnt know or he had ever met is quite the take today. @JaneyGodley

Dress Code/House Policy: *No Visible Tattoos. *No Designer Labelled Apparel. *No Heavy Jewellery. Such is the dress code for the chi-chi Bedouin Restaurant in Double Bay, trying to keep out us riff-raff. By paying a massive cheque to avoid a showdown in court, hes confirmed himself to be a snivelling little coward whose denials and demands werent worth the paper they were written on. And we also know that by doing so, he has destroyed whats left of his shattered reputation. Piers Morgan on Prince Andrews settlement with Virginia Giuffre, to avoid court action. I understand the consequences of my decision, and one of the consequences of my decision was not going to Australia, and I was prepared not to go, and I understand that not being vaccinated today, I am unable to travel to most of the tournaments at the moment . . . Because the principles of decision-making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. Im trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can. Novak Djokovic, still as mad as a box of frogs. Thousands of nurses stopped work on Tuesday in the first statewide strike in a decade. Credit:Renee Nowytarger To be told the hospital system is coping  its like a knife in the heart. A nurse on strike this week.

We are in vogue at the moment. Were trendier than smashed avocado on toast. In this world, people want to have something special about them and they see being Aboriginal as a point of difference. Playwright Nathan Maynard, author of At What Cost? and previously Tasmanian Aboriginal Artist of the Year, about false claimants to Indigeneity. Its a cynical move for a politician to co-opt music in an attempt to humanise themselves come election time. The band Dragon fuming about the Prime Ministers mangled attempt at singing the hit from the 1970s, April Sun in Cuba. No one who is here is here legally, and if theyre getting wet from below as well as above, theyre likely to be a little bit less comfortable and more likely to go home. The New Zealand Parliament speaker, Trevor Mallard, after authorities deployed Barry Manilow  oh, the humanity  and turned on the lawn sprinklers against COVID protesters at its Parliament, playing his greatest hits at hundreds camped out in the grounds. Protesters responded by playing their own tunes, including Twisted Sisters Were Not Gonna Take It but started to move on. Laura Peel falls during the womens aerials finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Credit:AP Its not the outcome Peel was hoping for. A Channel 7 commentator, as Australian aerial skier Laura Peel crashed out in the final, ruining her medal hopes in a single landing after four years hard training. Do ya think?

Joke of the week Four drovers are sitting around a campfire discussing what theyd want if they were lost in the outback and were only allowed one thing. The first says, I couldnt do without my trusty old horse. She could probably lead me to a homestead from the back o Bourke. The second says, You can have your horse but Id want my swag. If youre gunna be lost, you may as well sleep warm at night. The third says, Theres no question. Id want my old Queensland eeler Blue. Hes my best mate, and if I was gunna die out there Id want him beside me. The last old bushie says, Only one thing Id need  a pack of cards. See, Id start playing patience and before long some bastard would be looking over my shoulder saying, Red jack on black queen.
Woodville, AL (35768)

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Variable clouds with thunderstorms, especially late. Low 64F. WSW winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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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.
Beirut: A drone flown by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has managed to cross into northern Israel on a 40-minute reconnaissance mission, triggering air defences and the scrambling of fighter jets before returning to Lebanon.

Iran-backed Hezbollah, which fought a month-long war against Israel on the Lebanese border in 2006, said Fridays flight carried out a successful required mission. Earlier this week, its leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, said his militant faction had been manufacturing military drones in Lebanon and had the technology to turn thousands of missiles in their possession into precision-guided munitions.

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah addresses supporters via video in Beirut, Lebanon, on Wednesday. Credit:AP

Despite the enemys multiple and successive attempts to shoot it down, the Hassan plane returned from the occupied territories safely, it said.

The incident comes just a day after Israel shot down what it said was another drone, allegedly from Hezbollah, that had crossed into its airspace.
FILE - In this July 23, 2020, file photo, Arizona Department of Education Superintendent Kathy Hoffman speaks during a news conference in Phoenix.
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In April 2020, about a month into the pandemic, Kabby Hong met online with the Asian student organization he supervises at Verona Area High School to see how his students were doing amid COVID-19 and a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes.

One of my female Asian American students told me she was at a store and this grown man came up to her and yelled at her to go back to where she came from, Hong said. She was really shaken up by it.

He consoled his 15-year-old student, who was born in the U.S., but then he began to think about his students encounter and wondered whether the man had learned about the history and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in his own schooling.

He probably didnt, Hong said. He probably had a school system and schooling where we were basically invisible.

A number of states, including Illinois and New Jersey, have recently passed legislation to ensure Asian American and Pacific Islander history is taught in K-12 schools, while other state legislatures, including California, New York, Florida, Connecticut and Ohio, have recently introduced similar initiatives.

Wisconsin lawmakers also have introduced legislation with bipartisan support in both the Senate and Assembly that would amend an existing law to include teaching Asian American and Pacific Islander history in K-12 schools, but the bills have sat dormant since May and June.

I just cant seem to break through, to be able to get a hearing for that, said bill author Rep. Patrick Snyder, R-Schofield.

I kind of beat my head against the wall a little bit, he said, But I just think its important that the school districts look at what the Hmong have done for us.

One barrier to the passage of the bills  AB 381 and SB 379  is a legislative committee chair saying he doesnt want to increase the number of mandated courses. But that committee has approved bills that would mandate other courses, including financial literacy and cursive handwriting, as well as divisive bills that would require the creation of firearms education and law enforcement interaction classes.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers supports the Asian American history legislation, according to spokesperson Britt Cudaback. If it doesnt pass, it would be for the second legislative session in a row.

Required classes

An eight-month wait for a legislative education committee to approve a bipartisan bill, much less give it a public hearing, isnt standard.

Assembly Education Committee chair Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond Du Lac, said he typically doesnt like passing a bill mandating a course unless that bill also removes a different instructional mandate.

He added that hes less disposed to hearing a bill when the bill author isnt advocating its passage.

But Thiesfeldt has allowed hearings for bills requiring the creation and teaching of other courses, and Snyder said he spoke with Thiesfeldt about the bill recently and asked him to give it a hearing.

In early January, Republican lawmakers introduced a bill, AB 843, that would require the creation of a firearms safety course. The Assembly Education Committee gave it a hearing two days later and approved it several days after that.

For a bill that would require the creation of a curriculum on interacting with law enforcement officers, AB 830, the process from introduction to approval took just under two weeks.

It took about three weeks for the committee to approve a bill requiring a financial literacy course, AB 899, and three months for the Senate Education Committee to approve a bill requiring instruction in cursive handwriting, SB 431.

Unlike the Asian American history bill, the law enforcement interaction and firearms safety courses include provisions allowing school boards to opt out of teaching the class, meaning they may not be considered mandated courses.

Asked why the committee was approving other bills including instructional mandates, Thiesfeldt said, Its not a hard and fast rule. There are certain things, you kind of have to weigh the impact of it, I guess is the way I would look at it.

Thiesfeldt said its hard to mandate small courses or lessons.

This is just another one of those little things, and Ive taught in schools for over 20 years of my life, (and) you have to keep track of all of these little things, and its burdensome, he said.

Snyder raised another possible explanation for the bill stalling.

When I talk to some of the senators about this bill, theyre concerned, you know, that theres already bills out for African Americans, Native Americans, and, theyre just thinking If they add this, what group will come next? Snyder said.

The Asian American curriculum bill isnt the only one stalled in the committee, but its among only a couple of bills with Republican authors seeing no progress in it.

Its, I think, unconscionable that the state with the third-largest Hmong population  with all of the contributions Hmong communities have provided, in terms of culture and the economy of this state  excludes them from learning more about their history to better understand and build safer communities, said Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, the states first Asian American legislator. Im baffled.

Snyder and Francesca Hong (who is not related to the Verona teacher) speculated that her involvement in the legislation  she has created controversy with her social media rhetoric  may complicate its passage.

She has come out rather strong on other issues, attacking some Republicans in groups with her Twitter, Snyder said. And I think that is some of the heartburn going into this as well.

Hong added that she offered to remove her name from the bill if it would help it pass.

Thiesfeldt said he did not know Hong well and did not say she was a reason it was stalled.

Its frustrating that something that is bipartisan and that is clearly supported by the Wisconsin School Board Association hasnt been given the fair process and light that it deserves, Kabby Hong said.

Bill support

Efforts to pass the bill come after a significant increase nationwide in hate crimes directed toward Asian Americans in the past two years.

Kabby Hong  a state representative in the 2022 National Teacher of the Year Program  said Asians are invisible in most school curricula. He said that invisibility can lead to the violence community members have seen.

He said the stalled bill would simply amend existing legislation, 1989s Wisconsin Act 31, which requires each school board to provide an instructional program designed to give pupils an understanding of human relations, particularly with regard to American Indians, Black Americans and Hispanics  to include Hmong Americans, and Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans.

If you look at the bill, its like eight words. Its literally adding eight or nine words to the current state statute, Kabby Hong said. Currently, you do not have to have Asian Americans represented in school curriculum  for whatever reason we were left out. The bill basically rectifies what is a clear oversight.

The Wisconsin Association of School Boards adopted a resolution at its annual convention that encourages public schools to develop an educational curriculum and professional training to teach the history, culture and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the economic, cultural and social development of the state and country, said Dan Rossmiller, the associations director of government relations.

The resolution also requests the Legislature provide sufficient funding to develop an appropriate model curriculum for students and training package for teachers.

Other legislation

In April, Evers signed a bipartisan bill roughly two months after its introduction that would require Wisconsin middle and high school social studies classes to teach about the Holocaust and other genocides which, he said, would bring an increased awareness and recognition to the tragedies of the Holocaust as well as the pervasiveness of antisemitism still evident today. In a statement, he said he hoped the change would cultivate a generation that is more compassionate, empathetic and inclusive.

The Holocaust and other genocides were taught in many Wisconsin schools prior to the passage of the bill, and supporters say the new law is an effort to ensure continuity and consistency in instruction. Proponents of the bill, which passed the Legislature unanimously, pointed to a study released by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation in 2020 that found antisemitic incidents increased 55% between 2018 and 2019 and more than tripled since 2015.

Wisconsin Act 31 was enacted after racially charged clashes at boat landings in the northern part of the state, as members of the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwa attempted to exercise rights granted to them by a treaty with the U.S. government, Rossmiller said.

At the time, former Gov. Tommy Thompson and legislative leaders thought educating Wisconsin students regarding these issues might be a way to diffuse the hostilities, he said, though current law does not require data collection, tracking of compliance with Act 31 requirements, or evaluation of its efficacy.

If you see people that look like me, that are woven in the fabric of American history, then you feel like we are a part of America, just like anybody else, Kabby Hong said, of the stalled legislation.

Next session

Last week, Thiesfeldt said there would probably just be one more Assembly Education Committee hearing before the session ends. That hearing has since passed; it did not include the Asian American history bill in its agenda.

That means the proposed measure is all but certain to meet the same fate as last legislative session, when Rep. Katrina Shankland, D-Stevens Point, along with Snyder proposed a nearly identical bill that didnt receive a hearing, though it only focused on Hmong Americans, not other Asian groups.

Senate Education Committee chair Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, did not respond to a request for comment.

Snyder said hes hopeful for the Asian American bills passage in the next session. He said he has plans to shine a bigger light on the issue.

I dont want this to be a political thing, he said. I just think its important that the Hmong residents have a voice and a history in the educational system in the years to come.

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Oneonta, NY (13820)

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One in three Australians said COVID-19 has had a big impact on their decision to change jobs. (William West/Getty Images)

1 in 5 Australian Workers Changed Jobs in the Last Year

Research has found that one in five Australians have changed jobs within the last year and nearly a quarter are considering leaving their jobs.

Of those considering changing jobs, more than one in three said the COVID-19 pandemic was a big factor in their decision.

There are a number of theories why the Great Resignation might be happening but a heightened sense of mortality and burnout due to extra work particularly among frontline essential workers is certainly high on the list, said Julie Rynski, executive for National Australia Bank (NAB).

Many Australians who are considering changing jobs are also looking for a fresh start, with around three in 10 planning to change industries.

Of those who changed jobs in the past year, the highest was among unskilled workers (37 percent), labourers (29 percent), and other IT and technology workers (28 percent). Lack of personal fulfilment was the top reason for leaving, according to 30 percent who said a purpose or meaning was missing in their current occupation.

Others were seeking greener pastures due to lack of career growth (29 percent), the impact of their current job on their mental health (29 percent), poor pay and benefits (27 percent), and burnout (22 percent).

NABs research shows the pandemic has shifted the expectations of Australian workers and businesses need to work hard to retain their staff, especially as closed international borders have seen skilled migration disappear.

The good news though is that there are absolutely things small businesses can do to keep good peopleespecially since pay isnt necessarily on the top of the list for employees, Rynski said.

Were seeing so many businesses get creative about how they provide a sense of purpose at work and provide clear career pathways to ensure long-term team engagement.

Owner of a number of Melbourne grocery stores Chris Scicluna said that investing in existing staff is key to retaining talent.

As a small business, were able to be creative about how we reward our team. Weve had a brainstorm and come up with great ideas including time out to celebrate together and giving people flexibility in their work,  Scicluna said.

The most successful activity so far has been closing our store for the day and giving everyone the day off to relax. The feedback from customers as well as the team on the back of this initiative has been overwhelming.
A passenger from Italian-flagged Euroferry Olympia disembarks from a Greek coast guard vessel at the port of Corfu, Greece, Feb. 18, 2022. (Stamatis Katapodis/Eurokinissi via Reuters)

3 Trapped, 8 Missing After Flames Engulf Greece-Italy Ferry

CORFU, Greece,Nine passengers were missing after a blaze engulfed a ferry sailing from Greece to Italy early on Friday and firefighters battled to rescue people trapped on the ship, authorities said.

A total of 240 passengers and 51 crew were on board the Italian-flagged Euroferry Olympia when the fire broke out, and rescue vessels took most to the island of Corfu where ambulances were waiting.

It was so unreal, it was a bit like the Titanic but it was real, David Waller, a 58-year old truck driver who was rescued and was staying at a hotel on Corfu, told Reuters.

Firefighters hoses down the burning Euroferry Olympia with 291 people on board near the Greek island of Corfu, on Feb. 18, 2022. (Albanian Defense ministry via AP)

The Greek fire brigade said two men trapped in the ships garage had been rescued, lifted by helicopter, one of whom was not on the official list of missing people. Firefighters were trying to reach at least another three trapped.

Grimaldi Lines, the owner of the vessel, said earlier that tugboats were sailing to the area to help recover the ship.

Aerial footage released by the coastguard showed rows of burnt trucks on the blackened deck after flames swept through the 183-metre (600-foot) ferry that had been making a nine-hour journey through the night.

Passengers arrive at the port of Corfu island, northwestern Greece, after being evacuated from a ferry, on Feb.18, 2022. (Stamatis Katopodis/InTime News via AP)

The worst thing is the cars in the garage are glued next to each other, there is no escape route, one Greek truck driver, who did not give his name, said after arriving on Corfu.

The cause of the blaze was still being investigated, Greek authorities said.

At least 10 people had been taken to a Corfu hospital, most with breathing problems, a Greek health ministry official told state television.

Earlier on Friday, passengers huddled in yellow blankets on an Italian rescue vessel as huge plumes of smoke poured out of the ferry, one video showed. The words May Day were repeatedly blasting from the speakers, in the footage uploaded on Greek news website Proto Thema.

The ferry sailed from Igoumenitsa, the largest port in western Greece, and was headed to the Italian port of Brindisi. It carried 153 vehicles, many of them trucks, Grimaldi Lines said.

The fire broke out when the ship was near Corfu in the Ionian Sea. Hours after the alarm was raised, the vessel was still ablaze, drifting in Albanian waters, Grimaldi Lines said, adding that there were no fuel spills or environmental damage.

At around 3.30-4.00 a.m. I smelled smoke, Rumen Metodiev, a Bulgarian truck driver, told Bulgarias BNT channel. The trucks and the documents, everything burned. There was no chance to put out the fire, he said.

Bulgarias foreign ministry said 127 of its citizens were on board.

Grimaldi Lines spokesman Paul Kyprianou told Reuters that there were indications the fire started in one of its holds. The company was making every effort to help the passengersmost of them from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkeyget home, he added.

The flames were incredibly high, we were a few miles away from the ferry when it happened, Colonello Felice Lodovico Simone Cicchetti from Italys financial police, who took part in the rescue operation, said.

The fire was so big and fast that in a matter of five minutes it became unmanageable for the people aboard.

In 2014, 10 people were killed when the car ferry Norman Atlantic carrying 466 passengers and crew caught fire while sailing from Greece to Italy.

By Lefteris Papadimas and Angelo Amante
Abbott Baby Formula Being Recalled After 4 Infants Get Sick, One Possible Death

Health care company Abbott Nutrition has announced the recall of multiple baby powder formulas after reports of four infants getting sick through consumption. Certain EleCare, Similac, and Alimentum formulas, part of the recalled products, were manufactured in the companys Sturgis plant in Michigan.

To identify a recalled product, customers can check the multi-digit number at the bottom of the product container. If it begins with any number between 22 and 37, and contains codes SH, Z2, or K8, it falls under the recall category, given the expiration date is April 1, 2022, or later. None of the products manufactured in other plants are affected by the recall.

The products under recall have a multidigit number on the bottom of the container starting with the first two digits 22 through 37, contains K8, SH, or Z2 and with an expiration date of April 1, 2022, or after. (Abbott Laboratories)

We know parents depend on us to provide them with the highest quality nutrition formulas, Joe Manning, executive vice president of nutritional products at Abbott, said in a Feb. 17 press release. Were taking this action so parents know they can trust us to meet our high standards, as well as theirs. We deeply regret the concern and inconvenience this situation will cause parents, caregivers, and health care professionals.

The company claims the voluntary recall is based on four consumer complaints about the presence of microbes, Salmonella newport and Cronobacter sakazakii, in infants who had consumed formulas made at the Sturgis plant.

After conducting a test at the plant, the company found the presence of Cronobacter sakazakii in non-product contact areas of the facility. However, the presence of Salmonella newport was not confirmed. The investigation is ongoing.

Abbott insisted that all finished products are tested for a variety of pathogens, including Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella newport, before being sent into the market. According to the company, the retained samples related to complaints about the two microbes had tested negative for the pathogen.

An individual infected with Cronobacter sakazakii can experience low energy, feeding troubles, fever, excessive crying, and other symptoms, while salmonella results in fever, cramps in the abdomen, diarrhea, etc.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an investigation into the consumer complaints of pathogens in Abbott infant formulas. The agency, together with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as other local and state partners, have advised Americans not to purchase infant formula manufactured in Abbotts Sturgis plant.

The FDA revealed that the four infant illness complaints, which came from the states of Texas, Ohio, and Minnesota, involved babies getting hospitalized. One death may have occurred due to Cronobacter sakazakii. In its investigation at the companys Sturgis plant, the FDA found the presence of Cronobacter sakazakii.

Frank Yiannas, FDA deputy commissioner for Food Policy and Response, said that the agency is deeply concerned about such bacterial infections since the product is used as the sole source of nutrition for many infants.

We want to reassure the public that were working diligently with our partners to investigate complaints related to these products, which we recognize include infant formula produced at this facility, while we work to resolve this safety concern as quickly as possible, Yiannas said in the report.

An Abbott spokesperson told The Epoch Times, We value the trust parents place in us for high quality and safe nutrition and well do whatever it takes to keep that trust and resolve this situation.

This article has been updated with a response from Abbott.
At Least 76 Bank Accounts Have Been Frozen Under Emergencies Act in Canada: Public Safety Minister

Dozens of bank accounts have been frozen since the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said on Feb. 19.

At least 76 accounts have been frozen, which represents $3.2 million, associated with the ongoing protest in Ottawa opposing the federal governments COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, Mendicino said in a virtual press conference.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act on Feb. 14 to give authorities sweeping additional powers to oust the protesters encamped in Ottawas downtown core. Several financial measures were also brought in to reduce funding for the protests, such as allowing banks to freeze accounts of individuals or corporations involved in the protests.

The government also broadened the anti-money laundering mechanisms to require crowdfunding platforms to register with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC).

Additionally, FINTRACs pre-registration process is ongoing and it is working with small- and medium-sized banks to implement the Emergencies Acts orders, Mendicino said.

He refused to answer when asked what has happened to the money being frozen by financial institutions or what would happen to it once the emergency order expires, citing operation sensitivity.

The operationalization of the measures under the Emergencies Act is something that is being undertaken by police in conjunction with financial institutional partners including the banks. So that is being done in an independent manner on the operational side and it would be inappropriate for us to comment further due to operational sensitivity, Mendicino said.

But I would stress that the numbers that we have been able to provide to you thus far  shows very obviously how the Emergencies Act is being used to bring about the peaceful conclusion of the illegal blockades.

Previously, federal officials refused to disclose the exact number of accounts affected, citing a need to maintain secrecy as police operations were underway.

On Feb. 18, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and several federal cabinet ministers held a virtual press conference in which they defended the use of the act, citing the need to address the economic impacts and challenges posed to Canadas democracy by the protest at the national capital and the blockades of Canada-U.S. border crossings in Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, and B.C., which have now ended.

However, a majority of premiers have voiced opposition to the decision following the Liberal governments invocation of the Emergencies Act.

A heavy police presence remained in downtown Ottawa on Feb. 19, a day after law enforcement escalated operations in order to clear protesters from the precinct of Canadas Parliament buildings.

The police had made over 100 arrests as of Feb. 19, with many vehicles towed, Mendicino said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks about his management of the pandemic at the National Press Club in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 1, 2022 . (Rohan Thomson/Getty Images)

Australia Wont Send Troops to Ukraine: PM

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has indicated Australia wont send troops to Ukraine in the event of an invasion by Russia but will provide practical assistance to allies.

U.S. President Joe Biden believes Russias Vladimir Putin has made a decision to invade Ukraine and will do so within weeks or days.

Morrison said an invasion is regrettably inevitable, with intelligence showing Russian troops have not been withdrawn from the border.

The pretence has been sought for an invasion, Morrison told reporters in Darwin on Saturday.

There is no pretence for an invasion into Ukraine. There is no justification for it. There is no provocation of it.

Morrison said Australia would stand by its like-minded allies and would provide support that is necessary.

Australia has not been asked or nor would we be providing support through troops or anything of that nature, he said.

We work with our allies and partners in many other ways, and we will seek to do that with the practical things that we can do to assist those efforts.

We have had such discussions with the UK prime minister and others about how we proceed along that basis, he said.

Russia has released footage it claims shows a withdrawal of its troops from the border but the United States believes there has been a ramp-up to between 169,000 and 190,000 troops, from 100,000 at the end of January.

Late on Friday, Ukraines military intelligence said Russian special forces had planted explosives at social infrastructure facilities in Donetsk, and urged residents to stay at home.

Morrison described Russias threats against Ukraine as uninvited, unprovoked, and unacceptable.

They cannot use the threat of war and invasion as a way of trying to leverage and negotiate other changes that they may be seeking, he said.

This is not how free nations, democratic nations, nations in favour of peace, should behave. We have seen this before and we cannot allow it to stand.

(We) will always be proud to stand with others like the United States and Japan and so many others around the world, the friends in Europe and United Kingdom who have been prepared to call this out.

Trade Minister Dan Tehan earlier this week said Australia would enact strong economic sanctions against Russia should it invade.

Last weekend, the federal government temporarily suspended its operations at the Australian Embassy in Ukraines capital Kyiv and evacuated diplomatic staff.
Australias Biggest Coal-Fired Power Station to Close 7 Years Early, Big Battery Announced

Origin Energy has announced plans to shut down Australias biggest coal-fired power station in 2025seven years earlier than originally scheduledwith plans for the southern hemispheres biggest battery to make up part of the loss.

Coal powers more than two thirds of the state of New South Wales (NSW) energy demand, with the Eraring coal plant producing 2,880 MW (megawatts) of power aloneequivalent to 28 percent of the states capacity from its remaining five coal plants.

Origin CEO Frank Calabria explained that one of the primary reasons for the closure was cost, with the ageing coal plant requiring increasing maintenance while cheaper solar farms sprouted across the nation.

The reality is the economics of coal-fired power stations are being put under increasing, unsustainable pressure by cleaner and lower cost generation, including solar, wind and batteries, Calabria said.

Origin is considering replacing the coal plant with a large battery, with the company as a whole transitioning to renewables and to gas, with its ability to provide peaking power for durations when wind and solar output is low.

Eraring coal-fired power station, the largest in Australia, on the shores of Lake Macquarie southeast of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. (Nick Pitsas/CSIRO)

The NSW state government has also stepped up, announcing the southern hemispheres biggest battery, the Waratah Super Battery, to help replace the loss.

When fully charged, the battery will be capable of outputting at 700 MWone quarter of Erarings capacityfor a maximum of two hours.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) had already predicted coal could retire three times faster than expected, and reassured more transmission cabling would better connect the states scattered array of solar and wind farms.

Planned additional transmission capacityincluding the announced batterywill give the state access to enough electricity generation to meet the Energy Security Target at the time Eraring closes, AEMO CEO Daniel Westerman said.

By 2050, the AEMO estimates the National Electricity Markets transition away from carbon dioxide-emitting power would require 10,000 kilometres of new transmissionenough to span one quarter of the way around the Earth.

An aerial view of the Darling Downs solar farm near Dalby, Queensland, Australia in this undated photo, on Feb. 11, 2020. (AAP Image/APA)

Madeline Taylor, a senior lecturer at Macquarie University School of Law and member of climate change communications organisation, the Climate Council, said that renewable energy would dominate Australias energy landscape given the influx of investment directed towards reaching net zero emissions.

Some of Australias biggest power companies are not able to compete from a price perspective and policy perspective, as the states and territories cash-in on a net zero future, bringing with it cheaper renewable power, economic investments, and new clean jobs, Taylor said in an email to The Epoch Times.

Coal is not going to cut it anymore when we have cheap and reliable renewable energy and storage thats already powering over a third of Australias largest electricity grid and providing almost 25 percent of NSWs power.

Fears of Energy Instability

Concerns have grown that a rapid transition to more intermittent forms of power generation, such as wind and solar, could undermine Australias energy security.

Federal Energy and Emissions Minister Angus Taylor argued that the loss of dispatchable powerthat is, power available on demandshould be similarly replaced with more dispatchable energy.

When all generators leave the market theyve got to be replaced. And theyve got to be replaced with dispatchable capacity, not just variable capacity, Taylor said.

Were seeing record levels of investment in household solar in particular  but its got to be dispatchable behind it and if theres not, then the lights go out and the prices go up now, he said.

Australias uptake of rooftop solar is on the rise. (/Adobe Stock)

Eraring is the third coal plant to announce an earlier closure, with the 1,680 MW Liddell coal-fired power station closing shop in 2023, and the 1,600 MW Hazelwood power station which exited in 2017.

The unexpected and short-notice shutdown of Hazelwood caused disruption across Australias east coast, with average energy prices shooting up by 85 percent for Victoria, 63 percent for NSW, 53 percent for Queensland, and 32 percent for South Australia.

For Liddell, the federal government has intervened and commissioned a $600 million, 660 MW gas plant in its stead, but Taylor said he was let down by the similar move for Eraring.

We were very disappointed to hear about this, Taylor said. We work with the state government and the private sector to work towards a solution to this, but I think, in the future, companies like Origin can do better than this.

Concerns for Coal Workers

Origin CEO Calabria said he understood the move would see a loss in high-skilled jobs, and that the company was aiming to support those involved.

Eraring is a high-quality asset, run by a skilled and dedicated team, that has worked tirelessly to supply reliable and affordable energy in NSW for four decades, Calabria said.

We acknowledge this news will be challenging for many of our colleagues, suppliers and the local community. This is only the start of the process, and we commit to consulting with our people, and supporting them, through any potential closure.

However, it is unclear what will happen to the industrys workers as more coal plants mothball, a worry that the NSW Committee on Environment and Planning previously said could spell untold damage to the economic outlook of coal-reliant communities.

In particular, the committee recommended the NSW government invest in programs capable of re-skilling the existing coal workforce and providing education and training for an emerging renewables sector.

Workers leave Hazelwood Power Station after their final shift in Hazelwood, Australia on March, 31, 2017. (Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

Non-profit free market public policy think, the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), warned that Erarings one thousand workers would be one of the first to be brushed aside as Australia shifted from traditional coal plants.

These job losses are just the beginning. Entire regional towns across NSW and Queensland will be decimated by net zero emissions, said Daniel Wild, director of research at the IPA.

Research conducted by IPA previously had identified that up to 653,600 jobs would be put at risk by Australias zero emissions policy, with jobs lost across agriculture, coal mining, and heavy manufacturing.

Sadly, todays announcement confirms this research, IPA said in a statement.

Wild pointed out that efforts to reduce emissions had been overshadowed by a dependence on China for its solar panelswith 90 percent of Australias panels coming from the communist countrymade using its growing fleet of coal-fired power plants.

Closing coal-fired power will make Australia more vulnerable to an increasingly hostile and aggressive China, which is currently constructing 92 new coal-fired power stations while Australia is shutting ours down, Wild said.

The Cost of Quick and Cheap Solar Energy

Worries have grown that coals replacement with cheap solar panels comes as a consequence of Australias majority imports from China, a country that has been accused of using slave labour in its supply chains.

A report released by the Australian Human Rights Commission highlighted worrying reports of Chinas enslavement of millions of ethnic Uyghur, Kyrgyz, and Kazakh citizens, many of whom have been found to be involved in the solar supply chain.

Read More Renewable Energy Push Giving Rise to Slavery: Australian Human Rights Commission

This includes some of the worlds most notable solar panel manufacturers.

The discovery is one out of an extensive list of human rights abuses the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been accused of, which also includes the suppression of democratic Hong Kong protestors, mass forced organ harvesting of Falun Dafa adherents, and the persecution of Tibetans.

United Australia Party Leader Craig Kelly suggested that the cost of solarwhich is estimated to be the cheapest form of energy in Australiais able to do so, in part, due to the exploitation of cheap labour.

The Chinese are very clever: move the production out to use the cheap labour of the Uyghurs to keep the solar panels at a price that will dominate the market and will wipe out all the competition, Kelly said on The Epoch Times show Australia Calling.
Starbucks Faces Backlash in China Over Misunderstanding With Police

Starbucks was the target of a firestorm of online comments and criticism after a Weibo user described an incident in which a policeman eating his lunch in front of a Starbucks store in the Ciqikou neighborhood in southwestern Chinas Chongqing city on Feb. 13. was driven off by Starbucks staff claiming that the policeman eating in front of the store damaged Starbucks image.

In the next three days, Starbucks-related posts were listed as the hottest topics on Chinese social media platforms, with most of the comments that Chinese media and netizens left being negative. The Chinese Communist Partys official mouthpiece Peoples Daily led the trend.

[What Starbucks did] deviated from human affairs, and was purely a provocation, Peoples Daily commented on Feb. 14.

An employee behind a shelf of up-turned mugs in a Starbucks coffee shop in Chongqing, China on Dec. 18, 2007. (China Photos/Getty Images)

The state-run China News Service financial channel echoed the Peoples Daily on Feb. 15, and quoted a netizen: China can have no Starbucks, but cannot have no policemen.

On Feb. 15, Starbucks China clarified the event on its official Weibo account, and revealed a different story.

There was no driving a policeman away nor complaining about a policeman, Starbucks China said. It explained that four policemen visited the store at about 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 13, and they sat at the outdoor table.

After a while, a group of customers arrived at the store and asked to sit at the table occupied by the officers. When Starbucks staff asked the police to change tables, there was a misunderstanding because of improper words, Starbucks China explained.

The company apologized for the mis-communication.

However, Chinese media didnt accept the explanation or the apology, nor did some of the netizens. And the related topics stayed on the hottest topic list on Weibo, which attracted more netizens to read and comment.

On Feb. 16, some Chinese people left broken eggs, white flowers (a Chinese symbol of death), and joss (incense) paper in front of the coffee shop to express their hatred. The Chinese censors didnt filter the related information, and Chinese people are free to post, share, and comment on it.

Visitors wait for their coffee at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery outlet in Shanghai, China on Dec. 6, 2017. (AFP via Getty Images)

The Chinese regime likes to encourage its people to boycott foreign companies, when the companys homeland angers Beijing, China analyst Heng He commented in April 2008 when China boycotted French supermarket chain Carrefour for allegedly supporting the Dalai Lama and after the Beijing Summer Olympics torch relay was interfered with in France.

The most recent example of such tactics was Beijings implementation of trade and diplomatic sanctions on Lithuania after the Baltic country allowed Taiwan to open a de facto consulate in its capital city of Vilnius in 2021. Since then, Lithuanian products cant be cleared through Chinese customs, and the companies who have factories in Lithuania or use Lithuania-made parts are forced to cut ties with Lithuania if they want to continue their businesses in China.
Beijing Should Be Put on Notice: A War With Russia Is a War With China

For effective deterrence, the West should deploy international troops and more effective missiles to Ukraine

News Analysis

Xi Jinping is the winner, whether or not Vladimir Putin massively invades Ukraine any time soon.

By surrounding Ukraine with troops, naval forces, and military exercises to the point of full readiness for an all-out military invasion, Putin and his partner in crime Xi have learned what the United States and allies are willing to doand not doin the defense of a democracy that is peripheral to U.S. alliance systems.

Russias preparations for war, and the Wests relative inaction, informs Xis own awful calculus about a potential Taiwan invasion, and diverts the international spotlight from his Genocide Games. If Putin actually invades, the West and Russia could militarily and economically debilitate each other, empowering Xi even more.

Short of war, what are Putin and Xi learning?

The United States and allies are willing to threaten massive economic sanctions against Russia, likely to include removal of the country from the worlds SWIFT interbank transfer system. The allies are also willing to flow limited asymmetric weapons into Ukraine, including relatively weak, compared to what is available, anti-tank and surface-to-air missiles (SAM).

Britain and some of the Baltic states deserve credit for being leaders on the delivery of asymmetric weapons, perhaps due to more recent, pressing, and personal experiences with territorially-aggressive dictators. Former President Donald Trump first approved the flow of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine in 2018, for which he also deserves credit.

However, these lethal weaponsas important as they areare insufficient to deter Putin with certainty.

The West has been unwilling to increase U.S. and allied troops in the country as tripwires. The current U.S. and allied stance is such that Putin can reasonably believe that he will be initiating a bloody but localized war in Ukraine in which his tanks, planes, and ships may struggle against asymmetric weapons, but in which his larger forces will ultimately be able to hold all of Ukraines territory and digest the independent democracy into an occupied territory of greater Russia.

A Possible Xi-Putin Deal

What is Xi willing to provide Putin in exchange for the motherlode of information that daily flows about NATOs red lines, not to mention Russian self-banishment further into a status of pariah state with whom only Xis China will do business?

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin walk toward a hall in the Kremlin to hold talks, in Moscow on June 5, 2019. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool/AP Photo)

Xi will support Russia diplomatically, including through Chinas veto on the United Nations Security Council. Xi will promise (for what its worth after Beijings many broken promises) to buy more of Russias exports, including oil and gas, especially if sanctions hit Russia particularly hard, which they will.

Beijing will attempt to mitigate the economic effects of sanctions further by increasing exports to Russia and allowing Russian banks to use Chinese interbank transfers should Russia be barred from the SWIFT international system.

The Risk of Global Escalation

However, any attempt by China to mitigate the economic blows that the West is planning for Russia could land China itself into secondary sanctions. Beijing may resist this and could, in turn, threaten economic countersanctions against the West. For example, the United States depends upon China for many of its medical and pharmaceutical imports, which Beijing could slow or stop altogether.

That would escalate quickly. Economic sanctions and countersanctions between the West and China, if placed on existential goods like energy or medical supplies, could lead to further decoupling or even military conflict.

President Joe Biden, acutely aware of the risk of escalation, believes that U.S. troops in Ukraine to rescue American citizens could risk a world war, and so is showing his hand by publicly refusing any such deployment.

Asked on NBC on Feb. 10 whether there was a scenario in which U.S. troops would be sent to Ukraine to rescue Americans, Biden responded: Theres not. Thats a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another.

In brinkmanship, which is what is happening in Ukraine today, whoever fears war the most loses. Putin, despite his less powerful military, is showing that he has the requisite nerve to win, at least against the United States. Whether he can defeat war-ready Ukrainians supported by the West, however, is another matter.

Increased Military Support to Ukraine Is Essential for Deterrence

For this reason, military materiel flowing into Ukraine from the United States and allies is especially important to deter Putin.

According to Richard Fisher, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center, so far the U.S. has transferred about 800 to 1200 FGM-148 Javelin guided anti-tank missiles, with a maximum range of 4.7 km but with accurate all weather guidance and a tandem warhead able to defeat reactive armor.

More decisively for any war, guided anti-tank missiles of Ukrainian manufacture number in the thousands, according to Fisher. Ukraine also has approximately 12,000 armored vehicles. But this isnt much compared to Russias 30,000.

Ukraine has received, from the Baltic states, FIM-92 Stinger shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, according to Fisher.

The United States could provide Sensor Fuzed Weapons (SFW), anti-ship missiles, and long-range anti-aircraft missiles. But if we wait, it could be too late. It would be better to provide them now.

A U.S. Air Force transport plane transporting military equipment and troops lands at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport in southeastern Poland, on Feb. 6, 2022. Tensions between the NATO military alliance and Russia are intensifying due to Russias move of tens of thousands of troops as well as heavy weapons to the Ukrainian border. (Janek Skarzynski/AFP via Getty Images)

While they would have to be delivered by Ukrainian combat aircraft into very dense Russian missile and gun anti-aircraft networks, U.S. Sensor Fuzed Munitions have the potential to provide Ukraine with an asymmetric advantage that could take out thousands of Russian tanks, mobile artillery, armored support vehicles and trucks, Fisher wrote in an email.

If coordinated with unmanned aircraft strikes and electronic warfare attacks, perhaps enough Ukrainian aircraft could get through so that Sensor Fuzed Munitions could deflate the initial Russian offensive in its early stages and allow Ukrainian combined forces to deliver decisive counter attacks.

Fisher estimates that approximately 400 sensor-fuzed munitions, each of which is armed with 40 independently-targeted munitions, would enable Ukraine to disable thousands of Russian tanks and support vehicles, depleting Russian armored strength for years into the future.

But now Russia has the advantages of numbers and of being able to [choose] when to begin its offensive, Fisher wrote. It will make extensive use of cyber attacks combined with drone strikes and Special Operations assaults to try to immobilize Ukrainian command systems and personnel, to create the chaos needed for its tank-artillery-armor forces to advance.

Democracies Must Stand Up to China and Russia

Ukraine is a fellow democracy and, as such, the rest of the worlds democracies, and their allies that value the stability of the international system, should stand by Kiev shoulder-to-shoulder to deter or defeat Russia, as need be.

More should be done by the United States, NATO, and allies to support Ukraine with international boots on the ground, as well as increased delivery of higher-quality lethal munitions capable of decisively defeating, or even rolling back, Russian forces by ground and air.

Apparently, that is necessary to deter Russias current show of belligerence, which is imposing a major cost in terms of information revelation that is already harming the security of democracies globally, even if Moscow ultimately decides not to invade. The information loss by democracies helps both Moscow and Beijing in their illiberal and militaristic plans for future aggression.

NATO cannot let China benefit from this information, or from the power vacuum left by a U.S.-Russian war. China should be on notice that a war between any NATO ally and Russiabecause of Beijings involvement in supporting Moscow diplomatically and economicallywould necessarily be a NATO-China war.

The Biden administration has thus far failed to deter aggression by both Russia and China, with China benefiting most by Russias current aggression toward Ukraine. Beijing must not be allowed to stay high and dry during a European conflict.

The United States, NATO, and other allies must toughen up, project their power, and more effectively and quickly deter the worlds most aggressive dictators.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
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.

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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a briefing at the State Department in Wash., on Jan. 26, 2022. (Brendan Smialowski/Reuters)

Bill Urges Blinken to Hold Cameroon Accountable for Human Rights Abuses

Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) has introduced a proposal urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken to hold the government of Cameroon accountable for human rights abuses linked to Cameroons Anglophone crisis.

The Feb. 2 bill came after a damning report by Human Rights Watch that detailed the killing of children and women by Cameroonian soldiers during three separate military operations in the embattled northwest English-speaking region last December.

At least eight people, including three children, two women, and an elderly man, were killed while dozens of homes were razed during the raid, according to the report.

The consistent retaliatory, punitive raids by state forces into local communities routinely result in serious human rights violations, including the destruction and burning of villages, arbitrary arrest, and extrajudicial killings, Billy Burton, co-director of Cameroon Anglophone Crisis Database of Atrocities, told The Epoch Times.

In a recent report, the group said Cameroonian government soldiers conducted wide-scale burnings and extrajudicial executions of some civilians in Anglophone Cameroon.

In 2016, English-speaking lawyers and teachers in Cameroons two Anglophone states took to the streets to protest the appointment of French-speaking teachers and magistrates in Anglophone schools and courts. The protests were met with disproportionate use of force by government security forces and the arrest and detention of the leaders.

Events then spiraled out of control, and a separatist movement emerged, calling for the independence of the two Anglophone Cameroon regions of Northwest and Southwest, which they call Ambazonia.

In November, Anglophone separatists fighting for a breakaway state from Cameroon ambushed government soldiers with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at Matazem, Santa Sub-Division in the countrys embattled North West Region killing at least 11 soldiers. (Anonymous/The Epoch Times)

The war has left more than 4,000 people dead, hundreds of thousands displaced internally, and at least 60,000 as refugees in neighboring Nigeria. Hundreds of thousands of children have been deprived of school, and the local economy is in freefall.

Education remains a central part of the crisis, and the horrific violence perpetrated against schoolchildren, educators, and schools illustrates that painful reality, Burton said.

The use of more powerful, sophisticated IEDs over time has enabled separatist groups to combat state forces more effectively, but it also presents significant risks to the civilian population. A number of civilians have been wounded in IED explosions, and that is likely to continue.

Rebecca Tinsley, a London-based activist with The Global Campaign for Peace and Justice in Cameroon, said that both the Cameroon security services and the armed separatists are known to behave with impunity toward the civilians they claim to be protecting.

The armed forces should be protecting civilians, but respected international human rights groups repeatedly find evidence that the security services are implicated in atrocities against civilians: burning villages, detaining people without due process, exercising little caution when they open fire, which means civilians are harmed, she told The Epoch Times.

How can people trust anyone carrying a gun in these circumstances?

Both the Cameroon security services and the armed separatists seek to demonstrate their total control over the Anglophone regions, using brutal force and threats.

The worsening humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict in Cameroon pushed some U.S. lawmakers in July and October 2021 to petition the Department of Homeland Security to designate Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which means Cameroonian migrants entering across the southern U.S. border cant be refused entry.

Caskets of schoolchildren slain by unidentified gunmen in Southwest Cameroon on Oct. 24, 2020. (Anonymous/The Epoch Times)

I see the TPS as a humanitarian gesture even as domestic U.S. politics havent yet caught up with the Anglophone conflict, Christopher Fomunyoh, senior associate for Africa at the Washington-based National Democratic Institute, told The Epoch Times.

It is, therefore, meant not to attract newcomers to cross the border illegally, but to protect those that are already within the U.S. so they are not deported into a situation of prevailing conflict.

The TPS is often granted to citizens from countries in conflict whose residency in the United States has expired or not yet legalized. For example, Liberians benefitted from that consideration when their country was at war.

Thats why thousands of desperate Cameroonian migrants have been trooping into the U.S. southern borders, according to The Intercept.

According to a recent Human Rights Watch report, hundreds of Cameroonians who had fled their country to the United States between 2017 and 2020 due to the crisis faced unfair prosecution, enforced disappearances, torture, and other serious harm after they were deported.

The US government utterly failed Cameroonians with credible asylum claims by sending them back to harm in the country they fled, as well as mistreating already traumatized people before and during deportation, Lauren Seibert, refugee and migrant rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

The Cameroon and U.S. governments need to remedy these abuses, and US authorities should provide opportunities for wrongly deported Cameroonians to return and reapply for asylum.

The Cameroon Anglophone conflict has been raging for five years now, with no end in sight. While the Cameroon government insists the form of the state is nonnegotiable, leaders of the Ambazonia secessionist movements maintain theres no turning back in their quest for the independence of English-speaking regions of Cameroon.

The state of Cameroon today is the product of a complex colonial history, which is also the source of the present conflict.

Initially annexed by the Germans in 1884, the territory was later divided and ruled as separate entities by the French and the British in the aftermath of the defeat of the Germans in World War I. At independence in 1960/61, the two territories reunited and formed a federal state, with the French-speaking section constituting about 80 percent, and the English-speaking section constituting about 20 percent, both in territory and population.

The federal structure that guaranteed the rights of the minority Anglophone section was hastily dissolved in 1972, thus laying the groundwork for claims of political and economic marginalization by the Anglophones.

As in every armed conflict, hardliners on both sides think they can prevail through the barrel of the gun, said Fomunyoh. They are wrong.

The international community has been ineffective with regards to this conflict, and the posture of some countries has been indifferent and outright shameful in light of so much human pain and suffering in the conflict zones of the Northwest and Southwest regions.

Tinsley of The Global Campaign for Peace and Justice in Cameroon agrees and accuses France and Britain of valuing trade and military links [with Cameroon government] more than human rights.

The U.S. is the only international player to take the Anglophone crisis seriously. We urge the African Union, the Commonwealth, and the U.N. to apply sustained pressure on the Biya regime to announce a road map toward peace negotiations, she said.

The United States government had in 2021 imposed visa restrictions on people thought to be stalling peace efforts in Cameroons crisis-hit Anglophone regions.

Another factor that has contributed to prolonging the war is the economic gain being made by merchants of war from both parties, said Emile Sunjo, senior lecturer of International Relations and Conflict Resolution at the University of Buea in Southwest Cameroon.

The war has created many avenues for significant personal enrichment, and ending it would mean these benefits cease to exist, he told The Epoch Times.
Boston Mayor Lifts Proof of Vaccination Requirement for Businesses

The city of Boston announced Friday that a requirement to present proof of COVID-19 vaccination at most establishments in the city will be lifted.

Mayor Michelle Wu and Public Health Commission Executive Director Bisola Ojikutu said the policy change will be effective immediately.

Our public health data show Boston has a 4.0 [percent] community positivity rate; 90.7 [percent] occupancy rate of adult ICU beds, and 7-day average of adult COVID-19 hospitalizations at 195.9 per day, falling below all three previously announced thresholds, reads an announcement from the city issued Friday.

Masks, however, remain a requirement for any indoor public space.

Wu said the city had met all three public health metrics that the city previously announced, that would be required to lift the COVID-19 vaccine proof requirement: to have fewer than 95 percent of ICU beds occupied; fewer than 200 COVID-19 hospitalizations per day; and a community positivity rate below 5 percent, as defined by the Boston Public Health Commissions seven-day moving average.

The community positivity rate represents the percent of COVID-19 tests that yield positive results out of all the COVID-19 tests taken in a given time period and does not represent the COVID-19 positive rates of Boston residents as a whole.

As of today, our public health data show that Boston is officially below the 3 critical thresholds for heightened COVID protections, so we are lifting the proof of vaccination requirement, Wu said in a statement on Twitter.

This news highlights the progress weve made in our fight against COVID-19 thanks to vaccines & boosterswhich have always been our most effective weapon against the pandemic, she added. Its a win for every Bostonian doing our part to keep our communities safe, and we have to keep going.

Wu said the city will continue to maintain free, walk-in vaccination & booster clinics across Boston.

Bostons COVID-19 vaccine mandate has been in effect since less than five weeks ago.
A man looks at his phone while donating blood at Vitalant blood donation center in San Francisco on Jan. 11, 2022. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

California Measure Introduced to Grant Tax Credits to Blood Drive Sponsors

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif.Amid a severe blood shortage, California lawmakers have introduced new legislation to encourage blood donation by granting tax credits to companies and organizations that sponsor blood drives.

Senate Bill 1025, introduced by state Sen. Patricia Bates, a Republican, and co-authored by state Assemblyman Jim Cooper, a Democrat, would encourage the hosting of blood drives from businesses partnering with a nonprofit blood bank organization in order to boost blood donations.

The continued impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and the current business environment have made it difficult for some organizations to support ongoing blood drive sponsorships, Bates said in a Feb. 16 statement.

According to Bates, approximately 6.8 million people in the United States donate blood every year. However, blood centers are unable to meet demand as overall donations have been declining, with fewer people becoming new donors because of the pandemic.

The legislation states that company-sponsored blood banks would receive up to $10,000 tax credits per taxable year based on the number of verified blood donations.

Susan Noone, president of the Blood Centers of Californiaan alliance of 11 nonprofit community and hospital-based blood centers that sponsored the legislationsaid that maintaining a sufficient blood supply is a community effort.

SB 1025 will help to recognize and appreciate the community members that host blood drives and provide an opportunity for generous donors to give the gift of life, Noone said in a statement.

According to a statement made by the American Red Cross in January, the nation faces its worst blood shortage in more than a decade, citing a 10 percent decline in donations since the beginning of the pandemic.

The American Red Cross welcomes all blood types and especially needs O positive and O negative, as well as platelet donations.

People in need of blood transfusions the mostsuch as accident victims, cancer patients, and sickle cell disease patientswould directly benefit from donations.

Its my hope SB 1025 will play a vital role in alleviating the blood shortage, Bates said. An ample blood supply ensures patients have access to lifesaving treatments and operations.

If approved, the measure would take effect immediately as a tax levy until the end of 2026.
California Students Suspension Draws Ire for Mask Mandates

Troy Pierini, a high school sophomore in Orange County, has been locked out of his classroom, had the police called on him, received a citation for trespassing, and was ultimately suspended, all because he has refused to wear a mask.

Pierini, 16, says he has a learning disability, and the cloth over his mouthand that of his teacheronly makes things worse. He said his friends feel similarly.

Its hard to hear the teacher when theyre speaking, he told The Epoch Times. Its hard to focus in class, and kids with glasses have their glasses get fogged up and its hard for them to see the board. It affects a wide variety of people, not just me.

The latest action in Pierinis sagaa three-day suspension by officials at Tesoro High School in Los Flores, in southern Orange Countyis unlawful, according to attorney Ryan Heath, who has been retained by Pierinis family and is the founder of the Gavel Project, a nonprofit civil rights firm.

[The school] has no legal authority to suspend him, Heath told The Epoch Times. Troy has a right to be [in school]. He is engaged in an act of free speech.

A mask lies discarded on a sidewalk in Orange, Calif., on June 19, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The Capistrano Unified School District, which governs Pierinis school, said it couldnt comment on his case, yet affirmed that a student showing up to school after being suspended is considered trespassing.

We take a layered approach to working with students and their families in an effort to accommodate our students, Ryan Burris, a spokesperson for the district, told The Epoch Times in an email. However, if a student should defy administration and disrupt student learning, a student may be suspended. If this occurs, the student is not permitted to enter the campus. In doing so, they would be considered trespassing.

Burris said the district deeply respects the right to free speech and the diversity of opinions, yet the fight doesnt belong at school sites.

Our school sites do not make the rules, but they must comply with them, he said. These mandates are created by the state and we continue to ask all families to share their feedback with the governor and with the California Department of Public Health.

Notwithstanding Pierinis constitutional rightshes out of school until Feb. 22others say his mental health is also possibly at risk.

Issues of students protesting COVID-19 mask mandates across the country have become more common in recent weeks as the Omicron variant has waned and experts have, more and more, spoken out on the possible medical, emotional, and psychological tolls of the past two years.

There is overwhelming evidence that [child masking] is causing significant harm, said Dr. Mark McDonald, a Los Angeles-based child psychiatrist and author of United States of Fear, a book published in November 2021 that discusses the impact of masking children.

McDonald hasnt treated Pierini, but he says of his caseand that of other children who make a similar choice to not mask upthat he may suffer from emotional fallout later.

The kids that want to stand up and not wear [masks]  are going to feel tremendous pressure to conform until all kids stop wearing them, McDonald told The Epoch Times. They will feel left out. They will probably be bullied. And they will certainly feel ostracized if they are not conforming to the group.

McDonald said hes also worried about children younger than Pierini.

A lack of being able to freely socialize and so much mask-wearing, McDonald said, has actually caused the IQ of infants born after the pandemic to drop.

McDonald was citing two recent Brown University studies: one that reveals that babies born after the pandemic show a 22 point drop in IQ, and the other saying that nearly 25 percent of children aged birth to 5 have experienced an overall decline in brain function when pandemic years 2020 and 2021 were compared to 2019.

A school in Tustin, Calif., on March 10, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Speech-language referrals for children, McDonald said, have also increased as much as 300 percent, as children are having difficulty learning to talk because they can no longer see how teachers enunciate their words.

Finally, McDonald also says some children have developed a pacifier-like obsession about wearing masks and may continue to wear them as a crutch even when the mandate is finally lifted.

[For children with social phobias,] theyre using [masks] as a way to escape from confronting the social challenges that they face. Its basically enabling a form of mild mental illness and developmental delay, he said.

As mask mandates remain in place for California students at least until the end of February, some say there has been a trend, which may continue, of an unprecedented number of parents pulling their children out of public school, opting for other options.

I think youre going to have a huge rush to the exit doors, Lance Izumi, senior director of the Center of Education at the Pacific Research Institute, a San Francisco-based think-tank that provides policy analysis based on free-market principles, told The Epoch Times. A lot of parents are just fed up with things.

According to Izumi, parents are already opting for homeschooling in droves right now, with the rate of homeschooling in California at least doubled since the beginning of the pandemic.

One of the things that infuriates parents is that their elected officials and unelected ones such as health directors dont seem to be interested in listening to them, Izumi said. They seem totally uninterested in having any kind of constructive dialogue with parents about the costs and benefits of these policies.

If enough students decide to not attend school, and the districts lose enough funding as a result, Izumi said he thinks that missing dialogue between concerned parents and education officials will begin.

But parents have led protests and angrily spoken at school board meetings.

While their efforts have so far been unsuccessful, Sharon McKeeman, founder of Let Them Breathe, said all is not lost.

The most important thing that the parents rallying and speaking out [have] accomplished [is] helping to form this movement and help the community connect, and help  bring awareness, McKeeman told The Epoch Times.

Demonstrators gather in front of Los Alamitos Unified School District Headquarters in Los Alamitos, Calif., on May 11, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Now that students are more and more taking up the cause, like Pierini, the push-pull dynamic may have begun to change.

The state has put [schools] in a Catch 22, McKeeman said. The state has said enforce this unlawful mandate but  has not given [schools] any lawful way to enforce it that doesnt violate students rights.

Students on campus peacefully sharing their smiles, she said, is going to cause schools to tell the state they have been put in an unsustainable situation and the mandate needs to end.

Students like Pierini and others, McKeeman said, have created a turning point.

Its very much making a very big difference, she said.
A crowd is seen at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo)

Can Pro-Trump Congressmen Be Disqualified as Insurrectionists?

Commentary

When political opponents claim that pro-Trump members of Congress are insurrectionists and, therefore, should be disqualified from running for office, its time to review what the Constitution means by insurrection.

When one such claim is based on a single vote in Congress, then its high time to review the Constitutions Speech and Debate Clause. When yet another claim is based on a public speech, its time to examine the First Amendment.

Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) is the subject of one disqualification proceeding. Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) is the subject of another.

The charge against Banks is that, during the count of presidential electors on Jan. 6, 2021, he voted to not count electors that he believes were chosen illegally. The federal Electoral Count Act explicitly authorizes such a vote (pdf). Nevertheless, Bankss accuser says this was insurrection.

The claim against Cawthorn is that he addressed the pro-Trump crowd in Washington on the same day and that this was likewise insurrection.

The accusers rely on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. It reads in part as follows: No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress  who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress  to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same.

The 14th Amendment was proposed by Congress in 1866, and the states completed ratification of it in 1868. (Response to constitutional wonks: Yes, I know the ratification was controversial.)

What Does Insurrection Mean in the Constitution?

Today we think of insurrection as an open rebellion against the government, usually by armed revolutionaries. If we apply that modern definition, then obviously, neither congressman came close to insurrection. Neither was part of the Capitol breach, and theres little if any evidence that even those who did enter the Capitol intended to overthrow the government.

However, in applying the Constitution, we dont rely on modern definitions. We examine definitions as they existed when the original documentor the relevant amendmentwas ratified. Moreover, we presume that when a word or phrase in an amendment also appears in the original Constitution, the word or phrase in the amendment means the same as it does in the original document.

The term insurrection appears in Article I, Section 8, Clause 15 of the original Constitution. When the Constitution was ratified, Samuel Johnsons famous A Dictionary of the English Language was the leading work of its kind. Johnson defined insurrection as a seditious rising, a rebellious commotion. He described seditious as factious with tumult; turbulent.

When interpreting a constitutional word, you should never rely on just one dictionary. Accordingly, I checked several other 18th-century dictionaries, and they all had similar definitions.

As you can see, 18th-century English speakers used insurrection more loosely than we do. Still, their definition requires a crowd rising in tumult or turbulence. A mere protest doesnt qualify as an insurrection.

Obviously, by the original Constitutions meaning, Bankss congressional vote wasnt insurrection.

What of Cawthorns speech? Lets get the very worst version of it that we can. Its in a hostile opinion piece in a hostile publicationThe New York Times.

In advance of the riot at the Capitol, [Cawthorn] met with planners of the demonstrations and tweeted that the future of this Republic hinges on the actions of a solitary few.  Its time to fight,' the opinion piece reads.

He spoke at the pre-attack rally at the Ellipse, near the White House, where he helped work the crowd into frenzy, saying that the crowd had some fight in it and that the Democrats were trying to silence them. And in the aftermath of the mob violence, he extolled the rioters as political hostages and political prisoners, and suggested that if he knew where they were incarcerated, he would like to bust them out.

Was this insurrection?

First, Cawthorn met with those planning the demonstration. But theres no evidence that they were planning any violence or disorder. They were planning a peaceful demonstration, and the overwhelming majority of the participants did, in fact, remain peacefuljust as President Donald Trump asked them to be.

A few people outside the official planning group were plotting disorder, but theres no allegation that Cawthorn met with them, let alone encouraged them.

Second, were told that Cawthorn wrote on Twitter that its time to fight. But as was shown during the second Trump impeachment trial, this is standard political rhetoric.

Third, Cawthorn is charged with stirring up the crowd. But thats the job of a speaker at a political rally. No one is placed on a political podium and told to be boring.

Fourth, theres no allegation that Cawthorn incited violence or illegal conduct of any kind.

Fifth, when the tumult arose, it didnt arise among those who heard his speech at the Ellipse. It began at the Capitol, a mile and a half away.

Finally, Cawthorn later claimed that the breachers were political prisoners and that he would like to release them (he didnt say he planned to do so). Of course, his later statements cant have incited an insurrection that had already ended. Anyway, according to a Rasmussen poll (pdf), half of the country agrees with Cawthorn, that those breachers that are still detained are being held because theyre political prisoners.

Thus, even the unrebutted charges outlined in the hostile NY Times fall well short of the loose 18th-century definition of insurrection.

But should we apply an 18th-century definition to a 19th-century amendment? I mentioned that the amendments use of a term is presumed to be the same as in the original Constitution. However, that presumption can be rebutted if theres a good reason for doing so.

Lets see if the 19th-century meaning differed from the 18th-century meaning. In the 19th century, the leading U.S. dictionary was Noah Websters. It defined insurrection as follows: A rising against civil or political authority; the open and active opposition of a number of persons to the execution of law in a city or state. It is equivalent to sedition, except that sedition expresses a less extensive rising of citizens.

Websters dictionary described sedition as a factious commotion of the people, or a tumultuous assembly of men rising in opposition to law or the administration of justice, and in disturbance of the public peace.

Ive confirmed that other 19th-century dictionaries had similar entries.

The 19th-century definition would seem to require more direction than the 18th-century meaning, as well as organized and violent resistance to the law.

So should we apply the looser 18th-century definition or the tighter 19th-century one? You can make a good argument for the latter. The 14th Amendment wasnt passed in response to a mere riot, but in response to the Civil War. If you asked the amendments ratifiers what they meant by insurrection, you would probably learn that they were thinking of Antietam and Gettysburg, not a site-specific tumult by unarmed people.

Admittedly, thats speculation. Ill need to do more research before I can form an opinion as to whether the 14th Amendments word insurrection should be understood in its 18th- or 19th-century sense. In this case, though, it doesnt matter: Neither Bankss nor Cawthorns conduct fits either meaning of insurrection.

The Speech and Debate Clause and First Amendment

We shouldnt leave matters there. We should also consider what kind of people would bring charges like this.

Bankss activities in Congress are protected by the Constitutions Speech and Debate Clause (Article I, Section 6, Clause 1). The Supreme Court has ruled that the Speech and Debate Clause protects anything generally done in a session of the House by one of its members in relation to the business before itincluding voting (pdf).

The Speech and Debate Clause is a core part of our constitutional inheritance. It comes from the English Bill of Rights of 1689. The English version was adopted to prevent tyrannical kings and other officials from punishing members of Parliament for what they said or how they voted. The U.S. Founders duplicated it in the Constitution to protect members of Congress from official reprisals and intimidation, including recrimination from unfriendly state election boards.

In other words, when Bankss accusers seek to disqualify him for how he voted on the floor of Congress, they stand in the tradition of tyrannical English kings.

Cawthorns speech was within quite a different tradition: the freedom of speech, protected by the First Amendment. Even by The NY Times account, Cawthorn did nothing inconsistent with the First Amendment. He didnt slander people. He didnt cry fire in a crowded theater. He didnt incite to riot. His speech was precisely the kind of expression that the First Amendment protects.

What This Says About the Accusers

What does that tell us about Bankss and Cawthorns accusers? Theyre apparently ignorant of our constitutional traditions. Theyre also malicious: They seek to deny candidates who disagree with them the right to run for office. And they seek to deny the people the opportunity to vote for the candidates of their choice.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Chinese Agribusiness Poised to Open Factory in North Dakota Draws Scrutiny Over CCP Ties, Security Risks

A China-based bio-fermentation company coming to the United States is being touted as a win for the local economy, but theres growing concern over its national security implications and potential ties to forced labor.

The Epoch Times spoke to Ross Kennedy, founder of Fortis Analysis, about his recent research concerning China-based company Fufeng Group, which is poised to set up shop in the Midwestern United States. Fufeng is a manufacturer of bio-fermented, corn-derived products, which are used in end products ranging from animal feed to pharmaceuticals. A Hong Kong-listed company, the group has multiple subsidiaries around the world, but most of its production facilities can be found in northeast China.

In early November 2021, it was announced that Fufeng Group was in negotiations to bring its agribusiness company to Grand Forks, North Dakota. The new plant, which would use a manufacturing process revolving around the fermentation of cornstarch, is expected to consume about 25 million bushels of corn per year. The cost of construction is estimated to be about $350 million. Fufeng USA, the companys U.S. subsidiary, is handling the new endeavor.

Framed as a historic investment and game-changer for area farmers, the prospective project has been described as the largest single private capital investment in the regions history, according to Keith Lund of the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation. On Jan. 12, city officials tentatively approved significant tax breaks for Fufeng Group, the Grand Forks Herald reported.

The future plant will be a wet corn milling facility and is expected to be fully operational by 2024 or 2025, local media outlets reported. The company will produce corn gluten meal, corn gluten feed, lysine, and threonine for predominant use in animal feed products.

The Grand Forks City Council is due to vote at a Feb. 22 meeting on whether to approve the deal, where its widely expected to greenlight the project. A meeting on March 7 would finalize the agreement, bringing the project into the next phase of obtaining permits and construction.

While local economic experts are optimistic, others are concerned about the effect that the facility could have on the environment. And some observers and residents have voiced concern about the human rights and security implications of dealing with a Chinese company amid rising Western scrutiny over the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) abuses, including its forced labor of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China.

In a Jan. 31 letter to the editor of the Grand Forks Herald, Diana Hoverson said it sounds like North Dakota is ready to deal with the devil! To that end, Kennedy said he has many of the same concerns. The initial goal of his research into Fufeng was to simply look for possible ties to Uyghur forced labor, but his discoveries quickly escalated, which raised what he described as a frightening issue of national security.

Ties to the CCP

Li Xuechun has been the top executive at Fufeng Group since November 2016, fulfilling the roles of the companys principal founder, executive director, and chairman. Hes also the controlling shareholder of the company.

Li once served as a member of the Peoples Congress of Shandong Province, China. The Peoples Congress is a rubber-stamp legislature of the CCP. According to Kennedy, Li served in this position for five years.

In 2003, Li was honored for outstanding achievement by Shandong provincial authorities, which Kennedy said reveals that he embodies the synthesis of economic and political goals of the Shandong region and the CCP.

The founders links to the CCP merit scrutiny, according to Kennedy, given that the firm is set to establish its first base in the United States.

In response to a question from The Epoch Times regarding Lis ties to the CCP, Brandon Bochenski, mayor of Grand Forks, said the project has been approached with a high level of due diligence.

We have been in contact with our Governor, ND [North Dakota] state agencies, U.S. Senators, and U.S. House Representative regarding the project, Bochenski said in an emailed statement.

We see economic benefits of a new wet-corn milling facility in the region. We are doing as much due diligence as possible and look to the appropriate federal agencies for national security insights and direction.

National security is a key concern for Kennedy, who said the regime has become very involved in major infrastructure projects around the world in recent years, noting that some of their chosen locations have been regions of strategic and national security importance.

The fact that the agreed location is only 13 miles from North Dakotas Grand Forks Air Force Base (AFB) is one concern.

The property in question is 370 acres and has a direct line of sight to the airbase, Kennedy said.

Starting in 2023, Grand Forks AFB will undergo construction and renovations to enable the base to become a future leader of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. ISR operations often involve various clandestine activities, such as drone or satellite surveillance, to monitor global threats.

With a goal to complete the Fufeng facility by mid-2024, Kennedy believes that Grand Forks, North Dakota, was likely the Chinese regimes target all along.

This Chinese company may be coming into Grand Forks under the guise of setting up a food nutrient and additive manufacturing facility, but could be setting up the ability to passively and actively monitor one of the nations most valuable assets, he said.

There are enormous amounts of data going to and from this location, and when theres direct line of sight to the receiving or transmitting facility, the options get an awful lot better for anyone to begin to create traps for that data.

Kennedy is also concerned about nefarious actors being able to monitor the physical movement of people, equipment, and aircraft to and from the base.

John Lenkart, a retired senior executive at the FBI who was once responsible for counterintelligence threats posed by Chinese telecom companies, expressed some of the same concerns. He told The Epoch Times that the 13-mile distance of the facility to Grand Forks AFB is a bit of a stretch for gathering communications data, but he doesnt rule out the possibility. In fact, he suspects that the Chinese regime could find ways to get closer to the base without much notice.

But what any loyalist to the Chinese regime could easily retrieve are the flight patterns of aircraft or any other surveillance related to movement to and from the base, according to Lenkart.

Members of the Chinese regime have proven themselves smart enough to find efficient ways to accomplish this while operating under commercial cover, he said.

Human intelligence operations are far from out of the question, Lenkart said. With a population of 56,500 people, Grand Forks is the largest city near the airbase.

The Chinese regime could put people on the ground, in the city, to gather intel from senior enlisted officers and commissioned officers alike, he said. Its this kind of personnel who will be living in and milling about the city on any given day.

Its the modus operandi of how the Chinese regime works; taking advantage of nearly any opportunity to infiltrate society and steal intellectual property and more.

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) recently expressed similar concerns.

The critical missions our military executes at Grand Forks Air Force Base must be protected, Cramer said in a statement to the Grand Forks Herald. The jobs and economic benefits for Grand Forks and North Dakota farmers must be balanced with the long-term concerns of China infiltrating our food supply chains.

For Cramer, the Fufeng Group project requires due diligence, because China is not a reliable partner.

Kennedy agrees with that assessment.

With all things considered, the local government and Grand Forks Air Force Base cannot afford to assume the best about China, he said.

Bochenski said he has taken some precautions concerning the facilitys proximity to the airbase. He said the city has been in contact with the Wing Commander of the 319th Reconnaissance Wing, who has assured us the company will be vetted at a higher level within the Air Force and appropriate national security departments.

The U.S. Air Force didnt return an inquiry from The Epoch Times.

Forced Labor Concerns

Fufeng Group has denied that it or any of its subsidiaries has used Uyghur forced labor and has produced a June 2021 third party audit of its only plant in Xinjiangthe Xinjiang Fufeng Biotechnologies facilitywhich didnt identify any use of forced labor.

The issue of Uyghur forced labor has drawn rising scrutiny in recent years amid mounting research showing its use in various industries in Xinjiang, from cotton to materials for solar panels. The Chinese communist regime has detained more than 1 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the region, subjecting them to forced labor, political indoctrination, torture, and other forms of abuse, in a campaign labeled as a genocide by the U.S. government and multiple Western parliaments.

In 2021, the United States became the first country to ban all imports from Xinjiang over forced labor concerns. Bochenski welcomed the measure and pointed to the third party Sedex Members Ethical Trade Report (SMETA) conducted on Fufengs Xinjiang plant as evidence of its compliance.

Yet Kennedy, who reviewed the 80-page report, isnt entirely convinced by the audit findings, which he described as whistle clean.

Having done business in China for almost two decades and being familiar with the conditions of many of its factories, particularly those involved in making chemicals and biological products, Kennedy said he doesnt rule out a biased report, one that would assure Western stakeholders in the Grand Forks facility that there were no ties to forced labor or otherwise poor working conditions.

The primary reason for his concern is the location of the Xinjiang factory. Slightly west of the Urumqi Export Processing Zone, he said Xinjiang Fufeng Biotechnologies is located about 1.5 miles from a known Uyghur forced labor and detention facilitythe Toutunhe Facility #2.

Kennedy also reviewed the companys employment and financial records. SMETA reported that there were 708 permanent employees in the factory at the time of the audit.

Having had an opportunity to take into account the number of laborers and the cost of labor, the numbers simply dont pencil out, he said.

Kennedy also pointed to a photo provided by SMETA on page 77 of the report that he found odd for a modern facility.

In a package room photo, there are a bunch of 25-kilogram bags on the floor, [and] someone can be seen filling them and sealing them by handnot by automation, he said.

This kind of labor-intensive work would warrant the need for the large number of laborers and this further heightens his concern about shady labor practices, he said.

Fufeng USA didnt return a request for comment.
Students participate in an activity near Royce Hall on the campus of the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles (UCLA) in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 11, 2020. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

City Council Candidate Disinvited by UCLA Democratic Club Event Due to Differing Views

A candidate for the Los Angeles City Council said she was disinvited from speaking at a student political organization at the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles (UCLA) because her views did not align with the views of the club.

LA City Council District 5 candidate Kristina Irwin said she was invited to speak to Bruin Democrats at UCLA in Januarybut just a week later the club told her it will no longer be able to host her due to differing views.

Upon further discussion with the board, we came to the realization that your platforms do not resonate with our membership, thus we thought it would be best not to waste your or our time, the club told Irwin in an email, though they did not specify which of Irwins views differed from the clubs.

Irwin, an independent, said she was mortified by the clubs decision.

Its a non-partisan election, Irwin told The Epoch Times. It doesnt matter if somebodys a Republican conservative or a liberal Democratthe whole point is that [the club] interviews the candidates to [speak] about what [the candidates] will implement if they take office.

Irwin, a real estate agent, said she was planning to speak on key Los Angeles issues such as public safety, crime, and homelessness.

Irwin has been vocal in her opposition to mask and COVID-19 mandates and her support of law enforcement and policies that are tough on crime.

Im the only candidate thats been there at the forefront since this whole school shutdown happened, and Im the only one that has kids in the LA Unified School District.  This is just me trying to do what we need to do for the community because everybodys sick of how its been handled.

When it comes to homelessness, she said she believes that efforts to add more housing are helpful, but they are ultimately a band-aid solution. If elected, she said her focus would be on re-purposing abandoned buildings into triage centers where people can get medical and mental health treatment, as well as rehabilitation and vocational training.

If those ideas dont resonate with the Bruin Democrats thats truly a shame, Irwin said.

The Bruin Democrats at UCLA did not respond to repeated requests for comment by press deadline.

UCLA lies in the heart of District 5and the districts seat is up for grabs this year when current Councilman Paul Koretz terms out. Koretz is seeking a bid for the citys controller.

There are currently nine candidates in the race for District 5.

The Bruin Democrats at UCLA has hosted five of the districts candidatescommunity organizer Molly Basler, UCLA law lecturer Jimmy Biblarz, attorney Sam Yebri, Katy Young Yaroslavsky, who worked for LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and former Mid City West Neighborhood Council Chair Scott Epsteinto speak at the club in order for club members to hear each candidates policies and decide on an endorsement.

District 5 candidate Josh Nadel, a business owner who serves on the Palms Neighborhood Council, told The Epoch Times he didnt receive an invitation from the club.

District 5 candidates Dory Frank, a publicist, and Daniel Bahr, a businessman, were not immediately available for comment.

The club ultimately endorsed Scott Epstein, a public policy professional and former chair of the Mid City West Neighborhood Council, on Feb. 17.

Scott is truly grassroots progressive with the leadership experience necessary to forge a Los Angeles that is affordable and inclusive for all, the club wrote on Instagram. His attentiveness to student issues has not gone unnoticed, and were optimistic that with Scott in office, we have someone that will fight for us at City Hall. Time to organize for [Epstein].
In liberal San Francisco this week, three far-left school board members were voted out of a job in a landslide recall election. Eric Eggers, vice president of the Government Accountability Institute, describes the growing backlash against the progressive take-over of schools boards and teachers unions.

Then, in America Q&A, we ask people across the country if members of Congress should be banned from investing in individual stocks, given the potential for insider knowledge.

And in New York, race is now a factor in deciding who gets potentially life-saving COVID treatment. Two caucasian men say this is race-based discrimination, which is illegal under the Constitution. They are suing New York State Health Commissioner Mary T. Bassett, and New York Citys Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. We speak with their lawyer Anastasia Boden, a senior attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation.

Finally, in our second America Q&A, we ask people across the country what cryptocurrency means to them.

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Deal Delayed With Chinese Heiress Acquitted in Exs Killing

SAN FRANCISCOAn agreement to settle a wrongful death lawsuit against a Chinese real estate heiress acquitted of murder charges in her ex-boyfriends death was delayed by a California judge Thursday after her attorney disputed the amount of attorneys fees it included and claimed that the lawyer who made the deal was not even representing her.

Tiffany Li was found not guilty in 2019 of the killing of Keith Green, her ex-boyfriend and the father of her two daughters. The case drew global attention when Lis family, who made a fortune in real estate construction in China, posted one of the highest bail amounts on record in the United States$35 million.

Li, who was born in China and grew up in Silicon Valley, remained at her toney compound during the trial after family, friends and her mothers business associates raised $4 million and pledged Bay Area properties worth a combined $62 million to post her bail. Courts require double the bail amount when property is pledged instead of cash.

Prosecutors said Li lured Green to her mansion in Hillsborough, south of San Francisco, on April 28, 2016, to discuss custody of their children. They said her then-boyfriend Kaveh Bayat shot Green and the two hired a friend to dispose of the body, which was found nearly two weeks later along a dirt road in Sonoma County.

The jury deadlocked on murder charges against Bayat. The friend who helped dispose of the body, Olivier Adella, reached a plea agreement.

Greens mother, Colleen Cudd, filed a wrongful death suit in 2018 on behalf of her sons estate and her granddaughters, who moved to China with their mother after she was acquitted.

Attorneys for both sides announced last month that they had reached a settlement, two weeks before the trial in the wrongful death lawsuit was to start. The settlement includes $100,000 for Cudd, $50,000 for Greens estate, and an undisclosed amount for the two daughters, who are 7 and 9 years old.

San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Danny Chou was set to approve the terms of the settlement Thursday, but in a surprising turn of events, Lis attorney Jason Fernell said the lawyer who negotiated the settlement agreement with the children, Alexander Berline, was not representing Li. He also opposed the fees being awarded to the attorneys representing the children because he said the amount was redacted from the settlement.

All of a sudden, on the day of the hearing, first you told me that you dont agree with the amount of fees that are being awarded, and then second, you cant even tell me whether the person who negotiated the settlement on behalf of your client is, in fact, representing your client? Chou asked Fernell.

When Fernell asked the judge to be allowed to file documents asking to know the redacted attorneys fees, Chou reminded him he could have filed that motion before Thursdays hearing.

That doesnt make any sense. Your argument, frankly, is illogical, an exasperated Chou said.

The judge continued the hearing until April 21 to allow the attorneys to clarify whether Berline was actually representing Li in the settlement negotiations.

Attorneys for both the mother and the grandmother argued that the amount being awarded to the children should not be disclosed.

These minor children, my clients children, dont even know that this case was ever filed. They have never met their lawyers, Fernell said.

But Chou said such financial details cant be kept under seal and he would allow the attorneys to introduce arguments to the contrary before the next hearing.

Donald Magilligan, one of the attorneys representing Greens mother and the children, told The Associated Press that she decided to sue because one day the girls are going to grow up and have questions about what happened to their father, adding that Li has got attorneys from four different law firms.

The purpose of the lawsuit was to give those girls financial freedom to ask questions about what happened, he said.

He agreed that the financial awards for the children should be kept under seal.

They are 7 and 9, they dont need the whole world knowing how much money they have in the bank, he said.

By Olga R. Rodriguez
Recently, a rather pernicious piece of disinformation has gained Internet traction falsely claiming Abraham Lincoln had owned slaves. He didnt and anyone who suggests otherwise should lose all credibility. While the degree of Lincolns anti-slavery beliefs evolved and hardened during his public life, he always found chattel slavery morally reprehensible.

Graham Sibley (R) as Abraham Lincoln in History Channel docuseries Abraham Lincoln. (History Channel)

Lincoln also resided in free states, except for his childhood, when his family lived in such extreme, grinding poverty, the prospects of owning slaves were leagues beyond their reach, even if they were not philosophically opposed to the practice. The sheer magnitude of the future presidents rise from obscure poverty to the Oval Office is fully explored in the three-night docudrama Abraham Lincoln, which premieres Sunday, Feb. 20 on History Channel.

Directed by Malcom Venville (who also helmed the entertaining narrative films Henrys Crimes and 44 Inch Chest), Abraham Lincoln follows executive producer Doris Kearns Goodwins book Leadership: In Turbulent Times as its roadmap and also features the historian as one of its talking-head experts. Unlike documentaries in the style of Ken Burns The Civil War, the docuseries also incorporates extensive dramatic segments, starring an eerily gaunt and haunted-looking Graham Sibley as the 16th President.

Physically, Sibleys likeness as Honest Abe is as spot-on as Daniel Day Lewis or Raymond Massey, but it is hard to judge him against his predecessors, given the hybrid context of his dramatic work. Amongst the rest of the cast, the other notable standout would be Stefan Adegbola, who is also a dead-ringer for Frederick Douglass.

Early Poverty

Aside from a few teasers of the grand events to come, Venville and company present Lincolns life in chronological order, beginning with his hardscrabble upbringing in Kentucky and Indiana in the opening The Railsplitter, which takes viewers up to the attack on Fort Sumter. A President at War covers the early Civil War skirmishes up to the prelude to Gettysburg, while Saving the Union starts with the turning point battle in Pennsylvania and concludes with the assassination of the President.

Perhaps the first episode is the one that most needs to be seen, given the aforementioned unfounded slander. Indeed, Lincolns family was desperately impoverished, so he had precious little formal education as a result. Yet, despite his rugged fathers scorn, he absorbed every book he could find. Viewers really see the extent of how hard he had to work to escape his familys backwoods poverty. A.J. Edwards visually arresting The Better Angels dramatizes Lincolns childhood even more poignantly, but it somewhat redeems his stern father, whereas Goodwin and company only give him credit for teaching Lincoln how to tell an amusing anecdote.

Graham Sibley (C) as Abraham Lincoln in docuseries Abraham Lincoln. (History Channel)

Some of the best material in the Railsplitter illuminates Lincolns early but ostensibly undistinguished terms in the Illinois state legislature and his sole term in Congress. While many of the issues of the day (like the Mexican-American War) might seem like remote history now, they illuminate the principled thinking that guided Lincoln through times of national crisis.

Interestingly, Goodwin and company largely let Lincoln off the hook for suspending habeas corpus (with respects to arresting potential Confederacy sympathizers), which remains one of his most controversial decisions. On the other hand, all three nights emphasize the constant threats of assassination that he faced. Another justly recurring theme is Lincolns constant conflicts with his generals, who were largely overly-timid, incompetent, and sometimes borderline insubordinate, except for Grant out West.

Right for the Times

Of course, Lincolns anti-slavery positions and his willingness to fight for them are an abiding concern for Goodwin and her fellow on-camera experts. Yet, even those who hail from the left side of the political spectrum (like Barack Obama) acknowledge Lincolns role as a national emancipator. All three episodes are largely free of hyper woke rhetoric. However, it would have been wise to include a few known Republicans among the on-camera commentators, for the sake of bipartisanship. After all, Lincoln was the first Republican President.

Regardless, History Channels Abraham Lincoln gets a lot of things right. It celebrates the sacrifice of Lincolns close friend, Sen. Edward Baker (R-Oregon), who was the only member of Congress to fall in battle as a uniformed officer. The docuseries also fully establishes Lincolns wit and folksy charm, which is often overshadowed by the personal tragedies of his life. Naturally, those too get their full due.

Everyone in Venvilles series agrees Lincoln was the uniquely right man to be president at that fateful juncture, and the historical facts and analysis they marshal definitely backs up their case.

Recommended as a portrait of the man and an explanation of his greatness that we apparently now need, Abraham Lincoln airs Feb. 20-22 on History Channel.

Promotional ad for History Channel docuseries, Abraham Lincoln. (History Channel)

Abraham Lincoln

Directors: Malcolm Venville

Stars: Graham Sibley, Stefan Adegbola, Doris Kearns Goodwin

Running Time: 7 hours, 30 minutes

MPAA Rating: TV-PG

Release Date: Feb. 20-22, 2022

Rating: 4 out of 5
State Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte, a conservative firebrand in the Nebraska Legislature, said hes going to resign from his post after allegations surfaced that he took inappropriate photographs of a female staffer.

Groene said hell also withdraw his candidacy for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

Nebraska Sunrise News on Friday published a story online saying the staffer discovered photos of herself on Groenes laptop in the course of her work.

In a phone interview with the World-Herald, Groene said he did take photos of the staffer and that it was a mistake, but he denied many of the details published regarding the allegations and said he never made sexual advances toward the staffer or "said anything to her that could be termed harassment."

The story says she alleged Groene emailed photos of her to others with email captions of a sexual nature and described the emails as objectifying and demeaning, with some zoomed-in photos of provocative body parts."

The staffer and a family member declined to offer further comments on the matter when reached by the World-Herald.

I'm going to resign, he said. I'm not going to take my family through this.

Sen. Dan Hughes, who chairs the Executive Board of the Legislature, put out a statement Friday afternoon confirming that a complaint was received. Hughes said the bodys workplace harassment policy was being followed and an investigation was ongoing.

However, he did not mention Groenes name specifically.

Groene, a gruff conservative who often butts heads with the establishment, said the staffer worked in his office off and on in different roles over seven years, and that she was very brilliant and very professional. Most recently, she was working as an administrative aide.

He said he took full-length photos but did not zoom in, that she was not in compromising positions, and he did not send them to anyone.

I made a mistake, he said. Im just sad she didnt confront me about it.

Asked why he took them, he said: Just stupid. I just did  stupid.

He said he's going to write a letter of resignation over the weekend and submit it Monday. Its not the seriousness of the crime, he said, but what Democrats will make of it.

I'm not gonna let the Democrats attack me and embarrass my family and my wife, he said.

The Nebraska Democratic Party put out a statement condemning Groene earlier Friday, calling upon him to resign, and urging Sen. Mike Hilgers, speaker of the Legislature, to answer questions regarding the incident.

When the World-Herald asked Hilgers about rumors related to these allegations on Thursday, he said he wasnt allowed to comment on whether theres an investigation into workplace harassment or not.

I take the workforce policy very seriously, he said.

Groene said the issue first came up a few weeks ago and he thought it had been settled internally. He apologized, he said, the few photos were removed, and he agreed to never contact the staffer  though he said he never did outside of business matters.

He was forwarded the Nebraska Sunrise News story, he said, and it shocked him.

Groene was first elected to the Legislature in 2014, then was re-elected in 2018. He said hell be completely out of politics after this and doesnt want anything to do with it.

Im done with politics, he said. Im done.

World-Herald Staff Writer Martha Stoddard contributed to this report.

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Invoking Emergencies Act Could Do Irreparable Harm to Canadian Democracy, Kenney Tells Trudeau

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to voice opposition to the governments use of the Emergencies Act to deal with the protesters in Ottawa, a move he said is heavy-handed and could do irreparable harm to Canadian democracy.

In the letter, which Kenney posted on Twitter on Feb. 18, he called for an end to the federal governments pointless COVID-19 vaccine mandate and travel restrictions imposed on truck drivers crossing back into Canada from the United States starting Jan. 15.

Your government declared a public emergency on February 14, 2022. This was contrary to the wishes of Alberta and done without adequate or meaningful consultation with the provinces, as required by section 25 of the Act, Kenney wrote.

Your governments failure to adequately consult, coupled with the serious overreach of the orders, does a great disservice to the Province of Alberta and our country.

I have written to Prime Minister Trudeau outlining Albertas opposition to invocation of the Emergencies Act, and calling for an end to the pointless trucker vax mandate and travel restrictions. pic.twitter.com/IWDGyZGXl3  Jason Kenney (@jkenney) February 18, 2022

Following Trudeaus announcement he would invoke the act, Kenney took to social media to voice his opposition, saying all of the legal tools and operational resources required to maintain order already exist.

He reiterated this point in his letter.

Canadians and our economy must always be safeguarded, but invoking the Act is extraordinarily heavy-handed, outside our democratic norms, and disproportionate to the issues. I agree the law must be enforced, but it can be done with existing enforcement tools and without resorting to these kinds of extreme measures. The Act should be used only under extraordinary circumstances when normal enforcement tools are inadequate, he wrote.

The Act is not intended to address local and contained issues. Your government did nothing to attempt to de-escalated the situation outside Parliament Hill before invoking the Act.

Kenney noted that the vaccine mandates for cross-border truckers has only served to ignite the very real frustrations of some Canadians who, based on their employment circumstances, have faced greater employment hardships during the pandemic.

On Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and several federal cabinet ministers held a virtual press conference in which they defended the use of the act, citing the need to address the economic impacts and challenges posed to Canadas democracy by the protest at the national capital and the blockades of Canada-U.S. border crossings in Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, and B.C., which have now ended.

The Emergencies Act gives authorities sweeping additional powers to handle the protests, including the ability to compel towing companies to remove trucks encamped in Ottawas downtown core.

Additional financial measures to reduce funding for the protests include broadening of anti-money laundering mechanisms to crowdfunding platforms and digital currencies, while banks will be able to freeze accounts of individuals or corporations involved in the protests.

On Feb. 17, Freeland announced that banks have already started freezing the accounts of some entities involved with the truckers protests and blockades.

Kenney said in his letter that Alberta successfully and peacefully resolved the blockade at the Coutts border crossing without having to invoke these special powers of the act, which he said could result in irreparable harm to Canadians and the countrys democracy.

The powers under the Act have potential to do irreparable harm to Canadians and our democratic society. To enable the arbitrary freezing of bank accounts based on opinions people have stated, or donations they have made without the need for a court order is undemocratic, disproportionate, and verging on authoritarian, he wrote.

There will be long-lasting effects from the decisions to invoke the Act on the social fabric of Canada.
Judges preside over a hearing at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, on Nov. 27, 2018. (Sylvain Plazy/AP Photo)

EU Can Withhold Funds From Hungary, Poland, Top Court Rules

BRUSSELSThe European Unions highest court said Wednesday that the 27-nation bloc can suspend support payments to member states if they breach rule of law principles.

The right-wing governments of Hungary and Poland, which had challenged the EUs right to take such action, responded by arguing that the rule lacked a proper legal basis and would fundamentally interfere with their running of national business.

Both nations, large recipients of EU funds, have come under increasing criticism over the past few years for what the EU says veers away from democratic norms

When it comes to democratic principles, the European Union must be able to defend those values, within the limits of its powers, the European Court of Justice said in Wednesdays ruling.

We have the legal authority that is necessary, Frances Europe Minister Clement Beaune told the EU legislature. The rule of law is our treasure.

French deputy minister for European Affairs Clement Beaune delivers his speech during a debate on The Rule of Law and the consequences of the ECJ ruling, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Feb. 16, 2022. (Jean-Francois Badias/AP Photo)

The court decision was the last legal impediment to EU institutions withholding funds from any government they consider to be at odds with core democratic principles. The rule, seen as the EUs most potent weapon to prevent a democratic rift from deepening within the bloc, was approved 14 months ago, but the executive European Commission waited to apply it.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised to act with determination, and EU legislators immediately urged her to start enforcing the rule against Poland and Hungary within days, not months. Withholding any funds could take until the end of the year because of institutional rules and a tortuous approval process that needs majority approval of member states.

The reaction from Hungary and Poland was swift. Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobrowho is responsible for many of the changes seen as eroding the independence of judgescalled the courts move a turning point.

It is a gloomy date that will be written in the history books, Ziobro said. From an area of freedom, the EU is changing into an area where it will be possible to use unlawful violence in order to take this freedom away from member states and limit their sovereignty.

Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga called the court ruling a political judgement and proof that the EU was abusing its power.

Hungarys Justice Minister Judit Varga addresses a press conference to comment on a decision taken by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 16, 2022. (Attila Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty Images)

The ruling is another application of pressure against our country because we passed our child protection law during the summer, Varga wrote, referring to legislation approved last year which forbids children from media content that depicts homosexuality or gender changes.

The EUs passage of the rule of law funding mechanism predates the Hungarian law.

European officials on the other side of the debate also felt a tipping point had been reached with Wednesdays ruling. The reactions showed how the democratic discourse in the EU is polarizing and splitting the bloc.

This ruling is a milestone, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said. It becomes ever more difficult for member nations to say these (democratic) rights do not entail obligations and that they can be pushed aside at will.

Both Hungary and Poland say the court was overstepping its authority in approving a new mechanism that is not described in the EUs own treaties. They said making a link between finances and the legal decisions of national governments amounted to blackmail from Brussels.

The court argued however that democratic backsliding had not only a political impact but also affected budgetary matters.

The sound financial management of the Union budget and the financial interests of the Union may be seriously compromised by breaches of the principles of the rule of law committed in a member state, it said.

Because of extended financial vetting not directly linked to Wednesdays ruling, Poland has yet to receive some $41 billion euros from the EUs pandemic recovery fund, while Hungarys $8 billion was also held up. Those funds could now be further held back because of the ruling.
A logo is pictured on the World Trade Organization (WTO) building, in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 15, 2021. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

EU Launches WTO Dispute Against China Over Telecom Patents

BRUSSELSThe European Union launched a legal challenge against China at the World Trade Organization on Friday, arguing that Chinese courts were preventing European companies from protecting their telecom technology patents.

The European Commission, which filed the challenge on behalf of the EUs 27 members, said EU companies were being deterred from going to a foreign court to safeguard their standard-essential patents (SEPs).

The Commission has also consulted the United States and Japan, whose standard-essential patent holders face similar challenges and which want to be setting global tech standards, rather than leaving this to Beijing.

Mobile phone manufacturers need to obtain licenses for SEPs for their products to meet certain international standards.

The Commission said Chinese courts had, since August 2020, been issuing anti-suit injunctions, which prohibit EU companies from going to foreign courts, with the threat of heavy fines as a deterrent.

In one case, the fine was 130,000 euros ($147,758) a day, and the practice undermined the companies negotiations on license fees with Chinese smartphone makers, the EU executive said.

The European Commission did not specify companies involved. Chinas largest smartphone makers are Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Honor, formerly owned by Huawei. European SEP holders include Nokia and Ericsson.

The Commission said it had raised the issue on a number of occasions with the Chinese communist regime, without resolution.

The bloc believes the Chinese regime is violating the WTOs agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS).

WTO challenges start with a formal 60-day period of consultations between the parties after which the EU can request a WTO panel ruling. The process, including possible appeals, can take years.
Fed Tightens Trading Restrictions for Officials After Ethics Scandal

The Federal Reserve on Friday adopted a strict new set of investing and trading rules for its senior officials, their spouses, and minor children, among others, as part of the central banks effort to boost confidence in its policymakers after an ethics scandal sparked a public outcry.

The Fed said in a statement the tough new restrictions intend to ensure public confidence in the impartiality and integrity of the work of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the central banks policy-setting body, with the move meaning to guard against even the appearance of any conflict of interest.

Under the sweeping new rules, top Fed officials are barred from buying stocks and sector funds, and from holding individual bonds, agency-backed securities, commodities, foreign currencies, and cryptocurrencies.

Also banned are the use of derivatives, short sales, and purchasing securities on margin, with officials being required to give 45 days notice of planned transactions and having to get approval to execute them. The rules also say any investments must be held for at least a year.

The bulk of rules take effect on May 1, after which officials covered by the restriction will have 12 months to get rid of any investments that arent permitted, while newly covered officials will have 6 months to dispose of impermissible holdings.

Besides Fed board members and Reserve Bank presidents and vice presidents, the new rules apply to research directors, FOMC staff officers, their spouses and minor children, and others. The Fed said it expects more staff will be subject to the rules after the central bank completes a further review.

The new rules come out of a review ordered by Fed Chair Jerome Powell after Boston Fed chief Eric Rosengren and Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan resigned following reports of their active trading in 2020, when the central bank deployed a range of emergency measures to blunt the economic impact of the pandemic, which helped boost financial assets.

While the trades were allowed under the Feds ethics guidelines, their disclosure prompted public outcry over possible conflicts of interest. Both Kaplan and Rosengren later resigned.

Robert Kaplan speaks on stage at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundations 60th Anniversary Gala in New York on Nov. 19, 2015. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation)

The Federal Reserve Bank of Bostons President and CEO Eric S. Rosengren speaks in New York on April 17, 2013. (Keith Bedford/Reuters)

Another Fed policymaker, former Vice Chair Richard Clarida, also came under fire after he corrected a previous financial disclosure in late December to show that he had sold a stock fund and then swiftly rebought it shortly before the Fed announced a series of stimulus measures. Clarida resigned two weeks before the end of his term.

Previously, the rules that guided personal financial practices for Fed officials were the same as those for other government agencies, although the Fed had supplemental rules that were stricter than those for Congress and other agencies.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Recognizing that your beliefs may be inaccurate could help you learn more and build better relationships.

Do you ever find yourself mulling over your beliefs and opinions, thinking about why and how you came to hold a certain conviction, perhaps even questioning whether you might be wrong? Or maybe you can remember a time when youve learned some new informationin a conversation, in a book, or on TVand you had an aha moment that changed a long-held opinion.

The science of intellectual humility is growing rapidly, and scientists are beginning to find that this kind of humility has far-reaching benefits, from how we approach learning and respond to failures, to how we perceive and are perceived by people who are different from us. Heres an overview of this emerging scienceand we hope that discovering these benefits can motivate you to cultivate intellectual humility in yourself!

Those are examples of a concept that psychologists and philosophers call intellectual humility, which is defined by an appropriate awareness of our intellectual limitations and the recognition that beliefs we hold may be inaccurate or misguided. One common misperception is that having intellectual humility involves never trusting yourselfbut its closer to the truth to say that intellectual humility is about correctly calibrating the strength of your beliefs to the evidence youve gathered and the limitations you face.

1. Intellectual humility can help you learn new things

A series of five studies recently published in the journal Learning and Individual Differences examined how intellectual humility was related to mastery behaviors, which are characterized by challenge-seeking and persistence in the face of failure. After completing a challenging online learning module, study participants were asked how interested they were in learning more about the challenging topic, and then given the option to view a tutorial on that topic.

As predicted by the researchers, the people who were higher in intellectual humility reported being more interested in the challenging topic, and they were more likely to watch the tutorial. The researchers found a similar pattern of results outside of the lab. In high school classrooms, the students higher in intellectual humility were more likely to respond to their test scores with mastery-oriented intentions, like: For my next test, I will try to determine what I dont understand well. This impression was shared by teachers, too. At the end of the semester, teachers rated students mastery behaviors, and the researchers found a strong association between students intellectual humility and mastery behaviors in the classroom.

The authors of this research believe that these findings may be explained by one potential driver of intellectual humility: curiosity. Building on prior evidence, they suggest that people who are intellectually humble may be more genuinely curious and interested in learningand so they are more likely to persist in the face of failure and seek out challenges.

2. Youre more likely to investigate further when confronted with opposing views and false information

In a 2018 study, researchers collected information on participants political beliefs on several issues and then presented them with a written statement of what was purportedly another participants opinion on one of the same issues. However, the statement was secretly pre-prepared by the experimenters so that it always expressed the opposite view as the participant. Later, researchers offered participants the opportunity to learn more about reasons that either supported or contradicted their opinionand it was those higher in humility who chose to learn more about reasons that opposed their own view.

These scientific findings paint the humble individual as curious and eager to learn, but one more study hints that intellectually humble people are not indiscriminate about the information they choose to believe. A study, recently published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, found that intellectually humble people presented with false headlines about COVID-19such as mask wearing can be dangerous and ineffectivewere more likely to spend time fact-checking the headline or reading more about the source of the headline. Thats a result echoed by other recent studies.

3. Intellectual humility might improve your relationships

The benefits of intellectual humility dont end with how we approach and evaluate knowledgeit might also improve our relationships. Although maybe not immediately obvious, this link makes a lot of sense. Would you rather have a conversation with someone who is adamant that they are right, with no regard for the quality of their evidence or their limitations (which would suggest low intellectual humility)or someone who takes those things into consideration and is open to the possibility that they were wrong? What about someone who sees no value in your opinions and beliefs, would you expect them to have your best interest in mind?

A group of researchers, led by Benjamin Meagher at Hope College, paired participants as discussion partners and looked at two things: how intellectual humility is related to how people perceive each other and whether intellectual humility is related to certain patterns of communication. The researchers found that partners perceived people who scored higher in humility as being more open-minded. Later, when partners were asked to rate each others intellectual humility, they found that individuals rated humble by their partner were also more likely to be seen as warm, friendly, and generous. When researchers examined speech patterns, they found that although intellectually humble people talked more, they asked more questions, used less negative language, and provided more reasons to support their viewpoints.

Other research has documented a relationship between intellectual humility and other prosocial qualities like empathy, gratitude, and altruism. In a 2017 study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology, Elizabeth Krumrei-Mancuso found that intellectual humility was, indeed, related to a whole host of prosocial outcomes and value systems. People who were higher in intellectual humility showed more empathy, were more concerned about the well-being of others, valued having power less, and were more altruistic. Additionally, the higher someones intellectual humility was, the more likely they were to report valuing and wanting to protect the welfare of all people and things.

4. You can better build bridges with different kinds of people

It might seem more obvious that intellectual humility could be a cure for political polarization and religious dogmatism. Indeed, thats exactly what research is finding.

There are two seminal papers that examined the relationship between intellectual humility and extreme attitudes. Both studies, led by researchers at Duke University, found that intellectual humility predicted less extreme attitudes on a variety of topics that included physician-assisted suicide, government use of drone strikes, and the impact of religion on society. It is crucial to note that intellectual humility was associated with less extreme attitudes but not with more support or opposition for any one position. That is to say, people higher in intellectual humility generally had more centrist views and were not any more likely to indicate that they supported, say, physician-assisted suicide than that they opposed it.

Importantly, intellectual humility is unrelated to political orientation, according to most studies to date. Whatever side youre on, the other side is, on average, no less likely to be intellectually humble. They might even be just as altruistic or empathic as you, in their own way.

The picture with religion is more complicated. Research from Pepperdine University suggests that religious participation may be associated with less intellectual humility. According to that study, thats because people who are more religious are more likely to endorse conformity and deference to an authority figure. However, other work has found that there is no relationship at all between religiosity and intellectual humility. In any case, if there is a relationship between intellectual humility and religiosity, the research suggests that it is quite small.

5. Intellectually humble individuals are more tolerant of other people

But theres more to polarization than just our attitudes about social issues. Maybe even more important is the interpersonal aspect: how we view and treat our opponents.

Other research, also from Duke University, has directly examined how intellectual humility is related to perceptions of opponents on political issues and willingness to affiliate with them. The study focused on several contentious political issues, like abortion, fracking, and immigration. After rating their support for an issue, participants shared their moral and intellectual perceptions of people who held opposing views.

Generally, people had unfavorable perceptions of the moral character and intellectual capabilities of their opponents (although this varied by issue)but people higher in intellectual humility had more favorable impressions of their opponents on both dimensions. In a later study, the same researchers found that participants higher in intellectual humility were also more willing to friend and follow people on social media with views that differed from theirs.

A report in the Journal of Research in Personality took those findings one step further and examined how intellectual humility was related to emotions toward political opponents. Assessing feelings like anger, contempt, and disgust, the authors conclusion complemented the findings from the previous studies: More intellectually humble people feel significantly less intense negative emotions toward their political opponents. The researchers also found that the higher a Democrat-identifying participants intellectual humility was, the less likely they were to think that the Republican Party was a threat to the nation; the exact same was true about Republican perceptions of the Democratic Party.

Despite mixed evidence about the link between intellectual humility and religiosity, similar work examining the connection between intellectual humility and religious tolerance also points in the same direction. Among a group of nearly 200 Christian pastors, researchers found that intellectual humility was related to more tolerance and positive feelings toward non-Christians.

Taken together, this body of work suggests many reasons why it would be beneficial to cultivate intellectual humility. Unfortunately, researchers dont yet have a quick fix for those times when were forgetting or struggling to be humble (theyre working on it, though, dont worry). In the meantime, we should all take to heart this advice from psychologist Mark Leary: The next time you feel certain about something, you might stop and ask yourself: Could I be wrong?

Tyrone Sgambati is a research associate at the Greater Good Science Center and a Ph.D. student in the Department of Psychology at UC Berkeley. His current research investigates the joint role of intellectual humility and social network diversity in combating polarization. Prior to coming to Cal, he obtained his Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan in 2019 with concentrations in philosophy, psychology, and cognitive science.

This story was originally published in the Greater good Blog.
Robert C. Schornak (right) poses for a selfie with fellow defendant Robert Gieswein at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (U.S. Department of Justice)

Flag-Stealing Jan. 6 Defendant Gets 30 Days Jail, 60 Days Home Detention, 3 Years Probation

Prosecutors sought 4 to 6 months jail time for Robert Schornak

A Michigan man who entered the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and took an American flag from the visitors center was sentenced on Feb. 18 to three years probation with 30 days jail time and two months of home detention for a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building.

Robert Schornak of Roseville, Michigan, was given far less jail time by U.S. District Chief Judge Beryl Howell than the four to six months sought by prosecutors. Howell opted for longer probation supervision than would have been possible if she meted out the jail sentence the U.S. Department of Justice sought.

As part of a plea agreement, four other charges against Schornak were dismissed. The judge split the jail time into two equal nonconsecutive periods so Schornak wouldnt be away from his wife and new baby for too long at a time. Jail time is to be served within the first year of probation.

Robert Schornak used a stolen flag from the U.S. Capitol to rally rioters on Jan. 6, 2021, prosecutors alleged. (U.S. Department of Justice)

Factors that weighed against Schornak, prosecutors argued in a 36-page sentencing memorandum, included bringing a bullet-proof vest, helmet, and bullhorn to the District of Columbia, stealing the American flag, and giving it to other protesters who hoisted it above the scaffolding on the side of the Capitol building.

Howell credited Schornak with cooperating with the FBI and voluntarily appearing twice before the U.S. House select committee investigating Jan. 6. She also cited his letter of remorse written to the court, and his explanation that he got caught up in a vortex of misinformation from an echo chamber of supporters of then-President Donald Trump. He also disavowed a Facebook post from 2021 that read, I will never apologize for what we did, ever.

To his credit, the defendant cooperated with law enforcement after his arrest, sat down and talked to them, and in my mind has gone further, Howell said, and in confronting his remorse by taking a concrete action by talking to investigators of the House select committee, which is seeking to understand the full scope of how that day happened. I will give him credit for that. I think that that kind of cooperation is helpful to this country and is helpful making amends for what occurred on January 6th.

He Wants Leniency

Prosecutor Anita Eve argued that Schornak didnt express remorse for his actions, which prompted the judge to get into a discussion about Schornaks cooperation with law enforcement and Congress. Eve said she got reports from the FBI that Schornak wasnt sincere in his remorse when he met with agents. She called letters from Schornaks family rhetoric and alleged that Schornak only shows remorse because he wants leniency.

Eve said when she drafted her sentencing memo that she wasnt aware that Schornak had testified before the House select committee. The judge asked, Would you agree that voluntary cooperation with the House select committee is a reflection of acceptance of responsibility and some remorse and should be given some credit?

Robert Schornak carries an American flag he took from the visitors center of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (U.S. Department of Justice)

Eve replied: When Mr. Schornak was approached to give that testimony, it was with the understanding that it would not have any impact on his sentencing. We are not treating that in the same way that somebody would be treated as if they cooperated in a federal investigation. The cooperation should not be a factor in sentencing, she said.

After spending time in the crypt of the Capitol, the prosecutor said, Schornak posed for a selfie with Robert Gieswein, who is charged with assault on a federal officer, aiding and abetting destruction of federal property, violent entry or disorderly conduct, and other charges from Jan. 6.

He takes a selfie with this individual, Eve said.

Howell asked if prosecutors have any evidence that Schornak knew that Gieswein had allegedly sprayed police with pepper spray. Eve said only circumstantial evidence, because of Schornaks proximity to where the pepper spray was deployed.

Ive looked at that video, and frankly, Mr. Schornak looks like hes pretty far back, Howell said. Schornak was also seen taking photographs with two other members of this mob who were standing in Emancipation Hall, she said.

Eve said, Theres circumstantial evidence he was treating Mr. Gieswein as a celebrity. Howell replied, I dont see any evidence supporting the fact they had a close relationship.

In his statement to the court, Schornak repeatedly apologized for his poor judgment, adding, Im done with politics.

About five minutes into the hearing, Howell asked Schornaks wife and infant son to leave the courtroom because the baby was fussing. Im sorry, youre going to have to leave, she said. A sentencing hearing is no place for a crying baby.
Jeffrey Epstein in a file photograph. (New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP)

French Modeling Executive Accused of Helping Epstein Procure Young Girls Found Dead in Prison

Jean-Luc Brunel, a longtime French modeling agent who was detained in December 2020 as part of an inquiry into allegations of rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment, was found dead in his cell on Saturday, the Paris prosecutors office said.

The investigation, opened in August 2019, was a preliminary inquiry into whether late financier and convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had committed sex crimes on French territory or against French victims.

Brunel, 76, was later charged with sexual harassment and rape of minors, and has been accused of procuring hundreds of girls for Epstein.

Brunel founded a U.S. modeling management company with Epstein but denied any wrongdoing related to his association with him.

Brunel was found hanged in his cell in the Sante prison in Paris at around 1 a.m. on Saturday, a spokesperson for the prosecutors office said.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the death, the spokesperson said.

Epstein, 66, was found unresponsive in his jail cell in New York City in August 2019 and soon declared dead.

The cause of death was ruled a suicide by the citys medical examiners office.

Epstein was awaiting trial on charges that he sex trafficked minor girls.

Epstein spent time in prison after pleading guilty to procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008 but after his release continued to spend time with some of the worlds elites, including Prince Andrew and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Former model Thysia Huisman, one of the women who have accused Jean-Luc Brunel of rape, poses for a picture in Amsterdam, Netherlands on Dec. 17, 2020. (Peter Dejong/AP Photo)

Epsteins onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, is the only other associate to be detained on charges.

Maxwell, 60, in late 2021 was found guilty by a jury on five sex trafficking charges, including conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

Prosecutors said Maxwell helped recruit young girls for Epstein to abuse, and that she sometimes abused them herself.

Maxwells brother, Ian, told the New York Post that Brunels death was shocking. He said he fears for his sisters safety. She is locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal prison in New Yorks Brooklyn borough.

A civil case against Prince Andrew, meanwhile, was settled for an undisclosed sum, according to court filings in federal court in New York on Feb. 15.

Virginia Giuffre, who has alleged she was abused by Prince Andrew, Epstein, and Maxwell, sued the royal in 2021.

In court documents, representatives for Prince Andrew said he 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, the document stated.

The settlement came after Prince Andrews attempt to have the suit thrown out was rejected.

Reuters contributed to this report.
GiveSendGo Says Some Donations Sent to Truckers, Rest in Undisclosed US Bank

The crowdfunding company GiveSendGo still has some of the money people donated to the Canadian trucker convoy protesting against COVID-19 vaccine mandates, the company said on Feb. 18.

GiveSendGo became the preferred crowdfunding site for the protesters after another platform, GoFundMe, suddenly seized donations meant for the convoy and said the money would be shunted to unnamed charities.

After backlash, GoFundMe said it would automatically refund all of the donations but protesters urged people to turn to GiveSendGo because of what unfolded.

GiveSendGo has run into problems in recent days, though, including being hacked in mid-February.

Additionally, a Canadian court moved to freeze all donations for the convoy raised on GiveSendGo. Over $8 million had been donated; that figure is now over $9.6 million.

In its update Friday titled Wheres the money? GiveSendGo said many people have been asking about the donations. The truckers have received some of the funds, the company said, but not all.

The bulk of the funds are in an undisclosed U.S. bank, GiveSendGo said.

That was one of the steps taken to prevent the court-ordered freeze from taking place.

Right now, the teams involved are actively discussing the legal options for getting the funds where they need to go, the company added.

GiveSendGo did not respond to a list of emailed questions, including exactly how much of the money has been conveyed to the truckers.

The company is asking people who donated not to request a refund because the funds will be needed for the truckers and their legal teams.

Organizers of the convoy last gave an update on GiveSendGo on Feb. 12. Organizers said that the Canadian government did not have possession of the donations and described the court order as a temporary block.

Our legal team is challenging the governments order and we are working at ways around this, they wrote. The best way is to continue donating to help the truckers here on the ground and not request a refund. We thank GiveSendFor for their commitment to ensure that the donations flow directly to the Freedom Convoy truckers here in Ottawa.

People have continued donating through Feb. 19.

Canadian officials have increasingly clamped down on the protests, which are aimed at vaccine mandates like the one requiring Canadian truckers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or quarantine when they cross back into the country.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Feb. 14 invoked a state of emergency and his administration soon began freezing the bank accounts of protesters.

Critics say the moves are heavy-handed and could have long-lasting repercussions.

On Friday, police officers in Ottawa, the main protest site, arrested over 100 people, and organizer Benjamin Dichter urged people to leave the city.
Group of Doctors, Scientists Calls for Immediate Removal of All COVID-19 Restrictions

Exit committee declares pandemic effectively over in Canada as it has reached the endemic stage, and should be treated as such

A group of leading scientists, doctors, and policy professionals says its time to end all COVID-19 restrictions across Canada, including vaccine mandates and passports.

Known as the Canada Science & Policy Committee to Exit the Pandemic, the group says the pandemic is effectively over because it has reached the endemic stage.

Its endemic. Were good to go on the general immunity front, Irvin Studin, co-chair of the committee, said at a press conference on Feb. 18.

At the front end on COVID-19, all restrictions are, for all practical intents and purposes, to be removed expressly. Vaccination mandates, vaccination passports, masking requirements, quarantining requirements, testing requirements are to be removed expressly.

The group issued a national exit plan on Feb. 18, detailing how Canada can transit out of the pandemic over the next few months, with an emphasis on dropping all related mandates and restrictions immediately.

For the immunocompromised, aged, and those with comorbidities, the group recommended early interventions, seasonal vaccination, and other treatments.

Studin said now that the plan is ready, it will be briefed to governments and decision-makers across the country. He noted many of them have already been briefed.

It will help them. In some cases, they will use it outright. In other cases, they will fill in details for local realities, he said.

The exit committee, made up of 15 members across disciplines and all regions in Canada, was launched in January under the aegis of the think tank Institute for 21st Century Questions (21CQ).

Among the committees core members are Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, a critical care physician from the Ottawa Hospital; Pierre Pettigrew, a former health minister of Quebec; Thomas Michalak, professor of molecular virology and medicine (hepatology) at Newfoundland and Labradors University; and Alexandra Lysova, an associate professor of criminology at Simon Fraser University.

The committee declared Canadas pandemic officially over as of Feb. 16.

Studin, also president of 21CQ, stressed that the removal of pandemic restrictions has to work in concert with eight national systems in crisis, including COVID-19 public health, non-COVID-19 public health, business and the economy, education, institutions, national unity, the social fabric, and the international space.

If we remove restrictions for business, we still have tens of thousands of businesses that disappeared. Many businesses cannot be returned to. So its removal of restrictions plus the requisite energy to re-consolidate the systems and prepare them for tomorrow, he said.

We want it to be understood that the exit plan is a matrix. It is not a thing or a single action, he added.

If you reduce everything to just the COVID bit, which has been our intellectual collapse over the last two years, then the other systems collapse and cause even more spillover, grief, and death. So the exit from the pandemic is COVID-plus; it is high energy across all the systems.

The detailed National EXIT Plan from the pandemic, from the Canada Science & Policy Committee to EXIT the Pandemic. High energy(!), across 8 national systems in crisis, across ALL of Canada's regions in time. Bon week-end to one and all!@i21CQ @kwadwo777https://t.co/uWJAK4VuU8  Irvin Studin (@IrvinStudin) February 18, 2022

The committees exit plan is described in a matrix table that maps out the strategies for each of the eight crisis areas by Canadian region (All-of-Canada, Centre, West, Atlantic, North) and by month (February, March, April, and May 2022).

Highlights of the exit plan in February include removing vaccine mandates for Canadians travelling overseas, ending testing requirements for Canadians leaving and arriving in the country, and dropping all travel restrictions between and among provinces and territories.

The committee will also work alongside provincial and territorial governments to have them commit publicly not to revert to shutdowns, which hurt business confidence, and to commit to never closing schools again. Students have to return to in-person schooling, and all masking, cohorting, and distancing restrictions are to be removed.

The university should not be mandating vaccination for students at this point at all, Studin said.

There is a dark category of young people across the country that are not able to access university or sport or social settings, or camps or schools in some cases, by virtue of a decision to vaccinate or not vaccinate.

For long-term care settings, the plan seeks to have facilities end policies that isolate elderly patients, to increase staffing, and to encourage the return of any staff lost during the pandemic in order to keep a mandatory minimum staff-to-patient ratio for adequate care.

Physicians will have to return to full-time in-person care, along with laid-off hospital staff returning to work to safeguard the countrys health-care system, the plan recommended.

In March, the plan aims to achieve the reopening of all Canadian borders to visitors without restrictions, among other priorities.

By April, sports, tournaments, festivals, play, and travel should be restored for children.

Studin said the committee was formed to bring Canadas medical, scientific, and policy communities together to avoid working in silos and speed up a systematic plan to exit from the pandemic.

Weve worked intensively over the last two months consulting in all the sectors, all parts of the country, many specialists, government officials, he said.

Even elected politicians from different parties, different parts of the country had fed in quietly to our work because everyone realized that we must exit.

Presented in Studins blog on Feb. 18, the rationale for declaring an end to the pandemic is that COVID-19 is now highly manageable for Canadas health and other systems. Interventions can also now be far more targeted, and the virus is increasingly a minor systems issue among the eight systems identified.

This is consistent with the considered positions, today, of, among others, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, the blog said.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the Munich Security Conference, in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 19, 2022. (Andrew Harnik/Pool via Reuters)

Harris Warns Russia of Unprecedented Economic Costs If It Invades Ukraine

MUNICHThe United States and its allies will impose significant and unprecedented economic measures against Russia if it attacks Ukraine, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said on Saturday.

National borders should not be changed by force, she said at the Munich Security Conference.

I can say with absolute certainty if Russia further invades Ukraine the United States, together with our allies and partners, will impose significant, and unprecedented economic costs, she said.

We have prepared economic measures that will be swift, severe, and united, Harris added. We will target Russias financial institutions and key industries.

She said Washington would not stop with economic action, but would further reinforce NATOs eastern flank.

Harris added that the United States and its allies remained open to diplomacy but said Russias actions simply do not match their words.

She was expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy in Munich later on Saturday in what would be a show of diplomatic support for the European nation, a day after President Joe Biden said he was convinced Russia had made a decision to invade Ukraine.

Russia, which has said it has no plans to invade, wants to stop Kyiv from joining NATO and accuses the West of hysteria.

On Friday, Harris met NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and leaders from three Baltic nations and said Russia must show it is open to diplomacy, while heralding unity in the 30-member NATO alliance and warning Moscow of severe consequences if it invades Ukraine.

By Nandita Bose
Think Aksarben Pharmacy is suing Hy-Vee Inc., the company that agreed to buy its assets and inventory at the store at 7100 West Center Road in Omaha, alleging the company has breached their contract.

In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court of Nebraska, attorneys for Think Aksarben said Hy-Vee agreed to buy its pharmacy Aug. 24, and elected to pay a large portion of the purchase price directly to a third party that held liens on Think Aksarben's assets and inventory.

Hy-Vee asked Think Aksarben for the wire information for the third party. But, attorney Victoria Buter said, Think Aksarben's chief financial officer's email had been hacked, despite security measures, without them knowing.

She said as a result Hy-Vee ended up wiring $2,277.115.99 to a fraudster.

Buter said, working with the banks, Hy-Vee recovered about $881,000 of the funds, which it paid to Think Aksarben. Now, Think Aksarben is suing to get the rest of the purchase price: $1,397,115.

They are alleging Hy-Vee is to blame for not calling the company to verify the wire instructions.

Attorneys for Hy-Vee haven't yet responded to the civil complaint.

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How do ancient military and Confucius writings in China help win wars and manage a country? And how has the modern world adapted these strategies? In particular, in the U.S.-China relationship, strategic development is very important.

I spoke with Morgan Deane, author of the new book, Beyond Sun-Tzu: Classical Chinese Debates on War and Statecraft. We discuss how the Chinese Communist Party may adopt these strategies against the West, and what we can learn to counter Chinas military and economic expansionism.
Invasion of Ukraine Would Send Shockwaves to Taiwan: Boris Johnson

A Russian invasion of Ukraine would shock the world, including East Asia and Taiwan, the UKs Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday as he rallies for unity at the Munich Security Conference.

Calling the present time a moment of extreme danger, Johnson said its not entirely clear what is the intention of Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the omens are grim.

Despite hopes that diplomacy and dialogue may defuse the tension, we also have to be unflinchingly honest about the situation today, when over 130,000 Russian troops are gathering on the borders of Ukraine, and when more than 100 battalion tactical groups threaten that European country, he said.

It comes as Russian-backed separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine declared a full military mobilisation, and after U.S. President Joe Biden said he believes Putin has decided to attack Kyiv in the coming days.

Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusations that it plans to invade Ukraine.

Johnson threatened to impose sanctions on Russian individuals and companies and to open up the matryoshka dolls of Russian-owned companies and Russian-owned entities to find the ultimate beneficiaries within if an invasion is launched.

He also called on world leaders to unite against the threat.

If Ukraine is invaded and if Ukraine is overwhelmed, we will witness the destruction of a democratic state, a country that has been free for a generation, with a proud history of elections, he said.

And every time that Western ministers have visited Kyiv, weve assured the people of Ukraine and their leaders that we stand four-square behind their sovereignty and independence.

Jonnson said those words will seem hollow, meaningless, and insulting if the West looks away when Ukraines sovereignty and independence are imperilled.

If Ukraine is invaded, the shock will echo around the world, and those echoes will be heard in East Asia and they will be heard in Taiwan, as well as in Japan and Australia, he said, adding that the risk is people will draw the conclusion that aggression pays and that might is right.

He urged the leaders not to permit a new Yalta or a new division of our continent into spheres of influence.

The 1945 Yalta Conference, where the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union discussed the postwar reorganization of Germany and Europe, preluded the Cold War between the capitalist Western Bloc and the Communist Eastern Bloc.

Johnson warned that Russian aggression wont succeed in pushing NATO back, but will only draw further reinforcement to the alliances eastern flank.

Johnson stressed that NATO is peaceful and defensive in nature, and argued that its increased presence in East Europe in recent years was in response to Putins provocation.

Johnson added that if Russia chooses to invade Ukraine, we at this conference should be in no doubt that it is in our collective interest that Russia should ultimately fail and be seen to fail.
An Iron Dome defense system battery, designed to intercept and destroy incoming short-range rockets and artillery shells, in the Israeli annexed Golan Heights near the border with Lebanon, on Feb. 18, 2022. (Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel Fires Missiles at Hezbollah Drone Flown From Lebanon

JERUSALEMThe Israeli military on Friday said it fired interceptor missiles and protectively scrambled warplanes after what it described as a drone launched from Lebanon crossed its tense northern border.

Hours later, investigations concluded the drone managed to return to Lebanon, the Israeli military said in a statement, stopping short of blaming Lebanons Hezbollah terrorist group on launching the drone.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah issued a statement saying it had sent the Hassan drone inside Israel. It claimed the drone toured the targeted area for 40 minutes on a reconnaissance mission that extended along seventy kilometers inside the occupied territories.

Despite the enemys multiple and successive attempts to shoot it down, the Hassan plane returned from the occupied territories safely after it successfully carried out the required mission, it said.

Minutes after the Hezbollah announcement, Israeli fighter jet flying at very low altitude buzzed the Lebanese capital Beirut, jolting residents, rattling windows, and setting off some car alarms.

The incident comes just a day after Israel shot down what it said was another drone, allegedly from Hezbollah.

The military said in its statement that the incursion set off air raid sirens in northern Israel, and that Iron Dome interceptors were deployed and fighter jets were patrolling the skies.

After a few minutes, radar contact was lost with the aircraft, it said, adding that the event was under investigation and that civilian life in northern Israel has returned to routine.

Israel and Hezbollah are bitter enemies that fought a monthlong war in 2006 that ended in a stalemate. Israel considers the Iranian-backed Hezbollah to be its greatest immediate threat, possessing an estimated 150,000 rockets and missiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel.

Israel has long expressed concerns that Hezbollah would obtain or develop guided missiles and attack drones.

Earlier this week, Hezbollahs chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said his group has been manufacturing military drones in Lebanon, and has the technology to turn thousands of missiles in its possession into precision-guided munitions.
Japan Reserves The Right To Pre-Emptive Airstrikes On Enemy Bases: Defense Minister

Japans defense minister Nobuo Kishi said Wednesday that he would not rule out the option to conduct pre-emptive airstrikes on enemy bases because the country has reserved the right to do so.

During a parliamentary lower house budget panel hearing, Kishi said that such attacks would fall within the scope of self-defense, although it would be the last resort to protect Japan from inbound missiles, Nikkei Asia reported.

However, he noted that certain conditions must be met in order for an airstrike against enemy bases to be authorized under the self-defense policy, which includes limiting the use of force to only what is necessary to complete the mission.

Kishi also noted that Japan will not possess military capabilities that by themselves would annihilate an opponent, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles or long-range strategic bombers.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said in a subsequent press conference on Wednesday that Kishis intent was that no option will be ruled out if it falls within the scope of the constitution and international law.

Acquiring enemy base attack capability has been a contentious issue in Japan as it could undermine the countrys post-war pacifist constitution, which outlaws war as a means to settle international disputes.

Kishis remarks appear to be a warning to North Korea, which conducted its seventh missile test last month, one of which included a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had previously stated in December that Japan would consider all options to bolster the countrys defense posture, including the acquisition of enemy base attack capability.

We will realistically examine all options, including possessing what is called enemy base attack capability, without excluding any possibilities, and, with a sense of speed, fundamentally reinforce our defense capabilities, Kishida said.

Kishida also spoke of the countrys willingness to build constructive and stable relations with China while urging China to act responsibly, adding that he would continue to urge Pyongyang to make appropriate responses strongly.

Japan on Tuesday signed a letter of arrangement with the United Kingdom to pursue cooperative research on a world-leading fighter jet sensor beginning in April.

The project, known as Jaguar, will be designed to allow the armed forces to better detect future threats from air, land, and sea quickly and denying surveillance technology operated by their adversaries.

The process of developing the system would take around five years, involving input from aerospace company Leonardo UK and its counterpart in the Japanese industry, the British Defense Ministry said. Two technology demonstrators will be built as part of the project, with one going to each country.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks before the media at his official residence as an extraordinary Diet session was closed, in Tokyo, Japan, on Dec. 21, 2021. (Yoshikazu Tsuno/Pool via Reuters)

Japan to Relax Entry Restrictions for Non-Tourist Arrivals

Japan will ease its entry restrictions for non-tourist arrivals and increase the daily entry cap in March, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced Thursday, amid calls from business groups and student representatives for a science-based entry policy.

The Japanese government has been suspending new arrivals of foreign visitors since Nov. 30, 2021, to contain the spread of the Omicron variant, adopting the strictest border control measures among the Group of Seven developed economies nations.

Kishida said that the government has decided to gradually relax entry restrictions, adding that it would be unrealistic to ease the measures all at once, local media Kyodo News reported.

We will continue to consider how the measures should be by taking into account the infection situations at home and abroad, border control measures taken by other nations, and progress in the rollout of vaccine boosters (in Japan), he told reporters.

Japan will reopen its borders to non-tourist arrivals, including foreign nationals, beginning March 1, with the daily entry cap increased to 5,000 from the current 3,500.

Travelers who have completed their third vaccination shots, and arriving from countries where the outbreak is under control may be exempted from quarantine, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministrys statement.

The ministry stated that all entrants will be subject to a seven-day home quarantine, but the quarantine requirement may be lifted if the third-day test result comes out negative.

A Japanese government official told reporters on Friday that there was no estimate on how long it would take to let in all the waiting foreign nationals.

Marcus Schuermann, delegate of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan, said while the relaxation of border measures is a positive development, a roadmap on how people will be allowed into the country is still lacking.

Business groups and student representatives had previously called on the government to lift the entry ban on foreign nationals, saying that such restrictions harmed efforts to revive the economy and prevented international students from studying in Japan.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) issued a joint statement with other organizations on Feb. 3, urging the government to adopt a science-based entry policy that permits vaccinated travelers to enter the country.

Japans ban on entry by business and student travelers goes considerably beyond the steps its major partners have taken and has imposed real and increasing economic and human costs, they stated.

The World Health Organization warned last year that blanket travel bans would only pose a heavy burden on livelihoods, rather than stopping the spread of the virus.

Reuters contributed to this report.
A woman waves a flag and cheers on truckers in protest of COVID-19 vaccine mandates in Ottawa, Canada, on Jan. 30, 2022. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)

Jewish Scientists, Doctors Around the World Issue Justin Trudeau Open Letter Amid Canada Protests

A group of 23 Jewish scientists, doctors, and academics issued an open letter on Friday to Canadas prime minister, Justin Trudeau, saying they are deeply concerned about how he had been describing protesters in Canada who have been demonstrating against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions since late January.

One of the authors of the letter, Stanford Professor of Biophysics Michael Levitt, who was awarded one-third the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2013, shared a copy of the letter on Twitter.

In recent weeks, we have been following the news about the Freedom Convoy 2022 protests that have taken place in Canada.  We witnessed, with mourning concern, how instead of a constructive dialog with the protesters, you adopted a smear-by-association campaign, portraying the protesters as Nazi sympathizers, racist, and antisemitic,' the group said in their letter.

The last incident was your allegation on February 16 that a Jewish member of the Conservative Party was standing with people who wave Swastikas,' they added.

Trudeau made the comment in Parliament during Question Period on Feb. 16 amid debate over a blockade in Ottawa, and Trudeaus declaration of a State of Emergency on Feb. 14. Trudeau is the first prime minister to invoke the Emergencies Act since it became law in 1988.

Melissa Lantsman, a Conservative member of parliament for Thornhill in the House of Commons, told the chamber that Trudeau fans the flames of an unjustified national emergency by having described the protesters as very often misogynistic, racist, women haters, science deniers, the fringe.'

She then asked, So, Mr. Speaker, when did the Prime Minister lose his way? When did it happen?

Trudeau responded, Conservative Party members can stand with people who wave swastikas. They can stand with people who wave the Confederate flag.

We will choose to stand with Canadians who deserve to be able to get to their jobs, to be able to get their lives back. These illegal protests need to stop and they will.

House Speaker Anthony Rota followed up, telling the chamber,I just want to remind the honourable members, including the Right Honourable Prime Minister, to use words that are not inflammatory in the House. However, Trudeau did not withdraw his comment.

Lantsman, a descendant of Holocaust survivors, said on Twitter that Trudeau falsely accused her of standing with a Swastika. What a disgraceful statement unbecoming of anyone in public officehe owes me an apology, she wrote.

In the letter on Friday, the Jewish group of scientists, doctors, and academics expressed disapproval of Trudeaus recent rhetoric.

We, an apolitical group of Jewish Israeli medical scientists, physicians, researchers, and legal scholars, some of us second or third generation Holocaust survivors, are deeply concerned by your attempt to stigmatise the Freedom Convoy 2022 protesters as Nazi ideology supporters, they wrote.

The important fight against antisemitism should not be weaponized and directed at a legitimate civil protest which aims at restoring fundamental liberties, to what used to be, until not long ago, one of the freest countries in the world.

The Epoch Times has reached out to Trudeaus office for comment on the letter.

Late on Friday, Trudeau wrote on Twitter, Illegal blockades and occupations have threatened businesses, endangered jobs, and obstructed communities for three weeks now. This week, to restore public order and protect Canadians as the situation evolves, our government invoked the Emergencies Act.

Well continue to make sure municipal, provincial, and federal authorities have the resources they need, and do whatever is needed to keep people safe and get the situation under controland well make sure your rights and freedoms are protected, he added. That remains our top priority.

Protesters have expressed offense at Trudeaus recent comments that have portrayed them as racist or hateful, The Epoch Times previously reported. Trudeau previously said the protesters are a fringe minority who hold unacceptable views and espouse conspiracy theories.

Protesters on Parliament Hill for the most part have been carrying Canadian flags. Some images were circulating on social media that showed Nazi symbols on flags, while other videos on social media showed protesters telling those holding hateful signs to leave.

Some local reports have also stated that people opposed to vaccine mandates have likened Canadas mandates to the persecution of Jews by the Nazis.

The protest started in late January as a show of defiance. Truckers opposed the Canadian governments vaccine mandate that started on Jan. 15 for truckers who often cross the United States-Canada border. It has since evolved into a large movement joined by people from across Canada to oppose different COVID-19 mandates and restrictions.

Vehicle convoys came to Ottawa on Jan. 29, and many have stayed in the city, with trucks and other vehicles parked by Parliament Hill. Since then, various protest convoys have been set up in different parts of Canada.

Early on in the protest, Trudeau has said he wouldnt be meeting with the protestershe said he wouldnt go anywhere near demonstrations that have expressed hateful rhetoric, violence towards fellow citizens, and a disrespect not just of science, but of the front-line health workers.

Following the invocation of the Emergencies Act, two lead organizers of the Freedom Convoy protest, Chris Barber and Tamara Lich, were arrested in Ottawa on Thursday. Ottawas interim police chief warned on the same day that action to remove Freedom Convoy demonstrators was imminent.

Lich, at a press conference on Feb. 14, said that protesters will remain peaceful despite the governments use of the Act.

Despite the arrests, many protesters still remain in Ottawa. In early February, Lich said the protesters wont be leaving until the government lifts the COVID-19 mandates.

Were not coming here to be aggressive or hateful or cause violence, she told The Epoch Times. Were going to be staying in for as long as it takes. Were not leaving until Canada is free.

Rahul Vaidyanath contributed to this report.
Special counsel John Durhams recent filing has revealed that a tech executive working with former Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann had exploited his access to White House internet traffic.

Furthermore, the filing describes how the tech executive, in seeking to please the Clinton campaign and Sussmanns law firm, sought to establish an inference and narrative tying then-candidate Trump to Russia. Essentially, they sought to establish a linkeven if it did not exist, says Kash Patel.

Kash Patel and Jan Jekielek break down revelations from the new filing, and who may be the next target in Durhams investigation.

You can find the declassified transcripts here of the depositions of people of interest in the House Intelligence Committees investigation into allegations of Trump-Russia collusion.

Kash Patel: Hey, everybody. And welcome back to Kashs Corner.

Jan Jekielek: Hey, Kash. You know, Im super jealous here because you are in Hawaii, which is why we are doing this remotely. Im here in the very, very continental USA. And you picked a very interesting week to head over to Hawaii because Durham seems to have dropped the pleading of pleadings here and that everyones talking, well not everybodys talking about. Actually, theres some people very conspicuously not talking about it at all, but a lot of people are talking about it. And so why dont we start here? Youre very familiar with some of the realities in this pleading. Give me a breakdown.

Mr. Patel: I think what should happen is I should take more vacations because then maybe John Durham will drop more explosive information. But look, so John Durham filed another pleading, and then the defense actually, Sussmanns lawyers filed a response. And well get to that. But basically, John Durham filed another conflicts pleading saying that he, John Durham as a federal prosecutor, has discovered that the indicted Michael Sussmann as represented by Latham & Watkins, a law firm that also represents other people in John Durhams investigation or other witnesses that John Durhams going to call in the trial of Michael Sussmann.

And as you and I previously talked about when he filed a similar pleading against Danchenko, the other guy thats indicted by John Durham, the source of Christopher Steele, he had a similar issue with him. And under, as we talked about then, under the rule of law in court and under the ethical obligations of a prosecutor, its incumbent on the prosecutor to disclose, and as we said, possible conflicts of interest.

Not something that will for sure happen, but if you see a possibility of a conflict of interest, you have an obligation to inform the court, the judge to say please look at this and then follow the guidelines in the law and tell the defense that these possible conflicts can occur. And the defense has an option. They can sit and continue on with the counsel, the defense counsel theyve retained. But there has to be, what we call, a knowing, intelligent and voluntary waiver in court with the defendant through his attorneys.

The consequences of failing to do that basically gives the defense a free shot, a free bite at the apple. Because if John Durham did not file this pleading and the defendant, Sussmann in this case, was indicted, then he could come back and say, hey, judge, there was a conflict here that I was not made aware of. And under the law, under the appellate law in the land, thats basically an automatic reversal. And then John Durham would have to try the case all over again.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, whats really interesting here also is that basically Sussmanns team has basically asked Durham to provide them with all sorts of information, right? And a few episodes ago, you actually did a little bit of commentary on this, saying I think this might be a strategic blunder on their side. And its very interesting how this is playing out. So kind of remind us. Actually, you know what? Lets role that clip very briefly.

Mr. Patel: What the defense counsel did was, and I think on this one, I think they overreached, they issued offensive pleadings themselves, the defense counsel that is, to say were not getting everything in discovery from you John Durham in special counsel land. We want X, we want Y, we want Z.

So normally what happens is theres an exchange between defense attorneys and prosecutors and they come to some sort of agreement. If they cant, they go to the court to have the court decide. What John Durham smartly did was, again, he issued a 20-page pleading where he laid out his entire criminal case against Sussmann. And he also put the world on notice that Michael Sussmann is still under criminal investigation outside of this indictment, which I thought was the most intriguing piece of thisone of the most intriguing pieces of this pleading.

So hes telling the world, hes like, well, just because youre charged with one count of lying doesnt mean I, John Durham am done investigating you. You, the defense have now asked for X, Y, Z, and all these other things. Well, he, John Durham told the court I cant meet the deadline set by the court because the defense keeps asking me for this stuff, more and more information, more and more information. So he, John Durham has to go back out and look for it. And rightly so.

So what I think is going to happen is theres going to be an extension of this discovery timeline. And I think theyre going to produce more information than the defense actually ever wouldve wanted to have seen.

Mr. Jekielek: Now, tell us what happened here.

Mr. Patel: Yes. No, thanks, Jan. And I think we had a good discussion on that show. Basically, what happened maybe a month or two months ago, I forget the exact timing, the defense, in this case Sussmann, his attorneys filed a pleading to the court that said, excuse me, John Durham and the federal government, you are not providing us all of the information that we believe we are entitled to under the Federal Rules of Evidence, discovery.

And so I said a couple weeks ago when we were talking, I dont know if they want to do that because John Durhams MO has been to operate quietly and stealthily and not put too much information out into the public. Except when the defense demanded him to create a discovery obligation, he, John Durham, and I think smartly so, said, okay, you asked for it. And he filed a pretty extensive discovery pleading that we talked about last time. And this is a continuation of that because now John Durham is using the similar line of effort he did with the Danchenko conflicts counsel pleading in the Sussmann pleading.

But similarly, hes basically saying I know you, the defense are going to ask why am I filing this conflicts pleading? He could have filed a one-pager and just say, judge, we have information that theres a conflict of counsel here. Please conduct a hearing behind closed doors. And no one would ever know about it. But since he probably saw that the defense would ask for more information yet again, he gave it to them, sort of a preemptive strike. And hes allowed to do that.

So I think its again a critical blunder which has been continued by the defenses response to this pleading, which well talk about later in the show. So I dont think theyve been playing this right. And now theyre sort of running on media, which we can talk about as well later, to sort of justify the defenses position and attack John Durham, which I think is incredibly stupid.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, okay, we definitely need to talk about that. But lets just break down the pleading. I mean

Mr. Patel: Yeah.

Mr. Jekielek:  theres so many really, really fascinating nuggets of information that just, again maybe they were known to you, certainly unknown to me and many others that have been following this.

Mr. Patel: No, let me. Sorry to interrupt you. But I think we got to preface this. Remember, I was the chief investigator for Chairman Nunes of the entire Russiagate scandal. Our team figured out that the Hillary Clinton campaign paid for the dossier. Our team figured out that the FBIs leadership was basically intentionally misleading a FISA court to get a surveillance warrant on a presidential campaign. Our team figured out that the same FBI agents and lawyers working on this case were having inappropriate relationships and personalizing and politicizing their investigation.

Heres the shocker, Jan. I just talked to Devin again just this past week. He and I had never heard about this information, about the tech servers, about these allegations that are made in John Durhams latest three pleadings. We, the guys that ran Russiagate, had no idea who these individuals were, who these companies were, and that they were doing this sort of surveillance. So its quite shocking.

Mr. Jekielek: And I definitely also need to ask you about whether you should have known. But before we do that, break it down. What is it that Durham has revealed here thats so groundbreaking that got you to actually put out a very, very detailed statement that a lot of people have been citing?

Mr. Patel: Yes. So weve sort of done it in reverse. Weve covered the legal basis of the pleading conflict. So we dont need to go into that anymore. We had sufficiently covered. But before is this place called a factual background or an area where you have to plead facts supporting your pleading. So in any pleading or motion or brief in federal court, you have a fact portion and a legal portion. We cover the legal one.

The fact portion to me was what was more stunning, because what John Durham has basically said, and this is something that Ive come to learn that science fiction couldnt even conjure up, but John Durham has said the indicted individual, Michael Sussmann, reminding our audience the same Michael Sussmann who was the head lawyer for the DNC with Mark Elias and the Hillary Clinton campaign, the same guys that paid for the dossier through the Hillary Clinton campaign and their law firm and hired Fusion GPS and hired Christopher Steele. That was what I call, line of effort one.

On a parallel track, line of effort two, which has just been revealed to us, these same individuals, Sussmann and Elias and the Hillary Clinton campaign, according to the Durham filings in this last month show that the tech company that Michael Sussmann and the DNC and Hillary Clinton campaign hired to go ahead and try to identify information, Alpha Bank server information tying Trump to Russia, while they were paid to do that. We covered it in a previous show, that Sussmann actually went to this tech company and said it doesnt matter what you find, I need you to show me basically an end result that says Trump had ties with Russia.

This same individual, now indicted for lying to the FBI, Sussmann was also working on another line of effort to obtain a relationship through the same tech company so that he could infiltrate and surveil the White House. Now I know thats, youre probably like, okay, youre crazy. Youve lost your mind, Kash. This is, what are you doing out in Hawaii? Stop drinking Mai Tais. And it is crazy, right? That is the Office of the President, the Office of the Vice President, the National Security Council, the National Economic Council, and the U.S. Trade Representative, amongst many others. That, Jan, is absolutely stunning. And theres more to it and well flesh it out in a little bit.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, and so heres the other It does sound a little bit like science fiction, like you said, right? And of course, this is based on the pleading. So theres this other question, right? Because this pleading, how rock solid is this pleading? Im sure a lot of people are wondering to themselves could this possibly be true, right?

Mr. Patel: Well, look, heres what we know about John Durham. He indicted three people under his special counsel tenureKlinesmith, Danchenko, and Sussmann. Hes revealed to us in his pleadings that his investigation is far from over. Hes investigating many other individuals, including other criminal activity related to people hes already indicted. So hes not done with those individuals either. And hes possibly looking at campaigns and companies and a very far-reaching investigation.

And I remind people, John Durhams been a prosecutor for over 20 years. I know him. He was the guy that was appointed to be basically the special counsel during the CIAs rendition program, which was a very serious investigation. He was charged with going in and finding out if theres any criminal activity during the rendition program. And for those that dont know that, that involves all these sort of torture techniques that were utilized post 9/11 by the Intelligence Community and others. So probably one of the most serious subject matters ever handled by a prosecutor. Hes now handling the largest criminal conspiracy, I call it, in U.S. history.

So I dont think John Durhams going to put anything in a federal pleading to a federal court that he hasnt already proved. And lets put that aside. Me, as a former federal prosecutor knowing the guidelines and the rules of ethics, you cant allege something in a pleading that you already havent obtained the evidence to prove. So thats different and apart from whether or not a judge and a jury will adjudicate in your favor. That comes later.

But if you, the federal prosecutor say Ive got the evidence, thats the only way you can state it in a pleading, which is why I think based on John Durhams history as a career federal prosecutor and his history along these cases in not filing extensive pleadings because hes working sort of beneath the surface of the water, leads me to believe that theres no way John Durham filed this just to be like, here, lets put out some misinformation. Its just not how he operates, and its not what the law would allow him to do.

Mr. Jekielek: So Kash, beyond this kind of bombshell allegation, what else is new because theres multiple vantage points here? What else do you see?

Mr. Patel: Based on the pleadings, beyond the allegation that the Hillary Clinton campaign infiltrated White House servers to spy on a sitting president, putting that aside, what else is new is the following. I believe based on the allegations in the indictment, the same tech company that we just talked about a few minutes ago that Michael Sussmann hired to try and find the false information tying Donald Trumps Trump Tower to Alpha Bank servers in Russia to create the narrative that Trump is colluding with Russia, that same tech company is this one same company in this pleading that John Durham is now saying to the world Michael Sussmann went back to them and said, okay, you, the same tech company, you go get a secure relationship so you can get into the White House.

Now, let me break that down. What hes basically saying, he, Sussmann, getting paid by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the DNC to do all this work, what hes saying is, okay, the same tech company, because as we all know the White House is the most secure compound on planet Earth. So to hack it would be quite the feat. Whats the other way to do it? Obtain a relationship with someone who already has access to it and then have them contract with you to ride off their sort of servers. And while that sounds crazy that that would even happen, the only way that happens is if you, the contractor, in this case the tech company, goes in and says to the NSA or the Intelligence Community I need access through you.

And what John Durhams pleading says is that Sussmann instructed this same tech company to get a sensitive arrangement to gain access into the White House. So what that tells me, Jan, is that this was not a hack. This was actually more sophisticated than a hack. What they wanted to do was later say we didnt hire someone to hack the White House. They were on the books with the Intelligence Community to gain that access. To me, thats more shocking, I guess because of my background, that the United States government and its Intelligence Community would permit a political operative to gain access to the White House servers. And thats exactly what happened in this pleading that John Durham shows us.

Mr. Jekielek: But he doesnt say that they went to the NSA or they went to one of these agencies. This is something, just to be clear here, this is something youre inferring. You think this is the only way this could have happened, basically.

Mr. Patel: Well, yes. Its my inference, but its my inference sort of from my background, being the former Deputy Director of National Intelligence, being the Head of Counterterrorism, the Chief of Staff at the DOD, and after my tenure on the House Intelligence Committee.

For John Durham to use that word, sensitive arrangement, its a little easier for me to speak to it now since Ive been out of government and I havent had access to the classified information, so I can tell you what I believe, but I can tell you in my entire career, a sensitive arrangement has never meant anything other than what we just said if youre working with the United States Intelligence Community. That means the United States Intelligence Community pays you, the contractor, in this case the same tech company that Sussmann hired, for this relationship and then you, the contractor gain access.

Now, theres so many questions that I have based on this that John Durham hasnt answered. Who did it? Was it the NSA? Who authorized it? Was it the FBI? Then what arrangement did they have? Who got paid what money? And then what information did the tech company get, and who did they give it to? Or did the tech company give the NSA and the CIA or the IC more information? Theres a million questions.

But the bottom line, I think, is that theres some criminal conduct in that arrangement because I dont believe its lawful for the Intelligence Community to go out to a political operative and say, okay, we can set up this arrangement and you can sit and surveil the White House compound of a sitting president. That cant be legal. You dont even have to go to law school to know that.

Mr. Jekielek: Right. And of course, the pleading also says that this type of thing was happening prior to the White House. The White House was just kind of the escalation, I guess. Right?

Mr. Patel: Right. Youre right. So thats a great point that actually no one else is talking about. In the pleading, John Durham says the arrangement between Sussmann and the tech company and the Hillary Clinton campaign, who was funding it, began in July of 2016. That means thats when they entered into an agreement to do it, which means for months before, the spring of 2016 is when they were hatching this plan, during the election cycle. That basically is about the same time that they started their whole Christopher Steele dossier effort, in the spring of 2016.

So theyre mounting these parallel lines of effort to take out Donald Trump then a candidate. And as we move through the candidacy and he loses the election, then as you said, they say, okay, what do we do next? Well, lets go to the White House and infiltrate the White House, which is just shocking on so many levels and I think breaks a number of federal laws.

Mr. Jekielek: So I remember when I read The Plot Against the President now many moons ago, so to speak, your kind of key mantra was follow the money. Follow the money. Actually, lets roll this clip from The Plot Against the President.

Mr. Patel: And all of these things sort of started coming together in a very unusual fashion. I said, Devin, were following the money, and Im going to tell you right now that the DNC and Hillary paid for this. It was 9:00 a.m. on a weekday. And he literally looks at me and he goes, Kash, if youre going to start drinking this morning, get out of my office.

It always goes back to the money. And its the easiest thing to follow because you have to document it in some fashion or you got to move it in some way. And we were able to, pursuant to the judges authority, allow myself and one other colleague to visit banks attorneys and review in closed session the records. And we were not allowed to disclose it to anybody what we reviewed. And then finally, on the eve of the ruling of the court, Fusion disclosed that Christopher Steele had been paid by the DNC themselves.

There were names that would eventually come out that were being paid by Fusion, names now that are public, but at the time werent. Nellie Ohr, the wife of Bruce Ohr, was being paid by Fusion GPS. We would come to learn to do Russian intelligence information gathering and then submit it to the FBI. We were able to figure out that the attorneys, Perkins Coie, were the attorneys for the DNC. Nellie, Bruces wife, had been working for Fusion GPS.

The folks that Perkins Coie paid $10 million to and then they took that 10 million and paid Christopher Steele $168,000 to dig up dirt. They paid Nellie Ohr I think $50,000 to do her research against the President and his daughter. And they fed all of that directly to the bureau who then used it in the FISA and in investigation against the President. So now youve connected the money and the people and put the political party right in the middle of your opponent. Its outrageous.

Mr. Jekielek: What strikes me here, and you can elucidate this more please, is that I think Attorney Durham is following the money here, right?

Mr. Patel: So yeah. Look, you dont have to be a former federal prosecutor to know that money doesnt lie, right? Theres either a payment and a record of it or there isnt. And bank records are pretty powerful. Whats almost as powerful as bank records are very fancy law firms and theyre billing practices because these law firms, Perkins Coie, where Sussmann and Elias used to work on behalf of the Hillary campaign, getting paid tens of millions of dollars for their work, they as lawyers are bound to bill for what they are working on. So they have to say, oh, I spent four hours today working on behalf of the Hillary Clinton campaign related to X. John Durham smartly, and Im guessing through the grand jury process or cooperation, obtained the billing records of Perkins Coie.

So what I said in the movie, The Plot Against the President, was follow the money, it was on line of effort one. Theres no way the Steele dossier was just concocted out of thin air, no one paid for it. What I told then Chairman Nunes was lets get a subpoena, lets go get the bank records, and well see who paid who. Now back then, neither he nor I thought a political party would pay an opponent to go and make up dirt to shovel into the FISA Court and to have the FBI intentionally mislead that court. That back then to us was almost as shocking as what were talking about today. So it seems that the operation that was hatched at Perkins Coie by Elias and Sussmann was something that we, Devin and I only discovered 50 percent of.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, no, and this is actually something I dont know if this has been said exactly, but this is a whole giant line of effort, as you describe, thats being kind of exposed here that just hasnt really been in the knowledge of even the people that were doing this in-depth investigation in the first place.

Mr. Patel: Youre right. And for the doubters out there who are saying, well, this is just a pleading that has to do with conflicts of counsel. Well, you have to take the totality of the pleadings that John Durham has filed. Remember when we talked about how the defense wanted all of the details of discovery of the evidence in the case? Well, John Durham told the world you asked for it, no problem.

I put 24 people in the grand jury under oath. Ive put the leadership of the FBI in there. Ive put people who worked at the CIA in there. Ive put people who had affiliations with the Hillary Clinton campaign in there. Ive put lawyers in the grand jury. John Durham has obtained under oath information relating directly to this pleading and other criminal investigations hes working on.

So based on that and the bank records, or the billing records I should say that hes obtained from Perkins Coie, hes able to tell us all this information in great detail, which is why its kind of irrefutable, just like it was irrefutable back then when the federal bank, or the federal court allowed us to see the bank records of Fusion GPS and we figured out they paid Christopher Steele through Sussmann and Perkins Coie.

Same thing here. John Durham figured out by following the money, well, your billing records say you, Sussmann, Elias, and Perkins Coie charged the Hillary Clinton campaign for this conduct. What are they going to come in and say? We were kidding. We meant to bill somebody else.

Mr. Jekielek: So Kash, the operative words in here, and I dont want to belabor this too much, but its pretty wild. Ostensibly, the lawyers wanted for the tech company to establish an inference and a narrative.

Mr. Patel: Yes, youre absolutely right. Thats a great point, Jan. And thats not you making up those words or me making up those words. Those are John Durhams words in his pleading that were now talking about. What he, John Durham is saying is that Sussmann and Elias and Perkins Coie, the lawyers for the DNC and Hillary campaign, requested the tech company to find a inference and a narrative through their sensitive arrangement to gain access to the White House server.

So again, the lawyers for the Hillary campaign are basically telling the same tech company that did the whole Alpha Bank nonsense, theyre saying go find me information that proves this point so we can tie Trump to Russia, even if it doesnt exist.

Mr. Jekielek: So Kash, one of the things I think that maybe not everybody fully realizes is that this Sussmann indictment is actually based on your deposition of Sussmann way back when while you were on House Intel. And so I guess my question is who else of interest did you actually depose that we should be talking about right now?

Mr. Patel: So real quick, a quick summary. Back when we were running the Russiagate investigation, part of the investigation was to put witnesses under oath in Congress and depose them under oath under the penalty of perjury. I conducted interrogations of 60 some of those witnesses under oath to include Michael Sussmann, to include Mark Elias, to include Fusion GPS, Glenn Simpson, to include the leadership at the FBI and the IC and all that.

But also who was included was the leadership at the Hillary Clinton campaign, John Podesta, Jake Sullivan, the current National Security Advisor. And we asked these folks the same question, did they have any information about coordination, collusion, or conspiracy with Trump and Russia? And every one of them said no under oath.

Now, it took us two years to get those transcripts of those depositions out to the public. But they are now available. And theyre still available on the website of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence because when Ric Grenell was the DNI and I was his deputy, we finally forced the declassification of those transcripts. So our audience can still check those out there.

But one of the ones I feel that is a focus is Jake Sullivan, whos the current National Security Advisor. And theres a lot of reasons why I have questions about his conduct. And I think we can get into that.

Mr. Jekielek: Well, so what is it that would need to be looked at here in your mind?

Mr. Patel: So as we were talking about, an operation like this cannot occur without tens of millions of dollars, which we have now shown has been utilized from the Hillary Clinton campaign through their lawyers at Perkins Coie. The questions that people need to be asking now are who at the Hillary Clinton campaign said to spend tens of millions of dollars to do these line of efforts, the Steele dossier line of effort, the Alpha Bank server line of effort, and this latest line of effort that John Durhams alleging in his pleading about infiltrating the White House servers to gain information tying Trump to Russia?

Somebody Jan, you dont have to be in politics, you dont have to be an FBI agent, you dont have to be a federal prosecutor to know somebody had to say at the Hillary Clinton campaign yes, send $10 million to this law firm for these lines of effort.

Jake Sullivan at the time was one of the head chief advisors to then candidate Clintons campaign, as was Podesta, who was another individual I interrogated under oath. And then that money has to go from the campaign to the lawyers to the tech company through Sussmann, as weve talked about.

So I think John Durham is probably already looking at this, given that he has identified Jake Sullivan, by title at least, in his previous pleadings. So John Durham has specifically said that the Michael Sussmann indictment is based on the interrogation under oath he gave that I took at the House Intel Committee. He also mentioned in a previous pleading Jake Sullivan by title, saying the chief, and Im paraphrasing here, but the chief senior advisor to the Hillary Clinton campaign did X, Y, and Z. I think hes looking, I dont think he wouldve mentioned him like that because hes easy to identify if he wasnt looking at him.

But what Jake Sullivan has come out, if you recall in October of 2016, is that he specifically said, Everybody should look at the Alpha Bank Trump server connection. It basically shows Trump had colluded with Russia. Either that was a spectacular coincidence or the chief advisor for the Hillary Clinton campaign knew where tens of millions of dollars were being spent on that line of effort.

And I think the same question can be asked here. And it should because he is the current National Security Advisor of the President of the United States. The same question can be asked, did you, Jake Sullivan know that millions of dollars were being paid for the campaign, and you were the senior advisor to this law firm so they could go out and get an arrangement to access the White House servers?

Now, Jake Sullivan has paraphrased in the past in the media and also check out our interrogation of him in the deposition that he did not know what this millions of dollars was being spent on. I find that incredibly impossible to be the truth. And thats why I think that investigation is so important. So I encourage people to check out that interrogation and look at what Jake Sullivan has tweeted out in the past.

And if any of these things bore out to be true, then there is a serious question as to is this individual suited to be the number one National Security Advisor to the Commander-in-Chief?

Mr. Jekielek: As we finish up here, theres also this element of, in the response of Sussmanns legal team to this pleading, which is basically I think weve had quite enough information, thank you. At least thats my interpretation of it.

Mr. Patel: I guess its no surprise to you and me that the defense on Sussmann basically came out and said, hang on, pump the brakes, you, John Durham, because they filed a pleading just a couple days ago in response to John Durhams motion. And what theyre basically saying is we, the defense, disagree with the factual assertions you have made in your pleading. I think its a last-ditch effort by the defense counsel to reel in their basically attempt to neutralize John Durham in the past by forcing him to provide more discovery.

Its not going to succeed in my opinion. Its a factual assertion the defense doesnt have a right to come in and ask the judge to say, Judge, order the Department of Justice to say theyre wrong. Thats what trials are for. As we talked about earlier, I dont think John Durhams going to be alleging anything he hasnt already proven. And so what the defense is doing is trying to obtain a media narrative to personally attack John Durham. I just dont think thats going to work. But I also think it shows their poor judgment, as theyve done in the past, in terms of how their strategy is going to be in federal court.

So I dont think theyre going to win that motion. But also, I think youre going to see a few more motions like this from John Durham in the coming weeks. I dont think youll see indictments for another couple of months, but I also believe, as weve always said in the past, that these are coming probably around the summertime. But maybe hell give us a springtime gift.

Mr. Jekielek: So Kash, I think its time for our shout-out.

Mr. Patel: It is time for our shout-out. And Id like to take this opportunity to do a little different shout-out if I may. This weeks shout-out goes to the entire Russiagate team from the House Intel Committee. The six to eight of us that banded together in a basement for many, many months and sustained personal attacks to expose one of the biggest conspiracies ever perpetuated against a presidential candidate and then president. Your efforts have directly led us to this conversation that weve had today, led us to John Durham and the investigation hes conducting. And so thank you for being silent warriors alongside me in that effort. And we look forward to seeing everybody back next week on Kashs Corner.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

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In this image from video shown during former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial on Feb. 10, 2021, security footage shows then-Vice President Mike Pence being evacuated, as rioters breach the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Jan. 6, 2021. (Senate Television via AP)

Location of Harris, Pence on Jan. 6 Becomes Key Part of Efforts to Fight Prosecution

Pinpointing the whereabouts of Vice President Kamala Harris and former Vice President Mike Pence have become a key part of efforts by multiple Jan. 6 defendants in fighting against prosecution.

Harris was the vice president elect and Pence still the vice president when rioters entered the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Many charges say both Harris and Pence were inside the building when a defendant went into the Capitol or was on Capitol grounds. But the government is now admitting Harris left before the clock struck noon, well before the Capitol was breached. And fresh questions are being raised about where Pence went when Congress split up to consider objections to electoral votes before the breach.

Prosecutors have leveled the charge of entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds against over 200 defendants, asserting the charge was warranted because people did unlawfully and knowingly enter and remain in a restricted building and founds  where the vice president and vice president-elect were temporarily visiting, without lawful authority to do so.

Many defendants have pleaded guilty to the charge in exchange for others being dropped, with a subset being sentenced to time in prison.

In recent months, though, prosecutors have said they learned Harris was not actually inside. The reference to her has quietly disappeared in some superseding indictments, but not all.

When prosecutors left the reference in an indictment against defendant Nicholas Rodean, it drew a harsh response from the federal judge overseeing the matter. He asserted it suggests a certain lack of attention and care in the prosecution of this case.

On Feb. 17, for the first time, prosecutors went into more detail about the whereabouts of Harris on the fateful day.

A U.S. Secret Service (USSS) agent named Jason Jolly told the court in a sworn declaration that he was helping protect Harris and that she not only wasnt at the Capitol when it was breached, but she left in the morning.

Harris was planning to return in the afternoon but her travel to the Capitol was delayed when the Joint Session was interrupted by the riot, Jolly wrote. The joint session was not in place when people entered the building, having broken up for each chamber to vote on objections to Arizonas electoral votes.

Harris did not end up arriving back at the Capitol until approximately 7 p.m., according to Jolly.

Prosecutors included the declaration in a joint filing with lawyers for Guy Reffitt, who is scheduled to go on trial soon on multiple charges from Jan. 6.

Based on the declaration, the government moved to strike mention of Harris from the charge of entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds. But even without Harris, the indictment continues to state a viable offense that has been in the charging document since the date of its return by the grand jury, they wrote. Thats because the reference to Pence would remain.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris speaks in Wilmington, Del., on Jan. 7, 2021. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Pence, though, may not have been inside the Capitol when certain defendants entered, lawyers for another defendant said in a separate filing.

Couy Griffin, who has also pleaded not guilty to all charges against him and is due to go on trial in March, through his counsel recently asked the government whether it would make available to him a Secret Service agent with knowledge of Pences whereabouts on Jan. 6. Even if the government wont call such a witness, the defense will require their testimony, Griffins lawyers said.

In lieu of an agent testifying, the government was asked if it would confirm Pence was not inside the Capitol after 2:28 p.m. on the day of the breach.

The government would not agree to provide identification for a USSS witness with the relevant knowledge and would not agree to confirm Pence wasnt in the Capitol at that time, the filing stated.

After a block of redacted text, Griffin asked the court to order a subpoena to compel testimony from a witness.

The request came after prosecutors in the same case introduced a declaration from Sgt. Stephen James, a U.S. Capitol Police officer. James was not helping guard Pence but said he viewed surveillance footage from inside the Capitol and watched as Pence was ushered to a secure location within the Capitol complex, which includes both the Capitol building and the Capitol visitor center.

Pence arrived at the location at 2:28 p.m., about two minutes after leaving the Senate chamber, according to James. Pence left the secure location at about 6:29 p.m. to return to the chamber.

James said he spoke with colleagues who were with Pence who said the official, besides using a nearby restroom twice, stayed in the location the entire time.

Griffins lawyers said the declaration appears to bolster their case because Griffin didnt enter the building until at least three minutes after Pence arrived at the secure location. They said the declaration contained ambiguities, including not listing every building or location that is considered part of the complex.

To establish whether the government has proven its charge, the court must be permitted to hear testimony on whether the vice president was temporarily visiting the restricted building or grounds when Griffin allegedly entered either, they wrote.

Joseph McBride, an attorney representing some of the Jan. 6 defendants, told The Epoch Times that the entering or remaining charge was already dubious, and would collapse if neither Harris nor Pence were in the Capitol.

If it turns out that Pence wasnt even there that day, or was not there at the relevant time, then the whole thing truly falls apart, McBride said. Pay attention to it, because if it turns out that they lied about that, then it could be in fact the case that we have a whole bunch of people languishing in prison for over a year that should not have been there to begin with.
Lufthansa airplanes are seen at the Terminal 1 of the new Berlin-Brandenburg Airport 'Willy Brandt' in Schoenefeld near Berlin, on Oct. 29, 2020. (Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters)

Lufthansa to Suspend Flights to Kyiv, Odessa From Monday

FRANKFURTGermanys Lufthansa group is suspending flights to and from the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Odessa, a spokesperson said on Saturday amid growing fears of a possible Russian invasion.

The company, which owns Germanys flagship carrier as well as Eurowings, Swiss, Brussels, and Austrian Airlines, will conduct some last flights to those cities over the weekend before suspending flights from Monday until the end of the month, the spokesperson said.

It will continue to fly to the city of Lviv in western Ukraine where some countries have moved their embassies, the spokesperson said. Lufthansa is constantly monitoring the situation and will decide on further flights at a later date.

Lufthansa follows several other European airlines which have already canceled services to and from Ukraine.

Germanys foreign ministry earlier on Saturday told its nationals to leave the country.

By Hans Seidenstuecker
Main Street in the city of El Cajon, Calif., a community east of San Diego, is seen on Sept. 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Don Boomer)

Man Admits to Dragging, Seriously Injuring Police Officer With SUV

EL CAJON, Calif.A man pleaded guilty on Feb. 17 to felony charges for driving an SUV while an El Cajon police officer clung to the window, dragging the lawman about 200 yards and causing him serious injuries.

David Pangilinan, 42, faces nearly 10 years in prison when is sentenced for dragging Officer Nick Cirello on West Washington Avenue on Dec. 14, 2020. His co-defendant, 29-year-old Keani Flores, awaits trial.

At the defendants preliminary hearing, Deputy District Attorney Clayton Carr said the SUV was traveling around 70 mph when Cirello fell from the vehicle, sustaining injuries that included major head trauma, a brain bleed and broken bones.

Cirello was hospitalized for nearly a week, he testified at the hearing.

Cirello initially responded to the scene because the defendants were asleep in the SUV, which was parked in a residents driveway, according to preliminary hearing testimony.

Pangilinan, who was driving, was charged with speeding away while Cirello was speaking with the defendants. Flores is accused of removing Cirellos hands from the SUVs windowsill, causing him to fall from the vehicle.

The SUV, a rented Volkswagen Atlas, was found abandoned elsewhere in the city. According to testimony, the pair ditched the SUV near an El Cajon residents home, told the resident their car had broken down and asked him to call a cab for them.

Flores was arrested about a week later in Oakhurst, Madera County.

Pangilinan was at large for nearly a month until he was arrested at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles County.

Pangilinan pleaded guilty on Feb. 17 to all charges filed against him, including a count of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer.
It seemed a natural fit for the Carlisle area to be on the forefront of a new movement in education.

New ideas always seem to come from the frontier, said Kevin Wagner, a social studies teacher at Carlisle High School. The town was so rich in history to begin with.

In fall 2015, Wagner was a leader in the effort to organize events for 2016 to celebrate the 180th anniversary of Carlisle being the first chartered public school district in Pennsylvania.

For much of its early history, the town was on the edge of civilization as the seat of Cumberland County, a once vast territory that stretched to present-day Pittsburgh.

While the Free Public School Act of 1834 was opposed by boroughs in southern and south-eastern Pennsylvania, the idea of a level playing field in education found enough support locally to earn Carlisle such a distinction.

Prior to the act, only the wealthy and elite could afford to provide their children with a quality education. As early as the 1770s, progressive thinkers like Thomas Jefferson began to push for public education funded by taxes.

Many of the Founding Fathers thought of the general public as an unthinking mass that would reap the benefit of an organized school system, Wagner said. They would be well-educated voters who would then put in place the right people to make decisions for our country.

Jeffersons election as president in 1800 brought with it a rise of nationalism and the notion that public education seemed the next logical step as a great unifier of the country, Wagner said.

But the act faced opposition from aristocrats who thought that only well-born people should be entitled to a quality education. Meanwhile, German-speaking communities were worried children enrolled in free public schools may lose touch with their native language and culture.

The acts supporters included progressive thinkers among the Methodist and Presbyterian faiths who had a mindset for social justice, Wagner said. The movement found a local champion in James Hamilton Jr., a Carlisle native who graduated from Dickinson College in 1812 and was a trustee from 1824 to 1833.

Documents show that Hamilton was active in promoting the Free Public School Act and was a leader among the residents working to set up a local school system from spring 1835 to when the charter was granted in August 1836 and beyond into its formative years.

Hamilton was the author of the practical plans for carrying the law into effect in the borough of Carlisle, Wagner said. Specifically, Hamilton helped to establish the first curriculum, select the first textbooks, draft the first grading system and develop the first disciplinary code for the Carlisle district.

Aside from being an organizer and long-time school board member, Hamilton played a key role in the founding of the Hamilton Library Association, which later became the Cumberland County Historical Society.

Carlisle school district became Carlisle Area School District in 1954 when it merged with other systems adjoining the borough. Today, the district consists of the boroughs of Carlisle and Mount Holly Springs and the townships of Dickinson and North Middleton.

Email Joseph Cress at jcress@cumberlink.com.

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MI5 Director General Ken McCallum gives his annual threat update at MI5 headquarters in Thames House, London, on July 14, 2021. (Yui Mok/PA)

MI5 Boss: Foreign Agents Cant Be Punished Due to Outdated Laws

Its frustrating that British law currently doesnt criminalise being a covert foreign agent, the UKs spymaster said on Friday.

Ken McCallum, director-general of the Security Service, also known as MI5, said the agency is effectively operating with one hand behind our back on state threats.

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, the 47-year-old spy chief told the Daily Mail.

We dont havein my viewsufficient legal powers to deal with some of what we are now seeing, he said.

With state threats, we seek to do everything we can to make the UK resilient. But in many cases, we dont 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, McCallum said. 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.

Last month, MI5 took the unusual step of sending an alert to Parliament, warning that an individual named Christine Ching Kui Lee has been knowingly engaged in political interference activities on behalf of the United Front Work Department [UFWD] of the Chinese Communist Party [CCP].

The alert states that Lee had been facilitating financial donations to UK political parties and politicians and that anyone contacted by her should be mindful of her affiliation with the Chinese state and remit to advance the CCPs agenda in UK politics.

However, nothing could be done against Lee as her activities are under the criminal threshold, according to Home Secretary Priti Patel, who vowed to introduce new legislation to counter foreign interference.

While not wanting to frame the Wests relationship with Russia and the Chinese communist regime as a Cold War II, McCallum said its important that the UK is clear-eyed that its in a struggle.

We need to stand up for our values, for the benefits of the democratic way of life that we and our allies hold dear, he said.

McCallum said he doesnt see much sign of change in Russias and Chinas political systems, and said the two regimes pose very different threats to the UK.

While Russia brings bursts of bad weather, the Chinese regime is changing the climate, he saidan analogy previously used by Director K, MI5s head of hostile states counterintelligence.

One of the interesting things about the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party is that there isnt a 9/11 moment, a Litvinenko or Skripal case, he said.

Alexander Litvinenko, a defected ex-KGB officer, was fatally poisoned in London in 2006 with a rare radioactive substance, while former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia survived a Novichok poison attack in the English city of Salisbury in 2018. Both attacks were carried out by Russians.

We dont see the Chinese Communist Party or the Chinese intelligence services crossing a line of outrage, if you will. Instead, they have been and remain on an organised, conscious campaign to mould the rest of the world in ways that the Chinese Communist Party believes is in its interests.

Asked if Russian agents are also working in Parliament as Lee did, McCallum said he would be surprised if they werent making these attempts.

We have seen covert Russian activity on British soil since the Salisbury attack, he said. And as you might imagine, MI5 seeks to disrupt them, often at the earliest opportunity. There has not been a last-minute swoop.'
Lindsey Pearlman, 43, is seen in an image released by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). (Courtesy of LAPD)

Missing TV Actress Lindsey Pearlman Found Dead in Los Angeles: Police

An actress who disappeared in Los Angeles on Feb. 13 was found dead in her car on Friday five days after she had been reported missing, authorities said.

The body of Lindsey Pearlman, 43, who was known for roles in television series such as Empire and General Hospital, was found on Feb. 18 around 8:30 a.m. on Franklin and North Sierra Bonita Avenue, which is located south of Runyon Canyon Park, a popular hiking spot.

Hollywood Area officers responded to a radio call for a death investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said in a statement, Deadline reported.

The L.A. County Coroners Office has since confirmed the individual to be Lindsey Erin Pearlman, it added. Police have not provided additional details surrounding her death, saying the cause is being investigated by the coroner.

Vance Smith, the husband of the late actress, also confirmed the tragic news in a post on Instagram. He had pleaded with the public for help to find her after she didnt return home on Feb. 13.

The police found Lindsey. Shes gone. Im broken, Smith wrote in the post. I will share more later, but I wanted to thank  everyone for their love and efforts and ask you to respect the privacy of her family at this time.

Elaine Hendrix, a friend of Pearlman, paid tribute to her friend on Twitter.

Im deeply saddened & stunned to share that she was found deceased. Theres no further info to share at this time. Pls, send her friends & family love, she wrote.

The Chicago-bred actress was a graduate of the Second City Conservatory and had previously toured the world using her acting skills to address the difficult issue of sexual assault on college campuses and military installations, according to Pearlmans bio on IMBD.

Other notable works Pearlman was a part of include the television sitcoms American Housewife, The Ms. Pat Show, as well as the crime series Sneaky Pete and Chicago Justice.

Besides acting, she was also an activist for both humans and animals.

From NTD News
New York Wont Enforce COVID-19 Booster Mandate for Health Sector Over Staffing Concerns

New York on Friday rolled back on a Feb. 21 deadline that would require healthcare workers to get a COVID-19 booster shot or risk losing their jobs or salary, citing concerns about staffing shortages.

The reality is that not enough healthcare workers will be boosted by next weeks requirement, said Dr. Mary T. Bassett, the states health commissioner, adding that officials cannot immediately enforce the mandate because it could create substantial staffing issues.

That is why we are announcing additional efforts to work closely with healthcare facilities and ensure that our healthcare workforce is up to date on their doses, Bassett said.

The COVID-19 vaccine mandate will instead be reassessed in three months to see whether additional steps need to be taken to increase booster rates among the workforce, the New York State Department of Health said in a statement.

According to the latest data reported by state health facilities, about 75 percent of healthcare workers have received, or are willing to receive another dose.

The vaccine and booster are critical tools to keep both healthcare workers and their patients safe, and we continue to urge everyone to get vaccinated and receive a booster dose when eligible, Bassett said.

Health care industry leaders, including Greater New York Hospital Association President Kenneth Raske, had recently urged state officials to reassess the mandate, The Associated Press reported.

The state has recently heard from numerous stakeholders about how enforcement of the booster mandate could exacerbate New Yorks health care staffing shortage, which is the subject of a declared emergency, Raske said in a statement.

New Yorks decision to halt the COVID-19 booster shot mandate was also praised by other leaders as a smart move.

Three days were not going to be enough time to get enough boosted staff members to serve the residents and patients we have to serve, LeadingAge New York CEO Jim Clyne said.

An already existing mandate that requires health care workers to get vaccinated remains the same, with exemptions for those who have a medical reason for not being eligible to receive the shot.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced an expansion to its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers in January, adding booster shots to the list. New York became the first state nationwide to require the shots for the health sector.

From NTD News
Patients lie on hospital beds as they wait at a temporary holding area outside Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong on Feb.16, 2022. (Vincent Yu/AP Photo)

No-COVID Policy Drags on Hong Kong Economy as Cases Surge

HONG KONGHong Kongs Fung Shing Restaurant was bustling this week as customers came for one last taste of the traditional Cantonese dim sum that has made it famous.

With COVID-19 restrictions cutting too deeply into its bottom line, the restaurant will shut its doors for good on Sunday, another economic victim of the pandemic.

Many fear the worst is yet to come with Hong Kong experiencing its most severe outbreak, and fret the authorities determination to stick to the Chinese regimes zero-tolerance strategy may prevent it from recovering as a financial and travel hub.

The biggest risk of Hong Kong in 2022 is that it may be entering the path of basically, if not recession, at least a downward drag in economic growth again while the world begins to normalize,said Natixis senior economist Gary Ng.

Hong Kong has seen banks close branches and movie theaters have shut down. The streets of popular shopping and dining districts are lined with shops displaying for rent signs. Its international airport is nearly devoid of travelers.

A ban on onsite dining after 6 p.m., imposed last month, is depriving restaurants of critical dinner and banquet revenues.

People eat at a small restaurant in Hong Kong on Feb. 17, 2022. (Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images)

Daily new coronavirus cases exceeded 2,000 for the first time on Monday. On Friday, over 3,600 new local infections were reported.

Hospitals are becoming overwhelmed so the city is looking into converting hotels and even unoccupied public housing into quarantine areas. But it shows no sign of backing away from matching the Chinese regimes stringent policies.

As part of its zero-tolerance strategy, China has locked down entire cities, literally keeping people sequestered in their homes during extensive testing and contact tracing to quell outbreaks.

But Hong Kong lacks the resources for such a complete lockdown, which would halt virtually all economic activity in the city of about 7.5 million.

And people living in Hong Kong, which was handed over to Communist-ruled China in 1997, are used to greater freedoms than residents of the mainland. Lockdowns of single buildings or city blocks have raised vehement criticism.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam shows no sign of retreating from the zero-COVID stance, saying Thursday that fighting the pandemic is her paramount task and the city would not be distracted by other things.

On Friday, Lam announced she was postponing the citys election for chief executive for six weeks to May 8 due to public health risks it would pose at this stage in the pandemic. Its not yet clear if Lam will run for reelection.

To relieve some pressure on hospitals, officials now say some patients with mild symptoms will be able to leave hospitals after just seven dayshalf the current requirementif they test negative and are not living with any high-risk individuals.

At the current rate of spread of infections, new daily cases could rise to 28,000 by March, so its unclear that will be enough.

Patients lie on hospital beds as they wait at a temporary holding area outside Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong on Feb. 16, 2022. (Vincent Yu/AP Photo)

Customers at the Fung Shing Restaurant said they feel powerless.

I feel so helpless for this restaurant under the pandemic, said customer Mo Wan, a 78-year-old who has been a regular for the past decade. I have established a deep friendship with the staff members.

Up to 3,000 of Hong Kongs 17,000 restaurants could end up closing if current restrictions continue through March, said Michael Leung, chairman of the Association for Hong Kong Catering Services Management, which represents 800 restaurant owners.

Leung has temporarily shuttered his own restaurant, the Lucky Dragon Palace.

Its a sprawling establishment that would normally seat 1,000 before the pandemic. Leung hopes to hold on, paying the rent and saving on labor and utilities until he can reopen.

The pandemic is very serious, theres barely anyone on the street, he said. With fewer people going out, it means no business for restaurants. This fifth wave really impacts us terribly. Its really an ice age for the catering business.
Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, founder the Oath Keepersshown here at a 2017 rally will remain in federal custody until his July trial on seditious conspiracy and other charges, a judge has ruled. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo)

Oath Keepers Leader Rhodes Will Remain Jailed Until July Trial, DC Judge Rules

Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes III will remain jailed until his trial on seditious conspiracy and other charges stemming from Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol, a federal judge ruled on Feb. 18, because Rhodess release would pose a danger to the community.

District Judge Amit P. Mehta for the District of Columbia said the seriousness of the charges against Rhodes, the amount of planning involved in the alleged conspiracy, and the large cache of weapons transported to a staging area near the District of Columbia are aggravating factors that weigh in favor of continued detention.

I am convinced that there really are no combination of conditions that would ensure the safety of the community, Mehta said in rejecting Rhodes motion for reconsideration of the detention order. The hearing was a continuation of a proceeding that began Feb. 16 when Mehta said he wasnt yet prepared to rule on Rhodess request for pretrial release.

Magistrate Judge Kimberly Priest Johnson in Plano, Texas, ruled on Jan. 26 that Rhodes should be held in custody until trial.

Rhodes was arrested in January and charged along with 10 others with a conspiracy to bring a team of Oath Keepers to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 with the intention of breaching the building and preventing the counting of Electoral College votes by Congress. The plan allegedly included a quick reaction force (QRF) that could be mobilized from Virginia if called upon to support the operation, according to prosecutors.

Rhodes earlier pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Jessica Marie Watkins (Left) and Donovan Ray Crowl (Center), both from Ohio, march down the East front steps of the U.S. Capitol with the Oath Keepers group in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. (Reuters/Jim Bourg)

Mr. Rhodes is not being accused of just speech, Mehta said. He is being accused of taking actions, gathering people, planning, and preparing.  If anybody thinks this is about speech, they are mistaken. It is about speech and how that bears on Mr. Rhodes state of mind.

The judge cited the conscious planning with respect to the bringing of weapons to the outskirts of the District of Columbia, although they were not apparently used.

You Are Bringing an Arsenal

Whether those are characterized as lawful weapons or not, nevertheless you are bringing an arsenal on the outskirts of the District of Columbia, with the intention to use that arsenal if circumstances warranted, the judge said. That certainly enhances the danger that Mr. Rhodes presents, given that he was in charge of that operation.

Mehta said Rhodes is accused of making a series of statements directly after the 2020 presidential election that can be viewed as planning and preparation and intention to potentially use force on January 6th.

He refused to accept President Biden as the legitimate winner, saying, We arent getting through this without a civil war,' Mehta said. If former President Donald J. Trump were to invoke the Insurrection Act, Rhodes said the Oath Keepers would be prepared to support him with boots on the ground nationwide, Mehta said.

Rhodes was interviewed on Dec. 30 and said if Biden were to take office, We will have to do a bloody, massively bloody revolution against him,' according to Mehta.

An open letter posted online by Rhodes on Dec. 31 said that well have mission-critical gear right outside the District of Columbia, which I assume is a reference to the Quick Reaction Force, Mehta said, and we may have to quote, take up arms in defense of our God-given liberty.'

Mehta quoted from an online messenger discussion in which Rhodes allegedly said, Be prepared for a major letdown the sixth to the eighth and get ready to do it ourselves, and thats printed in all caps.

Mehta said he would consider a request from defense attorney Phillip Linder of Dallas to keep Rhodes housed in Oklahoma City. Linder said that arrangement would allow Rhodes to be ready for trial by the July 11 start date.

Prosecutor Kathryn Leigh Rakoczy said she had no objection, adding that the government would prefer that Rhodes not be housed with his co-defendants.

Mehta said he will make a final decision on Linders request after consulting with the U.S. Marshals Service.
Hundreds of parents and students gathered in front of the Chino Valley Unified School District to protest California's decision to keep mask mandate at K-12 schools on Feb. 15, 2022. (Linda Jiang/The Epoch Times)

Parents and Students Protest California Schools Extended Mask Mandate

LOS ANGELESMany parents lost patience when California lifted the indoor mask mandate for vaccinated individuals while delaying the decision for all K-12 students and teachers.

Hundreds of parents and students gathered in front of the Chino Valley Unified School District the morning of Feb. 15 to protest.

Its time for the kids to stand up for their rights and our parents to support our children in their right to choose whether they want to wear the mask or not, Kadie Kirkpatrick, mother of a student, told The Epoch Times.

She believes that the prolonged mask mandate only brings harm and not much benefit for the students.

They hate wearing masks. They do not want to go to school anymore. Everything is just sad and depressing at school, she said.

Hundreds of parents and students gathered in front of the Chino Valley Unified School District to protest Californias decision to keep mask mandate at K-12 schools, on Feb. 15, 2022. (Linda Jiang/The Epoch Times)

With new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations falling, California has decided to drop its indoor mask mandate beginning on Feb. 15, but students in the Golden State still cannot take off their masks at school. Kirkpatrick believes that it makes zero sense.

Since the pandemic started, theres just been so much emotional turmoil that the kids have gone through,  she lamented. When they see people at the Super Bowl, they see it everywhere except the kids at school wearing their mask, I think theyre not stupid.

Unmasked and Unvaccinated Students Excluded

Many students joined the protest, holding slogans such as End the Mandate, We Cant Breathe, and Freedom of Choice.

We dont want to wear masks eight hours a day, Elena Ochoa, an 11th grader at Chino High School, told The Epoch Times. We respect anyone who does and who has that decision, but we should be allowed to make that decision for ourselves.

Ochoa said she was excluded from certain school activities because of the mask and vaccine mandates. Some time ago, she was looking forward to a trip her school organized for everyone, but was only to be told that everyone has to show vaccination status to be able to go. That was unfair, she said.

Hundreds of parents and students gathered in front of the Chino Valley Unified School District to protest Californias decision to keep mask mandate at K-12 schools, on Feb. 15, 2022. (Linda Jiang/The Epoch Times)

Some other students at the rally revealed that wearing a mask put pressure and stress on them, but if they did not wear a mask, they would be subject to discrimination and verbal abuse.

Ive been kicked out of class and told that Im horrible for not wearing a mask. Im killing off people, said Kendall Hall, a student at Chino High School.

She was then isolated at a small dining table, but many students chose to sit together with her. The incident sparked anger and protests from many parents. However, the school authorities havent apologized once for it, according to Hall.

We need to get rid of the discrimination against masks in these mandates, she said, adding that students often need to get out and take off the mask to get some fresh air. Im not telling you to take your mask off. Im just saying please let it be a choice, she said.

Christina Gagnier, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District Governing Board, did not respond to The Epoch Times inquiry as of press time. Meanwhile, Andrew Cruz, the school boards vice president, responded clearly that the schools should let parents and students choose what they want.

There is NO LAW that requires the masking of our children, Cruz wrote.

In a follow-up phone conversation with The Epoch Times, Cruz said he felt frustrated that the school district failed to suitably address parents concerns, and he plans to raise the issue again at the next school district meeting.

Parents Support Childrens Right of Free Choice

Sonjia Shaw, chair of Parent Advocacy of Chino Valley USD, stated that her organization will help more parents submit written complaints to the school district and county government.

The next step, weve already been hitting our county and our state with the same kind of complaints, will continue to push, and the next step is to go after the teachers union for what theyre doing to our children, she told The Epoch Times.

At a press conference held on Feb. 14, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the state would wait until Feb. 28 to potentially change masking rules at schools.
Republican candidate for governor Bill McSwain holds a press conference to announce his plan to restore law and order as governor, in Northeast Philadelphia on Feb. 15, 2022. (William Huang/The Epoch Times)

Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Candidate Vows to Fight Crime in Philadelphia

Bill McSwain, a Republican gubernatorial candidate for Pennsylvania, announced on Feb. 15 his plans to fight crime in a press conference held in Northeast Philadelphia. He promised to restore law and order as governor and said the cause of high crime rates is due to lack of prosecution.

I am the law and order candidate for governor, McSwain said to the crowd, And I have a message for would-be criminals in this city: when I am governor, I am coming for you. You will either obey the law, or you will go to jailand you will stay there for a long time.

In 2021, Philadelphia recorded 559 homicides, the highest since the city began tracking the figure in 1960. Close to 2,000 others were shot and survived. Philadelphia has the highest violent crime rate of the ten American cities with a population greater than 1 million residents.

McSwain, a Marine veteran, served as a U.S. attorney under the Trump administration. His law and order plan to fight crime includes implementing bail reform with automatic pretrial detention for violent felonies; aggressively pursuing the death penalty for anyone convicted of killing a law enforcement officer; increasing funding for local law enforcement; hunting down violent criminals by any means necessary; and stopping sanctuary city policies and heroin injection sites.

McSwain told The Epoch Times that the high crime rate in Philadelphia is because of the lack of prosecution. He said, One of the things that Im going to do as governor, is I am going to change the state constitution so that the governor will appoint a district attorney in Philadelphia.

Before becoming an attorney, McSwain served as a scout/sniper platoon commander in the U.S. Marine Corps.

And McSwain says gun control isnt going to work: One of the things that I know as a prosecutor is that a small percentage of people commit the vast majority of crime. And those small percentage of people are already people who have felony convictions on their record. And so they are precluded from owning any firearms. So gun control isnt going to affect those people at all.

Several dozen supporters, local business leaders, and community members joined McSwains press conference to support his promise to restore Philadelphia to safety. Some of them shared that they are scared to live in Philadelphia nowadays.

Anne Marie Muldoon, the event host, has run her own business Avenue Chiropractic for 30 years and has seen a drastic increase in crime in the neighborhood. She told The Epoch Times, We have to close early at nighttime now, we have to lock our doors between clients, and we had to secure better security systems.

Anne Marie Muldoon, owner of Avenue Chiropractic in Northeast Philadelphia, hosted Bill McSwains press conference in front of her store on Feb. 15, 2022. (William Huang/The Epoch Times)

We had a patient who recently was just killed in a carjacking in a neighborhood that I grew up in. His funeral was in the church that I attended as a child for school. Ive known his mother for almost 30 years, Muldoon recalled about a recent victim of crime.

Another attendant, Jillian Gonzalez, a real estate agent, told The Epoch Times that she is scared to be out in the city showing houses with all the crime thats happening right now.

It makes everybody afraid. Were afraid to get out in the streets to do what we need to do. And me as a young woman, going out showing houses with clients, you have to be very careful, you have to watch everybody thats around you and keep an eye out, to make sure whether somebody is going to come and try to carjack you or kidnap you, or murder you or whatever.

She said that a lot of other businesses have the same feelingsafraid that somebodys going to come in and try to rob their stores or hurt them in some kind of way. Gonzalez emphasized, This is not the way of life that we should be living here in our city.

Carlos Vega, an attorney who had run for district attorney against Larry Krasner in the primary last May, came to support the law and order that McSwain proposed. Vega told The Epoch Times, The root cause of the crime rate in Philadelphia now is that the prosecutors office is not prosecuting violent crime appropriately and successfully. He said the government needs to successfully prosecute violent criminals and not let them back onto the streets.

About a dozen Republicans have announced their candidacy for Pennsylvania governor. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is the only Democrat running for governor.

Pennsylvanias current governor, Tom Wolf, a Democrat, was reelected in 2018 and is not allowed to run for reelection in 2022 due to term limits.
Pennsylvania Man Accused of Torture, Exporting Guns to Iraq

The following story contains descriptions of violence that may be disturbing to some readers.

The Department of Justice arrested a Pennsylvania man Thursday on torture charges for acts he allegedly committed in 2015 while working in Iraq. These new counts are in addition to a 2018 indictment that charges he illegally exported gun parts and tools from the United States to Iraq as part of a weapons project in Kurdistan, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the DOJs Criminal Division said Friday in a statement.

The accused, Ross Roggio, 53, owns a construction consulting firm: Roggio Consulting Company, LLC, in Stroudsburg.

Roggios company struck a business deal with Kurdish authorities in which he managed the construction of a weapons factory to produce weapons for Kurdish soldiers in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, the indictment says. As part of this arrangement, Kurdish soldiers were made available to Roggio.

An employee had concerns about the weapons project, and to prevent the employee from interfering with the project by exposing its existence to individuals outside of Kurdistan, and by revealing to Kurdish officials that Roggio did not have the ability to produce the weapons but was instead diverting their money for his personal use, Roggio had the employee abducted from his home in the Kurdistan region by armed Kurdish soldiers who put a bag over his head. The employee was held in a military compound for 39 days and tortured during multiple interrogation sessions led by Roggio, the indictment says.

During the interrogations, Roggio directed Kurdish soldiers to suffocate the employee 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 his fingers while applying pressure to the finger with a large cutting tool. The indictment also alleges that during one session Roggio wrapped his belt around the employees neck, yanked him off the ground, and suspended him in the air, causing him to lose consciousness.

The indictment said that under Roggios direction, some of his other employees were forced to watch some of the torture, intended to inflict severe pain on the victim. It is alleged that this was done to threaten and intimidate other employees by showing what might happen to them if they tried to interfere with the weapons project.

The grand jury investigating the case alleges the torture continued from around Oct. 14 to Nov. 21, 2015, and goes on to accuse Roggio Consulting Company in Stroudsburg of violating the Arms Export Control Act for exporting defense services and defense articles without a license. The indictment indicates that that it is unlikely a license would have been granted based on current U.S. laws.

The indictment says that from 2013 to 2017, Roggio and two unidentified co-conspirators bought and attempted to buy gun parts in the United States with the intent of sending them to Iraq where they would be used to make completed guns in a manufacturing facility Roggio constructed and operated.

Roggio is the second U.S. citizen to be charged with violating the torture statute that went into effect in 1994.

If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each of the torture charges as well as a maximum total statutory penalty of 705 years in prison for the remaining 37 counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the torture allegations and were joined in the investigation of the alleged arms export violations by the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, and Office of Export Enforcement.
Philippines, Like New Zealand, Rejects Burma in Trade Pact

MANILA, PhilippinesThe Philippines has followed New Zealands decision to reject the inclusion of Burma (also known as Myanmar) in the worlds largest free trade pact as international opposition to the military takeover that sparked violence and democratic setbacks in the Southeast Asian nation broadened into trade and diplomatic sanctions.

Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. told his Association of Southeast Asian Nations counterparts in a Thursday meeting in Cambodia that the Philippines will not accept Burmas instrument of ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, referring to the key document binding a country to the 15-nation free trade agreement, which went into effect on Jan. 1.

In Locsins speech released to journalists in Manila on Friday, he did not cite any reason for the Philippine decision and added he was ready to yield if that stance would get in the way of a collective position by the 10-nation regional bloc, which includes Burma.

Its not immediately clear if other countries under the RCEP, which includes all 10 ASEAN members, along with China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea, would also snub Burmas inclusion and eventually bar it from the massive trading bloc.

Burmas army wrested power from Aung San Suu Kyis elected government on Feb. 1, 2021, in a takeover that sparked widespread street protests and civil disobedience. About 1,500 civilians have been killed by security forces, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Suu Kyi, 76, remains in detention with other ousted officials and faces a raft of charges that human rights groups say are baseless.

Two Asian diplomats told The Associated Press this week that New Zealand notified other countries in the RCEP that it would not recognize Burmas papers allowing it to join the trade bloc because it opposes its military-led government.

New Zealand was among the Western nations that quickly opposed the takeover, suspending all military and high-level political contacts with Burma and calling on army leaders to immediately release all political leaders, and restore civilian rule. It also placed a travel ban on Burmas generals.

Locsin has been one of the most vocal in the region in calling for a dialogue to resolve the yearlong crisis in Burma, welcoming a plan for a special ASEAN envoy to travel to the crisis-wracked country next month to initiate a discussion among contending groups.

The dialogue must include all and not just a select few, most especially it must include Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, Locsin told fellow ministers. It should be a genuine dialogue and not a ventriloquist act.

The action taken by New Zealand and the Philippines underscores the growing fallout from the Burma crisis into the economic and diplomatic spheres.

ASEAN has increasingly been frustrated over Burmas noncompliance with a five-step agreement last year, including its refusal to allow the blocs envoy to meet Suu Kyi and other detained leaders to start a dialogue. The regional bloc has refused to recognize the military-led administration in Burma and has barred its military-appointed diplomats from attending its meetings since last year.

RCEP originally would have included about 3.6 billion people and encompassed about a third of world trade and global GDP. Although India dropped out before the deal was signed in November, it still covers more than 2 billion people and close to a third of all global trade and business activity.

The deal slashes tariffs on thousands of products, streamlining trade procedures and providing mutual advantages for member nations. Experts expect the deal to boost trade within the region by 2 percent, or $42 billion, and participating countries have expressed hope the initiative would help power their recoveries from the pandemic.

By Jim Gomez
File photo of an image on a placard in Melbourne, Australia, to call for end to Chinese Communist Party militarisation of South China Sea on Sept. 30, 2018. (Leigh Smith/Facebook)

Predatory Beijing Focusing on Australias Resources and Wealth: Former MI6 Boss

Beijing has set its predatory eyes on Australias wealth and land, the former head of British intelligence service MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, has warned.

Dearlove, who ran the spy agency from 1999 to 2004, said Australias untapped wealth and resources were very attractive to Beijing.

China is eyeing this continent in a very, I think, predatory fashion, Dearlove said on the One Decision podcast on Feb. 14. And [China] has paid, when we werent really paying attention ourselves, huge attention strategically and politically, to Australia.

What makes Australia so strategically significant, he said, was its geographic location, resource-rich lands, and also its valuable contribution to the western worlds intelligence capabilities via Australias expertise in monitoring and intercepting the communications of countries like China and Russia.

Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6, leaves the High Court after giving testimony in an inquest in London, UK, on Feb. 20, 2008. (Cate Gillon/Getty Images)

Dearlove said Australians were not solely reliant on U.S. intelligence services and had developed their own sophisticated intelligence service in the security community.

So its not just through geography, you know, they have become important contributors as their community has matured and developed, and are very important in the Indo-Pacific region as a whole, he said.

The comments from Dearlove came on the back of an interview with Australias former foreign minister, Julie Bishop, who noted that western countries had been wrong in their earlier assessments of the CCPs threat to the world.

When you think back to 2001 when China joined the World Trade Organisation, that was a milestone, but it was also a moment when I think, collectively, the Western liberal democracies believed that China was becoming like they were. That China was opening its markets and that therefore, opening its economy and that political reform would follow, Bishop said.

But all the while, China was becoming more and more economically powerful and less and less open, in the political sense. I mean, China was moving away from any democratic reform, not moving towards it, she said.

Bishop also called out the Beijing and Moscow for their lack of responsibility to the international community.

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop speaks during a press conference at the Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) at the Hoover Institution on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, on July 24, 2018,. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

I always find that ironic given that China is a permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations and has a particular responsibility, I believe, to uphold the international law and the norms and protocols from the United Nations. But nevertheless, they refuse, she said.

I used to make the point often to my counterparts in both China and Russia, that as permanent members of the UN Security Council, they have a particular responsibility to uphold peace, stability, and security around the world, and that means committing to and defending the rules-based international order. But it seems that, in both instances, both in the case of Russia and China, they pick and choose both parts that they seek to abide by.

Meanwhile, Dearlove praised the Morrison governments instincts in calling for an international inquiry into the origins of COVID-19, which he believes resulted from a gain of function experiment that went wrong.

I think its (Australias) instincts were right in demanding, you know, that there should be an international inquiry, but of course, they then paid a very high political price for that with the Chinese coming back and really trying to slap them down in a most disgraceful fashion, he said. It really took the gloves off in responding to the Australians and threatening them in a quite extraordinary way.

After the Morrison government called for an international inquiry, Beijing subjected Australia to a series of coercive measures, including placing embargoes on goods traded with China, including wine, beer, cotton, beef, honey, timber and lamb, as punishment for the inquiry.

The Chinese regime also gave a list of 14 grievances to an Australian newspaper which it said Australia would have to address before diplomatic relations could be normalised.

At the time of its release, Prime Minister Scott Morrison stated Australia makes its laws in accordance with its interests and values and not at the behest of any other nation.

Dearlove said he thought the Beijings wolf warrior diplomacy had wholly backfired on the communist regime.

I dont think that necessarily worked to Chinas advantage because it seems to me, its sort of forfeited, the manner in which in the past, it benefited from soft power, he said.
Like a wheel, thoughts of ownership had been turning around for years.

The mill has always been in the back of my mind, Randy Heishman said.

It began with stories he heard as a boy of his great-grandfather coming up from West Virginia in 1919 to settle in the rolling countryside between Carlisle and Newville.

With the move came a plan to install new equipment that turned the old mill into a thriving enterprise along the banks of the Conodoguinet Creek.

Though no longer active at producing flour, Heishmans Mill in West Pennsboro Township has a new claim to fame. The building at 1207 Creek Road has just been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

I always thought it would be a nice place to own, Heishman said of the mill. Buying and restoring old things fit perfectly within the picture.

Every picture requires a vision, a starting point to bring a focus. A history buff, Heishman had already completed a renovation of the Samuel Weakley Tavern in Penn Township, where he uncovered such hidden architectural features as the original beams, a door and a fireplace.

The combination of family ties and prior restoration experience made him the ideal steward for the mill property, Julia Chain, program director of Preservation Pennsylvania, said in May 2019.

The nonprofit organization had reached a sales agreement with Randy Heishman and the estate of Will Foshag, who had owned the mill since the 1950s and spent decades restoring the building.

A Cumberland County native, Heishman and his family have ancestral ties to the property, which dates from 1806 and was purchased in the 1920s by his great-grandfather Benjamin Franklin Heishman. That Heishman made extensive repairs to the structure transitioning its operation from a 19th-century gristmill to a roller mill. Prior to its purchase by Benjamin Heishman, the mill was operated by the Diller family.

The 2019 sales agreement included an easement that protects the property from future development and alterations that would negatively impact its historic nature. The recent listing on the National Register not only reinforces that level of protection, but increases its eligibility for preservation grants.

There were a lot of people involved, Randy Heishman said of the process to get the property listed. I just happen to be the owner. They deserve the accolades more than me.

He cited staff members of Preservation Pennsylvania, which focuses on historically and architecturally significant properties. The Cumberland County Historical Society had a role in helping Heishman prepare the application that provided detailed documentation on the history of the mill property.

Being elevated to the national register increases the significance of the property, said David Smith, interim Historical Society executive director. Its a much more difficult process.

For years, Heishmans Mill has been listed on the Cumberland County Register of Historic Places, which includes buildings, structures, districts and sites that possess sufficient local significance in history, architecture or culture.

There are two reasons Heishmans Mill was deemed eligible for placement on the national register, Smith said. One, its exterior is exactly what a mill looked like in the early 20th century.

The outside is completely redone, Heishman said. We looked at an old picture and followed it to a T and restored the mill to what it looked like in 1919.

One of the more unique features of the mill is that it still has the original milling equipment in place in the interior, Smith said. Most of the few surviving mill structures in the county lack milling equipment.

As part of his vision for the property, Heishman wants to restore this equipment to working order. That will be a challenge because of the many moving parts that span four stories.

Everything has to line up to work as one unit, Heishman said. All of it has to work in respect to each other. It hasnt been operational since 1947.

At one point, his great-grandfather Benjamin built a two-story office addition to the mill. Since taking over ownership, Randy Heishman has converted the first floor into a meeting room and lounge area. He has plans to remodel the second floor into an education center that small groups could use to teach such courses as aquatic plants along the creek or how mills operated in a bygone era.

In addition, Heishman is working with others in an effort to open the west end of the Conodoguinet Creek as a navigable waterway for tourists. Its not open now because of the dam at the mill, he said.

Current water maps start around Middlesex Township and go downstream to the Susquehanna River, Heishman said. "None of them go upstream. Im hoping that if we can do that, one of the portages out of the creek would be right there at the mill. Were really trying hard to make that a destination area.

Email Joseph Cress at jcress@cumberlink.com.

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Members of the New Black Panthers stand with signs calling for a maximum sentence for former Brooklyn Center Police Officer Kim Potter, in Minneapolis, Minn., on Feb. 18, 2022. (Nicole Neri/AP Photo)

Protest, Looting in Minnesota After Sentencing of Ex-Officer in Duante Wright Case

Protesters in Minneapolis on Friday called for harsher punishment for former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter, who was sentenced to two years behind bars in the shooting death of Duante Wright, and while the demonstrations were peaceful, police confirmed several looting incidents later in the day and looters in the area.

Potter was convicted of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 2021 killing of Wright, and on Friday was sentenced by Judge Regina Chu to two years in prison.

While the state recommended Potter receive a seven-year sentence, Chu argued that this was a case of acop who made a tragic mistake in drawing her firearm instead of a Taser during a chaotic traffic stop and that Potter had expressed remorse.

In this screen grab from video, former Brooklyn Center Police Officer Kim Potter speaks during a sentencing hearing at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn., on Feb. 18, 2022. (Court TV via AP, Pool)

Wrights family called Chus decision to issue a two-year sentence a slap in the face, according to WCCO-TV of Minneapolis.

Potter apologized to Wrights family, then spoke directly to his mother, saying, Katie, I understand a mothers love. Im sorry I broke your heart.  my heart is broken and devastated for all of you.

Wrights mother said after the sentencing that Potter murdered my son, adding, today the justice system murdered him all over again. according to The Associated Press.

She later joined a group of around 100 protesters chanting and shouting outside a condominium complex in downtown Minneapolis, where they believed the judge lived.

Katie Bryant, Daunte Wrights mother, is surrounded by community members and activists in Minneapolis, Minn., on Feb. 18, 2022. (Nicole Neri/AP Photo)

Video from the scene shared by Adam Duxter, a reporter for WCCO-TV, showed people chanting, no good judge in a racist system!

While the protests were peaceful, police confirmed that, at around 8:30 p.m. later that day, looters had targeted a beauty supply store, according to WCCO-TV.

This Icon Beauty Supply store was partially looted within the last hour here in Brooklyn Center. Owners called for help and it is now being boarded up, said independent reporter Rebecca Brannon in a post on Twitter, in which she shared a video showing the aftermath of the incident, with signs of forced entry and broken glass littering the ground outside, and items strewn on the floor inside the damaged business.

Police told WCCO-TV that there were also reports of looters in the area.

The CrimeWatchMpls account said on Twitter: Report of multiple people breaking into Burlington Coat Factory 21xx E Lake St. Police arriving, saying a bunch of people are taking off, with the message bearing a 10:16 p.m. timestamp.

In a separate post, CrimeWatchMpls cited police as saying that security personnel at an East Lake St. business said looters were shooting into the air, with the account adding it had received information from security at another business on East Lake St. who had to draw their guns on a group of looters.

The CrimeWatchMpls account later cited Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher saying that a Boost Mobile store had been burglarized and that there were people out scouting the area for looting opportunities, checking for police, and notifying people on a number of live feeds that there was no law enforcement around.

Independent reporter Andy Ngo shared Brannons video in a Twitter post, adding the comment: People on social media had earlier called for looting and rioting as revenge for Kim Potters two-year sentence.
Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) (C) thanks House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) (R), after she announced he will take over as head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) (L) during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, on Nov. 17, 2014. (AP Photo)

Sen. Lujan Returns to Washington After Stroke

Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) has returned to Washington after a stroke left him incapacitated and left Democrats slim majority in peril.

The 49-year-old senator suffered from a stroke a few weeks ago, leaving Democrats shuffling to rearrange items on the legislative calendar to ensure their success. In the evenly-divided Senate, where Democrats the slimmest-possible majority with 50 seats plus the vice presidents tie-breaking vote, Lujans absence left Republicans with a slight majority.

Now, Lujan has returned to the capital, though he has not yet returned to the Senate floor.

Through the love and support from my family, medical team, and New Mexicans, Im getting stronger each day in D.C. where Im completing my recovery, Lujan said on Thursday on Twitter. Im thankful for the well wishes from folks across the country. Im back at work and will return to the Senate floor soon.

During Lujans absence, Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) tried to mount an effort to defund vaccine mandates and prohibit vaccine mandates for school children through amendments to a federal spending bill. Proponents of the measures asked all 50 Republican senators to stay for the vote, which would have been successful given Republicans temporary majority if all Republicans agreed.

However, Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) did not remain for the vote, giving Democrats an edge to defeat the amendments.

The funding bill itself passed in a bipartisan vote in order to avoid a looming government shutdown.

Once Lujan returns, Democrats are likely to move forward with a vote on the controversial COMPETES Act, a bill nominally designed to increase U.S. competitiveness with China that the House passed in a 222210 vote at the beginning of February.

But the bill would also allow for the importation of thousands of new refugees and economic immigrants even as the country is dealing with unprecedented levels of illegal immigration.

House Republicans unanimously opposed the measure with the exception of Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), who caucuses with Republicans despite having been officially censured by the Republican National Committee. Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.) defected from the Democrats caucus to oppose the bill.

The vote indicates that Republicans are largely opposed to the bill as it stands.

If Democrats cant win the support of ten Senate Republicans to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold, Lujans return would have little impact on the bills success. Still, it is likely that the bill will be considered once Lujan returns to Capitol Hill.

Democrats were especially concerned over the fate of President Joe Bidens Supreme Court nominee, who will replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.

Since Supreme Court confirmation battles have become increasingly partisan in recent years, and because Republicans like GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) have vowed resistance to a nominee whos too far to the left, Democrats have been prepared for a party-line confirmation vote.

Without Lujans vote, confirming Bidens nominee likely would be far more difficult.

On Feb. 13, Lujan assuaged his partys fears on this front in a video released to Twitter in which he said that he would return in time for the Supreme Court battle.

Lujan said at the time, I will be back on the floor of the United States Senate in just a few short weeks to vote on important legislation and to consider a Supreme Court nominee. Now, rest assured, New Mexicans can know they will have a voice and a vote during this process. That has never changed.

The White House has not yet announced who the nominee will be, but Biden has said he will stand by a campaign promise to nominate a black woman to the Supreme Court.

With Lujans return, Republicans have little hope of stopping a nominee who they consider too radical.

Under President Donald Trump, Republicans changed Senate rules to lower the filibuster threshold for Supreme Court nominees from its previous 60-vote threshold to a simple majority of 51 votes. Though the change was necessary to advance all three of Trumps nomineeswho faced nearly-unanimous opposition from Democratsit leaves the majority party in almost complete control of the confirmation process.

With their majority again secured, Democrats remain solidly in control of the Senate.
A Ukrainian serviceman watches pro-Russian separatist positions near the village of Svitlodarsk, Ukraine, on Feb. 14, 2022. (Manu Brabo/Getty Images)

Senior Ukrainian Military Officials Come Under Shelling While Touring Conflict Zone: Report

Top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack while touring the line dividing government forces and separatists in eastern Ukraine, according to an Associated Press journalist who was on the tour.

The shelling prompted the military officials to seek refuge in a bomb shelter before leaving the area, according to the report.

The Epoch Times has been unable to independently verify the report.

Incidents of shelling along the front line in the conflict zone increased sharply this week, with the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) announcing on Friday it had observed a dramatic increase in kinetic activity along the contact line in eastern Ukraine.

Members of the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination (JCCC), on ceasefire of the demarcation line, take forensic photos of damage to a house from an artillery shell that landed in Vrubivka, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, on Feb. 17, 2022. (Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo)

In its most recent daily incident report, issued on Feb. 18, the SMM recorded a total of 870 ceasefire violations in the separatist-controlled Donetsk and Luhansk regions, up from 591 the day before.

The Ukrainian military said a soldier was killed in shelling by pro-Russian separatists on Saturday morning in eastern Ukraine.

Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces have been trading accusations that each had fired across the ceasefire line in eastern Ukraine, raising alarm at a time when Western countries have warned that a Russian invasion could come any day now.

Russian marines take position during Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, in a photo provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Feb. 19, 2022. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Ukraine and its Western allies have repeatedly said in recent weeks that they believe the Kremlin could use an incident in the separatist conflict as an excuse for an invasion. Russia, for its part, has accused Kyiv of trying to provoke an escalation in a bid to recapture rebel territory by force.

Russian state media have claimed that two freshly exploded shells were found in Russias region of Rostov about a mile from the border with Ukraine, suggesting that Ukrainian forces had shelled Russian territory.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba denied the claim in a post on Twitter: We resolutely refute all accusations of any alleged Ukrainian shells falling on the Russian territory. Ukraine has never opened any such fire. We call for an immediate and impartial international investigation of the incidents reported by Russian media.

Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba speaks with journalists as he arrives for a round table meeting of the Eastern Partnership at the European Council building in Brussels, on Nov. 15, 2021. (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP Photo)

Officials from the breakaway self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine have claimed that Ukrainian armed forces used heavy artillery to bombard parts of the territory, including civilian infrastructure, according to Tass.

Ukrainian forces continue the shelling of civilian infrastructure and terrorizing the peaceful population of our republic, said Eduard Basurin, the deputy head of the DPR militia, Tass reported.

Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine said on Friday they planned to evacuate civilians to Russia and ordered a general military mobilization, calling on local militia and military units to be in full battle readiness.

A senior Russian lawmaker said on Saturday that Moscow will defend Russian citizens and compatriots in the contested regions of Donetsk and Luhansk if danger arises to their lives, though he insisted that Russia doesnt want war.

Western leaders have been skeptical about repeated statements by Russia that it isnt planning to invade Ukraine.

President Joe Biden said on Friday that U.S. intelligence officials believe Russia will invade Ukraine in the coming days and will target the countrys capital, Kyiv.

Biden added that as of this moment Im convinced [Putin]s made the decision to invade Ukraine.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin backed up Bidens claim in an interview with ABC News. Asked about the potential for a Russian invasion, Austin replied: I dont believe its a bluff.
Angelia Wang is iconic. Despite the fact that society at large has long had little working knowledge of the intricacies of classical Chinese dance, within the first decade of New York-based Shen Yun Performing Artss creation, Shen Yun became a household name. And Wang, having been with the classical Chinese dance company since 2008, was one of its first recognizable faces.

If youve seen a Shen Yun advertisement before, theres a good chance youve seen Angelia Wang.

But she doesnt associate her career with stardom. Instead, when speaking about Shen Yun, Wang always expresses sincere, heartfelt gratitude. Shes grateful that this American company has given her the opportunity to use her art and talent to express her faith and share a positive message with the world, something she would never have been able to do in communist China.

I was born in Xian, the historic capital of six dynasties, Wang said in a Shen Yun Creations video. Its the city of the Terracotta Warriors, and the start of the Silk Road. Its a city that houses some of Chinas remaining iconic pagodas, a place where even every bus stop carries a name with history.

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato taught that human art is an imitation of divine forms. If you look at the ancient aesthetics [and architecture] of the East and West, theyre about symmetry; theyre bright, grand, and clean, she said. As Shen Yun performers, we have a universal understanding of beauty, movements that are grand and long.

After some 1,400 performances with Shen Yun, Wang knows exactly what it takes to be a Shen Yun dancer.

Letting Go of Ego

Each Shen Yun performance includes over a dozen dances, a number of which prominently feature props. One year, there was a dance where the female dancers used octagonal handkerchiefs throughout, spinning and tossing them into the air. As a principal dancer, Wang had to perform a feat that included throwing a spinning handkerchief forward and up, performing a front walkover, and catching the quickly returning handkerchief as it fell. It was a difficult technique, and sapped her confidence.

Every time, while waiting in the wings to go on stage, I would tell myself, dont be nervous, OK? She would psych herself up in the wings, tuning out everything around her.

I remember when I first started to dance, I only thought about myself.

Then, one night, she set down the handkerchief as she waited in the wings, and only then did she notice that she was surrounded by people who were cheering her on.

Before that, I had never even realized, she said. There were people in the wings next to me, saying Angelia, go get em! Then I looked across the stage to the other side and saw everyone dancing around and cheering me on, as if to say, Angelia, go get em! No problem, youve got this!

At that moment, I feltIm not the only one dancing. Im not the only one performing, everyone is performing together, so why think so highly of myself?

The realization washed her nerves away, and that performance was unlike all the previous ones.

I remember that day; when I threw my handkerchief, it felt like it wasnt me who threw it, she said. Usually, after finishing the walkover, Wang would frantically be searching for the returning handkerchief, in a rush to catch it in time. This time, as she finished the move, the handkerchief drifted over to land right in her open, waiting hand. Wang wondered, was it the energy of everyone coming together that was supporting it?

At that moment, I suddenly felt [that] when I let my ego go, I gained something greater.

When we dance, we talk about the breath, and see if were breathing together, whether the flow is together. And when everyone gets to their pose at the same time, it feels like time stands still. Then you start to feel each dancer breathing with the music. Its a subtle feeling, one that feels like something slowly flowing out from a crevice.

No matter how many people are on stage, whether it be a dozen or 20, when everyone is mindful of each other, you can feel it. It feels like everyone is together. I feel like this is the special teamwork of a group that has been together for a long time.

Shen Yun dancer Angelia Wang. (Shen Yun Performing Arts)

Feminine Beauty

A womans beauty has a gentle, reserved side as well as a majestic side, bright and charming, she said.

As a longstanding principal dancer of Shen Yun, Wang has had the opportunity to play many of the major female historical figures of ancient China.

A recent and memorable role was that of Wang Baochuan, a Penelope-like figure from the story of Han Yao, incidentally set in the dancers hometown of Xian.

Han Yao is a love story from the Tang Dynasty. Its about a lady who stood by her promise for 18 years, while she waited for her husband to come home from war, she said. The story-based dance that Wang was performing included the character meeting her betrothed for the first time, the happy marriage, the tragic moment of parting, the 18 years of anguish, and the long-awaited reunion.

It was a role that put her acting skills through the paces.

The choreographer said, When you hear the music at these points, I want you to be moved to tears. Put in more effort in this regard,' Wang said. She used regular dance classes as an opportunity to work out her characters emotions, imagining scenes from her story when she heard different music during class.

Should I portray her timidity when she first meets her husband Xue Rengui? Or when her eyes would light up when hes around? Her anguish, waiting for 18 years? Or when she gave in to despair when her parents arrived? she said. Once I have worked with the idea inside myself, I can bring it out through movement and expression.

What Wang wanted to convey to the audience was the traditional virtue that Wang Baochuan possessed.

When her husband decides to fight in the war, she is really reluctant to let him go, Wang said. Despite her reluctance, she packs his things to hand to him as she sees him off and bids him farewell.

She wants to look back, to reach out, to call out his name, but she tells herself I cant, because she knows that her husband, too, is reluctant to leave.

Only when he is a good distance away does she turn to look at him, she said. This is a particularly traditional trait, she added, enduring without complaint.

Wang explained the characters motivations, something she wouldnt have picked up on if not for her realization of her ego early in her career.

Her decision was also based on a sense of obligation to her country. For the sake of a more important cause, she was able to think less about herself, she said.

If she hadnt been mature and resolute in her decision, the Tang Dynasty mightve lost a famous general and the country would have lost a pillar of state. Her story is one that those of us living in modern times can still learn from, Wang noted.

When you overemphasize your own importance, and you want more from the people around you, yet you dont get what you want, then you feel resentful, you feel society is unjust, life is unsatisfying, and so on.

But when you dont put yourself first, and dont emphasize your own importance, you even consider a smile you receive from others to be a huge blessing, you feel gratified. Thats why the ancient Chinese said, To know contentment is to be happy.

Shen Yun wants to portray what these moral values were like and what universal principles were like, to inspire goodness in people. I think everyone has goodness in them, everyone has a side that is divinely connected.

One of Wangs teachers and mentors hopes that when people in the future remember Angelia as a dancer, they will remember her not just as someone who dances well, but also as a person with good character.

To learn art, you must first learn to become a good person, Wang said. How your moral character really is will show itself on stage.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
Illegal immigrants who have gathered by the border wall board a bus going to to the Border Patrol station for processing in Yuma, Ariz., on Dec. 10, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Supreme Court to Hear Biden Administrations Appeal Over Remain in Mexico

The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to hear the Biden administrations appeal over a Trump-era immigration policy that requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico until their case is heard, instead of being allowed to await their hearings in the United States.

Lower court rulings had forced the administration to reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy, officially called the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), that was implemented under the Trump administration in 2019.

Mark Morgan, who was acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection at the time, told The Epoch Times that the MPP was the most significant game-changer and largely responsible for a 75 percent drop in illegal crossings.

Arguments will take place in April. A decision is expected by late June.

President Joe Biden had suspended the MPP on his first day in office in January 2021 and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officially terminated it in June. But the administration restarted the policy in early December 2021, in El Paso, Texas, after it was ordered by a lower court to do so.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk had ruled on Aug. 14, 2021, that the Biden administration had to revive the program, after Texas and Missouri sued the administration for having ended the MPP, saying that the decision worsened conditions at the border.

The Supreme Court had declined to intervene on Aug. 24 after the Biden administration filed an emergency motion requesting a stay of Kacsmaryks order.

Despite the court order, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tried to end the program again in October 2021 via a new memorandum. He argued that while the policy likely contributed to reduced migratory flows, it did so by imposing substantial and unjustifiable human costs on the individuals who were exposed to harm while waiting in Mexico.

An appeals court upheld the judges ruling, finding that the Biden administration erred in ending the program.

In December 2021, the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to hear the case, arguing that the appeals courts decision was made in error.

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) on Feb. 16 sought an opinion from the Government Accountability Office on whether Mayorkass memo is subject to the Congressional Review Act, which would mean that Congress could overrule the Biden administrations move to end the policy.
People queue to be swabbed for a nucleic acid test for COVID-19 in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China, on Feb. 16, 2022. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Suzhou Students Outraged After Their Apartments Are Converted to Quarantine Sites

Because of a recent Covid surge in Suzhou, an economic hub west of Shanghai, the local authorities expropriated campus apartments so they could be used as quarantine facilities. However, the authorities failed to notify the tenantsstudents who were shocked that their personal belongings were removed without their consent.

With schools scheduled to open on Feb. 21, many students had returned to campus. The violent evictions angered the students who were already settled in. The students lashed out on Chinese social media, Weibo and Baidu.

On Feb. 15, Suzhou Industrial Park Disease and Prevention Center chose three apartment complexes from the Parks property management to turn into quarantine facilities.

On the afternoon of Feb. 15, the management quickly packed up and emptied the apartment buildings especially the ones designated for students.

Student complaints of the forced eviction emerged as a hot topic on Weibo by 9 p.m. that night.

The students expressed disbelief at how the relevant authorities had trampled their rights.

Many comments questioned how their personal belongings could be at anyones disposal without explanation or prior notification.

More posts revealed that the apartments werent college dorms and the students had leases to rent them. But the apartments were hurriedly cleaned out and the contents placed in large cardboard boxes and trash bags.

One student complained that there were many other apartments that were vacant and there is a hotel in the Park, Why use our rentals, the ones that are fully occupied by students? This is intruding on private homes! the student wrote.

Chinese students wearing safety masks wait to board a train after the Chinese New Year break in Beijing on Jan. 31, 2020. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

A post said, We support pandemic prevention, but cant accept this disrespectful behavior. This breaking in and removing our stuffis it any different from robbery?

At 3 a.m. on Feb. 16, students finally received an email from the university explaining that local governmental decisions were made due to urgent needs during the pandemic, referring to another decision the prevention center made at 1 a.m. to abort seizing the apartments.

One student responded, Empty two buildings in one evening, you can imagine the speed! Rough packing! The school email was only sent after its [the incident] exposed. Tough decision? How so? I cant understand the logic.

Another student wrote: Its so upsetting! It hurts just to think that your belongings are disposed of at their free will. Cant sleep at all. Our stuff was thrown away without our permission? Did you ask us? In a large garbage bag? What is this? A robbery!

Less than a month ago, students from two different colleges in Tianjin, a city in northern China, received similar treatmenttheir belongings were thrown out in trash bags when dorms were used as quarantine sites during the winter break.

When only one Tianjin college apologized, and the other seemed to not care about what happened, the students just wanted to know where their stuff was.

In Suzhou, although the property management office issued an apology to the students on Feb. 16, a student said, It was only issued because there are international students living in the apartments  who reported it [the incident] to their embassies; thats why the expropriation was stopped. Just read the announcement, is it really an apology?

People posted sympathetic comments responding to the students posts.

One person wrote, A taste of the iron fist of socialism for the young students!

Another post said, Everyone should recognize the rogue nature of the Chinese Communist Party.

Mary Hong contributed to this report.
Trudeaus Invocation of Emergencies Act Could Have Long-Term Consequences for Canadians: Legal Experts

A group of legal experts say the invocation of the Emergencies Act by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could have serious consequences for Canadians, not just presently but for generations to come.

If this invocation of the Emergencies Act is valid, then governments have the power to declare emergencies and crush any peaceful protest, any dissent, that threatens their political fortunes and ideology, and thats not the kind of country we want to live in, Bruce Pardy, law professor and executive director of Rights Probe, said at a press conference on Feb. 17.

Freedom Convoy Feb.17, 2022 Press Conference | IrnieracingNews  YouTube https://t.co/cT9TKVIC7S  Bruce Pardy (@PardyBruce) February 18, 2022

On Feb. 14, Trudeau became the first prime minister to invoke the Emergencies Act, using it as a means to quash the protests against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions by truckers and their supporters.

While the act came into effect as soon as the government presented it, the motion must be approved by both the House of Commons and Senate within seven days. If the motion receives majority votes, the act will be in effect for 30 days. If the motion is defeated, the act will be rescinded immediately. Voting on the motion will happen on Feb. 21.

During the House of Commons debates on Feb. 17, the Trudeau government framed its defence of invoking the Act mainly on the need to clear border blockades that were already over, as the opposition pressed for evidence to justify the measure as a last resort.

The blockades and occupations are illegal. Theyre a threat to our economy and relationship with trading partners, said Trudeau, while acknowledging that the border blockades had already cleared.

It is high time that these illegal and dangerous activities stop, including here in Ottawa.

Pardy questioned the validity of the invocation of the act. He cited the example of Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, who was asked by a reporter during a press conference on Feb. 17 whether the government received intelligence that weapons were going to arrive in Ottawa, which the minister had been insinuating for days.

I am not saying that there is an intelligence saying there are weapons in Ottawa, Mendicino said. There are public reports showing that there are indications that there [are] extremist ideological positions and there is a link between the blockades.

And there is a similarity in the rhetoric emerging in social media and elsewhere, he added.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino rises during question period in Ottawa on Dec. 9, 2021. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Pardy argued what Mendicino meant was that the basis for the governments actions was rhetoric.

Rhetoricit was speech, it was the expression of an ideological position. Now, just for a moment, consider the implications. This is a government that has invoked an emergency statute on its own admission on the basis of something that somebody has said, Pardy said.

They have no actual violence occurring. They have no intelligence about threats of violence occurring. Im sure you can work out what the consequences are if this is to be considered a proper use of the Emergencies Act.

Pardy said the Emergencies Act does provide a framework for the government to invoke it, but only if the requirements stated in the statute are met. Otherwise, nothing else is valid.

In other words, the government cannot act in this way unless it has statutory authority, he said.

He said the act listed four kinds of emergencies: public welfare, public order, international emergency, and war. Of these, the Trudeau government invoked a Public Order Emergency based on the proclamation they issued on Feb. 15.

A Public Order Emergency is defined by the act as an emergency that arises from threats to the security of Canada and that is so serious as to be a national emergency.

A national emergency, in turn, is defined as an urgent and critical situation of a temporary nature that (a) seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians and is of such proportions or nature as to exceed the capacity or authority of a province to deal with it, or (b) seriously threatens the ability of the Government of Canada to preserve the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Canada.

And the final bit of the definition is, and that cannot be effectively dealt with under any other law of Canada, Pardy quoted from the Act.

Keep this in mind. There has not been any violence in Ottawa from the convoy, he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rises during Question Period in Ottawa on Feb. 15, 2022. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

The law professor cautioned on how the political realm in Canada is changing, particularly with how language has been redefined by ideological proponents to suit their political needs.

Freedom now means, apparently, safety. The rule of law means governments taking control of things for proper outcomes, he said.

Violence can now mean words. Honking has been called violence, and they now are taking that literally.

Pardy said it is the motivation to protect the new definitions from opposing voices that an emergency arises.

They have said theyre proceeding against violence, and what do they have? They have words, they have rhetoric, they have an expression of a political position. And it is that rhetoric, it is that political position that they are afraid of, and that constitutes the emergency, he said.

In a way it does. It does constitute an emergency for themnot within the meaning of the Emergencies Act. That does not meet that threshold. But in political terms, you can kind of see how this might be seen by them as an emergency.

Cecil Lyon, a dispute resolution legal expert from Ontario, said the federal governments sledgehammer approach is an egregious example of the government losing its way and not looking at how you should resolve a dispute.

Canadians are, by and large, law-abiding citizens. So where you have a government that so overreaches that it brings in the most extraordinary piece of legislation in its arsenal, it has no other weapons in its quiver, no other arrows. This is it, Lyon said during the press conference.

While Lyon acknowledged that Ottawa residents have been inconvenienced by the trucks honking, it is part of living in a society like Canada.

Unfortunately, one of the prices you have to pay to live in a free and democratic society is putting up with things that you dont agree with, he said.

Lyon added that there are better ways to resolve the situation, but the government has failed in its obligation to engage with the truckers.

I commend the truckers. I dont agree with everything that they say, but I dont have to. I can certainly stand here and defend the right to say it and to protest, and when my government overreacts, to say government, youre wrong and you need to back down.

David Anber, a criminal lawyer from Ottawa, noted there isnt much scrutiny by legacy media on Trudeaus invocation of the Emergencies Act.

Many people in the media are saying nothing about it, he said.

It used to be that the medias role was to hold the government to account for the benefit of the people. But what weve been seeing in the last few days is [that] many in the legacy media [are] trying to hold people to account for the benefit of the government.

Thats just not acceptable.

Noe Chartier contributed to this report.

Isaac Teo Follow Isaac Teo is an Epoch Times reporter based in Toronto.
Snipers take part in military exercises at a firing ground of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Jan. 17, 2022. (Anna Kudriavtseva/Reuters)

Ukraine Separatist Leader Warns Region Is on Brink of Large-Scale War

Tensions in Ukraine ratcheted up a notch Friday as the pro-Russian separatist leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraines conflicted Donbass region said the situation there was nearing large-scale war, adding he had ordered a general military mobilization and evacuation of civilians.

DPR head Denis Pushilin told the state-owned Russian-language news channel Rossiya-24 on Friday that he believes war is about to break out in Donbass, according to Russian news agency Tass.

Regrettably, yes, Pushilin said when asked if he believes the situation in the region is heading for large-scale war.

Russian marines take position during Russia-Belarus military drills at the Obuz-Lesnovsky training ground in Belarus, in a photo provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Feb. 19, 2022. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Pushilin, along with the head of the self-proclaimed Lugansk Peoples Republic, Leonid Pasechnik, have both ordered a general mobilization in the respective conflict zones, Tass reported.

The mobilization orders call on local militia and military units to be in full battle readiness, while prohibiting men aged 18 to 55 from leaving the region.

Im urging fellow citizens who are in the reserve to report to military conscription offices, Pushilin said in a video address on Saturday, adding that he had already signed a decree on general mobilization.

The decree also orders the DPR administration to shift the economy to work in wartime conditions, Tass reports, with the series of moves being the latest signs that tensions in Ukraine are growing.

The separatist leadership in Donetsk and Lugansk on Friday both announced evacuations of civilians to Russia, while a senior Russian lawmaker said on Saturday that Moscow will defend Russian citizens and compatriots in the two regions if danger arises to their lives, though he insisted that Russia doesnt want war.

Two women are seen through a bus window, waiting to be evacuated to Russia, in Donetsk, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, eastern Ukraine, on Feb. 19, 2022. (Alexei Alexandrov/AP Photo)

Western leaders have been skeptical about repeated statements by Russia that it doesnt want war and isnt seeking to invade Ukraine.

President Joe Biden said on Friday that U.S. intelligence officials believe Russia will invade Ukraine in the coming days and will target the countrys capital, Kyiv.

Biden added that as of this moment Im convinced [Putin]s made the decision to invade Ukraine.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin backed up Bidens claim in an interview with ABC News. Asked about the potential for a Russian invasion, Austin replied: I dont believe its a bluff.

Incidents of shelling across the line dividing Ukrainian government forces and separatists increased sharply this week, in what the government in Kyiv called a provocation.

Pushilin, in a video message posted on social media on Friday, alleged that Ukraines government was planning to go on the offensive in Donbass.

Members of the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination on ceasefire of the demarcation line, or JCCC, take forensic photos of damage to a house from an artillery shell that landed in Vrubivka, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, on Feb. 17, 2022. (Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo)

Ukrainian authorities have strongly denied suggestions that Kyiv could launch an offensive in eastern Ukraine.

We categorically refute Russian disinformation reports on Ukraines alleged offensive operations or acts of sabotage in chemical production facilities, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter Friday. Ukraine does not conduct or plan any such actions in the Donbas. We are fully committed to diplomatic conflict resolution only.

Kuleba took to Twitter again on Saturday, saying, Russia must de-escalate the security crisis it created, while vowing to use every opportunity to protect Ukraine and avert further escalation.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Munich Security Conference that, we see additional forces going to the border including leading-edge forces, while U.S. ambassador Michael Carpenter also said at another meeting in Europe that the Russian troop buildup was the most significant military mobilization in Europe since the Second World War.

More than 100,000 Russian troops have been stationed near areas along Russias border with Ukraine for about a month, and U.S. officials said that number has grown to more than 190,000 in recent days.

Biden has said no U.S. troops would be deployed to Ukraine, with the United States and its European partners saying theyre committed to a strategy of diplomacy and deterrence, offering to keep talking with the Kremlin while threatening heavy sanctions in the event of an invasion.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
Ukrainian President Suggests Developing Sanction Package to Deter Russian Aggression

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, on Saturday called for a sanction list to deter potential Russian aggression.

Develop an effective package of preventive sanctions to deter aggression. Guarantee Ukraines energy security, ensure its integration into the EU energy market when Nord Stream 2 is used as a weapon, he said in his speech at the 58th Munich Security Conference.

He told CNN that he disagreed with the idea that sanctions should only be listed after an invasion.

We dont need your sanctions after the bombardment will happen and after our country will be fired at or after we will have no borders, or after we will have no economy  Why would we need those sanctions then? he said.

Boris Johnson (R) met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Feb. 19, 2022. (Matt Dunham/PA)

Tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border have been escalating in recent weeks after Russia moved more than 100,000 troops and heavy weapons within striking distance of Ukraine.

The United States and other Ukrainian allies vowed to sanction Russia if the latter invades Ukraine.

G-7 foreign ministers reaffirmed Saturday that Russia would be faced with economic and financial sanctions.

While we are ready to explore diplomatic solutions to address legitimate security concerns, Russia should be in no doubt that any further military aggression against Ukraine will have massive consequences, including financial and economic sanctions on a wide array of sectoral and individual targets that would impose severe and unprecedented costs on the Russian economy. We will take coordinated restrictive measures in case of such an event, read the statement.

Zelensky also showed frustration about the progress of Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

We are told: the door is open. But so far authorized access only. If not all members of the Alliance want to see us or all members of the Alliance do not want to see us, be honest. Open doors are good, but we need open answers, not open questions for years, he stated.

Ukraines seeking of membership in NATO has become the main dispute amid the tension at the Ukraine-Russia border.

Then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a constitutional amendment back in February 2019 committing the country to becoming a member of NATO and the European Union after the parliament passed the bill.

Zelensky reaffirmed recently that joining NATO is still the goal of his country.

There is no signal from us that NATO membership is not our goal, he told reporters after he met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Kyiv.

A U.S. Air Force transport plane transporting military equipment and troops lands at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport in southeastern Poland, on Feb. 6, 2022. Tensions between the NATO military alliance and Russia are intensifying due to Russias move of tens of thousands of troops as well as heavy weapons to the Ukrainian border. (Janek Skarzynski/AFP via Getty Images)

On the Russian side, the Kremlin declined to deescalate tensions with Ukraine, saying the United States and NATO failed to address fundamental security concerns of Moscow: that NATO stops its eastward expansion and that strike weapons not be deployed near Russian borders, according to a statement obtained by Russian State Media TASS.

It was emphasized that these issues would be central in our assessment of the documents received from the U.S. and NATO, which would be brought to the notice of our colleagues, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reportedly told Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a call on Saturday.

Washington and NATO have an open mind about Ukraine joining NATO.

From our perspective, I cant be more clearNATOs door is open, remains open, and that is our commitment, Blinken said in late January, though he renewed an offer of reciprocal measures to address mutual security concerns between Russia and NATO, including missile reductions in Europe.
United Airlines planes are parked at their gates at O'Hare International Airport ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in Chicago on Nov. 20, 2021. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

United Airlines Vaccine Mandate Coerced Employees Into Violating Their Religious Convictions: Court

United Airlines COVID-19 vaccine mandate has violated some employees religious beliefs, according to a federal appeals court.

While the companys mandate allows for religious exemption applications, even if those applications are granted, some employees to which they are granted are forced to stop working, receive no pay, and stop getting benefits paid by the company, a set of conditions described as unpaid leave.

The treatment of religious objections triggered a lawsuit, which asked a court to block the mandate for them, although a federal judge in November 2021 declined to do so, asserting plaintiffs didnt prove they would suffer irreparably.

In the new ruling, dated Feb. 17, two judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit found Uniteds treatment of religious objectors amounted to coercion.

United has presented plaintiffs with two options: violate their religious convictions or lose all pay and benefits indefinitely. That is an impossible choice for plaintiffs who want to remain faithful but must put food on the table. In other words, United is actively coercing employees to abandon their convictions, Circuit Judges Jennifer Walker Elrod, a George W. Bush appointee, and Andy Oldham, a Trump appointee, wrote in the unsigned majority opinion.

The judges noted that United CEO Scott Kirby told workers at a town hall that very few religious exemption applications would be accepted and that United has asked workers seeking an exemption a number of questions, such as whether they received vaccines in the past created with the help of stem cells.

Uniteds decision to coerce the plaintiffs into violating their religious convictions brings about the harm that is irreparable and supports a preliminary injunctiona ruling that would block the mandate while the case is ongoingthe judges said.

They remanded the case back to U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, the Trump appointee who turned down the preliminary injunction request last year.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby speaks during a press conference in Washington on Sept. 22, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In a lengthy dissent, Circuit Judge Jerry Smith, a Reagan nominee who filled out the three-judge panel that considered the appeal, asserted that the majority effectively rewrote a portion of the Civil Rights Act in its decision to create a new cause of action. Neither the law nor legal precedent favors the employees, he said.

Mark Paoletta, a lawyer representing plaintiffs, said in a statement that they were pleased that the Fifth Circuit recognized the substantial and irreparable harm that Uniteds unlawful actions are causing its employees.

We look forward to continuing to vindicate the rights of United employees with religious or medical reasons for not being able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. No employee should be required to forsake her beliefs or her health in order to continue working, he said.

United told news outlets in a statement that it will keep defending the mandate.

Theres no doubt our vaccine requirement has saved lives and kept our employees out of the hospital, it 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 national theme for Black History Month 2022 is Black Health and Wellness. In that spirit, I share a reflection from 2013 as my family sought to care for our mother during her transition from independence.

What we did not know then are the facts about Alzheimers disease and dementia. From an Alzheimers Association 2021 report Race, Ethnicity and Alzheimers In America, more than one in 9 people (11.3%) age 65 and older has Alzheimers dementia and two-thirds of Americans over age 65 with Alzheimers dementia (3.8 million) are women. An important finding for people of color during this Black History Month is that Hispanic, Black and Native Americans are twice as likely as whites to say they would not see a doctor if experiencing thinking or memory problems.

These statistics and findings aligned with my familys experience.

We long suspected something was amiss before receiving the doctors diagnosis. With each visit over the past few years, my sisters would tell me, Mom is a little different than the last time you were here. Sure, she moved a little slower and did not stand as tall  but hey, she was in her late 70s.

My brother, who was her caretaker, also told me that Mom did not want to venture outside of the home nor did she want to take part in the senior citizen activities of the local community center that she so pushed for as a volunteer.

I chalked it up to a couple of things. For one, she always operated on her own schedule and would be hard-pressed to be ready when the senior citizens van came to pick her up at home. We often kidded that Mom was born late and would be so to her own funeral. The second item was her struggle with incontinence. I assumed that personal pride kept her from partaking in situations in which she might be embarrassed.

Mom seemed comfortable and very content to sit in her favorite bedroom chair and spend the day watching television. That is usually where she was when I called on the telephone and where I found her during my visits to the house. This was in contrast to her the always-on-the go and something-to-do behavior of the past.

The indicators became stronger when she would ask, in relatively short spans of time, the same questions about my wife and son. She would chuckle when I would point this out to her and say, I guess Im losing some memory. But when I asked her about events of over a half-century ago, she was lucid with details of people, names, locations, events, and, more importantly, feelings.

It really hit me one summer when my sister and I took Mom to visit her cousin  both were good friends throughout their lives and were approaching their 80th birthdays. In the space of the hour-long visit, they had the same conversation over a half-dozen times and neither were aware of it. It brought about an uneasy humor between my sister and me. We felt something more was in play than simply aging and scheduled a series of doctor appointments for the following weeks.

One of my visits back to our hometown was to celebrate moms 80th birthday. We surprised her with an outing that brought together family, friends and members of her church community. She was deeply touched, but her comments throughout the event reinforced what most of us already knew.

That week the doctor confirmed the diagnosis of Alzheimers dementia. The two dominant symptoms are a decline in memory as well as a decline in the ability to focus and pay attention. The doctor said there were no other medical issues of concern  she was happy and not depressed. Mom would often say, Im in pretty good shape for the shape Im in.

Several friends and colleagues had been down this path with their loved ones. I reached out to them for their wisdom on how to take this journey with my mother. I can now more fully appreciate the challenges of others in similar circumstances.

While studies linking Alzheimers dementia to racial and ethnic group are not definitive, African-Americans have a higher percentage as a group of the gene indicating increased risk than do European-Americans. For all Americans, it is important to know there is decreased risk of developing dementia if they had more years of early life education, had mentally challenging work in midlife, participated in leisure activities in late life, and/or had strong social networks in late life.

The theme of Black Health and Wellness should motivate us to seek out the facts to increase our awareness and knowledge. More important, it also provides the opportunity to follow the science and act to care for those whom we love.

Col. Charles D. Allen, U.S. Army, Ret., is professor of leadership and cultural studies at the U.S. Army War College.

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Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology, speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, on Feb. 18, 2022. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

White House Accuses Russia of Cyberattacks Targeting Ukraine

WASHINGTONThe 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 United States had rapidly linked Tuesdays attacks to Russian military intelligence officers.

Britain joined the United States 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 United Stats 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 United States 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.

By Eric Tucker
Wife of US Nuclear Engineer Pleads Guilty in Spying Case

The wife of an American nuclear engineer pleaded guilty on Feb. 18 to plotting with her husband to pass on sensitive data to what the couple thought was a foreign official.

Diana Toebbe, 46, of Annapolis, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to communicate restricted data in federal court in West Virginia.

According to court documents, Dianna Toebbes husband Jonathan Toebbe, a Navy nuclear engineer, in mid-2021 left behind a secure digital card containing restricted data including militarily sensitive design elements and performance details on submarine reactors at a dead drop in West Virginia.

Jonathan Toebbe, 43, soon proposed a plan, using a different dead drop in Pennsylvania, to provide 51 packages of information over time, in exchange for $5 million in cryptocurrency. On two other occasions, the nuclear engineer left information behind at prearranged locations, one time in Virginia and the other back in West Virginia.

Dianne Toebbe served as a lookout for her husband on all but one occasion and was aware of her husbands operation.

A typed message on one of the cards said that only one other person I know is aware of our special relationship, and I trust that person absolutely. That referred to Dianne Toebbe, according to her plea agreement. Also on that card, Jonathan Toebbe stated that we have cash and passports set aside for the purpose of fleeing if the plot was discovered.

The couple believed they were giving information to a foreign official, but the alleged official was actually an undercover FBI agent.

File booking photographs show Dianna Toebbe (L) and her husband Jonathan Toebbe. (West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority via AP)

Charging documents say the FBI became involved after an FBI attache in a foreign country obtained a package that had been received in April 2020 by representatives in that country. The package was sent in an attempt to establish a covert connection and included documents from the U.S. Navy and instructions for how to proceed using encrypted messaging. The person who sent the package said he or she wanted to sell documents marked confidential, including technical details. A Navy expert confirmed that the documents in the package contained restricted data, or data concerning the design, manufacture, or utilization of atomic weapons or certain nuclear material.

The FBI started communicating with the person, who turned out to be Jonathan Toebbe, on Dec. 26, 2020.

The couple was arrested on Oct. 9, 2021, in West Virginia.

Both Jonathan Toebbe and his wife agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to communicate restricted information in plea deals that saw two counts of communication of restricted data dropped.

Under the plea agreement, Diana Toebbe will serve no more than three years in federal prison while Jonathan Toebbe will serve at least 151 months in federal prison. Neither have yet been sentenced.
Worst Experience of My Life: Early Vaccine Adopters Suffer Injuries, Struggle to Get Proper Care

Dr. Danice Hertz remembers vividly the day she got a COVID-19 vaccine.

Hertz, a retired gastroenterologist, received Pfizers shot on Dec. 23, 2020, less than two weeks after U.S. regulators granted it emergency use authorization.

Thirty minutes went by before an adverse reaction started.

My face started burning and tingling, and my eyes got blurry, Hertz told The Epoch Times. She also felt faint.

Her husband called paramedics, who came and found Hertzs blood pressure sky-high. They recommended she call a doctor.

Hertz became so sick she feared she would die. She experienced symptoms including severe facial pain, chest constriction, tremors, twitching limbs, and tinnitus.

I felt like someone was pouring acid on me, Hertz, of Los Angeles, said.

Hertz survived but still suffers. She has been to numerous specialists. Multiple experts found indications that the vaccine triggered the reaction, according to medical records reviewed by The Epoch Times.

She is one of millions of Americans who chose to get one of the COVID-19 vaccines soon after the government cleared them.

Since then, hundreds of millions of doses have been administered. Many recipients have felt fine, if less protected than they were initially promised. But a growing number have endured severe reactions and have struggled to obtain treatments for their ailments.

Brianne Dressen suffered so badly after getting AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine on Nov. 4, 2020, that she would often sit in silence in a room in complete darkness.

My little girl, she sings all the time. And I couldnt have her around me at all because sound was so unbearable. And my little boy, my skin was sensitive, so anything that touched my skin was painful, so my little boy, hed come and try to comfort me and hold my hand, and even that was painful. My teeth were too sensitive; I couldnt brush my teeth. So its like all of my sensory facets just overloaded, Dressen, a preschool teacher who lives in Saratoga Springs, Utah, told The Epoch Times.

It was the worst experience of my life.

Pain

Reactions to COVID-19 vaccines often happen soon after administrationone of the reasons health care providers are told to monitor patients for at least 15 minutes after a dose is given.

For most recipients, problems are small, like a headache, and soon go away. For others, the pain has still not subsided.

Right now, all I do is work. Thats all I can do, Erin Sullivan, a speech pathologist in Connecticut who received Modernas shot on Jan. 6, 2021, told The Epoch Times. Everyone around me, like family, are doing everything else. Im not cooking, Im not cleaning, Im not doing laundry. Im not taking the kids anywhere. I basically work and then I go to bed.

Sullivan, who later got a second dose of Pfizers vaccine on the recommendation of an immunologist, has suffered from tingling in her limbs, severe fatigue, and other symptoms for over a year.

Sullivan was diagnosed with an adverse reaction to the vaccine, according to medical records reviewed by The Epoch Times. She never had similar symptoms prior to COVID-19 vaccination, one doctor wrote.

Dressen has dealt with incontinence, limb weakness, and nausea, among other symptoms.

My reaction started within an hour. Ended up with pins and needles down my arm, had double vision that night, sensitivity that night. And over the next 2 1/2 weeks, my symptoms progressed to the point where I had extreme tachycardia, blood pressure fluctuations, temperature fluctuations. My sound sensitivity and light sensitivity became so severe I had to be confined to my bedroom 24/7, Dressen said.

Dressen was diagnosed by a doctor at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with post-vaccine neuropathy, or nerve damage, according to medical records reviewed by The Epoch Times. Dressen was showing persistent neurological symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, one note penned by an NIH doctor said. SARS-CoV-2 is another name for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19.

Maddie de Garays life was thrown into turmoil after she received her second Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 20, 2021. The litany of issues included paresthesia, back pain, and abdominal pain.

My back hurt, my stomach hurt, my head hurt. I had a fever of like 101-something, Maddie, 13, told The Epoch Times. My toes were numb, and they were ice cold and they were white, and same for my fingertips.

The girls symptoms have persisted. She uses a wheelchair because its become impossible to walk. Shes lost feeling in the lower half of her body. Other parts often aggrieve her.

The day after her vaccination, during a visit to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, one of the Pfizer trial sites, Maddie was diagnosed with adverse effect of vaccine, according to medical records reviewed by The Epoch Times. The following month, another doctor wrote that Maddie was suffering from many prolonged and significant post COVID vaccine symptoms.

But references to the vaccine began to disappear in later visits, and Dr. Robert Frenck, the principal investigator for Pfizers trials at the hospital, told Maddies parents in a phone call in May 2021 that the doctors that have seen her so far have not found something where they thought it was research-related, is what they all were telling me.

One of the first ones says it was related to the vaccine trial, Patrick de Garay, Maddies father, responded.

All the doctors who treated patients in this story declined to speak to The Epoch Times, didnt respond to inquiries, or couldnt be reached.

Many of the vaccine-injured experience improvement at one time or another, but some who spoke to The Epoch Times described regular relapses.

Hertz reported an improvement in late 2021, which she attributed primarily to time passing since receiving the vaccine. Unfortunately, I have taken a turn for the worse, a month or two ago, she told The Epoch Times via email on Feb. 17.

Hertz was diagnosed with presumed post COVID reaction in early 2021, according to medical records. After visiting other specialists, she eventually received a diagnosis of mast cell activation syndrome triggered by the vaccine. Symptoms of the syndrome include trouble breathing and low blood pressure.

Among the First

Dressen and Maddie both participated in vaccine clinical trials. Like them, other vaccine-injured were among the first to get one of the shots.

On Dec. 11, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization to the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech. A week later, the agency cleared Modernas jab.

The authorization letters acknowledged the vaccines were investigational but said reviews of clinical trials identified no safety concerns and pointed to it being reasonable to believe that the vaccines may be effective to prevent infection from the virus that causes COVID-19.

Hope soared that the vaccines would be the tool to crush the CCP virus. Herd immunity was the goal, with vaccine-conferred immunity the primary piece, according to top U.S. officials such as Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Early adopters thought getting vaccinated would contribute to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Many had family members who, due to underlying medical conditions or age, were among the most vulnerable to COVID-19. Some were high-risk themselves.

I had lost really close loved ones to COVID, and this was my saving grace to help contribute to ending this pandemic, Angelia Desselle told The Epoch Times.

Desselle received Pfizers vaccine on Jan. 5, 2021. As manager of an outpatient surgery center in Louisiana, she stayed on top of updates regarding the vaccines, including declarations by health authorities that they were both safe and effective. She trusted them. She went to get vaccinated during her lunch break.

Other people who got the vaccine early also put their faith in the U.S. government, vaccine makers, and the health care community.

Hertz, a longtime doctor, jumped on an early opportunity to get vaccinated. Though she had recently retired, she thought she might need to go back to work in the future. And, she says, she completely trusted our system and believed the FDA was honest and decent.

Andrea Rositas was in a medical program when she got Modernas vaccine on Jan. 31, 2021, at Southwestern College, a community college in Chula Vista, California.

Nurses ahead of her in the program said Rositas should get vaccinated. They said it was safe.

Stephanie de Garay told The Epoch Times that she believed that if anything went wrong, trial participants would be in the best hands.

If youre going to have anything happen, the best time would be in a trial, because they would do everything they could to get you better, and to figure out why. Because thats the whole point of a trial, she said. Thats not what happened.

In this combination photograph, Erin Sullivan is seen before and after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. (Courtesy of Erin Sullivan)

A dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is prepared in Orange, Calif., in this file image. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Dressen said she enrolled in the AstraZeneca trial because I trusted what the doctors said, and I wanted this pandemic to be over.

And the way that it was presented to the world was, This vaccines going to end the pandemic. I mean, my kids are stuck at home, they cant leave, were wearing masks. I work in a school. I see how its affecting elementary-aged kids, she said. I trusted the government and I trusted the doctors. I dont anymore.

The vaccine-injured have repeatedly contacted federal officials and the vaccine companies about their afflictions. They feel that neither the government nor the companies have done enough to address vaccine injuries.

AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna didnt respond to requests for comment for this article.

Some government researchers have suggested in emails reviewed by The Epoch Times that they think vaccines caused the side effects, in addition to the diagnosis of Dressen by NIH doctors.

A spokesperson for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the NIH, told The Epoch Times via email that data from a study that featured NIH scientists examining some of the people with problems following vaccination yielded no data showing the vaccines caused the symptoms in these patients.

Government reviews of surveillance systems have identified health problems potentially associated with the COVID-19 vaccines, including the neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), an FDA spokeswoman told The Epoch Times in an email. Decisions on whether there is some basis to believe there is a causal relationship are a matter of medical and scientific judgment and are based on factors such as the frequency of reporting, biological plausibility, the timing of the event relative to the time of vaccination, and whether the adverse event is known to be caused by related vaccines, she said.

A spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told The Epoch Times in an email, To date, CDC has detected no unusual or unexpected patterns of miscarriages, cancer, or neurological conditions following immunization that would indicate COVID-19 vaccines are causing or contributing to these conditions. CDC continues to recommend that everyone who is eligible should get vaccinated.

Later, the spokeswoman said she forgot about GBS. Based on data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a U.S. passive reporting system, the rate of GBS was found within the 21 days following Johnson & Johnson vaccination to be 21 times higher than among Pfizer or Moderna recipients. Analysis of the data found no increased risk of GBS after Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, she said.

As of Feb. 11, more reports of GBS had been made to VAERS following Moderna or Pfizer vaccination than Johnson & Johnson vaccination, an Epoch Times review found. At the same time, many more shots of the former vaccines have been administered in the United States.

The Struggle

Initial visits to doctors often yielded little but frustration. Doctors found it difficult to ascertain the conditions and their causes. Many diagnosed patients with anxiety.

Rositas says she was told by the CDC after a review of her records that she suffered from an adverse reaction. She showed the update to several doctors.

Theyd tell her, Oh, its just anxiety, she recalled. She said that hurt, especially because thats the same thing a nurse told her right after the reaction.

Eventually, Rositas was diagnosed with a reaction to Modernas vaccine, according to a letter from Sharp Health Care reviewed by The Epoch Times.

Maddie recalled one doctor who entered her room and told her, You are 13. You should not be crying and freaking out over this. You have anxiety, and this is all anxiety, and you need to stop hyperventilating or else were going to shove a tube down your throat and put you on a ventilator.

They assume that its just anxiety, so they pump her with medicine, which makes her sicker, Stephanie de Garay said.

A survey of Dressens group, REACT19, conducted among its members found that over 80 percent said they were diagnosed during early examinations with anxiety.

My anxiety diagnosis plagued me clearly until I went to the NIH, or about seven months, Dressen said.

Dressen has become a leading advocate for people experiencing problems after getting vaccinated, becoming increasingly knowledgeable about the matter. Shes even had some doctors refer patients to her.

In exchanges with Dr. Janet Woodcock, a top official at the FDA, Dressen has outlined what she sees as issues with the vaccine clinical trials and the vaccine injuries.

Ive told her about the fact that I am a preschool teacher [and] Im not qualified as a medical professional whatsoever. But I have Ivy League physicians referring sick vaccine-injured patients to me for medical care, Dressen said at a recent panel hearing in Washington. If that in itself doesnt tell Janet Woodcock that the system is broken, I dont know what will.

Sullivan also had fruitless consultations. In one case, she went to see a rheumatologist while displaying classic symptoms of mast cell activation syndromethe same issue that she and Hertz, among others, have since been diagnosed with.

He didnt look into it at all. He held my hands and told me I should do yoga, Sullivan said.

Growing Interest

Establishing definitive links between vaccines and post-vaccination conditions can be difficult, but more researchers have become interested in investigating confirmed or suspected vaccine injuries. The number of injury reports has grown over time, along with vaccinations overall.

Some 943,000 reports of nervous system disorders following COVID-19 vaccination were reported to VAERS, through Feb. 4, according to a search done through the MedAlert engine. The disorders, as classified by the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities, include infections such as meningitis and brain injuries such as Bells palsy.

Bells palsy and GBS were detected at elevated rates in recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine, researchers in the United Kingdom analyzing English vaccination records found in 2021. They also said the data pointed to Pfizer recipients having a heightened risk of stroke.

A different set of researchers, analyzing U.S. data, found an elevated risk of GBS for Johnson & Johnson recipients. GBS, a rare neurological disorder, has been detected in some Americans who received Johnson & Johnsons vaccine and began to be listed on fact sheets for the vaccine in July 2021.

A wide spectrum of serious neurological complications has been reported following COVID-19 vaccination, one review of studies on the topic stated.

A number of case reports have been reported in journals, including a series focusing on four post-vaccination events that researchers described as likely due to the vaccines.

Similar to many scientists, the researchers were hesitant to say they were definitely associated. Establishing causal links on a population level requires large epidemiological studies and cannot be done on individual case reports alone, they wrote.

That view isnt universal.

COVID vaccines cause neurological side effects, Dr. Josef Finsterer, a neurologist at Klinik Landstrasse in Austria who conducted a review of studies detailing post-vaccination neurological events, told The Epoch Times in an email.

Mechanisms

Experts, though, still arent sure about the mechanisms that cause the conditions.

One cause could be excessive production of spike proteins from the vaccines in the spleen. The protein gets released in exosomestiny nanoparticles produced and released by cells that mediate cell to cell communication by transferring genetic materials to other cellscausing inflammation of nerves in the brain, according to Stephanie Seneff, a senior research scientist at MITs Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

In this scenario, the spike proteins are toxic, as they act as prion-like proteins, which become abnormal as a result of misfolding and typically lead to neurodegenerative disorders.

The immune cells that are in the spleen make spike protein because they cant stop doing it, release them into exosomes, and then those exosomes  go up to the brain. They go up to the brain and they infect all these nerves in the brain  causing all of those symptoms that are manifesting, said Seneff, whose paper reviewing possible consequences of the vaccines was published in 2021. She worries about both short-term and long-term side effects.

Finsterer said molecular mimicry, or a vaccine targeting not just the virus but the recipients molecular pattern, could be the cause of GBS.

Blood clots in the brains venous sinuses, one of the more common neurological side effects, may stem from the same processes unfolding as after COVID-19 infection, he proposed.

Dr. William Murphy, an immunology researcher at the University of CaliforniaDavis, floated anti-idiotype antibodiesan antibody that binds to another antibodyas a cause of both lingering problems after COVID-19 infection and post-vaccination issues.

Murphy drew on Neils Jernes network theory, which states that antibodies can not only bind to an antigen (such as a virus or a spike protein), but also attach to other antibodies to elicit the production of anti-antibodies that may result in adverse effects.

When the immune system activates the antibody response to an antigen, that specific response induces downstream antibody responses producing anti-idiotype antibodies. These secondary antibodies become a problem when their antigen-binding region resembles that of the original antigens themselves.

However, as a result of this mimicry, Ab2 [anti-idiotype] antibodies also have the potential to bind the same receptor that the original antigen was targeting. Ab2 antibodies binding to the original receptor on normal cells therefore have the potential to mediate profound effects on the cell that could result in pathologic changes, particularly in the long termlong after the original antigen itself has disappeared, Murphy wrote in a recent article.

Murphy told The Epoch Times via email that research into post-vaccination effects may indeed give insights on long COVID as they may be by the same or similar mechanisms, and if we understand the immunology underlying these effects we can then figure out ways to possibly treat and also prevent by altering vaccine strategies.

Editors Note: Read the companion article here.
Another school funding session is underway and so is the drama. Norwalks Chief Financial Officer (CFO) upset parents over his honest questioning of the citys return on investment, with so many kids not reading on grade level. He later apologized.

I cannot remember a time when Norwalk didnt have a school funding problem.

Today, more than 60 percent of our students qualify for free and reduced lunch and 75 percent are high needs. All children deserve an equitable education, but meeting these needs has become an increasing financial challenge for Norwalk. Our most vulnerable are at the highest risk of falling through the cracks. Over the years, a racially diverse, middle class has left our schools for other towns. Would this have happened, if over the past decade, Norwalk had enjoyed its fair share of state Educational Cost Share (ECS) funding?

Created in 1988, the ECS formula followed years of lawsuits and challenges regarding equity in state funding. One of its aims was to consider property wealth when distributing financial aid across towns. In 2005, a lawsuit was filed, Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding (CCJEF) v. Rell by 16 towns (including Norwalk) claiming the formula was still flawed, due to (among other things)  arbitrary caps on increases, inadequate aid for special education, weighting of student needs and inaccurate assessments regarding town wealth or ability to raise funds.

In 2016, a Superior Court Judge ruled that Connecticut failed in its funding formula because it had no rational, substantial and verifiable plan to distribute money for education aid and school construction. The school finance system  particularly the ECS formula  was not rational, substantial and verifiable and failed to address gaps in school resources or community wealth. The decision was appealed and in 2018, Connecticuts Supreme Court reversed the decision, deciding 4-3 in favor of the state. The flawed formula was tweaked by the Legislature, but remains largely unchanged.

Fast forward to today. In addition to the CFO questioning the Board of Educations operating budget increase, he also expressed concerns over capital spending, if Norwalk assumes too much debt.

Whats behind the latest struggle?

The same issue Norwalks always had  the states ECS formula. If spoken of by elected officials or their surrogates, its accompanied by excuses or shrugged shoulders.

Hartfords drive for density in Norwalk is accompanied by zoning and tax policies disconnected from the realities of funding our schools. Why does City Hall still dole out years of developer tax breaks when we struggle with education funding? This story has been playing out for more than a decade. Considering Hartford enjoys the upside of Norwalks density, via additional income taxes ($155 million sent in 2018; ranking us eighth out of 169 towns, according to the Department of Revenue Services) its infuriating to see the paltry amount returned. How does the state justify a $200 million regional high school in Norwalk that nobody asked for, that we must bond, and promise 80 percent reimbursement, but NOT help cover learning costs inside our schools? The new high school is already over budget, minus a swimming pool, and blows Norwalks school construction budget out of the water, threatening other K-8 projects.

What are Norwalks top elected officials doing?

Our state senator and mayor held a rally in Darien, appealing their rejection of the states Open Choice program, where students in struggling urban districts can attend suburban schools. When top leaders use political capital for a PR stunt for 16 kindergarteners out of Norwalks 11,000-plus students, instead of lobbying Hartford for funding, they should be apologizing! Until parents understand the bigger financial picture and call on the state senator, mayor, Common Council, superintendent and Board of Education to talk to Hartford  nothing will EVER change.
[February 18, 2022] AM Best Downgrades Issuer Credit Rating of Mutual of America Life Insurance Company, Affirms Financial Strength Rating AM Best has downgraded the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) to "a" (Excellent) from "a+" (Excellent) and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) of Mutual of America Life Insurance Company (MofA) (New York, NY). The outlook of the Long-Term ICR has been revised to stable from negative, while the FSR is stable. These Credit Ratings (ratings) reflect MofA's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its marginal operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). The rating downgrade of the Long-Term ICR reflects AM Best's view of the company's operating performance assessment as marginal, and considers the continuing deterioration and recent volatility in Mutual of America's operating performance. Furthermore, the company's Long-Term ICR also reflects the continued weakness in its balance sheet strength assessment, driven by market volatility and continued declines in risk-adjusted capitalization with increased losses. The stable outlooks reflect AM Best's expectation that MofA will continue to execute on the necessary steps to curb volatility, improve its overall operating performance and its strategic business profile in the near future. MofA's business profile has experienced some additional weakness, but not enough deterioration to drive the FSR down further. The company's risk-adjusted capitalization has continued to decline a bit over the past few years, and is projected to be at the very strong level, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). Surplus has declined a bit as well. The company's investment portfolio maintained a good credit quality through the COVID-19 pandemic and was without financial leverage, but this will be changing toward privately managed investments in the near future. The company's ne income has declined significantly in recent years, mainly due to general account margin compression, realized losses from impairments and significantly higher operating expenses, including additional costs related to business transformation initiatives. The company's return-on-equity (ROE) ratio remains lower than the industry average, despite MofA not having a tax liability. The company has a competitive position in its target market of providing pension products to nonprofit organizations and small for-profit businesses, although almost all of general account reserves are interest-sensitive, and more than half of the total assets are separate account assets. MofA is continuing to invest heavily in technology to enhance its infrastructure, sales efforts and margins as it still expects to gain market share in the near future. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best's Credit Ratings, Best's Performance Assessments, Best's Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best's Ratings & Assessments. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright  2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220218005513/en/

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Case numbers and hospitalizations are decreasing in Cumberland County, and population immunity to COVID-19 is rising. Theres a lot of positives to see as Pennsylvania approaches two full years of dealing with the pandemic next month.

Not everyone can breathe a sigh of relief just yet, though.

Dr. Mohammad Ali is the lead infectious disease physician at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center and Hampden Medical Center and has been caring for local patients throughout the pandemic. Though he says hospitalizations are down slightly from where they have been these past few weeks, COVID-19 still poses a danger to specific groups of people.

Cumberland Countys 14-day average cases hospitalization rate sits at 82.7 as of Friday, down from a pandemic-high rate of 170.7 on Jan. 25. Its the countys lowest rate since Oct. 1.

Those still at risk are the ones who were most at risk at the start of the pandemic  people who are older and those who have health factors, such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and lung disease, as well as those who are immunocompromised due to an infection or cancer.

Many of these people likely received their two-dose COVID-19 vaccinations, but the patients Ali says he has seen most recently are those who didnt get a booster shot.

In Cumberland County (with a population of 253,370), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 68,811 booster shots have been administered, good for 40.1% of the fully vaccinated population.

Its not enough.

According to Ali, the immunity to COVID-19 through either vaccination or infection decreases after about five to six months. The booster shot is meant to increase that immunity, and although the booster doesnt have the higher percentage of coverage as the original doses, especially against the omicron variant, Ali said its enough to make you 95% more protected against severe reactions, hospitalizations and death than those who are unvaccinated.

For Ali, those boosters are still important even as models predict more people have been exposed to the omicron variant. The Associated Press said one model estimates 73% of Americans are, for now, immune to omicron, which could rise to 80% by mid-March.

Omicron, however, according to Ali, is fading away from being the dominant strain of COVID-19. Ali said there are already subvariants in Europe and South Africa that have become the dominant strain, and he predicts more variants will pop up in potentially isolated outbreaks until more of the worlds population is also vaccinated against the disease.

Its not quite the light at the end of the tunnel just yet, and Ali said its still difficult to predict what the future holds with COVID-19.

At least, for now, the booster can help the people most vulnerable as the rest of the country looks ahead.

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Geneseo, NY (14454)

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Cases of COVID-19 are continuing to drop in St. Francois County.

According to the latest numbers released by the St. Francois County Health Center, the county recorded 265 new cases over the week of Feb. 2-8. Of those cases, 226 were confirmed and 39 were probable.

The cases are down 178 from the previous week. The testing positivity rate is down to 19.6% from 25.1%.

According to the states COVID dashboard, cases in the state have gone down 39% in the last week.

SFCHC Director Linda Ragsdale predicted last week that cases would continue to fall as the omicron variant continues to run its course. But she warned residents that COVID is not going away.

COVID-related deaths in the county have risen by seven (six confirmed, one probable) in the past two weeks, bringing the total number to 320 in the county since the pandemic began.

The next two Mondays (Feb. 21 and 28), there will be free COVID testing in the parking lot of the health center, 1025 West Main Street in Park Hills. The testing will be done from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No pre-registration or appointments are required. The tests are not rapid, so results are normally available after 24 to 48 hours.

Cases are also going down in area counties.

The Madison County Health Department reported 42 new cases this week, down from 79 last week. As of Thursday, there were 15 active cases in the county.

In Washington County, the health department reported 77 new cases over the last week, down slightly from 83 the week before. Deaths did increase by five. The positivity rate went down to 14.6% from 20.4%.

According to the state data, Iron County recorded 24 new cases in the past seven days, down 21.7% from the week before. And Ste. Genevieve Countys cases are down 65.9% after the county recorded 18 new cases over the past week.

Nikki Overfelt is a reporter for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at noverfelt@dailyjournalonline.com.

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Killing, killing, killing in the name of Biafra! When did murder become typical of the Igbo stock? When did taking innocent lives become classic in Igbo land? In Igbo cosmology, murder, Igbu oshu is a cardinal sin deserving of banishment. A murderer is banished from the community and the land is cleansed of the abomination.

Have the Igbo settled for this governing abomination? Have the elders been functionally vasectomised? How can murder, anarchy, and fear reign in the land uncontested? Have we become a people given to bloodletting, beheading and cannibalism? Have we gone backwards in our evolution as a humane and cosmopolitan people to become savages?

Why has this cumulus of evil persisted and remained hanging over an entire region? A region that was once prosperous, peaceful and bubbling on the growth index is now a slaughterhouse that investors are running away from. The south-east is being destroyed by the same people who claim to be fighting for the people.

Security agents have been killed. Traditional rulers have been killed. Men have been killed and women have been raped and killed by this band of parademons. A few days ago, unknown gunmen attacked a police station and killed three policemen in Ebonyi. Last week, gunmen killed seven community leaders in Imo. And the killings persist.

It has now become customary for residents of the south-east to wake up to severed heads dangling from poles in market squares, roads and community facilities. An unsleeping evil has taken over the land.

On Wednesday, these unknown gunmen invaded a cattle market at Omumauzor; a community in Ukwa West LGA of Abia. The market is said to be peopled by Nigerians from the north. They came not to buy cattle, but to kill. By the time they were done, eight citizens were dead. These parademons did not spare anything, they killed cattle and set the market ablaze. What sort of bestiality is this?

According to Abia state government, the gunmen struck around 11pm on Tuesday. On Tuesday, 15th February 2022 at about 11:35pm, some yet-to-be-identified hoodlums allegedly invaded traders at the New Cattle Market located in Omumauzor, Ukwa West Local Government Area of our dear state. We are shocked and saddened by this mindless and barbaric act of violence that claimed the lives of about 8 innocent citizens of our great country and we totally condemn this dastardly act together with its wicked perpetrators, the state government said.

The attack appears to be ethnically-motivated and targeted. This makes it very dangerous. These ravagers are not only threatening the lives of Igbo citizens and other Nigerians in the south-east, they are also jeopardising the safety and security of Igbo citizens in other parts of the country.

As I said in the column, Ndi Igbo stand for One Nigeria, those crusading for the secession of the south-east today are deficient students of history and sociology. Even the late Odumegwu Ojukwu, the captain of the secessionist struggle during the war, regretted that devastating episode in our history. Ojukwu said: I dont think the second war is necessary. We should have learnt from the first one.

There is no victory in war; only pain, blood and death. Nobody should provoke another pogrom or full-scale war in Igbo land. Ndi Igbo must not let the vocal minority drown them out. They must speak up and be heard.

The Igbo elite and citizens must take a stand to end this fast descent into utter devastation. Instead of angling for the presidency in 2023, we should work at ending the carnage in our home. Onye ulo ya na-agba oku, anaghi achu oke. Our house is on fire we cannot afford to be chasing a will-o-the-wisp.

Fredrick Nwabufo; Nwabufo aka Mr OneNigeria is a writer and journalist.
About 26 Civil Society Groups have jointly declared February 22, 2022 as a National Day of Protest following delay by President Muhammadu Buhari to assent the reworked Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

The Civil Society Groups include the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room; Yiaga Africa; Partners for Electoral Reform (PER); International Press Centre; Institute for Media and Society; Nigerian Women Trust Fund; The Albino Foundation; Centre for Citizens with Disability; Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ); Inclusive Friends Association (IFA); Labour Civil Society Coalition (LASCO); Transition Monitoring Group; CLEEN Foundation; Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organizations (NNNGO); Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC); Enough is Enough; The Electoral Hub; Centre for Liberty; Women in Politics Forum; Take Back Nigeria Movement; International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC); 100 Women Lobby Group; Raising New Voices; Ready To Lead Africa and Millennials Active Citizenship Advocacy Africa.

The groups, in a statement, also gave coming Tuesday as ultimatum for President Buhari to assent the Bill based on dates scheduled for the general elections, and if they are to be maintained.

They also claimed that the withdrawing of Buhari's assent to the Electoral Bill will create legal obscurities that will threaten the integrity of the coming elections in Ekiti, Osun, and the 2023 general elections.

According to the released statement: Aware that on the 31st January 2022, the National Assembly transmitted the Electoral Bill 2022 to the President for assent after expeditiously reworking the bill to meet the Presidents expectations.

Also, aware the bill allows electronic transmission of results, strengthens INECs financial independence and empower the commission to reject falsified election results.

Further aware, the bill, when signed, requires INEC to issue Notice of Election not later than 360 days before the day appointed for an election. Therefore, the President has to give assent to the bill on or before 22nd February 2022 if the dates announced for the 2023 elections are to be maintained.

The civil society community resolves to declare Tuesday, 22nd February 2022, as the National Day of Protest to demand immediate assent to the bill. Civil society networks will organize peaceful public direct-action activities to further the demand to assent the bill. We urge citizens across the nation to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to act on this matter of urgent national importance.
The leading gubernatorial aspirant in 2023 in Ebonyi State and Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Rt. Hon. Anayo Peter Edwin-Nwonu, has expressed warm felicitations congratulating a frontline PDP 2023 presidential aspirant and former President of the Nigerian Senate, His Excellency, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, who is marking his 61st birthday anniversary today, 19th February, 2023. In a birthday message to Chief Anyim who also served Nigeria in the capacity of Secretary to the Government of the Federation during Dr. Goodluck Jonathan's presidency, Hon. Edwin-Nwonu who brimmed with excitement extoled the qualities and contributions of Chief Anyim Pius Anyim describing Anyim as "The divine donation for the Greater Nigeria Project which will begin in May 2023". The federal legislator thanked God for the gift of Senator Anyim Pius Anyim to Nigeria; and prayed God to continue to preserve and promote Anyim for the benefit of Nigeria and mankind in general; and charged the Nigerian electorate to take full advantage of Anyim's offer to serve Nigeria in the capacity of the President by supporting and voting for him to enable him solve Nigeria's jinxes of under-development and set Nigeria on a trajectory of unending enthralling development.

In the words of Hon. Edwin-Nwonu who represents Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency in the National Assembly: "On behalf of my family, teeming supporters across Ebonyi State and my great constituents of Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State, I hereby congratulate our great leadership icon, foremost Nigerian patriot, an unblemished democrat and a divine gift for the Greater Nigeria Project, His Excellency, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim on this auspicious occasion of his 61st birthday.

"As I do this, I equally glorify and thank God almighty for His kindness in raising this human bridge for a united Nigeria from our own dear Ebonyi State. Nigerians cannot forget in a hurry how Anyim Pius Anyim united the National Assembly in his time as Senate President of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Assembly; and how he engineered the Doctrine of Necessity to save Nigeria from imminent collapse in 2009. I pray God who rules in the affairs of man to continue to preserve and protect His Excellency, Sen Anyim Pius Anyim, in good health and prosperity for the glory of His divine name; and for further benefits of Nigeria and mankind in general".

Hon. Edwin-Nwonu concluded with a charge for the Nigerian polity: "Having said these, may I use this golden opportunity to charge my dear country men, the Nigerian electorate and the entire Nigerian citizenry to take full advantage of Chief Anyim's offer to serve Nigeria in the capacity of the President by supporting and voting for him in the 2023 presidential election to enable him solve Nigeria's jinxes of poor leadership and under-development; and thereby set Nigeria on a trajectory of unending enthralling development".

Anyim Pius Anyim, a lawyer and politician from Ishiagu community in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, began to play critical roles in the Nigerian project early in life. Elected pioneer senator to represent Ebonyi South Senatorial District in 1999 at the age of 37, Anyim Pius Anyim who is also known as the gentle giant became the President of the Nigerian Senate in 2000 at the age of 39. In 2011 he was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation at the golden age of 50. Anyim attained the age of 61 today, 19th February, 2022. The 2020 Zik's Prize Awards for Political Leadership winner who is largely seen as a detribalized Nigerian declared his ambition to contest the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria on 30th October, 2021. So far, his presidential project has been gathering great momentum from every part of Nigeria and Anyim is being celebrated across the globe by his teeming supporters.

Happy birthday and many fruitful returns to the Gentle Giant!
Phuket businesses call for massive downgrading of tourist COVID requirements

PHUKET: Leading tourism figures from the tourism industry in Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi have joined the call led by Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, President of the Thai Hotels Association, for the government to ease entry requirements for tourists to give the economy a much-needed boost.

COVID-19Coronavirustourismeconomics

By The Phuket News

Saturday 19 February 2022, 10:00AM

The call for easing entry requirements for tourists was delivered in a written formal request addressed to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, and copied to Deputy Prime Ministerand health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

Signatories to the request included Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, President of the Phuket Tourist Association; Thanet Tantipiriyakit Chairman of the Phuket Tourism Council; and Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, President of the Thai Hotels Association Southern Chapter, based in Phuket.

Also signing the request were Phongsakorn Ketpraphakorn, Chairman of the Tourism Council of Phang Nga Province; Chayapol Hirankanokku, President of Phang Nga Province Tourism Business Association; Charinthip Tiyaporn, Chairman of the Tourism Council of Krabi Province; and Sasitorn Kittitornkul, President of Krabi Tourism Business Council.

Also copied to the request were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Tourism and Sports; Secretary General of the National Security Council and the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The request noted that following the reopening of the Test & Go entry scheme on Feb 1, from Feb 1-13 more than 78,793 people had entered the country.

However, it was found that the infection rate of foreign travellers was at a low level and had proven manageable.

From Feb 1-13, Phuket recorded 2.84% of the foreign travellers testing positive. All tourists who tested positive were Green patients, of which 56% observed quarantine in the form of Hotel Roorn Isolation, the request added.

All travellers were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients, and did not require medical care, the request noted.

The private sector found that although the current epidemic situation is higher than ever before from both inside and outside the country, these patients did not create a burden and the mortality rate was very low, which was close to being sick with the common cold, the request pointed out.

The request pointed out how far Thailand is falling behind in eqasing COVID restrictions.

Many countries around the world, especially European countries which are the main tourism source markets during the high season, have declared COVID-19 endemic. Such countries include Sweden, Denmark, Norway, England and Switzerland. They have cancelled almost all measures to control the COVID-19, such as RT-PCR testing, quarantine and so on.

And countries in the Asia-Pacific region have gradually adjusted their travel measures, such as the Philippines cancelled COVID checks on arrival since Feb 10. The only thing left is to show are documents proving vaccine injection and RT-PCR examination test results issued 48 hours before travelling.

Cambodia has revised airport screenings to ATK testing for those who have been vaccinated. Travellers need to show proof of vaccination and RT-PCR test results issued 72 hours prior to travel.

Taiwan will lift quarantine measures from Feb 22 for everyone who has been fully vaccinated and people are able to travel to the country by showing COVID test results issued 72 hours before departure

In addition, various countries that are competitors [to Thailand] in tourism, such as Vietnam and Japan, are preparing to announce their cancellations of travel measures in April.

The easing of these measures by these countries will make Thailand begin to lose the ability to compete in tourism on the world stage, that is, tourists will choose to travel to a country that does not have any measures instead of travelling to Thailand, the request said.

In light of the above reality deeply affecting Thailands tourism industry, the request sought four immediate key changes, as follows:

To cancel the requirement for the second RT-PCR test on Day 5 of tourists stay in the country, as the rate of infections from these tests were less than current local infections and would provide cost savings for tourists. Reduce the quarantine period for those who test positive from 10 days to only five days. Cancel the quarantine measure for high-risk contacts if they tested negative on the first day of their stay. Reduce the travel insurance requirement from US$50,000 to US$D25,000.

The request further suggested, In March, consider declaring COVID an endemic disease in line with the guidelines that other countries around the world have begun to implement, and abolish immigration screening measures, such as requesting a Thailand Pass and the first RT-PCR screening so that tourists can travel to Thailand easily and increase the volume of tourists as close as possible to the pre-COVID period.

The request noted, The coming April is an important month for world tourism because there will be the Easter holidays, which are popular for foreign tourists to relax during this holiday season. Also, it is an auspicious month for Thailands Songkran Festival and is the end of the curve for the tourist season.

The private sector asks the government to consider developing a marketing plan to fully open the country in order to compete for market share and media space. We ask the State to communicate in advance for tour companies in different countries to develop a sales incentive programme and invite tourists to choose to holiday in Thailand so that we can still stand as a leader in travel in the world.

The tourism sector urges you to move forward with small measures for entering the country. and to consider declaring COVID-19 endemic so that Thai people can return to their normal lives soon, the request concluded.
Third oil leak confirmed at Rayong pipeline

RAYONG: Authorities have been informed by Star Petroleum Refining (SPRC) that another leak in its underwater oil pipeline has been found and sealed during its investigation regarding the previous oil spills.

accidentsdisastersenvironmenthealthmarinewildlifeSafetynatural-resources

By National News Bureau of Thailand

Saturday 19 February 2022, 04:11PM

Photo: NNT

SPRC has sent a letter notifying the Rayong Marine Department about the incident on Tuesday (Feb 15), saying that a leak was found in a pipeline near the location that caused the major oil spill last month.

The company, majority owned by Chevron, stated that it has taken emergency measures to stop the leak but has also requested assistance from authorities while they fortify the pipelines to prevent future oil spills.

Two oil spills occurred in the Gulf of Thailand in recent weeks. The first oil spill cause a massive oil slick off the coast of Map Ta Phut area on January 25. Another oil leak was then reported on February 10 due to operations to investigate the first leak.

Meanwhile, Deputy Rayong Governor Anant Nakniyom stated that authorities are still patrolling the beaches to prevent any oil slick from reaching the area.

He noted that business owners can apply their compensation complaints at the provincial office, urging anyone affected by the oil spill to make a legal complaint.

Deputy Governor Anant added that officials will make sure the SPRC compensates the victims as soon as possible.
Responding to a recent Associated Press story in which it was reported that anti-abortion centers in mostly Republican-led states are reportedly receiving tens of millions of tax dollars to encourage women not to end their pregnancies, the executive director of the Parkland Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC) contends this is not the case for the pro-life center in Park Hills that she leads.

Becky Laubinger has held the title of executive director at PRC since May 2014 when she succeeded the founder of the center, Kim Nash, who opened the non-profit in 2005, nine months, coincidentally, after the idea for PRC was first conceived.

There are many centers that receive alternative to abortion grants and those go to help people in need with things like transportation, housing, food  some of those costs, Laubinger said. Its awesome, but we have opted not to be part of that kind of grant because our centers board decided to do as much as we can do without depending on the government for assistance. Thats part of what we want to accomplish with our clients too.

Theres a time where sometimes assistance is necessary in life, but the goal is to get stable  personally and for your family  so that you can support yourselves and not have to depend on everyone around you to support you financially. We support each other emotionally, and relationships are awesome, but to be independent and self-sufficient is a goal we try to pass on to our clients, and so we want to operate in that way as a center.

Laubinger could recall only one time that the PRC has received government assistance. It was when the center applied for and received a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which provides up to eight weeks of financial assistance to small businesses that maintain their payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That was just during that short period of time when the world was upended, she said. Everyone was staying at home. We didnt know what was going to happen. It helped keep the center open and the staff didnt have to look for work somewhere else during that chaos. That was it. We didnt apply for a second loan or for other federal funding that was available. Some people tried to encourage us to apply for that on a community level, but we didnt want ties with the government.

Laubinger stressed that community support allows PRC to continue its mission without having to depend on government funding or opening a side business to keep its doors open.

The community comes together to support the clients because they are in a time of need, she said. They need the support; they need the training. We want to see people become stable and successful  enjoying life and making the most of their opportunities and their gifts, because everyone has abilities.

I think that abortion says that women are weak and incapable of caring for themselves and their kids  and thats just a lie. We are capable of so much more. ALL of us are capable of so much more than we ever expect from ourselves. We help people to see a vision of themselves as strong enough to do more than they ever imagined, but we dont send them off to do it on their own. We walk with them as theyre learning to do more.

According to Laubinger, helping families reach their God-given potential is neither quick nor easy. Thats why PRC has so many different facets to its ministry. One of the most practical ways the center helps new mothers and fathers is to provide them with items they need now that they have a new baby and perhaps other young children living in the home.

We have almost anything someone would need for their babies and toddlers, she said. We have families who never had to buy diapers through all their diaper years  which is our goal to walk with families through the diaper years. They can come here from pregnancy until their child turns 3.

We even see some families sometimes for just short-term mentorship if theres a roadblock thats come up because something is bumping relationally or familywise. Well meet with them. Well talk them through it and point them to other resources or well do what we can to equip them overcome that hurdle.

PRC has instituted in which families can earn points by attending classes offered at the center.

We have families who save up points that they earn through the classes to get Christmas presents for their kids in our boutique or clothes closet, Laubinger said. That helps them budget in ways where money thats coming in can be spent on heat and electric.

They can get gifts by coming to class and putting in the time to do the homework. They can get great stuff here. Gifts for the kids that, again, people of the community support the center. But I love it because its not just a handout. People are able to have pride in what they have earned through participation in this program.

The classes offered at PRC are practical and informative.

We have everything from what to expect when youre pregnant, labor and delivery, the first six months, and all those parenting things  the toddler years, tantrums, sibling rivalry  all those things you would expect with parenting classes  but we also offer life skills classes like home management, communication, and a relationships 101 type of class.

Laubinger shared the story of a family that experienced a dramatic change because the mother became involved in a PRC class.

We had a family come through that had split, she recalled. The mother was on her own with her baby struggling to make ends meet. She started coming to classes, so she was able to provide for her baby, but then she also learned how to better communicate with the babys father. He started coming to classes. They had been estranged, but as she learned to communicate in a healthier way, he became more involved in their lives and started coming to classes as well.

He learned about better communication, but also healing from some things from his past that had kept him from engaging well with his family. And so, by the time they left, they had gotten married, found stable jobs, became better educated, and were pursuing life as a family unit. Where she came feeling isolated and at her wits end of how she was going to care for her baby.

Because PRC doesnt accept government assistance to keep their doors open and programs running, Laubinger affirmed that the non-profit depends on community support to survive.

Our funding is just from the community, so we do some events, she said. We have the Walk for Life and we do encourage year-end giving. Were not government funded but the state of Missouri acknowledges how centers help families and the services they provide actually cost the state less in assistance programs.

"So, for people who choose to give to things like the PRC  and they also do it for food pantries, maternity homes, and some other agencies  they offer tax credits for people who give to places like us. We dont see the tax dollars; we dont see the state money, but if somebody chooses to give to us then they can apply for those tax credits. So, its a benefit to the centers when people give  obviously, because thats how we operate  we dont charge clients for any services, everything is free.

Laubinger said the PRC accepts monetary gifts throughout the year, either through a secure donation on its website at parklandprc.com, on its Facebook page, by check ... or even baby bottle change.

That change adds up and really helps our center, she said. None of us are getting rich. You can trust that your dollars are going to provide help for people in need  but its not a handout. It is empowering help.

Kevin R. Jenkins is the managing editor of the Farmington Press and can be reached at 573-783-9667 or kjenkins@farmingtonpressonline.com

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Glendale school board hires coach, paraprofessional

FLINTON  Glendale School Board approved a number of items at Tuesdays board meeting.

Lauryn Clarkson was hired by directors to serve as the 2021-22 head junior high softball coach. Hiring an assistant softball coach was tabled.

Justin Wedlock was approved by the board as the spring weight room co-advisor to serve with co-advisor James Arnold.

Directors approved Joe Vereshack as a volunteer for varsity softball and Zachary Krug as a volunteer for varsity football.

The board authorized an increase in daily rates for substitute teachers to $120 per day and substitute nurses to $145.

Permanent employment was approved by directors for support staff employees Heather Anderson and Joshua Flick, both effective Feb. 15.

The board approved transferring Ronda Shepler from part-time food service to full-time food service. Carrie Lewis was hired to fill a paraprofessional vacancy.

Directors approve purchasing 100 band uniforms and five drum major uniforms from Stanbury Uniforms LLC, Brookfield, Mo. at a cost of $41,030.50 and 80 helmets, 100 garment bags and 125 raincoats from Banding Together, Warren, Ohio at a cost of $19,246. Both purchases will be made through the states cooperative purchasing program, COSTARS.

Elementary Principal Brian Stacey thanked the districts teachers, a number of whom were in attendance Tuesday evening, for their work and dedication to students during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Board President Dr. Andy Mulhollen agreed. We are very fortunate to have the staff we do at Glendale. This is an exemplary school.
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After pressure from the tourism community, four new industry representative seats have been added to the Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau board while four government official seats have been removed.

The Albemarle Board of Supervisors earlier this week approved changes to the bureaus operating agreement and the Charlottesville City Council voted on the changes late last year.

The tourism board now has two accommodations representative seats and two food or beverage representative seats, one from each category appointed by the city and the county.

Two elected official seats, one from each the city and the county, were removed, as well as the city manager seat and the county executive seat.

Last year, the board heard from tourism industry representatives that theres a disconnect between the board and industry needs, and that there should be more representation from businesses on the board.

The issue was not new. Since the boards makeup was changed in 2018, when elected officials were added, industry representation on the board has been an ongoing concern.

Ultimately, the bureaus Board of Directors recommended at its October meeting to change the makeup of the board.

Angelic Jenkins, the owner of Angelics Kitchen, has been appointed to the citys food and beverage seat on the board, while Jay Pun, co-owner of Chimm, Chimm Street, and Thai Cuisine and Noodle House, has been appointed to the countys food and beverage seat on the board.

Russ Cronberg, general manager of The Boars Head Resort, has been appointed to the countys accomodations seat on the board, while Walter Burton, general manager of The Draftsman Hotel, has been appointed to the citys accomodations seat on the board.

The updated agreement also includes a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; clarifies the process for appointing industry representatives; aligns terms to begin on Jan. 1; and places limitations on fund balance carryover to 25% of the operating budget.

When the city council approved the changes to the agreement last year, then-Mayor Nikuyah Walker, who also served as a council representative on the board, said councilors will need to make sure that the board is diverse, what the board advocates is diverse and that money given to the board is being used to meet set goals.

I do think there should be a level of oversight to make sure that the diversity component, who we are trying to attract with tourism and what we consider as sites to highlight, that we do a better job there, she said at the time.

Industry representatives have also asked that funding for the bureau be increased. Currently, the money comes from a portion of the city and countys transient occupancy tax, which is levied on hotel and short-term rental guests.

According to upcoming budget documents provided by the bureau, the citys contribution to the bureau is decreasing by almost 25%, or $235,756, while the countys contribution is decreasing by about 0.1%, or $510.

However, the bureau has received American Rescue Plan Act funding, and is looking to use fund balances from both fiscal year 2022 and 2023 for marketing. The budget will be presented to its board at its Feb. 28 meeting.

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Today

Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 44F. WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Higher wind gusts possible.

Tonight

Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 44F. WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Higher wind gusts possible.

Tomorrow

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 63F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
From an office in the Press Corps of the Indiana Statehouse, the journalism majors of Franklin College's Pulliam School of Journalism work alongside the best reporters in the state, digging into the behind-the-scenes stories of Indiana politics. We're a student newsroom, but our work doesn't sit on a professor's desk. We create daily content for this website and 35 professional media partners around the state.
We now continue with the H list of artists and groups with top-10 hits during the pop/rock/soul/psychedelic etc. decade of the 1960s.

Hollies-Bus Stop, Stop Stop Stop, Carrie-Anne; He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother: This group from Manchester, England produced some of the most effervescent songs of the decade, particularly when Graham Nash (later of Crosby, Stills and Nash) was in the group. The sound of the group changed after Nash left, to a somewhat heavier sound rock and ballad wise, particularly on the latter hit here. Regarding the Nash-era hits, the drumming is especially energetic and my favourite of their songs is the ultra-exciting I Can't Let Go, which was a hit by Evie Sands. The Hollies' version only reached #42 in the U.S. charts.

Hollywood Argyles - Alley-Oop: One of many goofy hits of the late-1950s, early 1960s pop music era, with beatnik-type lingo. Mildly amusing.

Eddie Holman-Hey There Lonely Girl: Nice soul-pop hit with great, really high falsetto singing.

The Hondells-Little Honda: Not bad, but the Beach Boys' propulsive original is far better and should have been a top-10 hit for them.

The Honeycombs- Have I The Right?: Herky-jerky and kind of hyperactive musically. Fun British Invasion hit.

Mary Hopkin-Those Were The Days: In the summer of 1968, the Beatles' Apple label got off to a pretty strong start with two U.S. top 10s, the band's own Hey Jude and this Paul McCartney-produced hit, based on a Russian folk song. Just like Hey Jude, Those Were the Days was a longer than usual hit single. Hopkin's sweet voice is irresistible. I prefer her other hit, the McCartney-written and produced Goodbye, which reached #13. McCartney's original demo of this song has an amusingly high falsetto vocal.

Johnny Horton - Sink the Bismarck, North to Alaska: History lessons in song with fairly raucous vocals. Tragically, Horton was killed in a car accident in late 1960 while at the peak of his success. Eerily, he was married to the widow of the even more legendary country music star, Hank Williams, who had died almost eight years before, also in a car but not in a vehicle accident.

The Human Beinz-Nobody But Me: A commercial garage-rock song where the word "no" is sung numerous times. Good for singing along.

Engelbert Humperdinck- Release Me (And Let Me Love Again): The rock critics did not like Engelbert, as his hits were unabashedly pop. And so what? He has a great voice, his 1960s and 1970s song were superbly crafted and he was impeccably recorded, so much so that his songs sound like they were recorded today. His biggest hit was famous in England for keeping the Beatles' Penny Lane from reaching #1, to which the U.K. media, as they frequently do, overreacted. Another couple of notes: Engelbert recorded There's A Kind Of Hush before Herman's Hermits, and my favourite of his songs is Winter World of Love, which reached #16 in the U.S..

Brian Hyland- Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, Sealed With A Kiss: Hyland had a very solid bunch of hits in the 1960s  the first of these is a mite overly cute, and the latter is a wistful pop classic, though I'm surprised it was only mixed in mono. The multi-tracked vocals almost make it sound like it was in stereo.

Next time: The I list.
Kerrville, TX (78028)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Rain. Low 19C. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Rain. Low 11C. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
SPRINGFIELD  The Illinois Department of Corrections is making plans to downsizeplans that a major public employee union claims have not been shared with its members.

With inmate population dwindling to 28,000 and mounting maintenance bills on prison buildings at correctional centers across the state, DOC developed a plan which may include significant downsizing at the Vandalia and Pontiac correctional centers.

These facilities are referenced due to current operational needs, IDOC chief of staff Camille Lindsay said in an email when asked about a draft plan obtained by Capitol News Illinois.

Under the proposed plan, Pontiac would close the medium security unit and go from 1,740 beds to 642 beds. Pontiac currently houses 1,144 inmates, including a unit that houses seriously mentally ill individuals.

Vandalia Correctional Center currently has a capacity of 1,001 and would be reduced to 401 inmates under the plan.

Both facilities face maintenance costs, including $3.8 million at Pontiac. The reduction of beds at Vandalia will save the state $12 million, according to plan estimates.

Gov. J.B. Pritzkers spokesperson Jordan Abudayyeh said the plan is still preliminary.

The document is a draft plan that was put together for discussion within the agency and in order to start discussions with stakeholders. It was not presented to the governors office for final approval because it is a draft that is expected to be updated after more discussions, Abudayyeh said. The Department is always interested in considering new ideas to better serve their population and this draft plan is an attempt to spur discussion about ways to improve services.

The preliminary plan noted that hiring continues to be a challenge at IDOC and staff overtime hours for are extremely high, especially at Pontiac.

IDOC plans to adjust staffing to account for closures.

No one will be laid off or a transferred as a result, Lindsay said.

Lindsay said in an email the department has not started moving people in order to reduce the populations in these facilities.

That claim was disputed by a representative from AFSCME Council 31  the union that represents IDOC officers.

The department began moving offenders out of Pontiac last week with no advance notice to the union, the employees or the individuals who were moved, said Anders Lindall, public affairs director for AFSCME Council 31.

Lindall noted that the union subsequently received notice of IDOCs intent to reduce populations at Vandalia and Pontiac with a target date of March 16 for the first phase with additional unit closures to be completed by the summer.

Lindall said the union began to hear rumors early last week about possible changes at Pontiac and met with IDOC officials on Feb. 9, during which IDOC denied that possible changes may be forthcoming.

On Wednesday, seven buses arrived at the facility and began to empty out the medium security units. Only on Friday did they inform us of their plan to close the MSU that they earlier denied, Lindall said.

In response to questions, Lindsay wrote in an email that the department has not started moving people in order to reduce the populations in these facilities.

This is an unacceptable breach of trust from IDOC management and not the basis of productive labor relations, Lindall said. Especially given the history of closure threats at both Pontiac and Vandalia, these new changes introduce uncertainty and instability that hurt employee morale and the lack of truthfulness in presenting them make union members question whether they can rely on managements commitments.

In a letter to Pritzker and IDOC Director Rob Jeffreys, Reps. Thomas Bennett, R-Gibson City, Charlie Meier, R-Okawville, Paul Jacobs, R-Pomona, Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, and Sens. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, and Terri Bryant, R- Murphysboro, asked about the transfers from Pontiac and Vandalia.

(T)here is significant concern in these communities about the future of those facilities, the letter stated. As both of these correctional centers serve as some of the largest employers in their respective regions, any changes to staffing or inmate population levels would have a major impact on the economic health of those areas.

Vandalia Mayor Ricky Gottman said Wednesday that he had been in contact with some of the legislators to let them know he was concerned about reductions in inmate populations or staff.

This is an important employer in the area. And that makes it in an important part of our economy for Vandalia, for Fayette County and surrounding areas, Gottman said. These are good and high-paying jobs and it would be devastating to lose them.
EDWARDSVILLE  A zoning request in Jarvis Township was approved 17-8 by the Madison County Board at Wednesdays meeting.

Several area residents spoke out against the request, and petitions have been submitted against it.

Ryan Lybarger and Jason Askew had requested a special use permit to allow a landscaping business to operate on the property, located in an agriculturally-zoned area in Jarvis Township along Troy Road.

They had originally requested a variance to place a building within a setback zone and the special use permit in January. After residents objected to the buildings location, they withdrew the request to negotiate with neighbors.

One issue with the buildings location is that there are power transmission lines over part of the property, requiring buildings to be elsewhere.

A modified request with only the special use permit was approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Building and Zoning Committee.

However, numerous nearby residents signed petitions opposing the special use permit, based on a number of factors ranging from the residential nature of part of the area, concerns about late hours of operation and storage of materials and vehicles, and the exact location of the building.

Some had expressed concerns about what would happen if the business were sold. However, officials said that a special use permit applies to the owner, and any new owners would have to go through the process again.

After some discussion by the full County Board, they voted 17-8 in favor.

Those voting against were Stacy Pace, R-Troy; Bobby Ross, R-St. Jacob; Mike Walters, R-Godfrey; Bill Stoutenborough, D-Alton; Mike Babcock, R-Bethalto; Jamie Goggin, R-Edwardsville; Chris Guy, R-Maryville; and Erica Conway-Harris, R-Glen Carbon.

Ryan Kneedler, R-Collinsville, abstained.

Four other requests were approved.

Justin Lynch and Chelsea Lynch had requested a special use permit to operate a hair salon from a home at 7541 Lake James Drive, Edwardsville; Robert and Kimberly Martin sought a variance to create a 1.33-acre tract of land, rather than the required 2 acre tract, at 60 Illinois 4 near St. Jacob; Anthony Shoeber on behalf of HWS Real Estate requested the rezoning of 3237 W. Chan of Rocks Road from R-5 Multiple-Family Residential to B-3 Highway Business District; and Carl Watt requested a special use permit to allow a nail salon in a residence at 1218 Key Largo Terrace, Edwardsville.

Also approved was a resolution authorizing the 2022 Green Schools program funding.

The program includes a number of specific programs with set funding amounts, including $7,932 for county sponsored competitions and programs; $3,000 for continuing educations for green school coordinators $5,625 for coordinator and school recognition; and $25,843 for school grants and incentives.

Schools receiving grants include St. Ambrose Catholic School, South Primary School and Roxana Senior High School in the Roxana district, East Elementary School in the Alton district, Meadowbrook Intermediate School in the Bethalto district, Lincoln Middle School and Leclaire Elementary School in the Edwardsville district, Highland Middle School and Highland High School in the Highland district, Trinity Lutheran School, Evangelical School, and East Alton Wood River High School.

The board also approved accepting a bid of $624,888 from Depew & Owen Builders Inc. of Centralia for the replacement of a single span bridge on East Mill Creek Road over Mill Creek in Jarvis Township.
SPRINGFIELD, Missouri  Missouri State University awarded 1,509 degrees to students in commencement ceremonies on Dec. 17, 2021, at JQH Arena in Springfield.

Local students earning degrees were:

 Collin Clayton of Edwardsville with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Sport and Park Administration.

 Griffin Kraut of Edwardsville graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology.

 Konnor Morrissey of Godfrey raduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing.

 Ryan Osterhout of Collinsville graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain, Logistics and Operations Management.

 Emily Selby of Godfrey graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications.

 Sierra Weidner of Waggoner graduated with a Master of Accountancy.

Students who graduated with honors completed at least 30 credit hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5.




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.

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_.

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EDWARDSVILLE  A New Douglas woman has been charged with an auto-related felony by the Madison County States Attorneys Office.

Tahsa M. Hagenbrok, 37, of New Douglas, was charged Feb. 17 with offenses relating to possession of title, a Class 2 felony.

The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department.

According to court documents, on Feb. 17 Hagenbrok allegedly had a stolen, altered or forged title to a 2007 Chevrolet Colorado.

Bail was set at $50,000.

In an unrelated incident, Jonathan A. Marzuco, 39, of Granite city, was charged with unlawful possession of an Illinois vehicle registration sticker, a Class 4 felony, and driving while license expired, a Class B misdemeanor.

The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department.

According to court documents, on Marzuco allegedly had an Illinois registration sticker registered to one vehicle on another, a Chevrolet S10 pickup. He allegedly was found to be driving that vehicle on North Street in Granite City with a drivers license that had been expired for more than a year.

Bail was set at $15,000.

Other felony charges filed Feb. 17 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 Derek M. Jeter, 55, of St. Louis, was charged with retail theft over $300, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on Feb. 16 Jeter allegedly took an HP 22 personal computer valued in excess of $300 from the Granite City Walmart. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Devan A. Cook, 29, of Granite City, was charged with retail theft under $300 (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Glen Carbon Police Department. On Jan. 22 Cook allegedly took drill bits, a saw blade and other items valued at less than $300 from the Glen Carbon Lowes Home Improvement. He has a prior conviction for burglary out of Madison County Oct. 6, 2021. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Rhonda K. Demay, 62, of Cottage Hills, was charged with retail theft under $300 (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Feb. 1 Demay allegedly took grocery and cleaning items valued at less than $300 from the Godfrey Walmart. She has a 2016 conviction for retail theft out of Madison County. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Michael J. Globosky, 56, of St. Charles, Missouri, was charged with theft of labor or services or use of property, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Glen Carbon Police Department. On Feb. 7 Globosky allegedly rented a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu from Enterprise Rent-A-Car on Nov. 12 but failed to return it Jan. 20. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Joseph D. Partain, 43, of Cottage Hills, was charged with driving while license revoked, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On Feb. 14 Partain allegedly was driving a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta in Cottage Hills with a revoked license. His license was revoked in 2011 for a DUI conviction. Bail was set at $15,000.
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ALTON  Employees of Wissehr Electric worked Friday morning to replace a traffic signal light downed in a weather-related crash Thursday at the corner of Homer Adams Parkway and Alby Street in Alton.

Thursday's rain turned into sleet and then snow through the late evening, making for slippery roads. Several area schools dismissed early Thursday to avoid the worsening traffic conditions.
In this series, we bust the jargon and explain a popular investing term or theme. Here it's Ebitda.

Eh? A bit of what?

Ebitda is a frequently-used acronym standing for Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortisation.

It is a measure of a company's profit or earnings before taking off a list of deductions: interest on its debts, tax, the depreciation over time of its fixed assets like buildings, plant and machinery and the amortisation of its intangible assets. That is the decrease in the value of brands, patents and trademarks, also over a set time.

Writing on the wall: Ebitda provides a snapshot of a company's performance

What does it tell us?

Ebitda provides a snapshot of a company's performance, including its cash flow, eliminating factors over which the business has little or no control like accounting policies and taxation.

As a result it is a means of assessing the merits of similar companies in the same industry, although if you are thinking of buying shares, it is not an entirely reliable guide on its own.

How else can it be used?

Many analysts favour the net debt-to-ebitda ratio because it provides an indication of the ability of a business to cut its debts.

A ratio of more than 4 or 5 may suggest that reducing debt could be a struggle  and that the business is less likely to borrow in the future to expand. Analysts also like the enterprise value (EV)/ebitda ratio which shows how expensive a company is.

A low EV/ebidta ratio suggests a company could be undervalued.

To calculate the EV you take the company's market capitalisation (the total value of its shares), add its debt, subtract its cash and divide it by the ebitda.

When did it become popular?

The term entered business language in the 1980s. But it was first devised in the 1970s by billionaire John Malone, now chairman of Liberty Media, owner of Virgin Media-02. During that period, Malone was rapidly acquiring cable TV companies and needed a measure of their cash-generating ability.

Why is there criticism?

Mab call ebitda a 'bad number' or even a 'fake metric' because the earnings figure may be distorted. Such is the length and complexity of companies' financial statements that managers can easily bury issues relevant to earnings in the small print. As a result of this ploy, the number could be overstated.

Are these criticisms fair?

Ebitda has its limitations, so the main thing is to be aware of them. Never look at any single measure or ratio in isolation, but try to build a rounded picture of a company's finances.
Investment fund Pictet Asian Equities ex Japan is very much a best ideas portfolio, comprising shares in companies the asset manager believes will perform strongly over the coming years.

Unlike other funds it doesn't favour particular investment sectors or try to shadow any index. Instead, it draws on an extensive team in London to identify the best share ideas  with country specialists and research analysts based in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Some 1,200 listed companies are on its radar, but only a minority end up in the portfolio.

The result is a fund with a lot of conviction in the stakes it takes  in crude terms, it bets big. The 1.2billion portfolio comprises 40 stocks with the top 10 holdings accounting for just short of half of the fund's assets. Getting the bets right is therefore key.

So far, the fund's big bets have paid off, although not spectacularly so. Since launch in October 2017, it has delivered modest returns of some 32 per cent, outperforming its benchmark index, the MSCI AC Asia Ex Japan, which has produced a return of 23 per cent.

Although the fund is managed b y Pictet's emerging equities team, it's not strictly an emerging markets fund. It has key holdings in the developed market of Hong Kong  such as life insurer AIA and consumer shopping platform Meituan  as well as big positions in the emerging markets of China and Taiwan.

Most of the fund's stakes are also in leading global firms: the likes of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and South Korean giant Samsung Electronics  companies that are represented in the MSCI AC Asia Ex Japan Index.

So, the fund is not about unearthing hidden investment gems that other managers have missed. Instead, it's more focused on identifying best in class companies and then backing them to succeed.

It's a modus operandi that Kiran Nandra, head of emerging equities management at Pictet, is keen to explain. 'Our whole focus is on stock picking,' she says.

'We're active managers and our objective is to put together a portfolio that will beat its benchmark.

That means being overweight in companies we like. It also means we invest irrespective of where the companies are listed. If it's a good business, we invest in it.' Currently, most are listed in either China or Taiwan.

There are common characteristics among the holdings. Most are cash generative businesses that Pictet believes the market currently undervalues.

They then tend to fall into two camps  businesses that are either 'structural growers' or at an 'inflection' point.

Structural growers, says Pictet, are likely to produce above average market returns in the mid to long term. Companies at an inflection point are typically those where earnings are depressed, but are about to take off.

Pictet Asian Equities ex Japan is a fund without any real surprises. It's primarily a blue chip portfolio invested in one of the world's strongest growth regions. Although Nandra accepts the region has its geopolitical tensions, it's not a consideration in constructing the portfolio  holdings in Taiwan and China sit side by side.

It's also not particularly bothered about the Chinese state laying down laws that temporarily cramp the business activities of leading companies such as Tencent and Alibaba  hence its holdings in both.

Nandra believes the companies have learnt to adapt and so will continue to make profits. The fund's annual charges are a tad over one per cent. Investors should opt for the share class denominated in pounds.
Philip Hammond has distanced himself from Arm's sale to Japanese private equity six years ago despite helping to seal the firm's fate.

The former chancellor, who was in Number 11 when the Arm deal took place in 2016, stood in Downing Street with Softbank owner Masayoshi Son in July that year  less than two months before the takeover was officially sealed.

But in a U-turn, Hammond has washed his hands of the 24billion deal, which resulted in the chip designer being taken private and removed from the London stock exchange.

Dealmakers: The former chancellor with Masayoshi Son

He told the Daily Mail: 'I hardly had any role, it was my first week in office. I inherited the deal. I can't claim responsibility.'

His comments are in stark contrast to what he said on July 18, 2016 when he tweeted: 'Decision by Softbank to invest in Arm shows UK has lost none of its allure to global investors  Britain is open for business.'

But Russ Shaw, founder of Tech London Advocates, said: 'I can't believe Hammond has distanced himself from the deal, it was his responsibility. He and [then prime minister Theresa] May should have looked at it more closely.'

The Daily Mail has launched a campaign to Back British Tech and for Arm to return to the London stock market.

Arm is still owned by Softbank but has not flourished. The Japanese giant tried to sell Arm to US chip giant Nvidia but the deal fell through two weeks ago.

Now Son plans to float the company in New York in a blockbuster listing. But demands are mounting for the chip designer  one of the most successful ever tech companies to be founded in the UK  to have its shares listed in the City.
Nearly five years after Linn County commissioners first contended for $25 million in state funds, proponents will have to wait a bit longer for a 40,000-container-per-year freight yard in Millersburg to open.

Owners and operators of the Mid-Willamette Valley Intermodal Center say crews will finish construction of the cargo-switching facility late in 2022. That's as many as 10 months after they had planned to open at the start of February. Construction started in March.

The project is held up in part by a natural gas line crews will have to dig up and relocate outside the site, county spokesperson Alex Paul said.

Linn Economic Development Group, the nonprofit economic development corporation that owns the site, and the company selected to manage cargo, ITS ConGlobal, did not confirm the reason for the delay in a joint statement issued by development group Executive Director Don Waddell.

We are currently working on alternatives to open the (center) as soon as possible, the statement reads.

Federal maps show the pipeline likely is owned and operated by Kinder Morgan Inc., a Houston-based energy company. An operator at the companys Portland gas terminal declined to say whether the pipeline is Kinder Morgans.

County and state politicians pushed for state Transportation Commission attention in 2017, when a nonprofit economic development corporation was formed to apply for $25 million in Connect Oregon grant funds and draw the states efforts to site more container facilities in Oregon to Millersburg.

Their application beat out a similar proposal in Brooks, just 28 miles north of Millersburg on Interstate 5. The state awarded another $26 million to a site in eastern Oregon.

Linn County bought the 192-acre former International Paper mill, 60 of which is now part of the Linn Economic Development Group, which is raising a rail-switching yard and cargo cranes where a mill once stood. On the remaining acreage an industrial center is planned.

Union Pacific will bring empty cargo containers from the midwestern U.S. and western metro areas, like Denver and Salt Lake City, to the facility where operators envision hydraulic lifts, a fleet of trucks and a massive boomed vehicle called a reach stacker swapping those containers for containers full of local straw and grass seed.

Full containers are shipped by rail to container ports in Tacoma, Washington, and Seattle.

The system is intended to lower emissions and make highways safer by putting some trucked cargo on rails  fewer engines, fewer trucks per ton of freight. Grass growers in the mid-valley that commonly send their produce overseas would see less cost to ship. The development corporation would reinvest revenue in Linn County, according to that groups filings.

Alex Powers covers business, environment and healthcare for Mid-Valley Media. Contact him at 541-812-6116 or alex.powers@lee.net.

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Lloyds will come under new pressure this week for its handling of the HBOS Reading affair, one of the most notorious frauds to hit the bank.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the lending giant plans to install a former HBOS banker to lead its involvement in an 'independent re-review' of the scandal at the Reading branch. The 'rereview' is the latest in a string of lengthy inquiries into the affair.

According to an internal memo seen by this paper, Simon Amess will oversee the bank's side of the review into the plight of HBOS customers drained of tens of millions of pounds and pushed into financial ruin.

'Independent re-review': According to an internal memo, Simon Amess will oversee the bank's side of the review into the plight of HBOS customers pushed into financial ruin

It is understood Amess will not be involved in assessing claims. But his inclusion risks angering the many victims still waiting for compensation long after the debacle.

Amess worked at Bank of Scotland before its merger with Halifax in 2001, and worked in the merged banks' acquisition finance and structured credit divisions just before HBOS's meltdown in 2008.

HBOS had made billions of pounds of risky loans in its commercial lending division and had to be rescued by Lloyds at a huge cost to the taxpayer. Amess did not have a direct connection to HBOS Reading or small business banking.

He was moved across from a role in Lloyds' commercial division by new chief executive Charlie Nunn, who is expected to reveal his strategy for the bank this week on publication of its annual results.

Commercial banking chief David Oldfield said Amess would 'take over leadership of the independent re-review of customers impacted by the HBOS Reading fraud'.

Hundreds of customers were left in financial ruin because of a scam involving staff at HBOS Reading and consultants between 2003 and 2007, when they used threats and extortion to steal from customers, take control of their firms, and pocket loans granted in their name.

Six people, including Michael Bancroft, David Mills, and Lynden Scourfield, were jailed in 2017 after they were found to have plundered 1billion to fund superyachts, sex parties and plush holidays.

It is understood Amess will be leading the bank's efforts to provide redress to customers, working in conjunction with an independent panel chaired by retired High Court judge Sir David Foskett.

Kash Shabir, whose business was placed into receivership by Lloyds, said: 'The whole process is cynical and entirely conflicted.'

Nunn is expected to detail a plan to turbocharge the bank's growth in property, wealth, insurance and commercial banking.
Beleaguered telecoms giant Vodafone is planning to shift UK jobs overseas in a cost-cutting drive, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The FTSE100 company  which is under pressure from an activist investor  is switching roles from its business division to its services teams in Egypt, India, Hungary and Romania. It is not clear how many UK jobs will move offshore.

Watching brief: Vodafone is switching roles from its business division to its services teams in Egypt, India, Hungary and Romania

Vodafone is creating a new unit, called Vois Business Services, as a result of the restructure, according to an internal memo.

It is understood the aim is to reduce expenses by streamlining some teams and sharing more technology, while moving jobs to cheaper locations.

But the move raises questions as to the structure of Vodafone Business and its subsidiary Vodafone Global Enterprise (VGE), which provides corporations with workplace mobile contracts. The firm said the restructure would 'enhance efficiency' and help grow 'global products at scale across markets'.

The MoS this month revealed that Vodafone is also cutting UK jobs by moving mobile contracts handled by VGE in the UK to wherever the client is based overseas.

The moves come after Europe's biggest activist investor Cevian took a stake in the firm. It is understood it could push Vodafone to bulk up operations in key countries and sell businesses elsewhere.

Vodafone rejected a recent 9billion offer for its Italian business from French operator Iliad. Vodafone chief Nick Read sent an internal memo last week saying priorities include 'scale in major European markets including Italy'.
The former boss of the London Stock Exchange has called for a revamp of investment rules to keep tech stars such as Arm in Britain.

Xavier Rolet said successive Chancellors had missed chances to amend punitive taxes deterring fast-growing British gems from floating in the City.

Rolet, who led the LSE from 2009 to 2017, warned that London would continue to lose valuable firms due to the 0.5 per cent stamp duty when individuals buy shares.

Warning: Xavier Rolet said successive Chancellors had missed chances to amend punitive taxes deterring fast-growing British gems from floating in the City

He said: 'You can't complain that the Arms of the world are going to list elsewhere, where equity markets are more developed. You need to cure that if you want to have a better chance of keeping these companies here.'

SoftBank, the Japanese investment giant that backs Arm, said this month it intended to float the Cambridge-based chipmaker in the US. The shock decision came after a 30billion sale to US giant Nvidia collapsed over competition concerns.

The Mail on Sunday is campaigning for investors and policy-makers to Back British Tech and convince SoftBank to list Arm in London.

Rolet, 62, said the Government needed to abolish stamp duty when individuals buy shares to tempt firms to London. He said: 'In 20 years there's only one Chancellor that did something about this. George Osborne repealed stamp duty on AIM-listed stocks. We saw overnight a huge increase in retail share trading in these stocks.

'UK equities are punished through stamp duty. The cost to the wider economy is far more substantial than what the Treasury collects.'

He added that individuals should be able to buy shares when companies float. Typically only large pension funds and professional stock pickers are given access initially, meaning armchair investors miss out on any jump in the share price on the first day of trading.
Tifton, GA (31794)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds SSW 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 66F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
SATURDAY

C3 GameCon, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 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; 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, presents 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 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.

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 who 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.

THURSDAY

Academy for Lifelong Learning, 9:30 a.m., online. William Wickes and Lara Wickes will present Musicians and the Pandemic: Coming Out of the Abyss. The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected professional concert and studio musicians, who have seen their ensembles and audiences shut down by social distancing. Registration: 541-737-9405.

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.

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Barre, VT (05641)

Today

Periods of rain. Low 47F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 47F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
The Oregon Employment Department is defending its use of a contractor that relies on facial technology to verify the identities of people claiming benefits.

However, acting Employment Department Director David Gerstenfeld says the agency began use of alternatives to the technology last fall, when it found that some people faced special difficulties in the automated scanning system used by ID.me in Oregon and 26 other states, including four neighboring states.

The system compares photos uploaded by claim applicants against drivers licenses, state identification cards, passports or passport cards, all of which have photos.

Among the groups Gerstenfeld said had difficulties:

 Workers ages 20 and younger

 Latinx, Black and Native American residents

 People who lacked access to computers

We are aware of concerns about facial recognition technology and how it may be harder for people of color to use, Gerstenfeld told reporters in a briefing Wednesday, Feb. 16. We are also deeply committed to ensuring that the claimant identity verification process is equitable for everyone.

Among the alternatives Gerstenfeld said the agency has instituted since problems were identified last fall: Recorded telephone messages in four languages, informing claimants there are alternatives to facial recognition; live calls from agency staff or interpreters in the claimants preferred language; a special help button on the agencys contact us webpage, and in-person visits to WorkSource offices, where claimants can verify their identity or use special cell phones to upload their photos.

Of 27,000 claims for unemployment benefits since the agency started using the system, Gerstenfeld said 17,000 have completed the process through ID.me. He did not have a count of those who qualified after in-person visits to WorkSource offices, which are run by the agency and local partners.

He said others probably were deterred because they lacked verification and may have been seeking to obtain benefits fraudulently.

Wyden prods feds

Gerstenfeld spoke the day after Chairman Ron Wyden and two fellow Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee, Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, decried the use of facial recognition technology by private contractors working with state employment agencies.

The senators, in a Feb. 15 letter to Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, urged the Department of Labor to help states move to a federal alternative such as login.gov, run by the General Services Administration since 2017.

They wrote: It is concerning that so many state and federal government agencies have outsourced their core technology infrastructure to the private sector.

It is particularly concerning that one of the most prominent vendors in the space, ID.me, not only uses facial recognition and lacks transparency about its processes and results, but frequently has unacceptably long wait times for users to be screened by humans after being rejected by the companys automated scanning system.

The federal system has enrolled 28 agencies with 200 websites and has 40 million Americans with accounts.

But three of the largest federal agencies do not use login.gov. They are the Internal Revenue Service, which processed 189 million tax returns in 2020; the Social Security Administration, which serves 69 million recipients, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Wyden, and the Republican members of the Finance Committee, made the same point in recent weeks about the IRS use of facial recognition technology. Unlike the Republicans, however, Wyden acknowledges that the IRS needs urgent modernization of its systems.

Gerstenfeld said Wydens point is well taken.

We agree with Sen. Wyden that an ideal solution would be a national identity verification tool, he said.

We continue to see how we can make the process of verifying identity easier and preserve their confidentiality. We do think there are good safeguards in place. We would prefer it was a national system that all states can use. But there isnt one right now that provides the same level of identity verification security.

How it started

Gerstenfeld said Oregon contracted with ID.me, based in McLean, Virginia, for a pilot project in March.

It was clear that existing tools did not provide adequate prevention against fraudulent claims, he said, which stem from identity theft of individuals or organized thieves buying personal information on the black market.

In mid-January, Oregon reported a preliminary estimate of $24 million in losses from fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits during 2020. The amount was a fraction of the $7.4 billion that the Oregon Employment Department paid out in federal and state benefits, the latter drawn from the unemployment trust fund that comes from employer payroll taxes. It also was far less than the estimated $20 billion lost in California or the $640 million in Washington state.

According to the state report, 4,543 identity-theft cases accounted for $3.1 million in losses, and 4,692 individual-fraud cases accounted for $21.1 million. The agency is still working on data for 2021; most federal supplemental unemployment benefits ended on Labor Day.

The same report said most of the 2020 losses were in regular benefits from the state trust fund, not supplemental federal benefits.

We think there are good safeguards in place. We would prefer a national system, Gerstenfeld said.

Were not saying we are at a perfect state. We continue to work with the vendor, address the concerns, and try to understand the impacts we saw.

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Steven Curtis Chapman, who grew up in Paducah and Mayfield, is going to be a part of the upcoming Kentucky Tornado Relief Benefit Concert at Heartland Church in Paducah on Feb. 20. Proceeds will benefit Samaritans Purse, a Christian disaster relief organization that is planning to send teams to help with rebuilding and repairing homes in Mayfield.
David Gray and his family were in their home when the December tornado outbreak hit Dawson Springs. Their home suffered damage from the tornado, including being hit by a tree.
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President Vladimir Putin launched exercises by Russias strategic nuclear missile forces on Saturday and Washington said Russian troops massed near Ukraines border were moving forward and poised to strike.

With Western nations fearing what could be one of the worst conflicts since the Cold War, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Russian forces were beginning to uncoil and move closer to the border with its former Soviet neighbour.

We hope he (Putin) steps back from the brink of conflict, Austin told a news conference in Lithuania, saying an invasion of Ukraine was not inevitable.

Russia ordered the military build-up while demanding NATO prevent Ukraine ever joining the alliance but says Western predictions it is planning to invade Ukraine are wrong and dangerous. It says it is now pulling back. Washington and allies say the build-up is mounting.

Russian-backed separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine declared a full military mobilisation after ordering women and children to evacuate to Russia, citing the threat of an imminent attack by Ukrainian forces.

Kyiv denied the accusation. It and Western leaders say the mobilisation, evacuation and increased shelling across the ceasefire line this week are part of a Russian plan to create a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine.

Russias FSB security service said two shells landed on Russian territory near the border, Russias Tass news agency reported. One hit a building in Rostov region but no one was hurt, it said.

Ukraines foreign minister denied any Ukrainian shells had hit Russian territory and demanded an independent international investigation of the alleged incidents.

Ukraines military accused Russia of faking pictures of shells to make out they were Ukrainian, and said mercenaries had arrived in separatist-held eastern Ukraine to stage provocations in collaboration with Russias special services.

The purpose of these provocations will, of course, be to accuse Ukraine of further escalation, it said.

Multiple explosions were heard on Saturday in the north of the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, as more people got on buses to leave, a Reuters witness said. The origin of the explosions was not immediately clear. Ukraine said one of its soldiers had been killed.

Its really scary. Ive taken everything I could carry, said Tatyana, 30, who was boarding a bus with her 4-year-old daughter.

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday he believed the capital Kyiv would be targeted by Russia but that he did not think Putin was contemplating using nuclear weapons.

Biden said Putin would invade in the coming days: As of this moment, I am convinced that he has made the decision.

NUCLEAR EXERCISES

The Kremlin said Russia had successfully test-launched hypersonic and cruise missiles at sea at land-based targets during its military exercises.

Putin observed the exercises on screens with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko from what the Kremlin called a situation centre.

Austin said the nuclear exercises were stoking concern among defence leaders around the world as Russias military was focused on a huge build-up of forces around Ukraine and there was a danger of an accident or a mistake.

The drills follow manoeuvres by Russias armed forces in the past four months that have included a build-up of troops  estimated by the West to number 150,000 or more  to the north, east and south of Ukraine.

Moscow-based analysts said the exercises were aimed at sending a message to take Russias demands for security guarantees from NATO seriously after the alliances expansion to Russias borders since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Ignoring Russias legitimate rights in this area adversely affects the stability not only on the European continent, but also in the world, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by his ministry as telling Frances foreign minister by phone.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia knew the alliance could not meet its demands, which include the withdrawal of NATO forces from former communist east European states that have elected to join NATO.

New helicopters and a battle group deployment of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and support equipment have deployed in Russia, near the border, according to U.S.-based Maxar Technologies, which tracks developments with satellite imagery.

The Kremlin also has troops staging exercises in Belarus, north of Ukraine, that are due to end on Sunday. Lukashenko said on Friday they could stay as long as needed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Stoltenberg and other Western leaders at the annual Munich Security Conference on Saturday. He said Ukraine was looking for peace.

WEAPON IN THEIR HANDS

Russian-backed rebels seized a swathe of eastern Ukraine and Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 after protests toppled Ukraines pro-Russian leader. Kyiv says more than 14,000 people have been killed in the conflict in the east.

In one breakaway region, Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic, said he had signed a decree on mobilisation and called on men able to hold a weapon in their hands to come to military commissariats. The Luhansk Peoples Republic issued a similar decree.

Russian news agencies said 10,000 evacuees had arrived so far in Russia. The separatist authorities say they aim to evacuate 700,000 people.

At a market in Donetsk, 38-year-old Oksana Feoktisova boarded an evacuation bus with her nine-year-old son and mother, while Feoktisovas brother Yuri stayed behind.

They dont let men on, and I wouldnt go anyway frankly, her brother said. Im a reservist in any case. Im an artillery man by birth Im loyal to my state, to my people.

SOURCE: REUTERS
HERKIMER  Benedict DiPiazza is up for parole. Again.

DiPiazza is 77 years old and, though he was released briefly in 1999, has been in prison for nearly six decades. In this more forgiving time, when more of us are willing to concede the mistakes of mass incarceration, DiPiazza's age might lead some to conclude that releasing him is the right and kind thing to do.

That's what worries the family of his victim, Noreen Jones.

"We just have a strong feeling that they're getting ready to let him out," said Simone Jones, who on Friday came to the Herkimer County Courthouse to tell the New York State Board of Parole that DiPiazza must not be released. "We're nervous."

It was 1964 when DiPiazza committed his shocking, horrific crime. Apparently obsessed with Jones, a 17-year-old whom he had stalked and harassed for several years, DiPiazza followed the girl into a police station in Frankfort, then shot her six times with a Beretta automatic pistol as she ran screaming from the building.

Several of Jones' family members, including children, were with her when she was killed. Allen Irons, a cousin, arrived on the scene just minutes later to find his mother covered in blood and Noreen motionless on the ground.

"We wish we could have saved her," Irons told me. "We wish we could have done more."

Noreen had just graduated from high school in Ilion, about 80 miles west of Albany. She was about to enter Mary Regina College in Syracuse and planned to become a teacher. Her funeral was attended by 1,500 mourners.

"She was just a sweet, innocent girl who didn't have a mean bone in her body," Brian Jones, one of Noreen's older brothers, told me several years ago. "We loved her to death."

DiPiazza, a judge's son who was on probation at the time of the killing, was given a life sentence but became eligible for parole in 1984. That began a painful ritual for Noreen's family: Every two years or so, members would tell the parole board why he shouldn't be released.

Brian and George Jones, another brother, told the board that DiPiazza had never apologized to the family or shown any remorse. He had written threatening letters to the family, they said. And most of all, the taking of Noreen's life deserved as long a prison sentence as possible.

In 1999, the board stopped listening, releasing DiPiazza to live in Albany. The decision stunned Noreen's family.

Soon after, though, DiPiazza was arrested for shoplifting in Crossgates Mall, and investigators subsequently discovered that he had purchased a bow and arrow, a second parole violation. He was returned to prison.

And so Brian and George resumed their biannual visits to the parole board, describing, again and again and again, the devastating effect of the killing on their mother and the terrible hole DiPiazza's violence had left in their lives.

"Every 24 months they had to relive it," said Simone Jones, who is George's daughter. "I don't think it ever got any easier."

George is living now in an assisted living facility, and Brian died 16 months ago. So Simone has taken up the responsibility of representing her family to the parole board, telling members about the taking of an aunt she never got to meet.

"I'm trying to carry on for my dad and uncle," Simone said. "I know how important this was to them."

But as I said, Simone and other family are more worried than ever that DiPiazza will be given another shot at freedom. The tide, they feel, has changed.

They're not wrong. New York is increasingly viewing long prison sentences skeptically and has reduced the size of its prison population. With reformers pushing for more change, the Legislature is considering at least two bills that would significantly alter whether the incarcerated are kept behind bars.

The Elder Parole Act would grant parole eligibility to prisoners older than 55 who have been in for at least 15 years. The Fair and Timely Parole Act, meanwhile, would change the parole paradigm, granting eligible inmates "a presumption of release unless the board determines by a preponderance of evidence that an inmate is unlikely to live without violating the law."

In recent rallies at the Capitol and elsewhere, advocates for both bills have held signs saying things such as "Free Our Elders" and "Let Them Go!" They've chanted "Bring Our Elders Home Now!"  making it sound as though the incarcerated are themselves the victims, with no responsibility for their plight.

I believe in mercy, and I'm generally sympathetic to the notion that too many people have been imprisoned and for too long. But not every inmate should be released just because they're old, and you can understand why Jones' family and other victims would see such slogans as an affront or an insult.

Noreen Jones was robbed of the chance to be not just an elder but a wife and a mother and a teacher and more. On that horrible day in 1964, she never went home.

cchurchill@timesunion.com  518-454-5442  @chris_churchill
The Hudson Valley region was both powered by slavery and a major passageway for slaves seeking freedom north of here. But while the Underground Railroad made frequent stops through the valley, many slaves most likely took a more surprising route to safety.

We know the Hudson Valley was one of the main arteries of the Underground Railroad, wrote author and historian Fergus Bordewich, referring to the early to mid-1800s when fugitive slaves traveled to freedom with the help of abolitionists. We know that large numbers of fugitives were sent from Philadelphia to New York City, and up through the valley to Albany and Troy. Most of them were sent onward to Central New York, Vermont, or Massachusetts.

Several private homes, Quaker meetinghouses and churches in the region are documented as part of the network of spaces in which slaves took shelter, but historians believe there was another mode of transportation: above-water steamships on the Hudson River.

Together, these safe havens on land and water dotted a region that in the early 1800s was still engaged in the brutal practice of slavery, from branding Black men and women with hot irons to notching their ears like livestock.

The mid-Hudson Valley was very hostile to Black people by and large, and it lasted the longest among Dutch farmers, said Bordewich.

And while much of New York City and Western and Central New York were hotbeds of abolition, the valley was not. Abolitionist and one-time Poughkeepsie resident Samuel Ringgold Ward once declared, Most places on the Hudson River [were] thoroughly and hopelessly pro-slavery.

Still, the Hudson Valley had its share of those working to help end slavery and aid slaves from the South and the north in their escape.

Escaping first by land

Few Underground Railroad stations and safehouses still stand between New York City and the Stephen and Harriet Myers House, the Albany hub of the fugitive rail system.

There are more stories and names than we have actual buildings for, said Peter Bunten, chairman of the Mid-Hudson Antislavery History Project (MHAHP).

Quakers could travel from New York to Burlington without ever sleeping beneath a non-Quakers roof. So could fugitives, Bordewich writes. They often stopped in Quaker Hill near Pawling, Dutchess County, where in 1769, the Oblong meeting became the first in the country to free slaves as an official action of the body. A prominent preacher there, David Irish, opened his home to runaways, his daughter claimed after his death.

Fugitives could also find safe haven at Susan Moores Floral Hill boarding house at Moores Mills, site of the Oswego Quaker meeting. Or they could stop at the Nine Partners School, just east of what is now Millbrook, which Bordewich calls the most important single abolitionist institution in the valley  and one of the most important in the country. This Quaker school may, in fact, have served as a sort of command center for the underground in the entire region.

Alumni of the school included such abolitionists and womens rights activists as Lucretia Coffin, her future husband James Mott and Daniel Anthony, the father of Susan B. Anthony.

Poughkeepsie also fostered an abolitionist community, and although evidence is lacking, Bordewich believes fugitives may have found succor at the Congregational church, which sponsored a school for African Americans in the mid-1830s. (Samuel Ringgold Ward preached and taught there.)

There may have also been stops at other Quaker communities in Pleasant Valley and Crum Elbow, near Hyde Park, in Dutchess County; and in Claverack, Hudson, Ghent and Chatham, in Columbia County. From there it was on to Troy before heading to the home of Roland Robinson, just south of Burlington, Vermont, which Bordewich calls, in effect, a northern terminus of the Underground Railroad.

The Mid-Hudson Antislavery History Project

Hudson was a main stop on the railroad, as the city was predominantly Quaker in the early 1800s. There, a man named Charles Marriott was one of the great forgotten figures of the underground, Bordewich writes. Marriott was a key link in the chain of fugitive movement throughout eastern New York and connected with like-minded Quakers in New York City, New England and Rochester. Bordewich notes a letter Marriott wrote to Robinson in Vermont in 1838: Many fugitives from the South effect their escape. Three passed through my hands last week.

There is less evidence for the western side of the river. Fugitives may have moved from Port Jervis to Newburgh, where they were housed by an African American family named the Alsdorfs. Some freedom-seekers may have rowed across the river to Beacon, then whisked to Quaker Hill.

Much of this activity took place before the 1830s. After that, Bordewich says, there is little to no record of fugitive movement in the valley. Scholars long wondered why. The reason, he posits, has been right in front of our eyes the whole time: the river itself.

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The answer was in plain sight, Bunten agrees.

And then aboard the steamship Armenia

With the arrival of Robert Fultons Clermont in 1807, the countrys first commercially successful steamboat, the Hudson rapidly became the great Interstate Highway of its day, writes Bordewich.

By the mid-18th century, up to 500 ships a day sailed or steamed upriver. Freedom-seekers could travel from New York City to Albany in just seven hours; if all went well, they could be in Canada in a week. A trip overland just to Albany or Troy could take up to two weeks, with numerous chances of being intercepted. On the river, many of the ships had African American captains, crew and stewards who could help hide runaways if necessary  including Stephen Myers, a steward on the steamship Armenia.

Bordewich writes: Considering that he was the head of the Underground [Railroad] in Albany, its almost inconceivable that he didnt escort fugitives as a regular thing,

One important member of the Underground, Rev. Charles B. Ray, wrote that New York was a kind of receiving depot, whence we forwarded to Albany, Troy, sometimes to New Bedford and Boston, and occasionally we dropped a few on Long Island. When we had parties to forward from here, we would alternate in sending between Albany and Troy, and when we had a large party, we would divide between the two cities.

Bordewich found evidence that Ray once helped a group of 28 fugitives, from young children to a grandmother, find passage from Cortlandt Street, in Manhattan, to Albany and then on to Toronto, Canada.

When actual railroads began steaming up the eastern shore of the Valley in the 1850s, the Underground Railroad moved above ground.

By then, New York State was two decades into its abolishment of slavery, and according to Bordewich, more and more freedom-seekers and their handlers felt comfortable traveling completely in the open especially the farther north and west they travelled.

He writes that the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery office gave fugitives train fare to travel north, and in 1855, Harriet Tubman herself escorted three of her brothers and several others from Maryland to Grand Central Station and bought them seats on the train to Albany.

That doesnt sound very underground to me, right? Bordewich said.

David Levine, an Albany-based freelance writer, is the author of The Hudson Valley: The First 250 Million Years.
CATSKILL - Greene County officials sent a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul Thursday demanding she drop masking requirements in schools by Friday, Feb. 25.

The letter, sent by the Greene County Legislature and endorsed by County Administrator Shaun Groden, also demands the mandate requiring unvaccinated teachers to be frequently tested be dropped.

Hochul ordered universal masking in schools last August, when the delta variant was circulating, and has kept the mandate as other states in the Northeast have dropped theirs. On Tuesday, Hochul confirmed she would reconsider the policy on March 4 and possibly drop it later that week.

In the letter, the legislature asks the mandate be dropped by Friday, before schools go on winter break.

The mandate "has gone on for far too long and has interfered and severely affects the lives of our youngest and most innocent residents, our children," according to the letter. "We firmly believe that mask-wearing for this length of time can cause serious physical, psychological and developmental harm which outweigh any remaining benefits to mask-wearing."

Masks also hinder learning and social interactions at schools, according to the letter.

The letter goes on to say the legislature firmly believes that "widespread mask-wearing is an overreaction influenced by the constant barrage of publicity regarding COVID-19 in the press," and that the decision should be in the hands of local authorities.

Groden said the letter stemmed from his Wednesday meeting with school superintendents. The superintendents asked Groden to send the letter, pointing out children would be in mask-optional settings for the break anyway, Groden said, only to come back to the mask mandate.

Groden said many parents were protesting the continued mask requirements.

"It's getting to the point where many school board meetings have a lot of parents that are angry," he said. "There's people who are standing in the parking lots, saying 'take the masks off' and that kind of stuff, so that's what kind of started it," he said of the letter's origins.

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In the Greene County community of Greenville on Monday, about 30 students staged a walk-out to protest the mask mandate, leading to an emotional and fraught school board meeting that night. On Tuesday, the district went remote for the rest of the week, with the superintendent saying the students protesting the masks were wandering the halls and being disruptive.

The letter to Hochul didn't make arguments as to why the testing mandate for unvaccinated teachers should also be dropped, but Greene County Legislature Vice Chair Matthew Luvera said the requirements were "a burden on the school districts."

Greene County's active caseload of COVID-19 cases peaked Jan. 11 at 1,375 active cases with 41 residents hospitalized. As of Friday, there were 38 positive cases in the county, with four people hospitalized.
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BALLSTON SPA  A Halfmoon man who jumped back into his car during a drug-possession arrest last year, flinging a trooper onto the pavement, admitted to a violent felony assault charge, Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen's office said Friday.

On April 1, Duane McEwan was stopped near Mohawk Commons and was being being taken into custody by the trooper when he started fighting with her, Heggen's office said. After a struggle outside the car, he got back into the driver's seat, continuing to fight with the trooper, prosecutors said.
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ALBANY  Kay Hollywood, owner of YRR Clothing Co. and a recording artist, is hosting a pop-up shop from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, at the Albany Capital Center.

I have a lot of people coming from all over the place. This is not just an Albany pop-up shop, Hollywood said. When I say this is the biggest pop-up shop of 2022, and the first event in Albany of the year, this is it.

Ive been working toward this pop-up shop since last year, and now its two days away, Hollywood continued excitedly.

An Albany native, she has always been motivated by her family to succeed in life by following her dreams.

With her father successfully opening his own McDonalds franchise, Hollywood was motivated to find her passion in life.

My family has always kept me going and told me to follow my dreams, she said.

By the time she graduated from the New School Center for Media in 2017, she had a successful podcast and had been invited to perform at events throughout the city and even opened for the rapper, Cassidy, during one of his concerts in Brooklyn.

She then used her creativity to establish her clothing brand, YRR Clothing Co., and has built the brand to network with other business owners, give back to the community, and to host events.

Discussing how this event will affect the community in the city of Albany, Hollywood pointed out, "I want them to see that I am still the same girl that grew up here. I never forgot where I came from.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

YRR stands for young, rich, and reckless. It is reminiscent of the community of youth she grew up with who felt untouchable to the world, and unafraid to embrace who they are no matter how offbeat.

Since launching her brand, Hollywood has hosted back-to-school events, Christmas giveaways, and even donated some clothing from her line to community members in need.

Thats what my city is: young kids, who think nobody can tell them nothing, acting reckless, she said.

The event will feature over 50 vendors from several states, live performances, raffles, giveaways, face painting, and more.

Passionate about giving back and being a mentor for the youth who aspire to become successful in their future, Hollywood wants them to know, Anybody can do this. As long as you stay focused, theres no possible way you wont be able to achieve your dreams.
Provided

TROY  The revered Orpheus Chamber Orchestra made a return appearance with the Troy Chromatics on Friday night and brought along a different kind of soloist  Arturo Sandoval, the legendary jazz trumpeter, band leader and composer. He seemed more than at home in this classical setting and was onstage most of the night playing his own compositions.

Trumpeters dont tease and Sandovals first note was as powerful as anything else in the program. Fast and brilliant flourishes and that all-encompassing sound launched his Trumpet Concerto No. 2, in its American premiere. Across its three movements Sandoval delivered vibrant highs and gracious melodies. Bits of the tunes and the character of the orchestrations brought to mind Hollywood soundtracks as diverse as Gone with the Wind, E.T. and Jurassic Park. Nothing wrong with that.
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ALBANY  Gov. Kathy Hochul has dropped a controversial element of her plan to allow "accessory dwelling units" (ADUs) statewide on the property of single- and multi-family homes, while leaving in other, more tailored elements of her initial proposal  including $85 million in state funding.

Her original proposal became a political flashpoint in some quarters, related to questions about the vitality of the suburbs, the hospitality of New York to certain homeowners, and to what extent the state government should be involved in traditionally local decisions as it attempts to address an affordable housing crisis.

Some Republicans claim a broad expansion of ADUs would lead to the "death of the suburbs," while U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, a Long Islander who is running for governor, presented it as an issue of "home rule" in which Hochul is overreaching.

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said earlier this week that the debate was an "evolving conversation." She stressed the need to "create more affordable housing while protecting the local government rights."

Hochul said she was amending her proposal to "facilitate a conversation about how we build consensus around solutions."

"I believe that increasing our housing supply is essential to the growth of our economy, to reaching our lower carbon footprint, to achieving our goals of equity and inclusion and to addressing the affordability challenges faced by so many New Yorkers," the governor said in a statement.

The change was presented in the 30-day amendments to Hochul's proposed budget, which were released late Thursday night  just hours after she secured her party's endorsement at the state Democratic convention.

The Times Union reported in January that Hochul's campaign received a $10,000 donation on Oct. 26 from the New York State Builders Association, which reported concurrently lobbying her on an ADU bill.

Lewis Dubuque, executive vice president of the Builders Association, confirmed he spoke to Hochul at the fundraiser about the bill, which he opposed because of what he described as a "poison pill" provision that protects tenants against unwarranted evictions." Dubuque said he supported the ADU budget proposal because it would be a boon for home builders.

Hochul's budget plan still includes a pathway for New York City to more easily legalize existing ADUs, which could assist with regulating potential illegal apartments. The issue came under the microscope following Hurricane Ida, when people drowned in illegal accessory apartments.

"We agree that we must begin to bring these homes into the sunlight and provide a pathway to compliance with building code requirements," Hochul said. "(T)he larger conversation about accessory dwelling units across the state must not prevent critical progress in New York City from moving forward."

Up to $85 million remains a part of Hochul's budget for building or rehabilitating ADUs such as backyard cottages, attics, garages and basements.

The money had been intended to fund a low- to moderate-income homeowner program to help people either add on or bring into regulation ADUs. While the program was taken out of the governor's budget plan, the money remains for now in a separate part of the budget.

Hochul's initial budget proposal echoed a proposed bill by state Sen. Pete Harckham, D-Westchester, who responded to the news of the amendment to push his measure. "This action highlights our primary concern, which is to get all of the details of the bill right, rather than enact a bill right away," he said.

Housing advocates and groups such as AARP have pushed widespread, legal ADUs as a means to address affordable housing issues and support dignified housing for the elderly.
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An Irish council worker who died after being hit by a falling tree has been named locally as Billy Kinsella.

The father-of-one was clearing debris from a road close to his home in Co Wexford when he was hit as a tree came down during Storm Eunice.

Tributes have been paid to the 59-year-old, from Clonroe in Gorey.

Mr Kinsella, an employee of Wexford County Council, had been attending the scene of another fallen tree in Ballythomas when he was fatally injured.

Sinn Fein councillor Fionntan O Suilleabhain, who lives close to Mr Kinsella and grew up with his family, was among those to pay tribute.

People in the area are devastated. It is such a tragedy for his wife Rita and their only child Conor.

Billy died in the line of duty while out doing council work and attending the scene of a fallen tree. He died round the corner from where we both live and he died in a manner that makes it most tragic.

He comes from a well-respected family and a very hard-working family. He was a quiet family man who was devoted to his son, who he brought to sporting events all over.

Conor plays for the under-20s Wexford team and would be heavily involved in GAA, like Billys father was before him.

Very sad news coming from Wexford as a @wexfordcoco employee was fatally injured during Storm Eunice. I want to extend my deepest sympathies to their family, friends & colleagues at this horrifically sad time. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.  Darragh O'Brien (@DarraghOBrienTD) February 18, 2022

People are very shocked.

Fianna Fail councillor Donal Kenny said: I knew Billy quite well. He was a nice easy-going fella and was one of those lads who got on with his days work.

He was out doing his job to keep the roads clear.

It is very difficult for his family.
Angry truckers passing through town might excite meth addicts and old school hash house hottie waitresses but it doesn't really do much for anybody with a life.

Still . . .



It's unclear if conservatives really want to hand over the discourse to a demographic of very hard working people who are mostly known as subject matter for country songs, using various forms of amphetamines to stay awake along with participation in sex trafficking among the ranks of some sketchy truckers who probably don't care about politics one way or another . . .

To be fair . . .

TURNING THE MIDTERMS INTO ANOTHER SMOKEY & THE BANDIT SEQUEL SOUNDS HILARIOUS!!!



And so . . . Here's the truck stop gossip . . .



"According to the Facebook group Kansas Truckers for Freedom Convoy, the truckers will leave a truck stop on March 3 in Aurora, Colorado before taking Interstate 70 across Kansas, stopping for the night in Salina around 8:30 p.m., and then heading into Missouri through Kansas City. "



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

'Freedom Convoy' to move across Kansas, Missouri, stop in KC and Oak Grove KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The "Freedom Convoy" that took Canada by storm will soon be driving across Kansas and Missouri as well as making stops in Topeka, Kansas City and Oak Grove.

Counterpoint . .

Republicans who opposed racial justice protests hope truckers 'clog up' US cities In the wake of racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd, a wave of Republican lawmakers supported legislation to punish protesters who blocked roads. Now some of those same Republicans are supporting similar tactics from conservative trucker convoys protesting against vaccine mandates.

You decide . . .
Again and despite my Westside roots, TKC is a creature of Midtown and, of course, we think that's the most important part of Kansas City because it hosts higher traffic than almost anywhere else in the metro.

Accordingly . . .

We were happy to report a big of progress cleaning local streets.



However, the newspaper dug up some Mexican dude to complain about his icy streets.That's not a tough task given that talking to so many Latinos is an exercise in airing grievances.



Nevertheless . . .

There's the same "dividing line" story the newspaper has been running since 1991 . . .



"A winter storm dumped as much as nine inches of snow across parts of the Kansas City metro Thursday. While some residents have praised the citys new snow removal plan, which includes deploying more trucks and 100 additional drivers, others say the East Side still doesnt get the same attention as other areas."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link preview tease to paywall garbage . . .
Late Friday there's a bit of Missouri fiction that's hitting social media courtesy of prog blogs.



As the Missouri GOP slap fights amongst their own minor league . . . An elder statesman of the party attempts to flex on his low-rent colleagues.

Just as MAGA courts low-rent trolls, bots and foreign agents in order to boost their numbers . . . Elite Missouri Republicans feel left out of the good times and so they buddy up with their rich, highfalutin Democratic Party pals and imagine themselves as kingmakers.

Fact is . . .

The only hope for the Democratic Party to sneak out a win is to spark a great deal of slap fighting betwixt GOP funders.

Meanwhile . . .

Conservative biz leaders and elite suits don't need another Fox news contributor who lives to feed the trolls on Twitter . . . Senator Josh Hawley is doing a fine job in that regard.



And so, here's the latest "Never Trump" pitch from conservative, rich white dudes who no longer have much in common with the vast majority of their former constituents . . .



The ideal candidate, Danforth said in an interview Friday, would be someone known to Missourians who accepts that the most important thing the nation needs is someone who wants to soothe partisan divisions paralyzing the government.



It needs to be a center-right Republican who believes in the basic message, and the basic message is that the project of America is to hold ourselves together and the two parties intentionally are tearing us apart, Danforth said. This is our opportunity for Americans to come together regardless of party.



The poll is being released to attract the interest of potential candidates, not because there is a campaign ready or someone waiting to join the race, Danforth said. He added that he is not interested in being a candidate again.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
Times are changing and, apparently, so are American lifestyles . . .



To wit . . .

SURVEY SEYZ THE USA IS GOING LGBT!!!



Reality check before Friday night readers work themselves into a tizzy . . .

Same-sex marriage is the law of the land.

Conservative, progressive or traditional . . . Most of the content produced via mainstream media was likely assisted by someone from the LGBT community or an ally . . .

If you ever go to a nice restaurant in the Kansas City metro . . . Again, somebody in the wait staff is likely from the LGBT community or an ally. So be nice, tip well and don't be stingy.



Here's the data from a mainstream polling group . . .



The percentage of adults who told Gallup they identify as LGBTQ has doubled since 2012, per the polling firm, from 3.5% of Americans then to 7.1% of Americans in 2021.



The rise can be attributed to Gen Z, according to Gallup -- about 21% of adults born between 1997 and 2003 identify as LGBTQ. Meanwhile, 10.5% of millennials, the generation that includes adults born between 1981 and 1996, identify as LGBTQ, per the poll, and the percentages dwindle among the preceding generations.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
Brevard, NC (28712)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low 63F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low 63F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Johnstown, PA (15901)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 59F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near an inch..

Tonight

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 59F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near an inch.
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Mark Bennett has reported and analyzed news from the Wabash Valley and beyond since Larry Bird wore Sycamore blue. That role with the Tribune-Star has taken him from Rome to Alaska and many points in between, but Terre Haute suits him best.

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Statement by Ambassador Byrne Nason at the UNSC Briefing on the Minsk Agreements

Statement

Thank you very much, Mr. President.

I also want to say a special thank you to Under Secretary-General DiCarlo and to Ambassadors Kinnunen and Cevik today for their helpful and informative briefings. And I would like to also recognise the presence of high-level participants at this Council this morning.

As I begin my remarks, it is important that I am clear: Ireland is a steadfast and consistent supporter of Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

Ireland believes in and is fully committed to the core principles enshrined in the UN Charter. These include the sovereign equality and territorial integrity of States. Ukraine has the same fundamental right as every other sovereign and independent State to choose its own foreign policy and to ensure the security and defence of its territory. That is a right we hold to be self-evident. It is a right that Ireland struggled to obtain.

As Russias military build-up at Ukraines border continues to raise tensions, Ireland again calls for calm, de-escalation and the pursuit of diplomacy. We need to see sustained and credible moves on the ground toward de-escalation. Genuine de-escalation will imply a significant withdrawal of both troops and equipment.

We commend all who are engaged in dialogue, including through the Normandy Format and Poland, as OSCE Chair-in-Office, for launching a Renewed European Security Dialogue.

We support urgent, constructive and resolute engagement through all diplomatic channels.

President,

The full implementation of the Minsk Peace Agreements, and the related conflict resolution efforts in the Normandy Format and Trilateral Contact Group, are important priorities for us. There is no doubt that we are now at a sensitive moment. Today, we call on all parties to act constructively within both formats. In this regard, we deeply regret the decision of the Russian State Duma to submit a call to recognise as independent entities the nongovernment controlled areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine. This would be a clear violation of the Minsk Agreements. We are also concerned at reports of alleged shelling today in eastern Ukraine, as mentioned by Special Representative Kinnunen, which would also be a violation of the Minsk Agreements.

Mr President, all signatories of the Minsk Agreements agreed on the need for the OSCEs Special Monitoring Missions safe and secure access to the entire territory of Ukraine.

The mandate of the SMM was agreed by all 57 OSCE participating States. We, therefore, remain very concerned at the continuing restrictions imposed on the SMMs freedom of movement. We also regret that SMM equipment has been damaged or interfered with. I want to express our deep regret at the decision by the Russian Federation to refuse to extend the mandate of the Border Observation Mission (BOM) to monitor the border crossings.

We commend the tireless efforts of Ambassadors Kinnunen and Cevik in the Trilateral Contact Group. We see the agreement reached by the Group at the end of last year on adherence to the July 2020 ceasefire as an important achievement and a sign that there can be progress if there is genuine political will.

President,

Eastern Ukraine has already endured 8 years of conflict, resulting in humanitarian disaster, serious human rights violations and abuses as reported by the OHCHR.

Just as we know that further conflict is not inevitable, we know too that wherever conflict occurs, it is civilians who bear the brunt. Ireland therefore sincerely calls on all sides to work peacefully toward an effective and sustainable political settlement of the conflict. And to jumpstart that work today.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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Stop the bias against Muslims. It's the call to action coming from one Imam, as the Muslim c
UA Chartwells employees handed out free snack items and roses with encouraging messages to Fulbright Dining Hall visitors during dinner Thursday night, as part of the national companys Delight-Ful programming for National Random Acts of Kindness Day. Campus dining officials collaborated with other UA organizations to offer opportunities to perform and receive acts of kindness during the day.
Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it.





I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends.





More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it.





The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity.





About me:

I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS.

Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line).

Age: 42

Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed.





I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it).
The Russian occupation forces employed heavy weapons to strike own positions near the village of Pikuzy outside Mariupol, now trying to put the blame for the attack on the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Thats according to a statement by Ukraines military officials, Ukrinform reports.

"Today, in order to accuse Ukrainian troops of employing heavy weapons and draw the relevant picture for Russian propaganda media, Russian occupation forces carried out yet another provocation by opening fire with heavy weapons on their own positions in the village of Pikuzy," the statement said.

In particular, it is noted that at about 4:00 on Saturday, the shelling began of the Ukrainian defense positions in the area of Vodiane, from the direction of Zaichenko. According to Ukraines intelligence, at the same time, bursts were recorded in the area of Pikuzy. This indicates that the occupying forces are trying to pass their own firing on their positions for a response attack by our military, the press service said.

By such actions, the invaders once again demonstrated their cynical and indifferent attitude to the lives and health of civilians, the Ukrainian military stressed.

The press service also noted that the enemy proceeds with its propaganda methods of waging an information war in order to accuse the Armed Forces of Ukraine of shelling the civilian population, thus trying to cover up their own insidious moves.

As Ukrinform reported, as of 11:00 on Saturday, February 19, the Russian occupation forces violated the ceasefire 25 times, including employing weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements. As a result of the shelling, a Ukrainian serviceman sustained a shrapnel wound incompatible with life.

On February 17, at about 9:00, the occupiers shelled a kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska. The Kindrashivska-Nova train depot and a locomotive were also damaged in enemy fire.

At the same time, media outlets run by Russias proxy forces accused Ukrainian troops of shelling a Stanytsia Luhanska kindergarten.

im
Members of the Parliament of Ukraine from the Servant of the People faction and foreign journalists, who arrived in the Joint Forces Operation area in eastern Ukraine earlier today, came under fire near Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk).

"MPs from the Servant of the People party together with representatives of foreign media visited the positions of Ukrainian forces near Svitlodarsk... At one of the positions, MPs and foreign media representatives came under fire and were evacuated to a shelter," Yulia Paliychuk, spokesperson for the Servant of the People faction, posted on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

According to her, the MPs talked to the military about the operational situation and the aggravation observed in recent days. According to the military, the situation is difficult but completely under control.

The representatives of the Servant of the People handed over a drone, needed to perform missions in the JFO area, to one of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

As reported, a group of government officials, MPs, and representatives of leading world and Ukrainian media arrived in the Joint Forces Operation area on February 19. In particular, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov, Deputy Prime Minister  Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence Oleksandr Zavitnevych, Chairman of the Servant of the People faction Davyd Arakhamiya , Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Yevhen Moysiuk were among the delegation members.

Photo: Yulia Paliychuk
Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk has called on residents of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions (ORDLO) to leave for the government-controlled area if possible.

She said this at an urgent briefing dedicated to the situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"I want to tell the people in ORDLO who are now deciding what to do in the temporarily occupied territory: come to us, find a way to cross an entry-exit crossing point. We are waiting for you. We will create all possible conditions for you to have a place to live and what to eat so that you feel that you are not alone," Vereshchuk said.

She also noted that tomorrow in the area of the Joint Forces Operation she and other ministers and MPs will be on the spot ready to solve the problems of people on the frontline and those who decide to leave the temporarily occupied territory.

"We in the Cabinet of Ministers have the approved plans for the respective humanitarian response. We have a representation on the ground, and we understand what is happening and how it is happening. We will provide maximum assistance to people," Vereshchuk said.

Earlier, Russian media reported that "DPR" leader Denis Pushilin and "LPR" leader Leonid Pasechnik called on the residents of the Donetsk and Luhansk to evacuate to Russia's Rostov region due to an alleged offensive being planned by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

op
U.S. President Joseph Biden in an update on Ukraine, delivered on February 18, expressed a conviction that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had already made a decision to proceed with military incursion into Ukraine. At the same time, Biden notes it is not too late to return to the negotiating table.

As of this moment, Im convinced hes made the decision, the U.S. president said, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. We have reason to believe that.

All these are consistent with the playbook the Russians have used before: to set up a false justification to act against Ukraine. This is also in line with the pretext scenarios that the United States and our Allies and partners have been warning about for weeks, said Biden.

The U.S. president spoke of severe sanctions that would be imposed should Russia further invade Ukraine, at the same time adding that it is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table.

[T]he bottom line is this: The United States and our Allies and partners will support the Ukrainian people. We will hold Russia accountable for its actions. The West is united and resolved. Were ready to impose severe sanctions on Russia if it further invades Ukraine, Biden said.

But I say again: Russia can still choose diplomacy, the U.S. leader added.

Biden also said Russia had agreed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov should meet on February 24 in Europe.

But if Russia takes military action before that date, it will be clear that they have slammed the door shut on diplomacy, Joe Biden underlined.

They will have chosen war, and they will pay a steep price for doing so  not only from the sanctions that we and our allies will impose on Russia, but the moral outrage that the rest of the world will visit upon them, said the U.S. president.

im
Statement by Ambassador Flynn at the UNSC Briefing on Haiti

Statement

Thank you, Mr President,

SRSG La Lime, thanks also to you and, and through you, to the hard working UN Team in Haiti. I also want to welcome the representative of Haiti to the Chamber here this morning.

The issues we are discussing here today, Mr President, are unfortunately not new for Haiti. As we have heard, the suffering of the Haitian people continues at a devastating level.

I will focus on three areas today 

First,

The continued deterioration in the security situation in Haiti.

The daily reality for millions of Haitians is one of brutal gang violence terrorising the population, leading to fuel shortages; disruption of services; stifling of humanitarian relief; hunger, confinements, kidnappings and killings.

Haitian women and girls are disproportionately affected by this instability and violence. We are appalled at escalating sexual and gender-based violence  used as an insidious tactic by gangs to control and instil fear in the population.

The Haitian people deserve to see an end to impunity for human rights violations and abuses, and perpetrators brought to justice.

Instead, the consequences for those who dare to draw attention to armed violence are grave, as evidenced by the recent targeting and killing of journalists and continued attacks on human rights defenders.

The climate of fear and intimidation created by violence compounds the difficulties in addressing the myriad of crises facing Haiti. [As the SRSG outlined], it is critical that the security situation is improved. This will require prioritisation and resourcing for policing, including capacity building and confidence building. Until then, Haitians across the country will remain confined to their homes; unable to fulfil their economic prospects; unable to exercise their political will.

Second, Mr President,

Increased violence has exacerbated vulnerability. Many are still reeling from the devastating effects of the August earthquake. More than 4.3 million Haitians are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, while the economy is in freefall.

Without urgent assistance, the Haitian people will continue to face desperate choices. We welcome this weeks international conference in Port-au-Prince where $600 million dollars was raised. However, as Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed remarked during her visit, significant humanitarian need remains.

Without support, even more Haitians will make heart-breaking calculations that a perilous journey abroad is safer than staying at home. When they do make this journey, it is crucial that all are afforded their legal protections under international refugee law. Safe, legal and dignified channels for those escaping violence are essential, now more than ever.

Ireland commends the resolve and dedication shown by the humanitarian community to ensure aid reaches those who need it most. Ireland will continue its consistent support to Haiti in the provision of humanitarian, reconstruction, and development assistance.

But what Haitians really need is a path to political stability, creating conditions for economic recovery and sustainable development.

This brings me to my final point, Mr President,

National consensus is the only means by which the political deadlock in Haiti can be broken. As we have said previously, this consensus must be built on wide, inclusive, participatory engagement, including civil society representatives. Durable solutions also require the guarantee of safety and security for all those who engage politically, in particular for women to ensure their full, equal and meaningful participation.

We welcome the Secretary-Generals appointment of Mr Mourad Wahba to lead the assessment of BINUHs mandate and look forward to his report. Given the enormity of the challenges facing Haiti, it is right we reflect on how the UN can best support the Haitian people.

The needs and aspirations of Haitians must lead our consideration of a future mandate for BINUH. This means looking at how we can help bring stability and security to their daily lives; capacity building and supporting good governance; helping to fight impunity and protecting human rights.

Mr President,

The international community has a responsibility to stand with the Haitian people. Now is not the time for the UN to step away, rather to step up in support of Haitian-led efforts to forge a path forward.

Thank you.

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The situation around Ukraine is very serious as possibilities for resolving the problem through dialogue are being exhausted. NATO and the EU have a common view of the situation: everyone supports Ukraine, and Russia will be faced with painful sanctions should it pursue aggression.

This was stated by Polish President Andrzej Duda in a video address after a conference with the leaders of the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, as well as EU and NATO leaders, on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The situation is serious, everyone is well aware that the tension is huge, we are observing the shelling on the line of contact, were seeing massive Russian propaganda. The situation is approaching a point that everyone fears and which can be considered critical," Duda said.

He stressed that in this situation, NATO is "absolutely united," and that there are no differences between Allies, while U.S. leadership is undeniable.

Duda noted that dialogue with Russia is ongoing, but the possibilities for continuing it are "being largely exhausted."

The president of Poland stressed that Ukraine acts in a restrained manner and avoids provocations.

"Everyone emphasized that the authorities in Kyiv are acting very responsibly in this extremely difficult situation. The Russians have massed a huge military force near the borders of Ukraine and Belarus, unprecedented since World War 2," Duda said.

He stressed that the West remained united and resolute.

"The answer (to Russia - ed.) must be firm, and it will be. If there is an act of aggression, the response will be very clear and very painful, especially from a socio-economic perspective," said the Polish leader.

Duda noted that the intelligence data about the possible date of the invasion varies.

"We are all aware that the Olympics are still going on, but it will end on Sunday. What happens next? We are all ready, Duda stressed.

According to him, the main thing now is not to allow oneself to be provoked, to remain calm and, at the same time, to stand together with Ukraine, to support democracy, because it is under threat.

"During the talks, everyone stressed that it is impossible to agree to the altering of the borders established after World War 2. We cannot allow a democracy such as Ukraine to be brutally attacked, and this is the most important conclusion of this conversation, Duda said.

He added that the aggressor must realize that if further aggression occurs, the response will be painful.

As reported earlier, due to the tense international situation, Duda postponed his visit to Senegal, initially scheduled for February 24-25.

Photo: PAP

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On Saturday, February 19, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will pay a visit to Munich (Germany) to participate in the annual security conference and hold scheduled talks.

Thats according to a statement by the President's Office, posted on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that "among the meetings scheduled for the head of state are the following: with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, representatives of international financial institutions and other partners and friends of Ukraine. Zelensky expects concrete agreements on providing our country with additional military and financial support to strengthen Ukraine's resilience."

The Office of the President informs that this will be a dynamic visit, with Zelenskys return to Kyiv planned for tonight.

"Naturally, the discussions at the Munich Security Conference this year will focus on current threats in Eastern Europe and the situation around Ukraine. Therefore, our state's position must be sufficiently presented so that Ukraine's issues are resolved with Ukraine's participation. The situation on the line of contact in Donbas, in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and near the borders of Ukraine are analyzed by our countrys special services. There is a constant analysis of intelligence and exchange of information with partners. Ukraine regularly receives additional intelligence on the activity of Russian forces," the Presidents Office said, adding that the situation in Ukraines east remains under control of Ukrainian security and defense forces.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the occupiers opened fire on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine 66 times over the past 24 hours.

im
The United Kingdom calls on Russia to de-escalate and engage in constructive negotiations, pointing out that Russia's scenario of creating a pretext for invading Ukraine is well-known.

Thats according to a statement the British Foreign Office posted on Twitter, Ukrinform reports.

"Intelligence has exposed Russia's plans to create a pretext for invading Ukraine. We know the scenario of the Russian government. Do not be deceived. We call on Russia to de-escalate and participate in constructive negotiations, "the statement said.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on February 17, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced that Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and Poland had launched a new trilateral format of cooperation aimed at responding to threats to European security and strengthening economic cooperation between the countries.

The G7 heads of state will hold a virtual meeting in the second half of next week, to coordinate their actions in response to Russia's aggression in Eastern Europe.

im
The transatlantic community is well prepared for action in the event of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, but is also ready to negotiate with Moscow, provided that basic principles and values not be the subject of these talks.

This was stated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who addressed the Munich Security Conference, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Fundamental principles are not subject to bargaining and discussion as Russia has agreed with them. And these include the right to choose alliances," Scholz said.

"Russia holds the issue of Ukraine's potential accession to NATO as a casus belli. This is paradoxical situation because there is no solution at the moment the issue is not on the agenda and will not be in the foreseeable future, and Putin is aware of this We have a conflict in Europe over an issue that is not even on the agenda, so this is unacceptable, the German chancellor emphasized.

He added that NATO and the EU are not aggressive organizations and "did not invite Putin to do what hes doing."

Western partners, he said, have warned Russia that military aggression against Ukraine would be a "huge mistake" and that they "will not allow it." Scholz said that during recent talks with Vladimir Putin, he warned that any further aggression against Ukraine's territorial integrity would come at a high price  political, economic, and geostrategic.

"We are much better prepared than we have been in similar situations before. We will be able to take immediate measures on sanctions in the event of military aggression," he said.

The transatlantic community, Scholz said, is ready for negotiations, but with a clear division between unacceptable and legitimate security requirements, because no less than peace in Europe is at stake.

"As much diplomacy as possible, but without naivety," is the goal of the West. According to Scholz, the partners use all channels of communication, ready to explore "even the tiniest windows" to find a way out of the crisis. But the path to peace will not be short, the chancellor warned, reminding that everything necessary for a military invasion is in place around Ukraine.

Scholz reiterated that there was no justification for placing 100,000 Russian soldiers near Ukraine's borders.

Peace in Europe can be maintained only if borders remain recognized and inviolable  this is the only principle that can guarantee security, said the German chancellor.

He also assured that Germany is ready to remain the largest donor and financial contributor to Ukraine's economic stabilization.

The Munich Security Conference is held on February 18-20, attended by about 30 heads of state and government, including President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, and more than 100 ministers.

Photo: Twitter / Munich Security Conference

im
Full text of Zelensky's speech at Munich Security Conference Ukraine wants peace. Europe wants peace. The world says it doesn't want to fight, and Russia says it doesn't want to attack. One of us is lying. It is not an axiom yet, though not a hypothesis already

Ladies and Gentlemen! Two days ago I was in Donbas, on the demarcation line. De jure  between Ukraine and the temporarily occupied territory. De facto  the demarcation between peace and war. There is a kindergarten on one side, and a shell that hits it from the other. There is a school on one side, and a shell that hits the schoolyard from the other. And there are 30 children standing nearby. There are going to lessons, not to NATO.

Someone has a physics lesson. Knowing its basic laws, even children understand the absurdity of statements about the attacks launched from Ukraine.

Someone has a math lesson. Children without a calculator can figure out the difference between the number of shellings over these three days and mentions of Ukraine in this year's Munich Security Report.

And someone has a history lesson. Seeing a shell crater in the schoolyard, children have a question: has the world forgotten its mistakes of the 20th century?

What do appeasement attempts lead to? As the question "Why die for Danzig?" turned into the need to die for Dunkirk and dozens of other cities in Europe and the world. At the cost of tens of millions of lives.

Photo: EPA-EFE

These are horrible history lessons. I just want to make sure that we read the same books. So we equally understand the answer to the main question: How did it happen that there the war is ongoing and people are dying in Europe in the 21st century? Why does it last longer than World War II? How did we get to the biggest security crisis since the Cold War?

For me, the President of the country, which has lost part of its territory, thousands of people and now sees 150,000 Russian troops, equipment, and heavy weapons stationed near its borders, so for me, the answer is obvious.

The world security architecture is fragile. It needs an update. The rules that the world agreed on decades ago no longer work. They do not keep up with new threats. They are ineffective for overcoming them. It is like taking some cough syrup when you need a COVID-19 vaccine. The security system is slow. It falters again. Because of selfishness, self-confidence, irresponsibility of countries at the global level. As a result, some commit crimes, and others stay indifferent. Indifference that results in complicity. It is symbolic that I am talking about this right here. Fifteen years ago, it was here that Russia announced its intention to defy global security. What was the worlds response? Reconciliation. What was the result? At the very least, the annexation of Crimea and aggression against my country.

The UN, which is supposed to defend peace and world security, cannot defend itself. When its Charter is violated. When one of the UN Security Council members annexes the territory of one of the founding members of the UN. Meanwhile, the UN itself ignores the Crimea Platform, the goal of which is to de-occupy Crimea peacefully and protect the rights of residents of Crimea.

Three years ago, it was here that Angela Merkel said: "Who will pick up the pieces of the world order? Only all of us together!" The audience gave a standing ovation. But, unfortunately, the collective applause did not grow into collective action. And now, when the world is talking about the threat of a great war, the question arises: is there anything left to pick up? The security architecture in Europe and the world is almost destroyed. It's too late to think about repairs. It's time to build a new system.

Mankind has done this twice, paying too high a price  two world wars. We have a chance to break this trend until it becomes a regularity. And start to build a new system BEFORE we have millions of victims. Having the old lessons of the First and Second World Wars, not a first-hand experience of a possible third one.

Photo: President's Office

I talked about it here. And at the UN as well. I said that there is no such thing as a foreign war in the 21st century. That the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas is a blow to the whole world.

And this is not a war in Ukraine, but a war in Europe. I said that at summits and forums.

In 2019. In 2020. In 2021. Has the world finally heard that in 2022?

It is not an axiom yet, though not a hypothesis already. Why? Evidence is needed. Evidence harder than words on Twitter or statements in the media. Actions are needed. The world needs them, not we.

We will defend our land. Having support from partners or not. Having been given hundreds of modern weapons or 5,000 helmets. We appreciate any help, but everyone should understand that these are NOT charitable contributions which Ukraine should ask for or remind about. Not fine gestures which Ukraine should bow low for. This is your contribution to the security of Europe and the world. And Ukraine has been a shield for eight years. For eight years, it has been holding back one of the largest armies in the world. This army stands along our borders, not those of the EU. And the GRAD missiles were fired on Mariupol, not European cities. And after almost six-month fighting, the airport in Donetsk, not in Frankfurt, was destroyed. And it's always hot in the industrial area of Avdiivka, not in Montmartre. And no European country knows what it is like to hold military funerals in all regions every day. And no European leader knows what it is like to hold regular meetings with the families of the killed ones.

Be that as it may, we will defend our land. No matter how many  50,000, 150,000 or 1 million  soldiers of any army are deployed on the border. To really help Ukraine, you don't need to say how many of them are there. You need to say how many of us are here.

To really help Ukraine, you don't have to constantly talk about the dates of a possible invasion. We will defend our land on February 16, March 1, and December 31. We need other dates much more.

And everyone understands perfectly well which dates I am talking about. Tomorrow Ukraine marks the Day of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred.

Eight years ago, Ukrainians made their choice, many gave their lives for it. Eight years later, should Ukraine constantly call for the recognition of European prospects? Since 2014, the Russian Federation has been convincing us that we have chosen the wrong path, that no one is waiting for us in Europe. Shouldn't Europe constantly say and prove by action that this is not true? Shouldn't the EU say today that their citizens are positive about Ukraine's accession to the union? Why do we avoid this question? Doesn't Ukraine deserve direct and honest answers?

The same goes for NATO. We are told that the door is open. But so far: authorized access only. If not all members of the Alliance want to see us or all members of the Alliance do not want to see us, be honest about it. Open doors are good, but we need open answers, not questions closed for years. Isn't the right to the truth one of our enhanced opportunities? The next summit in Madrid is the best time for truth.

Russia says Ukraine seeks to join the Alliance to regain Crimea by force. It is good that the words "regain Crimea" appear in their rhetoric. But they misread Article 5 of NATO's charter: collective action is for protection, not attack. Ukraine will certainly regain Crimea and the occupied areas of Donbas but by peaceful means only.

Photo:EPA-EFE

We consistently implement the Minsk and Normandy format agreements. They are underpinned with unquestionable recognition of the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine. We seek a diplomatic settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict. I emphasize: solely on the basis of international law. I will never even think about the forceful way to regain the temporarily occupied territories. What is really happening in the peace process? Two years ago, we agreed on a full-scale ceasefire with the presidents of France, Russia and the German Chancellor. Ukraine adheres to it despite constant provocations from the other side. We are constantly putting forward new proposals within the framework of the Normandy format and the Trilateral Contact Group. What do we see in response? Shells and bullets. Our soldiers and civilians are being killed and wounded, civilian infrastructure is being destroyed.

The last two days are especially telling. Massive attacks with the use of weapons prohibited under the Minsk agreements. OSCE's access to Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories remains restricted.

They are threatened. They are intimidated. All humanitarian issues are blocked.

Two years ago, I signed a law on the unconditional access for representatives of humanitarian organizations to detainees. But they are denied entry to the temporarily occupied territories. Russia blocked the process after two prisoner swaps, although Ukraine submitted agreed lists. Torture at the infamous Izolyatsia Prison in Donetsk became a symbol of human rights abuses.

The two new entry-exit checkpoints we opened in Luhansk region in November 2020 have not started working  and here we see an outright obstruction under contrived pretexts. Ukraine is doing everything possible to push forward the discussion of political issues. For a year and a half, our draft laws on peculiarities of local self-government and prevention of persecution of persons in connection with the events in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions have been shelved at the TCG. And we see that Russia is reluctant to conduct a dialogue. Yesterday and today, Ukraine insists on holding the TCG meeting. Yesterday and today, Russia refuses to hold it. We demand that the negotiation process be unblocked immediately. In particular, within the Normandy format.

However, it does not mean that the search for peace is limited to these formats alone.

We are ready to look for the key to the end of the war in all possible formats and platforms. Paris, Berlin, Minsk. Istanbul, Geneva, Brussels, New York, or Beijing  it does not matter where we will agree on peace in Ukraine. It does not matter whether the talks are held with the participation of four countries, seven, or a hundred. The main thing is that Ukraine and Russia are among them. What is really important is the understanding that not only we need peace. The world needs peace in Ukraine. Peace and restoration of integrity within internationally recognized borders.

And only so and in no other way. And I hope no one thinks of Ukraine as a convenient and eternal buffer between the West and Russia, new Munich 2.0. This will not happen, no one will allow it. Otherwise  who's next? Will NATO countries have to defend each other? I want to believe that the North Atlantic Treaty and Article 5 will be more effective than the Budapest Memorandum.

Ukraine received security guarantees for abandoning the world's third nuclear capability. We do not have those weapons. Nor do we have security. Nor do we have a part of the territory that is larger than Switzerland, the Netherlands, or Belgium.

Nor do we have millions of our citizens what is most important. We do not have all this. But there is something we have. We have the right. The right to demand a shift from a policy of appeasement to guarantees of security and peace.

Since 2014, Ukraine has made three attempts to convene consultations with the guarantor states of the Budapest Memorandum. Three attempts failed. Today Ukraine will make the fourth attempt. And I will make my first attempt as the President.

But both Ukraine and I are doing this for the last time. I initiate consultations within the framework of the Budapest Memorandum. The Minister of Foreign Affairs was instructed to convene them. If they do not take place again or they do not result in concrete decisions to ensure the security of our state, Ukraine will have every right to believe that the Budapest Memorandum is not working and all the 1994 package decisions have been called into question.

I also suggest convening a summit of permanent members of the UN Security Council in the coming weeks, with the participation of Ukraine, Germany, and Turkey.

To address security challenges in Europe. And to draft new, effective security guarantees for Ukraine. Guarantees today, while we are not a member of the defense alliance. And, in fact, we are in a gray area  a security vacuum.

Photo: President's Office

What else can we do now? To continue to provide efficient support to Ukraine and its defense capabilities. To provide a clear European prospect, support instruments available to candidate countries, clear and comprehensive timeframe for joining the Alliance. To support the transformation in our country. To create a Sustainability and Recovery Fund for Ukraine and the lend-lease program for supplying advanced weapons and equipment to our army.

To draft an effective package of preventive sanctions to deter the Russian Federation. To guarantee Ukraine's energy security, ensure its integration into the EU energy market, while Nord Stream 2 is used as a weapon.

All these questions need answers. And as long as there is silence instead, there will be no silence at the front. In the east of Ukraine. That is, in Europe. That is, all over the world. I hope that Europe and the whole world finally understand this.

Ladies and Gentlemen! I thank all the countries that have supported Ukraine.

With words, declarations, concrete help. I thank all those who stand with us today. Stand with truth and international law. I'm not calling you by name as I don't want some other countries to be ashamed. But it is their choice. Their karma. They have it on their conscience. However, I do not know how they will be able to explain their actions to the two soldiers killed and three soldiers wounded in Ukraine today. And most importantly  to three girls from Kyiv. One is 10 years old, another is 6, and the third one is only a year old. Today they lost their father. At 06:00 Central European Time.

When a Ukrainian intelligence officer, Captain Anton Sydorov, died in the artillery fire, prohibited by the Minsk agreements. I don't know what he was thinking about at the last moment of his life. He certainly didn't know what agenda someone needed to meet to end the war. But he knows exactly the answer to the question I put at the beginning.

He knows for sure  WHICH ONE OF US IS LYING?

May he rest in peace. May all those killed today and during the war rest in peace.

May all those who do not want to stop this war burn in hell.

May the glory of all those who fight and continue to fight for peace and freedom be eternal!

Glory to Ukraine!

Cover photo: Presidents Office
The United States has said Russia is behind the recent cyberattacks targeting the electronic networks of Ukraine's government agencies, the Ministry of Defense, as well as financial and other critical infrastructure.

This was stated at a Friday briefing by White House deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, Anne Neuberger, Ukrinform's own correspondent reports.

We have assessed that Russia was responsible for the distributed denial-of-service attacks that occurred earlier this week," said Neuberger.

She went on to clarify that large-scale cyber attacks on Ukrainian banks were also sponsored by the Russian government.

Its the GRU, Russias military intelligence, that is believed to be responsible for the attacks, the official explained.

The White House spokeswoman did not rule out that Russia could use these cyber attacks, including in preparations for a possible incursion into Ukraine.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, a number of Ukrainian government websites and banking services have suffered unprecedented DDoS attacks. The attack targeted the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces, and a number of other government agencies, as well as National Bank, the Diia portal of e-government services, online banking services of the state-owned Sberbank and Privatbank, as well as commercial banks.

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| By Joel Kabot

In November, the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) announced Eleanor Fleming, DDS, PhD, MPH, FICD, as the schools inaugural assistant dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion. She joined UMSOD from Meharry Medical College in her home state of Tennessee, where she served as an associate professor in the Department of Dental Public Health and director of the schools Center for Educational Development and Support.

Eleanor Fleming is the School of Dentistry's inaugural assistant dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion

Shes no stranger to Maryland, though, having previously worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Hyattsville as a dental epidemiologist, reaching the rank of commander in the U.S. Public Health Service.

However, in an ironic twist, the international pandemic of the past two years led her away from epidemiology as a practice of surveillance and toward a practice of equity and justice.

The COVID-19 pandemic was really a wake-up moment, she says. In March 2020, I thought about where I was and the path I was on  and, watching things unfold, I felt that I needed to do more.

I felt that I could do that in the dental education world, she adds.

As a result, Fleming left the CDC for her dental alma mater, Meharry, to work directly with students and impact the next generation of oral health leaders.

Ill be honest  I never saw myself leaving Meharry, she says.

But it was another historical moment  the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police, and the activism that followed  that caused another reexamination.

I didnt really see dentistry engaged in the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Fleming notes. Thats not to say organizations werent doing anything. But the needs were so great, I wasnt sure my job at Meharry would lend itself to impact.

When she first heard of the new position at UMSOD, she immediately saw its potential for effecting positive change.

Theres something about this position being at the worlds first dental college, she says. I believe that when we get this work right at Maryland, we will demonstrate to the dental community that this is how you do work: This is how you build an inclusive community in which you let people be their authentic selves.

UMSOD is uniquely positioned to lead in this space, she adds.

Having taken a leap of faith and applied, Fleming was hired late last year after a national search.

Thinking broadly about the job, I see myself as a connector, Fleming says. In many respects, I am the person who will connect with faculty, staff, and students, to help us do the work.

And that takes everyone, she notes.

I emphasize the us, she says, because this isnt about me putting together my vision of where were going to go. I can inform it, and Im responsible for the portfolio of what we have to do, but we all have to be willing to support our institution, our culture, and ourselves in being better.

As one example, she says, maybe that means asking people about their pronouns, and what that means about how they are received as a patient or member of our community.

Speaking of community, Fleming challenges us to understand where we sit, not just in relation to West Baltimore, but to the rest of Baltimore and the policies and practices that created the Baltimore of today.

I believe that if you can understand and acknowledge your history, you can move forward, she adds. Im trying to create a learning environment, trying to be a resource so that as we work with people who may be different than us  however we define different  we can work in an inclusive way, with kindness.

Part of that history is Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old from Prince Georges County who died in 2007 from a toothache. Without a dental home, Driver was unable to see a dentist, and the infection from his tooth spread to his brain.

It is another historical moment that partially inspired Fleming, who left her promising career as a political science professor to begin her journey into dentistry. In many ways, then, her career has reached its rightful place in Maryland, at the states only dental school.

If I can, in a tiny way, help someone in the state where Deamonte Driver lived to have access to care, and hopefully prevent a death due to oral disease, then I will have made a difference, she says.

Such disparities in oral health go well beyond just access, Fleming notes.

If we look at the dental profession as a whole, we know that the workforce doesnt always represent the patient population, Fleming says. Are there opportunities to create that workforce that is going to be needed in the 21st century, not just clinically, but also in policy, administration, and education?

While there has been much work on these issues going back decades, Fleming wants to challenge the school to do more, to expand, as she puts it.

We have to be open to change, and embrace it, she says.
Valdosta, GA (31601)

Today

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Pope Francis receives Hakainde Hichilema, the president of Zambia, in audience at the Vatican on Saturday.

By Vatican News staff reporter

Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema was received by Pope Francis at the Vatican on Saturday morning. Following the audience with the Holy Father, President Hichilema met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Monsignor Mirosaw Wachowski, the Undersecretary for Relations with States.

A statement from the Holy See Press Office indicated some of the major topics covered by the cordial discussions, including aspects of the countrys economic and social situation, and the valued contribution of the Church in various sections of society. The issue of universal access to Covid-19 vaccines and treatment was also treated, as well as the possibility of further study with regard to the drafting of a bilateral agreement between Zambia and the Holy See, as a further sign of respectful cooperation.

Pope Francis' audience with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema

Exchange of gifts

During the papal audience, Pope Francis presented President Hichilema with a mosaic of the biblical figure of Noah, with the words With Noah God opens a way of salvation, for creation and for every human being. The Holy Father also gave the president a collection of documents from his pontificate, including the 2022 Message for Peace; the Document on Human Fraternity; and a book on the Statio Orbis of 27 March 2020, when Pope Francis prayed for and with the whole world to overcome the coronavirus emergency.

For his part, President Hichilema offered Pope Francis a sculpture in wood and copper representing the typical musical instruments of Zambia.
New figures show that Turkey granted citizenship to 194,000 Syrians, including 84,000 children last year.

By Nathan Morley

According to the Turkish government, there are around 3.7 million Syrians under temporary protection in Turkey.

The Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said in some regions, the Syrian population accounts for over 25 percent of the total.



Turkey has accepted millions of Syrians fleeing a civil war since 2011. In many camps in southeastern Turkey, near the Syrian border, immigrants were initially welcomed under an open door policy.



In the past three years, nearly half a million Syrians have been voluntarily sent back to northern Syria controlled by the Turkish army.



Listen to Nathan Morley's report

Migrant situation desperate

Elsewhere, the migration situation in the region remains desperate. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said this week that 245 illegal migrants were returned to Libya after being rescued off the coast last week.



In the second week of February alone, 245 migrants were rescued at sea and returned to Libya. IOM also said that since the beginning of the year, 34 illegal migrants died and 87 others went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route.



So far this year, a total of 1,721 illegal migrants have been rescued and returned to Libya, including 150 women and 53 children.



Libya is a preferred staging point for migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.


Normal, IL (61790)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 41F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 41F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
Iran has ramped up its threats and harassment of journalists working for the BBCs Persian language service and their families, the British broadcaster says.

In a complaint filed with the United Nations this month, the BBC called on the U.N. and the international community to condemn Iran for their unacceptable treatment of its staff.

The complaint cited extra-territorial threats against the journalists in Britain and third countries; harassment of family members in Iran; financial pressures on the journalists and their families; and increased intelligence and counter-intelligence activity aimed at undermining the professional reputation of BBC News Persian and its journalists.

The problem has been going on for years, said Kasra Naji, BBC Persian special correspondent in London. But he said the threats have recently gotten worse.

There has been an escalation, Naji told VOA News. Over the span of six weeks, Irans intelligence agency called in several family members of BBC Persian personnel for questioning.

They told our parents and brothers and sisters that we in London could be the target of kidnapping, or even killing, if we didnt stop working for the BBC, Naji said. They also suggested that we could be kidnapped and renditioned to Iran.

The agents cited the case of Ruhollah Zam as an example of what would happen if they didnt comply, Naji said.

Zam, who founded an anti-government news website and Telegram channel while in exile in Paris, was lured to Iraq in 2019, where he had been promised an exclusive interview with a prominent cleric.

Instead, he was forcibly returned to Iran where the Revolutionary Court convicted him of corruption on Earth and executed him in December 2020.

In a joint statement, human rights lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher and Jennifer Robinson, counsel for the BBC World Service, said, We know from Irans past actions that it is willing to take cross-border and deadly action to silence its critics, and that it perceives independent journalism about Iran as a risk to their power.

Naji says the threats dont appear to be linked to any particular story and havent impacted BBC Persian reporting.

We have to report the stories. We have to report the news. We have to say what is happening, Naji said. And perhaps thats the reason why the Iranian government keeps attacking us, because obviously they feel they havent managed to have an impact.

Irans mission to the United Nations did not respond to VOAs request for comment.

Februarys complaint is the third filed against Iran by the BBC in the past five years, Naji said.

The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights did not return VOAs requests for comment.

In response to an earlier complaint, U.N. experts in 2020 demanded that Iran end the harassment and called on member states to ensure the safety of journalists.

Legacy of threats

Amir Soltani, activist and author of Zahras Paradise, a graphic novel about protests over the 2009 contested elections in Iran, says the Iranian intelligence agency has been targeting individuals since the 1979 revolution.

From the beginning, many Iranian writers and dissidents were abducted by the Intelligence Ministry and killed, Soltani told VOA. Many people disappeared and then their bodies were found in various states of mutilation. This was a campaign of fear and terror against intellectuals, against writers, against dissidents, and quite naturally against journalists.

The tactics have continued over the past 40 years and are aimed at silencing anyone who speaks critically of the Iranian regime, he said. But while previous attacks were conducted secretly, they have become much more brazen, Soltani said.

Tehrans repressive media environment means that many journalists work in exile. But living outside of Iran is no guarantee of security.

Transnational repression, in which governments reach across borders to coerce, intimidate, and sometimes harm or even kill citizens, is becoming a widely used tactic by authoritarian regimes, groups including Freedom House have said.

Last year, VOA Persian host and outspoken government critic Masih Alinejad was the target of a kidnapping attempt from her home in New York.

Four Iranians, believed to be intelligence operatives, were charged with conspiracy to abduct Alinejad with the intent of forcibly bringing her to Iran, ostensibly for speaking out about human rights violations.

In 2020, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said at least 200 Iranian journalists living outside of the country had been harassed, including 50 who had received death threats.

BBC Persian staff and their families have endured years of harassment.

In 2012, agents detained several relatives and tried to coerce them into persuading the journalists to either stop working for the BBC or to act as intelligence agents, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Other family members had their passports revoked, preventing them from leaving the country.

And in 2017, Iran charged 152 BBC Persian staff members, including Naji, with conspiracy against national security.

The court order, which is still in effect, froze all of their assets and has affected an estimated 600-700 family members, Naji said. The freeze prevents them from selling or dividing properties.

Some of us think that our parents and our brothers and sisters are effectively hostages in Iran, Naji told VOA.

Travel bans and sanctions on bank accounts are all too familiar, said Soltani, a U.S.-based human rights activist who left Iran in 1980. These issues have affected many members of society, not just journalists and their family members, he said.

If you can attack an institution like the BBC, at that level, with impunity and not give a damn about what the repercussions can be, can you imagine what lone journalists and dissidents in Iran are facing? Soltani asked.

As the BBC calls on the U.N. to condemn Iran for the latest threats, its journalists say they will not be silenced.

We have all agreed, all of us here at the BBC, Naji said, that we have to shout from the rooftops so that everyone knows about this, particularly the Iranian government, that if they touch us, if they take action against us, there will be a cost attached.

Reporter bio: Carmela Caruso is a freelance reporter based in Asheville, North Carolina, who specializes in press freedom and human rights. She is a student at Savannah College of Art and Design. Her work has appeared in VOA and The Mountain Xpress. Follow @CarmelaMCaruso
Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over massive military drills as shelling escalated in eastern Ukraine Saturday after U.S. President Joe Biden said Putin has made up his mind to invade Ukraine.



I'm convinced he's made the decision. We have reason to believe that, Biden said Friday during remarks from the White House.



On Saturday, the Russian military launched massive drills of its strategic nuclear forces that were personally overseen by Putin, although Biden said he did not believe Putin is seriously contemplating the use of nuclear weapons.



Russias defense ministry said the exercises, which the Kremlin says were previously planned to check readiness, involved a number of practice submarine launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles, with Putin and the president of Belarus looking on from a situation center.



Poised to strike



On Saturday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the more than 150,000 Russian troops that have amassed at Ukraines border are now poised to strike, as he spoke with reporters in Lithuania, where Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called for an increased U.S. troop presence.



At the annual Munich Security Conference Saturday, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris warned that Russias plan was already unfolding.



There is a playbook of Russian aggression, and this playbook is too familiar to us all. Russia will plead ignorance and innocence. It will create false pretext for invasion, and it will amass troops and fire power in plain sight, said Harris, who added a Russian invasion would trigger sanctions that include far-reaching financial sanctions and export controls.



Harris also warned the U.S. would bolster NATOs eastern flank as another deterrent to a Russian military invasion.

Speaking at the conference earlier Saturday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that Russia, in threatening Ukraine, will get more NATO instead of the lower NATO footprint Putin says he is seeking.



Stoltenberg also said he has sent a letter to Lavrov calling for a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council to avert a conflict in Ukraine. Stoltenberg told the Munich Security Conference that there is no evidence that Russia has withdrawn any of its troops from Ukraines borders and there is a real risk of conflict.



"We are extremely concerned because we see that they continue to build up, they continue to prepare. And we have never in Europe seen since the end of the Cold War, such a large concentration of combat-ready troops," Stoltenberg said.

Also attending the security conference Saturday was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, despite a sharp increase in shelling in eastern Ukraine. Zelenskiy met on the sidelines with Vice President Harris, as he aims to rally more military and financial support from Western allies.

As he addressed the audience of high-level officials and security experts from around the world, Zelenskiy pushed back against U.S. predictions of an imminent Russian invasion, declaring We do not think we need to panic, AFP reported.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on the sidelines of the conference, according to AFP, that We do not know yet if an attack has been decided on, although she added that the threat against Ukraine is very real.

Fresh attacks



Meantime, Ukraines military accused rebels of two breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine  the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics  of carrying out a new wave of attacks on Saturday.

The rebels, who also accused Ukraines military of carrying out new attacks on Saturday, signed mass military mobilization decrees. The head of one of the territories urged all able-bodied men to take up arms against what he claimed is Kyivs aggression. The regions have also begun evacuating some civilians from border areas.



Biden said the move was a result of Russian misinformation, saying that it defies basic logic that people in Ukraine would choose this moment to engage in combat with more than 150,000 Russian troops on Ukraines borders.



Ukraines military said two of its soldiers were killed Saturday in shelling from pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, according to AFP, after initially reporting one fatality.



Should Moscow invade Ukraine, it will be critical for the United States to convince the world that Russia is the aggressor and that it did so unprovoked, Max Bergmann, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, told VOA.



This was a master class from the Biden administration in how to win an information war with Russia, Bergmann said. The Biden administration has read the Kremlin playbook and they are exposing Russian disinformation as they come across it.



However, Biden is still offering Putin a de-escalation off-ramp, saying that diplomacy is always a possibility. He said, based on the significant intelligence capability of the U.S., he has reason to believe Putin will still consider the diplomatic option.

Diplomatic channels



U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to meet in person with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on February 24.



Meanwhile, Washington and its allies are analyzing a document delivered by the Kremlin to U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan in Moscow. It is Russias written response to the recent U.S. and NATO offer to negotiate over their missile deployment and troop exercises in Europe while rejecting Russias objections related to possible Ukrainian membership in NATO.



In the event of an invasion, Western allies must resolve differences over the timing and severity of sanctions against Moscow. For example, the initial package likely will not include banning Russia from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) system used by 200 countries to handle international financial transfers.



We have other severe measures we can take that our allies and partners are ready to take in lockstep with us, and that dont have the same spillover effects, said Daleep Singh, the deputy national security adviser for international economics, who spoke to reporters during Fridays White House briefing. But we always will monitor these options and well revise our judgments as time goes on.



Singh said U.S. measures are not designed to reduce Russia's ability to supply energy to the world but that it would be a strategic mistake for Putin to retaliate against Western sanctions by cutting back energy supplies to Europe.



Two-thirds of Russia's exports and half of its budget revenues come from oil and gas, and if Putin were to weaponize his energy supply, it will only accelerate the diversification of the world away from Russian energy consumption, he said.



Singh added Moscow would be unable to replace technology imports from other countries, including China, if Washington also imposes tough export controls that it has threatened.



Russian officials have denied they plan to invade Ukraine, but diplomatic talks with Western officials have led to a standoff. Russia has demanded that the U.S. and its allies reject Ukraine's bid for membership in NATO.



The West has rejected that as a nonstarter but has said it is willing to negotiate with Moscow over missile deployment and troop exercises in Eastern European countries closest to Russia.

VOA's Carla Babb and Wayne Lee contributed to this report. Some information came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
A former White House national security adviser said the Biden administration should call on China to act to show that it is serious about denuclearizing North Korea and that Washingtons options for dealing with North Koreas nuclear and missile programs are running out fast.

For too many years, we have let China get away with responsibility for North Korea, said John Bolton, the national security adviser to former President Donald Trump from April 2018 to September 2019. As part of the realignment of American policy toward Beijing  Chinas responsibility for North Korea has to be put at the center.

Bolton said during an interview with VOAs Korean Service on Friday that the Biden administrations options for dealing with North Koreas nuclear weapons and missile programs are small and decreasing rapidly as the regimes immediate threat of intermediate-range ballistic missiles is present right now.

North Korea tested 11 missiles in January, concluding the month with an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam.

Denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled since October 2019.

Washington has been expressing its openness to meet with Pyongyang without preconditions, but North Korea has largely dismissed the calls for talks.

Ken Gause, director of the Adversary Analytics Program at the research and analysis organization CNA, said one option Washington has right now is to try to freeze North Koreas nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Denuclearization is a bridge too far right now, Gause said. A wiser thing to do is to try to put things on the table in return for a freeze  no provocations, no proliferation, and no tests.

China key to denuclearization

Bolton said the threat of Pyongyangs nuclear weapons proliferation is increasing day by day and suggested the Biden administration needs to ensure China takes action to back up statements that it does not want a nuclear North Korea.

China has masqueraded for 30 years as just another disinterested party that says it doesnt want North Korea to have nuclear weapons. Well, if it were serious, it could make that happen, Bolton said.

I think its important to the world that we put China to the proof on this  either you do what you alone have the capability of doing, which is changing the regime behavior in North Korea, or we draw the conclusion, the legitimate conclusion, that youre fine with North Korea having a nuclear weapon, he added.

China, North Koreas top trading partner, has often been accused of helping Pyongyang evade U.N. sanctions placed on North Korea in 2016 to curb its nuclear and missile programs.

China and Russia, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, have long called for sanctions relief on North Korea. Most recently, on Jan. 20, Beijing and Moscow delayed Washingtons effort to impose U.N. sanctions on North Korea after the regimes fourth missile test of the month.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, told VOAs Korean Service on Friday evening that "Chinas position on the Korean Peninsula issue is consistent and clear. We hope relevant sides will resolve respective concerns through dialogue and consultation.

He continued, saying China has always been seriously implementing U.N. Security Council resolutions concerning DPRK. As long as the resolutions are still effective, we will earnestly fulfill our international responsibilities and deal with relevant matters according to the resolutions.

Bolton said North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons and missile programs through negotiations, adding that the U.S. should not rule out considering the possibility of a regime change or the use of force as an option.

The U.S. should not be held hostage by a regime like this, Bolton said. Thats why possibilities for regime change or if necessary, use of force against the North Korean nuclear program cannot be ruled out.

VOAs Korean Service contacted North Korea's U.N. Mission for comment on Boltons remarks but did not receive a reply.

Other options

Other experts believe the U.S. should pursue a diplomatic solution.

Gary Samore, former White House coordinator for arms control and weapons of mass destruction during the Obama administration, said Washington should seek a deal with Pyongyang through negotiations, although he admits denuclearization is not possible for the foreseeable future.

I expect the U.S. will seek to limit North Koreas nuclear and missile programs in exchange for political and economic steps, such as sanctions relief, he said.

The Biden administration says it remains committed to diplomacy with North Korea.

"The United States holds no hostile intent towards the DPRK and we are open to meeting the DPRK without preconditions, a State Department spokesperson told VOAs Korean Service on Thursday. DPRK represents North Koreas official name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

Liu, the Chinese Embassy spokesperson, said If the U.S. truly cares about the well-being of the DPRK people, it should not keep pressuring the DPRK with sanctions. Instead, it should face up to the denuclearization measures already taken by the DPRK, respond to its legitimate and reasonable concerns and take measures to ease sanctions on the DPRK."

Bolton expressed skepticism about an idea floated by some North Korea watchers that the Biden administration should try Trump-style personal diplomacy or high-level engagement to reengage North Korean leader Kim Jong Un into denuclearization talks.

Bolton was present at the two summits that Trump held with Kim, first in Singapore in June 2018 and then in Hanoi in February 2019.

They gave cover for North Korea systemically to make additional progress on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs under the appearance that they were trying to work out an arrangement with President Trump, he said.
Hundreds of police in riot gear swept through the streets of Canada's besieged capital Saturday, arresting or driving out protesters, towing away their trucks and finally retaking control of the streets in front of the country's Parliament buildings.

With protesters in clear retreat under the increasing pressure of one of the largest police operations in Canada's history, authorities' hopes were rising for an end to the three-week protest against the country's COVID-19 restrictions and the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

By early Saturday afternoon, protesters were gone from the street in front of Parliament Hill, the collection of government offices that includes the Parliament buildings, which had the heart of the protests. It had been occupied by protesters and their trucks since late last month, turning into a carnival on weekends.

"They are trying to push us all away," said one protester, Jeremy Glass of Shelburne, Ontario, as authorities forced the crowds to move further from the Parliament buildings. "The main camp is seized now. We're no longer in possession of it."

Protesters 'aggressive'

Police said protesters remained "aggressive and assaultive" and that pepper spray had been used to protect officers. Authorities also said children had been brought right to the police lines, saying it was "putting the children at risk."

Canadian authorities also announced they had used emergency powers to seize 76 bank accounts connected to protesters, totaling roughly $2.5 million U.S.

On Saturday, they also closed a bridge into the nation's capital from Quebec to prevent a renewed influx of protesters.

Around midday, protest organizers said they had ordered truckers to move away from Parliament Hill, decrying the police's actions as "abuses of power."

"To move the trucks will require time," organizers said in a statement. "We hope that [police] will show judicious restraint."

Earlier, Ottawa police addressed the protesters in a tweet: "We told you to leave. We gave you time to leave. We were slow and methodical, yet you were assaultive and aggressive with officers and the horses. Based on your behavior, we are responding by including helmets and batons for our safety."

Police said one protester launched a gas canister and was arrested as they advanced.

Dozens arrested

At least 47 people were arrested Saturday, police said. More than 100 were arrested Friday, mostly on mischief charges, and nearly two dozen vehicles had been towed, including all of those blocking one of the city's major streets, authorities said. One officer had a minor injury, but no protesters were hurt, interim Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell said.

Those arrested included four protest leaders. One received bail while the others remained jailed.

Tow truck operators wearing neon-green ski masks, with their companies' decals taped over on their trucks to conceal their identities, arrived under police escort and started removing hundreds of big rigs, campers and other vehicles parked shoulder to shoulder near Parliament. Police smashed through the door of at least one camper before hauling it away.

Police move in Friday

The crackdown on the self-styled Freedom Convoy began Friday morning, when hundreds of police, some in riot gear and some carrying automatic weapons, descended into the protest zone and began leading demonstrators away in handcuffs through the snowy streets as holdout truckers blared their horns.

The capital and its paralyzed streets represented the movement's last stronghold after weeks of demonstrations and blockades that shut down border crossings into the U.S. and created one of the most serious tests yet for Trudeau. They also shook Canada's reputation for civility, with some blaming America's influence.

The Freedom Convoy demonstrations initially focused on Canada's vaccine requirement for truckers entering the country but soon morphed into a broad attack on COVID-19 precautions and Trudeau's government.

Ottawa residents complained of being harassed and intimidated by the truckers and obtained a court injunction to stop their incessant honking.

Trudeau portrayed the protesters as members of a "fringe" element. Canadians have largely embraced the country's COVID-19 restrictions, with the vast majority vaccinated, including an estimated 90% of the nation's truckers. Some of the vaccine and mask mandates imposed by the provinces are already falling away rapidly.

Bridge blockades end

The biggest border blockade  at the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit  disrupted the flow of auto parts between the two countries and forced the industry to curtail production. Authorities lifted the siege last weekend after arresting dozens of protesters.

The final border blockade, in Manitoba, across from North Dakota, ended peacefully on Wednesday.

The protests have been cheered on and received donations from conservatives in the U.S.
India and the United Arab Emirates signed an agreement Friday that the two countries expect will increase bilateral trade to $100 billion in five years. It is the first of several free trade deals that New Delhi is racing to conclude this year to expand its pandemic-hit economy.

Economists say it reflects a significant change from the past, when India, which has protected several sectors of its economy with high tariffs, was slow to conclude free trade pacts.

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was signed during a virtual summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan.

This is reflective of the new emerging world order, the post-COVID world, which will see new alignments and realignments in which we see the UAE and India as strong partners, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said after the pact was signed.

The UAE is Indias third-largest export partner after the United States and China, with bilateral trade of about $60 billion.

While the UAE hopes the pact will help make it a business hub, India says it will give it access to markets in Africa and West Asia and create more than a million jobs in labor-intensive sectors such as the auto industry.

In 2019, worries about cheap imports from China led India to exit the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the worlds largest trade pact, which took effect this year among Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and 10 other Asian countries. That prevented India from gaining preferential access to fast-growing markets and led to concerns that one of the world's major economies was turning more protectionist.

Goyal said that India is no longer signing trade pacts to join a group but looking at agreements with nations that have values of democracy, transparency and mutual growth.

We are talking not of closing Indias doors but actually opening Indias doors wider for greater international engagement, he said.

New Delhi hopes that the bilateral trade pacts that it is negotiating with countries such as Britain, Australia, the European Union and Israel will help it get greater market access.

For many of those countries, building closer economic ties with New Delhi would help reduce their huge trade dependence on China, which they want to do amid unease about Beijings rise in several countries.

After suffering a major contraction last year, Indias economy grew by about 9% last year, the fastest among major economies.

Exports have been buoyant since the beginning of last year when India started coming out of the economic downturn and the government is trying to see what more can be done to get additional market access. They really want to push forward and aim for greater exports, Biswajit Dhar, Professor at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning at Jawaharlal Nehru University told VOA.

India aims to close trade agreements with Australia and Britain by the end of this year to boost exports to $500 billion by 2023.

Even before hammering out a more comprehensive deal, New Delhi hopes to clinch a limited trade pact, termed an early harvest agreement, with Australia next month. Both countries are members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad along with the United States and Japan, formed with an eye on China.

The grouping has also given an impetus to trade relations between the member countries, Australian Trade, Tourism, and Investment Minister Dan Tehan, said in New Delhi earlier this month during a visit to discuss the free trade pact.

I think the Quad has just added to the strength of the relationship. My hope is within 30 days we will have an announcement [on an interim trade agreement] with India. Then we can start to build the economic cooperation within the Quad, he said.

British Secretary of State for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan also visited India last month to start negotiations on a free trade agreement between the two countries.

While Britain hopes to double its exports to India by 2035 by tapping into its large middle class, New Delhi wants greater opportunities for Indians to study and work there.

The government has adopted a very interesting pathway for agreements with Britain and Australia. They are trying to do an early harvest agreement for sectors that are ready at this point to accept reciprocal market access as they are confident to face competition from imports, said Dhar.

This will lead to some forward movement in terms of working toward broader free trade agreements, he added.

Suhasini Sood contributed to this story.
A New York State Supreme Court judge on Thursday ruled that former President Donald Trump and his two oldest children will have to submit to questioning by the states attorney general in a civil investigation into potential fraud at the Trump Organization.

Attorneys representing Trump, his son Donald Trump Jr. and his daughter Ivanka Trump had moved to have subpoenas for their testimony canceled. They contended that it was improper for New York Attorney General Letitia James to be pursuing both a civil and a criminal investigation at the same time. James is cooperating in a criminal case that was brought by the district attorney of Manhattan.

Judge Arthur Engoron said that the Trumps legal argument completely misses the mark and that the attorney general was within her rights to demand testimony from Trump and his children.

However, while the name of the court on which Engoron sits, the Supreme Court of the state of New York, seems to suggest the rulings finality, the outcome is not so certain. The state of New York has two levels of judicial review that are above the Supreme Court  first the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, and finally the Court of Appeals.

This means that the Trumps have the right to appeal Engorons ruling, something their attorneys signaled Thursday that they planned to do.

Case background

The case James is pursuing against Trump has its roots in revelations dating to the closing days of the Trump presidency, when Trumps former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, testified before Congress that he was aware of financial irregularities in the Trump Organizations bookkeeping.

Specifically, Cohen alleged that Trump and Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, systematically under-reported the value of the companys assets when disclosing them for tax purposes, in order to minimize the firms tax liability. Additionally, Cohen said, they would overstate the value of the same assets when pledging them as collateral for bank loans and other financial transactions.

Last month, James submitted a filing to the court listing multiple instances in which the Trump Organization had provided information to different parties in different transactions that was contradicted elsewhere.

In the same filing, James referred to testimony from Weisselberg indicating that Trump kept paper records of his financial transactions, but despite requests from her office, none of those records had been disclosed to investigators.

A raucous hearing

The judges ruling on Thursday followed a hearing Wednesday in which the attorney representing Donald Trump, Alina Habba, complained that the investigation was political in nature and ought to be shut down.

More than once, Habba had to be warned to stop interrupting Engoron when he was speaking, and she was also criticized for directly addressing Kevin Wallace, an attorney working for James office, a breach of courtroom protocol.

I want to know, Mr. Wallace, Ms. James, are you going to go after Hillary Clinton for what she's doing to my client? Habba demanded at one point. That she spied at Trump Tower in your state? Are you going to look into her business dealings?

Habba was referring to a debunked claim that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had somehow conspired to spy on Trump while he was president.

Unsparing ruling

The claims from Trumps attorney that James investigation has a political taint are based pledges she made as a candidate running for attorney general. James regularly promised to investigate Trumps business dealings.

In his ruling, Engoron acknowledged that fact, but said that in his view, the significant evidence suggesting potential wrongdoing by the Trump Organization meant that failing to mount an investigation would have been a blatant dereliction of duty on James part.

Indeed, the impetus for the investigation was not personal animus, not racial or ethnic or other discrimination, not campaign promises, but was sworn congressional testimony by former Trump associate Michael Cohen that respondents were cooking the books he wrote.

Engoron also dismissed the claim by attorneys representing the Trumps that, by forcing them to testify in a civil case, the attorney general would be collecting statements that could be used against them in the criminal probe.

Engoron noted that the Trumps would retain their absolute right under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to refuse to answer any questions that they feel might incriminate them. He reminded them that a third Trump child, Eric Trump, had invoked his right more than 500 times in testimony provided in the same case.

Trump, James respond

After the ruling was issued Thursday, Trump issued a rambling statement that repeated the claim that Clinton had spied on him while he was in the White House, attacked James for comments she made about him during her run for office, and insisted there was no basis for either her civil case or the criminal case being pursued by the Manhattan district attorney.

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! Trump wrote.

Today, justice prevailed, James said in a statement released by her office.

It continued, No one will be permitted to stand in the way of the pursuit of justice, no matter how powerful they are. No one is above the law.
Shelling and mortar fire picked up tempo overnight Saturday in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, with the heavy bombardment spurring fears a major military clash is in the offing.

The head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic Saturday issued a mobilization order for able-bodied males to present themselves to military commissars to sign up with local militias. Men aged between 18 and 55 also are being barred from leaving the pro-Russian self-styled republic on the eastern edge of Ukraine.

And in another alarming development, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Saturday calling up army reservists for training and drills. Some analysts pointed out this is an annual event, but that it is normally conducted in April, not February. Yevhen Fedchenko, an Ukrainian academic who studies disinformation, says, it's one more tool to sow uncertainty.

Speaking at the Munich security conference Saturday, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said a Russian plan already was unfolding. There is a playbook of Russian aggression, and this playbook is too familiar to us all. Russia will plead ignorance and innocence. It will create false pretext for invasion, and it will amass troops and firepower in plain sight, she told leading politicians and security ministers gathered for the annual meeting in the Bavarian capital.

Later at the conference, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the shock of any invasion of Ukraine by Russia would "echo around the world. The British leader warned the omens are grim.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported on Saturday more violations of an often-broken ceasefire agreed to in 2015 in the Donbas than a previous high on February 12.

Parts of the Donbas, which also includes the self-proclaimed republic of Luhansk, have been under de facto Russian occupation for the past eight years.

The OSCE reported more violations around Luhansk than Donetsk during the past two days, but even so, longtime observers say the shelling in and around Donetsk is the most intense they have seen in years.

On Friday the pro-Moscow separatist leaders, who are seen by Ukraine as puppets of the Kremlin, ordered a mass evacuation of civilians in posted videos, saying the Ukrainian army was planning an attack  an accusation vehemently denied by Kyiv.

According to the metadata of the videos, analyzed by experts, the broadcasts were prerecorded two days before, suggesting the evacuation, renewed shelling and other events, including an inexplicable car bombing, in Donbas are being orchestrated by the Kremlin, say Ukrainian officials, Western leaders and independent observers.

They accuse Moscow of building up a pretext for launching an offensive on Ukraine. Kremlin officials deny this, with Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov and other Russian diplomats accusing Western leaders of hysteria and alarmism. Saturday, Russian authorities claimed a shell, allegedly fired by Ukraine, exploded on Russian territory near a house in the village of Mityakinskaya in the southern Rostov region.

Western intelligence officials say the evacuation and mobilization orders and intensifying artillery and mortar fire, which they blame on the Russian separatists, are consistent with warnings that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made at a midweek presentation to the United Nations Security Council, where he accused Moscow of preparing false flag operations that could be blamed on Kyiv but are in fact ordered by the Kremlin and conducted by its own forces or proxies.

Russian President Putin has maintained a drumbeat of accusations against Ukraine, accusing it of genocide against ethnic Russians in Ukraine.

Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014 and backing of armed proxies the same year in the Donbas was justified by the Kremlin on the grounds that it had to protect ethnic Russians. It was the same reason given for invading Georgia in 2008.

A Kremlin critic, Bill Browder, a British-American financier who was once based in Moscow, noted Friday that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov tweeted word-for-word this week exactly the same remark he made on the eve of the Georgia invasion blaming the Kremlins foes for provocative actions that have only intensified in the last day.

However, independent analysts and military strategists are still split on whether what they describe as staged events in the Donbas are a prelude to a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, something U.S. President Joe Biden warned about Friday, saying he is now convinced that Putin has decided to invade Ukraine in coming days and that Russian forces will launch an assault on the capital, Kyiv.

As of this moment, Im convinced hes made the decision. We have reason to believe that, Biden told reporters in Washington. His comments marked the first time the United States has said categorically Putin has made up his mind to invade.

Analyst and longtime Kremlin-watcher Dmitri Trenin of the Moscow Carnegie Center, a think tank, suspects the Kremlin is creating strategic tension with its actions in the Donbas along with planned nuclear-force drills Saturday and Sunday in Belarus, a Russian ally.

Moscows objective appears to be coercing Ukraine into talking directly with Donetsk and Luhansk, he tweeted Saturday, with the goal of intimidating Kyiv into accepting a 7-year-old peace deal, the Minsk Accord, which is highly unpopular in Ukraine and was signed when the Ukrainian army was suffering severe setbacks on the battlefield in Donbas.

Military strategist Edward Luttwak has adjusted his thoughts on the unfolding and dizzying events. Luttwak has been skeptical for weeks that the Kremlin is planning a deeper re-invasion of Ukraine, maintaining Russia didnt have sufficient forces in place to carry out and sustain such a massive armed endeavor.

But with Western estimates of the Russian forces now deployed on three sides of Ukraine rising from 100,000 to 130,000 in January to 190,000 now, Luttwak tweeted Saturday: Russia troops could reach 200K enough to control central Kyiv. He noted, though, that that would mean leaving much of Ukraine in the hands of the decapitated Ukrainian regular forces and insurgents willing to shoot at vulnerable Russians.

However, he, too, suggests Putin likely favors using threats to subjugate Ukraine rather than invading.

With the crisis worsening rapidly, Britain Friday ordered its ambassador and the few remaining British diplomats in Kyiv to join the bulk of the staff who were relocated earlier in the month to Lviv in western Ukraine.

The Institute for the Study of War, a security think tank based in Washington, D.C., warns that Russia "will likely attack Ukraine before February 21, 2022. In its latest assessment the institute says: The Kremlin has deployed sufficient military forces and set informational conditions to conduct offensive operations including limited incursions into unoccupied Ukraine, a comprehensive air and missile campaign, and large-scale mechanized drives on Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities.
As Ukraine braces for a possible attack from Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday he wanted to convene a meeting of world powers to secure new security guarantees for his country as the current global system is no longer fit for the purpose.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskiy also called on NATO members to be honest about whether they wanted Ukraine to join the alliance or not.

The 44-year-old leader received a standing ovation before starting remarks in which he called on the world to learn the "terrible lessons from history" and chided the international community for what he said was the appeasing of Russia.

"The rules that the world agreed on decades ago no longer work. They do not keep up with new threats. Not effective for overcoming them. This is a cough syrup when you need a coronavirus vaccine," he said.

"The security system is slow. It crashes again. Because of selfishness, self-confidence, irresponsibility of states at the global level," he said.

Calling the global security architecture "almost broken," Zelenskiy said he wanted to convene a meeting of the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, which includes Russia, and Germany and Turkey to provide new guarantees for Ukraine.

Zelenskiy said if the West was so sure that Russia was about to attack, it should impose sanctions on Moscow now, rather than threatening to impose them after an attack. Sanctions would be of no use once bombs started raining down on Ukraine, he said.

'Attempts at appeasement'

"What do attempts at appeasement lead to?" Zelenskiy said, going on to refer to a speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the same conference in 2007.

"Fifteen years ago, it was here that Russia announced its intention to challenge global security. What did the world say? Reconciliation. Result? At least the annexation of Crimea and aggression against my state," he said.

The United States has warned that Russia could be poised to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine after massing tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine's borders in recent weeks. Ukraine has played down the threat of a huge offensive but said it was ready for any possibility.

Russia has denied planning any sort of attack but has demanded its own security guarantees from NATO and the United States, which include a permanent bar on Ukraine joining NATO.

Zelenskiy said countries should be transparent about whether they wanted Ukraine, a country of 41 million on the European Union's eastern borders, to join the EU and NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

"If not all members of the alliance want to see us or all members of the alliance do not want to see us, be honest," he said. "Open doors are good, but we need open answers, not closed questions for years."
UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, is condemning the rise of militia group attacks on displaced people in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Armed groups mounted eight major deadly attacks against displaced people in Ituri province in just the first 10 days of this month.

UNHCR spokesman Boris Cheshirkov says displaced people in northeastern DRC have been targets of killings, kidnappings, looting of livestock and food, and other atrocities for years. But the intensity and brutality of these latest attacks, he says, are particularly shocking.

Most recently, in the early hours of Tuesday, the 15th of February, militia fighters massacred 17 people with machetes in the locality of Lando, in Djugu territory. Eight children were among those killed.  A mother and her two children were burned alive as assailants set shelters ablaze, Cheshirkov said.

One of the worst attacks occurred on February 1 when CODECO, an armed group composed of Lendu farmers, killed at least 62 displaced members of the Hema ethnic group.

Cheshirkov says more than 120 armed groups are operating in eastern DRC, so it is hard to know who is responsible for the current attacks in Ituri.

He says the UNHCR has increased security and surveillance in the displaced person camps it manages. Additionally, he says staff maintain close contact with U.N. peacekeeping soldiers in the area.

We know that the authorities have also stepped up security across the region and introduced the state of siege back in May of last year. However, the attacks continue, and they intensify. People are killed, people are displaced and many of them have very, very serious humanitarian needs, and we have difficulties reaching them in many parts, Cheshirkov said.

The U.N. agency reports there also have been brutal attacks against displaced people in Masisi territory in North Kivu province. It says conflicts in South Kivu have displaced at least 10,000 people this month.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says violence and conflict have displaced an average of 1 million people inside the DRC every year since 2016. Currently, there are more than 5.6 million displaced people in the country, the highest number in Africa.
One agent protested that he didn't join the Border Patrol to look after children in custody. Another asked why a policy to make asylum-seekers wait in Mexico for court hearings wasn't being used more. And one turned his back on the senior officials who had come to listen.

Unsurprisingly for anyone who's been tracking migration along the United States' southern border, the recent showdown happened in Yuma, Arizona, where encounters with migrants illegally crossing into the country from Mexico jumped more than 20-fold in December from a year earlier.

Discontent among the ranks is only one of the challenges Chris Magnus faces as the new leader of the United States' largest law enforcement agency. Magnus, who was sworn in this month as commissioner of the Border Patrol's parent agency, Customs and Border Protection, also faces persistent allegations that his agency is mistreating migrants, failing to recruit more women and is at the mercy of a broken asylum system.

Magnus might seem like an unconventional pick. When he was the police chief in Tucson, Arizona, he rejected federal grants to collaborate on border security with the agency he now leads and kept a distance from Border Patrol leaders in a region where thousands of agents are assigned.

In his first interview as commissioner, Magnus acknowledged morale problems and outlined some initial steps meant to fix them. He had no simple answer to address migration flows.

"There have always been periods of migrant surges into this country for different reasons, at different times," he said last week. "But I don't think anybody disputes that the numbers are high right now and that we have to work as many different strategies as possible to deal with those high numbers."

Magnus noted the growing number of migrants who from countries outside of Mexico and Central America, a trend that has been especially strong in Yuma.

Under a public health order known as Title 42 that was designed to limit spread of COVID-19, Mexico takes back migrants from the U.S. who are from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador and are denied a chance to seek asylum. Other nationalities are eligible for expulsion, but the U.S. often won't fly them home due to the expense or strained diplomatic relations with their home countries. Instead, they are often quickly released in the U.S. to pursue asylum.

"There's a lot of frustration," said Rafael Rivera, president of the National Border Patrol Council Local 2595, a union that represents agents in the patrol's Yuma sector, which has seen a huge increase in such migrants. "They feel like there's no consequences, that we have an open border."

In December, U.S. officials stopped Venezuelans at the border nearly 25,000 times, which was more than double September's count and more than a hundred times the roughly 200 they made in December 2020. Venezuelans trailed only Mexicans in the number stopped at the U.S. border in December.

In the Yuma sector, which stretches from California's Imperial Sand Dunes to western Arizona's desert and rocky mountain ranges, Venezuelans were stopped nearly 10 times more than Mexicans in December. Colombians, Indians, Cubans and Haitians also outnumbered Mexicans.

Mexico began requiring visas for Venezuelans on Jan. 21, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas noted during his contentious Jan. 26 meeting with Yuma agents, according to a recording leaked to the website Townhall, which publishes conservative viewpoints. He said the U.S. was pressing Mexico to accept more nationalities under Title 42 authority and to increase immigration enforcement within its own borders.

Magnus, who reports to Mayorkas, told the AP that migration flows are "increasingly complex" and that the U.S. was "doing our best to build and take advantage of relationships with these different countries that migrants are coming from."

Although President Joe Biden faces many of the same challenges as his predecessors, Donald Trump visited the border often, spent massively on enforcement and got an early endorsement from the agents' union in 2016.

As a Biden appointee and an outsider who had a chilly relationship with Border Patrol leaders in Tucson, Magnus might struggle winning over agents.

Roy Villareal, chief of the Border Patrol's Tucson sector from early 2019 until late 2020, said he sought an introductory meeting with Magnus, who was then Tucson's police chief, but that he never heard back, calling their lack of interaction "a telling sign." Villareal could recall speaking to Magnus only three times during their overlapping tenures  each one a courtesy call from Magnus to inform him that Tucson police were about to arrest one of his agents.

"He's the wrong person for the Border Patrol," said Villareal, who retired after 32 years in the agency. "His knowledge and understanding of border enforcement just isn't there. ... Agents will challenge him."

Others consider Magnus a good fit.

"He is very respected among his colleagues," said Gil Kerlikowske, a former Seattle police chief whose focus on use of force rankled some agents when he held Magnus' job from 2014 to 2017. "Chris' background on holding people accountable is pretty extensive."

Magnus, 61, was born and raised in Lansing, Michigan, where he served stints as an emergency dispatcher, paramedic, sheriff's deputy and police captain. He was police chief in Fargo, North Dakota, and Richmond, California, before he took the job in Tucson in January 2016. In that latest role, he took orders from elected leaders in the liberal city of more than 500,000 people.

In Tucson, Magnus created a program to steer people away from drugs, worked with nonprofits helping homeless people and overhauled the department's use-of-force policy. He openly criticized Trump policies for making migrants more reluctant to share information about crimes with police.

CBP critics in Tucson give Magnus mixed reviews. Vicki Gaubeca, of the Southern Border Communities Coalition, said he championed "some very progressive policies," but that the Border Patrol needs a visionary who will change what she calls a deep-seated "culture of impunity."

In his final weeks as police chief, Magnus called for the firing of an off-duty officer who shot and killed a suspected shoplifter in a motorized wheelchair, saying it was "a clear violation of department policy." The officer left the department last month.

And in 2020, Magnus offered to resign over an in-custody death that the department failed to make public for two months, but the city manager asked him to stay.

One longstanding issue Magnus faces is allegations of agents using excessive force. Agents have been involved in an increasing number of use-of-force incidents and there have been more fatalities involving Border Patrol agents, though the number of encounters surged at an even higher rate.

Magnus said the use of force is a "very serious concern" and that he believes the overwhelming majority of agents act responsibly. He also defended specialized teams that collect evidence in incidents that might involve agents' excessive use of force. Democratic congressional leaders have expressed serious concerns about the Critical Incident Teams, which some activists allege are shadowy cover-up operations.

"This is really not unusual in most police agencies," Magnus told the AP. "There's absolutely no reason why trained investigators in the field can't be gathering this kind of critical evidence."
China's deepening ties with Russia will come with heavy geopolitical and economic consequences should the Ukraine crisis escalate, analysts say.

While the two powers have recently intensified their so-called comprehensive strategic partnership, Beijing has not offered its full support for Moscow's military encirclement of its neighbor.

And there have been signs Beijing is worried that a Russia-Ukraine confrontation might not be in China's national interest while its relationship with the West is deteriorating and its economy is slowing down.

The country called again Friday for a political resolution of the crisis. "Efforts should be made on the basis of the Minsk-2 agreement to properly treat the reasonable security concerns of all sides including Russia through dialogue and negotiation," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin.

Debate on response

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Beijing is weighing how much it will support Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine. According to people with knowledge of the matter, the report said, China's top leaders have debated how to respond to the crisis without hurting China's own interests.

"I can't see how China could support Russia in any sort of meaningful way and not do rather significant damage to the U.S.-China relationship," said Michael Hunzeker, an assistant professor at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government. He spoke to VOA in a telephone interview.

The U.S. has recently strongly criticized China's support for Russia.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan accused China of giving a "wink and a nod" to a Russian invasion of Ukraine and said, "I believe that China will ultimately come to suffer consequences as a result of that in the eyes of the rest of the world, most notably in the eyes of our European partners and allies."

Dustin Walker, a nonresident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told VOA he believed that Europe would see China's support for Putin's brinksmanship on Ukraine as further evidence that China is a systemic rival, leading the region to "rethink its relationship with China."

Testing ties

A possible Russian-Ukrainian confrontation would also test the relationship between Beijing and Moscow. If China, fearing repercussions for its own economy, were to comply with Western sanctions against Russia, Walker noted, it would be seen by Moscow as an unreliable partner.

Walker pointed out that in the joint statement issued after Xi and Putin met at the Beijing Olympics, China explicitly opposed NATO enlargement for the first time, but didn't mention Ukraine.

That "has to raise the question whether Putin asked for something that he didn't get from China," Walker said.

Experts also note that China did not recognize the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, as it places fighting against separatism at the heart of its national security.

In Beijing's diplomatic parlance, China and Russia maintain a "comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination." Russia remains the first and only major country to establish this type of partnership with China, said Craig Singleton, a fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

With China's economy rapidly cooling, Xi will be focused, at least for the foreseeable future, on maintaining economic stability, which is something that Putin may or may not be inclined to respect as he pursues his interests in Ukraine, Singleton said in an email exchange with VOA. "China and Russia will find it incredibly difficult to synchronize their strategies," he wrote.

War undermines stability

China also has important financial ties with Ukraine. It is Kyiv's largest trading partner, and the two countries have had a strategic partnership since 2011. Ukraine joined China's Belt and Road Initiative, a global infrastructure plan, even before Russia did.

While China is also the EU's largest trading partner, the relationship is believed to be at its lowest point in decades. When Beijing began trying to sanction EU member state Lithuania over its policies toward Taiwan, the EU rallied to Vilnius' defense, suing China for coercive trade practices at the World Trade Organization.

China exports almost 10 times as much to the European Union and Britain as it does to Russia, noted Singleton in a recent article published by Foreign Policy. He said Xi, in recent months, has personally stepped in to try to soothe relations with Europe because China needs enhanced ties to help it weather the current economic storm.

Some analysts believe that an extended showdown with Moscow over Ukraine could distract the United States from its vaunted "pivot to Asia," leaving China more space to expand its influence in the region.

Hunzeker, the George Mason University professor, acknowledged that such a development would be advantageous to China. But, he said, "I don't think we're going to play into that sort of mistake."
U.S. President Joe Biden says Russian President Vladimir Putin has made up his mind to invade Ukraine.

I'm convinced he's made the decision. We have reason to believe that, Biden said during remarks from the White House on Friday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, the Russian military announced that Saturday it will hold massive drills of its strategic nuclear forces, which Putin will personally oversee. However, Biden said he doesnt believe Putin is seriously contemplating the use of nuclear weapons.

Biden called out the shelling of a kindergarten by Russian-backed fighters in the Donbas region, which Moscow said was carried out by Ukraine. He pointed out other disinformation he said Moscow was peddling to the public, including claims of a genocide in Donbas and a Ukrainian attack on Russia.

All these are consistent with the playbook the Russians have used before to set up a false justification to act against Ukraine, Biden said. For weeks his administration has warned of such pretext scenarios and false flag operations.

Should Moscow invade Ukraine, it will be critical for the United States to convince the world that Russia is the aggressor and that it did so unprovoked, Max Bergmann, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, told VOA.

This was a master class from the Biden administration in how to win an information war with Russia, Bergmann said. The Biden administration has read the Kremlin playbook and they are exposing Russian disinformation as they come across it."

However, Biden is still offering Putin a de-escalation off-ramp, saying that diplomacy is always a possibility. He said, based on the significant intelligence capability of the U.S., he has reason to believe Putin will still consider the diplomatic option.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to meet in person with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Feb. 24.

Meanwhile Washington and its allies are analyzing a document that the Kremlin delivered to U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan in Moscow. It is Russias written response to the recent U.S. and NATO offer to negotiate over their missile deployment and troop exercises in Europe while rejecting Russias demands related to possible Ukrainian membership in NATO.

Russian cyberattacks

During a White House briefing Friday, Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, said for the first time that the U.S. believes Moscow was responsible for recent so-called DDoS cyberattacks on Ukraine.

We believe that the Russian government is responsible for widescale cyberattacks on Ukrainian banks this week, Neuberger said. We have technical information that links the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU, as known GRU infrastructure was seen transmitting high volumes of communication to Ukraine-based IP addresses and domains.

This recent spate of cyberattacks in Ukraine are consistent with what a Russian effort would look like and laying the groundwork for more disruptive cyberattacks accompanying a potential further invasion of Ukraine sovereign territory, she added.

While noting there are no specific threats on the U.S. homeland at this point, Neuberger warned that administration officials are bracing for any Russian cyberattacks on American targets following the imposition of sanctions on Moscow.

The U.S. is taking the necessary actions to prepare and harden potential U.S. targets against what might come next, said Nina Jankowicz, a global fellow who studies disinformation and cybersecurity at the Wilson Center. She spoke to VOA.

Talks with European allies

Biden delivered his remarks after his latest round of urgent talks with European leaders and a call with a bipartisan group of members of Congress who are representing the United States, along with Vice President Kamala Harris, at the Munich Security Conference on the Ukraine crisis.

Despite Russia's efforts to divide us at home and abroad, I can affirm that has not happened, Biden said. The overwhelming message on both calls was one of determination and resolve.

However, there are differences among allies on the timing and severity of sanctions against Moscow. For example, the initial package will likely not include banning Russia from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) system used by 200 countries to handle international financial transfers.

We have other severe measures we can take that our allies and partners are ready to take in lockstep with us, and that dont have the same spillover effects, said Daleep Singh, the deputy national security adviser for international economics, who spoke to reporters during the same White House briefing Friday. But we always will monitor these options and well revise our judgments as time goes on.

Singh said U.S. measures are not designed to reduce Russia's ability to supply energy to the world but that it would be a strategic mistake for Putin to retaliate against Western sanctions by cutting back energy supplies to Europe.

Two-thirds of Russia's exports and half of its budget revenues come from oil and gas, and if Putin were to weaponize his energy supply, it will only accelerate the diversification of the world away from Russian energy consumption, he said.

Singh added Moscow would be unable to replace technology imports from other countries, including China, if Washington also imposes tough export controls that it has threatened.
Members of an anti-immigration group, #Put South Africans First, protested in Johannesburgs Hillbrow suburb today, calling on employers to fire foreigners and employ only South Africans.

They gave local companies a week to get rid of all illegal immigrants, promising to take unspecified action against those that wont heed their demands.

#Put South Africans First leader, Victoria Mamogolo, said they are rolling out Operation Dudula to ensure that the government follows strict South African laws, which stipulate that some jobs are reserved for locals.

Mamogolo said illegal foreigners should not work in restaurants, bars, saloons, departmental stores, vegetable markets and other places as there was no need for specialized skills in these sectors.

We want the government to control our borders because we have a problem right now in South Africa. We are saying the government should deport all illegal immigrants who are stealing our jobs, she said.

Mario Khumalo, another member of Put South Africa First, said Operation Dudula is designed to get rid of all illegal immigrants in order to economically empower locals.

As South Africans who abide by the laws of the land, we want the government to follow the law. We are not breaking the law right now because all what we are doing is well-known by the government which has to get rid of illegal immigrants. As we speak right now, there are some representatives of the Ministry of Homes Affairs, including the police, who are here witnessing what we are doing.

Police came out in large numbers after warning the group to stop demanding identity documents from people in South Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa also told journalists a few days ago that its illegal for Put South Africa First to demand immigration documents from members of the public.

Vusumuzi Sibanda of the African Diaspora Forum is among people who visited Hillbrow today to monitor Operation Dudula.

Sibanda said his organization is not against peaceful street protests as we are strongly opposed to any form of violence.

He said, We dont want violence and to see people taking the law into their own hands like demanding to see identity documents or getting into peoples homes and removing them. No. Thats supposed to be done by the police and not an ordinary person.

Millions of Zimbabweans are living and working in South Africa as economic refugees and asylees.

Thuso Khumalo contributed to this article.
Members of #Put South Africans First protesting against illegal immigrants in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. They are demanding the immediate deportation of Zimbabweans and other nationals saying they are stealing their jobs. Their street protest is dubbed Operation Dudula. (Video: Thuso Khumalo)
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MPs Jean-Louis Thieriot (Les Republicains) and Patricia Miralles (of the Republique en Marche, the political party of French President Emmanuel Macron) presented their mission report on the preparedness for a high-intensity war to the National Defense and Armed Forces Commission, 16 February 2022.

They emphasized that the likelihood of a high-intensity war (i.e. against high-level armies and no longer against terrorist gangs) is now real and urged for an immediate revamping of the French armies.

A case in point is the run-down condition of the airfleet, making it impossible for the French Air Force to hold out for more than 5 days against, say, the Russian aviation.

In conclusion, the authors of the report recommended increasing the defense budget to 2.5% of GDP, in line with what Washington has been demanding from of all its NATO allies.
President Joseph R. Biden spoke today with Transatlantic leaders about the likelihood of further Russian aggression against Ukraine. Together they 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. They pledged to continue pursuing diplomacy to de-escalate tensions while ensuring readiness to impose swift, coordinated economic costs on Russia should it choose further conflict. The leaders also discussed efforts to ensure the defense and security of NATOs eastern flank.

Participants in the call included Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, President Andrzej Duda of Poland, President Klaus Iohannis of Romania, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom.
Stowe, VT (05672)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 47F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 47F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
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The National Weather Service in Huntsville Alabama has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northwestern Madison County in north central Alabama... Northeastern Limestone County in north central Alabama... Southwestern Lincoln County in Middle Tennessee... * Until 615 PM CDT. * At 534 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Ardmore, or 12 miles north of Athens, moving east at 35 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Meridianville, Moores Mill, Hazel Green, Ardmore, Harvest, Lincoln, Elkmont, Elkwood, Belleview and Cash Point. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. && HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED; MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN; WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED; MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
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We may be about to see a surge in oil from Iran. Thats the hope, at least, surrounding talks in Vienna aiming to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Sanctions on Iran were first removed in 2016, after a deal was struck to limit the Persian Gulf nations nuclear program, only to be reinstated when former President Donald Trump later tore up the agreement. If sanctions are lifted once more, the country will be able to boost its oil production and unlock a wave of barrels stored in onshore tanks and on ships anchored around the world.

That could help reverse some of the recent rise in crude prices and take pressure off motorists faced with the highest fuel prices they have seen in more than seven years.

The talks between Iran and a group of six nations  the U.S., China, Russia, the U.K., France and Germany  have been going on for months and are heading for the finish line, according to a senior European Union diplomat. But what lies beyond the tape remains unclear, and there are still some political obstacles to overcome.

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Chief among these for Iran is a guarantee that future U.S. administrations wont simply revoke the deal again. Thats something President Joe Biden, or any other U.S. leader, cant promise, particularly when doing a deal with Iran remains unpopular for many members on both sides of Congress. If it wants an agreement, Iran is going to have to be realistic. It may yet decide that accepting a deal that could last as little as three years simply isnt worth it.

On the other side of the table, major differences remain on whats required to roll back Irans nuclear advances  which have allowed it to enrich uranium closer to weapons-grade levels and near the threshold of becoming a nuclear state. There seems to be a general acceptance that time is running out to do a deal before Irans capabilities have developed so far as to make the 2015 agreement meaningless.

But if a deal is done it could have big implications for oil markets and a knock-on effect on fuel prices.

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When sanctions were eased in 2016, after the nuclear deal first came into effect, Iran boosted its oil production much more quickly than consensus forecasts. Most analysts saw the countrys crude production rising by 500,000 barrels a day over the first 12 months without sanctions. In fact, Iran achieved that in less than four months and went on to add almost the same amount again before the year was out.

There are reasons to think it might be able to do the same again.

Iran was using about 1.8 million barrels of oil a day before the pandemic, according to figures from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. That domestic consumption provides a solid base for the countrys oil industry, even without exporting to external markets  and those external markets never dried up completely, despite the sanctions.

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Iran has continued to ship crude and refined products to China and Syria, as well as condensate, a light form of crude extracted from gas fields, to Venezuela. Most of that trade has been conducted on ships running without sending position signals, making them much more difficult to track and masking the true volume of the trade.

Analysts appear to have taken that earlier recovery into account. Citigroup Inc. says that should sanctions end, Iran could boost output by 500,000 barrels a day as soon as April or May and by 1.3 million barrels a day by the end of the year. Thats a view that would have seemed outlandish in 2015, but its much less so now.

And then theres the oil Iran has already pumped out of the ground and put into storage tanks and onto ships. Estimates of that quantity vary widely, from about 85 million barrels split between tanks and tankers, to as much as 85 million barrels just in storage at sea.

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In 2016, buyers in India and Europe were quick to boost purchases of Iranian crude. With oil in short supply and prices above $90 a barrel, they will be just as keen to do so again, given the opportunity.

Last time around, Irans Asian customers enjoyed sanctions waivers that permitted them to keep importing its crude in decreasing quantities. Those markets were never fully lost. This time its different. Most of Irans former customers havent processed its crude for more than three years, establishing or deepening relationships with other suppliers in the meantime. Thats perhaps why Iranian officials have already met former customers in South Korea  an important market alongside the United Arab Emirates for Irans condensate exports.

If an Iranian nuclear deal can be revived, the extra barrels it will release onto the global market will come at just the right time and will move quickly. The OPEC+ group of oil producers is struggling to boost production as much as its promised, and the Texas shale patch shows no sign of riding to the rescue. It might be down to longtime foe Iran to come to U.S. motorists aid.

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This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Julian Lee is an oil strategist for Bloomberg. Previously he worked as a senior analyst at the Centre for Global Energy Studies.

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How many times do you Google a day? How about a year? Rough estimates put the number of searches that Google processes at more than 2 trillion per year and, worldwide, it has a search engine market share of more than 90%. We enjoy Googles search bar for free, but that doesnt mean there isnt a cost. It just means we are the product.

Bloomberg Opinion columnist Parmy Olson spoke with former Google advertising chief Sridhar Ramaswamy on a Twitter Spaces about the companys ad model, the intrusive nature of browsing the web and why Google still rules internet search. Ramaswamy was at Google for 15 years, and for the last five years, ran the companys all important advertising division. He left in 2018 and has since co-founded a competing search engine, Neeva, which makes money through a monthly subscription. Here is a lightly edited transcription of their conversation.

Parmy Olson: You joined Google as a search ad engineer, and rose up the ranks to end up running the advertising division and a team of more than 10,000 people. The year you left Google, it cracked $100 billion dollars in revenue just from ads, and that numbers only gone north from there. You were clearly overseeing one of the worlds most powerful businesses. Why did you decide you didnt want to work on ads at Google anymore?

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Sridhar Ramaswamy: I was fortunate to be at Google when I was, but after 15 years I wanted a change. I had worked on ads the entire time and helped create a very large and clearly powerful ecosystem. But there was a part of me that wanted to go back to my roots as a software engineer, as a thinker and creator.

There were also aspects of ads at Google that disillusioned me. All of us want to feel good about our jobs. With complicated platforms like YouTube, where theres all kinds of content  including an endless amount of objectionable content  ads were seen as directly or indirectly supporting that. In particular, 2017 was a year of controversy and towards the end of that year I decided that I really needed a clean break.

I started Neeva because I love the problem of search and wanted to create a simpler, friendlier product. Im proud that we have created the worlds first ad-free, private search engine.

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Parmy: Why has it been that, for more than a decade, theres been no meaningful competition to Googles search engine?

Sridhar: First and foremost, its a very hard problem. It involves a scale that dwarfs any other technical problem that has been solved. Its really hard to crawl through all of the worlds web and sift through it meaningfully in an adversarial, open environment. Then theres the fact that the best result for a query is one that everybody says is the best result. So in some sense, its a popularity contest. That means the more users and usage you have, the more data you have to improve.

I think everybody acknowledges that when it comes to pure search, Google is still the the gold standard. But increasingly, things like ads and specialty places like Twitter and Reddit pose a challenge for how Google approaches search.

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Parmy: Your point about how Google is arguably the gold standard, do you see that changing at all? Ive noticed ads taking up a lot more of the real estate on search results. Do you see any degradation to the quality of search at Google, either now, recently or in the future?

Sridhar: It is a slow but very definitive change for the worse. A big part of this is the ad load. Im sympathetic. I used to run that team and there is tremendous pressure to make money. Remember what happened to Facebook recently. All tech companies are defined not just by what they have accomplished but by their future prospects, too. There is pressure on Google to take up more and more space for ads, or play with an endless number of attention-grabbing maneuvers.

Parmy: If this is an issue that you see going forward, did Google ever entertain the idea of selling a premium tier subscription to weed out all of the ads when you were there?

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Sridhar: Not seriously. Ill give you a rough, but stunning, stat. Almost certainly, Google makes more than $50 billion just in the United States. Thats more than $150 per person per year, just on Google search. You work that out to a monthly number and you realize not many people are going to pay for a product like that at that kind of price range.

The other thing that is vastly underestimated, especially from outside of Google, is there are large teams whose livelihood depends on the ad model. You can get away with introducing something like a subscription early on, but when youre very successful and there are strong economics at play, it becomes very hard. Also, within the company, a dramatically different way to approach something may just be rejected.

Parmy: If you actually look at the diversification of Alphabets business, 80% is in ads. Facebook is even more horribly undiversified: 98% of all their revenue comes from ads. Its just like a tanker kind of going in one direction, its just too difficult to pull in any other direction. Is that what youre saying?

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Sridhar: These are incredibly successful companies and the ad model, in terms of its ability to monetize attention and extract value from advertisers, is just incredible. These people run incredibly efficient auctions, billions of times a day. Its a completely different ball game to start over with a different model in which you have to earn and keep one customer at a time.

Parmy: Speaking of the ad business generally, its an incredibly complicated business. When we talk about Googles ad business, were not talking about one monolithic organization, but many different divisions. Can you talk a little bit about the complexity of that business?

Sridhar: The simplest ad products are the owned and operated ad networks that Facebook and Google run. Early on, Google also got into the business of serving ads on third party sites. This was eventually expanded into DoubleClick, which is an incredibly complicated business. Google makes products for publishers. Google makes products for advertisers where an advertiser can say, I want to buy on the New York Times, on Google search, on YouTube, but also on Bloomberg and other sites. They also run something called an ad exchange, which is a way of bringing together advertisers, publishers, and other ad networks which aggregate demand from advertisers.

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This ecosystem just gets more and more complicated. Now, every time we go to a website, there are literally thousands of companies that are collecting data about what we are doing and trying to figure out what ads to show. It makes for a very unpleasant experience. This rampant lack of privacy is one of the things that we wanted to address.

The split loyalty that the acquisition of DoubleClick entailed was vastly underestimated. Google makes products for users, advertisers and publishers or other companies. It also makes a browser and an operating system. Regardless of what it does, somebody is unhappy with the decision, because in some sense, Google is trying to be everybodys friend.

Parmy: You talk about a rampant intrusion on privacy. Did this bother you when you were still at Google?

Sridhar: 100%, this used to be a fairly constant argument. Another subtle point here is that, when you talk to one of these tool provider teams  lets say these teams represent advertisers and how they get clicks across the internet  they dont have a passion for the user because the user is anonymous.

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These tool teams basically lose sight of the north star, which is the user and giving them a pleasant experience. You can easily end up in situations where youre just pulling levers at a very complicated system and saying: If I show Parmy the headphone ad 20 more times, theres a small chance that she will break down and click on one of those ads and go buy the headphones. Theres no cost to any of us. Lets just do it.

Parmy: Is the challenge for Google that its north star is advertisers or does it have too many north stars?

Sridhar: The company has too many north stars, but that does not take away from the very important fact that Google is all about search. Its the flagship product, the thing that makes the most money. If Google is driven by revenue, it has to keep showing ads on that search result page and it has to figure out how to keep making the money that it makes and how to make more money. There is a fundamental conflict of interest where, unless there are artificial and clear boundaries for whats okay and whats not, its just really hard to put the user first.

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Parmy: Given that Googles flagship product is search, its what we all use Google for, how much money has Google been investing in the technology behind search over the years?

Sridhar: One rule of thumb that I have is that I think itll take about $500 million to $1 billion a year to run search at scale for every person on the planet. Youll likely need 1,000 to 1,500 people to do a really good job at this. And if you add those two numbers up, you realize that its a minuscule amount of money compared to how much Google makes.

Parmy: Your goals for Neeva sound like youre not aiming to be as big as Google has been. Do you expect Google to continue to have that 90% share of search for another 10 years or even 20 years?

Sridhar: Twenty years ago, would you have predicted today? Likely not. Its hard to predict that far out, but I think it is unlikely that search is going to exist in its exact current form for the next 20 years.

Parmy: Although it hasnt changed that much in 10 years.

Sridhar: Yes, but I think its very unlikely that the shares will remain constant. This is too important a problem, and there is enough innovation.

Parmy: Going back to the ad model, Apples privacy settings made it harder for Facebook to cross reference all our personal data. Google is preparing to phase out third party cookies in Chrome next year. Does it seem like online ads are moving in a healthier direction for our privacy?

Sridhar: Its a little early to say. The changes being contemplated do not affect Big Techs own flagships as businesses. So youll see, for example, Facebook do more within Facebook. This is the reason why theyre so keen on things like Facebook Marketplace, not to mention the big pivot to the metaverse. Similarly, Google with its incredible products in search and YouTube will continue to do enormously well. Therell be more and more resistance to this rampant proliferation of data, so I expect the smaller tech companies to have a more difficult time.

The well-off and the technically savvy install ad blockers, pay for premium versions of YouTube and other apps that they use. Theyre not subjected to ads as much. So even though this free, ad-funded internet has been such a meme for the last 20 years, I feel like well-off people have moved away from ads and its become a tax on the rest of humanity.

Parmy: The digital ad market grew by about 20% during the first year of lockdown, and then by 17% in 2021. Do you think this fast rate of growth for digital ads is just going to continue or do you see that petering out at some point?

Sridhar: Digital ads are growing because we are all doing more and more things online. Clearly that trend is accelerating, especially with the pandemic, but I think much of it will go to a few key players, like Google and Facebook and some of the other social media companies that can grab so much attention.

But for a product like search, there is no reason for anyone to search a lot more today than they did yesterday. So I think that growth will slow down. But what will continue unimpeded is the growth of companies like TikTok. Theres clearly a lot of innovation happening with shorts and videos. I see them conquering a lot of ad dollars. As long as there is innovation and growth in the time that we spend online, the ad dollars will follow because online ads are incredibly efficient.

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This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Parmy Olson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. She previously reported for the Wall Street Journal and Forbes and is the author of We Are Anonymous.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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With Saint Patricks Day approaching (March 17), people will be slurping minty green shakes, setting out pot-of-gold decorations and adorning themselves in every shade of lime, jade and Kelly green. Wearing green makes you invisible to the leprechauns, it is said. And if a leprechaun spots you not wearing green, youll get pinched. (My mom comes from an Irish family that loved to help the tiny, bearded fairies. She was an epic pincher.)

But of all the traditions and lore associated with Saint Patricks Day, one has always stood out: the story of how Saint Patrick drove all of Irelands snakes into the sea.

According to the legend, the religious man known as Saint Patrick traveled from Britain to Ireland to do missionary work in the fifth century. While he was there, he was attacked by a group of snakes. Serpents are a symbol of the devil in the Christian Bible, so Saint Patrick cleansed the Emerald Isle of evil by shooing every legless reptile he could find into the ocean.

Its a fanciful tale, but could it be true? After all, Ireland is one of the few places on Earth where snakes cant be found in the wild.

The first thing you have to remember is that the way Ireland looks today is not the way it always looked, says Jacquelyn Gill, an ice age ecologist at the University of Maine.

About 24,000 to 27,000 years ago, the entire island of Ireland was covered in ice. So were Scotland, Wales and most of England. Which means not only were there no snakes in Ireland, but there wasnt much of anything else.

As the world warmed up and the glaciers receded about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, plants and animals started to recolonize the islands from mainland Europe. Seeds blew on wind across an area of water called the English Channel or were carried by waves. Some animals were even able to swim across, Gill says. But early humans also played a role.

As people started to settle in Ireland, they brought the plants and animals that they liked to hunt, and eat, and plant, she says. But snakes were not high on that list.

Three species of snakes did manage to make the journey to Britain, including a venomous snake known as the adder. But the cold waters surrounding Ireland probably prevented any of these serpents from reaching the Emerald Isle. There are also sea snakes  reptiles that live their whole lives in the water  but they tend to live in much warmer climates, Gill says.

To make a long story short, Saint Patrick had nothing to do with Irelands snakelessness.

They just ran up against this barrier, Gill says about the seas surrounding the island nation. And they had no bridges, no boats, no way to get over there. So thats why there are no snakes in Ireland.

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that legend says that Patrick traveled from England to Ireland in the fifth century. The word England was not known to be used until several centuries after that time. Legend usually says he came from Britain. Historians disagree about whether he came from what is now England, Scotland or Wales.

Bittel is a freelance journalist who often writes about animals. His childrens book, How to Talk to a Tiger . . . and Other Animals, will be published in April.
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At the edge of our solar system, theres a tiny, icy world with a diameter  or length across at its widest point  only 18.5 percent as large as Earths. You know it as Pluto. When your parents were kids, Pluto was actually considered a planet. But 15 years ago, a group of scientists known as the International Astronomical Union voted to make the definition of planets more specific, and Pluto no longer made the cut. According to the IAU, Pluto is technically a dwarf planet, because it has not cleared its neighboring region of other objects. This means that Pluto still has lots of asteroids and other space rocks along its flight path, rather than having absorbed them over time, like the larger planets have done.

Believe it or not, each year on August 24, the international scientific community recognizes Plutos historic downgrade with a holiday called Pluto Demoted Day.

But just because Pluto lost its planet status doesnt mean it isnt fascinating, says Cathy Olkin, a planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute.

For instance, Pluto can be more than 4 billion miles away from Earth, depending on where it is in its wonky orbit, and the dwarf planets average temperature dips to -387 degrees Fahrenheit. Thats so cold, things get a little bit weird.

Pluto has this huge glacier on its surface, but the glacier is made of exotic ices, says Olkin, who is also a scientist on NASAs New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond. So, not water-ice, like we have here on Earth, but ice made out of nitrogen and methane, things that are gases in our atmosphere.

Pluto is also really dark, because the sun is much farther away than it is here on Earth. In fact, NASA has a handy website that allows you to catch a glimpse of what scientists call Pluto Time. With an adult, simply enter your location and the website will tell you to look outside at a certain time of the day, usually right at dusk, when the light here on Earth looks almost exactly like it would on Pluto at noon, or its brightest time of the day.

Another interesting fact about Pluto is that it has five moons. One of them, called Charon, is half of Plutos size. (For comparison, our moon is just over one-quarter the size of Earth.) Charon is so big, Olkin says, that its gravity actually causes Pluto to wobble in its orbit.

The last thing you should probably know about Pluto? Some scientists do not agree with its demotion. One reason is that space is full of objects, and every planet has some in its neighboring region.

There are many different ways to decide what is a planet, Olkin says. [Pluto] has an atmosphere. It has moons. It goes around the sun.

There are still people who are trying to fight that definition, she says.

Bittel is a freelance journalist who often writes about animals. His childrens book, How to Talk to a Tiger . . . and Other Animals, published in April.
The 2022 Jackson County Chamber of Commerce gala was like none other in the 94-year-history of the organization.

In just a couple of things they held to tradition. The traditional gavel pass was held, as outgoing chairman Ben Odom turned that responsibility over to incoming Chairwoman Carmen Smith.

Smith, who leads the non-profit Chipola Area Habitat for Humanity, said the business community need not fear that a non-profit executive doesnt know what for-profits face every day. Smith said she faces those same challenges and hopes that 2022 will prove her out as an effective chair. Advocacy on the behalf of the business community, she said, will be one focus for her, along with promoting unity, diversity, equity and inclusion.

And the Chamber also, as usual, named a Board Member of the Year. That honor went to Wendy Blair.

Blair had been in line to take over as chairperson this year but recently took a job that will take her out of the area. Smith had been in line to be her vice chair this year, then take the helm next year as is the Chamber tradition. Smith only found out about a week ago that she had to step up early.

And the Chamber had plans to name its Citizen of the Year at the gathering Thursday, but that didnt take place because the honoree could not be there. Instead, the Citizen will be revealed at the Chambers next power lunch gathering.

Those were just about the only traditional elements to the party. Several things made it unique.

Its format was different this year. The Chamber shifted from its traditional formal banquet and guest speaker. Instead, the Chamber skipped the guest speaker this year and guests had no assigned seating. They werent served at table: They found their own places to sit, and made their own plates at food stations. That allowed for another big change in the annual event.

Local businesses were front and center. They provided the food. Not just one but many were chosen to bring their things to the table. Farmhouse Chick kicked things off with a massive charcuterie tray with meats, cheeses and more that the crowd tore into with gusto.

Martins Harvest near Cottondale provided the salad greens at the next stop. Green Gate Olive Grove brought a selection of its added-value products like balsamic vinegar that some used to dress those salads.

Little Pesces turned out chicken Alfredo and shrimp Alfredo with garlic bread.

Gradys Seafood of Graceville served up fried shrimp and onion rings.

The Salt Block of Marianna brought beef tenderloin and a truffle-oil carrot dish.

Kountry Candy Store toward Alford had chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert. Mimis Makery provided traditional and chocolate cheesecakes.

This years party was held in Campbellton rather than in Marianna, where it usually takes place. It was at a local business that had been caught up in a tough challenge almost as soon as it opened. The Chamber had a hand in helping Southern Fields Brewery and its owner, Brian Walker, meet that difficulty brought on by COVID-19 and the restrictions imposed on gatherings as the nation battled the pandemic.

Brians business was shut down during the pandemic about one month after it opened for the first time, explained Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tiffany Garling. We worked hard with state officials and secured a meeting for Brian with the then-DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears to make a case to the Governors that Breweries were different than bars because they are manufacturers. He was eventually able to reopen sooner than bars in Florida because he has food on site, she said.

He certainly had food on his site Thursday. One big room was fully devoted to it.

The fact that the Chamber held its party there might be considered a manifestation of the organizations theme for the evening.

Tonights event was less about celebrating our 94-year history and our successes of 2021 and more about celebrating some of the hardest hit businesses in our community and the fact that they have overcome and are thriving again, she said.

The party format change seemed to please the crowd. They mingled constantly, with few sitting at tables for long stretches. And Thursdays party was the highest-grossing of all time, according to Chamber Executive Director Tiffany Garling. More than 200, she estimated, attended the event and sponsorships were higher than normal.

Outside in the beer garden, Jesse Roberts and Joe Rutherford played and sang for the crowd. There was some recorded music inside, as well. But that inside music could barely be heard over the din of voices in conversation.
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11 missing in ferry fire after hundreds saved Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight A fire on an Italy-bound ferry has left 11 people missing, authorities said, after hundreds quickly evacuated the burning boat and two others were dramatically rescued hours later. In the early evening  a point when 278 of the 291 people onboard had already been safely transported to shore  Greek television showed the operation to retrieve two more people who had been trapped in a lower section of the ferry. With the boat still smoldering in the Ionian Sea, a helicopter lowered rescuers by rope onto the ship. The Greek coast guard said soon after that the two passengers  after spending 12 hours on the boat, amid flames and smoke  had been taken by helicopter to a nearby island.

There were conflicting reports about whether any of the other missing 11 might still be onboard.

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The fire broke out on the Euroferry Olympia several hours after it had departed the port of Igoumenitsa, en route to the Italian city of Brindisi, in what was supposed to be a nine-hour journey. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, and the weather was good.

Witnesses, speaking to Greek television outlets, said the fire began around 4 a.m. and that the crew quickly tried to alert passengers and bring them to the deck. Passengers were given life jackets and asked to descend steps into rescue boats that crew members had lowered; nobody jumped directly into the sea. From there, coast guard vessels and other nearby ships came to gather the passengers and crew and take them to shore.

 Chico Harlan,

Elinda Labropoulou

Taliban holds several Brits, American

Afghanistans Taliban rulers have detained several British citizens and an American, including a former freelance television journalist who has been traveling to Afghanistan for more than 40 years, both governments and a family member say.

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A statement from the British government this week said there are a number of British nationals in Taliban custody. While the government refused to release their identities, Hassina Syed, the wife of Peter Jouvenal, a former freelance cameraman-turned-businessman, told the Associated Press that her husband was taken Dec. 13.

And U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNNs State of the Union on Sunday that Washington was actively working to get the American released from Taliban custody. He refused to say more, citing the sensitivity of it.

The American detainee and at least four other British nationals in custody remain publicly unidentified.

Serbian ambassador to Portugal dies in fall from cliff: Serbia's ambassador to Portugal died after falling off a cliff in the beach town of Cascais near Lisbon on Friday, the local fire brigade said. A fire brigade spokesman would not comment on the circumstances that led to the fall, telling Reuters that emergency services rushed to the scene around 1.30 p.m. and found Oliver Antic, 72, alive but badly hurt. Paramedics tried to save him but he died shortly after the rescue, the spokesman said.

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U.S. halts aid to Burkina Faso after coup: The United States has halted most U.S. aid to Burkina Faso after determining that the January ouster of President Roch Kabore constituted a military coup, triggering aid restrictions under U.S. law, two sources familiar with the matter said Friday. The State Department made the determination in line with a U.S. law under which U.S. foreign aid  except funds to promote democracy  must be stopped to a country whose elected head of government is deposed by military coup or in a coup in which the military plays a decisive role.

French court finds former soldier guilty in child's killing: A former soldier was found guilty Friday of killing an 8-year-old girl after luring her from a wedding celebration in a French Alpine town. Nordhal Lelandais was sentenced to life in prison with 22 years guaranteed behind bars. He also was found guilty of molesting two cousins, ages 4 and 6  one of them two weeks before Maelys de Araujo's death in August 2017.

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Prospective buyers at an open house in Star, Idaho, in June 2021. (Kyle Green for The Post)

As the Fed raises interest rates, experts say there are some signs the market is responding. But theres a long way to go.
Marking the 14th anniversary of prime minister Kevin Rudds 2008 national apology to the Stolen Generations  the systematic forced removal of Indigenous children from their families, communities and cultures  Prime Minister Scott Morrison remarked this week: Sorry is not the hardest word to say; the hardest is I forgive you. 

Morrison also declared that forgiveness is never earned. But what is an apology worth if you continue to commit the same behaviour? The Prime Minister is omitting an important fact: Australia is still reckoning with the reality that the Stolen Generation is not in the past; it never really ended.

Dr Jordan Elizabeth Cory, a Kamilaroi woman and junior surgical doctor. Right, her #MeAt13 portrait, when she was 13 years old. At that age, she would have been old enough to be criminally responsible. She wants others to share their #MeAt13 photos.

Indigenous Australians are the most incarcerated race on the planet  2406 per 100,000 in 2021. Indigenous Australian youth are 20 times more likely than non-Indigenous youth to be locked up. One in every two young people incarcerated in Australia is Indigenous, despite comprising only 6 per cent of those aged 10 to 17.

The age of criminal responsibility in Australia is 10. Thats younger than the age you can vote (18), drive (16), be employed (14), or make a TikTok account (13).
Peter Vickery, QC, sat down and wrote what he probably intended to be a whimsical and romantic letter to a beautiful young woman. Referencing the Hollywood film Avatar, of which he was much enamoured, he asked Lisa* out on a date.

I have heard of a nice bar just down from the Tree of Life on the planet Pandora in the solar system of Alpha Centauri A, southern constellation Centaurus, Milky Way, he wrote.

Peter Vickery, QC, has been named as the retired Supreme Court judge who allegedly sexually harassed two young female associates. Credit:The Age

Are you by chance free on 31 May 2154, say about 7pm Greenwich mean time?

To seal the deal, he included one of his poems, titled Virgils Verse, accompanied by a reproduction of Italian master Caravaggios Amor Vincit Omnia (Love is Triumphant).
I think the period of instability was exceptional and not likely to be repeated, predicts Tiffen, professor emeritus in government and international relations at Sydney University. In the century to 2010, three Australian prime ministers were deposed by their own parties. From 2010 to 2018, the two parties combined deposed six prime ministers, including Kevin Rudd twice. Prime Minister Scott Morison with his predecessor John Howard at a Liberal Party rally in 2019. Credit:Brook Mitchell Australia became an international laughing stock for the crazed pace of prime ministericide, taking the title from Italy for the worlds fastest-spinning leaders chair. Unchecked, the life cycle of an Australian prime minister seemed destined to compete with that of the blowfly for brevity. How did it happen that Morrison has not only survived longer than any of his four immediate predecessors, but also now enjoys the distinction of being the sixth longest-serving prime minister since World War Two? Of postwar prime ministers, only Bob Menzies, Bob Hawke, John Howard, Malcolm Fraser and Paul Keating enjoyed longer rule than Morrisons three years, five months and 26 days, measured to Saturday. Of the 30 prime ministers since federation, Morrison now ranks 13th for longevity in the post.

Both major parties have enacted rules to make it harder for leaders to be challenged during their terms. That is a recognition by the parties that they were self-harming in their orgiastic self-indulgence. Recognition that they needed to restrain themselves. Loading But while the rules are a recognition, theyre not necessarily a prohibition. The rules themselves can be changed by a party room vote. In the case of Labor, a simple majority of the party room can vote to change the rule. The rule that Morrison wrote for the Liberals sets a higher bar at two-thirds. Thatd be difficult to clear, but not inconceivable if the two major factions could strike a deal. If an aspirant had the numbers, the rules would merely make a challenge a two-step process, requiring not much more than an extra hour. Tiffen points out that Labors previous leader, Bill Shorten, was allowed two full terms unmolested. Anthony Albanese challenged him as the rules allowed, after an election loss. Even at the state level its been a bit quieter, limited to the dumping of opposition leaders who contested elections and lost. On the whole, winning elections gives the winner authority, observes Tiffen. What was unusual was the series of rebellions against successful leaders.

Two other factors help explain Morrisons hold on the leadership. One is the restraint shown by Frydenberg and Dutton. They have not destabilised their leader. They are content to compete for the post-Morrison leadership. The other is Morrisons management of his party. The standout achievement of internal management was to update the Coalitions climate policy without being destroyed in the process. Climate and energy policy proved to be party-room poison for Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott. Loading When Morrison took the prime ministership, he inherited Abbotts emissions targets  cutting Australian carbon emissions by 26 to 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. This was roughly consistent with the US target under Barack Obama. But the world had moved on and Morrison wanted to adjust Australias policy. He needed to make the governments climate policy more presentable to an electorate increasingly impatient for action, especially in the Liberals affluent Sydney and Melbourne seats with highly climate-conscious constituents. The Liberals had lost Abbotts seat, the once-safe Warringah, and Morrison didnt want to lose any more.

Yet he needed to hold the climate denialists, led by Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, but also some other Nationals and carbon fundamentalists in the Liberals. Any change, no matter how minor, was fraught. Morrison didnt touch the 26-28 per cent pledge, but he moved incrementally and carefully over the course of a year to add a commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The antediluvians fumed and muttered dire threats. But Morrison managed to change the policy and survive. For a bloke whod held a lump of coal aloft in the House and goaded Labor with its coal, dont be afraid, leading a highly volatile carbon-conflicted Coalition, it was a real achievement. It has helped nudge Australias decade-long climate wars closer to an end. Loading Of course, the policy change was wholly inadequate, both for the planetary need and the political. The Biden White House privately was furious, and remains so, at Morrisons failure to move closer to the new US target of a 50 per cent cut by 2030. A senior official told me we were looking to a close ally for support at Glasgow on a key policy and Morrison gave us just f---ing bullshit. Likewise, the climate-concerned Liberal constituencies in seats like Josh Frydenbergs Kooyong, Katie Allens Higgins, Dave Sharmas Wentworth and Trent Zimmermans North Sydney are so frustrated that they are, like the earth itself, starting to overheat.

The NSW byelection in the seat formerly held by premier Gladys Berejiklian held a dire portent for these federal Liberals. The swing against the Liberals in once-safe Willoughby last weekend is not yet finalised but looks to be 18 per cent or more. When Malcolm Turnbull sought to make modest change to the governments climate or energy policies, his party revolted and his leadership was terminated. No matter how inadequate Morrisons change, he nonetheless managed to nudge the Coalition a little closer to sanity and hold his Coalition together. And keep his job. Malcolm Turnbull and his then Treasurer Scott Morrison in 2018 when Morrison declared this is my leader and Im ambitious for him. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Morrisons command of his partys loyalty has fractured frequently. Last week it was the uprising by five Liberal MPs who crossed the floor to vote for stronger anti-discrimination protections for transgender students. This week it was the three Liberal MPs who spoke out to demand that Morrison commit to negotiating a bill for a workable anti-corruption body. So the discipline has not been iron, more rubber, but however much it has stretched it has held. There has been no splinter party, the Coalition is intact, and Morrison will go to the election unchallenged.

Of course, there has been a price to pay for Morrisons grip on his party. Apart from the inadequacy of the governments climate policy. One heavy price of his survival is that he has sacrificed accountability and probity. Loading He has been determined to avoid sending failed ministers to the backbench. He wants no disgruntled ex-ministers fomenting unrest. The consequence is that there is too much failure. Shockingly, Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck remains unabashed and in his post despite the two-year-long debacle of avoidable deaths in aged care homes. Christian Porter chose to leave his post as attorney-general but still enjoys the benefit of a fund with up to $1 million in it from donors he says are anonymous. He calls it a blind trust, and that term might be technically correct, but its not what a blind trust is typically used for. Thats usually a vehicle for putting your own money out of your direct control to avoid conflicts of interest. What he has is more like a slush fund, even if the purposes it serves is legal.
At the start of 2020, as the world was coming to grips with what was then known as the novel coronavirus, software developer Colin Hickey decided he needed to act.

It sounds stupid, but I just woke up in the middle of the night and thought, I better do something about that, he said.

Software developer Colin Hickey, with the support of his wife Maggy and help from an American university, developed a breath testing device for COVID-19.

Two years later, and with the help of an American university, he is in clinical trials for a breath-testing device that can detect virus particles and produce results within minutes.

The coronavirus pandemic has put enormous strain on everything from hospital capacity to global supply chains and manufacturing. It also spurred a flurry of activity around vaccine development and medical manufacturing as governments, health experts and big business realised the world needed solutions to the crisis, and quickly.
Charles Haygood Henry was born around 1878 and died May 1961. C. H. Henry was a strong-willed man who had a desire to do something and wouldnt let anything get in the way. He was a man of sterling qualities and a leader of men. He was also a business man.

He owned and operated a grocery store in the Highridge community in Quincy, Gadsden County. He ran a boarding house as well as rental houses in Gadsden County. C. H. Henry put stock in the community by providing assistance to those in need. He helped his fellow man with solving problems. C. H. Henry served on the Trustee Board of both Edward Waters College in Jacksonville and Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach.

C. H. Henry was a 33rd degree Master Mason who served form 1944-1961 as Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Union Grand Lodge, Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity, Free and Accepted Masons of Florida, Belize, Central America and Jurisdiction, Inc., Prince Hall Affiliated. He had to face many difficulties in his life, but always with a smile. C. H. Henry was such an honorable man that a fraternal organization (C. H. Henry Consistory No. 71) was established in his honor.

C. H. Henry Consistory No. 71 is an organization with strong biblical principles. Members of this consistory cover Jackson, Bay, Gadsden, and Leon counties. The monthly meetings are held in Marianna half of the year and the other half of the year meet in Quincy. This group has given scholarships and aid to deserving students in Jackson and Gadsden counties. The Most Worshipful Union Grand Lodge of Florida also gives Annual Scholarships in honor of C. H. Henry. Scholarships are awarded to students over the state of Florida. In 2008 a high school graduate from Marianna was awarded a four-year scholarship.

Brother Henry adopted this slogan: It should be done; It can be done; It must be done; It shall be done. During brother Henrys first three years as Grand Master, he raised more than $14,000 for widows and orphans and an additional $48,300 for improvement of the Temple in Jacksonville.

C. H. Henry was a family man. He still has family members living in the highridge community of Gadsden County. He was a member of Arnett Chapel AME Church of Quincy where he served as chairman of the steward board for years. He also served as Worshipful Master of Silver Star Lodge No. 61 in Quincy.
Salisbury, MD (21801)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 54F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 54F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Wilmington, DE (19810)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low 51F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low 51F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
The Nelson County Sheriff's Office said Miguel Mendez De Leon, 31, and Emmanuel Diaz Sanchez, 32, both of Louisville, were arrested on Saturday, Feb. 5, during a narcotics investigation with Kentucky State Police.
ASHFORD  Through a slew of agreements between the Ashford Downtown Redevelopment Authority, MidSouth Bank, and the Dothan Houston County Library System, the Ashford library will soon relocate and expand.

Additionally the City of Ashford  through agreements with the library system and ADRA  will take ownership of the current library facility once the library has relocated.

This agreement is a tremendous blessing as we strive to improve our services to the rural part of Houston County, said Chris Warren, DHCLS director. The new facility increases our usable space by more than 1,000 square feet and will be modernized to serve our patrons better. We thank the ADRA and MidSouth Bank for paving the way for this expansion.

The project began when MidSouth Bank constructed an expansion to its main office in Dothan. This expansion allowed MidSouth Bank to relocate its information technology infrastructure from Ashford to Dothan, freeing up space in Ashford.

MidSouth Bank, led by CEO W. Davis Malone, has agreed to donate the building next to the MidSouth Bank on Broadway Street in downtown Ashford to the ADRA for the purpose of relocating and expanding library operations. The ADRA will then deed the facility to the Dothan Houston County Library System to allow significant renovations to begin.

We see this as a win-win situation for Ashford and surrounding areas, Brad Kimbro, ADRA chairman, said. Not only do library services improve, leading to better educational opportunities for eastern Houston County residents, but the new location is closer to some of the great businesses we have. The increased foot traffic will definitely benefit our merchants  and the library  once the library relocates.

Once the library branch has moved, DHCLS plans to deed its current space to ADRA  which will then deed it to the City of Ashford for their needs. The renovation project is expected to take several months to complete.

Officials do not expect any changes to operating hours or services at the current library branch before the relocation occurs.
Wes-at-Shimron Archaeological Field School

Each summer, Prof. Birney brings students to join the research and excavation team at the site of Tel Shimron, in Israel. This is an amazing multiperiod site in the northern Jezreel valley, occupied from the Early Bronze Age (3200 B.C.!) throughout the Mamluk period (15th c. A.D.). Work there has already revealed amazing Middle Bronze Age cult activity, fortifications, a Ptolemaic period building, and a Roman period neighborhood complete with private mikveh.

The Wes-at-Shimron archaeological field school is an incredible opportunity to get hands-on archaeological experience in everything from excavation techniques, artifact typology and conservation, archaeological science, and site analysis, by working side by side with professionals in the field. The program also includes lectures and field trips to archaeological and cultural sites around Israel.

No experience is needed, just curiosity about archaeology and a willingness to work hard and get really dirty.

Dates and Costs

Tel Shimron offers two 3-week half-season programs and one 6-week program for the full season. The dates for 2022 are:

Full Season: June 18, 2022 - July 30, 2022

Half Season 1: June 18, 2022 - July 9, 2022

Half Season 2: July 10, 2022 - July 30, 2022

Note: Wesleyan students can only receive academic credit for the 6-week program. See information on how to get credit below.





Costs are $3400 for the full season and $1800 for the half season, and includes all room, board, field trip and entry fees. It does not include airfare. Students can apply to receive field school funding from fellowships. You can find out more about fellowships here.

Academic Credit

Wesleyan students who complete the 6-week program can receive Independent Study credit through the Archaeology Program. (Academic credit is not available for the 3 week session). To receive Wesleyan credit, students enroll in a tutorial, ARCP 401, upon their return. The tutorial is structured with the recognition that most of the credit hours have been put in over during the summer field school, and requires only a reflection paper.

Note that you need to apply for credit from Wesleyan BEFORE participating in the program: Retroactive credit cannot be granted.

How to Apply

Apply using the program application on the Tel Shimron website here.

If you intend to take the field school for academic credit at Wesleyan, do not apply to the Tel Aviv program on the Tel Shimron site. Simply apply for the regular field school, and let Prof. Birney know of your intention to take the program for credit.

Sample Daily Schedule

Though the daily schedule may vary, your day to day at Tel Shimron will look something like this:

Sunday-Thursday



4:45am Wake up and grab a quick breakfast

5:00-9am Excavation on site

9:30am Second Breakfast

10am-1pm Excavation on site

1-2pm Lunch

2-3:30pm Pottery and Artifact time: cleaning, sorting, analysis

3:30-5pm Nap!

5-6pm Evening lecture (2-3x wk)

WEEKENDS: Saturday field trips to Jerusalem, Caesarea, Tel Dan, Nimrud, etc.

Wesleyan students will also meet in a discussion session once a week.

You can learn more about Tel Shimron, our research design, excavation team, and student experiences at the official Tel Shimron Excavation website here.

If you have any questions about the Tel Shimron program, its requirements, or how to receive your academic credit, please contact Prof. Kate Birney at kbirney@wesleyan.edu
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TORRINGTON  A new Starbucks coffee shop was approved this week by the Planning & Zoning Commission. It will be the first standalone Starbucks store in the city.

The drive-through coffee shop, which will also have indoor seating, a walk-up window and a patio, is proposed for a portion of Webster Banks existing parking lot on the corner of Buena Vista Avenue, east of the banks drive-through entrance, officials said.

Joe Pereira, owner of Joe Pereira Engineering of Shelton, presented the site plan to the commission Wednesday.

Were combining two parcels next to Webster Bank  the bank parking lot and another small site at Buena Vista Avenue, he said.

Customers heading east on East Main Street will be directed to take a right turn onto Buena Vista, around onto Albany Avenue, to enter the site, Pereira said. Customers leaving the site will only be allowed to turn right to get back onto East Main Street. There is no traffic light at the intersection next to the bank.

Were eliminating any left turns from the site  it will be right-turn only, Pereira said. Customers can drive into a drive-through car lane to Starbucks, or park and go inside.

In addition to indoor seating, the 2,080-square-foot Starbucks will have room in the drive-through lane for up to 16 cars, which will stack in the roundabout driveup lane while they wait to place their order, Pereira said. Drivers heading from the western side of East Main might try to cut through the lane, but it wont be easy, he said.

Planning and Zoning Chairman Greg Mele pointed that out during a discussion with Pereira.

What prohibits people from coming onto Buena Vista, and if they dont see a car in line, theyll try to jump in there? he asked.

We dont people driving into the service entrance on the other side, Pereira said. If someone heading north on Buena Vista, for example, tries to cut in line, it wont be easy for them to do that.

Nice job on the stacking, Mele said, referring to the driveup lane. Its nice to see the flow of the design there.

City Planner Jeremy Leifert said he didnt see any issues with Pereiras design. In his memo reviewing the plans, he said the fire marshal, Ed Bascetta, asked to have a lockbox for firefighters to gain entry to the building in case of an emergency after hours. The sewer commission also requested details on the coffee shops hours, how fat and grease would be disposed of from the building and a wastewater management plan.

I recommend approval for the site, with conditions, Leifert said. Starbucks should follow recommendations from the Architectural Review Board on signage and the buildings address ... Theres also a note from (the police department) to make sure the right-turn only arrow is clear, with signage.

There are two in-store Starbucks coffee shops in Torrington already  one inside of Target and one at Price Chopper. The company has more than 15,000 shops nationally and more than 100 stores in Connecticut.
WESTPORT  Staff and students, including preschool, will no longer have to wear masks at school when they return from February vacation, Superintendent Thomas Scarice announced.

First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker also announced announced Westport will become a mask optional community effective Feb. 28, adding the date was chosen to align with the state and school officials decisions.

Masks may still be required in other locations outside of town buildings, such as healthcare facilities, facilities housing vulnerable populations, public and private transit and correctional facilities.

I am very proud to be leading this resilient community, Tooker said. Since early 2020, we have all had to navigate the many phases of COVID. Being mask optional is an encouraging development in yet another phase that we will navigate together.

Scarice gave his recommendation to the school board at a special meeting this week, though the board wont actually adopt the new policy until its next meeting on Feb. 28, the day the state mask mandate expires and the district switches to mask choice.

Masks must still be worn on school buses, which follow federal guidelines.

Although the binding guidance and rules for the operation of schools and childcare settings has yet to be released, it is clear that this mask mandate will be eliminated for school districts, permitting local school systems to develop their own policies and regulations regarding the use of masks, Scarice said in his email to families.

The guidance and rules will come from the state commissioners of education and early childhood, in consultation with the commissioner of public health. Those departments are also able to extend or reinstate the mask mandate through June 30.

Students, their families, and anyone on our WPS team may choose to continue to wear a mask, commonly referred to as one-way masking, Scarice said. One-way masking works and provides protection for an individual.

He said the district wont be able to track and enforce one-way masking though if parents want their child to continue wearing one.

Scarice said hes making his mask choice recommendation, which the board supports, because the state will no longer require the mask mandate, which he said shows its not a needed public health intervention at this time.

Infection and vaccination rates were also factors.

The prevalence rate is bottoming out, and possibly reaching a level that could be expected to be our new normal, Scarice said.

Westport reported a positivity rate of 30.1 cases per 100,000 people with 120 cases reported from Jan. 30 to Feb. 12, according to state data.

Westport is among the highest vaccinated communities in the state, providing strong support against health complications as a result of contracting the virus, Scarice said. In addition, the widespread infection rate of the Omicron variant also provided significant levels of natural immunity to our community. Furthermore, this most recent virus strain appears to be less virulent than earlier variants, such as Delta.

Westports overall vaccination rate is 94.05 percent, with 59.51 percent of the 5-11 age group fully vaccinated and 96.45 percent of the 12-17 age group fully vaccinated, according to state data.

Scarice said mask wearing habits have also changed and many people no longer wear masks outside of school settings like they were before.

For our students now, school is one of the few locations where masks are regularly worn and mandated, he said. Additionally, the fidelity of proper mask wearing has waned significantly over the past few months according to faculty and building administrators, particularly at the secondary level. Mask quality has also been called into question during the Omicron surge.

While masks will no longer be required, the district is still keeping other mitigating measures. This includes ventilation, social distancing and hand hygiene. The weekly testing will also continue through the end of March.

The state is expected to give more guidance on quarantine procedures and contact tracing.

Scarice said the district will continue to adjust mitigating measures as needed, adding the current metrics have many flaws. He cautioned universal masking could return.

Daily case rates and positivity rates are less accurate due to the proliferation of home test kits that are not reported to local health districts, and vaccination rates are questionable as a result of increased breakthrough cases with Omicron and the lack of consideration for natural immunity due to infection, he said. That said, our local and school community case rates are helpful in monitoring trends.

The state is also no longer requiring proof of vaccination or weekly testing for those unvaccinated and working in schools. This means visitors will also no longer need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test.

Scarice said some people raised concerns about a potential spike in infections after vacation with people not wearing masks after traveling.

I do not see the recent winter break as an appropriate comparison since that surge was driven by the Omicron variant, he said. However, we did experience a number of families traveling during the Thanksgiving break and did not experience an increase in infection rates.

He added keeping the mask mandate after break would likely have minimal impact because students are generally not wearing masks outside of school.

Scarice said the districts mental health and administrative team have prepared for the transition to mask choice.

While staff have information to discuss the move when students return Feb. 28, Scarice said it would be helpful for parents to speak with their children about it before then.

Preparing for change by engaging in a conversation and allowing your child to ask questions can reduce any stress and anxiety, he said. For some students, they may be eager to remove their mask and return to some sense of normalcy. For others, this change can create anxiety for a variety of reasons, including health concerns and fears about being judged for wearing or not wearing a mask.

He said students will be reminded that families are making the decision best for them. He said children should feel comfortable wearing or not wearing a mask, and its alright if a friend is doing something different.

The district team is committed to supporting the personal choice of each individual student and staff member, and to protecting everyone in our school community from unwelcome comments and behaviors, Scarice said. Lack of respect or inappropriate comments or behaviors will not be tolerated as families consider what is best for their child and family.

He said students and families should let teachers or their building principal know if others make the child feel uncomfortable about their choice. School psychologists, counselors, and social workers are available to support students if needed.

Navigating this transition in school is new for everyone, and we will need to work together to support our children through this new experience, Scarice said.
Mickey Mouse has turned Leftist Lousedue to circumstances beyond his control, and the long love affair that Disney has enjoyed with almost every American family appears headed for the rocks. The company has chosen to go woke, and that decision could conceivably leave the entertainment gia
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Robyn Mudie, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam (L) and Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative check a vaccine shipment donated by Australia that arrived in Hanoi in Jan, 2022. Photo courtesy of UNICEF

Australia provided Vietnam an additional 2.2 million Pfizer vaccine doses Saturday, meeting its commitment to deliver a total 7.8 million.

The final shipment arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City as part of 3.6 million vaccine doses Australia gave Vietnam in recent weeks, a UNICEF press release stated.

With this move, Australia completed its pledge to assist Vietnam with a total 7.8 million doses. The promise was updated in November 2021.

The task occurred via a procurement agreement with UNICEF, in partnership with Vietnams Ministry of Health.

In addition, Australia had shared 4.2 million AstraZeneca doses from its own supply in August last year.

Previously, Australia provided Vietnam a AUD60 million (over $ 43 million) support package for purchasing Pfizer vaccine.

Also, Australia is partnering with UNICEF to ensure vaccine distribution is safe, effective and equitable. The partnership has bolstered the national Covid-19 vaccination campaign, supporting the delivery of 1,910 refrigerators to hard-to-reach communes, healthcare worker training, and communications campaigns.
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Joe Conover was the editor of The Herald-Whig 1983-2001. John and Hannah Carter were his great-great-great grandparents.

The Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County is preserving the Governor John Wood Mansion, the History Museum on the Square, the 1835 Log Cabin, the Livery, the Lincoln Gallery displays, and a collection of artifacts and documents that tell the story of who we are. This award-winning column is written by members of the Society. For more information visit hsqac.org or email info@hsqac.org.
GIP Compliance Officer, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme

Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina

City: Sarajevo

Office: UNDP HQ Sarajevo

Closing date: Thursday, 3 March 2022

Job Identification : 2402

Locations : Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Posting Date : 02/16/2022, 01:43 PM

Apply Before : 03/03/2022, 04:59 AM

Degree Level : Advanced/Postgraduate Degree

Job Schedule : Full time

Agency : UNDP

Grade : NB4

Vacancy Type : National Personnel Service Agreement

Practice Area : Governance

Bureau : Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS

Contract Duration : 1 Year with Possibility for extension

Education & Work Experience : Masters Degree

Other Criteria : Bachelors degree with 2 years of relevant work experience

Required Languages : English and BiH languages (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian)

Vacancy Timeline

2 Weeks

Mobility required/no mobility

no mobility required

Job Description

Background

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

The European Union Support to Agriculture Competitiveness and Rural Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EU4Agri) is a 4-year project (2020-2023) primarily funded by the European Union (EU) under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). Worth EUR 20 million, the project is implemented jointly by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Czech Development Agency (CzDA). In line with the Strategic Plan for Rural Development of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2018-2021) - Framework Document, the project objective is to increase the competitiveness of agricultural production and rural jobs and services.

In this context, the project will focus on raising investments in the agri-food sector and increasing the knowledge and skill levels of agricultural producers and other participants in the value chain through the expanded provision of advisory services, as well as on improving economic opportunities in rural areas. The project will also enhance the policy environment through a coherent and complementary set of activities, including strengthening of institutional capacities and services, as well as improvements in policy and regulatory frameworks. Accordingly, the project expected results are as follows:

Higher levels of production of safe and quality food based on introduced innovative practices, while preserving the natural resources and the countryside, are sustained; and

Policy actions are implemented in EU aligned manner, based on sector services and systems improved.

Under first result, the project will deliver a Grant Investment Package (GIP) targeting agri-food sector competitiveness. While the GIP will be designed as a coherent, coordinated set of support measures whose complementarity enables impact maximization, it will be broken into three intervention lines. The first intervention line will focus on investment in both the farm and processing sectors; the second will focus on strengthening advisory and extension services to increase sectoral knowledge, skills and organization; while the third will target strengthening and diversifying the rural economy.

Duties and Responsibilities

Contributing to the implementation of GIP and overall project workplans:

Supports effective implementation of project activities as per annual work plans;

Contributes to the identification of investment opportunities and proposes interventions for GIP design;

Contributes to assessment of needs and demands for technical assistance and capacity building of partner institutions and other stakeholders;

Contributes to the development of implementation and procurement plans, as well as other relevant documents related to project activities;

Preparation of terms of reference for the selection of service providers.

Managing compliance review under the GIP:

In close coordination with the GIP Manager, the Agriculture Policy Coordinator and the Monitoring and Information Management Officer, designs compliance, monitoring and reporting guidelines for GIP implementation for beneficiaries and the Project Team;

Manages compliance review of GIP related activities;

Works closely with the GIP Manager, the Agriculture Policy Coordinator and the Monitoring and Information Management Officer and the Project Manager to ensure compliance with all policies, rules and regulations as well as standards necessary for GIP implementation;

Supports development of tools and templates for monitoring and reporting to be used by beneficiaries and GIP Field Monitoring and Control Associates;

Organizes regular field monitoring visits to GIP beneficiaries in line with project plans;

Provides regular compliance reports on the GIP implementation to the Project Manager, including procedures and responses on compliance cases, bottlenecks in administrative procedures and contract signing, identified risks and issues, as well as mitigation measures;

Coordinates with other relevant initiatives providing direct support to agri-food operators to ensure exchange of information and avoid overlaps;

Together with the GIP Manager, coordinates the work of Field Monitoring and Control Associates.

Providing advice and capacity development support for GIP implementation:

Conceptualizes, organizes and delivers GIP compliance related information sessions and capacity building events, including preparation of training and outreach materials explaining the compliance review process both to beneficiaries and the Project Team;

Provides inputs in the design and provision of technical assistance and capacity development support related to the GIP;

Drafts analytical reports on lessons learned, based on project experiences and monitoring of progress, also reflecting on gender equality considerations, vulnerable groups, etc.;

Based on lessons learned, proposes more efficient and innovative solutions to new project initiatives;

Proposes actions and tools to enhance monitoring and mitigate implementation risks.

Mainstreaming gender equality and ensuring knowledge management:

Ensures gender mainstreaming throughout the GIP compliance and monitoring related activities, including the identification of specific monitoring indicators, research and analysis;

Supports continuous learning by the Project Team and contributes to the UNDP in-house thematic knowledge and practitioners networks

Core Behavioral Competencies (Level 2)

Achieve Results:

Demonstrates focus on achieving quality results and impact;

Consistently strives to meet or exceed excellent standards;

Holds self and others accountable for results;

Efficiently establishes appropriate plans and resources for self and others to accomplish goals;

Think Innovatively:

Looks beyond conventional approaches and established methods;

Proposes new ideas, approaches and solutions to problems;

Seeks patterns and clarity outside, across and beyond boxes and categories, resists false certainty and simplistic binary choices;

Learn Continuously:

Actively pursues opportunities for learning and self-development, professionally and personally;

Keeps abreast of new developments in ones professional area;

Proactively seeks feedback, demonstrates a desire to learn from others as well as from experience, both positive and negative;

Contributes to the learning of others;

Adapt with Agility:

Is flexible in handling change, and adopt new ideas, approaches and ways of working;

Seamlessly adapts to working within new situations or contexts, with new people, and in different ways;

Participates in, support, contribute to or drive meaningful change in UNDP;

Is comfortable with ambiguity and effectively managing multiple demands;

Act with Determination:

Pursues everything with motivation and drive;

Does not give up in the face of adversity and setbacks; demonstrates resilience and composure;

Demonstrates courage, self-motivation and initiative to act on opportunities without being prompted by others; c7sRqdI Dh7qKS

Is authentic and modest, gets things done without unnecessary noise;

Engage and Partner:

Acts in a way that demonstrates empathy and emotional intelligence, showing consideration for the needs and feelings of others;

Demonstrates and encourage teamwork and co-creation internally and externally to achieve joint objectives and results;

Establishes and develops networks that deliver powerful collaborations;

Encourages and respects the views of others; accepts views and ideas other than ones own;

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

Treats all individuals with respect, considers ethical implications and responds sensitively to all differences among people;

Fully accepts and values all people, creating an inclusive environment;

Understands that inclusion is multi-faceted (e.g. race, gender, age, disability, culture, etc.);

Understands and appreciates issues from the perspective of others;

Treats everyone fairly and equally;

Demonstrates honesty and transparency.

Cross-functional Competencies

Strategic Thinking:

Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends;

Effective Decision Making:

Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with ones authority, area of expertise and resources;

Knowledge Generation:

Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need;

Communication:

Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience;

Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

Working with Evidence and Data:

Ability to inspect, cleanse, transform and model data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision-making.

Technical Competencies

Internal auditing standards, practices and techniques;

Critical creative and foresight applied to audit and investigation;

Fraud awareness and investigation techniques;

Evidence handling procedures;

Collection and analysis of evidence;

Data analysis;

Ethics Advice & Guidance;

UN policy knowledge - ethics;

Knowledge of applicable legal framework;

Managing client relations;

Insurance management;

Ability to scan and analyze the trends, provide early warning and projections;

Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.

Desired additional skills and competencies

Excellent computer skills (especially Microsoft Office applications) and ability to use information technologies as a tool and resource.

Required Language(s)

Fluency in English and one of the official languages of BIH (Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian), with excellent drafting and presentation skills.

Education

Masters degree in development studies, economics, agronomy, engineering or other related areas.

Bachelors Degree in combination with two years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of Masters Degree.

Experience

2 years (with Bachelors degree) of relevant experience in the field of economic development, with focus on rural development;

Experience in administrative and financial monitoring of grants or similar (i.e. grants, direct support etc.);

Experience in development of compliance and monitoring tools and preparation of complex reports;

Experience in monitoring of grants in the agri-food sector and/or rural development is a distinct asset;

Good understanding and reading of financial reports;

Previous experience in working with UNDP is an asset;

Familiarity with key public documents, strategies and trends related to the overall development agenda of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Institutional Arrangement

The employee will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and overall guidance of the Sector Leader.

Required Documents

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

Motivation letter

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the NPSA categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

Link to the organizations job posting: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1645112807054
Students inside the campus of the High School for the Gifted in HCMC, 2021. Photo courtesy of its Facebook page

A high school in HCMC published an apology Saturday after its recent Facebook post of a former student being honored in the Forbes Under 30 list triggered public anger.

Earlier this week, the High School for the Gifted posted information of its former student Ngo Hoang Anh being honored in the list of Forbes Vietnam Under 30 in the field of science and education.

However, the post quickly stirred up debate after many former female students at the school accused him of sexually harassing them.

Most of the victims said when they were still studying at the school, Anh used to often text them, using many "sensitive and sexually explicit" words.

In the apology letter published on the school's official Facebook page, its vice principal Tran Nam Dung said the school had been careless when publishing the Forbes Under 30 information since it inadvertently affected former students who had spoken out about his behavior in 2020.

Dung said he had not dealed with reports of Dung's action "thoroughly" to make him aware of his misconduct and seriously apology to other students.

"I assure that I never have any thought about tolerating or harboring any act of sexual harassment," he said.

A school's representative told Tuoi Tre anonymously that "The school has not taken specific measures in the past to help students protect themselves against sexual harassment. We express our deepest sympathy for the pain former students have experienced. We are committed to fulfilling our responsibilities to the parties involved to settle this matter in line with Vietnamese law."

Anh, 22, is studying for a masters degree in statistical epidemiology at the Medical School of the University of Edinburgh in the U.K. He had formerly gained outstanding achievements during his term at the High School for the Gifted.
Human Resources Associate, Budapest, Hungary

Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Country: Hungary

City: Budapest

Office: FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia

Closing date: Wednesday, 23 February 2022

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT : 2200370

Human Resources Associate

Job Posting: 09/Feb/2022

Closure Date: 23/Feb/2022, 10:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : CSL

Job Type: Staff position

Type of Requisition : General Service

Grade Level : G-6

Primary Location: Hungary-Budapest

Duration : Fixed term: one year with possibility of extension

Post Number : 2000521

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are bas ed on date and time settings of your personal device

Staff in the General Service category are recruited locally from the Primary Location area, which is where the office is located

FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture

Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply

Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAOs values

FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, for Better production, Better nutrition, Better environment and Better life, leaving no one behind.

The Shared Services Centre (SSC) recommends and administers process management and procedures that need to be executed effectively; ensure the management of quality assurance activities associated with the transactional processes and implementation of service delivery; continuously improve the satisfaction of its customers, internal or external, while pursuing a continuous improvement agenda that will drive up service excellence while driving down the costs of service delivery through process standardization, process automation and self-service capabilities.

Main Purpose

The Human Resources Associate undertakes high level and specialized human resources support activities. He /she coordinates the human resources support work of the unit and ensures quality, transparency and consistency of functions and processes. The job role requires in-depth knowledge and interpretation of human resources policies, procedures and practices. The incumbent provides procedural guidance to managers and staff in and outside the work unit.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The Human Resources Associate reports to the Human Resources Officer, Entitlements and Benefits (CSLCE). Work is performed autonomously, showing a high degree of initiative, judgment and liability. Supervision received is focused on facilitating service delivery and on meeting client requirements. The incumbent effectively organizes and supervises other human resources support staff and provides relevant guidance and training.

Working Relationships

The Human Resources Associate maintains a wide range of contacts with managers and staff within and outside the Organization. He/ she works closely with colleagues at a senior level in the human resources team in the handling of specialized processes and the provision of experienced human resources support.

Key Functions/Results

Provide and coordinate the delivery of comprehensive human resources support services; ensure compliance with relevant policies and regulations as well as transparency and consistency of transactions and procedures;

Coordinate a wide range of personnel actions including appointments, extensions, transfers, etc.; process requests and provide advice on entitlements; review, maintain and update confidential personnel information records and files in the area of responsibility;

Provide briefing and debriefing to staff members including answering queries on benefits and entitlements and personnel-related procedures;

Handle non-routine and complex cases; undertake research and analysis of entitlements and employment conditions and draft correspondence for Human Resources Officers;

Analyze requests and distribute work to more junior colleagues;

Research, compile and analyze information and statistics related to onboarding or entitlement activities; prepare briefs, reports or topical papers on trends;

Assist in drafting of human resources policy papers and in the development and delivery of a range of staff development and training programmes;

Draft procedures or amend existing procedures to match HR policies and ensure that Standard Operating Procedures are up to date and in line with HR policies;

Takes an active lead role in corporate ERP software (i.e. Taleo) testing to coordinate the testing by HR teams and document issues;

Supervise, train and provide guidance to other human resources support staff in the work unit;

Recommend improvements to human resources systems and processes;

Perform other duties as required.

Impact Of Work

The incumbents work affects the efficiency, effectiveness, accuracy and timeliness of the human resources services provided by the work unit. He/she plays a lead role in the coordination and provision of the human resources support services for the successful achievement of the Centres mandate.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Education: Secondary School Education

Experience: Five years of relevant experience in administrative and human resources support work

Languages: Working knowledge (Level C) of English

IT Skills: Very good knowledge of the MS Office applications, Internet and office technology equipment

Competencies

Results Focus

Teamwork c68APiJ Dh7qKS

Communication

Building Effective Relationships

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical Skills

Thorough knowledge of corporate computerized administrative systems such as Oracle, SAP, etc.

Thorough knowledge of communication and documentation standards

Desirable Qualifications And Skills

Thorough knowledge of the essential elements of human resources activities and transactions, including FAOs corporate policies, rules and procedures

Experience in a global service centre

Limited knowledge (Level B) of other FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish)

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified applicants may include an assessment exercise and a technical / competency-based interview.

FAO staff are expected to adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO,

Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)

Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

The length of the appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to extension of appointments

General Service Staff are recruited locally. To be eligible for this position, candidates must be nationals of the country of the duty station or possess an existing visa/work permit, and reside within commuting distance of the duty station at the time of the application."Commuting distance" means the distance within which staff members can travel daily between their place of work and their residence.

No international benefits will be payable as selected candidates are recruited locally and paid in the local currency of the office location

Other similar positions may be filled from this vacancy notice

For additional information visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/

REMUNERATION A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries allowances/salary.htm

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. Once completed, please apply and submit your application, with language certificates as attachments. Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications. FAO reserves the right to request candidates to undertake a language test in the future, as appropriate

Incomplete applications will not be considered

Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications

Incomplete applications will not be considered

Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAOs behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application

Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered

Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile

We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need assistance please contact: Careers@fao.org

Link to the organizations job posting: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1644428940545
Williamson, WV (25661)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 64F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 64F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Willmar, MN (56201)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 36F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 36F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
Winchester, VA (22601)

Today

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 57F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 57F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Boredom drove Mathieu Manaigre to entrepreneurship. Now, Avenir IT is repeatedly recognized as one of Canadas best managed information technology businesses.

Boredom drove Mathieu Manaigre to entrepreneurship. Now, Avenir IT is repeatedly recognized as one of Canadas best managed information technology businesses.

Manaigres organization made TechnoPlanets list of Canadas 50 Best Managed IT Companies for a fifth consecutive year. The St. Boniface-based crew accepted the award earlier this month.

"I dont think were done," Manaigre said. "Were nowhere near what the vision is."

"Weve always wanted to be the most loved IT company in Canada, and we want to be the best place to work in Canada. Those kind of both go hand in hand."

Manaigre studied IT in post-secondary and, in the late 2000s, ended up working in a companys IT department.

"Once everything was fixed, I was kind of bored," Manaigre said.

So, he went to his employer and asked if he could start his own IT business and take them on as a client. They said yes.

"I got lucky, I suppose," he said. "I really had no clue what I was doing business-wise  I was just a tech."

Avenir IT was a one-man show in 2008. Manaigre, who speaks French and English fluently, set up in St. Boniface and catered to small (mainly French) businesses.

The focus was on automation and monitoring of systems, Manaigre said.

"(I) always had the mentality of trying to make tech more simple and fun," he said. "People always saw IT (workers) as being these techies stuck in their bubbles with no people skills. I really kind of wanted to change that image."

The company recently ballooned: over the past five years, Avenir IT went from a staff of three to 23, Manaigre said.

"Part of it, I think, is because of all these cybersecurity threats out there. Its kind of become impossible for an IT team of two or three to do everything," he said. "(Companies) need to outsource."

Avenir IT will still run small businesses entire information technology systems. Lately, however, Manaigre is seeing larger companies looking to share IT responsibilities. Cybersecurity is often their top concern, he said.

Manitoba saw 1,973 reports of cybercrime in 2020, up from 565 in 2016, according to Statistics Canada data.

Acclaim has come hand-in-hand with Avenir ITs company growth. Winnipeg Consumer Choice Awards and an entrepreneurship award from the St. Boniface Chamber of Commerce are on its resume.

"One hundred per cent its because of our team," Manaigre said. "Were selective, as far as who we are and the people that we work for."

Interpersonal skills are crucial, Manaigre said.

Avenir IT was recently successful in its bid to once again be named a top company in its field by TechnoPlanet, a North American channel marketing company.

Artificial intelligence processes evaluate applicants in 12 areas, including operations, financial management and customer satisfaction.

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A spokeswoman for TechnoPlanet wouldnt divulge how many companies threw their name in this year but said hundreds of Canadian businesses participate annually. Some besides Avenir IT have won for five or six consecutive years, she said.

"Its been a really great thing for our morale," Manaigre said of the recent win.

Ferd Klassen, the president of Niverville Autobody, has used Avenir ITs services for over seven years.

"Theyve actually stayed ahead of the industry," he said, adding they blocked potential hackers from getting into Niverville Autobodys Microsoft printer systems before software providers did.

Klassen said hes noticed an increase in online scams and finds it necessary to have protection in place.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Nick Cline gets calls about all kinds of items people want to sell through the Anchorage auction house where he works. But he was caught off-guard by a call he got last fall from a man saying he had one of the largest opals in the world.

Dan Newman, left, the founder of Alaska Premier Auctions and Appraisers, and Nick Cline, a business partner, pose Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska, with the "Americus Australis," thought to be one the largest gem-quality opals in existence. The gem will be offered at auction Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, with an opening bid set at $125,000 (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Nick Cline gets calls about all kinds of items people want to sell through the Anchorage auction house where he works. But he was caught off-guard by a call he got last fall from a man saying he had one of the largest opals in the world.

I was extremely skeptical but extremely excited, said Cline, a partner and appraisal specialist with Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals.

According to the auction house, the opal, dubbed the Americus Australis, weighs more than 11,800 carats and is one of the largest gem-quality opals in existence. It also has a long history.

Most recently, it was kept in a linen closet in a home in Big Lake, north of Anchorage, by Fred von Brandt, who mines for gold in Alaska and whose family has deep roots in the gem and rock business.

The opal is larger than a brick and is broken into two pieces, which von Brandt said was a practice used decades ago to prove gem quality.

Von Brandt said the stone has been in his family since the late 1950s, when his grandfather bought it from an Australian opal dealer named John Altmann.

In this photo provided by Alaska Premier Auctions and Appraisals is an opal specimen they say is one of the largest gem-quality opals in existence in Anchorage, Alaska, on Dec. 20, 2021. The item is set for auction on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022. (Dana Fuentes/Alaska Premier Auctions and Appraisals via AP)

Von Brandt said the opal for decades was in the care of his father, Guy von Brandt, who decided it had been locked up long enough, that it's time to put it back out in the world and see what interest it can generate.

He entrusted me to figure out which direction we wanted to go to part with the stone, von Brandt told The Associated Press.

The family, with roots in California, exhibited the stone at gem shows for years, until the early 1980s, he said. His father then branched out into furniture and displayed it at his shop. Guy von Brandt eventually moved to Oregon and kept the stone kind of tucked away for many years, von Brandt said.

Von Brandt said he brought it with him to Alaska over a year ago as he weighed the best approach to a possible sale. He said he went with Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals because he thought it would get more attention from the newer company than a larger auction house. The sale is set for Sunday.

Cline said the family has documentation surrounding the provenance of the opal. As part of his research, he contacted Fiona Altmann, granddaughter of John Altmann and general manager of Altmann + Cherny in Sydney, Australia.

Altmann said her grandfather, in his business dealings, made regular trips to Europe and the U.S.

Altmann said when Cline emailed her, she was skeptical; the name of the stone, in particular, threw her. But she said she started digging and discovered "something with my grandfathers handwriting with the picture of the opal with the word Americus Australis.

I with 100% certainty know that their provenance information is 100% accurate because it lines up with information she has, she said.

The auction house said the stone was discovered in the same field in Australia as the opal known as the Olympic Australis," which weighs 17,000 carats and is on permanent display in Altmann's shop. The Olympic had been among the stones that John Altmann and partner Rudi Cherny acquired in 1956, according to Altmann's company.

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The auction company is seeking minimum bids of $125,000 during Sunday's auction. Cline said it's a calculated risk, with the company going with what it sees as a conservative approach in hopes of garnering the most attention. It has targeted a sales price of $250,000 to $350,000, Cline said.

The sale includes a smaller piece of the opal that von Brandt said his father cut off to be worn or displayed.

A spokesperson for the Gemological Institute of America said they could not comment on the opal as they had not seen it. The AP reached out to others who did not respond or were unfamiliar with the stone.

Altmann and von Brandt said they would love to see the opal end up in a museum. Von Brandt said he thinks the auction will be both exciting and difficult, more for my dad than myself."

His father was a child when the family acquired the stone, and he has a deeper connection than even I do, he said.

They both have nervous excitement, von Brandt said. I think its going to be good, and were optimistic.
The mining community in the Elko area is mourning the loss of Marissa Hill, who was killed late Monday night in a powered haulage accident at Nevada Gold Mines Cortez Hills Underground Operation.

We feel bad for the family, really bad, said Nevada Assemblyman John Ellison, who learned about the accident through his own family connections to the mining industry.

Its awful for not only her but all miners that are out there. They are all hurting.

Our miners have two families. Their work families and their home families, Ellison wrote on his Facebook page. We are heartbroken for Marissas family, friends, and coworkers as the news comes out of her sudden loss. Being a mining community, we will rally behind her family and help them in the days coming forward.

At press time, the Elko Daily Free Press had not received confirmation of the identity of the accident victim from the Lander County Sheriffs Office, and a spokesperson for Nevada Gold Mines said, Out of respect for the family, we do not publicly release the employees name, but people in the community have been sharing news of the accident and their condolences.

According to her LinkedIn page, Hill, 33, started at the Cortez mine in November 2011 as an underground administrative professional. After a year in that position, she was an underground wash bay technician for a little over a year. For the past eight years she was an underground maintenance mechanic, and for the past six years she has also been a mine rescue and emergency medical responder.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration has been on the mine site investigating the accident. More information about the incident will be released in the weeks ahead.

The last fatality at the Cortez mine was on Dec. 28, 2015, when Douglas Hicks was killed in a haul truck accident. According to the MSHA report, Hicks lost control of his haul truck on an icy incline, and two other haul trucks also slid on the incline and collided into Hicks truck.

Cortez was owned by Barrick Gold Corp. at that time. The Cortez operations are now owned by Nevada Gold Mines, which is a joint venture of Barrick and Newmont Corp. Barrick owns 61.5%, Newmont 38.5%.

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The Hilton is moving into the heart of downtown.

The Hilton is moving into the heart of downtown.

The former Charter House Hotel at 330 York Ave.  which has since rebranded as the Best Western Charter House and the Best Western Plus Downtown Winnipeg  is undergoing a complete transformation.

Picture a taller building (by two storeys). More guest suites, less meeting rooms. And, of course, a name change: the Hampton Inn by Hilton.

"The whole interior is being brought back down right to the cement and the bones," said Amanda Janz, the hotels general manager.

Construction was always on the then Best Westerns agenda, Janz said. But, its coming earlier than expected due to a visit from COVID-19.

MIKE APORIUS / FREE PRESS FILES Construction was always on the then Best Westerns agenda, but its coming earlier than expected due to COVID-19.

"(We) went from being fully operational and 90 per cent occupied to five per cent occupied within the matter of a week," Janz, whos been in her current role for around five years, said.

"It just made sense to take this time and move things up and start the process now."

Demolition on the 63-year-old structure began last November. Alamo Management, whos owned the property since 2000, rejigged their plans upon switching from a Best Western to a Hilton, Janz said.

She wouldnt give a clear reason for the shift. But, it was a tough decision, she said  the site, just steps away from the RBC Convention Centre, has been a Best Western for nearly 20 years.

"They were a wonderful brand to deal with," Janz said. "Our ownership (is) just ready for the next step."

Best Western did not respond to requests for comment by print deadline.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The $15-million renovations display a sign of changing times, said Amanda Janz, general manager of the new Hampton Inn by Hilton.

The $15-million renovations display a sign of changing times, Janz said.

Unlike past eras, there wont be a full-service restaurant inside. At one time, the Charter House had two of the busiest restaurants in town, the high-end Rib Room and the always-packed Tivoli Cafe.

"We have all these delivery companies (guests use)," Janz said. "And, we find that a lot of times the visitors coming in, they want to do breakfast (here) and then go out into the city."

There will be a space for complementary breakfasts, plus a new bar and limited menu for afternoons and evenings.

"Downtown, theres so many restaurants at every corner," she said. "Its just not the way of how hotels and hospitality are moving forward."

Everythings at your fingertips and within walking distance of us, so I think were feeling pretty good about where we will be once this project is complete.  Amanda Janz

The former hotel had seven meeting rooms; the new one will have two. It comes after a two-year period of in-person conferences being nearly non-existent.

Janz is optimistic about the hotels finances and future despite the pandemic-times plummet in revenue.

"I think that things are starting to look good. Were starting to see things reopen," she said. "Everythings at your fingertips and within walking distance of us, so I think were feeling pretty good about where we will be once this project is complete."

The number of guest rooms is increasing to 134 from 87. Floor-to-ceiling windows, balconies with sliding doors and enhanced security and air quality are in the plans, Janz said.

"Everythings been completely gutted, so there literally is no old guest rooms right now," she said.

SUPPLIED RENDERING Everythings been completely gutted, so there literally is no old guest rooms right now, Janz said.

The Hampton Inn near Winnipegs airport does not have the same owners, she said. York Avenues former Best Western employed 90 people; some whove been working at the site for decades have kept their jobs during the pandemic.

Alamo Management will hire more closer to opening, which is scheduled near 2022s end, Janz said.

The facelift is "good news," according to Scott Jocelyn, the Manitoba Hotel Associations president and CEO.

"Were always excited when people are trying to invest in the industry," he said. "If that hotel, and the improvements in that hotel, helps attract more people to the city, then everybody benefits."

The hotel sector is scarce of good news these days  the road to economic recovery is long and unpredictable, Jocelyn said.

Historic Winnipeg hotels for sale Two hotels with roots in Winnipeg for over 100 years are up for sale. The Marlborough Hotel at the corner of Smith Street and Ellice Avenue, and the Windsor Hotel on Garry Street, are on the market. The first is minutes from Portage and Main and has a storied past: it was the founding place of the Royal Canadian Legion in 1925 and the long-time home of the Winnipeg Press Club, among other things. Buyers can secure the 148-room property for $6.9 million. A Colliers listing says the building is 249,881 square feet and comes with 47,410 square feet of land. click to read more Two hotels with roots in Winnipeg for over 100 years are up for sale. The Marlborough Hotel at the corner of Smith Street and Ellice Avenue, and the Windsor Hotel on Garry Street, are on the market. The first is minutes from Portage and Main and has a storied past: it was the founding place of the Royal Canadian Legion in 1925 and the long-time home of the Winnipeg Press Club, among other things. Buyers can secure the 148-room property for $6.9 million. A Colliers listing says the building is 249,881 square feet and comes with 47,410 square feet of land. Neither The Marlborough Hotels owner, nor Mike Gervais, the broker listed as selling the property, responded to multiple interview requests by print deadline. The Marlborough touts meeting space to fit 1,500 people and a restaurant, VLTs and a pool with a waterslide, according to the advertisement. Roughly 650 metres south, the Windsor Hotel is listed at $3 million. The 22,800 square foot lodge is known for its live blues music, and, in recent years, unsavoury activity. The building, loved by some for its shabbiness, is nearing its 120th birthday. It made headlines in early 2020 when a homicide happened outside its doors; months prior, police had seized drugs, guns and large amounts of cash. Colliers, whos selling the site, advertises the Windsors close proximity to Winnipeg hubs like the RBC Convention Centre, The Forks and True North Square. It has 43 rooms and parking stalls.  Gabrielle Piche Close

Notable Winnipeg hotels, including The Marlborough and the Windsor, are up for sale.

"Its interesting that we havent seen a lot of hotels officially close," Jocelyn said.

Banks could be providing more leeway to hotels  they typically have bigger investments than a shop or restaurant leasing space, Jocelyn said.

"Financial institutions have probably been very generous, but how long does that last?" he said.

Most of hotel expenses are fixed, and the businesses taxes are based on previous revenue, Jocelyn said.

"Right now, hotels are paying their tax based on their 2018 revenue. Well, there isnt a hotel thats performing at 2018 levels," he said.

The industrys problems wont be solved as soon as restrictions lift, and more government funding is needed, Jocelyn said.

"Were optimistic," he said. "Todays better than it was yesterday, but yeah, were still climbing a hill here."

"We still could see the landscape of hotels in Manitoba look different as we come out of this."

Hiring staff is a substantial issue, he added.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com
Norway House Cree Nation and three other First Nations in Northern Manitoba have signed cooperation agreements with a mineral exploration company hoping to develop a new nickel mine that could mean hundreds of jobs in the region.

Norway House Cree Nation and three other First Nations in Northern Manitoba have signed cooperation agreements with a mineral exploration company hoping to develop a new nickel mine that could mean hundreds of jobs in the region.

The mine in question, called Minago, has been the subject of exploration interest for more than a decade.

The mine  which is being conceived as an open pit mine that will eventually require hundreds of millions of dollars of investment to become a reality  is a long way from production.

Dan Oosterman, the CEO of Flying Nickel Mining Corp. which owns the property, said, We dont see this project moving forward without First Nations involvement, period.

Norway House Cree Nation chief Larson Anderson said future economic development opportunities for his community of 8,000 people is always important.

When you do a bit of give and take there is always a deal to be had, he said.

A feasibility study done on the project in 2010 by its former owner included an Environment Act licence that permitted a 10,000 tonne per day operation that would require a workforce of about 400 people to operate.

Both the feasibility study and the environment permit are no longer valid and would need to be updated.

Flying Nickel raised more than $7 million late last year and Oosterman said he is in discussions with the TSX to have the company listed on the TSX Venture exchange and hopes that will happen by the end of the month.

The current demand for nickel  that has seen prices prices rise from about $8.00 a year ago to $11.10 today  is being driven by the electric vehicle revolution. Nickel is a key component of the batteries used in electric vehicles.

We are riding that wave, Oosterman said. We are confident when we update the feasibility study bring the project current we can then go to market and find strategic investors interested in nickel.

Oosterman noted that Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has invested in a nickel play in Minnesota as an example of the kind of interest thats out there.

He also believe Minago will become attractive in that the plan is for it to be a green nickel mine with a very low CO2 footprint. The fact that the site is located close to highway 6  about 270 kilometres south of Thompson  and close to Manitoba Hydro power lines, will be an attractive feature to the project.

But the project has been part of the exploration process for several years and has still not attracted investment necessary to bring it to production.

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Chris Beaumont-Smith, a mining consultant who works on several projects in Manitoba, said that one of the things that may have kept the project back is that its nickel concentrates are very low.

The low concentrates necessitate that it be designed as an open pit rather than as an underground mine. But it does create the opportunity of a significant limestone quarrying operation.

Talks are already underway for a partnership with Norway House for which the band would become the managing partner of.

Asked how he squares support for a project with the potential environmental degradation of a massive open pit mine within Norway Houses traditional territory, Anderson said, Let me put it to you this way. We see our people right now dying from alcoholism and drug addiction. We see people suffering from homelessness and over-crowding, people who are uneducated and unemployed. You can have the most beautiful yard in the world but the people in the yard are starving and dying. When do they become a priority?

To be quite honest, the environment is very crucial and critical for the people of Norway House, he said. But the environment has to include the people in it.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Mississippi is accustomed to being first in worsts: It's one of the poorest, unhealthiest states in the nation, with public schools that are chronically underfunded. Some Republican leaders say a good way to boost the state's fortunes would be to phase out its income tax.

LaShauna Fortenberry says that she opposes a Republican proposal to phase out Mississippi's income tax at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, on Jan. 25, 2022. Fortenberry is a former teacher who now works for an in-home care company in Columbia, Miss. She says schools need more money. (AP Photo/Emily Wagster Pettus)

JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Mississippi is accustomed to being first in worsts: It's one of the poorest, unhealthiest states in the nation, with public schools that are chronically underfunded. Some Republican leaders say a good way to boost the state's fortunes would be to phase out its income tax.

There is no downside to putting money back into the pockets of Mississippians, said Republican House Speaker Philip Gunn, one of the main sponsors of a tax cut bill advancing in the Legislature.

Opponents say erasing the income tax is a terrible idea because it would mean even less money for schools, health care, roads and other services, especially hurting poor and working-class residents. The Mississippi income tax accounts for 34% of state revenue. Wealthy people would see the biggest financial boost from eliminating the income tax, because they're the ones paying the most now.

Democratic state Sen. Hob Bryan said people dont choose where to live because of tax policy but because of family ties and quality of life. He said people live in high-tax New York, for example, because the city offers opportunities.

The notion that if the people in Manhattan only found out that Mississippi did not have an income tax, theyd all ... get on a bus to Mississippi and move down here  its just laughable on its face, Bryan said.

Mississippi's population has dwindled in the past decade, even as other Sun Belt states are bustling with new residents. Tax-cut proposals are a direct effort to compete with states that dont tax earnings, including Texas, Florida and Tennessee  places to which many young Mississippians are moving for fatter paychecks.

Married couple Les and Amanda Jordan live near the south Mississippi town of Summit. He's a retired public school administrator and she's a retired nurse practitioner. Both worked for the state. Amanda Jordan said tax rates could influence young people's decisions about where to live. The couple has a grandson in Texas, one of the states without an income tax.

Les Jordan said he's torn.

FILE - Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves says during his State of the State speech on Jan. 25, 2022, at the state Capitol that he supports a proposal to phase out the state income tax. House Speaker Philip Gunn, right, and the governors wife, Elee Reeves, listen to the speech. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

On first hearing about it  oh, great, we'd have more money," he said. "On the other hand, we're such a poor state. How would it affect those who are less fortunate?

A single person with no dependents in Mississippi currently pays no tax on the first $12,300 of income, and because of tax cuts approved years ago the tax-free amount will increase to $13,300 after this year. The state has a 4% tax on the next $5,000 of income and a 5% tax on all income above that.

Nine states don't have an income tax and one more, New Hampshire, only taxes interest and dividends, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Opponents of repealing the Mississippi income tax point to Republican-led Kansas, which enacted big tax cuts in 2012 and 2013 but repealed many of them in 2017 after large and persistent budget shortfalls.

Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves is wholeheartedly behind the income-tax elimination.

We can throw out the welcome mat for the dreamers and the visionaries, Reeves said. We can have more money circulating in our economy. And it can lead to more wealth for all Mississippians.

Republicans control the Mississippi House and Senate by wide margins, but the income tax elimination is not guaranteed. A proposal died in 2021 because of Senate leaders' concerns that it would undermine funding for schools and other services.

People expect us to educate our children. That's the future of Mississippi," said Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who presides over the Senate, where he and other leaders are proposing a separate plan that would reduce the income tax but not eliminate it.

The House and Senate are both proposing a reduction in Mississippi's 7% sales tax on groceries. The House would increase the sales tax on most items other than groceries, from 7% to 8.5%, while the Senate would not change the rate.

Increasing the sales tax would have a disproportionally larger impact on people with modest incomes. The poorest residents would see no gain from eliminating the income tax because they are not paying it now.

According to the Mississippi Department of Revenue, people with incomes of at least $100,000 a year make up 14% of those who pay state income tax, and their payments bring in 56% of the income tax revenue. The department says people with incomes below $30,000 make up 49% of those who pay Mississippi income tax, and their payments bring in 5% of the income tax revenue.

Mississippi is burdened by a history of racism that still shows up in disparities between thriving and struggling school districts. Legislators consistently shortchange the state's school funding formula by hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

LaShauna Fortenberry, a former public school teacher, said eliminating the state income tax and increasing the sales tax are bad ideas.

Fortenberry, who is Black, said schools already have aging buildings and textbooks. She said a brother who is 18 years younger than her is using one of the very same textbooks she had. How does she know? Her signature appears inside it.

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Fortenberry now works for an agency that provides in-home care for older people in Columbia, Mississippi. She said when she taught from 2005 to 2013, she routinely used her own money to buy classroom supplies trying to make sure that the kids had everything that they needed to be able to learn. She said teachers still do that.

We need more money, if anything, in the schools, Fortenberry said.

Grover Norquist is president of Americans For Tax Reform, a Washington-based group that labels many taxes as socialist. He said states that reduce tax rates are enjoying economic growth.

Pretty soon, nobody is going to be more than a hop, skip and a jump away from a no-income-tax state, Norquist told Mississippi lawmakers at a hearing. The question for Mississippi and for all the other states is: Are you going to be an early adapter or are you going to be there afterward, catching up?

____

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Avian influenza has been detected in a fourth commercial poultry flock in southern Indiana, state officials said Saturday.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Avian influenza has been detected in a fourth commercial poultry flock in southern Indiana, state officials said Saturday.

Laboratory testing of a second commercial flock of turkeys in Greene County has come back as presumptively positive for the virus, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health said. The samples are being verified at the U.S. Department of Agricultures National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa.

Another possible case was found about 5 miles (8 kilometers) away in Greene County earlier in the week. Two previous cases were found in adjacent Dubois County.

Pending test results should indicate if the virus is the same as that in the previous cases and if the virus is highly pathogenic.

Officials have begun euthanizing the 15,200 birds at the latest farm to prevent the spread of the disease.

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A 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) circle has been established around the latest farm in Greene County. Thirteen commercial poultry flocks within the new control area are under quarantine and will be tested regularly, the board said.

Animal Health Board staff have reached out to known hobby/backyard poultry owners in the new control area to schedule testing of birds there, it said.

The agency said avian influenza does not present an immediate public health concern and no human cases of avian influenza viruses have been detected in the U.S.

The turkey infections are the first confirmation of highly pathogenic bird flu in commercial poultry in the U.S. since 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has said.

A January 2016 outbreak of bird flu in Dubois County affected 11 poultry farms, resulting in the loss of more than 400,000 birds, the Animal Health Board said.

Indiana ranks third nationally in turkey production.
Mariette Mulaire is stepping down as the CEO of the World Trade Centre Winnipeg and the organization is physically moving in with the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.

JESSICA LEE/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mariette Mulaire, CEO of World Trade Centre

Mariette Mulaire is stepping down as the CEO of the World Trade Centre Winnipeg and the organization is physically moving in with the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.

Budgetary efficiencies and some uncertainties about its role as the provinces export development agency has led to the restructuring.

While the move may look like the WTC will be integrated into the chambers operations it will still retain an independent board and will still maintain its contracts with the federal and provincial governments including running the Trade Accelerator Program and the various support services of the Business InfoCentre.

Mulaire and the former CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, Dave Angus, secured the WTC licence 10 years ago. Since then she has served on the international organizations board for many years including in the vice-chair role.

"Im really, really happy with how we got the WTC to Winnipeg," said Mulaire.

She said she is confident the new arrangement will mean the organizations work will continue.

"Ive been able to promote Winnipeg like crazy and the organization became one of the provinces economic development agencies," she said. "It has been very gratifying being been able to work so directly with many Manitoba businesses."

Mulaire was formerly the head of the bilingual organization called ANIM that became inactive when the WTC licence was acquired. But her work in attracting Francophone businesses to Manitoba met with all sorts of success over the years.

She personally had a hand in the attraction of several high-profile enterprises who eventually made significant investments in Manitoba including Roquette, Ubisoft, Alt Hotels and Spa Nordik. She was also the driving force behind the very successful Centralia events that brought all sorts of business people from around the world to Winnipeg.

Diane Gray, the CEO of Centreport and the former chair of the WTC board said, "Mariette is underappreciated for the small-a ambassadorship work she has done that has put Winnipeg and Manitoba on the map not only in the global Francophone community but through the WTC network. I dont think people realize the amazing job she has done at that."

The organizations move downtown to the chamber offices on Portage Avenue also helps resolve the uncertainties over its current location at the former St. Boniface city hall on Provencher Boulevard.

Fiona Webster-Mourant, chair of the WTC Winnipeg board and president, Manrex Limited, said the organization looks forward to the move downtown.

"Ideally when we bring people to the city we want them to come downtown to a prominent space and also well be able to participate in the repopulating the downtown as it reopens," she said.

In the larger scheme of things the move is not so unusual in that WTC operations in Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton and Vancouver are all similarly connected to chambers of commerce or boards of trade in those cities.

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Loren Remillard, the CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, welcomes the move.

"While we have always worked closely with WTC it will be even more so now with them co-located. It will allow us to be able to work directly with them on a day to day basis," he said.

The move is partly driven by economic realities. With public sector funding becoming more challenging to access  the WTC has been forced to trim its own staff over the past couple of years  creating better operating efficiencies by sharing back office and operating infrastructure with the chamber was seen as an important move for the sustainability of the organization.

Mulaire, who is on the board of directors of the Bank of Canada, will stay in her position at the WTC until the end of April.

She said she will take some time off and then look forward to embarking on new ventures.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
OTTAWA - Police officers donned helmets, wielded batons and deployed pepper spray in downtown Ottawa on Saturday as they tried to clear out protesters putting up what the city's interim police chief described as a "barrage of resistance" to ending their illegal occupation of the national capital.

Toronto Police mounted unit charges the crowd in a dispersion tactic 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

OTTAWA - Police officers donned helmets, wielded batons and deployed pepper spray in downtown Ottawa on Saturday as they tried to clear out protesters putting up what the city's interim police chief described as a "barrage of resistance" to ending their illegal occupation of the national capital.

Steve Bell said officers had little choice but to use greater force in the face of demonstrators who refused to heed repeated requests to clear the area they've occupied for four weeks, adding protest participants have been aggressive toward police and assaulted them on multiple occasions.

"I have been at this podium for the last five days, imploring people to leave, asking them to get out of our streets," Bell said at an afternoon news conference. "This occupation is over."

Police later said they deployed mid-range impact weapons on Saturday evening after protesters allegedly assaulted officers with weapons. They said in a tweet that they deployed these weapons to "stop the violent actions of the protesters."

The second, more acrimonious day of police enforcement operations came as members of parliament resumed debating the government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act in an effort to quell the demonstrations, which persisted in cities beyond Ottawa's borders. At the same time, an Ontario judge reserved a bail decision for one of the protest movement's key organizers, while another saw his case postponed to early next week.

Earlier in the day, lines of officers clad in riot gear massed along Wellington Street near the Prime Minister's Office. Officers advanced toward the protesters swinging batons at them, while the crowd pushed back amid shouts of "shame" and "freedom" mixed in with other taunts.

As police forced some in the crowd around a street corner, one man retreated and began washing an eye out with milk, saying he got a face full of pepper spray.

Despite their multiple warnings to leave, the heavy police response appeared to catch some protesters off-guard.

"It has been three weeks of peace and then the cops come in and do this," said a woman named Valerie, who was in tears and declined to give her last name.

Tom Marazzo, a self-declared spokesperson for protesters, told a news conference that truckers were prepared to leave if police would remove barriers that would allow them to refuel their rigs. He said police hadn't responded to the request.

That withdrawal did not appear to have taken effect by late afternoon when hundreds of protesters faced off against rows of armed officers south of Wellington Street. The crowd of drum-beating, flag-waving demonstrators, which included at least half a dozen elementary school-aged children, were packed tightly against the police line.

The Children's Aid Society of Ottawa urged parents to remove their kids from the protest site immediately.

As nightfall came, the street in front of the parliamentary buildings was clear of protesters as snow swirled in the unplowed streets, where some cars and big rigs still remained. Fencing had also been installed to block further access.

Bell said 47 more people had been arrested, bringing the total to 170 since police moved in on Thursday. Police also said 46 vehicles were removed from the downtown core since Friday, while 53 others were towed.

Bell warned police would be working for months to come to identify other protesters and bring criminal charges or financial sanctions against them.

The ongoing police operation prompted Parliamentary Protective Services to place the precinct under a hold and secure order on Saturday, limiting movement between buildings. The service noted the area was not under lockdown and staff were on hand to manage the situation.

In the West Block, MPs in the House of Commons resumed their debate on the government's historic invocation of the Emergencies Act that had to be paused Friday because of security concerns.

"I talked earlier about my frustration with the failure of Ottawa police, but what we saw yesterday was policing at its best in this country," NDP MP Charlie Angus said to a light smattering of applause.

Angus called for a public inquiry, saying it was needed to determine why Ottawa police let large trucks enter the national capital and set up a blockade that included bouncy castles while members of the freedom convoy harassed local residents and forced businesses to close.

"We cannot be made to look like a failed state to the world," he added.

Government House Leader Mark Holland has said MPs will vote early next week on the Emergencies Act motion.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, meanwhile, said the government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act is giving police additional tools to restore order in downtown Ottawa.

"We will only use the Emergencies Act as long as it is necessary," he told a virtual news conference.

Mendicino noted that authorities used the measure to freeze 76 bank accounts with $3.2 million earmarked for the illegal blockades.

The federal government announced Saturday that $20 million will be made available to downtown Ottawa businesses to help recover from the occupation, with individual eligible businesses able to get a maximum of $10,000.

Elsewhere Tamara Lich, one of the convoy organizers, appeared for a bail hearing in an Ottawa courtroom before Ontario Court Justice Julie Bourgeois. No publication ban was requested in the proceeding.

Lich faces a charge of counselling to commit mischief.

She promised to give up her advocacy of the protest and return to Alberta, leaving Ottawa by vehicle. She told the judge she doesn't have the required vaccine passport to travel by commercial air and her bank accounts are now frozen.

She pledged a $5,000 bond, saying that was all she could afford, while her husband, Wayne, promised the same amount.

Under cross examination, Wayne Lich told the court that he flew to Ottawa on a private jet to meet his wife in early February. The $5,000 bill was paid for by a man he hardly knew.

He also questioned whether the Emergencies Act was invoked unlawfully by the current Liberal government, saying that people's right to protest in Canada "was part of our first amendments."

Bourgeois interjected: "First amendment? Whats that?"

Lich said he didnt follow politics, and just wanted to make sure his wife was safe.

The judge reserved her bail decision on Lich. She will return to jail until a court appearance on Tuesday morning.

Another prominent protest organizer, Patrick King of Alberta, is expected to appear at a bail hearing early next week after he was arrested by police on Friday.

As in previous weeks, some protests in solidarity with the Ottawa demonstrators unfolded in other parts of the country.

In British Columbia, the Canada Border Services Agency announced the busiest Canada-U.S. border crossing used by the province's truckers was experiencing a service disruption due to protest activity in the area.

It said the Pacific Highway port of entry remains open, but advised travelers to use an alternative route. RCMP said an arterial road near the border crossing had been closed and access to the border was blocked as a preventative measure to help ensure public safety.

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In Quebec, thousands of protesters converged on the provincial legislature to take part in a rally inspired by the Freedom Convoy protest. Horns could be heard as a convoy of vans and cars circled near the legislature. Quebec's government has already announced its phasing out use of its vaccine passport and intends to withdraw most COVID-19 health measures by March 14.

Protestors in Fredericton, N.B. also staged another anti-mandate rally, with police saying the crowd reached about 100 people at the peak of the protest.

Organizer Adie Pearson of Hampton, N.B., said the demonstration was an effort to maintain momentum.

"We had a rally here last weekend and it was supposed to go non-stop but it petered-off through the week, so we decided to rally some more people up here today," she said. "We are all here with the common goal of standing up for our human rights."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2022.

 With files from Sidhartha Banerjee in Montreal, Kevin Bissett in Fredericton and Amy Smart in Vancouver
In 1947, two students from Mennonite Brethren Bible College in Winnipeg (a predecessor to Canadian Mennonite University) dreamed about using radio to share their Christian faith.

In 1947, two students from Mennonite Brethren Bible College in Winnipeg (a predecessor to Canadian Mennonite University) dreamed about using radio to share their Christian faith.

Henry Brucks and Henry Poetker had $1.98 between them, not nearly enough to pay the weekly fee of $54 to broadcast the program on a local AM station.

They werent deterred. They raised the funds from other students and friends and, on Feb. 23, 1947, the first episode of what became known as the Gospel Light Hour was broadcast.

Square One World Media is celebrating the 75th anniversary of that first broadcast with the launch of a new interactive history page on its website and a $75-for-75-years fundraising campaign. A historical documentary, with a working title of Back to Square One, will debut in fall.

Its a huge milestone for us, said executive director Shoaib Ebadi. Those two students left a huge legacy, with the vision passed down from one generation to another.

In 1954, the Manitoba Mennonite Brethren Conference took on the Gospel Light Hour. In 1976, the name was changed to Mennonite Brethren Communications and the organization branched out into print, television and music. In 2008, it became an independent agency. The name Square One was adopted in 2014.

For Ebadi, the anniversary is a celebration of Gods faithfulness over the years, and of the support the ministry has received from donors and supporting churches.

He recounted how one woman sends Square One $12 every month.

Each time I sign a thank-you letter for her, I thank God for her and for how she is giving what she can, he said.

From its humble beginnings 75 years ago, Square One has grown to 12 radio and video programs in seven languages  Low German, Persian, Spanish, Ukrainian, English, Russian, and Arabic  that are shared around the world from its studios in the Elmwood neighbourhood of Winnipeg.

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Back in 1947, they used radio to share the message, said Ebadi. We are telling the same stories today of how God changes and transforms peoples lives, but now we are doing it with new technology and in new contexts.

One thing that enhances Square Ones work is program hosts come from the countries where the programs are targeted.

They grew up speaking the language, and know the culture, said Ebadi.

One of the countries where Square One programming can be heard is Afghanistan, where there is a small and beleaguered Christian minority.

There are no restrictions on what people can listen to inside their homes, but it could be trouble if the Taliban find out, said Ebadi, who is originally from that country.

faith@freepress.mb.ca
It is one of the most searing scenes in modern film history, but before we talk about that I want to blather on for a few minutes about an important philosophical concept.

Opinion

It is one of the most searing scenes in modern film history, but before we talk about that I want to blather on for a few minutes about an important philosophical concept.

The weighty concept I am referring to here is the notion  and lets all take a moment to put on our thinking caps  that life tends to imitate art.

The legendary writer Oscar Wilde said a lot of famous things during his lifetime but none more famous than this impressive gem: Paradox though it may seem  and paradoxes are always dangerous things  it is none the less true that life imitates art far more than art imitates life.

Id like you to ponder the beauty of that quote as I describe a gut-wrenching scene from David Cronenbergs 2005 action thriller A History of Violence, wherein Viggo Mortensen portrays Tom, the mild-mannered owner of a modest diner in a small Indiana town who spends his life chatting with customers and serving them coffee and pie.

Things change in a split second, however, when two murderous drifters wander in as the diner is closing, demand coffee and pie, then begin menacing the customers and assaulting a waitress, at which point Tom turns into an action hero  taking the classic glass diner coffee pot in his hand and hammering it into the face of one of the bad guys, hopping over the counter, grabbing the bad guys gun and  BLAM! BLAM!  polishing them off like the mob hitman that he apparently used to be.

OK, grab yourselves a steaming cup of java, because it was that heart-pounding, highly-caffeinated cinematic moment that came flooding back to me when I read dozens of stories online about a plucky flight attendant who helped prevent a near disaster last weekend on board an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. that was forced to make an emergency landing in Kansas City after an unruly passenger went berserk.

According to news reports, the passenger, described as standing six-foot-three and weighing around 240 pounds, began creating disturbances on the plane and threatening flight attendants. With terrified passengers looking on, the agitated man attempted to enter the cockpit, then tried to force open an exit door, pulling hard on the handle with one hand, at first, and then with both of his hands.

Which is when a quick-thinking flight attendant decided to channel Viggo Mortensens performance when she sprinted to the back of the plane, grabbed a hefty airline coffee pot, ran back to the front and proceeded to hammer the guy repeatedly over the head with the pot of java.

A flight attendant ran to the back of the plane and got the coffee pot and continues to bash the guy on the head, stressed-out passenger Mouaz Moustafa told reporters after the plane landed on the tarmac in Kansas City.

I honestly thought today I might die, he said. Many passengers held him while the flight attendant bashed him on the head with a coffee pot many times; he was bleeding and pinned down until we landed and the police and FBI boarded.

Plucky passengers quickly helped restrain and bind the agitated man, but it was the coffee-pot-wielding flight attendant who made headlines around the world, and Im not surprised.

I wasnt on the plane, but Id like to think the chaotic scene included the following standard airline conversation:

Flight attendant: Would you like a cup of coffee, sir?

Unruly passenger (trying to force open door): @$#**$#@&$!!! IM BUSY!!!

Flight attendant: Here, sir, why dont you have the entire pot  WHAM! WHAM!

The news reports didnt mention it, but I assume, after getting beaned with the coffee pot, the deranged passenger did not ask for a refill.

Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

You will not be surprised to hear that this caffeinated chaos stirred some Twitter users to weigh in with pithy online remarks. I think the airline attendant was at boiling point! one user remarked. Clearly not decaf, quipped another. Those metal airline coffee pots are heavylol. Ill bet that stung, another helpfully noted.

Similar lame thoughts were brewing in my own mind, but personally, I am just glad that in these troubled times airlines are still legally allowed to serve coffee during flights, otherwise the crew in this case would have been left defenceless.

Happily, the jittery bad guy was taken into custody by the FBI and, after hearing how he was brained with a coffee pot, we can only hope the authorities remembered to take his mugshot.

The point I am trying to make is that, as Oscar Wilde said a long time ago, life imitates art. And its a good thing it does, because if it werent for a flight attendant wielding a coffee pot like an action-film hero, this real-life drama might not have had a happy ending.

Id like to think that the flight attendant was cheeky enough to ask the berserk passenger how he liked his coffee before she walloped him, but it doesnt really matter. Because in this case he definitely got creamed.

dougspeirs65@gmail.com
OTTAWA  The protest that has held Parliament Hill under siege includes hundreds of flags, a few barbecue sets  and more than a dozen Friendly Manitoba licence plates.

OTTAWA  The protest that has held Parliament Hill under siege includes hundreds of flags, a few barbecue sets  and more than a dozen Friendly Manitoba licence plates.

While the start of the so-called freedom convoy had people from across Canada descend on the capital, the keystone province has maintained an outsized presence, from southern Manitoba truckers to Winnipeg conspiracy theorists.

All nations; all generations of the world are watching right now. Do not fear, Winnipeg fitness trainer Shaun Zimmer told his Instagram followers Friday afternoon, livestreaming from the epicentre of a long-anticipated crackdown on protesters.

Police in riot gear stood shoulder-to-shoulder, stepping forward every few minutes, as the crowd sang O Canada in protest.

Zimmer said officers were intentionally separating protesters, to wear down their resolve and convince them to return home  which is an accurate portrayal of the Ottawa polices stated approach.

He shouted at those officers, asking them to support the protesters.

I ask all of you to dig down in your gut right now, and be true to what that is telling you right now, on where youre standing, Zimmer yelled, before gawking at armed officers standing on top of the surrounding buildings.

Youll be telling your children of what you did on this day, he screamed. I hope you feel good about the stance you take, as we go down in history here.

Up the road, trucks painted with decals from Winkler, Morden and Ste. Anne were among those parked on Wellington Street, just outside the West Block, where MPs had the House of Commons suspend for the day on the advice of security officials.

A handful of those trucks are purple tractor-trailers owned by Bartel Bulk Freight, whose president argues the Trudeau government wants Canada to become a dictatorship.

Its complete mayhem. Its a way to destroy the country; thats what the current government is doing, said company head Chester Bartel, who spoke from his office in Morris.

He criticized the media at length, citing the example of the Free Press extensive coverage of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in the provinces south region. He argued the focus on Southern Healths mounting case rate in December was framed as a regional problem, but cases peaking in Winnipeg got less scrutiny.

Once we get justice back into Canada I believe there is going to be a lot of media that is going to pay for this; theyre going to hopefully get jail time, he told the Free Press.

On Friday, it was police arresting protesters, particularly outside of the Chateau Laurier hotel, 400 metres from Parliament Hill.

Officers gradually penned in a few dozen demonstrators, while offering small groups a chance to leave. They announced through loudspeakers that everyone who didnt go would be arrested.

Winnipeg blogger Todd McDougall found himself up close with armed Quebec police wearing riot gear.

That is some pretty heavy artillery on those boys back there, he said on an afternoon livestream. What kind of country are we handing to our kids?

For days, McDougall, had wandered the capital wearing a toque from Monstrosity Burger, the Corydon Avenue restaurant that has repeatedly run afoul of Manitoba public health rules.

On Thursday, he got in a shouting match with a fellow convoy supporter from Alberta who wore a fluorescent rain coat, which McDougall claimed was a uniform.

Are you looking to get people f-ing hyped up? the man told McDougall, as multiple people filmed the interaction on Parliament Hill, which somehow ended in a hug.

Is it gonna settle you down? the man asked.

Some from the middle province have been at the convoy since shortly after it got underway Jan. 28.

Winkler man Karl Krebs came to Ottawa months after launching a Manitoba group that argues COVID-19 restrictions are an affront to God-given rights.

On Friday, he livestreamed as protesters build a barrier out of snow in an futile attempt to prevent officials from towing tractor-trailers.

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These are the new walls of Jericho, referring to the Old Testament story of the Israelites toppling city walls by circling ramparts and praying.

Krebs advised his fellow protesters to keep a level head.

Try to leave with your dignity intact, and that your cause was honoured; that we dont end up in a riotous state, he told a stranger.

Hours later, police deployed horses and tear gas after some protesters reportedly attempted to grab firearms from officers.

One protester was arrested for throwing a bicycle at the feet of a horse, resulting in a charge of intentionally harming a police service animal.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
The Manitoba government has tabbed up to $2 million in funding and grants for the development and delivery of newcomer community support projects.

The Manitoba government has tabbed up to $2 million in funding and grants for the development and delivery of newcomer community support projects.

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Attracting and retaining new immigrants is key to Manitobas post-pandemic economic recovery, and will help address skills shortages and bring in international talent and investment, Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration Minister Jon Reyes said Friday in a news release

The call for applications is open until March 7.

Meanwhile, five agriculture research and development projects also received funding from the provincial government and the government of Canada.

Nearly $327,000 in research grants were distributed Friday through the Ag Action Manitoba program and the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Funding recipients included: Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers Inc., Ducks Unlimited, Manitoba Crop Alliance Inc., Manitoba Horticulture Productivity Enhancement Centre Inc., and the University of Manitoba.

Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced $100,000 would be given to Candace House to support the Healing Haven and the Heart Spaces programs. Funding came from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Branch.

Finally, the province said it would provide $5,000 to the Manitoba Indigenous Youth Achievement Awards to recognize outstanding achievements of Indigenous youth who exhibit high standards of excellence, dedication, leadership and accomplishments.
ELKO  Elko City Council is asking for 20 cents of the expiring 75-cent Pay-As-You-Go school levy after deciding Friday that the money would be set aside for capital projects.

The city council unanimously approved a motion to send a letter to the Nevada Department of Taxation, declaring their intent to increase the levy on the Citys real property by 20 cents effective July 1.

Mayor Reece Keener added to his motion that the revenue would be specifically dedicated for capital construction projects after discussion by the city council and city manager Curtis Calder.

The special meeting came two days after Elko County Commissioners unanimously approved a motion for 50 cents of the Pay-As-You-Go funding that voters defeated in the 2020 general election.

Calder told the city council the states Feb. 22 deadline prompted the special meeting that requires local governments to submit letters of intent for the state to add to its pro forma statement.

Although the city council approved a 17.7-cent levy last year, Calder advised the city council to request 20 cents in case the first amount gets abated or decreased by law.

Keener said the funding received could go toward capital projects, increasing the Citys frequency of road reconstruction projects.

That will allow us to do a lot more streets. Were only able to do a big street project about every other year, he said. This would allow us to get caught up on that and shorten the list.

Councilman Clair Morris said the revenue could also address water and sewer issues that may come up. It would be nice to have that money in the bank.

Formally announcing the Citys intent for 20 cents with the state is a means of getting our foot in the door, said Councilman Giovanni Puccinelli, adding he also supported its use for capital construction projects. We dont need to take the 20 [cents] when it comes time. Thats the way I look at it.

Assigning the money to a designated purpose instead of the Citys general fund was also approved by Councilman Chip Stone. He added that the 20 cents would not go above the 3% tax cap, allowing the City to keep the 17.7 cents and not be abated.

Calder said if the City received 20 cents, it would bring in about $1 million a year and double the capital construction rate, and you could do a major project every year.

He emphasized the revenue wouldnt go into the Citys operation account but to tangible road construction and related projects.

I think the general public  as much as we hear complaints about the roads in Elko  would appreciate that, Calder said, recalling roads have been the Citys highest priority yet there is still a $40 million backlog of road projects on any given year.

If we had more resources we could catch up even faster, Calder explained. At some point those roads have to be replaced.

During Fridays special meeting, the city council and staff did not mention or discuss the recreation and events center proposed on Feb. 9 by Boys & Girls Club CEO Rusty Bahr.

If the County had not put in their intention for 50 cents, Calder said the City may not have had the opportunity to seek revenue designated toward roads.

This is an opportunity. Its not something that staff was even willing to pursue until we heard the County was going to pursue it, Calder said. We were going to sit back, and wed live with the 17.7 cents we raised in the current budget year that is currently being abated. We would have built our budget around that.

Elko County Republican Chairman Lee Hoffman and former Mayor Chris Johnson were the only speakers Friday afternoon giving public comment.

Hoffman said he supported the City Council as he did the Elko County Commissioners on Wednesday, reiterating his thought that keeping tax money close to home for local use is better than having it regulated by the state or federal government.

Johnson, who chaired the Citizens for Elko County Schools that sought passage of the 50-cent school bond in December, asked the city council to keep the Elko County School District in mind and leave a few cents for their capital improvement projects until the district is able to put another question on the ballot in two to four years.

With what I know today, I would say the rates that are being proposed by the County and the City are too high, mainly because theres no room for the schools, Johnson said.

Keener and Councilwoman Mandy Simons said the Citys levy could be a short-term situation if voters approve more money for schools in the future.

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Everyone knows the joke: Winnipeg has two seasons, winter and construction.

Everyone knows the joke: Winnipeg has two seasons, winter and construction.

Its as likely to produce a groan as a laugh, but the punchline contains an obvious truth: in this city, people are used to impatiently drumming their fingers on the steering wheel as traffic slows to a stop and work crews labour under the sun.

If a sharp-eyed motorist was stopped at the southwest corner of Osborne Street and St. Mary Avenue in the summer of 2013, they might have noticed some odd construction projects underway.

In 2009, on southbound Osborne Street at St. Mary Avenue, there was a shaft pole on the median and joint-use pole with the street light. (Google Street View)

On the south median, facing vehicles driving towards the Manitoba Legislative Building, stood a short pole with a traffic light on top.

Work crews were there to add a pedestrian "tactile"  a yellow textured surface that helps visually impaired people navigate the streets  on a nearby crosswalk.

But they did more than that. They dug up the entirety of the crosswalk, moving the traffic pole from the south side to the north.

This was a considerable undertaking, which required tearing up concrete, digging into the ground, pouring fresh cement, installing new equipment and rewiring below the street. They also swapped out the traffic lights.

By 2014, the shaft pole was moved to the north side of the pedenstrian curb cut, with what appears to be a new base. (Google Street View)

Traffic-control devices, unless damaged or defective, can last many years, even decades  but these wouldnt last that long.

In the summer of 2016, work crews were back for a street renewal, which meant the transportation division of the public works department was approved to do incidental work staff deemed necessary.

The pole on the south median  which had been in place for roughly three years  was replaced with what is known as a "davit" pole. In traffic parlance, thats the structure that extends up from the pavement and curves out, positioning the traffic light above the road.

They did the same thing at the southwest corner of the intersection, replacing a "joint-use" pole, which has a traffic arm bolted to the side of a street light pole to save resources, with a new one.

Rather than install the new joint-use pole on the existing base, they chose to move it a metre or two to the north  tearing up the concrete, digging into the ground, pouring fresh cement, replacing the equipment and rewiring it below the street.

They also swapped out the traffic lights theyd installed in 2013 for new ones.

Images captured in 2016 show the boulevard signal was replaced again with a curved pole. The base also appears to have moved again slightly. The joint-use signal pole and streetlight was replaced. The base was moved slightly to the north. (Google Street View)

Three years later they were back.

In the summer of 2019, work crews split the joint-use pole at the southwest corner of the intersection, requiring a new cement base for a new traffic pole to be poured a metre or two to the south, back in its original location.

A separate pole remains with just the street light, which would have been capable of holding all the needed traffic-control equipment  as it had for years.

Meanwhile, on the south median, the davit pole from three years prior was replaced with a cantilever. While the davit arm curves out over the street, the cantilever extends straight out; the only difference between the two is cosmetic.

To this day, the city continues to use both models.

Once again, the concrete was torn up, a new base was poured, new equipment was installed, and rewiring was done under the street. And, as in 2013 and in 2016, the traffic lights were replaced.

Between 2016 and 2021, the curved poles were replaced with cantilever-style poles. The signal on the sidewalk side was removed from the streetlight and placed near where the original pole was, as seen in the 2009 image. (Google Street View)

In the span of six years, the pole on the south median was moved or replaced three times. In 2016, the joint-use pole on the southwest corner was moved and replaced, only to be split, moved back again and replaced once more in 2019.

And each time work crews arrived, they swapped out the traffic lights.

Thats just one corner of the intersection; at the others, a similar campaign of projects with little practical justification was carried out to replace traffic-control equipment designed to last decades after only a fraction of that time.

Osborne Street and St. Mary Avenue, in the heart of the city, is no anomaly.

Its the tip of the iceberg.

Its a single example of what independent researcher Christian Sweryda, who has been studying traffic-related issues in Winnipeg for more than a decade, calls a massive campaign of frivolous construction projects carried out by the public works department spanning the entire city and dating back at least a dozen years, to the tune of millions of dollars.

"This has been happening right under our noses," Sweryda says.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS In the span of six years, the pole on the south median at the southwest corner of Osborne Street and St. Mary Avenue was moved or replaced three times. In 2016, the joint-use pole on the southwest corner was moved and replaced, only to be split, moved back again and replaced once more in 2019. And each time work crews arrived, they swapped out the traffic lights.

The Free Press spent eight weeks reviewing Swerydas work, discussing the findings with academics and local politicians, and reviewing his research methods with experts, including engineering professionals and a lawyer who specializes in anti-corruption.

Interview subjects likened the findings to a smoking gun, saying the transportation division of the citys public works department flouts widely accepted engineering standards and seems to have little justification for work patterns that are either incompetent or corrupt.

What follows is Part 1 of the Free Press investigative series Red Light, Green Light, No Oversight.

In 2021, Christian Sweryda hit the road  literally and virtually  with a plan to follow the money.

After years of research, he has developed deep subject-matter expertise on engineering standards (he can cite page and verse from the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada) and the finer points of Manitobas Highway Traffic Act.

Although he lacks formal training  he works for the Winnipeg School Division and is currently enrolled in law school  his research has been cited in court cases and has led to public-policy changes at the municipal level.

Professors in multiple departments at the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg regularly invite him to lecture students on traffic issues.

Using Google Street View, which has been photographing Winnipeg since 2007, Sweryda has catalogued and tracked the changes to intersections across the city as far back as the images go.

To date, hes completed an in-depth analysis of 513 of the citys 681 traffic light-controlled intersections  roughly 75 per cent  including everything north of the CNR main line.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Chris Sweryda has compiled information on hundreds of Winnipeg intersections.

The research shows a systematic pattern of inefficient and unnecessary work, including infrastructure rebuilds without apparent justification, traffic-control devices routinely swapped out before end of life and traffic-light poles repeatedly changed and moved marginal distances.

"Im still in disbelief, Sweryda says. "The scope of it (its) so bad that nobody believes it because you sound crazy when you try to explain it.

"It was shocking. But it was also addictive. It became a question of, What will I find at the next intersection? It was like pulling the handle of a slot machine."

The underlying problem is the City of Winnipeg lacks standardization for traffic-control infrastructure, design and materials. Intentional or not, it has resulted in a staggering campaign of waste.

The lack of standardization was confirmed by David Patman, the manager of transportation for the public works department, in an April 2021 email to Sweryda obtained by the Free Press.

"The citys assets and network has been permitted over several decades to become an inventory that lacks documentation, and is inconsistent. It has been city practice to allow for inconsistency throughout the transportation infrastructure," Patman wrote.

"You make some good points about consistency and wasted resources."

So there are different intersections designed in different ways with different materials. But there are also different designs and different materials jumbled together at a single intersection.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Chris Sweryda has compiled information on hundreds of Winnipeg intersections.

The Free Press offered to walk the City of Winnipeg through Swerydas findings if it made Patman and director of public works Jim Berezowsky available for an interview.

The city declined. Instead, it provided the Free Press with a written statement extolling the professionalism of its traffic engineers, and noted a process of updating its transportation design manual and its design standards for traffic-signal infrastructure is underway.

THE CITY RESPONSE "City of Winnipeg engineers recommend solutions and make decisions (related to signals, traffic, and otherwise) with diligence, care, and consideration of both best practices and the context of the location where they are to be applied. "As a department, we have a duty to conduct ourselves in a way that serves and protects the interests of taxpaying Winnipeggers. As registered professionals, our engineers have a duty to uphold professional standards and adhere to national and local practice guides, while also designing individual solutions to individual scenarios, locations, and challenges. "There could be a multitude of reasons why infrastructure at one intersection differs from another that may appear on the surface to be similar... click to read more "City of Winnipeg engineers recommend solutions and make decisions (related to signals, traffic, and otherwise) with diligence, care, and consideration of both best practices and the context of the location where they are to be applied. "As a department, we have a duty to conduct ourselves in a way that serves and protects the interests of taxpaying Winnipeggers. As registered professionals, our engineers have a duty to uphold professional standards and adhere to national and local practice guides, while also designing individual solutions to individual scenarios, locations, and challenges. "There could be a multitude of reasons why infrastructure at one intersection differs from another that may appear on the surface to be similar. "For example: our department must repair and replace signals frequently due to damage, and sometimes have to replace said infrastructure with whatever is on-hand at that time in order to get an intersection back to safe operations as quickly as possible. "There are also a great deal of individual considerations that go into decisions at a given location versus those of another  including intersection geometry, unique conditions (such as wind gusts, potential for glare, etc), and availability of equipment. "That said, we update standards regularly to ensure currency and alignment with other jurisdictions, and are right now in the process completing both the next update of our transportation design standards manual and an updated set of design standards specifically for traffic signal infrastructure." Close

Swerydas research suggests staff has engaged in a frivolous work campaign by piggybacking off annual street renewals, as well as rapid transit and active-transportation projects  a sleight of hand performed in front of Winnipeggers each and every summer.

He and others believe the only way to tally the costs is a forensic audit, which can be the basis for a criminal investigation, if needed.

The audit appears to be coming.

In late 2021, Sweryda took his findings to Coun. Matt Allard, who chairs the public works committee. The two men have collaborated on traffic issues in the past, and Allard speaks highly of Swerydas abilities as a researcher.

Shortly after reviewing Swerydas findings, Allard (St. Boniface) moved a motion at the Riel Community Committee ordering the department to draw up plans for standardization and report back six months later.

"It appears that this issue has led to inefficient use of resources over the years and on an ongoing basis, with ad hoc changes to traffic control infrastructure taking place repeatedly," Allard wrote on his Facebook page.

"This week, I moved a motion asking the public service to report back with proper standards to ensure responsible use of tax dollars and the highest standard of safety available under national guidelines."

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Coun. Matt Allard, chairperson of the city's standing policy committee on infrastructure, renewal and public works.

But he didnt stop there. Allard was so concerned by Swerydas findings that he immediately connected him with city auditor Bryan Mansky. It was the first time since being elected to city council in 2014 that Allard proactively reached out to the office.

"Im definitely concerned. You have to wonder how this could possibly be rationalized? How could this have possibly happened?" Allard tells the Free Press.

"If there are materials being replaced that dont need to be replaced, why is that happening? Whats going on here? Why is this work getting done over and over again?"

"If there are materials being replaced that dont need to be replaced, why is that happening? Whats going on here? Why is this work getting done over and over again?" Coun. Matt Allard

To answer those same questions, the Free Press set up a meeting with Sweryda and Yasser Hassan, a professor of transportation engineering at Ottawas Carleton University, who chairs the department of civil and environmental engineering.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A traffic sign manual on Chris Swerydas kitchen table .

Before emigrating to Canada, Hassan was the person responsible for approving nearly every traffic and road engineering project in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.

He came away from the meeting scratching his head, saying that from the outside looking in, he couldnt make heads or tails of what Winnipegs traffic engineers are up to.

"There was a lot I saw that doesnt make any sense. They need to have a justification for this. And this justification must be documented. It must show that not only what is being done is to the benefit of the public, but also that it makes sense economically," Hassan says.

"The onus is on them to show this. If they show it, then we can scrutinize it and see if it holds up. But if there is no documentation, there is no defence."

"If there is no documentation, there is no defence." Yasser Hassan

Sweryda filed a series of freedom-of-information requests seeking documents and department correspondence that could explain his findings; they turned up little more than blueprints devoid of detailed justification.

In one case, the city said the work in question had been organized by "word of mouth," so there was no paper trail.

A city hall source with knowledge of department practices  who does not want to be identified  says people there are just as confused.

"I know of no rational explanation for what they are up to," the source says.

Remember that joke about Winnipegs two seasons?

It turns out the joke could be on taxpayers.

Tuesday: Part 2

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ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca | Twitter: @rk_thorpe
Winnipegs police chief is defending how his officers are handling the anti-vaccine mandate protest entering its third week outside the Manitoba Legislative Building.

Winnipegs police chief is defending how his officers are handling the anti-vaccine mandate protest entering its third week outside the Manitoba Legislative Building.

While the occupation of downtown Ottawa led to the resignation of that citys police chief, Peter Sloly, Chief Danny Smyth said the situation in Winnipeg is much different  and the objective of minimizing its impact is being met.

The scale and scope of it is much bigger than what were dealing with, and the complications are much bigger, Smyth said of the Ottawa protest.

On Friday afternoon, a massive police operation resulted in at least 100 protesters arrested near Parliament Hill.

Our protests have largely been on (Memorial) Boulevard and that will continue for now, Smyth said during an an impromptu teleconference Friday.

He spoke to reporters after so-called freedom convoy organizers issued a news release announcing they will move their local protest  and the vehicles that have disrupted the flow of traffic on Broadway  to the provincially-owned Memorial Park across the street.

The release was sent by Rick Wall, whose Richland Transport Inc. semi-tractors remained blocking the main driveway at the legislative building as of midday Friday.

We are working to minimize our footprint and continue to protest in a peaceful and legal manner, the release said. It further said horn blasts from the big rigs and other vehicles have been reduced to twice a day, for two minutes at 9 a.m. and 6:58 p.m.

That was a good negotiation, Smyth said, describing the Winnipeg Police Service strategy of engagement, which involves building a relationship with the protest organizers to influence and negotiate with organizers.

I think weve had some progress, Smyth said. The footprint has been either consistent or getting a little bit smaller. Weve had some co-operation with the noise Those two things were pretty significant for us to give quality of life to the residents downtown.

When asked if the protesters were simply moving off the median and boulevard of Broadway to avoid being fined, WPS Supt. Dave Dalal said he couldnt speak to specific negotiations.

Protesters are fully aware of whats happening in other jurisdictions in terms of arrest, in terms of ticketing  thats all part of the negotiation in trying to influence a peaceful resolution to this, Dalal said.

The situation in downtown Winnipeg is an ongoing operation, and the WPS is going by the book to see it come to a peaceful end, he added.

We work with organizers to resolve situations peacefully whenever leaders are identified and willing to work with us for that purpose. We aim to minimize disruption to the community and escalation wherever possible, Dalal said. That means our response is going to be proportional.

Bylaws and the criminal code are tools police can use, he added.

Sometimes arrests are necessary, sometimes ticketing is necessary and sometimes discretion is the correct decision, Dalal said. The overall objective is to achieve a peaceful resolution.

Dalal wouldnt say if any tickets had been issued or charges laid in connection with the Winnipeg protests.

Police will only report such information if its in the publics interest  such as when the driver of a vehicle was charged following a hit-and-run involving four protesters Feb. 5  and after the situation involving the protesters has been resolved, officials said.

Winnipegs police chief wouldnt say when he expects that to happen, but such long-running protests are not the new normal.

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I dont think so, Smyth said. Every protest is unique to itself.

Smyth added he doesnt feel pressure from the province nor Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman, who warned this week the long-running protest and occupation of Memorial Boulevard sets a dangerous precedent.

The politicians who have to deal with this are under a tremendous amount of pressure, the WPS chief said. Theyre getting more calls than I am. Having said that, we are independent of the politics of this.

We have a responsibility to resolve these things as peacefully as we can and not resort to any kind of extremes. I think, to date, with the local protest were seeing sufficient progress and our tactics are appropriate right now, Smyth said.

We reserve the right to employ other tactics if the situation changes.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Demonstrators protesting COVID-19 public health restrictions near the Manitoba legislature say they are willing to leave downtown Winnipeg, but only if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agrees to a meeting.

Demonstrators protesting COVID-19 public health restrictions near the Manitoba legislature say they are willing to leave downtown Winnipeg, but only if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agrees to a meeting.

"We are simply requesting a conversation. We want you to be able to understand who we are and why we are here. We are citizens of Canada who have felt left without a voice," a statement, issued Saturday, read in part.

As riot police moved in on a so-called "freedom convoy" in Ottawa on Saturday, protesters at an encampment across from the Manitoba Legislative Building felt their resolve strengthen.

Demonstrators who spoke to the Free Press at the site in downtown Winnipeg didnt view clashes in the nations capital as a deterrent.

Instead, they said, the police enforcement has made them even more committed to a campaign which calls on governments to scrap COVID-19 vaccine mandates and public health restrictions.

Waving a Canadian flag and bundled up on a -22 C morning, Steinbach resident Brittany Needham, 26, was disturbed by the scenes in Ottawa.

"I dont think that either side wants that to happen here at this protest," she said. "Id like to think it can (be) a little more peaceful."

Co-organizer Caleb Brown, 37, said the Winnipeg protest can minimize disruption because it is smaller than the one in Ottawa.

Brown, who spent a few days in Ottawa after joining the convoy as it passed through Manitoba, called the enforcement there "unacceptable."

Winnipeg protest organizers want a peaceful resolution, he said, and he believes city police want one, too.

Both sides have held talks to reduce noise and traffic disruption for residents and workers.

"It has been a very good working relationship," said Brown, a carpenter from the Rural Municipality of Springfield.

He described police as a conduit between his team and city hall.

At a press conference Friday, Supt. Dave Dalal said police will not change their current tactics. Chief Danny Smyth said he hopes the situation is resolved in the near future.

As Needham spoke to a reporter at the protest Saturday, supporters driving along Broadway honked their horns, while a handful of opponents shouted obscenities or extended middle fingers through open car windows.

Needham shouted "have a good day" to those hurling insults at the dozen or so demonstrators waving Canadian flags or placards with anti-mandate or anti-restriction messages as a blizzard hit the city.

More demonstrators arrived in the afternoon, despite worsening weather conditions.

Needham said she plans to stop her weekly visits to the protest site when provincial COVID-19 restrictions, including proof of vaccination and face mask requirements, are lifted in March.

She doesnt feel its fair to protest outside the Manitoba governments seat of power once the only remaining restrictions she opposes are ones imposed by the federal government.

The Winnipeg protest began Feb. 4, a week after a cross-country convoy of truckers and supporters converged on Ottawa, where they have occupied streets outside Parliament.

The national convoy started in response to a federal regulation requiring Canadian truckers arriving from the U.S. to be fully vaccinated to avoid a 14-day quarantine.

It has since morphed into a demonstration against governments and restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus, which has killed almost 36,000 people in Canada, including more than 1,600 in Manitoba.

Ottawas police service said it had arrested 170 people Friday and Saturday, as officers used force to try to bring an end to the "unlawful" occupation.

As clashes unfolded there, protesters in Winnipeg waved at passing drivers while standing in the median at Broadway and Memorial Boulevard. Giant Canadian and American flags, on poles affixed to semi-trucks, flapped in the wind.

Police officers in a marked cruiser and an unmarked SUV watched from a distance.

"The police have been great here. Weve been doing our best to follow the rules they have set up," said Needham. "They havent given us any trouble, and weve tried our best not to give them any trouble."

Provincial Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen has backed Winnipeg Police Services handling of the protest and encouraged "dialogue." He previously told the Free Press he is confident police will bring the demonstration to a peaceful end.

City council has instructed the chief administrative officer to explore a court injunction against what Mayor Brian Bowman has called an "unlawful occupation."

The demonstrations footprint became smaller Friday following negotiations with police.

Protesters agreed to move their vehicles off Broadway and on to Memorial, which is blocked by semi-trucks, trailers, generators and other vehicles and equipment.

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The protests early days triggered a barrage of complaints about loud noise, including honking, and traffic disruption.

Following the complaints, demonstrators agreed to limit honking to two minutes at the top of every hour, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The two-minute sessions have since been reduced to twice a day, at 9 a.m. and 6:58 p.m., said organizers.

People who live nearby said the protest hasnt been as disruptive as it was in the beginning.

A group called Defend Winnipeg, which formed in opposition to the "freedom convoy" and counts downtown residents among its ranks, has urged the demonstrators to go home.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching
The Southern Chiefs Organization is calling on the province to change the Vital Statistics Act, after two Manitoba First Nations parents were told the agency would not accept the spelling of their newborns name.

The Southern Chiefs Organization is calling on the province to change the Vital Statistics Act, after two Manitoba First Nations parents were told the agency would not accept the spelling of their newborns name.

"Imagine, being at the hospital following the birth of your child, and not being able to register that little ones chosen name," Grand Chief Jerry Daniels said in a release Friday. "Thats the reality facing one of my citizens right now, and likely countless other First Nation families throughout this province."

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According to SCO, Carson Robinson and Zaagaate Jock learned shortly after the birth of their first daughter a traditional Mohawk name which includes a colon would not be accepted by Vital Statistics for a birth certificate.

Under the act, the given name and the surname on a birth registration can only include letters A to Z, accents from the English or French languages, hyphens and apostrophes.

"From where I sit, this is not an appropriate excuse when parents are being denied the right to register the name of their child," Daniels said, noting the provinces Path to Reconciliation Act states the government must take immediate and long-term actions to respond to the priorities and needs of Indigenous nations and people.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the provincial government said Manitoba is working on the inclusion of Indigenous names and syllabics and exploring potential legislative amendments. Software or technology used by Vital Statistics Branch is not a constraint, the spokesperson added.

"This will, of course, require consultations to ensure changes are made appropriately to meet the needs of community The VSB does want to work toward a solution with the parents who have come forward."

The spokesperson said all provincial jurisdictions must also work with federal counterparts when contemplating changes, as that level of government is also responsible for issuing identity documents.
WINNIPEG already has drug injection sites. Theyre also known as bus shelters.

Opinion

WINNIPEG already has drug injection sites. Theyre also known as bus shelters.

People using drugs regulary squat in several such shelters, mostly downtown. The evidence is as clear as the litter of used needles, empty vials and bags of solvents scattered around the structures. The human casualties are seen first-hand by emergency crews called to attend these shelters, sometimes several times a day, to attempt to save people from their self-administered suffering.

Coun. Sherri Rollins believes theres something wrong with a city that continues to let such misery transpire on prominent public display in its see-through shelters, as if drug users are in an aquarium for passersby to gawk at. She believes Winnipeg can do better and shes pushing for the establishment of a safe consumption site.

She might feel like shes pushing uphill, against the wind. Proposals for safe consumption sites have been turned down in many juridictions, including Manitoba, although there are more than 100 such facilities in Europe and theyve have started to catch on in some cities in North America.

One misconception is that the sites provide drugs. They dont. They provide drug users with sevices such as clean needles and a place to inject with medical staff nearby in case of an overdose. Staff try to build relationships of trust with drug users, and possibly lead them to help for their addictions.

To get up-close evidence to support her attempt to bring a measure of humanity to Winnipegs growing problem with drugs, Rollins went to Vancouver recently to tour a facility called Insite, which is North Americas oldest safe injection site.

What she saw at Insite are 13 semi-private booths near a table offering supplies of needles and sterile water. On-hand staff cant administer drugs, but can offer advice about safer ways to inject. They stay nearby in case of adverse reactions to injections.

After injecting, people can go to the Insites chill-out lounge to relax on couches with coffee and, if they choose, talk to staff and counsellors about such problems as medical issues, mental illness, lack of housing and the possibility of addiction treatment. The building also includes a detox centre, community programs and transitional housing,

Insites 18-year history of helping drug users has given it the first-hand knowledge to dispel myths and misunderstandings about safe consumption sites. Its been the subject of several academic studies because it has reliable data produced by rigorous evaluation, which was a condition of its exemption from federal drug laws when it first opened as a pilot project.

Questions that are commonly asked at Insite and other safe consumption sites include:

Shouldnt people with addictions just go to hospitals or medical clinics? The shame of drug use keeps many addicts away from mainstream health services, except in emergencies.

Do safe consumption sites encourage drug use? No. An academic study of more than 1,000 participants found that only a single individual began injection drug use on InSite premises. By comparison, countless users were steered toward addiction treatment.

Would the money be better spent on drug prevention and enforcement of drug laws? Studies show for every dollar spent on safe consumption sites, five dollars are saved in emergency services and emergency hospital care for drug users.

Even a body as responsible as Health Canada notes safe consumption sites save lives, connect people to addictions treatment, reduce public drug use, lessen the spread of infectious diseases and cut demand on emergency medical services.

Rollins seems to accept its initially unrealistic to expect Winnipeg to land a facility as grand as the Insite location she visited in Vancouver. She recognizes provincial funding is essential, and the Manitoba government has previously declined funding for such a site.

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She proposes initial baby steps. Winnipeg could start with a safe-consumption services within a facility that already exists. The province could provide drug-testing strips to various facilities to determine whether drugs are spiked with contaminants.

To join Rollins in her vision will require some Manitobans to shift their understanding of drug abuse, replacing idealism with pragmatism. Drug abuse cant be eliminated, so the focus should be on making it safer and saving lives.

Manitoba recorded 370 drug-related deaths in 2022, the most recent year for which numbers were compiled. Thats an average of more than one per day.

Those are 370 reasons to listen to Rollins. They werent just drug addicts, they were human beings.

carl.degurse@freepress.mb.ca

Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board.
A few weeks after his smell and taste returned following a bout with COVID-19, Barrette Plett realized the senses had gone haywire again one morning when cooking breakfast.

A few weeks after his smell and taste returned following a bout with COVID-19, Barrette Plett realized the senses had gone haywire again one morning when cooking breakfast.

The first egg on his plate tasted rotten. So did the second. His wife tried one from the same carton, but it tasted like an egg to her.

It was the culmination of a week when everything began to have the same revolting taste or smell only he could detect.

"It was a combination of mustard, dirt and poop," said Plett, a school counsellor from Tinker Creek, south of Morden. "Its awful. I wouldnt want this to happen to anyone."

Barrette Plett realized his senses had gone haywire again one morning when cooking breakfast and everything tasted rotten. (Supplied)

A quick internet search led Plett to post-COVID parosmia  a bizarre and extremely disruptive condition where normal scents become distorted and unpleasant. It also disrupts taste.

Normal smells are replaced by horrible stenches, such as sewage, garbage, rotten meat or cigarette smoke, after olfactory nerves are damaged by a viral infection or head injury.

Few people had heard of parosmia before the pandemic, but the number of cases linked to COVID-19 infection has since exploded.

With no cure or reliable treatments, sufferers can only wait and hope for the best while coping with the physical and mental tolls. It can take a year or two for a persons smell and taste to go back to normal. For a few, it doesnt happen at all.

Plett, 44, is still dealing with parosmia almost a year after his senses became warped, though it isnt intense as the beginning, in March 2021.

Long-haulers find comfort in support group Cathy Scofield-Singh said she felt validated after participating in the first session of the Living with Long COVID Education and Support Group. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun files) Posted: 7:00 PM Feb. 18, 2022 For the first time in Manitoba, a virtual COVID-19 support group is giving long-haulers a chance to share their experiences with each other. To hear people who are going through the same thing as me is such a relief, said Cathy Scofield-Singh, one of 39 Manitobans registered for the virtual support group run by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authoritys pulmonary rehabilitation program and Community MyHealth Team Clinicians. Read Full Story

His frustrating journey began when he contracted COVID in November 2020, and temporarily lost his ability to taste and smell.

"I was so desperate for smell, one day I took off my shoe and was hoping to get something but there was nothing," he said.

The senses returned after Plett recovered from the virus. Within weeks, however, everything smelled or tasted bad.

In those early days, the odour was so terrible and overwhelming he thought something had died inside his house.

"It was like standing in an outhouse," he said.

Plett has had to figure out which foods he can tolerate, even with a hint of the repulsive taste. He feels anxious when hes invited into someones home, in case the distorted smell is so strong he has to flee.

At a recent family gathering, he had to sit apart from relatives who were eating a pizza with onions on it.

"I can still imagine in my head what a delicious slice of pizza tastes like, and then I try it and it tastes gross," he said.

An internet search led Plett to post-COVID parosmia  a disruptive condition where normal scents become distorted and unpleasant. It also disrupts taste. (Supplied)

Desperate to enjoy food again, Pletts condition seems to be improving  he can handle chicken and beans again  but onions still carry a putrid smell.

Its been a similar ordeal for University of Manitoba music student Gabrielle Gagnon, who couldnt smell or taste anything after catching COVID-19 in November 2020.

Both senses returned following her recovery, but she began noticing strange odours in January 2021.

"I didnt know what it was at first. It just smelled gross, like chemically or sometimes like body odour or an armpit," said the 23-year-old from Lorette.

Cravings for her favourite foods usually result in disappointment.

"Nothing tastes as good as it used to," said Gagnon. "At home, you can avoid it. Once you go out, theres no control over it. It has made going out for food difficult."

She avoids foods that trigger the most intense smells: onions still make her gag, and she cant stomach eggs, chicken, turkey or roasted red peppers.

Gagnons physical health has suffered. She has lost weight, her appetite has waned and energy level has dropped.

Despite it all, she is thankful she doesnt have more severe long-COVID symptoms.

Gabrielle Gagnon couldnt smell or taste anything after catching COVID-19 in November 2020. (Jessica Lee / WInnipeg Free Press files)

Gagnon and Plett havent sought referrals to a specialist. For now, they are waiting and hoping their senses return to normal.

Before the pandemic, Dr. Kristine Smith, a rhinologist and skull base surgeon at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, would see about one parosmia patient a month. She now sees at least one a week, with many cases linked to coronavirus.

A persons nose has about 400 scent receptors which affect both smell and taste. Receptors, or nerves, fail to activate if they are damaged, resulting in abnormal scents, said Smith.

"Once you have parosmia, it is hard to go away. It does get better over time," she said.

Olfactory dysfunction can lead to depression or anxiety. Some patients require counselling.

"This is a loss patients need to grieve," said Smith.

Smell disorders can also put people in danger if there is an emergency and they are unable to detect smoke or natural gas fumes.

People who develop parosmia should speak to their family doctor, said Smith. They could be referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist.

Before seeing her, some of Smiths patients felt their concerns were dismissed. Others were told their symptoms were all "in their head."

"This is definitely real," the doctor said.

A team of University of Manitoba researchers, led by Dr. Alan Katz, director of the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, is studying the effects of long COVID. (Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Smell training, salt water rinses and nasal steroid sprays can help to support recovery. Research is underway to develop potential treatments or cure.

In Manitoba, Plett and Gagnon were unable to find a support network for people with parosmia.

Through his research, Plett discovered AbScent, a British smell-loss charity whose online has grown by the thousands during the pandemic.

The group has been helping many Canadians whove developed post-COVID parosmia, said founder Chris Kelly, who temporarily lost her sense of smell after contracting a virus in 2012.

Kelly said parosmia occurs most frequently during the recovery phase of smell loss.

"A hypothesis is that the regenerating olfactory system is sending an aberrant signal to the parts of the brain that interpret smell messages," she said. "The onset of post-COVID parosmia varies considerably, and can start sometimes as late as five months after the virus. This can be confusing for the patient, who might think they have another case of COVID."

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Ninety per cent of cases resolve within a couple of months, while some go on for two years, she said. "Its rare for people not to regain at least some of their sense of smell, but it can happen."

Parosmia doesnt just affect a persons relationship with food, it can also disrupt sex lives.

"The distortions colour other areas of a persons life. Intimacy is one important area," said Kelly. "No body smells, whether your own or someone elses, are the same  and always they are repugnant."

A team of University of Manitoba researchers is studying the effects of long COVID. Parosmia is included in the study, said study lead Dr. Alan Katz, director of the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching
A former Baraboo man charged after drunkenly choking a woman and pulling out fistfuls of her hair before threatening to kill her was recently sentenced to probation in Sauk County Circuit Court.

Reginald Williams, 48, of Wisconsin Dells, was sentenced to four years of probation during a hearing Feb. 7 as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Circuit Court Judge Michael Screnock ordered Williams felony counts of strangulation and bail jumping as well as misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct dismissed.

The charges were dismissed but read in, meaning they were considered in sentencing.

Williams entered pleas of no contest to a single felony charge of stalking and bail jumping. He must provide a DNA sample and undergo counseling to include anger management as well as an alcohol and other drug assessment with any recommended treatment. He is prohibited from having any contact with the woman and must maintain absolute sobriety from alcohol and controlled substances with the exception of a valid prescription.

According to the criminal complaint, Baraboo police responded to a call in April 2020 to the 800 block of 12th Street in Baraboo, where a woman said that Williams drank most of a bottle of tequila and became angry, attacking her before threatening to kill her and then himself.

The complaint noted that Williams had also punched a woman repeatedly nearly a year earlier while she slept. He had strangled her over an argument about a cell phone.

In a separate case, Williams was also sentenced to 93 days in Sauk County Jail after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of criminal damage to property. Felony counts of bail jumping were dismissed but read in. Williams was given 70 days of jail credit due to time served and granted Huber release privileges.

Follow Bridget on Twitter @cookebridget or contact her at 608-745-3513.

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COLUMBUS  The Columbus City Council unanimously approved closing the citys Tax Incremental Finance District 3 during its regular Columbus City council meeting Wednesday.

Columbus City Administrator Kyle Ellefson said the TIF was started in 2007 and the city has the funds to close out the TIF early which would save on additional interest the city would pay for those years.

Tax Incremental Financing or a Tax Incremental District involves the purchase of land by a municipality to meet a particular need. It allows taxes to be deferred on properties developed within the district.

Developer agreements are negotiated that generally allow no- or low-interest loans to be issued to developers and for cities to install infrastructure such as streets, lighting, sewers and water lines.

When properties are taxed after completion, the increased valuation can pay for the investments made by the city and by the investors. Higher valuations increase the tax base, also helping to offset costs.

Ellefson said that the city would save around $9,000 in interest next year. TIF District 3 was scheduled to close Dec. 31, 2023, and was on track to have the last payment a year early. The City Councils decision closes out the TIF with the April 1 payment.

Matthew Schreiber, Columbus director of planning and development, said that with TIF 3, Columbus has four TIFs: TIF 4, TIF 5 and TIF 6.

TIF 3 is the oldest Active TIF in Columbus, Schreiber said. The Columbus Commerce Center and the commercial area along Industrial Drive generally made up the district.

TIF 3 has a total equalized value of $27.5 million in 2021.

The active TIF districts after 3 closes are:

TIF 4 is located along Highway 16 and includes: Drexel Building Supply, Ottery Brothers, Duffy Fleet Service and From have all completed projects in TIF 4 TIF 4 was created in 2015

TIF 5 is generally located on James Street along Continental Drive. To date there are no projects in TIF 5. This district was created in 2019 and amended in 2021.

TIF 6 is located downtown and was created in 2021. The city has completed one developer agreement for a mixed use renovation at 128 W. James St.

Follow Terri Pederson on Twitter @tlp53916 or contact her at 920-356-6760.

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JUNEAU  A 54-year-old Fox Lake man made his initial appearance in court on Friday charged with fifth offense of drunken driving after allegedly turning down multiple offers for a ride Thursday night while leaving a bar.

Joseph Keene could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the charge. Keene appeared before Dodge County Court Commissioner Steven Seim and was placed on a $500 cash bond. As conditions of his bond, he may not operate a motor vehicle without the permission of his court. He must maintain absolute sobriety and shall not go upon the premises of any establishment whose primary business activity involves the sale of alcoholic beverages.

According to the criminal complaint, Dodge County Sheriffs Office responded to Zigs Lakeside Pub and Grill, W11146 Highway G, in the town of Westford, for a report of a man who left while intoxicated in a vehicle. The witness said the man was offered multiple rides and possibly lived in Fox Lake.

The deputy observed the car at the intersection of Highways C and P and followed the vehicle while it traveled on Weed Street. The deputy observed the vehicle traveling over the centerline and almost all the way into the oncoming lane of traffic.

The deputy followed the vehicle until Keene got home and went into his garage. According to the criminal complaint, Keene seemed unsteady on his feet and said he had been drinking a few beers.

Keene submitted to a breathalyzer test which resulted in a reading of .112. He had previously been convicted of OWI: 1990, 2004, 2007 and 2012.

A preliminary hearing will be held on March 24.

Follow Terri Pederson on Twitter @tlp53916 or contact her at 920-356-6760.

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Columbia County is another step closer to opening county highways to ATV and UTV traffic.

The Highway committee will review the ordinance at the March 3 meeting in Wyocena after recommendations from the Traffic Safety Commission last week. The Highway Committee approved the ordinance at its February meeting.

A draft of the ordinance outlines a number of regulations and rules that would need to be following by ATV/UTV motorists on Columbia County roads. Operators and passengers must comply with federal, state and local ordinances and laws and can only operate on approved county highways.

Anyone operating or riding on an ATV under the age of 18 must wear a helmet and all operators must have a valid drivers license. ATV/UTVs must have their Wisconsin DNR registration clearly visible and the registration certificate must be present with the vehicle at all times.

Corporate Council is still looking into intoxicated operating a few other details, Columbia County Highway Commissioner Chris Hardy said.

The draft ordinance states all Columbia County Highways will be open to ATV/UTV traffic except for 10 segments that were determined to have too much other vehicle traffic to allow safe use by ATVs. The segments were chosen according to ADT (average daily traffic) of over 1,000.

Hardy said those segments would have close to one car a minute and adding ATV traffic to those highways would be a safety concern. Restricted will be:

County Highway (CTH) C from State Highway (STH) 16 at Rio south to STH 60, and from STH 60 south to the Dane County line

CTH CS from CTH V in Dekorra east to State Trunk Highway 22 in Lowville; excepting the municipal portion within the Poynette village limit

CTH CX from Marquette County line south to the intersection with Northside Drive in the City of Portage

CTH I from Dane County line north to Village of Arlington limit

CTH J from State Trunk Highway 113 in Lodi east to CTH V in Lodi; then from CTH V in Lodi north to Kent Road in Dekorra;

CTH P from U.S. Highway 51 east to the Village of Pardeeville limit;

CTH P from State Trunk Highway 44 east to the Village of Cambria limit;

CTH P from Village of Cambria east limit then east to State Trunk Highway 73 in Randolph;

CTH Q from State Trunk Highway 60 in Arlington north to Village of Poynette limit

CTH V from Ryan Road in Lodi east to Smith Rd in Lodi; then from Meadowlark Road in Dekorra north to CTH B in Dekorra

Hardy said the highway department is also looking at three other segments of County Highway that could be restricted in a final ordinance:

CTH EF from State Road 33 to CTH E

CTH F from State Road 33 to Marquette County Line

CTH CM from CTH CX to CTH F

Other rules of operation include ATV/UTV traffic is not to exceed 35 mph. When ATV/UTVs are within 100 feet of a pedestrian of 150 feet of a home the vehicle should not exceed 10 mph.

If the highway committee approves the ordinance it could go to the county executive committee and would then be voted on by the full county board.

Columbia County would join a many other Wisconsin counties. Hardy cited a survey done by the Wisconsin County Highway Association that compiled the percentage of county highways open to ATV/UTV traffic.

This survey shows the counties in the western part of the state have higher percentages of county highways open to ATVs, while eastern counties have closer to 15-20% of county highways open, Hardy said.

A number of counties in western Wisconsin including Crawford, Grant and Monroe counties reported 100% of county highways open to ATV/UTV traffic. Hardy said 72.5% of Columbia County highways would be open to ATV/UTV traffic with the current proposal.

For signage there are two options. The first is to only place signs stating the county highway is open the ATV/UTV traffic and the second option is to have open and closure signs The highway department estimates there will be 101 open county highway signs and 202 closure signs. Those signs would cost $95 per sign.

The open signs would cost $9,595 and the closed signs would cost the highway department $19,190 making the fiscal impact of the signage somewhere between $10,000 and $30,000.

The ordinance states enforcement of the ATV/UTV traffic will be handled by the Columbia County Sheriffs Office and the Wisconsin DNR Wardens. It also states ATV/UTV traffic is not to operate on private land.

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Williamsburg Bray School project awarded $5M from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundations Monuments Project

Surviving structure: The Williamsburg Bray School, also known as the Dudley Digges House, is shown in its location on Prince George Street on the William & Mary campus. Courtesy of John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library/Colonial Williamsburg Photo - of - Hide Caption

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded a $5-million grant supporting the Williamsburg Bray School Project, an initiative spearheaded by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and William & Mary. This collaborative project focuses on preserving, relocating, researching and restoring the Bray School. The grant will support the work of the foundation and William & Mary, advancing the project that began after an announcement of the Bray Schools discovery was made last year.

The school is believed to be the only remaining Colonial-era building in the country that was dedicated to the education of Black children. The Williamsburg Bray School was a British-chartered institution that operated from 1760-1774 with a mission to impart Christian education to Black children and the deeply flawed purpose of directing the enslaved to accept their circumstances as divinely ordained.

The Bray School Project will help us tell a more complete story of our nations complex history of race, religion and education, said Cliff Fleet, president and CEO of Colonial Williamsburg. This is particularly important today as our country navigates its way through these divisive times. We are very grateful to the Mellon Foundation and President Elizabeth Alexander for enabling us to partner with our colleagues at William & Mary to develop meaningful public programs while relocating and restoring this historic structure in time for the 250th anniversary of the Bray Schools closing in 2024.

The project is a partnership that can only happen in Williamsburg, where the structure and the historical narratives are tied specifically to the Williamsburg community, Colonial Williamsburg and William & Mary. Restoring the Bray School will allow the building to function as a monument honoring the more than 400 enslaved and free Black children who were instructed at the school prior to the American Revolution.

The grant is part of the Mellon Foundations Monuments Project, a five-year, $250 million initiative launched in 2020 to reimagine and rebuild commemorative spaces and transform the way history is told in the U.S. The investment represents the largest grant ever awarded to Colonial Williamsburg by the Mellon Foundation and is among the Mellon Foundations largest Monuments Project grants to date.

For far too long, crucial voices have been missing from the stories we tell about William & Marys past  and that of our nation, said W&M President Katherine A. Rowe. We are grateful for the opportunity to listen to the voices of Bray School students and their families through sustained research and to amplify their stories for all to hear. Thanks to the Mellon Foundations support and our partnership with Colonial Williamsburg, we can learn from those stories, acknowledge historical injustices and work toward a more inclusive future.

In 2021, researchers from Colonial Williamsburg and W&M announced they had identified the original Williamsburg Bray School. The buildings frame, currently tucked inside a contemporary building on William & Marys campus, will be recovered and relocated several blocks to Colonial Williamsburgs Historic Area at the intersection of Francis and South Nassau streets. It will become the Foundations 89th original 18th-century building, and the first restored by the Foundation since the 1960s.

Through their transformational Monuments Project, the Mellon Foundations grant will greatly advance our efforts to restore the Bray School, said Ronald L. Hurst, Colonial Williamsburg Carlisle H. Humelsine chief curator and vice president for museums, preservation and historic resources. The restored structure will become a key interpretive venue for onsite guests, ensuring that previously untold stories will contribute to an ongoing reexamination of our past and present, and reflection on our future.

In addition to funding the preservation, relocation and restoration of the Bray School, the Mellon Foundations grant will support the development and implementation of public programming to educate visitors about the schools complicated history. Genealogy work and oral history interviews conducted by the William & Mary Bray School Lab will inform Colonial Williamsburgs future interpretive programs.

Two groups are ensuring broad regional and local community representation: the Bray School Board, composed of key collaborators from both sides of the partnership and the museum community, and the Bray School Advisory Council, which is made up of regional leaders, educators, museum curators and historians. Another advisory group, the Bray School National Impact Committee, will convene renowned artists, public figures, academic scholars, museum leaders and media specialists to share the schools story with national and international audiences.

Education and cultural awareness have the potential to transform lives, bridge divides, enhance understanding and foster tolerance, said Ann Marie Stock, presidential liaison for strategic cultural partnerships and chancellor professor of modern languages and literatures at William & Mary. Combining the talents and resources of a leading public university and a renowned living history museum, with generous support from the Mellon Foundation and other donors and significant community participation, we are activating that potential.

The Monuments Project is a signature initiative of Mellon Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander. The project seeks to ensure that future generations inherit a memorial landscape that venerates and reflects the rich complexity of the American experience, and tells a fuller, more inclusive story of history.

The Williamsburg Bray School Project monumentalizes significant small acts of liberation in our countrys history  those of enslaved and free Black children learning to read and write at a time and in a place where formal schooling was rare and Black potential was suppressed, said Alexander. By restoring the Bray School, we restore our knowledge of the vital stories of the Bray School children, of the families and friends to whom the children brought their learning, and of the capacious power of education. We are honored to support this work with the Monuments Project, which aims to elevate and celebrate stories like these throughout the United States.

Investigation and stabilization of the Bray School structure will take place in 2022, as will site prep at its future location. The building will be moved in late 2022 or early 2023. Plans call for the restoration to be completed by fall 2024.

This release was produced in coordination with Colonial Williamsburg.
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.

(Source: Xinhua)
Shuai Xiaoyun, a doctor in Qituo Village in Apengjiang, Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, is on her way to a villager's home, Feb 10, 2022. [Xinhua]

Shuai Xiaoyun, a 41-year-old doctor in Qituo Village in Apengjiang, Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, has safeguarded the health and well-being of the locals for almost two decades.

The village was hit by heavy snowfall last week, which resulted in layers of snow and ice covering the roads.

Villager He Guixian, left, waves goodbye to Shuai Xiaoyun, Feb 10, 2022. [Xinhua]

Shuai knew this would trouble those seeking treatments, so she visited her patients on foot and offered her services door-to-door.

"I cannot ignore the villagers' illnesses and pain just because of reasons like the road is hard to walk on or that I want to spend time celebrating the Spring Festival holiday," said Shuai.

Shuai Xiaoyun sweeps away the snow blocking the front entrance of the village clinic, Feb 10, 2022 [Xinhua]

In the 19 years since she has worked in the village, Shuai has spent almost all of her Spring Festival holidays in the clinic. She is on standby all around the clock and often has to go out on duty during night times.

"Working as a rural doctor means that you are here for the hardship and challenge," said Shuai.

Shuai Xiaoyun, right, is on duty inside the village clinic, Feb 10, 2022. [Xinhua]

A graduate from a junior college of Western medicine in 1995, Shuai initially worked away from Qituo at a pharmacy in the city of Chongqing.

As she grew homesick over the years, she eventually decided to move to Apengjiang in 1997 and opened a small shop in the township.

Shuai Xiaoyun, right, measures the blood pressure of a villager, Feb 10, 2022. [Xinhua]

After learning how difficult it was for the villagers of Qituo to seek proper medical treatment due to the lack of doctors, Shuai wanted to help the place where she grew up in with her medical expertise.

Putting her thoughts into action she became a maternal and child health care worker as well as the contracted family physician for all 963 villagers in 393 households.

Shuai Xiaoyun, right, sees a villager off after their appointment, Feb 10, 2022. [Xinhua]

Over the years, Shuai has traversed every corner of the village.

She won the hearts of the villagers with her compassion and professionalism and they treated her as their own daughter and sister.

"Shuai Xiaoyun is very considerate and patient when talking with us. We all love her very much and treat her like a relative," said Zhang Yugui, a resident of Qituo.

Shuai Xiaoyun on her way to a villager's home, Feb 10, 2022. [Xinhua]

"We are not family by blood but we are as close as a family," said Shuai, "I will continue working as a doctor in the village and provide treatments whenever a need arises."

At present, Shuai is also in charge of 14 major and over 40 minor public health services in the village, such as the establishment of health records, chronic disease management, health education, maternal and child health management, and traditional Chinese medicine services.

(Source: chinadaily.com.cn)
, 100 year old Gage, passed Sunday, May 1, 2022 . Funeral services are 10:00 a.m. Thursday, May 5, 2022 at the First Baptist Church of Gage. Burial will follow in the Fargo Cemetery. Read obituary at www.billingsfuneralhomewooward.com
Reports are circulating online that gas pipeline was hit with an explosion in a small city in the Peoples Republic of Luhansk, a Russian backed separatist territory in eastern Ukraine.

The severity of the incident is unknown, but new information is showing that it was a very small residential pipeline, not anything large enough to carry gas to Europe. Javier Blas, a reporter at Bloomberg tweeted that only ninety-five clients had been impacted by the explosion.

In recent days, Russian state TV has begun to talk about threats from Ukraine, paralleling what messages coming from state media were like before the invasion of Crimea in 2014. One narrative being pushed in Russia, is that Ukrainians are experts in settling up these type of infrastructure related bombings.

In Europe and the United States, countries are warning of a possible false flag operation to create a pretext for invasion. Secretary of Stat Anthony Bliken addressed UN Security Council yesterday with the same message, also informing other members of what they have picked up as Russia's next plans. Russia has denied the allegations that an invasion is immanent, and said that it will begin to withdraw its troops. However, the opposite is being picked up on satellite images which show, more troops, more airplanes and weapons --all a symbol of more problem.

A warning emerges

Although, this explosion may not be deemed the "false flag" the US and Europe have been warning against, it does show the possibilities war could have on the oil and gas supply in Europe.

The growing tensions have led many governments to warn their citizens of what a war could mean for their energy costs and reliance. Many countries could be impacted if the sanctions imposed by the United States and European countries reduce Russia's ability to produce oil and natural gas and thus limit the supply in the global market.

Which countries purchase natural gas from Russia?

The possibility of war on the European continent poses serious questions about Europe's energy dependence on Russia. However, the dependence is mutual; while in past years Russia has looked to diversify its export markets, it still remains heavily reliant on Europe.

According to Statista, the countries in Europe that receive the highest percentage of their natural gas from Russia include, North Macedonia (100 percent), Finland (94 percent), Bulgaria (74 percent), Slovakia (70 percent), Germany (49 percent), Italy (46 percent), Poland (40 percent), and France (24 percent).

Which countries purchase oil from Russia?

Currently, Russian fuel represents more than a third of Europe's total imports.

More than seventy-percent of this oil comes through pipelines that cross through Ukrainian territory after leaving Russia. The destruction of war and the damage to the sector after US and EU sanctions are imposed, threaten the competitiveness of Russia in the energy sector.

There are four main countries that purchase the majority of Russia's crude oil: The Netherlands, Germany, Poland, and Belarus. In 2017, these four countries accounted for seventy percent of the total export volumes. Other countries who have some of the largest exports in 2020 included Italy, Finland, and Slovakia.

How would US and EU sanctions impact the oil and natural gas production in Russia?

To use the sanctions as a deterrent, the US and some countries in Europe have not released details on what sanctions would be applied if Russia were to attack. Should these sanctions include a ban on the purchase of Russian oil, Europe's energy market could face serious shortages. Similarly, however, the Kremlin could choose to turn off the oil pipelines to Europe, further manipulating their ability to impose stricter sanctions in the short-term.

Many in Europe believe that this situation shows that it would be more energy secure if they were further on in their clean energy transition. Aside from the possibilities of supply being interrupted due to a war between Russia and Ukraine, energy prices are up across Europe, and across the globe. Prices have increased as energy demand did, but with supply lagging, costs for customers increased. Additionally, it has been a bad year for wind energy and with lower levels of energy output created, the demand for other sources has increased, leading to a uptick in price.
OTTAWA, CANADA - FEBRUARY 18: RCMP and Ottawa police carried out a massive operation at Ottawa's city center for protestors and trucks after the Canadian prime minister declared the state of emergency for the first time in Canada's modern history, in Ottawa, Canada on February 18, 2022. Dozens of protesters were arrested as hundreds of trucks are still blocking the city center. (Photo by Amru Salahuddien/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Biden says he's now convinced Putin has decided to invade Ukraine, but leaves door open for diplomacy
Booster vaccines have been an option for months now and are considered a vital step in ensuring that the population is adequately protected against more transmissible variant like Omicron. However a new report has highlighted how quickly the influence of the booster shot can begin to wear off.

A study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that booster shot immunity peaked during the first two months after getting the third dose. Those first two months saw booster recipients gain an immunity against hospitalisation of 91%.

However by the fourth month that figure had dropped to 78%. This is still a high level of protection but it does go to show that vaccine immunity does wane fairly quickly.

Will a fourth dose of covid-19 vaccines be required?

Our knowledge of Omicrons contagiousness is still limited and the threat of other, even more transmissible variants remains. However a number of nations are already considering the introduction of a fourth round of covid-19 vaccinations to provide greater immunity for vulnerable groups.

Israel became the first country to administer fourth doses widely and Australia now recommends that immunocompromised individuals get a fourth dose. In Israel the fourth dose is reserved for healthcare workers, the immunocompromised, and those aged 60 or older.

However not everyone in the healthcare industry agrees that frequent booster shots are the way to go and many support a more seasonal approach.

Immunologist Deepta Bhattacharya from the University of Arizona said: I don't think it's a sustainable strategy to ask people to get boosters of the same vaccine every two months or three months. People just aren't going to do it.

"Could we get to the point where public health officials recommend a shot once a year," he continued. "I think that's fairly likely. Now, whether everyone will absolutely need that shot to prevent severe disease each year, that's a different question, and we'll have to wait for the data. I think it's possible that yearly shots won't be absolutely essential for everyone."

In the future it is hoped that covid-19 surges will be more predictable, following the patterns observed in the last two years of high infection rates during the holidays. If this trends hold true then it would be possible to advise vulnerable individuals to get a booster shot once a year ahead of the winter months, much like is done with flu shots.
Funding available to support food poverty initiatives in Wrexham

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Feb 19th, 2022

A new grant scheme to support food poverty initiatives across Wrexham is now available.

AVOW (Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham) is operating the scheme, which is funded by the Welsh Government, to support any voluntary organisation or community group providing support to residents in the County Borough.

The funds are available to support all the fantastic work that is already happening across the local community.

Funding is available for a variety of activities including food initiatives such as food banks, lunch clubs and food pantries. Organisations can apply for capital funds for white goods for their use as well as other capital items.

It is recognised that people who are in poverty require additional support other than food and the grant is available to support with utilities, welfare rights benefit advice and emotional support. AVOW says that support must be part of a holistic response to the needs of individuals and their families.

Funding can be used for both capital and revenue, and is also open to organisations that have already received funding from a previous AVOW Grant Scheme.

AVOW has already distributed more than 250,000 in the past two years to support over 100 organisations and thousands of individuals through the difficult times they have faced.

Dawn Roberts-McCabe, the new Chief Officer of AVOW, said: Im delighted these funds are available to support our community organisations and those who continue to struggle financially.

We recognise there is a quick turnaround on these applications and encourage organisations to contact our team if you have any questions or need further support.

The link to the application form and criteria is on the AVOW website. The closing date for applications is 28th February 2022.
Pipe fitter inspired to gold by Dads death is supporting apprentices on their skills journey

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Feb 19th, 2022

A pipe fitter inspired to victory by the death of his father is supporting teenage apprentices on their WorldSkills journey.

Oliver Bolland is reigning gold medallist in the Sheet Metalwork category of WorldSkills UK, having secured bronze in the same event three years earlier.

Now working at MG Engineering in Flint, the 22 year-old  a former Fabrication and Welding student at Coleg Cambria Deeside  is hoping apprentices Owen Fricker and James Jones can emulate his success in the years ahead.

Also a previous winner in the Construction Metalwork contest at Skills Competition Wales, Oliver is helping the Flintshire duo, both students at the college, as they begin entering competitions in the hope of being part of their WorldSkills UK squad this autumn.

Admitting the passing of his Dad hit him hard during his 2019 debut in the finals, the ex-Richard Gwyn High School pupil is enjoying life and looking forward to a bright future with the company, which has been delivering engineering solutions to multiple sectors for 30 years.

Its great to see Owen and James begin their training for the skills competitions, Im sure they will do really well, said Oliver, from Connahs Quay.

After winning at the Welsh skills contest my performance at WorldSkills was impacted upon by Dads death, and I always hoped I would get another chance at it, to do myself justice.

Then Covid-19 hit the UK and I thought that opportunity was lost; to be able to compete again in 2021 was a big surprise, and I was delighted to win gold for my family.

He added: It is an intense situation as the finals are held over three days and you can get caught up in that pressured environment, but I managed to relax and just get on with the task in hand.

If you can stay calm and almost forget about the judges, do your work and stay focused, you can succeed, which I managed to do.

Thanking Cambria and in particular lecturer Tony Commins for his role in helping him secure work placements and eventually a full-time position in the industry, Oliver said:

I owe Tony a lot, he believed in me and now Im here in a job I love  its the best thing Ive ever done.

Demand has increased, and Ive travelled all over the world during the pandemic, fitting the products we manufacture in the US, Canada, Germany and Finland, because its an essential field we are operating in.

Now my aim is to support other apprentices and use everything I learned at Cambria and in competition to continue improving as part of the team here. I will always look back fondly on memories of WorldSkills and encourage other young people to give it a try.

Owen, 17, from Caerwys, and 16 year-old James, from Bagillt, are also keen to sharpen their skills.

According to Tony, they have the ability to go far.

Like Oliver they have positive attitudes and want to learn, which is key to doing well in these competitions and academically, he added.

Oliver is a great inspiration to them and many of our learners because he has shown that if you put your mind to it and work hard you can do anything.

We are all so proud of his achievements and wish him well for the future.

Visit www.cambria.ac.uk for more news and information from Coleg Cambria.

For more on WorldSkills UK, visit the website: www.worldskillsuk.org
Tesco becomes first supermarket to join new defibrillator network that could save lives

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Feb 19th, 2022

Tesco has become the UKs first supermarket to begin registering its 2190 defibrillators to a new national database that could improve cardiac arrest survival rates in the UK.

It is the biggest single addition of defibrillators to the database so far.

The database, called The Circuit: The National Defibrillator Network, aims to map all public access defibrillators, allowing ambulance services to direct bystanders to the nearest registered defibrillator if they see somebody having a cardiac arrest.

There are over 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in the UK, but fewer than one in 10 people survive. This is partly because defibrillators are used in less than 10 per cent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, with ambulance services often unaware of where they are located.

To help improve these stark survival rates, Tesco is in the process of registering its defibrillators in stores onto The Circuit and is installing hundreds more so that every Tesco store in the UK will have one.

This means that if somebody is having a cardiac arrest in or around a Tesco store, the ambulance service will be able to direct 999 callers to the defibrillator which is registered on the database.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: Were thrilled that Tesco are registering all their defibrillators on The Circuit  this could help save lives in the years to come.

By ensuring defibrillators are visible to ambulance services in the ultimate medical emergency, Tesco is providing an invaluable service to communities across the UK.

By registering their defibrillators on The Circuit, Tesco will be joining the fight to improve survival rates. Currently, less than 10% of people survive a cardiac arrest, and every minute without CPR and defibrillation can reduce the chances of survival by up to 10%, so every second counts when someone has a cardiac arrest.

We are now urging all organisations that own defibrillators, whether its just the one or several, to follow in Tescos footsteps by registering them on The Circuit. This simple action could save lives.

Oonagh Turnbull, Head of Health Campaigns at Tesco, said: At Tesco, we are passionate about the active role we play in our communities, and in helping our customers when they need us most.

By supporting The Circuit and registering all of our defibrillators so emergency services know where the nearest one is, more lives could be saved.

The Circuit has been developed by the BHF in partnership with Resuscitation Council UK, St John Ambulance, and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives.

Regional ambulance services have previously been able to locate defibrillators using their own regional databases.

However, The Circuit is a pioneering database that maps defibrillators across the UK for the first time. This means that ambulance services will be able to direct bystanders to the closest defibrillator.

To ensure The Circuit achieves its ambitions, the founding health charities are urging all organisations with defibrillators to register them on the system. There are tens of thousands of defibrillators in locations unknown to the ambulance services, and the BHF has set a goal of seeing 70,000 new defibrillators registered before the end of the year.

Organisations can bulk upload all their defibrillators in one go. Its free and quick and easy to do. For more information, please visit TheCircuit.UK.
Warning that the railway isnt a playground as shocking footage released of young people on the tracks

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Feb 19th, 2022

Shocking footage of young people caught on the tracks has prompted the rail industry to urge parents to speak to children about the dangers of the railway before half-term.

720 trespass incidents were recorded in Wales in the last year. In addition to this, British Transport Police (BTP) has received several reports of anti-social behaviour, stone-throwing and damage to railway property, including newly-installed defibrillators.

Officers continue to patrol the network and motion-sensor cameras have been installed at key locations to tackle the issue.

British Transport Police Inspector, Richard Powell, said: The railway is not a playground. Every time someone steps onto the track they are putting themselves at risk of serious, life-changing injury.

We tend to see a spike in cases of juvenile related trespass and anti-social behaviour during the school holidays.

Safety is our top priority and were asking that we all speak to our loved ones to prevent further damage or serious injury.

Emily Coughlin, community safety manager at Network Rail, said: Trespassing on the railway is illegal but, the fact is, playing on the tracks is incredibly dangerous and could lead to life-changing injuries or even fatal consequences.

Network Rail and BTP continuously visit schools across Wales, educating children on the dangers of the railway but we also need care-givers help to really get that message across  especially in the lead up to the school holidays.

Karl Gilmore, Rail Infrastructure Director for Transport for Wales, said: It is extremely disappointing that within weeks of the first phase of life-saving defibrillators being installed at TfW railway stations, six have been vandalised and will now need to be repaired.

The defibrillators are a vital tool for the whole community and this vandalism is putting peoples lives at risk.

A cardiac arrest can happen to people of all ages and the use of a defibrillator can greatly increase someones chance of survival. Its important the defibrillators are available in key locations, such as railway stations, and in good working order.

We ask anyone who sees a defibrillator being damaged to call the British Transport Police immediately.

Important messages for parents and carers to share with children:

The rail network is never switched off. Electricity powers the overhead cables 24/7.

Never anticipate when the next train is due. Timetables are subject to change and only show passenger services  freight trains can run at any time of the day or night and can travel up to 100mph.

Trespass is illegal, and anyone caught could face up to 1,000 fine and be left with a criminal record.

BTP and Network Rail run a hard-hitting safety campaign  You Vs Train, which highlights the devastating consequences of trespassing on the railway. More information on rail safety can be found at www.youvstrain.co.uk
Avocados harvested at an orchard near Ziracuaretiro, Michoacan state, Mexico, Oct. 1, 2019. The United States is resuming its avocado inspection program in Mexcio's Michoacan state a week after imposing a temporary ban in response to a US inspector receiving a death threat.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, was given a boost last year as millions of families across the United States saw an increase in their benefits. This increase is expected to be between $12 and $15 per person. SNAP covers funds towards food for low-income families. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which manages the program, has more than 9.3 million households and over 21 million people who received SNAP benefits in August 2021.

There are emergency measures in place to ensure SNAP receivers get all the money they need. One of these measures covers the covid-19 pandemic, meaning states which meet certain covid-19 qualifiers, such as having high rate of infection, automatically receive the maximum possible money.

If you are from any of these states then expect to receive the maximum payment for February.

All states with emergency values for SNAP rollout Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Colorado

District of Columbia

Georgia

Hawaii

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Michigan

New Jersey

New Hampshire

New Mexico

North Carolina

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Texas

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

What is the maximum you could receive?

For families of four people living in the 48 contiguous US states, including the District of Columbia, the maximum allocation for the year will be $835.



For families of four people living in Alaska, the maximum is between $1,074 and $1,667 in Alaska, while people in Hawaii can receive a maximum of $1,573.

In two US dependencies, families in Guam can receive a maximum of $1,231, while those in the US Virgin Islands can receive up to $1,074, the same as the minimum in Alaska.

The list of states under emergency measures are always in flux and are likely to change by March.

The benefits are sent out at a different time in each state, and you can find out when yours will arrive here.
ISP responded to more than 2,000 calls for help during winter storm
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on the health care system in the United States and globally. In the US alone, over 20 percent of all health care workers have left the profession since the start of the pandemic.

As across the US, the pandemic has hit Baltimore, Maryland with repeated devastating surges. Nearly 1 million people in Maryland have officially been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and 13,720 have died.

A nurse looking out a hospital window (Credit: pexels.com/EVG Photos)

In January, COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations reached all-time highs throughout Maryland due to the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant, with a peak of 3,462 people hospitalized on January 11. As with many other Democratic Party-led states, Maryland is prematurely lifting its mask mandate just as cases are once again starting to rise.

The World Socialist Web Site conducted the following interview with a public health professional who works at a hospital in Baltimore and requested anonymity. They describe the horrific conditions in their hospital during the recent surge of the Omicron variant.

Evan Blake (EB): Can you describe your role at the hospital where you work and speak about the situation there, specifically the issue of redeployment?

Health Professional (HP): I am a public health professional and administer externally funded programs, including FEMA funding for COVID relief, our mobile vaccination unit, and our hospital based vaccine clinics, as well as being involved in data analysis and surge response.

Im at a hospital system in the Baltimore region, and redeployment of staff within hospitals is happening at my system as well as multiple others in this region and the DC/Capital region. I dont think that a lot of people outside the health care system know that this is even happening, let alone what it means.

No one without relevant certifications is caring for patients; however, hundreds of staff have been pulled from other job functions (finance, IT, philanthropy, etc.) to work directly in support roles. That would include covering for EVS (cleaning patient rooms and facilities), bringing meals and trays back and forth, transporting patients, assisting the registrar, working at the vaccine clinics, etc.

This is not without riskbeing in the facility itself and being in patient rooms is obviously a risk, but we also run the risks of very aggrieved patients, families and community members.

We have had MULTIPLE bomb threats, armed individuals trying to break in, armed individuals ACTUALLY breaking in, stalking, tires slashed in our parking lots, people attempting to drive into or through the outdoor vaccine sites, people coughing or spitting on us. The nurses and social workers have taken the brunt of this. For example, I know at least one palliative care social worker that quit after she was attacked by a family member as they werent allowed to see their family member who was dying from COVID.

Nurses so far have not been allowed to unionize within this state that I know of (some of our support staff are unionized under SEIU), and many are out sick or outright quitting due to the conditions and the emotional and physical stress.

With regard to direct patient care, all direct patient care is still done by doctors, nurses, NPs, techs, respiratory therapists, etc., but it is harder and harder to find qualified people to fill these jobs. Many hospitals are paying out the nose for travel nurses to fill positions but refuse to pay their own staff nurses more.

We have been pulling nursing students out of school early and pulling doctors and nurses out of retirement. Many nurses have had to redeploy to ICU units or the ED [Emergency Department], for example many labor and delivery nurses were redeployed to an area ED because so many pregnant individuals with COVID were coming in.

Concurrently, I could not tell you a single member of any executive staff in this entire state (or outside of it, to be honest) that has publicly taken any kind of pay cut. Throughout the entire pandemic, myself and other hospital staff, including nurses, have not gotten any hazard pay. At one point we got a small (~$250) bonus for the holidays. Many of us were furloughed and some positions have been eliminated; I do think this has been worse for other systems but could not tell you for sure.

It is unconscionable to me that people making well into the six figures would not redistribute at least some of that salary to individuals doing dangerous direct patient care during a deadly pandemic, but I cant even find anyone suggesting this step. Directors were also given a larger (but still small) raise than other levels of staff; to me this seemed like it should be the other way around.

The terrible conditions at my hospital are compounded by the feeling that I am living in two different worlds, or a sort of separate reality within and without the hospital.

When I enter our main hospital entrance, I immediately see a large portrait of a colleague who passed away from COVID, along with handwritten remembrances of him and other colleagues. We are wearing masks and face shields for hours at a time still, and many of our colleagues (a higher number than ever before) are out sick, but we are being asked to return faster than ever before as well, sometimes when we still have symptoms.

The emotional toll of caring for patients or populations who are suffering greatly and not necessarily being able to help them, and now its kids as well, is causing so many of us, me included, to suffer from anxiety, depression, insomnia, panic attacks, etc.

But then when I go outside the hospital, it seems like no one even cares. I go to the grocery store and many individuals are not even wearing masks at all. People are blithely traveling internationally or to and from areas of high incidence, people are at gyms without masks, people are going to concerts and parties inside with huge groups, people are eating and drinking inside. It is incredibly disheartening.

So many of us are burning out or suffering, and executive leadership has seemed to do very little to directly confront this. Sometimes staff will get a nice email thanking us or a small gift or a free meal, but I could not tell you a substantive gesture that has been made by executive leadership that would create real change and demonstrate an understanding of what staff, particularly patient care staff, is going through.

EB: The conditions youve described are absolutely horrific, the opposite of what it should be like in a health care facility. Was redeployment happening during previous surges, or is the Omicron surge the first time its happened for your hospital? Can you also tell me a bit more about what your experience has been like during the pandemic more broadly? Has the Omicron surge been significantly worse than previous surges or comparable?

HP: Redeployment was happening during previous surges but not nearly to the degree or scale of what happened during Omicron.

My experience during the pandemic has honestly been awful. I am actually looking to move out of health care at this point, and I have been working in the health care field in Baltimore for almost 15 years, specifically for six years with my current organization. I have never felt this burnt out or disconnected from why I originally wanted to work in the field.

Working at a hospital, particularly in public health, in Baltimore has never been easy, per se, but I have never once experienced the level of public vitriol and targeted harassment that I have experienced almost daily during the pandemic.

In addition to the bomb threats, armed robberies and vandalism, we have experienced people threatening us at vaccine clinics, people screaming at me or coughing in my face if I wear anything with the logo of the hospital or anything like that in the grocery store.

I know its been awful for the nurses, but also for other individuals. In particular, I have a coworker who is a palliative care social worker. We were unable to let many families physically be in the room with their dying loved ones, and outside of the many threats and abuse from family members, the emotional burden of that is awful.

I will say that many local small businesses, particularly restaurants, have been supportive and amazing. Many restaurants are STILL donating food to frontline workers. And many coworkers stepped up to help and support one another (ironically, we have a peer support group for emotional distress that we cant start yet ... because of COVID).

I do think the Omicron surge has been harder emotionally because many people in the outside world, including sometimes our own family members or friends, and politicians, seem to be operating as if the pandemic is over. So theres the emotional burden of that on top of everything else.

EB: The points you raised on hospital executives not taking pay cuts, while nurses struggle to get by, are important. The annual Oxfam report was released in January and found that while the incomes of the bottom 99 percent of global society have fallen since the start of the pandemic, the top 10 wealthiest men in the world saw their wealth double, while a new billionaire has been created every 26 hours since the pandemic began. Can you comment on this broader growth of social inequality during the pandemic? How could this money have been put to use to end the pandemic, such as through fully-paid lockdowns?

HP: I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by it, but it was incredible to me that a paid lockdown was seen as a draconian, horrifying measure that had no chance of ever being implemented. No one wants to shut everything down forever. But we could have saved so many lives if we had paid people to stay home for just two or three weeks.

It seems like more people are becoming aware of the social inequality since it has been SO blatant and in some ways inescapable, but I also worry that it is hardening peoples hearts. I feel in particular that service industry workers outside of the hospital and support staff in the hospital are being dehumanized and ignored more than ever before. We even had a hospital (not one of mine) in the Baltimore area get in trouble because they vaccinated their board members before any front-line workers.

Although it is difficult to see, I am hopeful that we are also seeing more solidarity among workers of all types, more people vocally questioning things, and more people unionizing or opting out of the system entirely if possible.

But we are seeing the same old tired union-busting tactics that companies have been utilizing forever writ large and applied to other things. For example, many hospital staff of all types would like to speak up more about things like work conditions, burnout, hazard pay, differential standards of pay (i.e., why does a doctor make so much but a janitor so little, when the janitor is probably exposed to more danger on a daily basis), but the threat of losing ones job for doing so is always there, especially potent when we see people losing their jobs and their houses at such high rates.

EB: Regarding the disconnect between the war-zone-like environment in the hospital and the return to normalcy by many people, I think its important to understand this politically, as the outcome of relentless propaganda by the corporate media and politicians to push the vaccine-only approach and present the pandemic as being over. What are your thoughts on these deliberate efforts to say we have to live with the virus, with some even going so far as to say that everyone getting infected with Omicron would be a positive good?

HP: The efforts of some politicians (and experts paid by politicians) to essentially gaslight the public have been infuriating and frustrating. I think in particular its been very difficult for parents and immunocompromised individuals (obviously those categories can overlap), who CANT return to normal, and I think many people dont realize that not every immunocompromised person is like Bubble Boy, and they dont view their own lives as expendable or not important.

As far as living with the virus, I certainly do not think that everyone should simply get infected or leave themselves completely open to infection, particularly with Long COVID (which politicians rarely refer to as well). There is a way to learn to live with the virus, but that means moving forward and finding a new way, keeping some public health measures in place, leaving a lot of the new remote work or education measures in place, etc. It doesnt mean scrap every single public health measure and everyone never wear a mask again.

EB: As a final question, can you comment on how the concept of endemicity is now being misused, and your thoughts on the interview we did with Boston University epidemiologist Eleanor Murray on this?

HP: The interview with Dr. Murray says it wellthe POLITICAL framing of endemicity has been that endemic is essentially a step down from pandemic. In public health or immunology, we dont use endemic that way, and the political connotation that endemic is less serious also doesnt really mean anything in a scientific sense.

A good example of this is malaria, which is endemic to certain regions of the world, but which also causes untold suffering and is a leading cause of death in many of those same areas, especially pediatric death.

So, the framing of endemic as a sort of junior pandemic is extremely disingenuous and dangerous. Specificity of language means things. Weve already been battling a huge disinformation campaign about how vaccines work (i.e., there are MANY MANY existing vaccines that dont prevent infection but they DO prevent disease, which are DIFFERENT things), and we dont need to add new layers to that.

I truly think we are doing a huge public disservice when we sort of throw terms around like endemicity and use them to mean whatever we want. I think the level of scientific literacy in this country is shockingly low, but I also dont think that is because the majority of people are stupid or dont believe in science, its just that science and in particular public health are not taught in schools and in general not presented in ways that invite curiosity and learning.

If I had not specifically learned these things in college-level courses, I would also not know them, and its not fair that we keep that knowledge behind numerous accessibility barriers and then complain that people don't know it. But that is a whole other conversation of course!

EB: Thank you for your time and for sharing your thoughts and experiences. Youve given a real depiction of what conditions are like at present after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The far-right Freedom Convoy was built up and incited by powerful sections of Canadas ruling elite and mainstream media as a battering ram against widespread popular backing for public health measures to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Rally in support of the far-right Convoy in Vaughan, on the outskirts of Toronto, Jan. 27. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)

Over the past three weeks, the menacing presence of a far-right extra-parliamentary movement in downtown Ottawa and at US-Canada border crossings explicitly committed to political violence has been seized on by provincial governments across the country to scrap capacity limits, vaccine passports, mask mandates and other limited mitigation measures. The dismantling of what little remains of anti-COVID-19 measures was green-lighted by the Trudeau Liberal government.

Members and supporters of the Cross-Canada Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee (CERSC) spoke to the World Socialist Web Site about the ruling elites backing for the convoy and adoption of a policy of letting the deadly virus run rampant. The CERSC was established in March 2021 by educators, support staff and other workers to fight for an immediate halt to in-person learning and nonessential production with full compensation for all workers affected until community transmission of COVID-19 is reduced to zero.

Malcolm, a teacher from British Columbia, said of the convoy, We need to recognize it for exactly what its demands show it to be: viciously anti-worker.

Despite noise and chattering about the sociological construct of the protesters and who they represent, they have been unequivocal about their demands: the immediate repeal by all levels of government of any and all pandemic restrictions. This represents nothing less than a frontal assault on the right of the working class to protect itself from a disease that has killed millions, likely tens of millions, in the past two years alone.

Already conservative elements across the country, emboldened by the protests, are demanding that the few limited and entirely insufficient public health measures that do exist, such as masks and vaccine mandates, be banned. In future waves, of which there will be morethere is no serious scientific disagreement about thisteachers will face a greater struggle than ever seen in previous waves to get these basic measures re-introduced. This result will inevitably lead to more disease, more illness and more death for workers and the most vulnerable and marginalized in society.

Sterling, a school caretaker from Toronto, explained, The Freedom Convoy is a huge threat to working people because it will accelerate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the weeks and months to come. Their demand to end all COVID restrictions threatens our lives. They want the freedom to infect everyone with a deadly virus, and they want the freedom to expose workers to COVID to protect the profits of the financial aristocracy in Canada.

Provincial governments have already begun to capitulate to the convoys fascistic demands to purge all COVID protections! Premiers and unethical public health officials lie and try to claim removing COVID protections has nothing to do with the convoy. Their contempt for the working class is clear, they think were stupid and cannot recognize their lies!

An Ontario teacher described the convoy as deeply, corrosively anti-democratic. He went on, It bears strong parallels with the dysfunction I observed during the collapse of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

For workers, we face a double problem. First, the protest is anti-worker and bears strong ties with right-wing, fascist corporatism both from Canada as well as being heavily influenced by the US. Second, in the necessary social response to this crisis, we risk this becoming a precedent our government can use to deploy the measures being considered for the current debacle against legitimate civil protest workers will need to engage in in the near/medium future.

A parent from Brampton, Ontario remarked, I am completely baffled by the so-called Freedom Convoy and its supporters calling for all mandates and restrictions to be dropped immediately. The let it rip group wants it all, but offers no compromises or solutions. If they actually think that wearing a mask, getting vaccinated and following other health and safety protocols in order to protect the vulnerable members of our community equal persecution, then all I see are selfish, arrogant, irresponsible, entitled whiners that have zero clue as to what real tyranny or struggle is. They drive across the country to protest losing their freedom? The irony is lost on them.

Fascism still exists. To deny its existence is to give it a chance to flourish. Blind denial and intolerance often go hand in hand; its not uncommon for people with far-right/fascist tendencies to gaslight people and dismiss very credible proof of fascism. Freedom does not exist in a vacuum, and living in a free society does not mean one is free from being held accountable for ones actions. Freedom without responsibility is an infringement on other citizens freedom. All freedom comes with responsibilities.

Ken, a teacher from Ontario, stated, Removing the safety measures that protect me, my students, and our families in Ontario schools is incomprehensible. What freedoms are they seeking? The freedom to infect others and to behave as they wish during a pandemic?

Do these individuals know or care what ending mask mandates would mean in a school with 1,800 people? Kids are packed into crowded hallways and classrooms! Community transmission is still high! Where is the public debate on this?

Why are we even having this conversation while hospitals and nurses are still struggling? Why are we letting a tiny minority of anti-vax conspiracy theorists, religious fundamentalists, fascist hooligans, and small business owners encamped in Ottawa dictate public health policy for the whole country? Where is the outcry in the media, with public health officials, and from our governments? What about teachers unions? Please tell me you all can do better than just moralize from the sidelines how this is all about racism or white supremacy. Public health is a working class issue! This convoy and the forces that support it are an attack against all workers. This is not a working class movement. Its the exact opposite.

Ken also addressed the backing the convoy has received from significant sections of the ruling class. I believe the government and members of the business community are working with this far-right fascistic mob, he said. I think they want to force an end to the public health measures that all workers need in place to keep our schools safe and children safe because good public health practice is bad for big business and the economy. The unions and the NDP [New Democratic Party] look on and only moralize from the sidelines.

Nella, the spouse of an educator in British Columbia, pointed out the cynicism of the provincial NDP government, which has sought to pose as bitter opponents of the convoys demand to let the virus run rampant. Premier John Horgan and his top public health official, Bonnie Henry, are notorious internationally for denying the airborne transmission of COVID-19 and covering up the extent of infections in the provinces schools.

In BC, the (convoy) protests have turned political theater into an outright farce, she said. Horgan and Henry have now cast themselves as protectors of the working class and public health, a role they showed exactly zero interest in assuming for the previous two years. Still, the political implications point to our provincial leadership using the protests as an excuse to not implement new restrictions, whenever the next wave hits, citing the no public appetite for such measures canard. We know full well that the protests have little to no public support. The lack of public appetite is code for governments not wishing to interrupt the flow of profits to the investor class and financial oligarchy.

As the spouse of an educator, the convoy puts my partner at an increased risk of sickening both of us. For this reason, the most practical immediate political action is a mass mobilization of workers, not only against the convoy and its supporters, but against the ruling classs pandemic policies of never-ending disease and death.

Ken agreed with the need for educators and workers more generally to mobilize in struggle against the ruling elites homicidal pandemic policy. It is now painfully clear that teachers, parents, students and all workers are the only ones who can end this occupation and force the government to keep mandates in place, he commented. But we need to organize. We really need to get moving before workers have no protections and we all get sick.

Sterling agreed, concluding his message, In the weeks and months to come a new COVID surge will come, which will see the working class get infected, disabled and die of COVID. The only way to end this madness is for workers to organize into rank-and-file committees in their workplaces to fight the criminal policies of the ruling class and their lackeys in the trade unions, and demand the elimination of COVID!
Ukrainian soldiers use a launcher with US Javelin missiles during military exercises in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. (Ukrainian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that Canada will provide $7.8 million worth of lethal weaponry and a $500 million loan to the right-wing Ukrainian regime as part of the US-led drive to war with Russia. The announcement was tacked on to the end of a press conference at which Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act to end the ongoing far-right Freedom Convoy occupation of Ottawa.

A news release from the Department of National Defence noted that the weaponry, referred to cynically as lethal aid, would include machine guns, pistols, carbines, sniper rifles, 1.5 million rounds of ammunition, and other small arms equipment. Canada has previously gifted Ukraine more than $23 million in non-lethal military aid, including communications equipment, body armour, and a mobile field hospital.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), a rabidly anti-Russian, vocal pro-Kiev lobby group, enthusiastically greeted the announcement of the delivery of Canadian lethal aid. Alexandra Chyczij, the UCCs president, said, Canada has shown again that it is a true friend to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

The $500 million loan is in addition to a $120 million loan announced on January 21. Both of these loans are being provided through the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act R.S.C 1985, which also regulates Canadas collaboration with the IMF. They bring the total Canada has lent Ukraine since 2014 to $1.02 billion. In February 2014, a US-orchestrated, fascist-spearheaded putsch overthrew Ukraines democratically elected, pro-Russian president, Victor Yanukovych, paving the way for the current crisis.

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, reiterating the common line of all NATO governments, stated that Canada will not stand idly by while the rules-based international order is challenged ... Any further invasion of Ukraine by the Russian military will be met with severe consequences.

Canadas foreign ministry ratcheted up the anti-Russia propaganda Thursday after reports emerged of an exchange of shellfire between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. In a grotesque distortion of the reality on the ground, where the first shells were fired by Ukrainian government forces, Joly declared in a statement, Canada strongly condemns the unprovoked Russian military activity in the Donbas region of Ukraine. Innocent civilians were put in danger by this clear effort by Russia to escalate the crisis. We commend the restraint shown by Ukraine.

The endless stream of lies about finding a diplomatic solution to Russian aggression is intended to dupe the public as to who the actual aggressor is. With every day that goes by, it becomes ever clearer that Canada, like its NATO allies, is recklessly inflaming the conflict with Russia in order to provoke an all-out war.

The present crisis is the product of the Stalinist bureaucracys dissolution of the Soviet Union three decades ago, which unleashed a period of aggressive NATO expansion into Eastern Europe. In 1990, the US, UK and France offered Gorbachev assurances that they would not expand NATO into the former Warsaw Pact countries in exchange for the Soviet Union not exercising its legal veto power against the unification of Germany. Intent on offsetting its economic decline with its considerable military might, American imperialism has overseen the integration of numerous Eastern European states, which are riddled with virulent nationalist, fascistic, and outright neo-Nazi movements, into NATO. Ultimately, the NATO war drive is part of imperialism strategy to carve up Russia, reduce it to semi-colonial status, exploit its resources, and consolidate a hegemonic geopolitical position on the Eurasian continent in preparation for war with China.

Canadaa junior partner of American imperialism with extensive and lucrative cross-border economic and military supply chains and its own strategic rivalry with Moscow in the Arctichas assumed a major role in NATOs military buildup and encirclement of Russia. Barely two months after the far-right coup in Kiev, Canada offered its military assets to Operation REASSURANCE, the ongoing NATO deployment in Eastern Europe. Military deployments undertaken since 2014 include: a rotating task force of six CF-18 Hornets for what is euphemistically called air policing; 540 soldiers of the Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Latvia, who will be deployed there until at least 2023; and the dispatch of Halifax class frigates to the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 in the Baltic Sea.

Canada plays a significant role in Ukrainian political life. Two weeks ago, a report in the Globe and Mail noted that pressure from Ottawa played a decisive role in persuading President Volodymyr Zelensky not to detain former President Petro Poroshenko on corruption charges following his return to the country. Poroshenko, the first Ukrainian president following the 2014 coup, is seen as even more loyal to US imperialism and its allies than Zelensky and is being held in reserve as possible replacement for the latter.

Through Operation Unifier, the Canadian Armed Forces provides training to the Ukrainian army, which is infested with far right and outright fascist forces. Trudeau recently announced the expansion of Operation Unifier from 200 to as many as 400 troops.

Operation Unifier sheds some light on the sort of democratic forces Canada is cultivating in Ukraine. In November, it was revealed that Canadian soldiers provided training on firearms usage and infantry tactics to the neo-Nazi Azov battalion. Canadian officers and diplomats actively tried to cover this fact up.

The cultivation of relationships with outright fascist forces abroad is complemented by a similar process domestically. Sections of the political establishmentincluding leading Conservatives, like Pierre Poilievre and Candice Bergen, and Maxime Bernier, the former Harper Conservative cabinet minister who now heads the ultra-right Peoples Party of Canada have enthusiastically promoted the Freedom Convoy. They have used it to press for the elimination of all remaining anti-COVID public health measures, so as to remove any impediments to big business maximizing its profits, and to push politics far to the right.

The Liberal government has been continuously berated by the Conservatives and the corporate media for being insufficiently aggressive in confronting Russia. In a written statement in response to the Trudeau governments announcement of the extension of the military training mission in Ukraine in January, Shadow Foreign Minister Michael Chongwidely considered a moderate in a party that is ever more closely following in the far-right footsteps of the US Republican Partyand two other front-bench Conservative MPs attacked Trudeau. They claimed his failure to provide Kiev with lethal weaponry calls into question the Liberal governments support for Ukraine in their fight against Russias aggression. The time for half measures has long passed, the statement continued. Ukraine needs Canadas support and today Mr. Trudeau let them down.

The social democratic New Democratic Partywhich has propped up the minority Liberal government for the past two-and-a-half yearsis no less vociferous in its anti-Russia, pro-war rhetoric. NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Heather McPherson declared in a January 31 statement that the party was alarmed by escalating threats of further Russian invasion into Ukraine, and claimed to support an independent and democratic Ukraine.

In reality, the NDP, like the entire Canadian political establishment, wants Ukraine to serve as a loyal client state to the Western imperialist powers on Russias doorstep.
Germany is playing an ever greater role in NATOs aggressive buildup against Russia, increasingly threatening a third world war.

Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (Social Democrats, SPD) yesterday called for a rapid and massive increase in defense spending to prepare the German armed forces for a possible war against Russia. The threatening situation on the borders of Ukraine has once again shown us very clearly how important an effective deterrent is unfortunately again today, she explained to Der Spiegel. From this, Germanys governing coalition must draw conclusions for the financing of the German army.

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) with her U.S. counterpart Lloyd J. Austin III at the NATO defense ministers meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Feb. 16, 2022 (Stephanie Lecocq, Pool Photo via AP)

Lambrecht explained that national and alliance defense within NATOa code word for the preparation for war against Russiais one of the core tasks of the German armed forces. They have to be equipped in the best possible way for this, and that also means that the defense budget must continue to increase, she said.

The spending figures being discussed behind the scenes are gigantic. According to a detailed paper reported on by Der Spiegel, planners for the armed forces have calculated that the military will need an additional 37.6 billion in the years up to 2026. This extra spending will be needed to fulfill commitments already made to NATO and to be able to implement urgently needed modernization steps, such as the purchase of a new fleet of fighter jets.

In a speech at the Munich Security Conference, which was all about the war offensive against Russia, Lambrecht repeated her demand. We have to pay for the security of tomorrow today. And I mean that literally: In order to give ourselves the necessary room for maneuver to modernize our armed forces, we have to be in good financial shape. In other words, we must continue to increase defense spending and do so sustainably, she commented.

Without mincing words, she declared that the ruling class is once again preparing for full-scale wars. The conflicts of the future will no longer only be fought on land, at sea and in the air, but also in cyberspace and in space, she said. We will always be dealing with new weapon systems: just a few years ago, steerable hypersonic missiles were a thing of the future. Today they are reality.

Lambrecht identified the nuclear powers, Russia and China, as opponents. Moscow has developed an exoskeleton that makes soldiers more mobile, more efficient and more resilient, and in China bionic research has military priority. She concluded, We recognize that we must make our society more resilient to attacks of any kind; that we have to make our armed forces fit for new forms of conflict, for the areas of conflict and the weapons of the future.

In fact, the conflicts of the future have long since begun. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union 30 years ago, the imperialist powers have been at war almost continuously in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. With regard to Russia, they are pursuing the goal of subjugating the resource-rich and geostrategically central country, also as a prerequisite for a war against China.

In the past few weeks and days, the conflict has continued to escalate. The United States and NATO are working systematically to launch a war against Moscow under the fabricated pretext of an alleged Russian invasion of Ukraine.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) speaks at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 18, 2022 (Ina Fassbender/Pool via AP)

Today, we have to say this very clearly, a new war is threatening in the middle of our Europe, said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in her speech at the Munich Security Conference. Russia is making an absolutely unacceptable threat with its troop deployment against Ukraine, but also against all of us and our peace architecture in Europe.

Who does the Green foreign minister, who appeared in Munich together with her US counterpart Antony Blinken, think she is kidding? In the Ukraine conflict, it is not Russia that is the aggressor but NATO. In early 2014, Washington and Berlin, in close cooperation with fascist forces, organized a coup against the pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. Ever since, they have been systematically moving troops to Eastern Europe.

At their meeting in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday, the NATO defense ministers decided to further strengthen their presence in Eastern Europe. As part of the so-called Enhanced Forward Presence, the military alliance wants to station battle groups in Bulgaria and Romania, and possibly also in Hungary and Slovakia in the future. The battle groups in the Baltic states and Poland, which have existed since 2017, are currently being strengthened.

Germany is playing a central role in the war buildup against Russia. On Thursday, the German army reported that the first large marching group of reinforcement forces had reached the German-led NATO battle group in Lithuania. On the same day, three Eurofighters from the Tactical Air Force Squadron 74 arrived at the Romanian air base Mihail Kogalniceanu to take part in NATOs so-called air policing.

On Friday evening, Germany, together with other NATO allies, increased the operational readiness of the NATO intervention force. At the request of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Tod Wolters, and in close coordination with the Allies, the federal government will increase the responsiveness of the German armys forces registered in the NATO Response Force, said a statement from the Ministry of Defense.

In concrete terms, this means that the readiness to relocate almost 14,000 soldiers who were deployed to Germany as part of the NATO Response Force is reduced to the minimum of 30 days. According to the Defense Ministry, further preparatory measures to increase operational readiness and improve NATOs responsiveness could follow.

The mobilization is being accompanied by a deafening propaganda campaign in the media, whose lead opinion makers are foaming at the mouth with the demand for war and claiming the government is still responding too timidly. It is characteristic of the German debate that it is conducted almost exclusively in moral categories, but not based on the question of what helps to assert German interests, complains Stefan Kornelius, head of the politics desk of the Suddeutsche Zeitung. In other words, crimes must be committed once again to secure resources and geostrategic influence. This is the mindset of the ruling class, which has already taken over 120,000 lives in the pandemic.

The aggressive behavior of the German ruling elite confirms the warnings of the Socialist Equality Party (SGP). When then Foreign Minister and current Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) announced at the Munich Security Conference in 2014 that Germany was too big to only comment on world politics from the sidelines and had to engage in foreign and security policy earlier, more decisively and more substantively, and shortly thereafter supported the coup in Ukraine, we wrote:

History is returning with a vengeance. Almost 70 years after the crimes of the Nazis and its defeat in World War II, the German ruling class is once again adopting the imperialist great power politics of the Kaisers Empire and Hitler. The speed of the escalation of the war propaganda against Russia recalls the eve of World War I and World War II. In Ukraine, the German government is cooperating with the fascists of Svoboda and the Right Sector, which stand in the tradition of Nazi collaborators in the Second World War. It is using the country that was occupied by Germany in both world wars as a staging ground against Russia.

Eight years later, the imperialist powers are implementing the program of their fascist collaborators in Ukraine. Oleh Tyahnybok, a member of Ukraines parliament and leader of the neo-Nazi Svoboda party, said earlier this month that Russia would have to be dismembered and divided into 20 nation-states to bring Crimea back to Ukraine. Tyahnybok was already one of Steinmeiers closest allies in 2014.

The Putin regime has no progressive response to the aggression that increasingly follows the lines of the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union by the Nazi Wehrmacht. It represents the interests of a corrupt oligarchy, which has amassed enormous fortunes since the Stalinist restoration of capitalism, and also, with its reactionary nationalism and militarism, it is further increasing the danger of war.

The only way to prevent a relapse into world war and barbarism is through the mobilization of the working class on the basis of an international socialist program.
A protester holds a sign demanding justice for Amir Locke at a rally on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa)

Hundreds of mourners gathered in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Thursday for the funeral of Amir Locke, the 22-year-old black man shot dead by police executing a no knock warrant at an apartment earlier this month. Lockes funeral was held at Shiloh Temple International Ministries, the same church where the funeral for Daunte Wrightkilled by Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potterwas held last April.

A large portrait of Locke was at the front of the church as people streamed inside to pay their respects. Lockes body rested in an ivory casket topped with roses and multiple bouquets of flowers nearby. Relatives of George Floyd and Botham Jean, who were also killed at the hands of police, attended Lockes funeral.

Locke was shot by Minneapolis SWAT team officer Mark Hanneman shortly before dawn on February 2 as officers served a search warrant. Days after his death, police released body camera footage showing at least four officers using a key to quietly enter the apartment where Locke was staying, then shouting their presence.

Police found Locke, who did not live at the apartment, sleeping under a blanket on the couch. The video shows Locke stirring and holding a handgun right before Hanneman shot him. He was shot less than 10 seconds after officers entered the room. Locke had no criminal record and was a registered gun owner who acquired a firearm because he was worried about carjackings as a driver for the DoorDash delivery service, according to family.

Locke was not named in the search warrant and family members have likened his killing to an execution, noting the video shows an officer kicking the sofa, and suggested Locke was startled awake and disoriented. They have also denied the police claim that Locke was shot after he pointed his gun at officers.

Lockes death has been compared with the killing of George Floyd, who died when former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin used his knee to pin Floyds neck to the ground. The circumstances surrounding Lockes fatal encounter with police also mirrors that of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman fatally shot by police during a raid on her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky.

As they remembered Locke and others who died at the hands of police, speakers at Lockes funeral condemned police for the events that led to the young mans killing.

I keep seeing that still picture of my baby with the covers still over his head, said Lockes mother, Karen Wells. The chief of police, Mayor Frey, and all those SWAT members that was in there, when you go to bed at night, I want you to see his face. When you wake up in the morning, I want you to see his face.

Lockes aunt, Linda Tyler, demanded that officers stop talking about the need for more training, and instead start using de-escalation techniques on white and black people alike.

If it is something you simply cannot do, we just ask that you resign today instead of resigning another brother or sister to her grave, she said.

You had time to assess the situation, you had time to secure it, but you didnt. So, you dont need further trainingyou need to be fired, she said. You ambushed my nephew, you took his life. And while he didnt matter to you ... he mattered to this whole family. He mattered to this community.

Longtime Democratic functionary Reverend Al Sharpton attended the event and delivered Lockes eulogy. Sharpton sought to promote illusions in police reformeven as the Democratic Party led by President Joe Biden funnels millions of dollars into the police and has abandoned token reform effortsand portray police violence in the US as a purely racial issue.

Amir was not guilty of being anything but being young and black in America, Sharpton declared. We are the survivors of the worst condemnation in history, he added, referring to slavery, and thats why this is just a tragedy that we are here.

Lockes funeral marks the third time in less than two years that Sharpton attended the funeral of a black man killed by police in the Twin Cities. Sharpton delivered George Floyds eulogy in 2020 and later delivered the eulogy for Daunte Wright in 2021.

In each of these instances, Sharpton and the Democrats have insisted the senseless deaths were the result of systemic racism and reflect a need for police reform, distracting from the reality that police violence is rooted in the historic levels of social inequality created by the capitalist system.

Murderous police departments are supported and funded by Democrats and Republicans alike to defend the interest of private property. Police are granted almost complete immunity to beat, maim and kill. Prosecutors and judges routinely give killer cops a pass, with only a handful ever charged, despite more than 1,000 killings every year.

As an example, Wrights killer, Potter, was sentenced Friday to just two years in prison, far less than the standard of about seven years for manslaughter, after a judge said leniency was warranted because Potter said she had meant to fire her Taser and not her gun at Wright. Potters slap on the wrist sends the clear message that Wrights life meant nothing to the state and police officers can rest easy in their ability to use ultimate force.

According to Mapping Police Violence, police killed 1,134 people in 2021 alone. Although minorities are killed at a disproportionate rate, white people make up the largest share of people killed by police year after year. The deadly force police regularly employ against the population is an inevitable result of a society riven with inequality and social contradictions. The victims of the police are of every race, ethnicity and genderpredominantly poor and working class.

But this is not how the issue is presented in the mainstream media, which incessantly portrays the brutal American police regime as a product of systemic racism in an effort to mask the class issues behind the epidemic of police violence in America. As the crisis of capitalism intensifies, the ruling class will increasingly rely on its special bodies of armed men to repress any form of social discontent or any working class movement that threatens its privileges.
Asked on France's Info news channel about the freedom convoy movement demanding the lifting of all COVID-19 restrictions, Nathalie Arthaud, presidential candidate of the pseudo-left Workers Struggle (Lutte Ouvriere) group hailed it as salutary.



Lutte Ouvriere (LO) is thus working to promote a movement organised at the behest of the far right, falsely claiming that this convoywhich calls for a health policy that produces mass infectionsdefends the interests of the working class.

A protester carries a French flag on a truck part of a convoy n Lyon, central France, Friday, Feb.11, 2022. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

The convoys met a week ago in Paris, where they were banned by the Paris Prefecture. These convoys were not as successful as the organizers had hoped, having no support among the workers. However, on France Info, Arthaud presented these convoys as a denunciation of the soaring price of petrol, of the French petrol company Totals super profits, of precariousness, of low wages. They are right to fight and I applaud them for inviting themselves into this election campaign. Its good to finally hear about the problems of the working classes.

She added: The increase in the price of petrol is the will of the oil trusts. In reality, Total is raising the price of petrol and thats what makes its super profits. I think that workers should pay zero tax and that should be compensated by confiscating part of the profits. So, this movement puts all that on the table.

Finally, Arthaud put forward a rambling list of demands: Workers must be able to demand wage increases that are commensurate with their salaries and increases in retirement pensions that we havent seen for 52 years. The minimum wage must be 2,000 (US$2,275) net per month, this must be a minimum for wages and pensions. We need to hire in schools, in hospitals and we need to pay the care assistants better, the workers, they carry the company, they should have priority.

Nathalie Arthaud falsifies the origin and class character of the Freedom Convoy movement by calling it a social protest against the high cost of living. Inspired by the Canadian Freedom Convoy, which is linked to the far-right forces involved in the attempted coup detat of former US President Donald Trump on 6 January 2021 in Washington, convoys have been organized across Europe by organizations linked to far-right parties such as QAnon or far-right activists who campaigned against vaccination last year.

The forces behind this reactionary movement are the same ones behind the letter from former generals and active officers calling for military action against political opposition on French soil. They are involved in the preparations for a dictatorship at the highest levels of the state and the military apparatus, representing powerful sections of the financial aristocracy.

The demands of the freedom convoys are above all aimed at accelerating the elimination of health measures against COVID-19, which European governments are in fact already doing.

Significantly, despite the ban on the convoys in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron said he understood the movement. He said: We are all collectively tired of what we have been living through for two years. This fatigue is expressed in several ways: by disarray in some, depression in others. We see a very strong mental suffering among our young and not so young people. And sometimes, this fatigue is also expressed in anger. I hear it and respect it.

LO, like the other pseudo-left parties, is working to align angry and desperate workers behind the far right. LO did it last summer, supporting anti-vaccine demonstrations organized by the far right; now, LO is trying to throw them behind the freedom convoys.

With unerring class instinct, LO and other allied petty-bourgeois pseudo-left groups line up with social reaction against the working class. Four years ago, they denounced mass yellow vest protests against social inequality as a far-right movement; now, facing a genuinely far-right movement with virtually no popular support in a highly-vaccinated population, LO enthusiastically promotes it.

The yellow vest movement, driven by the sympathy of large masses of workers, has drawn in self-employed people and small bosses, whose living conditions are closer to the workers, overflowing the trade union organizations and the pseudo-left. This movement, although defining itself as apolitical, carried workers demands. This movement, which took place at the same time as a series of strikes in the USA, initiated a wave of demonstrations and strikes on five continents against social inequality.

LO is a nationalist, anti-worker organization deeply integrated into the French trade union bureaucracy. It helps plan factory closures, layoffs and attacks on workers social gains as well as participating in the framework of Macrons and the EUs bailout packages for the stock markets and the super-rich, and the official policy of mass infection on the pandemic.

A chasm separates LO, which supports the far-right movement to lift health restrictions, from the opposition of the working class and youth to mass infections, as a new wave of COVID-19 claims thousands of lives every week in France.

The pandemic and the unprecedented social and economic crisis it has caused globally is rapidly exposing the pseudo-left parties. Hostile to a Marxist and internationalist orientation, LO has over decades subordinated the working class to the interests of the trade union bureaucracy by promoting the trade unions as the only organizations that can decree a workers mobilization. These arguments were politically exposed by the yellow vest protests four years ago, which were organized totally independently of the unions, via social media.

Now, as it fears a movement outside the control of the trade union bureaucracy, LO does not seek to build a left-wing and international alternative to the national bureaucracies, but instead seeks to demoralize and confuse opposition by calling for alliances with the far right.

Workers economic problems caused by the pandemic cannot be solved by calls for tax cuts from the far-right protests that LO is cynically promoting. These protests are in fact putting forward a policy that will prolong this pandemic and its trail of death and economic dislocation indefinitely. Workers must oppose these movements and seek to convince the minority of workers who are influenced by the freedom convoys of the need for a scientific fight against the virus.

This requires a break with the pseudo-left, and in particular with LO, which is conducting false propaganda to confuse the workers and sabotage a struggle to eradicate the pandemic. For this the workers must create their own independent organizations, an International Workers Alliance of rank and file committees, and build revolutionary parties by joining the Socialist Equality Parties, national sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International.
On Thursday, as a European Union (EU)-Africa summit opened in Brussels, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the withdrawal of French troops from Mali. French troops have been stationed in Mali ever since 2013, when Socialist Party (PS) President Francois Hollande intervened in Mali after the 2011 NATO war in Libya.

French President Emmanuel Macron, second right, flanked by Ghana's President Nana Afuko Addo, right, Senegal's President Macky Sall, and European Council President Charles Michel, left, holds a joint press conference on France's engagement in the Sahel region, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Feb. 17 2022. (Ian Langsdon, Pool via AP)

This withdrawal is driven by explosive popular opposition to French imperialism, notably in the aftermath of NATOs humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan last year and after repeated massacres committed by French troops or local militias set up with tacit French backing in the Sahel region of Northern Africa. Macron made very clear, however, that Paris will not fully withdraw from its former African colonial empire but will rather step up its diplomatic intrigues in the region.

Standing next to Senegals President Macky Sall and European Council President Charles Michel, he referred to NATOs threats of war with Russia over Ukraine: At this time, as other strategic threats loom over the security of the European continent and legitimately attract our diplomatic attention, it was first of all necessary to send a signal of continuity in the struggle against terrorism in the Sahel. He hailed the federating role France has supposedly played, overseeing the deployment of 25,000 troops from over a dozen countries to Mali, including 5,000 French troops.

Macron made clear Frances role in its former African colonial empire would remain essentially unchanged and that it would now work through a broader Coalition of the Sahel alliance. We will continue, as I told my partners yesterday, to play this federating role and, when a military dimension is needed, the role of the leading nation. Beyond the continuation of our engagement, these discussions also have made clear a consensus exists to develop our action in the Sahel, he said.

Macron laid out a strategy of isolating Mali by surrounding it with a broader alliance of neo-colonial regimes, like that of Sall in Senegal, that are closely allied with French imperialism.

In addition to a UN military contingent and the Takuba task force of European troops, Macron currently works with the so-called G5 alliance of Sahel states who provide the French military with cannon fodder for its operations in Mali. These states are Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad. However, Macron also proposed to integrate the countries of the Accra Initiative along the Gulf of Guinea coastIvory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Benininto his Coalition of the Sahel.

Without referring to protests against the French military presence in Mali, Burkina Faso and beyond, Macron admitted that it was necessary for him to change the parameters of our military presence. In the Sahel and in the Gulf of Guinea, the expectations of our partners have developed. The sensibilities of public opinion in the region have, also, changed.

On this basis, Macron announced the withdrawal of French troops and the Takuba coalition of German and other EU troops. He said, This withdrawal will involve the closure of bases in Gossi, Menaka and Gao. It will be carried out in an orderly manner, together with the Malian armed forces and the UN mission in Mali.  With the agreement of the authorities in Niger, European elements will be redeployed alongside Nigers armed forces in the border region with Mali.

Macron insisted that he completely rejects the notion of a French failure in Mali, blaming the withdrawal instead on the Malian military junta and its supposed disloyalty to France. He said, We cannot remain militarily engaged alongside authorities whose strategy we do not share, any more than we share their hidden objectives. This is the situation we face in Mali today. The war on terror cannot justify everything. It must not, on the pretext of being an absolute priority, become an exercise in indefinitely maintaining oneself in power.

Macrons attempt to cover up mass opposition provoked by the French war in Mali is based on hypocrisy and lies. The withdrawal from Mali is driven not primarily by the Malian military, which has a long record of collaborating with French forces, but by rising opposition among workers and rural toilers across Mali and all of West Africa to the French military presence. The decisive issue is unifying this movement, together with that of the working class in Europe, in an international struggle against war and for the withdrawal of French-EU troops from Africa.

Throughout the Mali war, the pretext Paris advanced was a fraud. In response to revolutionary uprisings of the working class in Tunisia and Egypt in 2011, Paris worked closely with the CIA and Persian Gulf oil sheikdoms to arm Islamist terror groups in wars for regime change in Libya and Syria. Even as it relied on Al Qaeda-linked rebel militias in Syria, however, it invaded Mali, claiming it would save the regime in Bamako from these same Islamist networks.

Anger mounted in Mali, especially over the last several years, amid atrocities such as the French bombing of a wedding ceremony in Bounty that killed 22 and massacres by rival local self-defense militias set up across the region with tacit French backing. Dozens or hundreds were slaughtered in Ogossagou, Sobane Kou and Solhan in neighboring Burkina Faso. In 2020, the army toppled Malian President Ibrahim Bouba Keita and then, after Malian unions shut down a planned general strike in Bamako, launched another coup in May 2021.

Bitter debates erupted inside the French ruling elite over how to deal with the new Malian junta led by President Assimi Goita, which tacked back and forth between pledges of loyalty to Paris and statements in line with mounting popular anger at the French presence. Moreover, the junta began seeking out ties with Russia, as well as the Russian private security firm, Wagner Group.

Last October, Malian Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga accused Paris in an interview with Russias RIA Novosti of arming Islamist terrorists to feed the war in Mali and justify a continued French military presence. Four days later, however, Maiga granted an interview to the French daily Le Monde to insist that the junta still supported a French military presence in Mali.

Asked point-blank whether the Malian government wanted French troops to leave its territory, Maiga replied: We have never said this. We have never broken the bilateral defense accord that unites us with France. But in June, we woke up one morning to media reports that France was suspending military operations with the Malian army, without warning or explanation, because a new government had been set up that they did not like. Maiga stressed that the Malian junta was in talks with Moscow and with the Algerian military regime.

Paris refused to be won over, however. The Macron government provoked mass protests last month across Mali when it backed sanctions by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) cutting off trade in nonessential goods with Mali and freezing Malian state assets at the Central Bank of the West African States. Hundreds of thousands marched, with many holding signs that read: Down with Emmanuel Macron, Long Live Russia.

As NATO threatens Russia with war over Ukraine, Paris is clearly doubling down on its strategy of isolating Mali and seeking to assert its neocolonial hegemony over West Africa, despite explosive popular opposition and the deep unpopularity of its Africa policies among workers at home.

As NATO works to instigate a war with Russia in Ukraine, the key issue is building an international movement in the working class against war and neo-colonial occupations. Moscow and the Malian junta are clearly trying to exploit an explosive growth of working class and popular anger against Paris. However, neither the Malian junta nor the Algerian dictatorshipwhich in 2019 faced mass anti-government hirak protests by millions of Algerian workersnor the Putin government in Moscow stand for either democratic rights or opposition to imperialism.

Indeed, it is more or less apparent that an important calculation in Frances support for the emerging NATO war against Russia in Ukraine is that it will put more pressure on the Malian regime to cut ties with Moscow and instead deal only with Paris. Moscow, which is responding to NATO threats by desperately seeking to leverage its economic ties with the EU, will not prove a reliable ally of the Malian workers and oppressed masses.

The struggle to expel the imperialist powers from Africa and to unite the continents hundreds of millions of workers and toiling people requires the building of an international anti-war movement in the working class on the basis of a socialist program, demanding the withdrawal of all French troops from Africa.
The PM affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to the role of the EU  one of the most important partners in Vietnams external policy, while expressing his pleasure with steps of sound development in the Vietnam-EU comprehensive partnership and cooperation in the past time, with focus on collaboration in the pillars of politics - diplomat, trade  investment, development cooperation and security  defence.



Despite COVID-19 impacts, two-way trade reached 57 billion USD in 2021, a year-on-year increase of 14.5 percent, contributing to maintain the EUs position as Vietnams leading economic and development partner.



Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) receives Executive Vice President of the European Commission (EC) Frans Timmermans (Photo: VNA)



The PM suggested the two sides strengthen the exchange of delegations, especially high-level ones, and resume face-to-face meetings for cooperation/dialogue mechanisms, while proposing the EU facilitate the entry of Vietnamese goods to the European market, especially farm produce and seasonal fruits.



Based on the countrys efforts and progress, he also proposed the EU consider the removal of the ECs yellow card warning imposed on Vietnams seafood.



He asked for the EUs support to the acceleration of other EU member countries to complete the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).



The PM thanked the EU and its member countries for their timely provision of vaccines, medical equipment and supplies to help Vietnam control the COVID-19 pandemic, thus boosting socio-economic recovery and development.



He also suggested the EU and its member countries continue to help Vietnam improve its healthcare capacity, develop the pharmaceutical industry, and provide medical equipment and necessary supplies, COVID-19 treatment drugs.



Defining climate change adaptation as one of the key and urgent tasks, Vietnam has been actively joining the international community in greenhouse gas emission reduction, Chinh said.



He informed that the nation has seriously and quickly implemented its commitments made at the COP26 through the establishment of a national steering committee serving the work at the end of December last year.



He stated that with the principle of not trading the environment for economic growth, Vietnam will soon complete its relevant legal frameworks; develop specific plans, measures and roadmaps, and adjust related strategies and master plans; promote public-private cooperation and mobilise resources for climate change adaptation, among others.



Commending the EU for considering climate change adaptation one of the three key matters in its cooperation programme with Vietnam for 2021-2027, the PM expressed his belief that the blocs climate strategies and policies will open up new cooperation opportunities for the two sides in line with Vietnams sustainable development orientations.



He suggested the EU and its member nations as well as European firms and financial organisations assist Vietnam in terms of technology, human resources, finance and management capacity so that the nation can implement global commitments and initiatives on emission reduction and climate change adaptation; formulate and perfect its law on environment; and improve its capacity regarding natural disaster response in the context of climate change.



He also highlighted the necessity of establishing an equitable energy transition partnership with Vietnam that is similar to the model that the EU and some European countries have signed with South Africa.



Timmermans showed his impression at Vietnam's achievements in developing a self-reliant economy, affirming that the EU attaches great importance to the comprehensive partnership with Vietnam and hopes to further bolster the ties in prioritised areas such as trade, investment, sustainable development, environment and climate change response, science-technology and clean energy.



He lauded strong commitments of Vietnam that made important contributions to the success of the COP26, stating that the EU and its members hope to accompany Vietnam during the countrys sustainable development process and are willing to share experience, give technical support to and mobilise resources for Vietnam to realise its commitments, while supporting the country to become self-reliant in energy.



PM Pham Minh Chinh and his guest also discussed international and regional issues, including the settlement of the East Sea issue through peaceful measures with respect for international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.



They agreed to promote collaboration through such mechanisms as ASEM and the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership, while working together to grasp cooperation opportunities and deal with common challenges, especially those regarding the environment, climate change, green and digital transformation, infrastructure connectivity, health care and gender equality.



PM Pham Minh Chinh took the occasion to extend his invitation to EC President Ursula von der Leyen to visit Vietnam./.
We encourage all Virginia educators, parents and students to attend the next Southeast Educators Rank and File Committee meeting on Sunday, February 20 at 3:00 p.m. EST. Click here to register.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signs a bill that bans mask mandates in public schools in Virginia on the steps of the Capitol Wednesday Feb. 16, 2022, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

On Wednesday, Virginias Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin signed Senate Bill (SB) 739 into law after it passed the states legislature. The law bans the states municipal school boards from issuing mask mandates in public education.

Today we are restoring power back to parents,' said the governor from the lawn of the state Capitol in Richmond. Youngkin inserted an emergency clause into the law which enables it to go into effect March 1 rather than in six months, as most of the states laws do.

The sweeping ban goes beyond the directives of Democratic Party-run states, which have also dropped statewide masking requirements in recent weeks. According to the Washington Post, In those states localities continue to have the option of requiring masks in schools, whereas Virginias new law goes a step further. The present law gives parents the right to opt outeffectively making any mandate unenforceable.

The passage of the law through the state Senate and House relied on the critical support of Virginias Democratic Party. The passage of the bill through the Democrat-controlled state senate last week relied on the support of 19 Republican senators and three Democrats. Democratic Senator Chap Peterson from Fairfax City in the liberal enclave of Northern Virginia supported the measure, claiming that dropping case numbers statewide meant masking policies were no longer justified.

The absurdity of this claim is exposed as soon as one consults the actual statewide coronavirus data. According to the state department of health, daily COVID-19 cases have fallen from nearly 20,000 a day last month to around 4,000.

The rapid drop off, still hovering at levels seen last fall, is attributable mainly to the distribution of personal home tests. According to WAVY, As free COVID-19 tests from the federal government begin arriving in mailboxes across Virginia and North Carolina, lines at community testing sites are getting shorter.

While the free kits are good news for those seeking tests, they are bad news for number-crunchers. Tests taken at home can be reported to the state, but often are not.

State Democrats efforts to forestall the law from taking effect next month on procedural grounds were even thwarted. Republicans passed the bill with the amended emergency clause without a supermajority, citing rules changes enacted under Democratic leadership in the past two years allowing for a simple majority, wrote the Post .

The bills passage with critical Democratic Party support mirrors national developments. Phil Murphy, Democratic governor of New Jersey, announced an end to the mask mandate for schools and day care facilities effective March 7. Murphy joined other Democratic governors from Delaware and Connecticut, John Carney and Ned Lamont, and the Republican governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker, with plans of their own for lifting requirements. Pennsylvanias state mask mandate was lifted last month.

SB739s passage renders irrelevant a series of parent-driven lawsuits which sought to enforce Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mask guidance in schools. These cases were already encountering difficulties at the state court level. Earlier in the month, the Virginia Supreme Court dismissed on procedural grounds a lawsuit filed by a group of 13 Chesapeake parents challenging an executive order signed by Youngkin which banned mask requirements.

The Youngkin administrations claim to be restoring the rights of parents is absurd on its face. In essence, the right being respected by the state is the right to become infected, spread COVID-19 and die. Despite this posturing, a Washington Post analysis late last month discovered that over half of the states school districts, representing nearly 70 percent of all students, were continuing to abide by masking requirements despite the administrations executive order then in effect.

A Washington Post -George Mason University poll taken in September, as Youngkin ran for Governor on an anti-mask platform, shows that 96 percent of self-identified Democrats and 66 percent of Independents supported in-school masking. Republican voters were split nearly down the middle.

The way it all went down, in my mind, I just envision Governor Youngkin as Veruca Salt, stated Amanda Lambert, a Chesapeake County 9th grade teacher to the Post. I dont care how, I want it now!

Others responded to the governors social media announcement with disgust: You are making teachers jobs even more difficult, putting students, teachers and staff at more risk, and undermining professional educators trying to do an already difficult job for too little pay, reads the most popular response on Youngkins Twitter feed.

Youngkin, in issuing the previous orders, claimed, without proof, that masking increases feelings of isolation, exacerbating mental health issues, thereby allegedly posing a greater risk to children than COVID-19.

Although masking and vaccines alone do not completely halt COVID-19 transmission and illness, they are highly effective, especially with regards to the use of high-quality masks, such as the KN95 variety. Instead of providing free high-quality masks and a public education campaign to ensure such masks are used properly, Youngkin is pushing the ruling-class let er rip mass infection campaign.

The newly-signed law was not the only broadside fired against Virginia schoolchildren and parents in recent days. In late January, Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares issued a legal opinion advising that the states public universities do not have the authority to require vaccination for COVID-19. Shortly after the decision, the states major universities dropped their vaccine mandates.

In addition to ensuring community spread of COVID-19, the cumulative impact of this law will be to drive families with immune compromised members out of the public school system, creating an influx of entries into private for-profit schools and charters. This will, in turn, accelerate the destruction and underfunding of public education. Families unable to access this option will be forced to take their chances in unsafe schools, many will get sick and die.

The mass infection policy advocated by the ruling class and big business, designed to keep workers in workplaces pumping out profits, and to keep their children in schools, runs counter to a sane, common-sense public health policy in which the welfare of the general public is paramount.

The working class must fight for a policy that puts public health first and fight to end the pandemic by eliminating COVID-19through socialist policies independent of both capitalist parties and their lackeys in the trade union bureaucracy.
On Thursday, St. Paul Public School (SPPS) teachers, assistants and community support staff voted to authorize a strike following a vote Monday by Minneapolis Public School (MPS) teachers to authorize a strike as well. The strike authorization votes were held under conditions of massive opposition by teachers to the deadly reopening of schools.

A teacher prepares her classroom (Credit: Bart Everson/Flickr.com)

The reopening of schools this year, with the support of the teachers unions, has been catastrophic. COVID-19 infections have accelerated with the Omicron variant running rampant, causing the deaths of at least eight teachers and three students in Minnesota and the hospitalization of many more.

The MPS and SPPS require a 10-day notice of the intent to strike before any strike begins. This would require the leadership in the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers and Education Support Professionals (MFT) Local 59 and the St. Paul Federation of Educators (SPFE) Local 28 to vote for a strike.

The strike authorization vote passed by an overwhelming majority, with 97 percent of Minneapolis teachers, 98 percent of Minneapolis support staff and 78 percent of teachers in St. Paul approving. MPS teachers began contract negotiations for their 2021-2023 contract in February of last year. According to the MFT, the primary issues the union claims to advocate for are higher wages and better benefits, as well as other issues that plague schools, such as inadequate resources for support staff.

Striking a pseudo-militant posture, the MFT is proposing 20 percent increases in salary for the first year followed by 5 percent for the following year of the contract for salaried teachers. This is also coupled with the proposal to double the rate of hourly workers from $25 per hour to $50. This increase, despite its size, will likely still fail to catch up due to decades of wage stagnation.

However, in a move that totally undercuts the demands of the MFT, the St. Paul Federation of Educators Local 28 (SPFE) is proposing a measly 2.5 percent yearly increase in salary increase and the SPPS just 1.5 percent.

While negotiating their previous contract in 2020, SPPS teachers went on strike with similar demands for increased wages, hiring of more teachers and support staff, a limit to class sizes, and resources to help teachers, assistants and support staff. That strike was the first since 1946 in St. Paul. The strike ended abruptly when the COVID-19 pandemic mitigation measures began in March, with the SPFE prematurely ending the struggle and agreeing to SPPS terms, citing concern over the health and safety of our students and staff.

Minneapolis teachers last struck in 1970, when MPS denied demands for livable wages. The teachers walked out in defiance of no-strike laws and court orders intended to muzzle their demands. In the previous round of negotiations, the MFT and MPS converged on a memorandum of agreement that emphasized the hiring and firing of teachers based upon skin color.

Nervous at the prospect of a teachers strike in Minneapolis-St. Paul, the local media has already begun attempts to pit teachers against parents. KSTP News, reporting on the authorization of a strike by teachers in Minneapolis and St. Paul, warned of parent concern over [the impact] of possible teacher strike.

Significantly, in statements to the press and in negotiations, union officials avoided placing teachers demands for remote learning at the forefront despite the overwhelming sentiment in favor of this by both educators and parents.

Teachers and students have demonstrated for remote learning across the US as part of a protest by educators and students internationally who have spoken out against the homicidal reopening of schools.

Teachers confront extremely dangerous conditions in their classrooms, with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to spread uninhibited due to the relaxation of public health measures and the bipartisan drive to fully reopen schools, which enjoys the full support of the unions. These conditions have generated a fierce response among teachers in the US and globally, from Chicago to Paris.

This movement has been sabotaged by the unions. Notably in Chicago, after teachers who voted overwhelmingly to close schools to in-person learning last month, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) signed a rotten deal, without meeting a single demand of the teachers, forcing a full return to in-person learning. This pattern has repeated itself across the US and internationally.

The vital question is that of leadership. No confidence can be placed in the SPFE and MFT to wage a fight for teachers demands. These organizations have time and again demonstrated their complete subservience to the interests of the corporate-controlled political establishment. Teachers must set up their own independent rank-and-file committees to map out demands based on their real needs, including the right to remote learning until the pandemic is contained.
There is no honour among thieves, goes the proverb. This also applies to NATO and its preparations for war against Russia. While governments on both sides of the Atlantic are surpassing each other with their accusations and threats directed at Moscow, mobilising a huge war machine, and assuring each other of their agreement, behind their backs their knives have long since been drawn.

As in the wars of the 20th century, control over strategic raw materials plays a significant role in the present confrontation with Russia. While the First World War was about the coal of the Ruhr area in Germany and the iron ore of Alsace-Lorraine, oil came to the fore as the most important energy source during and after the Second World War.

Pipes for Nord Stream 2 in Mukran (Photo: Gerd Fahrenhorst / CC BY-SA 4.0 / wikimedia)

In the meantime, natural gas, which is slightly more environmentally friendly than oil and coal, has also become very important. In the last 30 years, global gas production has doubled, while oil production has only increased by a quarter. Currently, about 30 percent of the worlds energy needs are met by oil, 27 percent by coal and 24 percent by natural gas. Russia is the worlds second largest producer of natural gas and oil behind the USA. It is by far the largest exporter of natural gas and, behind Saudi Arabia, the second largest exporter of oil.

Since the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union three decades ago, NATO has moved ever closer to Russias borders. The largest imperialist military alliance will not rest until it has gained unrestricted access to Russias vast mineral resources, subjugated the country, and eliminated it as a military rival.

Thisand an intractable domestic crisisare the reasons why neither the USA nor the European powers are willing to accommodate Russias demand for security guarantees and are recklessly heading for a third world war. But there are fierce tensions within NATO over who bears the burden of the confrontation and who gets the spoils in the end.

This lies behind the conflict over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which the US has long insisted will not be put into operation. During Chancellor Olaf Scholzs inaugural visit to Washington, President Biden even blatantly threatened he wanted to put an end to it. Scholz himself has long hesitated to put Nord Stream 2 on the list of possible sanctions against Russia and continues to dodge the issue.

The 10 billion Nord Stream 2 was completed last year despite American sanctions but is still awaiting its final operating permit. The 1,250-kilometre pipeline connects Russia directly to Germany under the Baltic Sea. It bypasses Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, and other Eastern European countries that collect high transit fees and could turn off the gas tap in case of conflict.

Nord Stream 2 doubles the capacity of the parallel Nord Stream 1, inaugurated in 2011, to 110 billion cubic metres a year. That is significantly more than Germanys current annual consumption of just under 90 billion cubic metres. However, German gas consumption will increase significantly over the next 10 years due to the phasing out of nuclear and coal power and the growing demand for energy to power electric vehicles. The pipeline also supplies other countries, such as Austria, the Czech Republic and France, via the widely distributed European gas pipeline network. The whole of Europe currently receives 160 billion cubic metres of gas a year from Russia.

The non-operation of Nord Stream 2 would not directly threaten the energy needs of Germany, which currently obtains 55 percent of its gas and 42 percent of its oil from Russia via the existing pipelines. However, this would be the case if existing pipelines were to be shut down or Russian supplies came to a complete standstill due to the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. Such a halt to supplies could also occur if Russia was excluded from the SWIFT system and could no longer process international payments.

In such a case, not only would hundreds of thousands of German households be left in the cold, but some parts of industrial production would also come to a standstill due to a lack of energy supplies. With a share of 35 percent, industry is the largest gas consumer in Germany. In many processes, natural gas is difficult to substitute. The second-largest consumer is private households with 30 percent; half of German homes are heated using natural gas.

The German government and the EU Commission are feverishly searching for substitutes. Since existing gas storage facilities are only marginally full and the most important suppliers after Russia, Norway and the Netherlands, are at the limits of their capacity, only liquefied natural gas (LNG) comes into question. However, this is considerably more expensive than pipeline gas, as it must be cooled down to minus 160 degrees Celsius, loaded and unloaded in separate terminals and transported by special tankers. Germany does not yet have its own LNG terminal.

Qatar, the worlds largest LNG exporter, has offered to supply more to Europe, to the detriment of Asian and developing countries that depend on supplies from Qatar.

The USA is also showing a willingness to help. According to the finance daily Handelsblatt, top officials of the EU Commission are currently speaking almost daily with experts of the National Security Council in Washington via tap-proof connections to discuss the matter.

The US is not acting without self-interest. The country, which consumes over a fifth of the worlds natural gas, has become a major LNG exporter thanks to fracking technology. It is an extremely lucrative business, as the price of gas is reaching record levelsnot least because of the Ukraine crisis. According to a Reuters report, LNG ships from the USA are already being diverted to Europe because market prices there are much higher than in Asia.

Handelsblatt expects shock waves on the markets in the event of a war in Ukraine: European shares would plummet by up to ten percent, Brent oil would rise to 100 dollars a barrel, the price of gas would increase even more by up to a fifth. Markus Krebber, head of the energy giant RWE, warns: Im afraid that the high industrial prices will lead to a creeping de-industrialisation and hardly anyone will notice.

Purchasing large quantities of LNG from the US would also make Germany more dependent on the US in the long term. The importation of oil and gas from Russia goes back to Willy Brandts Ostpolitik in the early 1970s. At that time, German steelworks supplied the pipes for the pipelines to Russia, which were then paid for by gas exports. Germany thus secured greater independence from the USA during the first major economic crisis of the post-war period.

After World War I, when America first emerged as a leading world power in Europe, Leon Trotsky wrote that it would put capitalist Europe on rations: It will divide the market into sectors, it will regulate the activity of European financiers and manufacturers.... This means that America will tell Europe how many tons, litres or kilograms of this or that commodity it may buy or sell. (Leon Trotsky, Europe and America)

This is now being confirmed again. Washington is pushing for all NATO members to join the war front against Russia and is careful not to let Germany and the European Union become too powerful. Nevertheless, there are no significant voices in the German media and establishment parties that oppose the war course.

In 2003, the German and French governments had still spoken out plainly against the US invasion of Iraq, which affected their own imperialist interests in the region. French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, a conservative Gaullist, delivered an incendiary speech at the United Nations against the US war plans. Around the world, millions took to the streets against the Iraq war.

Today, German politicians and the media never tire of assuring Washington of their support and their willingness to pay a price for it. The peace movement has completely collapsed.

Green Party Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock assured the Bundestag (federal parliament) that Germany must be ready for sanctions, even if they brought economic disadvantages. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) applauded. If Putin knows that we will only accept sanctions if they dont hurt us, then he also knows that they wont hurt him either, emphasised CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter.

This attitude has both domestic and foreign policy grounds.

The last thing the ruling class wants is an anti-war movement, which would inevitably combine with the growing opposition to its policies of deliberate mass infection, social inequality, and social cuts. Like the US ruling class, its German counterpart uses war to channel internal tensions outwards.

Eastern Europe, moreover, has always been the traditional direction of expansion for German imperialism, alternating peaceful methods with violent ones. In both world wars, Germany occupied Ukraine and tried to conquer Russia and the Soviet Union respectively. Now it is joining the USA because it fears being left out in the division of the spoils.

However, this does not reduce the transatlantic tensions. Two years of pandemic, in which millions of lives have been sacrificed for profit, unprecedented social inequality and a financial system whose implosion is only a matter of time, are bringing to a head again all the contradictions of capitalism that made the last century the bloodiest in human history. Only a socialist movement of the international working class can prevent the relapse into barbarism.
Tens of thousands of public hospital nurses went out on strike Tuesday in New South Wales (NSW), the most populous state of Australia. Like health care workers in the United States and around the world, the NSW nurses and midwives are opposing longstanding staff shortages, declining pay and intolerable working conditions, which have been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Striking nurses in Sydney, February 15, 2022 (WSWS media)

Nurses and midwives took strike actiontheir first statewide walkout since 2013in defiance of a ban issued by the state Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) on Monday. The IRC said a walkout would pose a risk to public health and safety by disrupting medical services. But it is the Australian government that has put the public at risk.

After first taking measures to slow the spread of infection, the Australian government has abandoned any effort to stop the spread of the pandemic, allowing hospitals to be overwhelmed. At the same time, the state government has rejected calls for any increases to the chronically underfunded public health system. New South Wales has fewer staffed intensive care unit (ICU) beds now than it did at the beginning of the pandemic.

All these conditions are very familiar to nurses in the United States. Since the beginning of the pandemic, at least 3,700 health care workers have died of COVID-19. The Biden administration and state governments are lifting any remaining efforts to stop the spread of infections and death. And just like in Australia, US health care workers have unions, which have gone along with decades of attacks.

The struggle by Australian nurses and other health care workers, including in Sri Lanka, has been completely blacked out by the corporate-controlled media in the US. But workers who learned about these struggles from the World Socialist Web Site immediately expressed their solidarity with their sisters and brothers in Australia.

I support the nurses strike in NSW, said Elizabeth, a registered nurse in California. As a nurse myself in the USA we are suffering under the same horrible working conditions because our capitalist government has decided to let the virus rip through society and overwhelm the health care system. We cannot and should not tolerate what capitalist governments are doing to the working class all across the world.

It is our duty as nurses to stand up against injustices committed against patients and the vulnerable. We must unite with our working class brothers and sisters in all industries and away from the unions that sabotage our fight and subordinate us to the ruling class. I stand with the NSW nurses and encourage all of you to continue your fight!

Amelia, a nurse in Kentucky, said, I am touched by the shared safety and human rights concerns amongst my fellow nurses. Bravo to the nurses who embody compassion in action and are refusing to enable a sick system! WE are sending light and shared passion to you.

An oil refinery worker in Galveston, Texas said, The experience of these frontline health care workers is quite similar to that of the essential workers in the oil industry. While those in charge are safely tucked away at home, we are left working intolerable hours to cover for our coworkers who must stay home to care for loved ones with COVID or those who have become sick themselves.

We must work under these oppressive conditions in order to provide the goods and services necessary to keep our society running; thats what makes us essential. However, considering the millions of lives lost during this pandemic and the billions of dollars gained by those in power, it would seem our most essential function is to keep the money flowing into the hands of the global elite at all costs.

I was happy to read NSW nurses are taking matters into their own hands, a Mack Truck manufacturing worker from Pennsylvania said. All the capitalist governments seem to do is heap platitudes on essential workers like yourselves, while continuing to exacerbate the conditions you are working under. Everyone knows how essential healthcare workers are, it's time for them to be treated as such. I will share your struggle with those I know and I fully support you all. All workers should all be out and striking with you.
Police officers gather near the site of a trucker blockade in Ottawa, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted)

Making use of emergency powers invoked by the federal Liberal government, Canadian security forces initiated a massive police operation Friday to end the menacing far-right Freedom Convoy occupation of downtown Ottawa.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of police officers, drawn from the Ottawa, Ontario provincial (OPP), and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), have been deployed on the streets of Canadas national capital. They are receiving logistical support from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and other security-intelligence agencies.

Ottawas acting police chief, Steve Bell, told a late afternoon press conference that as of 3 PM 70 occupiers had been arrested and 21 vehicles towed. He added that plans were in place to remove dozens of parked vehicles left behind by arrested occupiers.

The operation began shortly after 8 AM Friday, when CBC reported that dozens of police had begun to deploy on Wellington Street, which abuts Parliament Hill. Forty-five minutes later, the Ottawa Citizen said, Some 50 police vehicles, ambulances, buses and vans were lined up at Nicholas (Street) near (the University of Ottawa)  and appeared ready to move downtown.

By early afternoon, CBC was reporting that large numbers of police, backed by tactical units, were proceeding down Wellington and two other major nearby streets, arresting Convoy participants and organizing the towing of their vehicles.

Later Friday, police tweeted that officers were being assaulted by occupiers, who were trying to seize police weapons.

Ottawa Police have warned journalists to stay away from police operations for their own safety, and threatened that those found within areas undergoing enforcement may be subject to arrest.

Last Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the never-before-used Emergencies Act on the grounds that the far-right Convoys siege of downtown Ottawa and blockade of multiple Canada-US border crossings constituted a public order emergency.

Police are now employing the emergency powers the government has arrogated under the Emergencies Act and which Trudeau has euphemistically referred to as additional tools. At his Friday afternoon press conference, Bell stated, Without the authorities that have been provided to us through these pieces of legislation, we wouldnt be able to be doing the work were doing today.

Police are systematically arresting those Convoy supporters who have ignored their repeated orders since Wednesday to immediately vacate downtown Ottawa. On Thursday, police erected a hard security perimeter, including fencing, around Parliament Hill and a vast, roughly twelve-by-twenty street section of downtown Ottawa that is the site of numerous offices and hotels and home to 30,000 people. One hundred police checkpoints have been established along the perimeter to ensure that only those who normally live or work in the newly established No Go Zone have access.

On Thursday evening, police arrested two of the principal Convoy leaders. Chris Barber faces three charges of counselling others to commit mischief, disobey a court order and obstruct the police. Tamara Lich, an activist in various Alberta separatist and other far-right groups prior to heading the Convoys fundraising efforts, faces one count of counselling mischief. Pat King, another Convoy leader and a notorious fascist, was arrested Friday and will likely be charged with the same offenses as Barber.

They and other Convoy leaders had been urging those occupying Ottawa to hold the line. Prior to Fridays events some truckers involved in the siege said they would lock themselves in their trucks and vans if police tried to arrest them.

The numbers involved in the Ottawa siege are, and have always been, small. According to the police, as of the middle of this week, the occupation consisted of only a few hundred people, some with their children in tow, and some 350 large trucks and other vehicles.

However, police have also repeatedly said that a significant portion of the core group of far-right activists and outright fascists spearheading the occupation are heavily armed. Earlier this week, the RCMP seized a cache of weapons and body armour from a group of more than a dozen right-wing extremists participating in the now dispersed Convoy border blockade at Coutts, Alberta. Four have since been charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

If the far-right Convoy has suddenly emerged to play such an outsized role in Canadian political life, it is because the Conservative official opposition and much of the corporate media seized on it as an instrument to press for the elimination of all remaining anti-COVID measures and to push official politics far to the right. The US far-right, from the ex-President and failed coup-plotter Donald Trump to Fox News and the Proud Boys, have also provided important political, financial and logistical support.

Hours before police made their first arrests of Convoy leaders Thursday evening, parliament began debate on a legally required motion to endorse and extend the emergency powers the government arrogated when it invoked the Emergencies Act last Monday.

The minority Liberal government is all but ensured of getting parliaments approval. This is because the trade union-backed New Democratic Party (NDP) publicly declared it was ready to back the use of emergency powers even before the government proclaimed a public order emergency.

Debate on the governments Emergencies Act motion was supposed to continue Friday with a vote scheduled for next Monday. However, due to the ongoing police operation, much of which is unfolding at parliaments gates, Fridays House of Commons sitting was cancelled at the last minute.

In opening Thursdays debate on the governments invocation of the Emergencies Act, Trudeau repeated his claims of the previous three days that the emergency powers the government is deploying are proportionate and limited in time and geographic scope.

In fact, the Emergencies Act gives the government sweeping powers of repression and coercion, and the order-in-council that invoked them specifically states that the public order emergency applies to the entire country. Moreover, under the never-before-used law, the government can continue to expand its powers through subsequent orders-in-council.

Already, the government has arrogated the power to establish No-go zones in which all protests are illegal and to commandeer property (such as tow trucks) to end the occupation and blockades. It has also ordered financial institutions to freeze the accounts of protest organizers and inform CSIS or the RCMP of any financial transactions they suspect could be used to support the Convoy.

Trudeau called the use of the Emergencies Actthe successor to the infamous War Measures Acta last resort. He insisted that his government has no other means to end the illegal border blockades and Ottawa occupation. Pointing to the economic and geopolitical imperatives behind the governments moves to bring a quick end to the Convoy, after two weeks in which police treated the far-right mobilization with kid gloves, Trudeau termed the blockades and occupation a threat to our economy and relationship with trading partners. They are, he continued, a threat to supply chains and the availability of essential goods, like food and medicine, and they are a threat to public safety.

Interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen responded to Trudeaus defence of authoritarian measures with a cynical and hypocritical denunciation of the government for its sledgehammer approach. The prime minister may not like it, said Bergen, but in Canada, civil liberties must be ardently defended at every turn.

This is all bunk. The extent of Bergens and the Conservatives commitment to democratic rights is shown by their avid support for the far-right Convoy, whose leaders have explicitly called for the overthrow of the democratically elected government, and their attempt to use it as an extra-parliamentary instrument to overwhelm popular opposition to the dismantling of anti-COVID restrictions and to push politics to the right. Bergen herself has hailed the Convoy as a movement of patriotic, peace-loving Canadians. In a leaked email to top party leaders, she argued the party should support Ottawas continued occupation so as to make it Trudeaus problem. And she and the Conservatives have repeatedly demanded that Trudeau meet within reality capitulate tothe would-be putschists, white supremacists, and other far-right activists.

If the Conservatives, who two years ago were braying for the military to be deployed against indigenous-led anti-pipeline protests and are always the first to call for laws criminalizing strikes, can posture as defenders of democratic rights, it is because of the foul role that the NDP and trade unions have played throughout the political crisis precipitated by the Convoy.

In response to the fashioning of a far-right extra-parliamentary movement by important sections of the ruling elite, they have strengthened their support for, and alliance with, the big business Liberal government. Throughout the pandemic, the NDP has played the decisive role in securing a parliamentary majority for the Liberals and supported the back-to-work/back-to-school policy that is responsible for almost 36,000 official COVID-19 deaths. The trade unions have sabotaged every effort by workers to oppose dangerous working conditions.

The events of the past three weeks reveal that Canadian democracy is breaking down. The ruling class, fearful of social opposition to its reactionary policies, is turning to authoritarianism and the mobilization of the far right.

First, the Conservatives and corporate media incited and emboldened a far-right movement. Thenfearing its impact on trade, Canadas reactionary economic and military-security partnership with US imperialism, and the authority of the capitalist statethe Trudeau government invokes the Emergencies Act, thereby breaking a political taboo and legitimizing the recourse to authoritarian measures.

Workers must beware, history has demonstrated that repressive measures employed by the capitalist state in the name of attacking the far right are invariably deployed against the working class and with far more vigour, brutality and consistency.

The defence of democratic rights, like the fight for a science-based pandemic policy that prioritizes saving lives over capitalist profit, requires the independent political mobilization of the working class.
Almost every capitalist government is now engaged in a concerted effort to scrap all remaining mitigation measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, with many doing so by falsely claiming that the virus has become endemic and is therefore nothing to worry about.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., on Jan. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

Many principled epidemiologists and other scientists have opposed the politicization of the term endemic, which indicates a predictable and controllable level of disease in a given geographic region. In contrast, after two years of the pandemic, the spread of COVID-19 remains unpredictable, totally uncontrolled and global in scope.

In the US, the campaign to declare the pandemic over is being orchestrated by the White House, which meets with state governors weekly. The White House has sought, in the words of Politico, to condition the American public to a new normal based on letting COVID-19 spread unchecked.

This propaganda campaign is driven not by science, but by the demands of the corporations and financial elite. Their aim is to fabricate a narrative that COVID-19 is harmless in order to maximize profits under the guise of a return to normalcy.

On Wednesday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signaled that the CDC will soon lift its masking recommendations, saying, We want to give people a break from things like mask-wearing.

Among the leading spokesmen for the campaign to declare COVID-19 endemic is Californias Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, whose entire political career has been financed by the states ruling elite.

On January 12, 2022, a day when 128,757 Californians were officially infected with COVID-19 and hospitalizations were rising rapidly at the peak of the Omicron surge, Newsom said the state was preparing for not the pandemic phase of this reality, but the endemic phase of this reality and how we live with future variants. He added, well be making public those detailed strategies in the next few weeks.

On Thursday, when California recorded the highest number of COVID-19 infections and second-highest number of deaths of any US state, Newsom presented the official endemic plan under the acronym SMARTER, which stands for shots, masks, awareness, readiness, testing, education and Rx, meaning treatments. Hailed by the corporate media as a scientific plan that sets a precedent for other states, in reality it amounts to a total capitulation to the pandemic and acceptance of unending mass infections and deaths.

At a press conference unveiling the plan, Newsom declared, We are moving past the crisis phase into a phase where we will work to live with this virus.

He stated, We have all come to understand what was not understood at the beginning of this crisis, that there is no end date, that there is not a moment where we declare victory, adding ominously, This pandemic wont have a defined end. Theres no finish line.

The 30-page document outlining the plan elaborates on these themes. It begins by noting, We are recovering from the intense Omicron variant surge when millions of Californians were infected. It is clear the virus will remain with us for some time, if not forever.

One of the central features of the plan is to do away with tying COVID-19 health metrics to specific policies such as mask mandates, instead creating a stockpile of masks and other PPE to implement targeted responses when new variants inevitably emerge and cause surges of infections, hospitalizations and deaths.

Total state funding provided for these limited measures is only $3.2 billion. This is roughly 1.5 percent of the over $200 billion accumulated by Tesla CEO and California resident Elon Musk since the start of the pandemic and less than 0.5 percent of the $770 billion military budget Biden is requesting for next year.

Regarding masks, the plan frames the issue as a matter of individual choice, stating, Use of masks should be supported by all who want to use them. On Wednesday, the day before the release of the endemic plan, California lifted its statewide mask mandate.

On schools, the plan advocates an ongoing transition away from quarantining students, adding that students potentially exposed to COVID-19 can remain safely in-school. It warns parents to prepare for the eventual change to universal school masking, which is expected to be announced on February 28.

Significantly, Newsoms plan was hailed by Ezekiel Emanuel, who described it as a comprehensive strategic plan to guide the state of California into the next phase of COVID-19. He added, As in so many things, Californias SMARTER program can help the rest of the country to transition to a new normal. Indeed, others have predicted that the California plan will likely be replicated by other Democratic-led states.

The release of Newsoms plan comes a little over a month after Emanuel published a paper that first advocated a new normal based on ending all tracking of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths. These recommendations, hailed by the media, are being steadily implemented with the backing of the White House.

Emanuel has long called for the lowering of life expectancy and health care spending and his philosophy can be described as eugenicist. In the words of University of South Carolina philosophy professor Jennifer A. Frey, Emanuel thinks of disabled and elderly people as useless and ineffectual.

The new normal advocated by Emanuel, Newsom, Biden and virtually the entire political establishment deliberately endangers at least 7 million immunocompromised people for whom the COVID-19 vaccines provide very little protection, as well as tens of millions of elderly people.

Speaking on a podcast Monday, immunologist Dr. Kristian Andersen stated that for the next 10 years or longer, We should probably expect that most people will get infected a couple of times a year, and we should expect 200 to 250,000 deaths or so in this country alone. The majority of these deaths will be of immunocompromised and elderly people, and there is no upper limit to the number of deaths that the ruling elite is prepared to accept.

The moves to lift pandemic mitigation measures are deeply unpopular, as the majority of the population strives to put an end to the needless suffering and death that have characterized the past two years.

According to a recent poll conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, only 20 percent of registered voters in California support the ending of mask mandates in public settings, including only 6 percent of Democrats and 46 percent of Republicans. A poll by CBS News-YouGov found that across the US, 56 percent of Americans support mask requirements for indoor venues.

Rather than implement the necessary measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, the ruling elites and their political and media spokesmen seek to manipulate language to present the pandemic as over and persuade society to move on and act as if the crisis has passed.

In reality, the pandemic remains in a highly precarious state. Scientists throughout the world are raising alarm bells over the dangers posed by the BA.2 Omicron subvariant, with many calling for the World Health Organization (WHO) to give it a separate Greek letter due to its unique characteristics. A preprint of a major study from Japan was released this week, showing that BA.2 is roughly 1.4 times more contagious than BA.1, appears to cause more severe disease, roughly equivalent to the Delta variant, and can evade existing treatments.

The working class must draw the necessary conclusions from the past two years and the deepening efforts by the ruling class to disarm the population by declaring the pandemic over. The only viable solution to the pandemic is through the unification of the international working class armed with a strategy of global elimination.

Through temporary paid lock-downs, mass testing, contact tracing, the universal provision of high quality masks, and the deployment of all other public health measures on a world scale, the pandemic could be ended in a matter of weeks and millions of lives saved.

The fight against the pandemic must be connected to the fight against imperialist war. Faced with an insoluble domestic crisis for which it has no solution, the American ruling class seeks to deflect mounting internal tensions outwards and is tobogganing towards war with Russia. Having accepted nearly 1 million deaths of Americans from COVID-19 over the past two years, it is fully prepared to accept tens of millions more in what could quickly spiral into World War III.

The International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) is the only political tendency in the world fighting to stop the pandemic and the drive to war. The paramount task facing workers and youth today is to join and build the ICFI as the revolutionary leadership of the international working class.
Facing an acute political and public health crisis, the unravelling Liberal-National Coalition government has turned to inflammatory warmongering, echoing the Biden administrations stepped-up threats and accusations against Russia over the Ukraine, and also China.

Australian Minister of Defense Peter Dutton, Sept. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

This fortnights parliamentary sessionthe last scheduled before a brief March 29 federal budget sitting and then a possible May electionsaw unprecedented attacks by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the official Labor Party opposition, virtually accusing its leaders of being treasonous agents of China.

Morrison told parliament the Chinese government had picked their horse in the election and, pointing at Labor leader Anthony Albanese, said and he is sitting right there! Morrison then accused Labor deputy leader Richard Marles of being a Manchurian candidate. He doubled down on Defence Minister Peter Duttons earlier accusation that Albanese was Chinas pick.

Morrison, Dutton and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg have also parroted the US claims of an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine and depicted Russia and China as twin aggressors. Morrison provocatively declared that the global order was endangered by a coalition of autocracies.

The frenzied character of these accusations can be understood only as the result of two inter-connected developments. One is Washingtons escalating preparations for war against both Russia and China and its demand that the Australian ruling elite play a frontline and confrontational role, particularly against China.

Any war of aggression by the US and NATO against Russia would almost certainly drag China into what would be a nuclear war for domination over the Eurasian landmass. Indo-Pacific countries, such as Japan and Australia, would be drawn into the conflagration with China, which US imperialism regards as the greatest threat to its global power.

The other factor is the worsening dysfunctionality of Morrisons government. It is presiding over an ongoing COVID-19 disaster, which now includes thousands of infections in schools. As a result, it confronts collapsing approval ratings and rising working-class unrest as seen in this weeks statewide New South Wales nurses strike, despite the efforts of Labor and the trade unions to contain the discontent and prevent a social explosion.

For all the war rhetoric, the just-ended session of parliament saw the government virtually paralysed, beset by internal revolts and unable to pass any legislation without Labors votes. No less than 13 MPs, including six ministers, are quitting at the election and factional warfare involving Morrison has prevented the Liberal Party from even selecting election candidates for key seats in NSW.

According to various media reports, Dutton and Frydenberg are vying for support within the Liberal Party to replace Morrison, with polling showing the government heading for defeat, above all because of the continuing toll of infections, hospitalisations and deaths caused by Australias governments that have dismantled safety measures and let the Omicron variant rip through society.

Labor leader Albanese has responded to the Chinas pick charges by not just reiterating Labors total commitment to the US military alliance but presenting Labor as even more committed than the Coalition. He said Labor had opposed the 2015 lease of the civilian port of the northern strategic city of Darwin to a Chinese companya decision for which President Barack Obama rebuked the Coalition government.

Albanese said he was part of the 20072013 Labor government that put the US marines here [in Darwin], that upgraded our defence relationship with the US, when Julia Gillard was prime minister. That contribution to the Obama administrations pivot to Asia to confront China was in line with Labors active support for every act of US militarism since the first US invasion of Iraq in 199091.

The Labor leader also displayed in parliament a personal letter that Morrison had sent him last year to thank him for Labors bipartisan backing for the AUKUS agreement. The military pact signed by the US, the UK and Australia in September included the provision of nuclear-power attack submarines to Australia.

There are evident concerns in ruling circles, including within the US-linked intelligence apparatus, that the Coalition government might not be able to govern effectively in the event of a catastrophic war, and that a Labor-led government may be needed to contain and suppress dissent and opposition.

Significantly, the current chief of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Mike Burgess and former ASIO director-general Dennis Richardson publicly warned the Morrison government that it was endangering bipartisanship by politicising national security.

Richardson, an insider who is also a former head of the foreign affairs and defence departments and an Australian ambassador to Washington, pointedly warned that the attempt to create an artificial division where one in practice does not exist only serves the interests of one country, and thats China.

Similarly, the Australians editor-at-large Paul Kelly described the bipartisanship with Labor as a national asset that was needed to assure support from the public for the conflict with China. That expresses the anxiety in the ruling class that a US-led war with Russia or China would trigger deep anti-war sentiment.

Australias frontline part in US militarism was highlighted by this months three-day visit to the country by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He then travelled to Fiji and Hawaii for talks with governments and also officials from Japan and South Korea, two other key powers in the US confrontation with China and Russia.

In the midst of Washingtons efforts to goad Russia into a military conflict, Blinken gave media interviews and public addresses in Australia in which he accused China of trying to militarily and economically dominate the entire world, and declared that Biden understood that the 21st century would be shaped primarily by what happened in the Indo-Pacific.

Labors crucial political role in backing the US was underscored by the remarks of US officials, in a conference call with journalists, after Blinken met with Albanese and opposition spokeswoman on foreign affairs Penny Wong. The officials said they were confident of Labors backing. They came away reassured that these principles that we hold dear and are vitally important to the alliance transcends politics and any one party.

Despite these assurances, the Murdoch media is further trying to whip up a wartime atmosphere by urging the Coalition government to apply the blowtorch to demand that Labor adopt a yet more confrontational stand against China. A February 16 Australian editorial accused Albanese of taking an each-way bet last year when he said Australia had to deal with China in a mature way, not by being provocative for the sake of it to make a domestic political point.

The editorial also accused Labor of cutting military spending when last in office. In fact, the 200713 Labor government maintained that spendingaround $25 billion each yearat the same level of gross domestic product (GDP) as the preceding Howard Coalition government. From 2010 to 2013, Gillards minority government was kept in office by the Greens as it signed up to Obamas pivot. Since then, however, Washington has demanded that its allies allocate at least 2 percent of the GDP to the military, so that the Coalition governments annual spending has soared to around $45 billion.

Regardless of the fate of the Morrison government, these developments are a stark warning of the readiness of the Australian ruling class and all its political servants, including the Coalition, Labor and Greens, to sacrifice lives in another world war, just as they have done already via the live with the virus program, for the sake of corporate profit.

Workers must reject with contempt the poisonous pro-war propaganda and nationalism being pumped out by the political establishment and the corporate media. As the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) explained in its February 14 statement Oppose the US-NATO drive to war with Russia in Ukraine! the US allegations of an impending Russian invasion of Ukraine are just as fabricated as the weapons of mass destruction lie that provided the pretext for the disastrous 2003 invasion of Iraq.

For the past three decades, US imperialism has seized upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union to seek to reinforce and extend the global hegemony it asserted after World War II. Washington has waged war repeatedly, causing devastation in the Balkans, the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia

As the ICFI statement insists: Millions of war dead must not be added to the millions dead from the pandemic. It is of the utmost urgency that workers build an independent anti-war movement on the basis of a socialist and internationalist perspective.
Home Secretary Priti Patel is accelerating the Conservative governments drive to enforce a pushback policy in the English Channel, whereby flimsy vessels carrying migrants and refugees are to be physically forced out of UK and into French waters.

Patel has appointed Alexander Downer, a former leader of Australias Liberal Party from 1994 to 1995 and then foreign minister, to carry out a review of the UKs Border Force. Downer was pivotal in developing Canberras anti-immigration policy of offshoring asylum processing. He negotiated Australias barbaric Pacific Solution, detaining refugees on Nauru and Manus Island. Amnesty International has denounced the policy of indefinite detention in conditions which may be considered degrading or inhumane.

Downer made his pitch in the UK in the Daily Mail last September, defending Patel, who has been widely ridiculed on both sides of the Channel for suggesting that boats carrying migrants be physically pushed back towards the French coast. Yet, from my experience as Australias former minister for foreign affairs, I know that a pushback policy can work I see no reason why this cannot be done in the Channel. My advice to Miss Patel would be to introduce the pushback policy without fanfare, and to keep the French informed on a need-to-know basis only.

People thought to be migrants disembark from a British Border Force patrol boat after being picked up from a dingy in the English Channel in Dover harbour, England, Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

The former Australian official will produce a report within months, potentially leading to a complete overhaul of Border Force, according to the Mail. The paper reports that Proposals could include a merger with a separate Home Office agencyImmigration Enforcementwhich deals with foreign criminals, visa-breakers and organised crime gangs.

Downers appointment coincided with the release Wednesday of a report by the right-wing Policy Exchange think tank, of which he is a trustee, arguing, no one, even a genuine refugee who arrives by small boat should ever be granted a right to settle in the UK. It advised that all those picked up in the Channel should be prepared for deportation within 48 hours of arriving in the UK to a third country. The report called for setting up asylum processing centres in Britains Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus; Alderney in the Channel Islands; or, the favoured option of the think tank, Ascension Island, 4,000 miles away in the Atlantic.

One of the reports authors, Oxford professor Richard Ekins, told the Times the situation in the Channel required a game-changing solution. The crisis may well worsen as events in Ukraine unfold If Plan A cannot be agreed with France, the Plan B outlined in this report is the way forward.

In the years since Brexit, an increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers have traversed from mainland Europe across the Channel. Almost 29,000 migrants made the treacherous crossing in 2021, three times the total from 2020. Last November 27, people died after an inflatable dinghy capsized in rough seas, near to the French port city of Calais.

Many who are able to make the journey suffer terribly. Citing Freedom of Information data covering January to June 2021 when about 6,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats, the Guardian reported this week analysis by the Press Association which shows that 4,075 were suffering hypothermia, a dangerous drop in body temperature, when they reached the Kent coast.

Some 354 people had petrol or saltwater burns sustained on the journey and 27 were taken to hospital with suspected broken bones shortly after arriving.

The brutal pushback strategy is one element of the governments response to this humanitarian crisis, pursued in blatant contradiction to international law. The Guardian disclosed in November that government lawyers advised the odds of successfully defending a challenge in the courts against the lawfulness of a pushback policy were no greater than 30 percent. Three separate legal challenges are currently being lodged against the practice, one of which will be heard at the High Court in May.

To enforce the policy, Patel has turned to the UKs armed forces. At Home Office questions in Parliament on January 17, she declared she was transfering responsibility for combatting refugee crossings in the English Channel from the Home Office to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The announcement was part of Operation Red Meat, a slew of right-wing policies launched by Boris Johnson to rally the support of Tory MPs amid the partygate scandal rocking his premiership.

Patels employment of the military as a crucial operational partner to protect our Channel against illegal migration effectively declares war on refugees and asylum seekersinnocent civilian men, women and children fleeing for their lives from wars, famine and persecution.

Rear Admiral Mike Utley, the commander of the UKs aircraft carriers, was appointed to co-ordinate the plan. The Daily Express reported that he will take overall control of Government-owned ships within weeks. The government said there were as yet no plans to deploy warships in the Channel, and that the initial focus was making the existing Home Office Border Force fleet operate more efficiently.

The Home Office is moving so fast, in the face of overwhelming popular hostility, that its proposals have caused some consternation among the military leaders tasked with enforcing them. At the time of Patels announcement, sources reported trepidation within the MoD about getting involved in unfamiliar complex issues.

Patel was forced to tell MPs in February that Armed Forces Minister James Heappey had been wrong to suggest earlier that pushback was not being adopted by the MoD. Shortly after Patels intervention, the MoDs press officer released a tweet saying, The Royal Navy and the Royal Marines will not be using pushback tactics in the English Channel. However, they added the caveat that a military commander will retain the existing ability to instruct Border Force to use them when appropriate. This indicates for the first time that the MoD has the power to direct civilian Border Force vessels.

The main criticism of Patels plans within the Tory Party comes from even further to the right. Defence Select Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood, speaking on behalf of a now substantial and influential warrior faction within the Tory party who have served in the armed forces and have intimate connections to the military, called the plans a massive distraction for the military and not what our navy should be doing.

Ellwood has recently called for the deployment of thousands of NATO troops directly to Ukraine. He represents a faction concerned that the Royal Navy risks becoming tied up in the Channel when they are needed on the open seas for a war with Russia.

Downers appointment shows that the Home Office is nevertheless determined to find a brutal solution to the Channel crossings. Nothing, no matter how inhumane, is off the table. Downing Street policy experts have even investigated using sonic weapons to turn back refugee boats. The plan, initially reported by Sky News, was to use long-range acoustic devices. After consideration, the use of these sound cannon, which emit noise powerful enough to induce vomiting, was rejected by the Home Office. However, high-tech military assets, like British army Watchkeeper surveillance drones, will be used to monitor the Channels waters.
Nearly 2,000 logistic workers in South Korea are on strike to protest the brutal conditions in their industry. Extreme overwork and low wages are the norm while package delivery companies have reaped huge profits throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike takes place as part of a series of struggles by delivery workers over the past year.

A food delivery rider shouts slogans during a rally to demand better working conditions in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec, 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Workers are fighting to expand a strike that initially began December 28, when 1,700 workers at CJ Logistics, the largest logistics company in South Korea, walked off the job. The strike enjoys wide support. In the approval vote, 93.6 percent of workers voted to take strike action from among 2,290 participants. Workers also struck in January and June of last year, while some logistics workers also took part in a larger, one day strike held by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) in October.

On February 14, the Parcel Delivery Workers Union (PDWU) stated that it would consider an industry-wide walkout if CJ Logistics refused to hold talks with striking workers within a week. The previous Thursday, approximately 200 members of the KCTU, to which the PDWU belongs, also occupied the companys office in a sit-down protest. A demonstration is scheduled for February 21 of up to 7,000 delivery workers in Seoul. Jin Gyeong-ho, the head of the PDWU, claimed, We will fight to the end to prevent CJ Logistics unfair profiteering and achieve the fulfillment of the social deal (in preventing overwork).

Conditions in the package delivery industry are harsh. Logistics workers are often on the job for 12 to 14 hours a day, six days a week. They are paid per package delivered and are not compensated for sorting the parcels, which takes up a great part of their work day. Not only do workers face low pay and long hours, but the physical stress and demands have led to gwarosa, literally, death from overwork. Throughout the course of the pandemic, at least 21 logistics workers have died from causes related to these conditions on the job.

Last June, the PDWU reached an agreement with CJ Logistics, Hanjin Transportation, and Lotte Global Logistics under which workers would no longer sort packages and the work week would be limited to 60 hours. It followed a similar deal in January in which the companies promised to hire more workers and to pay them for sorting packages.

These pledges were not kept. Instead, workers are accusing CJ Logistics of raising delivery prices and pocketing most of the additional income. Last April, the company claimed it increased prices by an average 140 won ($US0.12) per package, with workers receiving only a paltry 50 percent from this increase. The union, however, states prices increased to 170 won per package, from which workers only receive 51.6 won.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, delivery companies have enjoyed a surge in profits as more and more people ordered goods online. CJ Logistics reported on February 11 that its net profit for 2021 reached 158.3 billion won ($US132 million), an 11 percent increase from the previous year. CJ CheilJedang, the conglomerate that owns 40.16 percent of the logistics firm, saw its net profit rise 13.5 percent to 892.3 billion won ($US745 million), beating market expectations.

Like the previous agreements, any deal reached with CJ Logistics or other companies, will be ignored. It is simply the means to get workers back on the job to ensure these huge profits are maintained. In this, the PDWU is entirely complicit.

The PDWU does not represent the legitimate interests of its members. Instead it works to limit the impact of strikes and end them as quickly as possible in the interests of big business. This was summed up by an industry official, speaking anonymously, who told the Joongang Ilbo in December, Of the 20,000 CJ Logistics delivery workers nationwide, 1,700 is not a big number. And whether all those 1,700 will take part in the strike, which requires taking days off, is uncertain.

From the beginning of the strike, the PDWU, with a total membership of approximately 7,000, has attempted to isolate the workers. The union branch at CJ Logistics has a membership of 2,500, meaning the union has ensured that at least 800 union workers are crossing the picket line. Furthermore, there has been no genuine appeal to the other 17,500 delivery workers at CJ who are not in the union nor to the tens of thousands of other delivery workers in other companies. There are approximately 50,000 delivery workers nationwide.

During the week-long strike last June, the union called off the struggle while negotiations were ongoing. The PDWU had reached a sell-out deal with several companies, but Korea Post, the countrys national postal service, rejected the agreement. Union head Jin Gyeong-ho claimed that the PDWU would never sign a deal if the dispute with the postal service was not resolved. However, this did not stop the union from sending its members back to work.

The PDWU and the KCTU as a whole, posture as militant worker organizations. However, the KCTU has spent the pandemic keeping workers on the job, while holding phony one-day general strikes, to let off steam and to give the impression of a fight for better conditions. During such strikes, workers in major industries such as auto manufacturing are typically kept on the job. Only a small portion of the KCTUs membership is actually called out to participate in the one-day protests.

That the PDWU and KCTU now take action more than a month after the initial delivery workers strike began is due to the pressure they face from rank-and-file workers. The unions, however, have no intention of leading a genuine struggle. Instead, they will resort to cheap stunts while reaching new sell-out agreements behind workers backs.

Logistics workers in South Korea must take the struggle out of the hands of the unions and form independent rank-and-file committees. They should reach out to their colleagues throughout the industry and to other workers nationally and internationally who face similar conditions. Above all, such a struggle has to be guided by a socialist perspective to re-order society based on the social needs of the majority, not the profits of the wealthy few.
The BA.2 subvariant of Omicron accounts for a rising proportion of COVID-19 cases across the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported this week that it was present in more than 74 countries worldwide.

This colorized transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19isolated from a patient in the U.S. Virus particles are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. (Source: NIAID-RML)

The WHOs Technical Lead for COVID-19, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, elaborated on Omicron and its sublineages during a press briefing, underscoring the critical distinction that infections with Omicron are not mild and continue to hospitalize and kill at record numbers across the globe.

She noted, Its really quite incredible how quickly the Omicron, the latest variant of concern, has overtaken Delta around the world. Most of the sequences are this sublineage BA.1. We are also seeing an increasing in proportion of sequences of BA.2. Omicron is more transmissible than Deltaall of the sublineages [are].

Van Kerkhove continued, But within the sublineages, Omicron BA.2 is more transmissible than BA.1. And so, what we are looking for in the epi[demic] curves, were looking at not only how quickly those peaks go up, but how they come down. And as the decline in cases occur, we also need to look at is there a slowing of that decline or will we start to see an increase again? If we start to see an increase, we could see some further infections of BA.2 after this big wave of BA.1.

Worldwide, there were more than 16 million new infections and over 73,400 deaths last week. Since December 27, 2021, weekly global deaths have been rising for six consecutive weeks surpassing the Delta peaks seen in the late summer of 2021. Currently, based on sequenced coronavirus genomes uploaded into GISAID, the BA.1 subvariant remains dominant.

BA.2 appears to be increasing steadily in several countries where it is displacing BA.1. Its prevalence has notably risen in South Africa, Denmark and the UK.

COVID cases and deaths in South Africa

In South Africa, where Omicron was first sequenced, the seven-day moving average of new infections has plateaued at 2,500 per day. The death rate, however, has risen tenfold since mid-November, with an average of 164 deaths per day. Of note, more than 9,000 South Africans have died during the Omicron wave accounting for almost 10 percent of all COVID deaths. Rates of children dying were up by a factor of 2.2.

On February 17 there were 435 deaths reported, a single-day high during the Omicron phase of the pandemic. In line with these findings, the moving average case fatality rate of COVID-19 in the country has been rapidly climbing. Viral sequences submitted to GISAID between January 24 to February 7, 2022, found that BA.2 accounted for 65 percent of cases.

The question that has arisen from these developments is what role BA.2, with all studies supporting its increased infectivity, will have on the course of the pandemic.

Dan Barouch, an immunologist and virologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, told Nature, It might prolong the Omicron surge. But our data would suggest that it would not lead to a brand-new additional surge.

In an earlier report published in the BMJ at the end of January, the UK Health Security Agency warned that BA.2s apparent growth advantage is currently substantial. They also reported that those infected with BA.2 were more likely to pass it to others in their household. Dr. John Edmunds, professor at the Centre for the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Disease at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told the BMJ, It is difficult to say what the implications of this will be. It may well extend this wave of infection, or even lead to another peak. The good news is that at present there is no evidence to suggest that it is more severe than Omicron and, as the UKHSA analysis shows, the vaccines appear to be as effective against it as they are against BA.1.

However, a much-discussed new animal- and cell-culture-based study from the University of Tokyo, conducted by lead scientist Dr. Kei Sato, found not only was BA.2s effective reproductive number 1.4 times higher than that of BA.1, but also that BA.2 was more pathogenic, showing in their animal models that the BA.2 virus had a more deleterious impact on lung tissue.

Additional findings found BA.2 was both more evasive of previous immunity from vaccines or infections and found to be resistant to several monoclonal antibodies, which raises the critical concern that the current arsenal of therapeutics may be limited considering these mutations in SARS-CoV-2. Indeed, one of the much-vaunted justifications for treating COVID as endemic was the plethora of treatment options people have if they become infected.

The paper summarizes the findings:

Although BA.2 is considered an Omicron variant, its genomic sequence is heavily different from BA.1, which suggests that the virological characteristics of BA.2 are different from that of BA.1. Here, we elucidated the virological characteristics of BA.2, such as its higher effective reproduction number, higher fusogenicity [ability to fuse to cells], higher pathogenicity when compared to BA.1. Moreover, we demonstrated that BA.2 is resistant to the BA.1-induced humoral immunity. Our data indicate that BA.2 is virologically different from BA.1 and raise a proposal that BA.2 should be given a letter of the Greek alphabet and be distinguished from BA.1, a commonly recognized Omicron variant.

The study remains in the peer review process, and one of its main limitations is its reproducibility in human populations. Jeremy Kamil, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, told Newsweek, the study looks highly credible and rigorous and was from an excellent research group. I think its always hard to translate differences in animal and cell culture models to whats going on with regards to human disease. That said, the differences do look real.

Dr. Daniel Rhoads, section head of microbiology at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, who reviewed the study, told CNN, It might be, from a humans perspective, a worse virus than BA.1 and might be able to transmit better and cause worse disease. In terms of severity, it has been compared to Delta. Also, it harbors multiple distinct mutations that distinguish it from the original Omicron strain leading many to recommend that the WHO designate it with a Greek letter.

According to the WHO, the BA.2 subvariant accounts for about one in five new Omicron cases recorded across the globe. Indeed, how all this will translate for countries will largely be determined by how aggressively measures are implemented to stem infections or if policies are enacted that will allow the virus to spread unchecked.

On February 1 all COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in Denmark. According to the government rules and regulations for COVID-19, the only stipulation in place is that there [would] continue to be recommendations for the use of face masks and corona passport for an example at hospitals and in elderly care. It is also still possible for private businesses and private cultural institutions as well as associations etc. to make demands, for example, Corona passport or the use of a facemask/shield.

COVID cases and deaths in Denmark

The BA.2 variant became dominant in Denmark by mid-January, displacing BA.1, and presently accounts for more than 90 percent of all sequenced SARS-CoV-2 samples in Denmark. Cases peaked at the end of January, where they have remained consistently high with a seven-day moving average of over 40,000 cases per day. Worrisome has been the acceleration of the daily death counts, which have edged above last winters peak. Thirty-three people are now dying every day.

Placing these figures into context for comparative purposes, Denmark has 5.83 million people while the US has 331 million. If Denmark had an equivalent population, the case rate would be over 2.2 million infections daily and the daily death close to 1,900 per day.

With efforts underway by states and federal officials in the US to lift all measures against COVID-19, the Department of Health and Human Services has reported that COVID-19 cases due to the BA.2 sublineage are beginning to climb. The highest figures are on the east and west coasts, accounting for 6 percent of sequenced cases. It remains too early to predict how the next few weeks will transpire, but if the objective findings prove valid, then the US may experience another crushing wave by the end of March.

As journalist Chris Turnbull recently observed on twitter, Maybe Im just pointing out the elephant in the room here, but if Delta waves have been blunted by vaccines, and you have a variant such as BA.2 that looks theoretically just as severe as Delta, but is 1.4 times more infectious than BA.1which was already more infectious than Delta  and on top of that, you have vaccine immunity resistance of BA.1, then thats a combination for the worst variant weve seen since the start. Its obviously early days, and Im just speculating here, but theoretically, that does seem quite possible.

Turnbulls comments underscore the importance of adhering to the precautionary principle that deems taking any threat posed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus to the population as serious, necessitating the implementation of broad public health measures to protect the life and livelihood of its citizens. In this context, Dr. Rochelle Walenskys recent comment about giving the population a break from wearing masks is profoundly disturbing and outright criminal.
Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang (right) met Mayor of Choisy-le-Roi city Tonino Panetta on February 17. (Photo: VNA)



The French official said he hoped the COVID-19 pandemic will end soon so that the two sides can resume cultural and economic exchanges.



For his part, the Vietnamese diplomat expressed gratitude for the affection and support that the people and the Choisy-le-Roi city government had given Vietnam in the struggle for independence as well as the national construction and defence.



He said that Choisy-le-Roi is not only a city that has close relations with Vietnam but also holding memories of the negotiations leading to the signing of the Paris Agreement which put an end to the war and restore peace in Vietnam.



At the February 17 meeting, the two sides discussed plans to promote cooperation and maintain friendship at the local level, as well as activities to connect Vietnam and France in the near future, including a conference aimed at deepening the cooperation between their localities to be held in Hanoi at the end of this year, the participation of Choisy-le-Roi city in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France, and the 10 years of the strategic partnership between the two countries in 2023.



On this occasion, Mayor Panetta invited the Vietnamese Ambassador to attend a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the sisterhood relationship between Choisy-le-Roi city and other cities around the world to be held next year./.
Weather Alert

...The National Weather Service in Indianapolis IN has issued a Flood Warning for the following rivers in Indiana... White River at Elliston and Edwardsport. Wabash River at Montezuma. .Multiple rounds of rain over the last few days including today will lead to minor flooding along lower portions of the White River and upper portions on the Wabash River. Additional rainfall later this week should keep portions of the White and Wabash above flood stage through Saturday. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas. Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov/ind. This statement will be updated within the next 12 to 24 hours. && ...FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT TO SUNDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Wabash River at Montezuma. * WHEN...From late tonight to Sunday evening. * IMPACTS...At 18.0 feet, Montezuma agricultural levee is overtopped. Fourteen hundred acres of low bottomlands flood. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 10:45 AM EDT Tuesday the stage was 9.1 feet. - Forecast...The river will oscillate around flood stage with a maximum value of 16.4 feet early Saturday morning. - Flood stage is 14.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood &&
Vietnam is pushing for the plan to reopen all schools in the nation this month after a long closure because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo: VNA)



The COVID-19 crisis has forced school closures for months, disrupting the learning process of millions of Vietnamese students.



Prolonged school closures contribute to adverse social, educational, health, and economic impacts for children and society, Park told the Vietnam News Agency. He particularly pointed out that one of the most vulnerable are disadvantaged children who are inequitably affected because of the challenges in accessing remote learning.



While some transmissions have occurred in schools, schools do not pose a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission than other settings such as workplaces, restaurants, and shopping malls, he said.

Dr. Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)



WHO acknowledges that the Government of Vietnam has been assessing the reopening of schools, with careful consideration of the countrys outbreak situation, latest available evidence based on experiences of other countries and the concerns of some of the parents on childrens safety, the official said.



We could not eliminate the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools, but we can reduce such risk through appropriate infection prevention and control measures, he noted.



The WHO representative underscored that vaccination of children should not be considered as a pre-requisite condition for school opening. A safe learning environment can be created for children through the consistent implementation of 5K measures at school as well as in the community.

First-grade students of Ham Nghi Primary School in Dong Ha city, the central province of Quang Tri, return to in-person learning. (Photo: VNA)



According to Park, to do so, Vietnam can also implement a mechanism for early detection and response to outbreaks in schools, including rapid communication to parents, teachers, and other key stakeholders; and ensure the adoption of public health measures including infection prevention and control, consistent mask-wearing, adequate and ventilated spaces for learning, physical distancing, attention to high-risk behavior and options for hybrid learning.



It is also critical to sustain persistent risk communication both within school premises and through mass media, he stated.



He went on to highly speak of how Vietnam has ramped up its vaccination campaign since June 2021 to reach a high vaccination coverage.



As of February 13, a total of 186 million doses of vaccines had been administered in the country. About 75 million people, or 76 percent of the total population, have already completed the primary series of COVID-19 vaccination, according to WHO.



It means that Vietnam has already reached the goal set by WHO that by mid-2022, all countries in the world should have vaccinated at least 70 percent of their population, he claimed.

A student receives COVID-19 vaccine shot in Ho Chi Minh Citys Cu Chi district. (Photo: VNA)



Data from the Ministry of Health shows that up to 95.4 percent of Vietnamese children aged 12-17 had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines and 89.7 percent doubled vaccinated as of last weekend.



The country is planning to start vaccine rollout for children aged 5-11 within the first quarter of this year. However, a number of Vietnamese parents remain hesitant about vaccinating their kids.



We understand that some Vietnamese parents are concerned about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, Park said. Whether or not there is a need to vaccinate children.



COVID-19 vaccines which have received authorisation by stringent regulatory authorities for use among children are safe and effective in preventing severe disease developments, hospitalisations and deaths due to COVID-19, and to some extent, in reducing transmission of the disease, he explained.

Students in Hanoi have their temperature check before entering school. (Photo: VNA)



Children and adolescents tend to experience a milder COVID-19 disease compared to adults, though there are other risks that we need to consider when a child gets sick with COVID-19 such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a serious condition that can prolong a childs recovery from COVID-19.



To ensure the safe rollout of vaccines to children aged 5-11, the official recommended the Vietnamese Government to develop a well-planned system for acquiring and distributing the vaccines as well as a robust system for monitoring, reporting and response to safety and adverse events following immunisation.



The government should also implement communication strategies for the wide dissemination of messages on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, possible side effects, and the benefits of getting vaccinated, he noted./.
Minister Nguyen Hong Dien hailed the visit by the EC official in the context that Vietnam and the EU are actively building and implementing specific action plans to realise the outcomes of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).



An overview of the meeting (Photo:VNA)



The minister asked for support from the EU, the leading partners with strong commitments and actions in climate change mitigation and green transformation, in the transformation of the growth model towards a green, circular and sustainable economy.



Both sides discussed many issues of shared concern such as the policy to adapt to climate change, plans to realise commitments at the COP26 and power transformation plans ad well as the orientation for the development of circular economy.



Minister Nguyen Hong Dien said that Vietnams commitments at the COP26 show the countrys determination to persistently complete the target of switching from traditional fossil energy sources to green energy resources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with its own strength together with cooperation and support from the international community in both financial resources and technology.



The Ministry of Industry and Trade will prioritise the support to clean and renewable energy projects and is willing to coordinate with partners and donors from the EU in the field, he stated.



Sustainable development cooperation between the two sides has been implemented positively and efficiently over the years through the institutions within the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), he noted, adding that it is Vietnams first deal with contents related to sustainable development, which shows the countrys great attention to the balance between trade and environmental protection.



Thanks to the EVFTA, Vietnam has favourable conditions to access modern technologies from the EU and draw more projects to speed up the growth of green and digital economy as well as renewable energy, thus helping Vietnamese products meet technical and environmental requirements in the EU market, he said.



At the meeting, both sides expressed delight at the Vietnam-EU cooperation in economy, trade and energy, and agreed to strengthen their partnership in the future.



The Vietnamese side proposed that the EU continue to support and give priority to technical and financial support and the transfer of technology to Vietnam, including sustainable energy transformation programme and the Vietnam Energy Partnership Group (VEPG).



According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, last year, trade between Vietnam and the EU reached 57 billion USD in 2021, up 14.5 percent year on year, with Vietnams export revenue rising 14.2 percent to 40.1 billion USD.



The Import-Export Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that in the first year of implementing the EVFTA, the export revenue of products using the EUR.1 certificate of origin (C/O) reached about 7.71 billion USD./.
The hybrid 2022 Economic Outlook and Green Finance Policy seminar, co-organised by the bank and Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gathered more than 120 officials, diplomats, researchers, businesspeople, and economic experts.



Leelahaphan said Vietnam is expected to grow 6.7 percent in 2022 and 7 percent in 2023, with its medium-term outlook remaining positive. Vietnam will continue to be an important link in the global supply chain and a destination chosen by many businesses, he added.



At Hai Phong seaport. (Photo: VNA)



Investment activity in the country is expected to recover this year after being affected by the COVID-19 epidemic for a period of time, noted the expert.



Michele Wee, Chief Executive Officer at Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam Ltd, said Vietnam's economy is in the process of recovering.



According to her, in a recent survey conducted by the bank, clients said that Vietnam has a lot of potential for growth and investment attraction, and is playing an increasingly important role in international trade and global supply chain.



Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung assessed that Vietnam is entering a very important stage of development with an expectation that its recovery and growth in 2022 and 2023 will create a strong bounce for the 2021  2025 period towards development goals set for 2030 and 2045.



Opportunities and challenges are intertwined, but opportunities are dominant, he stressed.



The Government is drastically accelerating the implementation of a largest-ever programme for socio-economic recovery and growth, the official informed. According to him, the programme includes both short- and long-term solutions to create sustainable development drivers./.
Former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter testified in her own trial. Potter is due back in court February 18 to be sentenced.
What does Putin want in Ukraine? The conflict explained
On Saturday, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Munich (Germany) to participate in the annual security conference and hold talks on current threats in Eastern Europe and the situation around Ukraine.

According to the presidential press service, Zelensky inter alia, meet with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz, Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris, representatives of international financial institutions and other partners of Ukraine.

"Volodymyr Zelensky expects concrete agreements on providing our country with additional military and financial support to strengthen Ukraine's resilience," the report said.

At the same time, Zelensky will return to Kyiv on the same day.

It is noted that the discussions at the Munich Security Conference this year will focus on current threats in Eastern Europe and the situation around Ukraine. "Therefore, the position of our state must be presented enough for the issues of Ukraine to be resolved with the participation of Ukraine," the press service said.

The situation on the touch line in Donbas, in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and near the borders of Ukraine is being analyzed by special services of our state, the press service said.

"There is a constant analysis of intelligence and exchange of information with partners. Ukraine regularly receives additional up-to-date intelligence on the activity of Russian forces," the presidential press service said.
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine did not intend to advance into the occupied territories by force, and sought peace, the press service of the President of Ukraine reported.

"What is happening now in Donbas is an attempt by Russia to provoke our Armed Forces to take certain action, but Ukraine wants peace and does not intend to move to the occupied territories by force," the report said.

At the same time, Danilov said that Ukraine was ready to negotiate with the Russian Federation with a view to de-escalation, but not with the formations (the so-called "LPR/DPR") it supports in the occupied territories. After all, "negotiating with people who do not decide anything is a waste of time," the NSDC Secretary said.

"We cannot negotiate with people who do not make any independent decisions  all decisions are made only in Moscow. You know that Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that he is ready to meet with Putin at any time in order to hold these talks. Today, unfortunately, they refuse to negotiate," he said.

Danilov also said Ukraine stood for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements according to the defined logic, and not in the way Russia wanted.
Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria have purchased a sprawling farmhouse in the peaceful Vermont town of Arlington. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Alec Baldwin and his family are officially heading to New England.

The 30 Rock star, 63, has purchased a rural farmhouse in the peaceful Vermont enclave of Arlington, according to the Bennington Banner, a local newspaper.

The announcement comes after several reports that Baldwin and his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, were house hunting in the area last year. The Baldwin family spent significant time in Vermont last fall following the tragic Rust shooting that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins when Baldwin discharged a prop gun.

According to the Banner, an ad previously described the Baldwins' new estate 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. Additional details include 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.

Faith Rhodes, the principal broker and owner of Rhodes Real Estate, told the Banner that she isn't sure how much time the Baldwins, who have six young children, will spend at the home.

"Its certainly not their primary residence. But they love the community as well," she said. "They got to know it and loved it.

Video: Alec Baldwin returns to work for 1st time since 'Rust' shooting

The property, which is located on Ice Pond Road, sold Feb. 15 for $1.75 million, multiple sites are reporting. Yahoo reached out for comment to Rhodes Real Estate, but did not receive a reply by press time.

The article also states that Hilaria Baldwin's family has significant history in the Vermont area, and her grandfather even owned a home in Arlington.

Vermont was also the location where Baldwin first spoke out on the death of Hutchins. Baldwin, who was with his wife and children, stood on a Manchester, Vermont street and spoke with a crowd of photographers about the situation, TMZ.com reported at the time.

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The news comes the same week as that Baldwin and others were named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Halyna Hutchins's family alleging "reckless behavior and cost-cutting" on the Western's set led to her "senseless and tragic death." The lawsuit was filed in New Mexico on behalf of Matthew Hutchins, Halyna's husband of 16 years, and their 9-year-old son.

"Alec had the gun in his hand, he shot it, Halyna was killed," Hutchins' lawyer Brian Panish said. "The gun cannot fire unless the trigger is engaged and the hammer is back."

Baldwin recently returned to work for the first time since the tragic shooting occurred in October. Baldwin asserted that he was told the weapon was "cold," meaning it did not contain live ammunition, and that he did not actually pull the trigger. In his first interview after the tragic shooting, Baldwin claimed he had "no idea" how a live bullet made its way onto the set.

"I feel that someone is responsible for what happened, and I can't say who that is, but I know it's not me," Baldwin previously said. Honest to god, if I felt that I was responsible, I might have killed myself if I thought I was responsible. And I don't say that lightly.
Kuleba to leave for Brussels on Feb 21, to visit USA on Feb 22-23 to meet with Blinken, speak at UN General Assembly

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will make foreign visits on February 19-23 to participate in EU and UN events and hold talks with the United States in order to coordinate efforts for implementing a global strategy to deter Russia from further aggression.

According to the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, on Saturday, February 19, as part of a delegation led by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the minister will visit the Munich Security Conference, where Kuleba will hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of a number of foreign states.

On Monday, February 21, in Brussels, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister will take part in the EU Foreign Affairs Council as a special guest.

"The Minister will inform European colleagues on the current security situation near the state border and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the efforts of our state and its partners to reduce tension and intensify the process of political and diplomatic settlement," the report said.

Kuleba is also scheduled to visit Washington on February 22. The minister will hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the key topics of which will be protecting Ukraine from further Russian aggression, strengthening defense capabilities, and ensuring economic and financial stability.

"On February 23, in New York, the minister will speak at the UN General Assembly, where he will tell the broad international community about the current situation in the temporarily occupied territories and near the state border of Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry said.
The latest genomic sequencing report from the Center of Emerging Viral Threats at LSU Health Shreveport has detected omicron subvariant BA.2 in north Louisiana.

While this is the first time that subvariant has been detected in area, it is not a new variant of COVID. BA.2 is a subvariant of the omicron which currently dominant in the United States.

As of February, there are three lineages of omicron, BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3.

While the prevalence of BA.2 in new cases has increased in countries like Denmark and South Africa it is still low in the United States.

Early studies from a Japanese lab that have not yet undergone peer review indicate BA.2 may cause more severe disease than the BA.1 sublineage," said Krista Queen, PhD, Director of Viral Genomics and Surveillance for the Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats at LSUHS.

Queen explains that because of the differences in the two lineages of omicron, BA.2 may act differently with different immune systems.

"These are early data and must be interpreted with caution, but they provide potential valuable insight about BA.2, she said.

Comprehensive research on virus variants is ongoing while scientists and public health officials continue to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and detect variants that are circulating among populations using important data that genomic sequencing provides.

More: Caddo Parish's COVID cases fall 54.9%; Louisiana cases plummet 44.2%

Mutations in viruses are not uncommon and variants are expected to arise," said Queen. "Because of sequencing we can determine what variants are circulating in communities and better understand how the virus is changes, and how quickly these changes are occurring. This information not only helps public health officials make more informed decisions but is also shared with other scientists who are studying and tracking the prevalence of COVID-19 around the world.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: LSU Health finds omicron subvariant in North Louisiana
A semi-truck drives over an underpass in Salinas, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022.

Your drive through east Salinas will be vibrant and historical, thanks to a California highway beautification initiative.

Salinas was awarded $1.8 million to "beautify and improve" underpasses in the Alisal along Highway 101: Sanborn Road, East Alisal Street, and East Market Street, according to city officials.

This is an amazing opportunity to make Salinas a destination for visitors and residents to experience our citys history and culture in the Alisal through art," Councilman Steve McShane said. "These efforts will bring life to the area with new landscaping and create safer spaces for our community enjoy."

The funding is part of Gov. Gavin Newsoms $1.1 billion Clean California initiative. Caltrans awarded $312 million for 126 beautification projects along the state highway system, including 12 projects in the Central Coast.

Cars drive on an underpass in E. Alisal Street in Salinas, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022.

The Salinas project will include public art, landscaping enhancements and safety improvements.

The Alisal is an important part of Salinas history and being able to share our communitys culture and traditions in this way is inspiring," Councilman Tony Barrera said. "This is a meaningful investment in the Alisal and our city."

The Clean California beautification projects are expected to generate 3,600 jobs as part of the multiyear initiative led by Caltrans to remove trash and beautify public areas along highways, streets and roads.

A majority  98%  of the projects will benefit historically underserved or excluded communities.

The US 101/Alisal Vibrancy Project is scheduled to begin construction this fall with completion by June 30, 2023.

California Department of Transportation employees cut the weeds of a Highway 101 underpass in Salinas, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022.

Sheyanne Romero is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network and manages content for the Salinas Californian.

This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Salinas awarded $1.8 M for Alisal underpasses makeover
The number of bald eagles in the state of Iowa has nearly doubled compared to past winter averages, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Stephanie Shepherd, part of the Iowa DNR's wildlife research staff, estimates the average number of bald eagles in any given winter to be about 3,500. But that number has increased to nearly 6,000 this year, the National Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey says.

Weve done some analyses in the past to try to figure out why the number fluctuates from winter to winter, Shepherd said. Some of the things that go into that are winters where theres a lot of frozen water and only small areas of open water where they can fish. Also in these really harsh winters, we probably have more birds coming down from north of us where things are even colder and more harsh.

According to Shepherd, the most popular spots for bald eagles in Iowa are Clayton, Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, and the birds tend to stay near open water. But you'll see them just about anywhere they can find food, said Amy Ries of the Raptor Resource Project, which builds and maintains nest sites to help birds across the state of Iowa.

More: Bald eagle euthanized after being found shot in Cedar Rapids

A bald eagle searches for food around dusk Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers near downtown Des Moines.

"Eagles have learned, for example, that if you spend time around feedlots, it's pretty much Old Country Buffet behind the pig barn," Ries said. "They've learned how to take advantage of different sources of food, and places not near water where we didn't use to see them, we will now find them."

Bald eagles tend to leave their nests in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin and travel south to Iowa for the winter in search of food, according to Shepherd. That helps explain the higher count this year, despite Iowa only having an estimated 500 nests.

"I think part of it is that we had a pretty mild winter," said Peter Ray, a park ranger at the Desoto National Wildlife Refuge in western Iowa. "They tend to stay near rivers, lakes and other bodies of water, and one of their main sources of food is fish. This year, we didn't get as many bodies of water frozen all the way over, so that could be why we saw more eagles."

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Bald eagles' tendency to stay near bodies of water helps the Department of Natural Resources plan the routes for their surveys.

Theres basically 52-ish standardized routes across the state that are set up so they run along eagle habitats, which are generally rivers and some lakes, Shepherd said. These routes are driven every year in the first two weeks of January, generally by the same surveyor, and they count all the eagles they see. It can get tricky if there are lots and lots of eagles, but most of these folks have been doing this survey for a long time and have a lot of good techniques for counting eagles in a set area.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa DNR reports record number of bald eagles in winter survey
Anna Sorokin arrives for sentencing at New York State Supreme Court, in New York, Thursday, May 9, 2019. Steven Hirsch/New York Post via AP

The real-life Anna Sorokin of "Inventing Anna" says the stress of her scam wasn't a problem.

The Netflix show conflates the different ways she misled people and banks, she told Insider.

In her brief time outside prison, she said she understood her reputation and began to feel regret.

As "Inventing Anna" topped Netflix charts this month, many viewers had the same question.

How did Anna Sorokin, a 20-something middle-class German national, go to New York and pretend to be an heiress with a $60 million trust fund, stiff expensive hotels, and create fake identities to lie to banks  and not freak out over the stress?

In a series of interviews with Insider this week, Sorokin had a few different explanations.

Any stress she felt, she said, was a good thing.

"I do not mind. For me, it's kind of like a driving factor," she said. "It motivates me a bit. The worst is having nothingness."

As chronicled in the 2018 New York magazine story that became "Inventing Anna," Sorokin scammed Manhattan's social scene using the name Anna Delvey for years before her arrest in 2017. She ran in wealthy circles and took part in trips, parties, and hotel stays  often while leaving other people with the bill.

At trial in 2019, Manhattan District Attorney prosecutors spent weeks painstakingly going through complicated financial documents with the jury. Sorokin, in addition to putting on the airs of a wealthier person to friends and acquaintances, told financial institutions she was an heiress with a $60 million trust fund back in Germany.

But while court documents show that Sorokin told banks she had a massive trust fund, Sorokin told Insider she didn't tell everyone the same story.

People Jessica Pressler interviewed for the New York magazine story, including Sorokin's close friend Neff Davis, said they had only vague ideas about her wealth. Rachel Williams, who accused Sorokin of scamming her, said she had little understanding of where her money came from. Another acquaintance said she heard third-hand that Sorokin was an heiress.

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Sorokin paid for things with hundred-dollar bills, hung out with the rich, and let their imaginations fill the rest. People saw what they wanted to see, she said.

"Nobody ever asked me how much money I had, and I never asked anybody how much money they had," she said. "I also did not know about all these people's parents, and neither did I care."

Rachel Williams entering the courtroom for Anna Sorokin's criminal trial. Jacob Shamsian/Insider

Does she feel bad for Williams, who testified against her at her trial?

The jury acquitted Sorokin of the charge that she stole from Williams by leaving her with a $62,000 bill for a trip to Morocco, but Williams has continued to criticize Sorokin and blasted "Inventing Anna" for glorifying her. For months, Sorokin promised to pay her back but gave her just $5,000 before her arrest. At her trial, Sorokin's lawyer Todd Spodek said she believed she'd be able to pay back Williams in full once the Anna Delvey Foundation took off.

"I wish it wouldn't have happened," Sorokin said. "The whole trip  I just kind of fell into that, and I just was not giving too much thought. I was dealing with the things I thought were more important. And it was just not on my radar."

Williams didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Sorokin did pay for some things. The jury found her guilty of failing to pay the bill at three Manhattan hotels, and she had to pay restitution. But another hotel she stayed at for weeks, the 11 Howard, she paid off after her stay and before her criminal charges. Sorokin said she always had a plan to pay everyone.

"It was not like I made my way to the hotel and I was like, 'I'm going see how long I will be able to get away with it,'" Sorokin said. "I was constantly working on things. I didn't just sit there."

It was only "with the benefit of hindsight," she said, that all these representations of herself were knitted together in the narrative in New York magazine and "Inventing Anna." But from her perspective, the anxiety could be kept at bay.

"I always had things in the works," Sorokin said. "For me to be anxious would be to admit I was just sitting there, waiting to crash into a brick wall."

The brick wall

Getting a loan from a bank requires more than sleight-of-hand.

Prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney's office laid bare Sorokin's deceptions at her trial.

She falsely claimed in documents that she had a $60 million trust waiting for her, which she could use to repay loans. And she created two fake identities, "Peter Hennecke" and "Bettina Wagner," who would vouch for her finances. Sorokin created email addresses and used a voice disguising app to try to persuade bank officials that Hennecke and Wagner were real.

The evidence prosecutors marshaled against Sorokin were circulated in the media while Sorokin was in custody. She was arrested in 2017 and remained in jail on Rikers Island until her 2019 trial. At her sentencing, New York State Supreme Court Judge Diane Kiesel chided her for caring too much about her outfits and worrying about who would play her in the Netflix show.

Julia Garner as Anna Sorokin in "Inventing Anna." Netflix

It was only after being released from prison, in February 2021, that Sorokin said she understood how the public saw her. Her media consumption had been drastically limited while behind bars.

While Sorokin participated in the viral New York Magazine story and sold the rights to her life story to Shonda Rhimes' production company, she told Insider she had only a hazy understanding that some members of the public lionized her as a scammer folk hero.

"It's just really abstract," she said. "When you don't have your phone, and you don't have social media, and you're not really exposed to the media, you are not really that aware of what's going on."

Sorokin told Insider she regretted coming across as unapologetic in an interview with The New York Times after her conviction, as well as in other media interviews. She said it took time for her mentality to shift, which she was only able to do after leaving prison.

Remorse, she said, "isn't linear."

"Can anybody really expect a person to go through almost two months of a trial cleaning one thing, and then just change their mind completely in a minute?" she asked. "It's kind of a tough thing to do unless it's something as black-and-white as a murder."

"What made me evaluate my position as having been out, and having seen what's going on on the outside," she continued. "How people perceive it on social media and in the media, and how people translated my case to what it means to them. Looking at it from that perspective, I would not want to be somebody who would encourage people to commit crimes."

Julia Garner as Anna Sorokin  AKA Anna Delvey  in Rikers Island on "Inventing Anna." Aaron Epstein/Netflix

Immigration and Customs Enforcement re-arrested Sorokin in March 2021, six weeks after her prison release, for overstaying her visa. The agency argued before an immigration judge that her interviews demonstrated she was un-remorseful and should remain in custody. Sorokin is currently jailed in upstate New York, fighting her deportation.

Prison, she maintains, has little use. She said it makes no sense to lock people up without addressing why they committed the crimes they were convicted of.

"There should be a case worker who would meet with you once a month or so and explore why you did what you did, what led to this, and how this can be avoided in the future," she said. "Personalized 'therapy' is the least that the system owes you when they take away everything."

Sorokin worries that, once her immigration issues are dealt with and she's free again, it will be impossible to change her reputation.

"That's something I constantly think about," she said. "It's going to be a jab, people saying, 'Oh she's a criminal and she's only doing that because whatever.' It's the same thing with Kim Kardashian and her sex tape. You can take anything she's doing now and bring it back to that."

She referenced the book she's writing about her life, saying it's easier to write with the pressure of prison. On the outside, there are too many distractions.

"I've been worried about I'll just never be able to write when I'm not in this cell. It's just impossible for me," she said. "Thinking back on my six weeks out, like I could not even write one page."

Read the original article on Insider
Photo credit: Sothebys

What will $50 million get you at auction? Last month, Sothebys sold Sandro Botticellis Man of Sorrows painting for $45.5 million, and today it announced it is offering another masterpiece that's worth at least $48 million: a rare 15.10-carat fancy vivid blue diamond.

How rare and unusual is this jewel? Only five other vivid blue diamonds over 10 carats have ever come to auction, says Patti Wong, chairman of Sothebys Asia. In comparison, she points out that the auction house has sold many more paintings by Picasso and Monet over the past 20 years.

Known as the De Beers Cullinan Blue, the newly mined stone will be the largest vivid blue diamond to come to auction when its offered at Sothebys in Hong Kong in April.

Currently holding the price record for a blue diamond sold at auction is the Oppenheimer Blue, a 14.62-carat fancy vivid blue diamond that sold for a staggering $57.5 million at Christies in May 2016. The De Beers Cullinan Blue isnt just larger than the Oppenheimer Blueits also a remarkably saturated deep shade of denim blue and internally flawless.

Discovered at the Cullinan Mine in South Africa in 2021, the rough blue diamond (which weighed nearly 40 carats) was purchased for $40 million jointly by De Beers and the Diacore diamond cutting operation. Diacores master cutters spent nearly a year faceting and polishing the stone into a flawless 15.10-carat step-cut diamond. It was graded as vivid blue by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the highest possible grade for colored diamonds, which has been awarded to no more than 1% of blue diamonds. These stones get their blue hue from trace amounts of boron within the diamond crystal lattice.

Photo credit: Sotheby's

Over the past decade, the price of fancy blue diamonds has skyrocketed. In 2014, a game-changing sale eclipsed all past sales of blue diamonds and set a new benchmark; the Mellon Blue Diamond, a 9.75-carat fancy vivid blue pear-shaped diamond, later renamed the Zoe Diamond, sold for $32.6 million at Sothebys New York. The following year, records were shattered again when Sothebys Geneva sold the Blue Moon of Josephine, a 12.03 carat cushion-shaped internally flawless fancy vivid blue diamond for $48.5 million. And in May 2016, the Oppenheimer Blue made $57.5 million.

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While few sizable blues appear at auction, their allure has captured peoples attention for centuries. They were first recorded by Jean Baptiste Tavernier in the mid-17th century when he purchased a blue diamond in the Golconda region of India. In 1668, he sold it to King Louis XIV of France, who named it the French Blue, and over the years, it was sold, stolen, and passed through several hands. Of course, it is now the worlds most famous blue diamondthe Hope Diamond, a 45.52-carat fancy-dark grayish-blue stone. It is currently on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. where it is the most visited treasure in the museum.

With more collectors in the market than ever before, Wong says there is strong international interest in the De Beers Cullinan Blue. People are knowledgeable today, they collect across categories, and they know what they want. Some clients will enjoy wearing the diamond, she says, and others want the pride of ownership. Its the most beautiful blue diamond Ive seen in my career, says Wong. I wont likely see another like this again.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Western leaders gathered at a security conference in Munich on Saturday that he wants sanctions to be imposed against Russia before any potential invasion of his country, not after."You're telling me that it's 100% that the war will start in a couple of days. Then what [are you] waiting for?" Zelensky said. "We don't need your sanctions after the bombardment will happen, and after our country will be fired at or after we will have no borders or after we will have no economy or parts of our country will be occupied. Why would we need those sanctions then?"

"So when you're asking what can be done, well lots of different things can be done. We can even provide you the list. The most important is willingness," he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany, on February 19, 2022. / Credit: THOMAS KIENZLE/AFP via Getty Images

Earlier on Saturday, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris warned of financial penalties for Russia if it launches an invasion.

"Let me be clear, I can say with absolute certainty: If Russia further invades Ukraine, the United States, together with our allies and partners, will impose significant, and unprecedented economic costs," she said at the security conference.

She also met with Zelensky.

"They discussed the united Transatlantic approach if Russia further invades Ukraine, and the Vice President outlined the swift and severe economic measures that have been prepared alongside our Allies and partners," according to the White House. "The Vice President and President Zelenskyy agreed on the importance of diplomacy and de-escalation."

A potential Russian invasion of Ukraine is a leading topic at the Munich Security Conference, which is an annual event to prevent another war in Europe.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Saturday during a visit to Lithuania that Russia is "uncoiling and are now poised to strike."

There had been concern among delegates over whether it was a good idea for Zelensky to leave Ukraine with the threat of Russian invasion looming.

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When asked about the topic, Zelensky said he had eaten breakfast in Ukraine, and he would eat dinner there."I'm sure that our country is in good hands. This is not just my hands  these are hands of our soldiers and citizens. I think my visit here is important," he said. Zelensky said the current crisis in Ukraine was not just regional, but about the whole world."This system is slow and failing us time and again, because of arrogance and irresponsibility of countries on a global level," he said.Zelensky said he wanted to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to come up with a solution to the crisis. "Ukraine is longing for peace, Europe is longing for peace, the world is saying it doesn't want any war, while Russia claiming she doesn't want to intervene  someone here is lying."

Contributing: The Associated Press

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A federal judge has rejected an effort by former President Donald Trump to dismiss a series of lawsuits brought against him by Democratic lawmakers and U.S. Capitol Police officers seeking to hold him liable for the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The ruling, by D.C. district judge Amit Mehta, finds that the allegations in the suits, if true, could "establish a plausible conspiracy involving President Trump" and those who carried out the Jan. 6 attack.

"Viewing the foregoing well-pleaded facts in the light most favorable to Plaintiffs, and drawing all reasonable inferences in their favor," wrote Mehta, "the court concludes that the Complaints establish a plausible conspiracy involving President Trump" -- and based on that, the judge denied Trump's motion to dismiss the cases.

The 112-page ruling allows part of three separate civil lawsuits brought by 11 lawmakers -- including Rep. Bennie Thompson, Rep. Eric Swalwell and two Capitol Police officers -- to move forward against Trump.

Mehta, in the ruling, removed Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. and Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, as defendants in the lawsuit.

MORE: Oath Keeper discussed 'alliance' of far-right groups leading up to Jan. 6: Prosecutors

Mehta additionally rejected an effort by the Oath Keepers and by Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio to remove themselves as defendants in the lawsuits.

Separately, Mehta said he will remove Rep. Mo Brooks as a defendant in the lawsuit brought by Rep. Swalwell once Brooks files an official motion to dismiss.

According to Mehta, the allegations in the lawsuits, if true, could "establish a plausible conspiracy involving President Trump" and those who carried out the attack on the Capitol, including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers militia.

PHOTO: Pro-Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol following a rally with President Donald Trump on Janu. 6, 2021, in Washington. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images, FILE)

"Recall, a civil conspiracy need not involve an express agreement; so, the fact that President Trump is not alleged to have ever met, let alone sat down with, a Proud Boy or an Oath Keeper to hatch a plan is not dispositive. A tacit agreement -- one that is 'implied or indicated ... but not actually expressed' -- is enough," Mehta wrote. "The key is that the conspirators share the same general conspiratorial objective, or a single plan the essential nature and general scope of which is known to all conspirators."

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Mehta said it's also plausible Trump knew there were militia and other far-right groups descending on Washington that planned to commit acts of violence to keep him in power, given how he and other top officials aggressively monitored news coverage and through his own public comments about the Proud Boys, telling them to at a prior presidential debate to "stand back and stand by."

Mehta also included in his analysis whether Trump's speech on the Ellipse prior to the Jan. 6 attack could amount to incitement under the legal definition. According to Mehta, Trump's encouragement to his supporters to "fight like hell" are "plausibly words of incitement not protected by the First Amendment."

MORE: National Archives confirms some documents retrieved from Mar-a-Lago were classified

Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment form ABC News.

"Today is a major victory for the rule of law, and demonstrates just how important the courts are for ensuring accountability," said Joseph Sellers, partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll and co-lead counsel for the members of Congress who brought the case. "We will continue to pursue justice through the courts and ensure accountability for this attack on our democracy."

The ruling, which Trump's legal team is likely to appeal, would have sweeping implications on claims of presidential immunity from civil lawsuits -- which Mehta acknowledged in the ruling.

"To deny a President immunity from civil damages is no small step," Mehta wrote. "The court well understands the gravity of its decision. 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."

Judge rejects Trump's effort to dismiss Jan. 6 civil lawsuits, finds they could establish 'plausible conspiracy' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
(Presley Ann/Getty Images; Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)

Its Hilary Duff, b**ches, the Lizzie McGuire actress responded to a viral video of a group of students mistaking her for Lindsay Lohan.

While Hilary Duff is currently starring as Sophie in the spinoff series How I Met Your Father, the 34-year-old actor became a household name for her role on the Disney Channels Lizzie McGuire. However, these students seem to think shes another 2000s child star.

In a video posted by @sarahulean on TikTok, which received over eight million views, a teacher promised her students a pizza party if they could ace this pop culture quiz. Told my students if they tell me who these people are I would throw them a pizza party, the original video said. The teacher displayed pictures of early 2000s pop culture icons including Duff, and the young students were stumped. Although, they did throw out some good guesses.

Lindsay Lohan! one student shouted when an image of Duff from her Lizzie McGuire days appeared on the board. Another student suggested she was Debbie Ryan from Jessie.

The Younger actor reposted the video to her Instagram story on Thursday and responded with her own light-hearted message. Although its Hilary Duff b**ches a.k.a. Lizzie, she wrote on her Instagram story. Live it, learn it.

Man am I happy to not have to be good for the kids anymore, she said, referring to her start on the Disney Channel. Duff was known for her roles in wholesome movies such as A Cinderella Story, Cadet Kelly, and The Lizzie McGuire Movie.

Duff wasnt the only celebrity these kids didnt recognise. The students mistook Miley Cyrus for JoJo Siwa, Ashley Tisdale for Hannah Montana, and Chris Brown for Michael Jackson.

Hilary Duff responds to students who confused her for Lindsay Lohan (Instagram / Hilary Duff)

In 2019, Duff announced that she will be reprising her role as Lizzie in a Lizzie McGuire reboot for Disney+. However, the plan was scrapped after she and Disney executives had conflicting ideas of how the character, whom she played as a teenager, would navigate life as an adult. I was not really willing to bend, because of the age that Lizzie is, and they werent willing to bend, and we politely and lovingly paused, Duff said in an interview with The New York Times. Its not dead. And its not alive. Im always here to explore that character because its such a big part of me. You never know.
LITTLE COMPTON, R.I  After a long battle with Montanas Fish, Wildlife & Parks department on allegations of poaching game animals in that state, a number of local men have entered a plea deal, agreeing to pay $50,000 in restitution, after an investigation that dates back to 2014.

Little Compton residents Richard Leblanc and Marc Federico, and Westport resident Stephen Schenck were sentenced on Jan. 11 in a plea deal with Montana state prosecutors in Garfield County. In addition to the $50,000 fine, the men were placed on six months' suspended jail sentences, according to Montana fish and game officials.

William Mathews, of Florida, also agreed to similar terms in the case.

Joseph Caetano, also of Massachusetts, had previously reached a plea deal and agreed to pay a $3,750 fine and a six-month suspended jail sentence.

All the local men have also lost hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for 10 years in Montana.

Several local men have agreed to paying hefty fines after reaching a plea deal on poaching charges with the state of Montana after a lengthy investigation.

Leblanc and his son-in-law, Federico, declined to speak on the record and directed comments to their Rhode Island attorney, Anthony Traini, who did not immediately return a request for comment.

Federico is the owner of The Moose Cafe in Tiverton.

Schenck and Caetano could not be contacted.

Hunting record: Mass. hunters set records for black bears, wild turkeys in 2020

The investigation led to 18 more hunters, mostly from the West Coast, receiving fines and loss of hunting privileges, including Acushnet resident Richard Medeiros.

In a statement released by Montana wildlife officials on Wednesday, an investigation that started in 2014 centered around the Byron Kerr Ranch, located in the northeastern part of the state.

Capt. J.D. Douglas, of the special investigations' unit for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, said Leblanc led a group of hunters who visited the ranch on annual hunting trips.

Douglas said the group had been investigated twice before between 2005 and 2011 and were issued 31 citations in that time frame for hunting violations. A third investigation began in 2014 after the department was provided anonymous information on their wildlife tip line.

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They just left a trail of devastation when they came over here, said Douglas.

Outdoors: Smelling of fish is not always a bad thing

The hunters committed a number of violations regarding unlawfully shooting of antelope and deer, license violations and shooting game animals out of season, and they often left the carcasses in waste, said Douglas.

The group is also alleged to have unlawfully hunted mule deer bucks, one of the largest species of deer that requires special permitting and is coveted by hunters.

On the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Facebook page, the wildlife agency posted disturbing photographs of dead wildlife, some partially dismembered as part of the poaching investigation.

Jo C. Goode may be reached at jgoode@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism and subscribe to The Herald News today!

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Montana poaching investigation: Tiverton, Westport hunters fined
Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty

Former President Donald Trump was just trying to help. Instead, he just handed investigators more ammunition.

On Monday, Trumps lawyers filed documents alleging that he denies knowledgeand doesnt even know enough to form a beliefabout the way he allegedly slapped a 30-percent brand premium on some business properties in 2014.

But the very next day, Trump said the complete opposite when he issued a lengthy statement to counter news that his long-time outside accounting firm, Mazars USA, had suddenly ditched him. He took the opportunity to show off his supposed previous net worth of $5.7 billion in 2014and, more importantly, noted that it didnt include the typical boost from the enthusiasm of the Trump brand.

Trumps Inner Circle Freaks That His Tax Firm Screwed Him

On Wednesday, prosecutors contended in a letter that Trump can no longer play clueless; he had just revealed that he knows exactly what OAG is investigating.

His answer is more than merely legally deficient: it plainly contradicts his public statements, they wrote.

That self-own was compounded on Thursday, when a state judge ordered him to turn over evidence about shady real estate values in a case about the Trump Organizations alleged bank and tax fraud. Trumps incessant need to boast ended up revealing he had more evidence to turn over.

He said too muchat just the wrong time.

Were talking about a guy whos so in the habit of shooting his mouth off. I think this is quite damaging, and also unusual. Usually people refer everything to their attorney, said Daniel L. Feldman, a former attorney at the AGs office who now teaches at the City University of New York's John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

And now that New York State Judge Arthur F. Engoron issued an order on Thursday compelling Trump to turn over documents, the New York AGs lawyers can specifically ask for the information they now know exists.

The Trump Org Stiffed a Hotel. His Kids May Pay the Price.

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What they have is a clear path to do is to say, OK, give us the docs that support the statement you just made since you obviously were basing this on something, Feldman told The Daily Beast.

Although the Trump-sanctioned statement could end up exacerbating the ex-presidents legal heartburn, it wasironicallycrafted with care.

At least, it was afforded more care than your average Trump statement.

After news broke on Monday that Mazars dropped him, the former president and his staff were conspicuously silent on the topic. Trump, who usually spouts off as soon as he can, did not release a statement until a full day lateron Tuesday eveningwhen his spokespeople finally blasted out a typically baffling missive.

According to two people familiar with the matter, lawyers and financial data were consulted and reviewed during a protracted drafting process, with the former presidents staff taking Trumps dictated message and adorning it with a shred of coherence.

They took their time on this one. You need to be careful and cautious and thorough. You do not want to give your enemies anything to use against you or your client, and you want to have a clear strong message, one of the sources said.

Regardless, the quintessentially Trumpian boastfulness of Tuesdays written statement may have been just enough to hand the twice-impeached former presidents enemies something new to wield.

It seems somebody dropped the ball, though, doesnt it? the person familiar with the situation asked, rhetorically.

Could Thursday Be the Worst Day Yet for Trump and His Kids?

The spotlight is now on Trumps personal attorney in the case, Alina Habba, who signed off on the Trump court document that was contradicted by his statement. The suburban New Jersey lawyer nabbed the prominent role as the former presidents counsel when his team of nationally recognized attorneys fled last year.

Habba drew scrutiny during Thursdays court hearing, however, when she delivered TV-ready speeches about politicsincluding a random and factually incorrect comment about Hillary Clinton spying on Trumpand had to be repeatedly castigated for making the novice mistake of interrupting the judge.

Trump wouldnt have found himself in this position if hed just turned over documents after getting the subpoena the New York AGs office issued on Dec. 1, 2021.

But by fighting it for another two months and making additional statements shortly before the judges ruling, AG Leticia James can now ask for more recent paperwork related to his statements of financial condition.

In his judicial order on Thursday, Judge Engoron didnt address Trumps oversharing directly. But he did single out another Trump Organization statement about its accounting debacle.

While the Feb. 9 letter from Mazars clearly cast a cloud of suspicion over the Trump Organizations books by noting that it was disavowing a decades worth of Trumps personal financial statements, the Trump Organization spun that news with a statement claiming that, actually, the letter instead renders moot investigations because the letter confirms Mazars work was performed in accordance with all applicable accounting standards and principles.

Never mind that Mazars said that to distance itself from its former client.

Engoron compared it to modern alternative facts and quoted the dangerous truth-reversal of George Orwells dystopian novel 1984, noting how it stated: War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength.

To proclaim that the Mazars red-flag warning that the Trump financial statements are unreliable suddenly renders the OAGs longstanding investigation moot is as audacious as it is preposterous, he wrote.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Biden: Russian troops plan to attack Ukraine in coming week, in coming days

KYIV. Feb 19 (Interfax-Ukraine)  The United States has reason to believe that Russian troops are planning to attack Ukraine in the coming week, in the coming days, U.S. President Joe Biden has said.

"We have reason to believe the Russian forces are planning to and intend to attack Ukraine in the coming week  in the coming days. We believe that they will target Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million innocent people," Biden said in an address from the White House on Friday.

"We're calling out Russia's plans loudly and repeatedly, not because we want a conflict, but because we're doing everything in our power to remove any reason that Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine and prevent them from moving," he said.

"Over the last few days, we've seen reports of a major uptick in violations of the ceasefire by Russian-backed fighters attempting to provoke Ukraine in Donbas," Biden said.

"For example, a shelling of a Ukrainian kindergarten yesterday, which Russia has falsely asserted was carried out by Ukraine. We also continue to see more and more disinformation being pushed out by  to the Russian public, including the Russian-backed separatists, claiming that Ukraine is planning to launch a massive offensive attack in Donbas. Well, look, there is simply no evidence of these assertions, and it defies basic logic to believe the Ukrainians would choose this moment, with well over 150,000 troops arrayed on its borders, to escalate a year-long conflict," the president said.

According to him, Russia state media also continues to make phony allegations of a genocide taking place in Donbas and push fabricated claims warning about Ukraine's attack on Russia without any evidence.

"All these are consistent with the playbook the Russians have used before: to set up a false justification to act against Ukraine," Biden said.

"This is also in line with the pretext scenarios that the United States and our Allies and partners have been warning about for weeks," he said.

"Throughout these tense moments, the Ukrainian forces have shown great judgment and, I might add, restraint," Biden said.
CANTON  Janis Fodor and a friend drove two hours Friday morning from Pickerington to see two of her favorite Mikes  Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.

"They have a positive outlook and offer encouragement," Fodor said. "They talk about unity and for us not to be afraid."

Flynn and Lindell were two of the dozens of speakers featured at "ReAwaken America," a nationwide speaking tour that's making a two-day stop at Trinity Gospel Temple at 1612 Tuscarawas St. W.

Other scheduled speakers include Eric Trump, political consultant Roger Stone, broadcaster Alex Jones, former Fox News reporter Lara Logan and Dr. Stella Emmanuel.

More: ReAwaken America tour set for stop in Canton Friday, Saturday

"One of the concerns I have is I see so much evil today," said Fodor, who is Catholic.

Henry Sitko of Pennsylvania sells My Pillow pillows, one of the vendors at ReAwaken America Tour at Trinity Gospel Temple in Canton.

The tour  unabashedly pro-Christian, anti-mask mandate and pro-Donald Trump  is the brainchild of Flynn and podcaster/entrepreneur Clay Clark.

An estimated 3,000 people, including visitors from New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New York, turned out for Friday's daylong event, which also featured dozens of vendors offering books, T-shirts, accessories, patriotic-themed art and more.

Some of the merchandise available to the ReAwaken America Tour stop in Canton.

Michael Flynn a big draw in Canton

At one table, Raegan Williams, Autumn Petersen and Shawna Sundberg were making the case for the Rev. Niel Petersen, a pastor and Iraq War veteran and his independent campaign for governor.

"I believe people want God back into our country," said Sundberg, Petersen's campaign manager.

Williams agrees.

"The Constitution was founded on biblical knowledge and the truth of God," she said. "There's been a loss of what our country was founded on. It's not about taking back but exemplifying what we believe."

Autumn Petersen, the candidate's daughter, said she's seeing young adults returning to God.

"There's been a lot of encouragement to stand up," she said. "I think what's rising up is the Spirit of 1776."

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Flynn, who appeared on the stage several times throughout the morning, was greeted like a hero, quickly drawing a crowd as he walked along a corridor to greet vendors.

Gen. Michael Flynn visits a vendor at the ReAwaken America Tour at Trinity Gospel Temple in Canton. The tour stop continues on Saturday.

"I've been accused of a lot of things, but one thing I've never been accused of is giving up," he said to applause.

Flynn urged the crowd to become active in local issues, noting that 200 school boards have been overturned in recent months.

A large crowd gathered Friday at Trinity Gospel Temple in Canton for the ReAwaken America Tour. The tour stop continues Saturday.

"Local action has national impact," he said. "I like to call it 'tactical civics.' It's how we're going to take this country back. They work for us. You have to get involved like you've never been involved before. ... The nation is in crisis."

Flynn interviewed 8-year-old Fiona, who was suspended from school for refusing to wear a mask.

"You should do what you think is right, and nothing is impossible," the little girl said to cheers.

Dr. Vladimir Zelenko, who claims he has developed a COVID-19 protocol that is 99% effective for COVID-19 patients, said the country is being buffeted by an ideology that embraces evolution rather than God, and that some have even embraced the notion of human superiority once espoused by the Nazis.

A Trump pin on a visitor at Friday's ReAwaken America Tour stop in Canton.

"If anyone thinks that ideology is gone, they're mistaken," he said. "But it's not anti-Semitic. It's something being embraced by the sociopathic pagans of yesteryears. They believe themselves to be God."

Such, people, he said, are the enemies of God.

Dr. Vladimir Zelenko speaks to a large crowd Friday at the ReAwaken America Tour at Trinity Gospel Temple in Canton.

"The beauty of what God has given us is the gift of consciousness and choice," Zelenko said. "If we choose properly, we can have a relationship with the creator."

Zelenko was followed by Dr. Stella Immanuel, who received a rock star's welcome. Resplendent in African attire, Immanuel made national news in 2020 amid her charge that some illnesses were the result of demonic possession, and claims that she cured 3,500 COVID-19 patients using hydroxychloroquine, a sulfate used to treat malaria.

Dr. Stella Immanuel engages the crowd Friday at ReAwaken America Tour at Trinity Gospel Temple in Canton.

Immanuel and her treatment claim was cited by then-President Trump.

"To the unsung heroes who died needlessly while we debated science, may the Lord comfort their loved ones," Immanuel said to applause. "This is a place where the truth can be heard. For the sick who died in this battle, we have to engage."

Immanuel told the gathering she is writing a new book exposing the fallacies behind the 2020 pandemic, and announced the formation of Freedom Med, a new healthshare plan.

"We're going to shake the medical establishment!" she said to cheers.

Immanuel is a member of America's Frontline Doctors, a nationwide civil liberties organization.

Franceska Abramczyk, social media director, said the goal of America's Frontline Doctors is to educate and empower medical professionals as well as "the boots on the ground," ordinary people through a citizens' corps.

Asked if they oppose medical mandates, Abramczyk said, "We support the freedom of the patient's choice and the doctor-patient relationship to make that choice."

What attendees were saying

Jennifer Patrick of Cleveland said she chose to get a vaccine at the behest of her uncle. She said she's attending both days of ReAwaken America with her sister and her niece.

"We came because we believe this has the truth," Patrick said. "The mainstream media skews stories. There's been a lot of misinformation. A lot of people have closed their minds as a result of it. In here, we're free-thinkers."

Patrick added that while she believes COVID is real, "I think they hyped it it up. There's been a lot of misinformation."

Dressed like a gentleman cowboy, Everett Triplett said he traveled from Nevada to attend the event. It's his fourth one. Everett's table featured handwritten and highlighted notes on enlarged copies of prophetic Scripture.

"I'm telling people what God said," Triplett said. "COVID is a weaponized virus to cause as much death and destruction as it can."

The Rev. David "Brother Dave" Lombardi, host pastor, said the tour contacted the church about coming to Canton.

"It's really not our meeting," he said. "We didn't think it would cause a rigmarole. We didn't think it would be this big."

Roger Stone speaks to a crowd during the ReAwaken America Tour at Trinity Gospel Temple in Canton. Friday, February 18, 2022.

Roger Stone visits Canton

Some of the most excitement was triggered by the appearance of Stone, the flamboyant political consultant who worked for four presidents.

Stone was pardoned by Trump after he was convicted on charges of lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstruction related to the 2016 presidential campaign.

He cited a recent report that some conservatives argue prove the Democratic Party spied on Trump when he was a candidate and president.

"This makes Watergate look like small potatoes," he said. "They called us conspiracy theorists, but no, we're conspiracy realists. They called me a 'dirty trickster,' but claims of Russian collusion was the greatest dirty trick of all time."

Stone told the crowd he has became a Christian.

"It's only through the grace of God's people praying for and supporting my wife and I that I'm able to stand here with you," he said.

He elicited gasps when he stated that the White House is under a cloud that appeared after Joe Biden was elected.

"It's a demonic portal," he said. "Only prayer will make that portal close."

Stone lauded Flynn, saying that men like him are the nation's only hope.

"I'm tired of hearing Gen. Flynn described as anything but an American hero," he said to cheers.

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com

On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

Shawna Sundberg volunteers at a booth for gubernatorial candidate Rev. Niel Petersen at Friday's stop of the ReAwaken America Tour at Trinity Gospel Temple in Canton.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: MAGA faithful turn out for pro-Trump ReAwaken America tour in Canton
MILAN  The first A|X Armani Exchange flagship in Milan opens Monday, more than 30 years after the first store for the brand opened in New York in 1991  and it promises to be the biggest and most representative unit in Europe.

Every project that pertains to Milan has a special meaning for me, said Giorgio Armani. My world does not have boundaries, but its center is here. This opening represents an important step in the history of the Armani Group and in the evolution of A|X Armani Exchange.

More from WWD

The inclusive spirit of the brand is emphasized by the choice of the popular location, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, between the Duomo cathedral and Piazza San Babila, which Armani defined as the perfect location as it attracts customers of different generations, a heterogeneous public by age, provenance and inclinations.

The designer defined A|X Armani Exchange as a label that has always been in sync with the world of young people and the most dynamic of the brands in our portfolio.

He expressed pride in the store, not only because it is the biggest among those opened in Europe but because it reflects our constant dialogue with people, which is something dear to me today more than ever. Atemporality for me is important as is inclusion, which here is fully realized.

The store has a strong visual impact, placed on the corner of a storied building designed by Gio Ponti with a facade characterized by three large windows, one of which has an undulating surface. Designed by Armani and his team of architects, the store covers two levels over more than 5,000 square feet. Oak strips are a distinctive element on the walls, where a black LED runs throughout with graphic information and the logo.

A rendering of the A/X Armani Exchange store in Milan - Credit: Lollato Ana Maria

Lollato Ana Maria

Giuseppe Marsocci, deputy managing director and chief commercial officer of the Armani Group, said this was the perfect moment to open in Milan. A|X has come a long way following the designers decision in 2014 to take full control of the brand, making it one of the pillars of the Armani universe. In 2014, the group acquired the remaining 50 percent of A|X that he did not already own in the venture with Como Holdings Inc.

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Called Presidio Holdings Ltd., with Christina Ong and her husband, Ong Beng Seng, Armanis longtime business partners and the licensees of the A|X Armani Exchange brand, the deal was first signed in 2005. Since the buy-back in 2014, Armani fully revised the brand, as products are now entirely planned and developed in Milan and the design reflects the Armani attitude, without sacrificing the accessibility of price, Marsocci said.

The store opening points to the growing importance of the brand in the European market, continued the executive. Also in terms of aesthetics, this is the right moment for the growth of the business, because what seemed to be a niche style, for young but demanding consumers, has become over the years a way of being trans-generational and international. This makes the A|X market large and diversified. Milan is the epicenter of the Armani system, so also at a symbolic level its important to have our biggest European store here.

In 2017, Armani unveiled a new brand strategy for the group, revealing his decision to cease the Armani Collezioni and Armani Jeans brands and use only the Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani and A|X Armani Exchange names starting with the spring 2018 season. Armani Collezioni and Armani Jeans were blended into those three main lines.

Asked why he thought Armani selected A|X, Marsocci said the rationalization of the offer is based on a precise segmentation of the groups markets. A|X allows us to place us at an entry level of our portfolio in a premium price positioning with a product that is strong in design and attractive for a wide generation of customers. It allows us to be democratic, and this has always been Mr. Armanis approach to fashion.

The repositioning shifted the label toward a more premium segment, while remaining accessible. The diversification for us is mandatory, Marsocci said.

The brand reports yearly sales close to 500 million euros and Marsocci said the performance of A|X was stronger in 2021 compared with 2020 but also compared with 2019, before the pandemic hit.

Today A|X operates globally through all its distribution channels with a network of around 2,850 points of sale, of which 347 are monobrand stores, partly directly operated and partly via franchises. Wholesale is also very important, Marsocci said.

New stores recently opened in Tokyo and Cologne, Germany. After Milan, units are planned to open in Rome, Amsterdam, Berlin and Londons Regent Street. In North America, the company opened a Metrotown store in Burnaby, British Columbia, in November, and new units in Aventura, Fla., and Scottsdale, Ariz., in December.

Business is well-consolidated in the U.S. and in Europe, which represents half of the global business, where Italy plays an important role. Marsocci said the company is considering opportunities in Asia.

A|X Armani Exchange was a pioneer in online communication and retailing, launching its Armaniexchange.com site in 1995 and adding online sales in 1997.

Inside the A/X store in Milan - Credit: courtesy image of Armani

courtesy image of Armani

Sweatshirts, knits and T-shirts are pillars of the brand, as are pullovers. Since we internalized the design, outerwear has become a growing category, in line with all the Armani world. Also, denim is becoming increasingly more important, said Marsocci.

The brand is not planning a significant product extension but is strengthening both its footwear and accessories to support the double-digit growth of those categories. The only active licenses are for eyewear and watches, with Luxottica and Fossil, respectively.

The company launched a recruiting campaign, called I Need You, for the opening of the first Italian store and the initiative will continue for the opening of the brands first unit in Amsterdam. The sales force recruitment was unveiled online through social media and offline through postings in February, inviting anyone to take part in the open call on Feb. 21 and 22, building a community. The campaign is photographed by Alex Nawrocky.

Giorgio Armani - Credit: image courtesy of Armani

image courtesy of Armani

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Columbia police officers gather at the back of a police car in the parking lot of the Petro-Mart at 2200 W. Ash St. on May 26, 2021, after an officer-involved shooting.

Officers involved in a May 2021 shooting that left a suspect dead in west Columbia will not be charged, a Miller County special prosecutor decided.

James Sears III, 38, of Columbia, was under investigation for narcotics distribution and an outstanding warrant for a felony probation violation.

Police were cautioned Sears was likely armed and dangerous.

Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones received a copy of the decision from Miller County Prosecutor R. Benjamin Winfrey on Friday afternoon.

"Based upon the provided facts and Missouri law, it is my opinion that the officers conduct does not constitute a criminal offense because a jury will conclude their use of force was lawful self-defense," Winfrey wrote, according to a Columbia Police Department news release. "Under the rules of ethics, a prosecutor should not commence criminal charges if there is insufficient evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial."

Previously: Columbia police identify man killed in Wednesday officer-involved shooting

The officer-involved shooting took place at about 2:41 p.m. May 26, 2021, at the Petro-Mart gas station at the intersection of Stadium Boulevard and Ash Street. The intersection was closed three minutes later in relation to the shooting.

Two officers with the street crimes division were involved in the shooting.

A review of camera footage from the gas station showed that Sears had drawn a weapon, posing an immediate threat to officers and bystanders, the department said back in May.

"There are multiple people impacted when events like this occur and we have to find ways to support each other," Jones said in May. "I would like to thank the citizens who patiently waited for investigators, first responders, transit employees, Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri State Highway Patrol for assisting us."

With the conclusion of the special prosecutor investigation, the matter is turned over to the police department's internal affairs division to finish its process, Jones said Friday.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia officers who killed narcotics suspect not facing charges
A Pueblo man was found guilty of manslaughter Thursday in connection to the death of his wife in early 2020.

Rashad Jackson, 24, was originally charged with second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Greythonia "Grace" Jackson, but was convicted on a lesser charge of manslaughter, a class 4 felony, by a Pueblo jury.

During the trial, Jacksons attorney Aaron Gutierrez characterized Greythonia Jackson's death as a tragic accident.

In early 2020, Gutierrez said in opening statements, Rashad and Greythonia, along with their two young children, were evicted from their home in Pueblo's Bessemer neighborhood after Rashad was discharged from the military after a deployment to Romania.

The family struggled financially, Gutierrez said, and with few options, moved into an abandoned home.

The family was living in a home without heat or electricity, Gutierrez said, going to the library to use the internet and charge their phones each day.

More on Pueblo courts: Roy Slagle sentenced to decades in prison for murder of Pueblo mom Amber Deck

On Feb. 16, Gutierrez said, the two were at the house when Greythonia sat on the floor, leaned back and hit her head hard on a radiator cover, at which time she complained of head pain.

The two began talking about how they were unable to provide a birthday present for their older son, at which point they began arguing. The argument then became physical, with both parties hitting each other, Gutierrez claimed.

Youre going to see photos of Greythonia with bruises and injuries throughout her body. Youre also going to hear that Mr. Jackson had a belief that originates from where he comes from and how he grew up  that if a woman (talks) some sort of way to you, then he believed it OK to slap a woman, Gutierrez said to the jury.

"Physically fighting isnt a way to solve problems, but it isnt murder, either.

Gutierrez also told jurors that Jackson cooperated with police and was the one to notify the Pueblo Police Department of the location of his wifes body after he'd placed it in an alley to be found.

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Rashad Jackson was the person who called 911. Rashad Jackson was the person who stayed until police arrived. Rashad Jackson was the one to show police where her body was located and told them he thought the body was his wife, Gutierrez said.

He cooperated with law enforcements investigation and told them everything, even his own actions. Rashad Jackson did not knowingly cause the death of Greythonia Jackson, after the presentation of evidence, Im confident you will agree Mr. Jackson is not guilty of second-degree murder. Graces death was an accident.

Crime in Pueblo: Man wounded in shooting outside Pueblo Jack in the Box

In his own opening statement, Deputy District Attorney Anthony Marzavas stated that the cause of death in the case was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head, and the manner ruled a homicide in a coroners report.

Jackson initially told police that he had gone to the library the afternoon of Feb. 17 and noticed a body he believed to be his wife in the alleyway, Marzavas said.

Security camera footage obtained by police reportedly showed a man wearing the same clothes as Jackson pushing into the alleyway what appeared to be another individual in a stroller. That man was seen on cameras a few more times throughout the day, Marzavas said.

Only after the footage was obtained and he was pressed about inconsistencies in his story did Jackson admit to the physical altercation and waking up to find her dead, Marzavas claimed.

Marzavas stated that when Rashad hit her, Greythonia struck her head against the radiator cover.

At some point, the pair stopped arguing and laid down to go to bed, Marzavas said. After waking up once during the night and eventually going back to sleep, Jackson woke up the next morning with her unresponsive and not breathing.

After attempts to revive her, Jackson told investigators he put her body in the alley, hoping she would be found. But after waiting all day for police to find the body without success, he flagged down a passing motorist to use her phone and reported the body.

Under Colorado law, a person is guilty of manslaughter if they recklessly cause the death of another person.

Jackson will be sentenced on April 13 at 8:30 a.m.

Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at Jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @jayreutter1.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo man Rashad Jackson found guilty of manslaughter in wife's death
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.

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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
(CBC Sacramento/Bear League)

A 500-pound black bear nicknamed Hank the Tank has been wreaking havoc in California, breaking into homes and prompting at least 150 calls to authorities from worried locals.

Hank broke into his latest home on Friday in South Lake Tahoe, according to CBS Sacramento  and neither homeowners or wildlife officials seem entirely sure what to do about him.

These are neighborhoods, theres a lot of people around, traffic and cars. So, we have to do this in a way that is safe for both the public and the bear itself, Peter Tira, a Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman, told the station.

This is a severely food habituated bear. What that means is this is a bear that has lost all fear of people and it sees people and homes as a source of food.

On Friday, CBS reported, Hank broke a small window and squeezed into the home, where the homeowners had no idea how to get him out.

Officers responded and banged on the outside of the house until Hank came out the back door. They then stayed in the area to ensure he continued on his way without damaging or entering other homes.

Hank, however, is not alone in his inadvertent terrorising of human populations. Climate-driven conditions across North America are impacting food sources for bears, experts told The Independent this summer  forcing them to venture further afield and into neighborhoods.

Things like drought, that affects bear foods, John Hechtel, president of the International Association for Bear Research and Management, said.

It can affect berry production. It can affect returns of salmon to certain streams ... if the water temperatures get too hot or if theres not enough water in the stream system to allow adequate salmon. Theres a lot of sort of interconnected relationships between climate, the habitat and potential food sources.

He added: It can be fairly indirect, like warmer temperatures that, in the winter time, allow beetle larvae to expand their range and to attack trees that produce food sources for bears. It can be fires that take out habitats.

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Climate and environmental impacts have knock-on effects for years, experts say. Bears can hibernate in dens for up to seven months of the year, and when they emerge, their primary focus is to build up fat reserves for the following winter. Only by maintaining nutrition can they reproduce, survive and thrive.

Whenever theres drought and it dries up the berries, youve got high mortality among cubs, Minnesota biologist Dr Lynn Rogers, known as the Jane Goodall of bears, told The Independent.

And females are unable to maintain their pregnancies, so the effects can last for years after prolonged drought.

Disasters such as drought and fires have happened throughout history but are increasingly intense, more frequent and unpredictable due to the climate crisis  and will remain so for around the next 30 years, according to the latest UN climate report.

Beyond mid-century, these extreme events could become even more dire if humanity doesnt rapidly reduce planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions.

In northern Minnesota, Dr Rogers studies black bears through the North American Bear Center, which he founded in 1995  though the 82-year-old has been studying bears for more than half a century.

He has observed firsthand an increase in bears coming to town.

Last year, we had a big drought that dried up the berries, and we got the same thing this year, he told The Independent. And I have never seen so many bears coming into local towns and going house to house for tidbits of garbage and birdseed.

He added: It used to be believed that, when bears come out of the forest into town, it was simply that they were lazy bears that had become habituated ... and food conditioned. But then from everything I saw, it was mainly just hunger.
Feb. 19TURNER  Despite pleas from several people in the audience Thursday night, the Maine School Administrative District 52 board of directors did not take action to lift the district's mask mandate.

The requests from seven community members and two students held renewed energy following a briefing Wednesday where Maine Center for Disease Control Director Dr. Nirav Shah said the state would consider changing its recommendation for universal masking to optional masking if the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decline. Some schools have announced this week that they will be ending universal masking.

However, even if the state's recommendation changes, the school board would still need a majority vote to alter the district's universal masking policy.

Despite several requests for a vote, none of the directors proposed changing the masking policy, and the meeting was adjourned to the disappointment of many attendees.

Board chairwoman Elizabeth Bullard pointed to the results of the district's masking survey conducted in the last month as one reason not to alter the policy Thursday night.

Sixty-five percent of the 1,198 respondents voted in favor of masks.

During public comment, Katherine Libby of Greene said her eighth grade son recently agreed to be home-schooled after deciding he no longer wanted to attend school in person.

"He, finally, at 13-years-old was like, 'I don't want to do this any more.' He hit that wall, and he stopped going to school," she said. "Finally he was like, 'you can homeschool me.' This was our first week, and it's been exciting and he's so pumped that he doesn't have to wear a mask, and I feel great that I have one less kid that is having to endure this school year."

Her other two kids attend Tripp Middle School and Leavitt High School.

Libby has communicated extensively with school administrators, parents and students. She said she has collected email messages from 161 MSAD 52 students over the last week who do not wish to continue masking.

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She offered to share the messages with the board of directors.

"I (know) several kids that would be willing to do a walk-out or a walk-in maskless, but they're trying to have respect for administration," she said.

Casey Blay of Turner complemented the district for how it handled schooling during the pandemic, additionally asking the board to vote on the masking policy.

"We moved here last year from Sabattus, and I will tell you hands down in the middle of the pandemic the transition was the best I could have ever imagined ... I just want to say that first and foremost because I know you guys don't expect to hear that all the time."

He argued that if Switzerland, which he said is a leading country in health and medicine, is eliminating its pandemic restricts, MSAD 52 should as well.

His third grade daughter, Amelia, also briefly spoke, saying she did not like wearing masks in school.

Una Shostak, a home-schooled student in the district, also shared brief comments against the masking policy.

"Masks are harmful," she said. "I know this, because I've experienced it. You need to stop ignoring us. Children have a voice and it needs to be heard. Thank you."

Through the meeting the speakers were polite, however, directors faced some heckling at the end when it became apparent that there would not be a vote on the masking policy.

"Cowards!" yelled one individual immediately after adjournment.

Since the briefing Wednesday, some schools have decided to end their mask mandates, including a district based in Oakland and Maine's Catholic schools. Lewiston Superintendent Jake Langlais said he was preparing to bring an optional masking recommendation before the School Committee as early as Feb. 28.

"The risk of transmission in schools is tied to the overall level of COVID in the community. As COVID rates in the community come down, the risk of transmission in schools comes down and thus, the need for masking goes down," Shah said Wednesday.
Photos show the Felicity Ace, a cargo ship carrying thousands of cars, ablaze in the Atlantic Ocean.

The massive boat caught fire on Wednesday near Portugal. All 22 crew members were rescued by the Portuguese Navy.

The ship was transporting about 4,000 cars from Volkswagen's factory in Germany to the US.

The Felicity Ace, a cargo ship carrying cars from Germany to the US, that caught on fire near Portugal earlier this week is still ablaze in the Atlantic Ocean.

Photos released by Reuters on Friday show that the ship is still loaded with thousands of cars that won't make it to their owners.

The massive ship was evacuated by the Portuguese Navy on Wednesday, saving all 22 crew members on board.

The ship was traveling to Rhode Island from Emden, Germany, where a Volkswagen factory is located, with thousands of cars in tow.

The 650-foot-long ship was carrying nearly 4,000 cars built by Germany's Volkswagen Group to North America, including one YouTuber's brand new Porsche.

The ship, Felicity Ace, which was traveling from Emden, Germany, where Volkswagen has a factory, to Davisville, in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, burns more than 100 km from the Azores islands, Portugal, February 18, 2022. Reuters

Source: Insider

Both Volkswagen and Porsche have confirmed to Insider that they are looking into what went wrong and how the fire started.

The ship, Felicity Ace, which was traveling from Emden, Germany, where Volkswagen has a factory, to Davisville, in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, burns more than 100 km from the Azores islands, Portugal, February 18, 2022. Reuters

Source: Insider

The carmakers said it is too soon to determine whether any of the vehicles can be salvaged and what next steps are, but the boat remains ablaze Friday, with little hope for the cars on board.

The ship, Felicity Ace, which was traveling from Emden, Germany, where Volkswagen has a factory, to Davisville, in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, burns more than 100 km from the Azores islands, Portugal, February 18, 2022. Reuters

Read the original article on Business Insider
"Alice" by Alan Cottrill

Despite making a bronze sculpture of Thomas Edison that stands in the U.S. Capitol, along with beloved statues of Jesse Owens and Woody Hayes at Ohio State, Alan Cottrill still refers to himself as "a hillbilly boy from Appalachian Ohio.

The first in his family to graduate from high school, Cottrill started a pizza shop in Coshocton, Ohio, and grew it into a global enterprise, selling franchises around the world. But he never fully embraced the life of a businessman. Over the years he collected art and did some painting, but the day he began working with clay changed the trajectory of his life.

When I touched clay, I just felt a primal connection, Cottrill said by phone from his studio in Zanesville, Ohio. It's tactile and sensuous, touching that clay, moving the clay. It's powerful to me. And you're dirty. Right now I have clay all over me.  It's intense and physical. If I'm alone in my studio, a lot of times I'll growl and I'll spit and cuss a lot.

Cottrill moved to New York City to study sculpture about 30 years ago, arriving half an hour early to his first day of classes at the Art Students League of New York, standing in front of the locked gates, itching to get his hands dirty. From day one, I knew I wanted to be a figurative sculptor.  That's all I care to do. One could work 10 lifetimes sculpting the human form and never get tired of it, he said. My first 25 pieces were all busts, just trying to get certain complex expressions in the face. And I kept going down into the neck and then the shoulders.

"Female Torso" by Alan Cottrill

Cottrill also made casts of every sculpture so he could hold on to everything he created. At the Art Students League, you sculpt from the nude, so that's where I did about 40 of my pieces in bronze from the nude, Cottrill said.

Some of that work from the early 90s is on display this month at Sarah Gormley Gallery in the Short North, Cottrills first solo gallery show; normally, he works solely on public and private commissions. Sculptures that usually sell in commercial galleries are pretty or cute or fanciful. And I like primal, guttural [pieces], full of angst and pathos and intensity. And most people don't put that shit in their house, said the artist, who made an exception for Gormley, a Zanesville native whose parents knew Cottrill. I have a communal and tribal identity, and Sarah being from Zanesville, that's my extended tribe.

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Cottrill has 360 life-size or larger statues scattered across the country, including the likenesses of former presidents, war generals and coal miners. But the pieces on display at Gormley show a different side of Cottrill. Small figure studies illuminate the artists early fascination with the human form, including Alice, a reclining nude; Cheryl, a standing nude; and Free, which, despite Cottrills penchant for ruggedness, is downright playful, the thin womans frame tilted back on her tip-toes, arms outstretched, looking both enraptured and at peace.

"Free" by Alan Cottrill

Two large, textured bells hang from the ceiling at Sarah Gormley Gallery, one inspired by Cottrills travels to Japan, the other originating from a chalice Cottrill made for a cemetery. "I would walk past it in my studio, because I cast one for myself, and I would tap it with my wedding ring, just a nervous habit. And it made the most wonderful sound. I thought, this would make a great bell if I turned it upside down, he said. So I cast one and turned it upside down, but being that smooth, it wasnt interesting at all. So I dripped a bunch of wax on it and made some texture, and it looked a lot more energetic and vibrant. And it sounded great.

Other pieces are small-scale reproductions of larger installations, such as Boots, from the Birmingham War Dog Memorial in Alabama, and Boy on Books, from the Centennial Statue outside Coshocton Public Library, a loosely autobiographical sculpture featuring a boy reading while perched atop a stack of 100 books. My mom brought me into the library when I was 8, and oh, my goodness, it was like I walked into St. Peter's. It was that profound to me, Cottrill said. I could read well at a young age, so I took out every book I could on Indians for years. That's what fascinated me. That was my entree to the world.

These days, Cottrill is still pursuing that early interest. Hes currently at work on a seven-foot sculpture of Chief Netawatwees, who was also known as the Newcomer, the namesake of Newcomerstown, Ohio, where Cottrill will install a series of sculptures for the Lenape Diaspora Memorial. The project is also a personal one; Chief Netawatwees is his sixth-great-grandfather, a crucial branch in the family tree of this hillbilly boy from Ohio.

This article originally appeared on Columbus Alive: Sculpture artist Alan Cottrill's primal connection to clay on display
Russia not late to de-escalate at Ukraine's borders, but USA ready to impose severe sanctions if it invades Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden has said that Russia is not too late to de-escalate and choose the path of diplomacy, but in the event of an invasion of Ukraine, the United States is ready to impose severe sanctions.

"The West is united and resolved. We're ready to impose severe sanctions on Russia if it further invades Ukraine. But I say again: Russia can still choose diplomacy. It is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table," Biden said during a press conference from the White House on Friday.

He noted that a preliminary agreement had been reached on a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on February 24 in Europe.

"But if Russia takes military action [aggression against Ukraine] before that date, it will be clear that they have slammed the door shut on diplomacy. They will have chosen war, and they will pay a steep price for doing so," he said.
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Murdered, missing and mysterious deaths of Indigenous girls and women on or near the Yakama Reservation and in urban areas:
Stephanie Culps is holding the 1 p.m. public event in White Swan to seek justice for her cousin, Elias Chief Culps, and all missing and murdered Indigenous people. Elias Culps was last seen in White Swan, where he lived, on Dec. 27, 2018.
TOPPENISH  Family and friends of Rachel Norris agree she is an independent woman. They say she doesnt appreciate drama. She speaks her mind.
A provocative new research paper confirms many of the fears about private equity firms buying up America's newspapers.

For those concerned about dwindling local news coverage, the paper offers an ominous preview of the ghost of Christmas future.

That is, if the country doesn't find ways to save its independent, local free press system and prevent further consolidation.

As they acquired hundreds of newspapers in recent years, private-equity firms cut reporting staff and reduced local coverage more than other types of owners, according to the paper.

This has serious consequences for democracy, because of the role local newspapers provide in civic engagement, note the authors, finance professors Sabrina Howell and Arpit Gupta at New York University and Michael Ewens at the California Institute of Technology.

"We were surprised to see such a marked decline in local governance content," Howell told me.

"Local Journalism under Private Equity Ownership," a working paper that has not yet been published in a journal, is timely. Policymakers in Congress and some state legislatures are exploring ways to sustain local newspapers and prevent further collapse of the industry.

Newspaper publishers are also looking for ways to preserve their companies and adapt to the increasingly digital media marketplace.

A clear-eyed look at the financial performance of newspapers owned by private equity is useful. At the same time, it raises questions about what's being saved and who will continue to provide critical local news coverage.

The authors found that as private-equity owners cut back on local news coverage, they ran more national news content, which can be syndicated across many papers to save costs. Overall the number of articles fell by 16.7%.

This echoes other research that found local-news declines and media ownership changes are worsening Americas political polarization.

It turns out the story is more complex than, "as newspapers fade, people turn to national-focused TV news." Even where papers are hanging on, the news is being nationalized by owners trying to maximize revenue.

Howell said the story isn't entirely negative.

Their research found private-equity firms did find ways to increase digital subscriptions and had lower chances of shutting down. That's attributed to the firms investing in digital technologies and finding efficiencies.

But what's being preserved? Investments in new technology and new models are needed. But if that's dependent on cutting newsrooms and relying on wire stories, they're not really saving local journalism and the essential service it provides.

The paper found that private equity firms increase their share of America's newspaper industry from around 5% in 2002 to 23% in 2019.

Private equity firms are a subset of the Wall Street investment types that bought up around half of America's newspapers in recent years.

The most notorious is Alden Global Capital, a hedge fund known for slashing newsroom spending at papers such as The Denver Post. But it was not included in the paper's analysis because its a different type of investment firm.

Among the outlets studied, the largest is Gannett, the nation's biggest newspaper chain. It was managed by Fortress Investment Group following a 2019 merger with another Fortress-managed chain, and paid the firm more than $50 million in fees until the end of 2020. Fortress Managing Director Gordon Runte declined to comment.

The paper found private-equity firms were better able than other ownership types to increase digital subscriptions during the study period, from 2001 through 2019.

That's because their expertise is turning around distressed businesses and making profits for their investors, not building public-service entities for the long term.

"These private equity investors are ridiculously incentivized to generate value," Ewens said.

The study captured how these firms apparently moved quicker than legacy newspaper companies, which are now rapidly building digital subscriptions and catching up to the broader transition toward digital media.

Theres a broad spectrum of investment approaches. But the fastest growing local, digital news properties are now owned by the most patient investors in news, said Jim Friedlich, CEO of The Lenfest Institute, a nonprofit publishing The Philadelphia Inquirer.

While some private equity owners may be investing in the digital future of their newspaper holdings, the most encouraging transformations remain news organizations controlled by local, civic-minded owners, he said via email. The Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Seattle Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer lead the nation in local newspaper digital subscriptions. Each is controlled locally by either a family, an individual civic leader or a nonprofit that has invested in their newsrooms and their digital product development.

Private equity investments "can actually be good for an industry," Ewens said. But "news is complicated because of the societal benefits it provides."

Hard decisions are required when anyone tries to increase efficiencies in a declining business. Pain may be inevitable to save the patient.

For some industries, though, outcomes and public benefit must be higher priorities.

The paper makes a comparison with private-equitys involvement in other sectors characterized by public goods provision such as education and health care, where other research found negative effects on student and patient outcomes, respectively, after private equity buyouts.

As the authors note, more research is needed. One open question is whether the private-equity approach works long-term, after these investors have already had their payday, or whether the thinned out papers will eventually lose subscribers and revenue.

"If the private-equity guys are wrong about this, the long-term is indeed bad for local news production," Ewens said.

Still, the paper is a timely addition to the conversation about saving local news.

It provides additional evidence that there's hope for making local news a sustainable business.

At the same time, it makes clear that the local journalism crisis, and resulting civic problems, will worsen if consolidation continues under owners prioritizing profit over community service.
Greensboro, NC (27407)

Today

Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
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Russia's actions do not match its words, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has said.

"As President Joe Biden has made clear, the United States, our NATO allies and our partners have been and remain open to serious diplomacy. We have put concrete proposals on the table. We have encouraged and engaged with Russia through NATO, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the United Nations, and bilateral dialogues. We have engaged in good faith. Russia continues to claim it's ready for talks, while at the same time it narrows the avenues for diplomacy, their actions simply don't match their words," Harris said at the Munich Security Conference.

She drew attention to the scenario of Russian aggression.

"As we've said all along, there is a playbook of Russian aggression. And this playbook is too familiar to us all. Russia will plead ignorance and innocence, it will create false pretexts for invasion, it will amass troops and firepower in plain sight. We now receive reports of what appears to be provocations and we see Russia spreading disinformation, lies and propaganda. Nonetheless, in a deliberate and coordinated effort, we together are exposing the truth and speaking with the unified voice," Harris added.
Ducati has unveiled the limited edition devil, the Ducati XDiavel Nera Edition. Only 500 units of the motorcycle will be produced for the world to see. It is to be noted that the new motorcycle will accompany the new XDiavel range, which already has the XDiavel Dark and XDiavel S.

The new limited-edition motorcycle has been designed by a partnership of Ducati and PltronaFrau(an Italian furniture company.) Poltrona Frau has provided the seats for the XDiavel, this seems natural considering their expertise in making seats for airlines, yachts and supercars.

Talking about the seat, the devil is beautified with a sporty seat coloured in red for the right feel. It is also engraved with multiple 'X' logos. To get it perfectly balanced, the red colour on the seat is perfectly in sync with the red colour on the brake callipers.

Read also: Renault Triber Limited Edition launched at Rs 7.24 lakh, check details here

To accentuate the red further, the motorcycle is available in red along with colours like Siam, Cemento, Steel Blue, Selva and India. Ducati offers the customers a matching keyring and a matching document holder depending on the colour you choose.

Presenting XDiavel Nera, a one of a kind Italian masterpiece that combines the unmistakable identity of the XDiavel technocruiser with the elegant "Black on Black" livery. Stand out like never before with the colored saddle by @poltronafrau of your choice.#DWP22 #XDiavelNera pic.twitter.com/9hlAT4Q8lw  Ducati India (@Ducati_India) February 19, 2022

The XDiavel inherits the same engine as the previous ones. Receiving the heat V-Twin engine giving out 160 bhp, 1262cc combined with a 6-speed transmission. The features on the motorcycle remain the same with a full-LED with a DRL daytime running light system, Riding Modes, Cruise Control, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Ducati Power Launch (DPL).

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Athiya Shetty, daughter of Bollywood actor Suneil Shetty recently bought a new 2022 Audi Q7. The new SUV was recently launched in the Indian market, appealing to luxury SUV consumers. The image of the new car was shared by the actor through her social media account.

Audi Mumbai also shared the photo of Athiya Shetty receiving her new car. From the looks of it, her Audi Q7 is a Navarra Blue version. In addition, the new car is the Audi Q7 55 TFSI Q Tech variant.

The Audi Q7 2022 facelift is now available in India, with a starting price of Rs 79.99 lakh (ex-showroom) for this huge 7-seater SUV. The pricing ranges from Rs 88.33 lakh (ex-showroom) to Rs 88.33 lakh (ex-showroom), with Athiya's version costing Rs 88.33 lakh (ex-showroom).

Read also: Ducati XDiavel Nera Edition unveiled, only 500 units to be sold

After a two-year hiatus, the Audi Q7 debuted in the market in 2022. The new Q7 has a more expensive appearance and offers additional functionality. A BS6 certified engine is now available.

The car is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 TFSI petrol engine churning out 335 bhp and 500 Nm of max torque. It transfers to the Quattro AWD system through an 8-speed automatic transmission. It also gets a mild hybrid with a 48V electric motor.

The number '7' quite efficiently represents the massive size of the car, considering Audi's naming scheme. However, the size doesn't hinder the speed of the car. It is capable of going from 0-100 kmph in 5.9 seconds.

Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Sonam Kapoor are among the Indian celebs who own Audi Q7s. The other SUVs in the segment are Volvo XC90, Mercedes-Benz GLS, Land Rover Discovery and BMW X7.

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New Delhi: The government will create a new equity fund for start-ups with a 20 per cent limited stake to provide additional capital support to the entrepreneurs, and the corpus will be managed by private fund managers, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Saturday.

The announcement in this regard has already been made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he said.

"The finance minister has announced that there will be such a fund where the government will be a 20 per cent limited partner and it will be managed by private fund managers.

"There will be a fund that will be created and sponsored by the government of course but it will be managed like any other private fund. That will create required private equity capital as an addition to what exists today," Chandrasekhar said at an event conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Sitharaman had announced the creation of government-backed funds to encourage important sunrise sectors, such as climate action, deep-tech, digital economy, pharma and agri-tech.

The government has already put in place some of the funds like the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) with an outlay of Rs 945 crore to help start-ups in meeting their capital requirement.

Some states, including Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Rajasthan, have put in place funds to support start-ups.

"It's a great time to be an entrepreneur. It is a great time to be a start-up.

"It is an absolute mission and article of faith for our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and our government that the expansion of the start-up ecosystem, funding it, fuelling it, and creating innovations in the start-up ecosystem...Are out there in a post-COVID-19 world in a manner where intellectual properties are created," Chandrasekhar said.
New Delhi: Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd (KNPL) has appointed Anuj Jain as its Managing Director with effect from April 2022.

Incumbent Managing Director and Vice-Chairman H M Bharuka retires on March 31, 2022, on completion of his term.

The board of the company in its meeting held on Friday "approved the appointment of Anuj Jain as the Managing Director, for a term of five years, with effect from April 1 2022," KNPL said in a regulatory filing.

This would be subject to the approval of the shareholders of the company, it added.

The KNPL board has also accepted Bharuka's resignation as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company from March 31, 2022.

Jain joined KNPL in 1990 as a management trainee and has worked in various capacities across various functions in his tenure of over 30 years.

He has been on the Board of KNPL in the capacity of Executive Director since April 1, 2018.

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New Delhi: The government on Saturday said farmer producer organisations (FPOs) will play a key role in making India a millet hub of the world.

The issue was discussed in detail on Friday at the ongoing Dubai Expo as part of India's fortnight event on 'Food, Agriculture and Livelihood'. During the session, senior government officials and sector experts deliberated on opportunities for Indian industry players to enhance the country's export potential.

"We urge start-ups and farmer producer organisations (FPOs) to not only help in upscaling millets' value chain, connecting to domestic and international markets but also to creating an inclusive framework where we take producing communities along," Abhilaksh Likhi, additional secretary in the agriculture ministry, said at the event.

The UN General Assembly has declared 2023 as the 'International Year of Millets', aimed at raising awareness about the health benefits of the grain and its suitability for cultivation under changing climatic conditions.

Shubha Thakur, joint secretary in the agriculture ministry, said, "Keeping in view the International Year of Millets, we are trying to build momentum for the millets campaign by highlighting its nutritional benefits and value chain."

Underlining the nutritional security aspect of millets, Nutrihub Chief Executive Officer B Dayakar Rao said, "Millets have health benefits and can reduce obesity and malnutrition. It is well marked on vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals and it also helps beat hypertension, colon cancer and cardiovascular diseases as it reduces triglycerides present in the body."

He added that now, with the onset of the International Year of Millets, India is ready to lead the world by sharing best practices, technologies, the goodness of millets, and established values and experience with other countries.

Kuntal Sensarma, economic advisor of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), talked about the policy incentives taken in this sector.

Deliberating on upscaling the value chain of millets, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) Director C Anandharamkrishnan said, "There is a need to formalise the unorganised food processing system by providing the FPOs, SHGs (self-help groups) and co-operatives with technical support, credit linkages and ensuring adequate storage capacity to avoid food wastage."

Multiple start-ups and FPOs are participating in the 'Food, Agriculture and Livelihood' fortnight event and displaying their innovative agri-tech solutions and sustainable & healthy millets-based products.

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New Delhi: Implementation of the comprehensive free trade agreement between India and the UAE would help boost the country's exports and creation of lakhs of jobs, according to exporters.

Welcoming the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) Chairman Narendra Goenka said that it will further strengthen India's dominant position in the UAE.

"With India supplying USD 1,515 million of apparel to the UAE as against its total imports of USD 3,517 million, Indian apparel exports contribute a decent share of 43 per cent. The trade pact would result in a drop of 5 per cent import duty for Indian readymade garments. This will further strengthen the dominant position of Indian apparels in the UAE," Goenka said.

He added that Indian apparel exports to the UAE also cater to the needs of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the UK.

Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President A Sakthivel said that the pact will be beneficial to Indian exports particularly for the labour-intensive sectors like agriculture and processed food including meat and marine products, gems and jewellery, apparel and textiles, leather and footwears.

"Having a large Indian diaspora, the UAE consumes a large quantity of Indian cereals, fruits and vegetables, tea, spices, sugar, etc. Indian companies will gain in services like travel & tourism, transportation, IT and ITES and construction services," he said.

Sharing similar views, Vikramjit Sahney, Chair of India-Arab Council, said that the pact is set to reduce tariffs for 80 per cent of goods and gives zero duty access to 90 per cent of India's exports to UAE.

"Annual bilateral trade should increase from the current level of USD 60 billion to USD 100 billion and would augment Indian exports of gems and jewellery, textiles, leather, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods," Sahney said.

India giving tariff concessions to UAE on gold and UAE eliminating tariffs on Indian jewellery will augment exports. The UAE investment in India will increase manifold especially in health, infrastructure and renewable energy," he added.

Council for Leather Exports Chairman Sanjay Leekha said that the UAE is one of the key markets for the sector and it would also give access to certain EU countries and Africa.

"The pact would help in boosting exports and creating jobs," Leekha said.

Plastics Export Promotion Council of India (PLEXCONCIL) chairman Arvind Goenka said that currently India's annual imports of plastic raw materials are USD 14 billion and imports from the UAE are USD 800 million, so trade for plastics between India and the UAE is poised for a multi-fold growth due to this pact besides creation of about 2 lakh jobs in the sector.

"India's MSME industry will be the main beneficiary. Availability of cheaper raw materials as preferential import duty being offered by India will empower them to compete against cheap imports of finished plastic goods. Preferential access to the UAE market, as lower import duty is being offered for value added plastics and further access to WANA and CIS countries, will increase plastics exports by at least 300 per cent by 2023-24," Goenka said.

Founder chairman of Technocraft Industries India Sharad Kumar Saraf said the agreement has the potential of adding at least USD 2 billion in India's exports.

"It will also strengthen our ties with the UAE . Indian diaspora in the UAE will play a vital role in Indo UAE trade," he added.

FIEO Vice President Khalid Khan too said that the pact will help boost bilateral trade between both the countries.

"It will benefit both goods and services. 90 per cent goods exports will have duty-free access to the UAE which is the biggest trading partner after the US and China and getaway to the Middle East and African countries," Khan said.

Kolkata-based marine exporter Yogesh Gupta said that this is a historic event paving the way for larger economic ties and the trust between India and the UAE. "It will have a long term effect on diplomatic relations as well. A move in the right direction," he said. Also Read: Aadhaar Card Update: Check steps to change Aadhaar-linked mobile number

India and the UAE on Friday signed the trade pact after concluding negotiations in a short time of 88 days. The pact aims to take the two-way commerce to the USD 100 billion mark in over five years and create about 10 lakh jobs in sectors such as apparel, plastic, leather and pharma. Also Read: 7th Pay Commission: Central govt employees getting a hike with arrears in March? Heres what you need to know

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Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a 'Maharatna' and Fortune Global 500 company, has introduced EV Fast-Charging Corridors on the Chennai-Trichy-Madurai expressway, with the installation of CCS-2 DC Fast chargers at 10 of its strategically situated fuel stations on both sides of the highway.

The Company is accelerating its focus on new business segments for sustainable growth and converting 7,000 conventional Retail Outlets into Energy Stations, providing multiple fuelling options, which will also include an EV charging facility in the medium to long term.

Bharat Petroleum has planned to provide CCS-2 Electric Vehicle charging stations (EVCS) at its fuel stations at periodic intervals on all major national highways connecting major cities and economic centres in the country to boost inter-city travel on Electric vehicles.

Raed also: Noida Authority installs 69 electric vehicle charging stations in Noida

The first phase launch on Chennai - Trichy - Madurai highway will be followed up by key routes which have high existing motorist traffic and a propensity for transition to travel by electric vehicles.

#BPCL launches today Southern India's first #EV Fast-Charging Corridors on Chennai  Trichy  Madurai Highway, with the rollout of CCS-2 DC Fast chargers at 10 of its conveniently located #FuelStations along the 900 kilometer route. pic.twitter.com/RoU5nOgioU  Bharat Petroleum (@BPCLimited) February 17, 2022

Speaking at the launch at its state of the art fuel station at Meenambakkam in Chennai, P. S. Ravi, Executive Director In-charge (Retail), BPCL, said, "Bharat Petroleum has been at the forefront in providing convenience-oriented solutions and experiences to its customers across segments.

Fortune Global 500 Company, Bharat Petroleum, is the second-largest Indian Oil Marketing Company and one of India's premier integrated energy companies, engaged in refining crude oil and marketing petroleum products, with a significant presence in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.

The company has chalked out the plan to offer electric vehicle charging stations at around 7000 energy stations over the next five years. With a focus on sustainable solutions, the company is developing an ecosystem and a roadmap to become a Net Zero Energy Company by 2040, in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.

With inputs from ANI and NewVoir

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New Delhi: Actress Urfi Javed, known for her experimental and daring outfits, has broken her silence on the Hijab row which originated in Udipi, Karnataka. The Bigg Boss OTT fame actress expressed that it's not a big deal if female students in colleges choose to wear Hijab as women should have a say in what they want to wear.

On Friday, as Urfi stepped out of her home in a white blazer and body paint, a paparazzo asked her for her opinion on the contentious Hijab row.

She told paps, "I just want to say its a womans right to wear whatever she wants. In fact, itne saalon ki ladai isliye nahi thi ki hum hijab na pehne, itne saalon ki ladyi isliye thi so that women can wear whatever they want. Even if they wear hijab in school, whats the big deal about it? If you can wear whatever the f*ck you want in a parliament or wherever, so whats the big deal?"

Apart from this, Urfi also spoke about her tattoos and revealed that she had gotten her ex-boyfriend's name inked on her body but had to cover it up later.

Coming to the Hijab row, for the unversed, the issue emerged in January when a government PU college allegedly disallowed 6 female students wearing a hijab from entering classrooms.

Later, the students came together to contend and protest against the college. It has now become a matter in the High Court.

The Karnataka government on Friday contended before the High Court that the hijab 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 hijab is not an essential religious part of Islam," Advocate General of Karnataka Prabhuling Navadgi told the full bench of the High Court comprising Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna M Dixit.

(With inputs from PTI)
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (February 19, 2022) paid tribute to Maratha empire founder Chhatrapati Shivaji on his birth anniversary. The prime minister said Shivajis outstanding leadership and emphasis on social welfare have been inspiring people for generations.

PM Modi took it to Twitter and said that his government is committed to fulfilling Shivaji's vision.

I bow to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti. His outstanding leadership & emphasis on social welfare has been inspiring people for generations. He was uncompromising when it came to standing up for values of truth & justice. We're committed to fulfilling his vision, PM Modi said in a tweet.

Also taking to Twitter, the Vice President said, "My tributes to legendary Maratha warrior king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary. Known for his undaunted courage and exceptional warfare strategies, Shivaji Maharaj was a ruler ahead of his time. His love for our motherland continues to inspire every Indian."

Born in 1630, Shivaji is acknowledged for his valour, military genius and leadership. Chhatrapati Shivaji is said to have pioneered unconventional methods.

On the birth anniversary of the great Maratha warrior, Goa CM Pramod Sawant along with several others pais tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj today.

Goa CM Pramod Sawant and others pay tribute to #ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj on his birth anniversary today. Visuals from Farmagudi, Ponda. (Source: CM Pramod Sawant's Facebook page) pic.twitter.com/EswDhqazOH  ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2022

Shivaji Maharaj was the first to realise the importance of having a naval force and thus is known as the Father of Indian Navy. At the same time, he revived ancient Hindu political traditions and court conventions. Shivaji also promoted the usage of Marathi and Sanskrit and not Persian, in court and administration.

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New Delhi: Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog on Friday (February 19, 2022) said that the government has invited other vaccine manufacturers to collaborate with scientists and develop vaccines in the country.

Dr VK Paul also advised all the citizens not to lower the guard against the Covid-19 pandemic as the current surge has settled.

"We can see that the surge has settled, but we must also know that there are cases at a significant number. Hopefully, it will be sustained but we cannot lower our guards. There should be a complete watch that we are ready for any eventuality," Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog told ANI.

"We invited other vaccine manufacturers to collaborate with our scientists and develop vaccines on our soil. Later, they manufactured vaccines and offered us to buy them demanding sovereign immunity waiver, but this was not acceptable to the government," he added.

We invited other vaccine manufacturers to collaborate with our scientists & develop vaccines on our soil. Later they manufactured vaccines & offered us to buy them demanding sovereign immunity waiver, but this was not acceptable to the govt: Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog pic.twitter.com/mWEarLTeSj  ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2022

Additionally, earlier on Friday, while highlighting India`s fight against the Covid pandemic, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the government had denied accepting objectionable negotiation terms raised by the top vaccine manufacturers of the world for vaccine supply to the country.

Meanwhile, 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 Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of Covid-19 vaccination throughout the country. The nationwide Covid-19 vaccination started on January 16, 2021.

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Ukraine's Intelligence Agency urges residents of Donetsk not to leave their homes, not use transport due to threat of terrorist attacks

The Defense Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announced a high threat of terrorist attacks in Donetsk and urged residents not to leave their homes and not use public transport.

"The communications service of the Defense Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is authorized to declare that Ukraine's military intelligence has information about the mining of a number of social infrastructure facilities in Donetsk by Russian special services in order to further set them off," the agency said on Facebook on Friday evening.

It is also reported that such measures are aimed at destabilizing the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of the Ukrainian state and creating grounds for accusing Ukraine of terrorist attacks.

The communications service of the Defense Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine urges Donetsk residents not to leave their homes and not use public transport, the agency stressed.
New Delhi: Two people died and three wounded in a road mishap after their Mercedes car collided with a truck in the Delhi Cantt area on late Thursday (February 18) night.

A Delhi Police officer told Zee News that a call was received in Delhi Cantt area at around 2.50 pm last night. When the police reached the spot, they noticed that the entire car was wrecked. Five people who were trapped in the car were pulled out with great difficulty. While two people died, the remaining 3 people are undergoing treatment in the hospital. The deceased have been identified as Vinod Kumar and Krishna Solanki.

The Delhi Police said that as per the initial investigation, the Mercedes car was overspeeding due to which it collided with a truck. The police is monitoring CCTV footage to find the truck involved in the collision. The incident took place when the passengers were on their way to their Palam home after returning from a wedding ceremony in Faridabad.

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New Delhi: Sonipat police on Saturday (February 19) booked 3 men under UAPA, IPC Sec 120B and Arms act for perpetrating targeted murders and creating an atmosphere of terror in Punjab.

According to Sonipat SP Rahul Sharma, all the three accused were in contact with terror organisations Khalistan Tiger Force and International Sikh Youth Federation.

"All the three men hail from Juan village in Sonipat and were arrested with various weapons. They were in contact with terror organisations based in Canada and Australia and were having Rs.5-6 lakh in their accounts from foreign countries," SP Sharma told ANI.

According to the Police the accused were getting contracts of perpetrating targeted killings in Punjab through social media and already had a criminal record of murdering a man in Punjab's Morinda on 8th December.

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New Delhi: IEDs found in a Seemapuri house on Thursday and at the Ghazipur market last month were prepared with the intention of carrying out blasts at public places across the city, according to Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana.

Such activities are not possible without local support, the Delhi Police chief said on Friday.

A day after the bag containing the IED was found in northeast Delhi's Old Seemapuri area, police have stepped up security and deployed additional personnel there, officials said.

The improvised explosive device (IED), weighing 2.5 to 3 kg, was later diffused while the owner of the house and a property dealer are being interrogated, police said.

"According to the probe, these IEDs were prepared with an intention to carry out blasts at public places. Such activities are not possible without local support," Asthana said.

The Special Cell and other teams are investigating the case, he said, adding that they are probing forward and backward linkages.

"We are trying to pre-empt every such incident in Delhi and expose any local and foreign network," he said but refused to divulge any other detail.

NIA and UP ATS teams visit Old Seemapuri

Officials from the National Investigating Agency (NIA) and Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) visited the scene of crime on Friday as part of their probe as multiple agencies are working on the case, police said.

Photography and videography of the spot was carried out by the investigating agencies, a senior officer said.

Technical Surveillance and intelligence inputs are being used to trace the hideouts of the suspects who are absconding, the officer added.

400 people vacated from nearby buildings

Meanwhile, an official from the Forensic Science Laboratory, Rohini said no suspicious substance or item was found from the spot besides the bag with the IED. It was a highly explosive device.

"It is a sensitive case concerning national security. Our teams are working on analysing the nature and components of the explosive. A report regarding it will be submitted to the concerned authority soon," the official added.

According to another senior Delhi Police officer, around 400 people were vacated from nearby buildings after the "suspicious" bag was found.

"We have stepped up the security in the area. We have put up barricades and sealed the house. The crime scene has been preserved,? the officer said.

"The local police had also conducted the verification of tenants in the area as part of security measures ahead of the Republic Day. A local enquiry has also been conducted by the local police," the officer added.

CCTV footage retrieved

A Special Cell team has also retrieved the footage of all CCTV cameras installed in and around the building where the suspicious bag was found.

The footage of the cameras is being analysed, the officer said.

Meanwhile, the mother of house owner Aashim has alleged that police have taken his son in custody, while his wife claimed that the floor where the explosive was found was given to two people on rent few months ago.

During interrogation, the house owner told police that he had in his possession some documents of the tenants which he had taken for verification at the time of giving the floor on rent.

However, the documents have not been recovered yet by the Special Cell unit probing the case, the officer said.

NSG sources had said the explosive is suspected to be a mix of ammonium nitrate and RDX but a forensic lab will examine it in detail.

Connection between explosive recovered from Seemapuri and Ghazipur

As the explosive is quite similar to the one recovered from Ghazipur last month, police suspect that the two cases may be linked to the same people.

According to an official, investigation into the Ghazipur flower market case led the police to receive a tip-off about the explosive in Old Seemapuri.

No sooner the information was received in the afternoon, Special Cell teams dashed to the site. NSG officials and the Forensic Science Laboratory team were also rushed to the spot.

The officer said, "When our team went to the house, it was vacant. The bag was found there and we immediately informed the NSG."

"The suspects have managed to escape. We suspect the explosive recovered from Old Seempuri has been made by the same persons who placed the IED at Ghazipur flower market last month," the officer said.

The IED was picked up by the NSG bomb disposal squad from the second floor of the building. Security has been beefed up and the area cordoned off.

The IED was destroyed using a water disruptor, an NSG officer said, adding all pieces of evidence have been handed over to the Delhi Police.

An IED stuffed with RDX and ammonium nitrate was found inside an unattended bag at the Ghazipur flower market here on January 17 but was defused.

The incident had happened ahead of Republic Day celebrations on January 26 for which the security apparatus in the national capital was already on a high alert.

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New Delhi: A group of Afghan minority community members which includes Sikhs and Hindus called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (February 19) morning at his residence. During the meeting PM Modi told them, "(India) this is your house, you are not a guest here. India is your house and every Indian gives respect and love to you".

This is the first such meet, and happened months after the Indian govt evacuated several Afghan minority community members after the Taliban takeover of the country last year. During the hour-long meet, PM recalled his address to the Afghan Parliament in 2015 and said when "he mentioned Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, and that he had met him, everyone was happy to hear that".

Present in the meeting were Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and minister of state at ministry of external affairs Meenakshi Lekhi. Remember Minister Puri had carried the Guru Granth Sahib that had arrived from Afghanistan on his head in a show of respect. The PM was given an Afghan chapan (traditional dress), which Former Afghan President Haid Karzai is usually seen wearing. Thanking the community members for the 'respect' in the form of the traditional dress and Afghan traditional turban , PM Modi said, "This is a symbol of an Afghan. If President Karzai sees this, he will be very happy to see",

For many Afghan minorities, India has been a second home especially since the Taliban takeover of the country last August. Under Operation Devi shakti last year India evacuated hundreds of stranded Indian nationals and Afghan minority community members from the country. Afghan Sikh groups mentioned how grateful they have been to the Indian govt for the support last year.

Meanwhile, next week is expected to see India sending humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in the form of a promised 50,000 MT of wheat. The aid will be sent over Pakistani territory on Afghan trucks. Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said, "We are committed to providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. We have said this before, we have shared information about the shipment of medicines and vaccines..The modalities for the shipment of 50,000 tonnes of wheat via Pakistan are in the final stages." Indian Embassy in Rome and the United Nations World Food Program formally signed an MoU on February 12 for the distribution of wheat to Afghanistan.

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New Delhi: The Indian Embassy in Kuwait on Friday (February 18, 2022) rapped Shashi Tharoor 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 came after the Congress MP retweeted a tweet that claimed that a group of 'powerful' Kuwaiti parliamentarians have demanded from the government of Kuwait to put an immediate ban on the entry of any member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of India into Kuwait.

"We can't sit back and watch Muslim girls being publicly persecuted they said. Time for the Ummah to unite," the tweet had further said.

Referring to the tweet, Tharoor said, "Domestic actions have international 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'."

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

Hitting out at the MP for Thiruvananthapuram, the Indian Embassy 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."

Soon after, Tharoor issued a clarification and said that he doesn't endorse the individual, whom he had never heard of, but is concerned about the sentiment he conveys, "which is sadly shared by many who are friends of India".

"While accepting @indembkwt's view, I urge GoI not2give ammo to such anti-India elements by condoning misconduct here," he tweeted.

I don't endorse this individual, whom i'd never heard of, but am concerned about the sentiment he conveys, which is sadly shared by many who are friends of India. While accepting @indembkwt's view, I urge GoI not2give ammo to such anti-India elements by condoning misconduct here. https://t.co/5McqqMwqtQ  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 18, 2022

Earlier on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs had 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.

(With agency inputs)

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Srinagar: One terrorist has been killed in an encounter that broke in the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday (February 19, 2022) morning.

"01 terrorist killed. Search going on. Further details shall follow," tweeted Kashmir zone police.

Jammu & Kashmir | One terrorist killed in an encounter at Chermarg, Zainapora area of Shopian. Police and security forces are carrying out the operation. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/SxnXg2ccFo  ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2022

The encounter started between terrorists and security forces in Chermarg village of Zainapora area of Shopian district in South Kashmir. Two to three terrorists are believed to be trapped in the cordon.

A police officer monitoring the operation said, "A joint team of Police, army and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Chermarg village on specific input about the presence of terrorists in the area. The operation started in the wee hours of the morning.

He said, "As the joint team of searching party cordoned the suspected spot, exchange of fire happened and an encounter started.

Kashmir zone police also confirmed the gunfight in a Twitter post and said, "Encounter had started at Chermarg, Zainapora area of #Shopian. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice."

This is the 15th encounter of this year and security forces. Earlier, the Police and security forces have managed to kill 25 terrorists, including three top commanders and 8 Pakistani terrorists, 14 encounters. Thirteen active terrorists were arrested alive and 23 terrorist associates were also arrested.

In those operations, a huge cache of arms and ammunition were also recovered by security forces, including American-made assault rifle M4 (4), AK-56 (4) and AK-47 (5).

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New Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday (February 19) compared the Lakhimpur Kheri case with the Jallianwala Bagh incident as Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, who is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, was released from jail on Tuesday (February 15) following Allahbad High Court granting from bail.

Striking at the BJP, Akhilesh Yadav said, "Ashish Mishra will not get bail from people's courts. Farmers and their families have suffered a lot because of their (BJP) policies, this will result in BJP's defeat.

"Lakhimpur Kheri case is reminding us of Jallianwala Bagh incident in independent India," he added.

When asked about the connection with Ahmedabad blast terrorists, the SP chief said, "Our baba CM is 'Kamaal Ke hai' (awesome ). Neither he knew anything before, nor does he know anything now. The UP election is for the rights of farmers, employment of youth, and the development of the state."

#WATCH Our baba CM is awesome (Kamaal ke hai). Neither he knew anything before, nor does he know anything right now. The UP election is for rights of farmers, employment of youth, and development of the state: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on connection with Ahmedabad blast terrorists pic.twitter.com/q7nynPXcC3  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 19, 2022

Uttar Pradesh will go in the third phase of polling on Sunday (February 20) where Akhilesh Yadav's fate will also be decided from the Karhal Assembly seat.

(With ANI inputs)

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New Delhi: As Punjab goes to the polls on Sunday, all the key political parties including Indian National Congress (INC), Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) (SAD-B) have gone all out to win voters confidence to ensure their victory. However, even as these parties are banking on their hardcore loyalists to secure a win, a large number of voters are unhappy with the present government and are looking for new options, which could cause a dent in their vote banks.



As voters of Punjab look for options, new alliances such as SAD-BSP, BJP-Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) and Aam Aadmi party appear to be the available alternatives.



The incumbent politicians appear to have poor odds of getting re-elected owing to the prevalent anti-incumbency factor, which is likely to result in high voter turnout on Sunday, the day of the polling. Resentment is rife among the rural electorate, who are miffed over the continuous disregard of the needs of their constituencies by their elected representatives and are determined to 'teach them a lesson this time'.



Despite the displeasure and bitterness prevailing among voters, the political leaders not only manage to get away with the unfulfilled promises but are also somehow able to project themselves as even more trustworthy and credible' than before in their eyes, with renewed promises and campaign pledges in exchange for their votes.



In rural Punjab, especially in the villages situated close to Indo-Pak international border, people are still bereft of basic facilities and infrastructure like metalled streets, street lights, potable water, round-the-clock electricity, better connectivity, and smooth roads to their villages.



Drug addiction is another important factor that is likely to affect the voting pattern this time. Despite initial hesitation, voters, on being cajoled, shared accounts of how the menace has affected the lives of their children and relatives, blaming their elected representatives for patronizing the drug mafia.



The situation is almost the same in the 69, 25 and 23 assembly constituencies of Malwa, Majha and Doaba regions of Punjab, respectively. The political alliance between former Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress with BJP and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD (Samyukat) has left the electorate completely befuddled as to who to vote for.



Having emerged as a strong turbaned face of the BJP, captain Amrinder Singh is waging a war against Congress high command and Sidhu, which could prove to be disastrous for the Congress party, which is fighting two battles  the 2022 assembly elections, as well as the infighting within its cadres. The rift between the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Navjot Singh Sidhu and Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has divided the Congress supporters with Akalis trying to fill the space with their emotional speeches to win over the confidence of voters.



BJP, which has only three seats in Punjab, is doing its best by wooing the Sikh voters and even the release of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Chief of Dera Sacha Sauda on 21-day-furlough, ahead of the assembly elections, could benefit the saffron party since Dera has immense followership in Malwa region of Punjab which contributes a majority of seats to the winning party that rules the state.



SAD, meanwhile, is banking on the loyalty of its hardcore voters, whose tally is approximately 25 per cent of the constituents. They are projecting themselves as a Panthic party, while their alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party is an answer to the Dalit card of Congress. Interestingly, SAD did not have to face any sacrilege allegations during the election campaign.



Farmers still lack representation despite having agitated for over a year against the farm laws. The farmers unions were divided post-acceptance of their demands on account of their affiliation with various political parties.



Realizing the fact that the anti-incumbency wave could dent their votes immensely, the incumbent MLAs are apologizing to the electorate for years of neglect and are seeking votes only based on the 111 days of the Channi government. However, they are unable to give an account of the past 4.5 years.

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Chandigarh: Punjab's Chief Electoral Officer on Saturday (February 19) directed the registration two separate FIRs in Mohali on complaints lodged against AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal for alleged violation of the model code of code.

The orders, issued on the eve of voting in Punjab assembly elections, came on complaints by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Shiromani Akai Dal (SAD) against each other over videos posted on social media.

The AAP has alleged that in the silent period, Badal circulated a video on his Facebook page which consists of his vote appeal with an intent to misguide voters and undue influence the voters. It accused him of violating Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act.

SAD leader and advocate Arshdeep Singh Kler, in a complaint lodged with the Election Commission, had objected to a video uploaded by the AAP on social media, alleging it was done to malign the image of SAD and other political parties in the eyes of the general public.

In a letter to the Mohali district election officer and SSP on the SAD complaint, the office of the Punjab chief electoral officer said no party can put any objectionable videos targeting particular political leaders on any prevalent handles on the internet in view of the model code of conduct, which was enforced on January 8.

The office said the video clip has not been approved by the state-level media certification monitoring committee (MCMC).

"It has come to the notice of this office on February 18 that this video was playing on internet platforms, which is sheer violation of the rule 4.4.2 (B) DONTs (v) of manual on model code of conduct," the office said.

"In view of the above, you are hereby requested to register an FIR accordingly as per the legal provisions," the letter said.

Meanwhile, on AAP's complaint, the office of Punjab's Chief Electoral Officer stated, "the PR team of office of CEO, has reported that the said media content is still running on the Facebook page of Sukhbir Singh Badal which is in violation of section 126 (1) (b) of Representation of People Act, 1951 as enshrined in chapter 8.3.1 of manual of model conduct of conduct".

"In view of the above, you are hereby requested to register the FIR accordingly as per the legal provisions," stated the letter to the Mohali administration and police.

Polling for 117 assembly seats is scheduled to be held on February 20 while counting of votes will take place on March 10.

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New Delhi: Just hours before the Punjab Polls the secessionist organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) has made some revelations regarding the Punjab Assembly Elections that are due for Sunday (February 20).

With another letter bomb, the secessionist organisation has claimed that around 20 thousand Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in Punjab who are on election duty are in constant contact with the SFJ and they will also be conducting polling on the Khalistan referendum.

"Thousands of BLOs have assured their support to SFJ ion Campaigning for Khalistan on 20th February and also pledged to organise the Khalistan referendum voting in Punjab," said Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, SFJ General Counsel in a video message.

The striking revelations of the secessionist group come when Punjab is due for polling on 117 Assembly seats tomorrow.

SJF General Counsel Pannu also launched an attack on Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu asking if he is a "terrorist" or an "ISI" agent citing his contacts with Pakistan PM Imran Khan and General Bajwa.

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Only the Russian Federation is interested in escalation of the conflict in Donbas, today's events in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine are another round of a hybrid war against Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) says.

"We officially announce: the statements of pro-Russian terrorists about the alleged plans of the Ukrainian military to launch an offensive operation in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions are fake, a tool for destabilization and do not correspond to reality. We emphasize that only the aggressor country and the leaders of pseudo-republics are interested in escalating the conflict," the SBU said in a statement on Facebook.

The SBU stresses that the SBU officers are serving in an enhanced mode in order to prevent further provocations, terrorist acts, sabotage and other attempts to undermine the situation from the inside.

The statement also emphasizes that the SBU, together with other authorities, is ready to respond in a timely manner to any destabilization scenarios.

"We call on compatriots both in peaceful cities and villages, and in the occupied territory of Ukraine: remain calm, do not panic and do not fall for any provocations!"
Chennai: The voting in the urban civic polls in Tamil Nadu began on Saturday at 7 AM across the state amid tight police security and arrangements including ramps to ensure a hassle-free experience to the differently-abled.

Voting began in urban regions spread across 38 districts at 7 AM with Tamil Nadu State Election Commission ensuring monitoring polling stations through web streaming and CCTV cameras and state police deploying nearly 1 lakh personnel for security. Authorities said arrangements like ramps and the availability of wheelchairs have also been ensured.

People queue up outside a polling booth in Coimbatore as they await their turn to cast vote for #TamilNadu Urban Local Body Elections. Voting for the urban local body elections is being held in a single phase today, after a gap of 11 years. pic.twitter.com/LqJoW2U97T  ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2022

As many as 57,778 candidates are in the fray for 12,607 posts of ward members in 648 urban local bodies including municipal corporations, municipalities and town panchayats and the voting exercise began in over 31,000 polling stations.

In Chennai, out of the 5,013 polling booths, 213 have been identified as vulnerable and 54 as 'critical' and adequate security arrangements are in place, police said adding as many as 390 mobile parties and a total of 22,000 police personnel have been deployed here as part of efforts to ensure peaceful polling. While the time for voting is from 7 AM to 6 PM, the last 1 hour is earmarked to people who have been affected by coronavirus.

Police personnel deployed at Kesari Higher Secondary School at Thyagaraya Nagar in Chennai as voting for #TamilNadu Urban Local Body Elections gets underway. pic.twitter.com/wBqv3Ew65H  ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2022

In the nearby Tiruvallur district, voting is to elect as many as 315 ward members for 8 town panchayats, 6 municipalities besides the Avadi municipal corporation.

In the Tiruvannamalai district, voting is taking place in 454 polling stations to elect 273 ward members for 10 town panchayats and 4 municipalities.

The ruling DMK and its allies are together fighting the polls. The main opposition AIADMK's partners during the last year's Assembly polls like the PMK and BJP are facing the civic polls on their own.

In some areas, the AIADMK has allocated wards to smaller allies like the Samuga Samathuva Padai-led by former IAS officer P Sivakami. However, mostly they are contesting on the two-leaves symbol. Sivakami is the AIADMK nominee from ward 99 of the Chennai Corporation.

Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, Naam Tamizhar Katchi and Makkal Needhi Maiam are among others who are in the fray.

Polls were announced last month by the TNSEC for a total of 12,838 ward member posts in 649 urban civic bodies. The 649 urban local bodies are 21 municipal corporations, 138 municipalities and 490 town panchayats.

People cast their votes for the #TamilNadu Urban Local Body Elections today. Visuals from a polling booth in Madurai. pic.twitter.com/SuovzKBYUP  ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2022

Subsequently, polls for all the 12 wards in Kadambur town panchayat in Thoothukudi district were cancelled for violations. For a town panchayat ward (Kanadukathan) in the Sivaganga district, no nominations were filed. In total 218 candidates were elected unopposed.

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Lucknow: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday targeted BJP's rivals in Uttar Pradesh, accusing them of indulging in politics of appeasement, and said his party works for justice to all.

He alleged that in the state, fake socialists have run the government by "throwing dust in the eyes of people".

Parties like Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party do politics of appeasement, but the BJP works for justice to all, Singh said while addressing an election rally in the Lucknow North assembly constituency.

Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are underway and being held in seven phases, with the third on Sunday. Results will be declared on March 10.

Describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as charismatic, Singh said before 2014, the world did not listen to India, but if India speaks today, then the world listens with open ears.

Stressing that India is becoming self-reliant, he said within a few years from now "we will not only make ammunition, missiles, tanks etc. For our country but will also export them".

Singh said that a defence corridor is coming up and the country is also making the BrahMos missiles.

Earlier weapons had to be bought from foreign countries, but now about 200 types of defence-related equipment will be made ready in India, he said.

Praising Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the former BJP president said that under his leadership, the wheel of development is moving fast in Uttar Pradesh.

Law and order is the first condition of development and it has been brought back on track in the state, Singh said.

Recalling former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajyapee, Singh said that the 'Tehzeeb, Nazakat and 'Nafasat' of Lucknow, which is famous the world over, should not be allowed to die down and made an appeal to the people to vote in favour of the BJP by rising above caste, religion and sect
New Delhi: Congress leader and partys co-in-charge in Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday (February 19) said the incumbent NDA government has an oppressive approach towards dissent and protests.

The leader, who was in Raebareli to campaign for the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, made the remarks in reference to the anti-CAA protests and the recent order by the Supreme Court directing the Yogi government to refund any recovery made.

This government has an oppressive nature and they think they can suppress any protest. Not only CAA protestors but recently protesting students were threatened by the government that their property will be seized, Gandhi was quoted as saying by ANI.

Adding her take on the recent SC order, Gandhi added,  SC is right. Vasooli (money recovery by UP govt) was wrong. We had said from the beginning that a proper procedure should be followed. This govt has thought that can bar anyone who opposes.

The Congress general secretary also seemed confident of her partys position in the ongoing UP polls.

We're strong, contesting 400 seats after 30 years, she added.

Talking about the government's free ration distribution scheme, Gandhi said, It's good that govt provides ration but they should make people stand on their feet, with education & employment... We want to bring a law that'll suspend officials who don't file an FIR within 15 days of a harassment complaint by a woman, she added.

The third phase of the seven phased Uttar Pradesh Assembly Polls will be held on February 20. The results will be out on March 10.

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Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday (February 19) foiled a plan of target killing in Srinagar by timely arresting The Resistance Front (TRF) terrorist from Eidgah area of Srinagar.

The police recovered a pistol and some ammunition from the possession of the terrorist who was arrested based on a specific human intelligence by a joint team of Police and CRPF.

The Police official said, "He is from Kulgam and had come to carry a target killing in the area. Further investigation in the case is going on, the officer added.

The security forces believe that further interrogation of the arrested terrorist can lead to more arrests as well as plans of terrorists in Srinagar.

The forces have managed to arrest 14 active terrorists alive this year and 23 terrorists' associates.

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New Delhi: Two Army personnel and a terrorist were killed in an encounter that raged between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmirs highly volatile Shopian district.

#UPDATE Shopian Encounter | Two Army jawans lost their lives in the encounter at Chermarg, Zainapora area of Shopian. More details awaited.  ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2022

The encounter started between terrorists and security forces in Chermarg village of Zainapora area of Shopian district in South Kashmir.

One terrorist was also killed by the security forces. The identity of the slain ultra is being ascertained, said officials.

A police officer monitoring the operation said, "A joint team of Police, army and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Chermarg village on specific input about the presence of terrorists in the area. The operation started in the wee hours of the morning.

He said, "As the joint team of searching party cordoned the suspected spot, exchange of fire happened and an encounter started.

Kashmir zone police also confirmed the gunfight in a Twitter post and said, "Encounter had started at Chermarg, Zainapora area of #Shopian. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice."

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New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday (February 19) hit the campaign trail in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a rally in UPs Raebareli, Shah said that there are no bahubalis (musclemen) in the state under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. There are no (bahubalis) anymore in Uttar Pradesh under Yogi Ji, there's only Bajarangbali in the state, ANI quoted Union Home Minister as saying.

There are no (bahubalis) anymore in Uttar Pradesh under Yogi Ji, there's only Bajarangbali in the state: Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a rally in Raebareli#UttarPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/YjAGpikPL6  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 19, 2022

Further, he said if BJP comes to power, they will provide a gas cylinder free on Holi and Diwali.

Attacking previous UP governments, Amit Shah said, "Earlier, the crime of Uttar Pradesh was discussed in the whole country, mafia was visible all over the state. Today Azam Khan, Atiq Ahmed, Mukhtar Ansari are in jail. If this SP comes, then these people will come out of jail."

The Union Home Minister and BJP leader attacked Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, saying, "SP has done the work of acquiring property. In SP, S means property and P means family. When Akhilesh ji was the Chief Minister, about 45 people from his family were placed on different posts."

In another poll rally in Tindwari Assembly of Banda district, Shah took a potshot at Samajwadi Party and said they will supply terrorism all over the country.

If by any chance the cycle govt (Samajwadi Party) comes to power, Uttar Pradesh will supply terrorism all over the country... under Akhilesh govt 2,000 farmers died out of hunger during famine, Shah alleged.

UP will witness the third phase of polling on Sunday when 59 constituencies spread across 16 districts will vote. The last phase of voting is on March 7 and the result will be announced on March 10 for the 403-Assembly state.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP and founder of Zee Group Dr Subhash Chandra on Saturday (February 19) visited Haryanas Bheri Akbarpur village and assured the locals that the water scarcity issue among others will be resolved soon.

Dr Chandra, who reached the spot to attend a special programme in honour of Saint Ravidas, received 10 key demands from the villagers, out of which, water scarcity was one of the major issues. He assured the people of Hisar that he will talk to the concerned officials and find a resolution to the water plausibility.

The leader also promised the locals that he will get an entrance gate erected near the turn of the Uklana area and explained to them the importance of the Agroha Dham.

Paying tributes to Saint Ravidas, Dr Chandra said, We all must inculcate the values of Guru Ravidas. The leader also visited and paid his respects by visiting Baba Ramdev temple in Bheri Akbarpur.

Dr Chandra also said that the upliftment of farmers is a topmost priority for him and called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a well-wisher of the farmers.

Haryana Vyapar Mandal President Bajrang Das Garg was also present in this program, which was organised on the occasion of Guru Ravidas Jayanti.

At the same time, the organizer of the event, Satbir Beria, shared his experiences with Dr Subhash Chandra and praised him. He said that ever since he got the blessings of Dr Subhash Chandra, his condition has changed.

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New Delhi: Indian Navy has issued a notification for the recruitment of eligible individuals for the post of Tradesman (Skilled). Navy is looking to fill up 1,531 vacancies through this recruitment drive.

Interested and eligible candidates can apply for the recruitment drive on the official website of Indian navy- joinindiannavy.gov.in. The last date to apply for the Indian Navy Tradesman Recruitment 2022 is 31 March (tentative).

Indian Navy Recruitment 2022: Important dates

Notification issued- February 19, 2022 2

Opening of online registration portal- March 18, 2022 at 1000 hrs

Closing of online registration portal- March 31, 2022 at 1700 hrs

Indian Navy Recruitment 2022: Vacancy details

A total of 1,531 posts will be filled via Indian Navy Tradesman Recruitment 2022.

Indian Navy Recruitment 2022: Salary details

Selected candidates will get a salary/ pay scale of level 2 (Rs 19,900-Rs 63,200).

Indian Navy Recruitment 2021: Age limit

The minimum age is 18 years and the maximum to apply is 25 years.

Indian Navy Recruitment 2022: Eligibility criteria

Candidates must be 10th pass and should have a knowledge of English. They are required to have completed apprentice training in the concerned trade or served as a mechanic or any equivalent post with two years of regular service in the appropriate technical branch of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

For more information on the Indian Navy Tradesman Recruitment 2022, candidates can see the OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION here.

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Bengaluru: Girl students in many parts of Karnataka were denied entry into their respective educational institutions on Saturday as they arrived in hijabs, despite a court order, as the issue showed no signs of abating after its flare-up about a fortnight ago that prompted the government to close down colleges and institutions for a couple of days.

Despite a government order and the Karnataka High Court's interim order restricting the students from wearing hijab or saffron scarves inside classrooms, the girls came to schools and colleges donning the headscarf.

As many as 58 students were suspended at Shiralakoppa in Shivamogga district for refusing to remove their hijab and staging a demonstration against the government pre-university college administration.

The girls were suspended on Friday and were told that they should not come to the college, a student told reporters. On Saturday too, they came to the college, raised slogans and demanded their right to wear hijab. However, they were not let in.

"We came here but the principal told us that we have all been suspended and there is no need for us to come to the college. Even police told us not to come to the college but we came here. Today, no one spoke to us," the students complained.

In the SJVP College at Harihar in Davangere district, girls wearing hijab were denied entry. The pupils refused to go inside without the scarf, stressing that it was as important as education and they cannot give up their right.

In Vijay Paramedical College in Belagavi district, students complained to the reporters that a holiday was announced by the institution for an indefinite period due to the hijab issue.

"We will not sit without headscarves. Let the college realise how it affects our education. The principal is not listening to us," a student told the media.

In Ballari, a group of girls were not allowed inside the Sarala Devi College, which has been witnessing protests from the day the controversy erupted and the government had ordered that no one should wear clothes that could disturb peace, harmony and, law and order.

The government college at Gangavathi in Koppal district too faced a similar situation where girls were not allowed inside the college.

In Kudur village in Ramanagara district, some students staged a demonstration on the college ground after they were not allowed to enter the classrooms.

On January 1, six girl students of a college in Udupi attended a press conference held by Campus Front of India (CFI) in the coastal town protesting against the college authorities denying them entry into the classroom by wearing hijab.

This was four days after they had requested the principal permission to wear hijabs in classes which was not allowed. Till then, students used to wear hijab to the campus and entered the classroom after removing the scarves, the college principal Rudre Gowda had said.

"The institution did not have any rule on hijab-wearing as such since no one used to wear it to the classroom in the last 35 years. The students who came with the demand had the backing of outside forces," Gowda had said.

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New Delhi: Amid declining Covid-19 cases in the state, the Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday (February 19, 2022) announced to lift the night curfew in all its cities.

Awanish Awasthi, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), in an order stated that the night curfew in the state will be lifted from Saturday night.

He said that the decision to end night curfew was taken following the decline in Covid-19 cases.

Government of Uttar Pradesh lifts the #COVID19 induced night curfew following a drop in the number of COVID cases. pic.twitter.com/2y4FoUM3xc  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 19, 2022

The Yogi Adityanath government had imposed a night curfew between 11 pm to 6 am and had relaxed it by an hour on February 13.

The state currently has 8,683 active cases of coronavirus.

The relaxation in the night curfew comes amid the ongoing assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

(This is a breaking news)

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, at a meeting with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, declared Ukraine's commitment to a peaceful and diplomatic path in resolving the situation in the country's east and countering Russian aggression.

"A peaceful and diplomatic path is the path that we need. We have been doing this for the last eight years. This is our land, we understand what is happening. The only thing we want is to return peace to our country, and in this situation, we are very grateful to you, the United States, as our ally and partner, we are grateful to President Biden," Zelensky said during a meeting with the U.S. delegation on the sidelines of the Munich Conference.

He also thanked the U.S. Congress for its bipartisan support to Ukraine.
Mumbai: Actor Priyanka Chopra, who recently welcomed a baby via surrogacy with husband Nick Jonas, marked her parent`s marriage anniversary by sharing a sweet social media post in remembrance of her late father.

The `Baywatch` actor took to her Instagram Stories and shared a photo of her parents from one of their fondest moments. She wrote, "This is always how I remember your anniversary. Miss u dad. Love you."

In the picture, Priyanka`s father could be seen offering a rose to her mom Dr. Madhu Akhouri Chopra. The couple indeed shared an endearing moment with their gentle smiles.

Her father had passed away back in 2013 after a long battle with cancer. She was extremely close to him and even has a tattoo on her right wrist that reads `Daddy`s lil girl`.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Priyanka was recently seen in `The Matrix Resurrections`, and has wrapped the romantic comedy `Text For You` opposite Sam Hueghan, as well as the limited series `Citadel`.

She is also set to star alongside Anthony Mackie in the action film `Ending Things`.

In Bollywood, she will be seen in Farhan Akhtar`s `Jee Le Zara` along with Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif.
New Delhi: Popular television actress Nidhi Bhanushali, who shot to fame as Sonu Bhide in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has a huge fan following. Even though she is no longer part of the show yet netizens address her as Sonu.

She recently dropped a few pictures of her wearing a trendy bralette and pants with the cool hairdo. Nothing to see here, just a couple of mirror selfies and a new obsession, she captioned the post.

Nidhi Bhanushali played Sonu's character on the show for the longest time but made an exit in 2019. She quit the show long back but still fans love to dig out information about her.

The young actress made her TV debut with 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah'. She often drops stunning photos from her travel diary and lately has been donning a new hairstyle - dreadlocks. Her new look generated quite a buzz among fans online.

'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah', one of the top-rated and longest-running sitcoms on television, has also made Munmun Dutta aka Babita Ji a social media sensation. The popular sitcom first premiered in 2008 and has been going strong ever since.
NEW DELHI: Well-known Tamil actress Gayathrie, who shot to the limelight for her performance in the light-hearted comedy 'Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom', on Saturday announced that her Instagram account had been hacked.

My Instagram has been hacked! Working on recovering it! Please ignore any messages you receive from my account!  Gayathrie (@SGayathrie) February 19, 2022

The actress took to Twitter to make the announcement. She said, "My Instagram has been hacked! Working on recovering it! Please ignore any messages you receive from my account!"

Actor Premgi, who is also scoring the music for his brother, director Venkat Prabhu's next film, responded to Gayathrie on Twitter saying that he too had received a message from her account.

The actress enquired if he had clicked on any link in the message to which Premgi replied that he did but then, didn't log in.

Gayathrie, who has a number of films in different stages of production including the Vijay Sethupathi-starrer 'Maamanithan' waiting for release, isn't the first celebrity whose Instagram account has been hacked.

Earlier too, several actresses have faced the same problem including Nazriya, Amritha Aiyer and Pooja Hegde.
New Delhi: Apple is unquestionably one of the most well-known brands in the world. Since the introduction of the first iPhone, the company has grown in popularity. Berkshire Hathaway Vice-Chairman Charlie Munger has revealed why the company is so popular. Apple is also Berkshire Hathaway's most valuable stock.

In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Charlie Munger discussed his thoughts on the American smartphone company. He asserted that Apple iPhone owners are so attached to their devices that they would willingly give up their arm to keep them. He also revealed why Apple is so successful during the interview.

"I assess the strength of a firm based on how much its customers adore it," Munger said, "and I've got zillions of friends who would virtually give up their right arm before giving up their iPhone." That is a tremendously powerful position to hold."

He went on to say that Apple is in this position as a result of the company's management. "I think it's incredibly well-managed," he remarked.

Despite the pandemic and the ensuing semiconductor crisis, Apple has continued to ascend the sales ladder. Apple appears to have a compelling product lineup planned for this year.

The company will have a Spring event at which they may unveil the new 5G-enabled iPhone SE. Apple may also unveil the new iPad Air 5 and three new Macs at the March event, in addition to the new iPhone SE. The company has yet to confirm the details and the debut date.

Apple has not entered any new product segments since the launch of the Apple Watch in 2015. This year, however, that could change. In 2022, the business plans to release a new virtual reality/augmented reality headgear.

The company is also optimistic about the electric vehicle market. Several sources have suggested that Apple is working on a new electric vehicle. However, the unveiling may not take place until 2025. To actualize the goal of an Apple Car, the business has enlisted some of the best talent in the industry of autos.

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New Delhi: South Korean tech giant Samsung has announced that the open sale for its new flagship Galaxy S22 will begin on March 11 in India. The pre-orders for Galaxy S22 series will begin on February 23 in India and the customers 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, GSM Arena confirmed.

Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 plus owners will be able to get the Galaxy Buds 2 for Rs 999 (less than USD 15) extra, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra customers can buy a Galaxy Watch 4 for just Rs 2,999 (USD 40); as a bonus for pre-ordering the gadget. There are also some extra bonuses for current Galaxy S and Galaxy Note owners that can pocket up to Rs 8,000 (USD 107).

The vanilla Samsung Galaxy S22 starts at Rs 72,999 (USD 980), while the Plus can be purchased for at least Rs 84,999 (USD 1,140). The Galaxy S22 Ultra is either Rs 110,999 (just shy of USD 1,500) or Rs 118,999 (right under USD 1,600), depending on the storage choice. Also Read: Bank of Baroda subscribes to 99,000 shares of IDRCL

According to GSM Arena, 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. Also Read: IDFC FIRST Bank appoints Jaimini Bhagwati on board as additional director

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New Delhi: Tech giants Twitter and Google blocked advertisements of a special issue of medical journal Health Affairs that focused on racism and health, the companies have claimed. The peer-reviewed journal`s latest issue, released last week, includes articles on sexual and reproductive health of Black women in the South, racial bias in electronic health records, health and police encounters, and inequity in the use of home health agencies, the Verge reported.

To reach new readers, the journal aimed at targeted advertisements on social media platforms Twitter and YouTube. It hoped to use the ads to draw in a new audience to the special issue, Patti Sweet, the director of digital strategy at Health Affairs was quoted as saying.

However, the platforms blocked it. Besides ads the journal`s Google ads account was also suspended, the report said.

While the journal maintained that the use of the word "racism" was the trigger for the rejections, according to Twitter and Google the ads were blocked due to policies around advocacy and Covid-19.

This highlights how health research sometimes doesn`t fit neatly into categories used by tech companies to flag potentially problematic content, making it challenging for them to push out credible information when certain keywords pop up, the report said.

According to Google, it blocked the journal`s ads because the video the advertisements were for discussed Covid-19, communications and public affairs manager Christa Muldoon told The Verge.

Ads for content that mentions Covid-19 have to follow the company`s "sensitive events" policy, which blocks ads "that potentially profit from or exploit a sensitive event".

In a statement, Twitter said that the ads were blocked under the "cause-based" policy, which requires advertisers get certified before publishing ads that "educate, raise awareness, and/or call for people to take action in connection with civic engagement, economic growth, environmental stewardship, or social equity causes".

Twitter`s caused-based ad policy was put into place in November 2019 as part of its regulation of political ads aimed at protecting against bad actors co-opting the platform and covers topics from climate change to animal rights, the report said.

Health Affairs also claimed to have got a notice for an ad taken down by Twitter under the "inappropriate content" policy.

The ad was similar to the ones flagged under the cause-based policy and described how the special issue focused on racism and health.

Any ad would have been denied under the same cause-based policy, Twitter spokesperson Laura Pacas said in an email to The Verge.

However, Sweet stated that Health Affairs does not fall under the type of advocacy category that Twitter`s policy, for example, is set up to target.

"We`re not a political organisation, but when a machine sees `health policy`, they might assume politics," Sweet said. "And when they see us talking about racism and health, they might assume we are advocating on behalf of something for politicians. So, the brand is awkwardly in a nowhere land."

Health Affairs got its caused-based certification for Twitter this week and plans to resubmit its ads. Also Read: US securities agency denies claims its harassing Elon Musk

Sweet said the Google ads account is also back on after she submitted appeals. She`s hoping her team can now redirect the spotlight to the research, rather than the conflict with the tech companies, the report said. Also Read: Hurun India Wealth Report: Mumbai home to most dollar millionaires; Taj most preferred hospitality brand

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New Delhi: US securities regulators responded to allegations that they are harassing Elon Musk, writing in a letter that they're following a judge's instructions in trying to speak with the Tesla CEO's lawyers about his posts on Twitter.

In a letter dated Friday, Steven Buchholz of the Securities and Exchange Commission's San Francisco Office wrote that the judge handling a securities case against Musk encouraged both sides to confer before raising issues with the court.

He also denied that the agency had issued subpoenas in the Musk Twitter case and that the SEC is taking too long to distribute a USD 40 million penalty from Musk and Tesla that is supposed to go to Tesla shareholders.

Early Thursday, lawyers for Musk sent a letter to US District Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan accusing the SEC of harassing him with investigations and subpoenas over his Twitter posts.

In 2018, Musk and Tesla each agreed to pay USD 20 million in civil fines over Musk's tweets about having the money to take the company private at USD 420 per share.

The funding was far from secured and the company remains public. The settlement specified governance changes, including Musk's ouster as board chairman, as well as approval of Musk's tweets.

The letter from attorney Alex Spiro accuses the SEC of trying to 'muzzle' Musk, largely because he's an outspoken government critic.

The SEC's outsized efforts seem calculated to chill his exercise of First Amendment rights rather than to enforce generally applicable laws in an even-handed fashion, the letter stated.

Spiro also questioned why the SEC hasn't distributed the USD 40 million in fines to Tesla shareholders more than three years after the settlement.

Buccholz wrote that during a 2019 contempt hearing, the judge encouraged the parties to make good faith efforts to meet before raising any compliance issues with the court.

The Commission's enforcement staff have, accordingly, sought to meet and confer with counsel for Tesla and Mr. Musk to address any concerns regarding Tesla and Mr. Musk's compliance with the court's amended judgments, Buchholz wrote. Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S22 delivery begins on THIS date in India, check pricing

The SEC has followed court orders in distributing the settlement money and that process is nearing completion, his letter said. Also Read: Vivo Y15s affordable smartphone with 5000 mAh battery launched in India: Price, specs

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#mute
New Delhi: Actress Shamita Shetty was one of the finalists on the controversial reality show - Bigg Boss 15 and before that she also took part in the Bigg Boss OTT version. The star literally lived almost half of the year gone by inside a locked house.

Now that the show is over and Shamita is back to the real grind, in an interview RJ Siddharth Kannan, she opened up on her anxiety struggles. "I wouldnt say I am 100% back to my life out here. You know what I mean? Thoda time lag raha hai. And I didnt realise this. Jab bohot saare log mere aas paas hua karte they, I would feel very strange and unfortunately for me, my birthday was in a few days, so I had to see a lot of people but I wanted to run away."

"Mera anxiety level ghar ke andar bohot hi badh gaya tha and I already had anxiety issues, so its definitely something I am dealing with. I have a therapist, who is very good. Mujhe at least pata hai ki yeh jo phases aate hai, temporary phases hai," she said.

Years back, Shamita Shetty was first seen in Bigg Boss 3 but had to leave the show midway due to sister Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra's wedding. She is currently dating actor Raqesh Bapat.
OTTAWA: Police, including 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 have been blocking the core of the capital for more than three weeks in a protest against pandemic restrictions.

Fearing escalation or violence, Ottawa police had sought to disperse them with fines and threats of possible arrest, but on Friday hundreds of them moved in despite the frigid temperature 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.

Dozens of trucks still occupy the downtown area, though fewer now because several left when the arrests began. Police have also arrested the three most prominent organizers, two on Thursday and one on Friday.

"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.

Officers set up 100 roadblocks near the protest site to deny people access and starve them of food and fuel. Police said they had towed 21 vehicles on Friday.

The protesters initially wanted an end to cross-border COVID-19 vaccine mandates for truck drivers, but the blockade has gradually turned into an anti-government and anti-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau demonstration.

The protest has for weeks been non-violent, but on Friday protesters did shout and push against the police line, and there were brief scuffles. 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.

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 chokepoint 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.

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Beijing: China is giving COVID-19 booster vaccines using technologies different from the initial injections, in an effort to improve immunisation strategies amid concerns that its most-used jabs appeared to be weaker against variants such as Omicron.

Boosting population immunity could be crucial to preparing China to eventually reopen its borders and pivot from its "dynamic zero" strategy, which involves travel curbs and mass testing following dozens of local infections. Experts are watching whether combined Chinese doses would lead to higher effectiveness.

Adults injected with a vaccine developed by Sinopharm or Sinovac at least six months earlier can now receive their booster doses with vaccines using different technologies, produced by CanSino Biologics (CanSinoBIO) or a unit of Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products, National Health Commission official Wu Liangyou said on Saturday.

Around one-third of China`s 1.4 billion people had received boosters using vaccines of the same technologies as their primary doses as of February 7.

Data showed that boosters of either the same or different technologies as primary vaccinations can improve immunity, Wu told a news briefing. He did not contrast the two approaches.

A small-sample Hong Kong research showed that Sinovac`s CoronaVac shot, boosted with a third dose about two to five months after the second, failed to produce neutralising antibody responses to Omicron in most recipients.

The Sinovac booster-triggered antibody response was also weaker against Delta than a CanSinoBIO booster in a clinical trial.

Tested against Omicron in a Chinese study, a third BBIBP-CorV shot produced by Sinopharm elicited a lower antibody level than a booster of Zhifei`s vaccine in those who already received two BBIBP-CorV shots.

Among close contacts of infected people in an earlier Omicron outbreak in Chinese cities of Tianjin and Anyang, receiving a booster reduced Omicron breakthrough infection rate more than threefold compared with the primary vaccination, said Shao Yiming, who is on an expert team for China`s COVID vaccine development work group, at Saturday`s news briefing.

Shao did not provide complete data or specify which boosters were analysed for the readings.

Products from Sinopharm and Sinovac approved in China are inactivated vaccines that contain inactivated or "killed" coronavirus. Zhifei`s vaccine contains parts of the coronavirus protein, while the CanSinoBIO shot uses a modified human cold virus to ferry genetic material from the coronavirus protein.

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Representatives of the Russian Federation in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Donbas again refused to take part in extraordinary talks initiated by the OSCE on the morning of February 19 with the aim of urgently discussing the security situation in Donbas.

"The Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group informs that today the Russian Federation again did not take part in the TCG extraordinary meeting, convened at 11:00 a.m. on February 19, 2022, at the initiative of the OSCE coordinator in the TCG with the aim of urgently discussing the security situation," the Ukrainian delegation said on Facebook.

It is noted that such a position of the Russian Federation is surprising, because the political advisers to the leaders of the Normandy Format countries, in a joint statement on January 26, 2022, supported the unconditional observance of the ceasefire and full adherence to measures to strengthen the ceasefire regime of July 22, 2020, despite other issues of implementation of the Minsk Agreements.

The Ukrainian delegation emphasizes that "the non-participation of the Russian Federation indicates its conscious intention to continue escalating the situation, and blocking the TCG work casts doubt on the sincerity of the statements of the Russian leadership about the commitment to the implementation of the Minsk Agreements and the absence of aggressive intentions towards Ukraine."

"The degradation of security along the entire demarcation line and provocative statements and actions in the uncontrolled territories are of concern to the Ukrainian side. Such escalation occurs during the Munich Conference, when the attention of the entire world community is focused on security issues in Eastern Europe," they noted.

As reported, during consultations with the OSCE Coordinator in the TCG, the Ukrainian side stated that there were no plans to conduct an offensive operation, confirming this by the fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are in their positions in the JFO area, no rotations of units are made, no shock groups, etc.

Also, in the course of bilateral consultations, Ukraine once again confirmed its readiness for an urgent discussion within the TCG of the security situation and ways to de-escalate it.
Ukraine/MOSCOW: Russia`s President Vladimir Putin launched exercises by strategic nuclear missile forces on Saturday and Washington said Russian troops massed near Ukraine`s border were "poised to strike".

As Western nations fear the start of one of the worst conflicts since the Cold War, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Russian forces were beginning to "uncoil and move closer" to the border with its former Soviet neighbour.

"We hope he steps back from the brink of conflict," he told a news conference on a visit to Lithuania, saying an invasion of Ukraine was not inevitable.

Russia ordered the military build-up while demanding NATO stop Ukraine from ever joining the alliance but says predictions it is planning to invade Ukraine are wrong and dangerous. It says it is now pulling back while Washington and allies insist the build-up is mounting.

Russian-backed separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine earlier declared a full military mobilisation, a day after ordering women and children to evacuate to Russia, citing the threat of an imminent attack by Ukrainian forces.

Kyiv flatly denied the accusation and Washington said it was part of Russia`s plan to create a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine.

Multiple explosions could be heard on Saturday morning in the north of the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, as more people got on buses to leave, a Reuters witness said. The origin was not immediately clear. Ukraine said earlier that one of its soldiers had been killed.

"It`s really scary. I`ve taken everything I could carry," said Tatyana, 30, who was boarding a bus with her four-year-old daughter.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who has given regular warnings of an impending invasion, said on Friday he now believes the capital Kyiv would be targeted by Russia but that he does not think Putin is even remotely contemplating using nuclear weapons.

Biden told reporters at the White House Putin would invade in the coming days.

"As of this moment, I am convinced that he has made the decision," he said.

The Kremlin said Russia had successfully test-launched hypersonic and cruise missiles at sea and land-based targets during the exercises by Russia`s nuclear forces.

Putin sat observing the exercises on screens along with the president of neighbouring Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, from what the Kremlin described as a "situation centre".

Austin said the nuclear exercises were stoking concern among defence leaders around the world. He worried about the risks of carrying out the drills at the same time that Russia`s military was focused on a massive build-up of forces around Ukraine.

"When you layer on top of that a very sophisticated exercise with strategic nuclear forces, that makes things complicated to the degree that you could have an accident or a mistake," Austin said.

The drills follow a huge series of manoeuvres by Russia`s armed forces in the past four months that have included a build-up of troops -- estimated by the West to number 150,000 or more -- to the north, east and south of Ukraine.

Moscow-based analysts said the exercises were aimed at sending a message to take Russia`s demands for security guarantees from NATO seriously after the alliance`s expansion to Russia`s borders since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

"The signal to the West is not so much `don`t interfere`, but instead designed to say that the problem is not Ukraine and actually much wider," Dmitry Stefanovich, a research fellow at the IMEMO RAS think tank, told Reuters.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Saturday Russia knew that the alliance could not meet its demands, which include the withdrawal of NATO forces from former communist east European states that have elected to join NATO.

New helicopters and a battle group deployment of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and support equipment have deployed in Russia, near the border, according to U.S.-based Maxar Technologies, which tracks developments with satellite imagery.

The Kremlin also has tens of thousands of troops staging exercises in Belarus, north of Ukraine, that are due to end on Sunday. Lukashenko said on Friday they could stay as long as needed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was set to meet U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Stoltenberg and other Western leaders at the annual Munich Security Conference on Saturday and return the same day amid fears Russia might try to engineer a coup. Moscow has dismissed the idea it has any such plan.

A current focus of the crisis is in eastern Ukraine where Russian-backed rebels seized a swathe of territory in 2014, the same year that Moscow annexed Ukraine`s Crimea region after protests there toppled a pro-Russian leader. Kyiv says more than 14,000 people have since died in the conflict in the east.

In one breakaway region, Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People`s Republic, said he had signed a decree on mobilisation and called on men "able to hold a weapon in their hands" to come to military commissariats.

Another separatist leader, Leonid Pasechnik, signed a similar decree for the Luhansk People`s Republic shortly afterwards.

Separatist authorities on Friday announced plans to evacuate around 700,000 people. Russian news agencies said on Saturday 10,000 evacuees had arrived so far in Russia.

At a market in Donetsk, 38-year-old Oksana Feoktisova boarded an evacuation bus with her 9-year-old son and her mother. They were accompanied by Feoktisova`s brother Yuri who stayed behind in Donetsk.

"They don`t let men on, and I wouldn`t go anyway frankly," Yuri said. "I`m a reservist in any case. I`m an artilleryman by birth... I`m loyal to my state, to my people."

Shelling across the line dividing government forces and separatists increased sharply this week, in what the Ukrainian government called a provocation.

A jeep exploded outside a rebel government building in the city of Donetsk on Friday and Russian news agencies said two explosions hit Luhansk and part of a gas pipeline in the area caught fire.

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Munich: With East-West tensions at their highest point since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, 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.

"I am often asked whether we are in a new Cold War. My answer is that the threat to global security now is more complex and probably higher than at that time," Guterres said in his opening speech at an annual security conference in Munich.

During the decades-long standoff between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 20th century, there were mechanisms that enabled the protagonists to calculate risks and use back-channels to prevent crises, Guterres said.

"Today, many of those systems no longer exist and most of the people trained to use them are no longer here with us."

But he said he still believes the buildup of Russian troops around Ukraine won't result in a military conflict.

"I urge all parties to be extremely careful with their rhetoric. Public statements should aim to reduce tensions, not inflame them," Guterres said.

Geopolitical divides continue to deepen as conflicts proliferate & become more fragmented. At the Munich Security Conference I urged leaders to back a surge in diplomacy for peace, a surge in political will for peace, and a surge in investment in peace. https://t.co/cDXYTVirxB  Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) February 18, 2022

While US Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were attending the Munich Security Conference, there was no senior official present from Russia.

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Moscow: Pro-Russia separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilisation on Saturday, while Western leaders made increasingly dire warnings that a Russia invasion of its neighbour appeared imminent.

In new signs of fears that a war could start within days, Germany and Austria told their citizens to leave Ukraine. German air carrier Lufthansa cancelled flights to the capital, Kyiv, and to Odessa, a Black Sea port that could be a key target in an invasion.

NATO's liaison office in Kyiv said it was relocating staff to Brussels and to the western Ukraine city of Lviv. Meanwhile, top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the nearly eight-year separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The officials fled to a bomb shelter before hustling from the area, according to a journalist from The Associated Press who was on the tour.

Violence in eastern Ukraine has spiked in recent days as Ukraine and the two regions held by the rebels each accused the other of escalation. Russia on Saturday said at least two shells fired from a government-held part of eastern Ukraine landed across the border, but Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed claim as "a fake statement".

Sporadic violence has broken out for years along the line separating Ukrainian forces from the Russia-backed rebels, but the recent shelling and bombing spike could set off a full-scale war.

The United States and many European countries have alleged for months that Russia, which has moved about 150,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, is trying to create pretexts to invade.

"They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike," US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said Saturday during a visit to Lithuania.

US Vice President Kamala Harris met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, opening the meeting by saying the world was at "a decisive moment in history".

Zelenskyy suggested that the West bore some responsibility by not responding more forcefully when Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula in 2014.

"When a bomb crater appears in the school yard, children have a question - has the world forgotten its mistakes of the 20th century? What attempts at appeasement lead to?" the Ukrainian leader said.

Earlier Saturday, Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russia separatist government in Ukraine's Donetsk region, cited an "immediate threat of aggression" from Ukrainian forces in his announcement. Ukrainian officials vehemently denied having plans to take rebel-controlled areas by force.

"I appeal to all the men in the republic who can hold weapons to defend their families, their children, wives, mothers," Pushilin said. "Together we will achieve the coveted victory that we all need."

A similar statement followed from his counterpart in the Luhansk region. On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians to Russia with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscow's efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.

ALSO READ: Russia launches nuclear drills amid US' warning about Ukraine invasion

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the evacuation orders could be a tactic to provide the spark for a broader attack.

"To say it very clearly, Ukraine did not give any grounds for the evacuation that was ordered yesterday," she said. "Those are the facts on the ground. We must not allow supposed reasons for war to be constructed out of hot air."

US President Joe Biden said late Friday that based on the latest American intelligence he was now "convinced" that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and assault the capital.

"As of this moment, I'm convinced he's made the decision," Biden said. "We have reason to believe that." He reiterated that the assault could occur in the "coming days".

Meanwhile, Russia conducted massive nuclear drills on Saturday. The Kremlin said Putin, who pledged to protect Russia's national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats, was watching the drills together with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko from the situation room.

Notably, the planned exercise involves the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014.

Underscoring the West's concerns of an imminent invasion, a US defence official said an estimated 40% to 50% of the ground forces deployed in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border have moved into attack positions closer to the border.

The shift has been underway for about a week, other officials have said, and does not necessarily mean Putin has decided to begin an invasion. The defence official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal US military assessments.

The official also said the number of Russian ground units known as battalion tactical groups in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each group has 750 to 1,000 soldiers.

Lines of communication between Moscow and the West remain open: the American and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron scheduled a phone call with Putin on Sunday. US 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 the pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people. Violations of a 2015 ceasefire agreement, including shelling and shooting along the line of contact, have been common.

However, targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held areas. The head of the separatist forces, Denis Sinenkov, said the car was hit in a bombing of a government office Friday, the Interfax news agency reported.

Ukraine's military said shelling killed a soldier Saturday in the government-held part of the Donetsk region and that separatist forces were placing artillery in residential areas to try and provoke a response.

Adding to the tensions, two explosions shook the rebel-controlled city of Luhansk early Saturday. The Luhansk Information Centre said one of the blasts was in a natural gas main. The centre cited witnesses as saying the other was at a vehicle service station.

There were no immediate reports of casualties and no independent confirmation of the circumstances of the three blasts. Luhansk officials blamed a gas main explosion earlier in the week on sabotage.

By Saturday morning, the separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which form Ukraine's industrial heartland known as the Donbas, said that thousands of residents of the rebel-controlled areas had been evacuated to Russia.

More than 6,600 people had been evacuated from Donetsk, and some 25,000 people have left Luhansk, with 10,000 preparing to leave, separatist officials said.

Russia has issued about 700,000 passports to residents of the rebel-held territories. Claims that Russian citizens are being endangered might be used as justification for military action.

Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk rebel government, alleged in a video statement that Ukraine 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. US authorities have alleged that the Kremlin's effort to come up with an invasion pretext could include staged, prerecorded videos.

Authorities in Russia's Rostov region declared a state of emergency because of the influx of evacuees. Media reports on Saturday morning described chaos at some of the summer camps in assigned to accommodate the people from eastern Ukraine.

The reports said there were long lines of buses and hundreds of people waiting in the cold for hours on end to be housed without access to food or bathroom facilities.

Putin ordered the Russian government to offer 10,000 rubles (about $130) to each evacuee, an amount equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in eastern Ukraine.

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Kyiv: Spiking tensions in eastern Ukraine are heightening Western fears of a Russian invasion and a new war in Europe, with US President Joe Biden saying he's convinced that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade.

NATO countries fear that the volatile east, which has seen intense shelling in recent days and orders for civilians to evacuate, could be a flashpoint in their tensest standoff with Russia since the Cold War, providing the Kremlin with a pretext to invade Ukraine.

190,000 Russian troops along Ukraine border, says US

The United States upped its estimate of Russian troops for a possible invasion to as many as 190,000.

Russia also plans to hold military exercises Saturday, including multiple practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in a display of military might.

The United States and its European partners are keeping on with their strategy of diplomacy and deterrence, offering to keep talking with the Kremlin while threatening heavy sanctions if an invasion happens.

Biden 'convinced' that Russia will invade Ukraine

After weeks of saying the US wasn't sure if Putin had made a final decision to launch an invasion, Biden said Friday he's now convinced he has and it could occur in the coming days.

He said an invasion could include an assault on the capital, Kyiv.

Biden said he was confident in the new assessment because of the Americans' significant intelligence capability.

In an interview with ABC News, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin backed up Biden's claim. Asked about the potential for a Russian invasion, Austin said, I don't believe it's a bluff.

The US has decided to hold off on at least one of the most crushing financial options available to punish Russia if it invades Ukraine, Deputy National Economic Council Director Daleep Singh told reporters at a White House briefing Friday.

Booting Russia out of the SWIFT financial system that moves money around the world was one of the most damaging steps the US could take against the Russian economy, but it is opposed by some European allies for the spillover damage it would cause to their economies as well.

Asked Friday if Americans and their European allies - many of them more exposed to any collateral damage from sanctions hitting Russia's economy - were on the same page on specific financial penalties, Biden said he expected slight" differences.

Singh described sanctions against Russian financial institutions and state-owned enterprises, as well as US export controls that would deny Russia advanced technology it seeks for its industry and military.

At a time of high oil and gas prices, the US also did not intend to try to block Russian energy from reaching global markets, he said, but gave no details.

Italy, which is heavily reliant on Russian gas, has pushed for energy to be kept out of any sanctions. Italian Premier Mario Draghi told reporters Friday that he laid out his government's view at a European Council meeting in Brussels a day earlier.

Ukrainian rebels to evacuate civilians to Russia

In Ukraine's Donbas region, where fighting since 2014 between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed rebels has killed some 14,000 people, the rebels announced in videos posted online Friday that they were ordering an immediate evacuation to Russia because of the unrest.

But metadata embedded in the video files showed they had been created two days earlier.

A group of international monitors in eastern Ukraine that is tasked with keeping the peace reported more than 500 explosions in the 24 hours ending Thursday midday.

On Friday, a car exploded outside the main government building in Donetsk, but no casualties were reported, and a UN Refugee Agency convoy came under shelling.

The rebels accuse Ukraine of preparing to invade the region, which Kyiv denies. The unrest may be part of Moscow's suspected playbook of portraying Ukraine as the aggressor, thereby giving Russia grounds to invade.

Putin sent his emergencies minister to the Rostov region bordering Ukraine to help organize the evacuation. He ordered the government to give 10,000 rubles (about USD 130) to each evacuee. That's equivalent to about half the average monthly salary in the area.

Cyberattacks on Ukrainian army, major banks

The US and Britain are blaming Russia for this week's cyberattacks targeting Ukraine's defense ministry and major banks.

Anne Neuberger, the White House's chief cyber official, said the attacks this week were of limited impact since Ukrainian officials were able to quickly get their systems back up and running, but it is possible that the Russians were laying the groundwork for more destructive ones.

She and the British Foreign Office linked Tuesday's attacks to Russian military intelligence officers.

The Kremlin says Putin will watch drills involving Russia's strategic nuclear forces from the situation room at the Russian Defense Ministry.

The Defense Ministry said Putin will personally oversee Saturday's display of his country's nuclear might. Notably, the planned exercise involves the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014.

The new US estimate of up to 190,000 includes the Russian-backed separatists inside Ukraine, the Russian National Guard and Russian troops in Crimea, the peninsula that Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014.

These forces were not counted in previous assessments of troops deployed near Ukraine's borders and in neighboring Belarus.

As further indication that the Russians are preparing for a potential invasion, a US defense official said an estimated 40 per cent to 50 per cent of the ground forces deployed in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border have moved into attack positions nearer the border. The defense official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal US 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.

Meanwhile, NATO is beefing up its eastern regions.

US sends 5,000 troops to Poland

The US has begun deploying 5,000 troops to Poland and Romania. The Biden administration announced Friday it has approved a USD 6 billion sale of 250 Abrams battle tanks and related equipment to Poland.

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, Norway and the Netherlands are sending additional troops to Lithuania. The Dutch government also is sending to Ukraine 100 sniper rifles, combat helmets and body armor, two mine detection robots and weapon-detection radar systems.

Biden spoke by phone on Friday afternoon with a number of European leaders and the leaders of the European Union and NATO about the likelihood of Russian aggression, the White House said.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who was on the call, planned to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday and with Putin on Sunday.

No Russia at this year's Munich Security Conference

US Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken were attending the annual Munich Security Conference in Germany.

Moscow sent no delegates there.

Harris indicated the alliance's approach to the crisis would continue.

We remain, of course, open to and desirous of diplomacy, as it relates to the dialogue and the discussions we have had with Russia," Harris said in Munich.

"But we are also committed, if Russia takes aggressive action, to ensure there will be severe consequences in terms of the sanctions we have discussed, she said at a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressed regret that Russian leaders declined to attend the Munich conference.

Particularly in the current, extremely threatening situation, it would have been important to also meet Russian representatives in Munich, Baerbock said. Even tiny steps toward peace would be better than a big step toward war, she added.

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Berlin: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock discussed Ukraine crisis at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

When asked about Russia-China new alliance, Blinken said, "Russia and China together are right now less than 20 per cent of world GDP. The United States, Europe together 45 per cent of GDP. When we bring in some of our democratic partners from Asia, Japan, Korea, Australia, others, we`re well over 50 per cent of the world GDP. That is a very powerful weight when it`s acting in unison, and increasingly, we are."

"We are doing together to bring the countries - not just in Europe but beyond Europe - together in making very clear to Russia that if it commits renewed aggression against Ukraine, there will be, as we`ve said, and I quote, "massive consequences." This is what the G7 countries said together. The European Union, NATO, the power of that deterrent and our solidarity, I remain hopeful, will have an impact," he added.

The German Foreign Minister said there is a new war impending right in the middle of Europe. "Russia issues an absolutely unacceptable threat with their troop`s buildup vis-a-vis Ukraine, but also vis-a-vis all of us and our peace architecture in Europe. Therefore, this crisis is therefore no Ukraine crisis. We have to be very careful about our framing. It`s a Russia crisis." She said that the Russian threat continues to be a real one and reiterated that if Moscow attacked Ukraine, then this would have massive consequences for Russia financially, politically, and economically.

ALSO READ | Joe Biden 'convinced' that Russia will invade Ukraine, issues fresh warning to Vladimir Putin

However, Baerbock said, "And we have yet another message to Moscow that is just as clear. We don`t want to have that. We don`t want to have to draw these consequences. We want to have a serious dialogue and security and peace together in Europe."

Baerbock stressed determination, solidarity, and reliability regarding the crisis. "We are determined with a view to the actions and measures that we`re preparing in the event of Russia acting against Ukraine. These sanctions are - or would be unprecedented and have been coordinated with all our partners and have been prepared with them," she added.

Meanwhile, Blinken said that he had a chance to speak about the Ukraine crisis a little bit yesterday at the United Nations, at the Security Council, before coming here.

"We are doing everything we possibly can to make clear that there`s a diplomatic path, that this has to be resolved, the differences have to be resolved through dialogue, through diplomacy, we are deeply concerned that that is not the path that Russia has embarked on, and that everything that we`re seeing - including what you`ve described in the last 24, 48 hours - is part of a scenario that is already in play of creating false provocations, then having to respond to those provocations, and then ultimately committing new aggression against Ukraine," said Blinken.

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New Delhi: US President Joe Biden on Friday (local time) reiterated that Russia is planning to attack Ukraine in the coming days and warned his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that he will be responsible for a 'catastrophic and needless war of choice'.

While speaking on the current Russia-Ukraine situation, Biden said, "We're calling out Russia's plans 'loudly and repeatedly', not because we want a conflict, but because were doing everything in our power to remove any reason that Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine and prevent them from moving."

"You know, look, we have reason to believe the Russian forces are planning to and intend to attack Ukraine in the coming week  in the coming days. We believe that they will target Ukraines capital, Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million innocent people," he said.

Watch live as I give an update on our continued efforts to pursue deterrence and diplomacy  and an update on Russias buildup of military troops on the border of Ukraine. https://t.co/Xt6EQUNltF  President Biden (@POTUS) February 18, 2022

Biden said that Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and said "as of this moment, I am convinced that he has made the decision".

Ukraine has refused to allow Russia to bait them into war

Joe Biden stated that the Russian troops currently have Ukraine surrounded  from Belarus, along the Russian border with Ukraine, to the Black Sea in the south  and all of its border.

The fact remains: Russian troops currently have Ukraine surrounded from Belarus to the Black Sea in the south  and along Ukraines borders. We have reason to believe Russian forces are planning and intend to attack Ukraine in the coming days.  President Biden (@POTUS) February 18, 2022

He also praised Ukraine for not allowing Russia to bait them into war.

"Throughout these tense moments, the Ukrainian forces have shown great judgment and, I might add, restraint. Theyve refused to allow the Russians to bait them into war," the US President said.

Russia can still choose diplomacy

Joe Biden said that if Russia pursues its plans, it will be responsible for a 'catastrophic and needless war of choice'.

"The United States and our Allies are prepared to defend every inch of NATO territory from any threat to our collective security as well," he said.

Biden repeated that Vladimir Putin can still choose diplomacy and that it is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table.

I say again: Russia can still choose diplomacy. Its not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table.  President Biden (@POTUS) February 18, 2022

He said that Russia has agreed that US Secretary of State Blinken and Russia Foreign Minister Viktorovich Lavrov would meet on February 24.

"But if Russia takes military action before that date, it will be clear that they have slammed the door shut on diplomacy. They will have  they will have chosen war, and they will pay a steep price for doing so  not only from the sanctions that we and our allies will impose on Russia, but the moral outrage that the rest of the world will visit upon them," Biden warned Putin.

The American people are united. Europe is united. The Transatlantic community is united. The entire free world is united. Russia has a choice  between war and all the suffering that it will bring  or diplomacy that will make the future safer for everyone.  President Biden (@POTUS) February 18, 2022

It is noteworthy that in one of the worst post-Cold War crises, Moscow wants to stop Kyiv from joining NATO and accuses the West of hysteria, saying it has no plans to invade, while the United States and allies are adamant the military build-up continues.

While Russia has released footage to show it is withdrawing troops from the border, the United States believes that there has been a ramp-up to between 1,69,000-1,90,000 troops, from 1,00,000 at the end of January.

New helicopters and a battle group deployment of tanks, armored personnel carriers and support equipment have deployed in Russia, near the border, according to US-based Maxar Technologies, which tracks developments with satellite imagery.

(With agency inputs)
The NATO leadership has decided to transfer the personnel of its Ukrainian mission to Lviv and Brussels in connection with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Oksana Musiyenko, press officer of the NATO Information and Documentation Centre, told Suspilne.

"NATO and allied countries are monitoring and assessing the situation very closely and continue to take all necessary measures. The safety of our personnel is a top priority, so the personnel have been transferred to Lviv and Brussels," Musiyenko said.

At the same time, she noted that NATO offices in Ukraine continue to work.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Munich on Saturday, the leaders discussed security against the backdrop of Russia's aggressive actions.

"Met with Boris Johnson in Munich. Talked about security against the background of Russia's aggressive actions. Agreed on joint next steps. We remain united in the pursuit of de-escalation through diplomacy. Grateful to the UK for supporting Ukraine and cooperation for security and peace," Zelensky said on Twitter.

Zelensky told reporters that he was meeting with Johnson at a dangerous time for the whole world. "It is important that there are real, reliable, powerful, not theoretical, but substantive friends like the United Kingdom, like Prime Minister Boris Johnson," the President of Ukraine said.

"We are meeting so that the future presidents of Ukraine and the future prime ministers of the United Kingdom have the opportunity to talk about other topics. And the topics regarding the security situation and the military conflict in Donbas have been removed," the head of the Ukrainian state stressed.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, said that Ukraine demands honest answers about the prospects for membership in the European Union and NATO.

"Eight years ago, Ukrainians made their choice, many gave their lives for it. Is it really possible that eight years after that, Ukraine should constantly call for recognition of the European prospect? Since 2014, the Russian Federation has been convincing that we have chosen the wrong path, and that no one is waiting for us in Europe. Shouldn't Europe constantly say and justify with actions that this is not true? Is it not the EU that should say today: our citizens have a positive attitude towards Ukraine's entry into the union? Why do we avoid this question? Doesn't Ukraine deserve direct, honest answers?" Zelensky said.

According to him, in order to "really help Ukraine, Western countries do not need to constantly talk only about the dates of a possible invasion."

"We will defend our land on February 16, March 1, and December 31. We need other dates much more. And everyone understands perfectly well which ones," he stressed.

"This also applies to NATO. We are told the door is open. But for now, no outsiders are allowed in. If not all members of the Alliance want to see us or all members of the Alliance do not want to see us, tell us honestly. An open door is good, but we need open answers, not questions that have not been closed for years. Isn't the right to the truth included in our enhanced opportunities?" Zelensky added.
By Trend

The National Confederation of Entrepreneurs' (Employers') Organizations of Azerbaijan Republic ensures active cooperation between local and foreign businessmen, Vice President of the National Confederation Vugar Zeynalov said in an interview with Trend.

Zeynalov said that the National Confederation cooperates with similar structures in more than 50 countries and today has representative offices in 28 countries.

Moreover, we are represented in such organizations as the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic Speaking Countries TURKPA, the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and others, vice president said.

Zeynalov said that a tourism commission operates under the National Confederation, which monitors the development of this sector, discusses the problems and submits the recommendations on the development of tourism to the government.

The vice president said that the National Confederation renders non-financial support to businessmen within its activity in Azerbaijan, in particular, conducts training, seminars, renders consulting services and also represents the interests of businessmen in public associations at the local and international levels.
By Trend

Two flights will be operated in direction of Baku-Tehran and vice versa a week, under the agreement reached between Azerbaijani and Iranian officials, Spokesman for Iranian Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) Mirakbar Razavi said, Trend reports citing the organizations website.

According to Razavi, the flights will be operated by airlines of both countries.

The spokesman noted that increasing the number of flights between the countries will be on the agenda with the reduction of restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Reportedly, direct flights between Azerbaijan and Iran will be resumed in early March, 2022.

On Feb.15, 2022, the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov signed a decision to amend the decision on measures to extend the special quarantine regime and remove some restrictions.

According to the decision, citizens of 17 countries and citizens of other countries permanently residing in the mentioned 17 countries, as well as stateless people in those countries will be allowed to enter and leave the Republic of Azerbaijan by air.
Egyptian authorities succeeded in releasing 20 Egyptian sailors who were held in Yemen over the past several days reportedly over charges of trespassing into Yemeni territorial waters without a permit.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and John Kerry, the US special presidential envoy for climate, highlighted the importance of activating the US-Egypt Climate Working Group to face climate change at the earliest opportunity.

In a video call on Tuesday, Shoukry, also the COP27 president-designate, and Kerry highlighted the importance of activating the joint action group in accordance with the outcomes of the US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue, Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Shoukry and Kerry addressed cooperation between Egypt and the US regarding facing climate change ahead of Egypts scheduled hosting of the 27th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) in November this year in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh.

The US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue, held in November last year for the first time since 2015, agreed on the formation of the joint working group on climate change and reaffirmed the two countries commitment to cooperate closely on climate issues.

During the phone call, Shoukry affirmed to Kerry that Egypt, during its presidency of COP27, will work on achieving outcomes that reflect the international ambitions in the face of climate change with giving a special importance to supporting developing countries, especially in Africa, the statement said.

In November 2021, Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called on developed countries during a speech delivered to the Glasgow conference to fulfill their pledge to provide $100 billion annually to developing countries to address the repercussions of climate change and to allocate at least half of all public climate finance to adaptation measures.

Shoukry told Kerry that Egypt, as president of COP27, will seek to build on momentum achieved during COP26 in Glasgow to enhance international action against climate change at all levels, especially regarding adaptation to the negative impacts of climate change and the funding of developing countries in this regard.

Egypt is counting on the US support to achieve these desired goals, Shoukry told Kerry.

Shoukry and Kerry affirmed the importance of continued consultations and coordination between the Egyptian and US sides regarding the climate file, especially in light of the strategic relations binding the two countries, the statement said.

The top Egyptian diplomat also highlighted the investment opportunities available to the US companies in the sectors of renewable energy and green economy in Egypt amid the achievements made by the Egyptian government in the transition to a green economy.

Late in January, Egypts Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad and Kerry discussed the Egyptian-US cooperation programme within the framework of Egypt's National Climate Change Strategy 2050.

The strategy was launched in November on the sidelines of COP26 to achieve five objectives, including fostering climate change action governance, increasing sustainable economic growth, strengthening adaptation and resilience, and enhancing scientific research.

In January, Shoukry said Cairo will focus on meeting the obligations of the Paris Agreement on climate change and explore how the private sector and NGOs can play a role in financing green investments during COP27.

Shoukry made the remarks during a forum organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (AmCham) on Monday held under the title Building Momentum to the UN COP 27 Strengthening Public-Private Sector Collaboration on Climate Challenge.

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Mali's ruling junta is demanding the immediate departure of French and European forces, a day after France announced that it will withdraw its troops from the West African country.

"The government invites the French authorities to withdraw without delay,'' Malian government spokesman Col. Abdoulaye Maiga said Friday on national television.

French President Emmanuel Macron made the withdrawal announcement Thursday, saying that it would take place over a six-month period.

Speaking in a news conference in Brussels Friday, Macron said the withdrawal of French forces "will be implemented in an orderly manner'' in order to ensure the security of the U.N. peacekeeping force in the country and the security of French soldiers. "I will not compromise'' security, he insisted.

France has about 2,400 troops in Mali, as part of its 4,300 troops in West Africa aimed at stabilizing the Sahel region against the rising threat of Islamic extremists.

Operation Barkhane is also in Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania. France ultimately aims to reduce the number of its troops in the Sahel to about 2,500 or 3,000, according to the French Armed Forces.

France's deployment of troops to Mali in 2013 initially met with success, succeeding in dislodging jihadi rebels from three centers in northern Mali. But the extremists simply relocated into the vast desert areas where their attacks have increased in recent years.

Since an August 2020 coup, Mali has been led by Col. Assimi Goita, who carried out a second coup by dismissing the civilian leaders in Mali's transitional government and putting himself in charge last year. Many Malians have since staged large demonstrations against the presence of troops from France, the former colonial power.

Experts and former politicians expressed worry that jihadi groups will take advantage of France's pullout, while others noted that Mali's security has not improved despite the presence of the French forces.

Senegal president Macky Sall, who also chairs the African Union, raised doubts about the future of the peace-keeping U.N. mission in Mali after the French troops leave.

"If there are no longer forces like Barkhane, which were there with logistical and intelligence resources, how are we ensure the continuity of the United Nations mission in Mali?'' Sall asked at the end of the EU-Africa summit in Brussels on Friday. "If there is no longer any force in Mali, how can the Malian army alone ensure the defense of its territory today?''

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Ukraine's armed forces accused Moscow-backed rebels on Saturday of launching a huge new wave of attacks that have intensified fears of a Russian invasion of its western neighbour.

The joint military command for east Ukraine reported 66 exchanges of fire by 7:00 am (0400 GMT) -- a high number compared to recent stages of the conflict -- while the rebels called the situation "critical".

The statement said the rebels had resorted to using banned 82 and 120 millimetre-calibre mortar shells in towns across the front running in the eastern regions of Lugansk and Donetsk.

"There have been no losses among members of the armed forces as a result of the enemy's attacks," it said.

"The armed forces control the situation and continue to perform their mission to rebuff and contain the armed aggression of the Russian Federation."

Moscow formally denies being involved in the conflict and calls it Ukrainian internal affairs.

But monitors from the OSCE European security body have reported regular shipments of Russian weapons across the border throughout the eight-year war.

The OSCE reported a massive 870 ceasefire violations across the conflict zone in its latest report Friday, which referred to incidents on Thursday.

"In recent days, the OSCE Special Monitoring to Ukraine (SMM) has observed a dramatic increase in kinetic activity along the contact line in eastern Ukraine," the OSCE said in a statement.

Rebel leaders accuse the Ukrainian armed forces of trying to retake their two separatist regions by force -- a claim Kyiv denies.

The rebel leadership in Donetsk on Saturday called the situation "critical" and announced a "general mobilisation".

Th leader in the smaller separatist Lugansk region did the same about an hour later.

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The United Arab Emirates and India on Friday signed an agreement aimed at boosting bilateral trade to $100 billion from the current $60 billion over the next five years, an Indian foreign ministry statement said.

The accord signed by India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UAE Economy Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri is intended at benefiting business through enhanced market access and reduced tariffs. Details were not immediately available.

The two sides set out a roadmap for cooperation in sectors including energy, trade, climate action, emerging technologies, skills and education, food security, healthcare, defense and security.

The UAE is India's third-largest export destination after the United States and China with exports reaching nearly $16 billion for 2020-21. More than 3 million Indians employed in the Gulf state send home billions of dollars in remittances every year.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, held a virtual summit and oversaw the signing of the agreement by the two ministers in New Delhi.

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Egypts Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry arrived in Germany on Friday evening to participate in the three-day Munich Security Conference.

The conference, which kicked off on Friday, gathers a host of senior officials, ministers, heads of international organisations, and leaders to discuss the current international situation and the most prominent challenges and crises on the international front.

Shoukry is scheduled to participate as a keynote speaker in a session on strengthening international climate diplomacy as the designated chairperson of the 27th session of the 2022 United Nations Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP27), said Ahmed Hafez, the spokesperson for the ministry.

On the side-lines of the conference, the FM will also hold a number of meetings with some senior officials and foreign ministers in order to discuss ways to enhance cooperation on a number of issues of mutual interest.

Shoukry met last week with UN Framework Convention on Climate (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa in the German city of Bonn as part of Egypts preparations to host the COP27.

The country has formed a committee to prepare for the COP27 under the presidency of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly that includes several ministers and other officials to highlight the countrys ability to organise such high-profile international events.

During a speech delivered to the COP26 in Glasgow late last year, Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called on developed countries to fulfil their pledge to provide $100 billion annually to developing countries to address the effects of climate change.

El-Sisi also offered assurances that Egypt would seek during its presidency of the COP27 to enhance international climate action to achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Accords, which will achieve the interests of the global community.

Furthermore, the Egyptian president urged the need to preserve the accords to ensure the bolstering of efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to the negative implications of climate change.

Earlier this year, Shoukry said Egypt intends to build on what was achieved during the COP26 and to use the current rising international momentum to confront climate change, moving from the stage of making pledges to actual action on the ground, whether in reducing emissions or financing climate-oriented projects in developing African countries.

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The last UN staff member detained by the Ethiopian government has been released, ending a months-long effort to gain freedom for at least 16 UN employees picked up since late October during the ongoing war in the country's north, the United Nations said Friday.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said two others were freed ``in the past few days.'' All three were Ethiopian nationals.

The UN announced on Nov. 9 that at least 16 of its local employees had been detained in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and a government spokesman asserted they were held for their ``participation in terror'' under a state of emergency.

At about the same time, Ethiopian authorities arrested arrested and detained some 70 truck drivers contracted to the United Nations and other groups to deliver humanitarian aid. The UN announced on Nov. 18 that they had all been released.

Dujarric said Friday the United Nations repeatedly raised the issue of the detained U.N. staffers, and ``had never really gotten any clarity as to why they were detained in the first place.''

``But at this point, we're just really, really glad that they are released,'' he said.

According to the UN, the first arrest was on Oct. 31, 2021, with the majority of arrests taking place in November although there were arrests in December and January as well. The first releases came in mid-November.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, who returned from Ethiopia last week, said she raised the issue of the last three staffers still being held during meetings with the country's leaders.

The arrests strained relations between the United Nations and the Ethiopian government.

``I think we have been stunned by the response that we have had from the Ethiopian government but I do think that it's on the mend.'' Mohammed told reporters last week. ``The perceptions from the Ethiopian people that we cannot be trusted, must be corrected and the leaders in Ethiopia have to start to help us do that.''

The deputy secretary-general said she thinks her visit helped show that the U.N. is remaining in the country and is ``loyal to our commitment in supporting the people of Ethiopia.''

Months of political tensions between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government and leaders in northern Tigray who once dominated Ethiopia's government exploded into war in November 2020.

Following some of the fiercest fighting of the conflict, Ethiopia soldiers fled the Tigray capital, Mekele, in June 2021, and the government declared a national state of emergency with sweeping powers. A drone-assisted government military offensive halted the Tigrayans' approach to Ethiopia's capital. Addis Ababa. In December, the Tigrayans retreated back to Tigray.

The war is believed to have caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people and the displacement of millions.

Although the conflict has subsided in several places, notably within the Tigray and neighboring Amhara regions, and lawmakers voted earlier this week to lift the state of emergency, concerns remain about fighting in the northeastern Afar region.

Dujarric told reporters the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, reported Friday that they are working with the Ethiopian authorities and partners to provide emergency aid to thousands of Eritrean refugees who fled a refugee camp in the Afar region due to fighting.

``Refugees who trekked the long distance to the regional capital in Semera told UNHCR that armed men stole their belongings and occupied their homes,'' he said. ``According to their testimonies, at least five refugees were killed and several women were kidnapped.''

Dujarric said that UNHCR remains worried about the safety and well-being of thousands of Eritrean refugees caught up in the conflict, ``with yet another refugee camp severely impacted.''

On the humanitarian front, aid for millions in the Tigray region remains severely limited under what the UN has described as a ``de facto humanitarian blockade.''

On Monday, the World Health Organization said it has been granted access to send medical supplies to Tigray for the first time in six months, but said fuel shortages were hampering its distribution.

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Ethiopia will start generating electricity from its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) built on the River Nile on Sunday, Ethiopian government officials told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The GERD, set to be the largest hydroelectric project in Africa, has been at the centre of a regional dispute between Egypt, Sudan, on the one hand, and Ethiopia, on the other, ever since Addis Ababa started building the dam in 2011.

"Tomorrow will be the first energy generation of the dam," an Ethiopian government official told AFP on Saturday.

A second official confirmed the information to AFP.

Both spoke on condition of anonymity because the milestone dam, which is projected to produce 6,450 MW in electricity, has not been officially announced.

Egypt and Sudan, who do not oppose the construction of the dam, have been negotiating with Ethiopia for 10 years now on the rules of filling and operating the GERD, but Addis Ababa has repeatdly refused to sign any such deal.

Egypt, which relies mainly on the Nile for its water needs, fears that the unilateral filling and operation of the GERD would have a negative impact on the country's water supply.

Meanwhile, Sudan is concerned about regulating water flows to safeguard its own dams.

Ethiopia, which deems the multi-billion-dollar project essential for producing electricity and economic development, has repeatedly downplayed the concerns of Cairo and Khartoum.

Addis Ababa completed the dam's first filling in summer 2020 and the second filling in July 2021 in the absence of a legally binding deal with Cairo and Khartoum.

The latest rounds of African Union (AU)-sponsored talks in Kinshasa to resolve the decade-long dispute collapsed in April, with Egypt and Sudan have always blaming the failure of this and previous rounds of talks on Ethiopia's intransigence.

In September 2021, the UN Security Council (UNSC) called on the three nations to resume negotiations under the auspices of the AU to reach an agreement.

Since, various attempts to revive the talks, whether through the African Union or the US envoy to the African Horn, have failed, but the three countries have expressed their willingness to resume the talks under the AU.

However, talks have not resumed yet.

Last week, Ethiopias State Minister for Foreign Affairs Redwan Hussein called on Egypt and Sudan "not to stick to their stance" on the GERD file, saying "Ethiopians will not wait indefinitely and they expect the green light to put their resources into use."

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has said on numerous occasions that Cairo supports Ethiopia's efforts towards economic development, but not at the expense of Egypt's water security.

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Munich's quartet committee urged on Saturday respecting the rights of Palestinians residing in the East Jerusalem neighbourhoods of Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan where tensions are soaring amid Israeli plans to forcefully displace residents from the districts.

"We stress the need to refrain from all unilateral measures that undermine the two-state solution and the prospects of a just and lasting peace," read a joint statement by the group  which comprises Egypt, France, Germany and Jordan  following a meeting in Munich today.

The quartet statement comes as eight Palestinians were reportedly arrested on Sunday following clashes with Israeli police around the sensitive neighbourhood.

The clashes came after controversial far-right Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben Gvir  known for his provocations against Palestinians  established a makeshift office in the sensitive neighbourhoods adjacent to a home whose family members are expected to be facing forced displacement next month upon Israeli court order.

Also known as the Munich Group, the quartet is tasked with supporting the peace process in the Middle East.

They called on Israeli authorities to refrain from expanding or building new settlements, confiscating land and evicting Palestinians from their homes, including in East Jerusalem.

The statement also urged against any acts of violence and incitement.

"We recall the importance of upholding the historic and legal status quo of the Holy sites in Jerusalem. In this regard, we recall the importance of the historic Hashemite custodianship of Jerusalems Holy sites," it added.

The group re-emphasised support for all efforts meant to "achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace that fulfills the legitimate rights of all parties on the basis of the two-state solution, in accordance with international law, relevant United Nations resolutions and agreed parameters, including the Arab Peace Initiative."

"We recall the urgency of the resumption of serious, meaningful and effective talks and negotiations directly between the parties or under a UN umbrella, including under the Middle East quartet."

The quartet called for creating political and economic horizons and further mutual confidence-building measures based on reciprocal commitments, with a view to improving living conditions for the Palestinian people and restoring meaningful negotiations.

Munich's ministers also reaffirmed the "indispensable" role of UNRWA and the need to provide it with the political and financial support it needs to continue to fulfill its UN mandate and provide its vital services to refugees.

They reiterated the importance of all peace treaties between Arab states and Israel contributing to the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, according to the statement.

Saturday's meeting, held on the sideline of the three-day Munich Security Conference, marked the fifth gathering of foreign ministers from the four nations in a new bid to revive the long-frozen political track, especially following the current developments.

Israeli's previous attempt to evict Palestinian families in the Israeli-occupied territory triggered 11 days of violence between Israeli forces and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip in May 2021.

The Israeli strikes on the enclave killed over 250 Palestinian people, including dozens of women and children, and destroyed infrastructure. Also, 12 Israelis were killed.

The 11-day military operation in the Gaza Strip was ended by an Egyptian brokered ceasefire deal between the two sides.

Egypt has repeatedly called for the two-state solution that involves the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital as per relevant international resolutions.

It has been in talks with several regional and international players, including Munich quartet, in an effort to break the current stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

The country has called on Israeli authorities to stop building new settlements or expanding existing ones on Palestinian land and evicting Palestinians, stressing the necessity of reaching an atmosphere that is conducive to resuscitating the desired political track and achieve the two-state solutions.

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Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered raising the state of emergency to the maximum in a meeting on Saturday with a number of governors as bad weather and heavy rain continue to hit many areas nationwide.

Madbouly asked the governors to deploy the equipment necessary to remove heavy rain from the streets and ensure smooth traffic, especially on highways.

He instructed operation chambers to remain convened round the clock in governorates and prepare the necessary reports on weather conditions.

The premier ordered the governors to ensure the presence of emergency teams in the event of any outage as well as relief teams on highways.

Strong winds and moderate to heavy rainfall continue to hit large areas across the country, including Greater Cairo, Lower Egypt, and the North Coast, as the country witnesses a three-day wave of unstable weather.

Thunderstorms hit the Sinai Peninsula, and parts of the Red Sea governorate were hit by torrential rains.

The cold wave nationwide is driving temperatures down, with some areas witnessing dusty winds.

The intermittent downpour today lasted for several minutes in some parts of Greater Cairo and longer in several areas in Lower Egypt. However, no traffic congestion was reported due to the rainfall.

Several vacuum trucks were seen across streets in many coastal governorates to drain the rainwater and help smooth traffic.

According to the Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA), the wave will continue until Sunday morning.

Greater Cairo and Lower Egypt will see highs of 17-22 degrees Celsius until Wednesday and lows of 10-11, while the Northern Coast will record highs of 17-19 and lows of 10-12.

South Sinai will record highs of 22-25 and lows of 14-15. Northern Upper Egypt will see highs of 18-22 and lows of 7-8, while Southern Upper Egypt will record highs of 22-27 and lows of 10-12, according to the EMA.

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By Trend

The next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Trade and Humanitarian Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran will be held in Baku on March 10 and March 11, 2022, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Iran Ali Alizada said, Trend reports citing Irans East Azerbaijan Province Governor Office.

He made the remark during a meeting with Governor of East Azerbaijan Province Abedin Khorram.

The ambassador noted that the commission will discuss a number of issues, including the opening of the Khudafarin border checkpoint, the construction of a new border bridge and other agreements reached between the two countries.

Alizada also added that 132 kilometers of the joint border between Azerbaijan and Iran have been liberated from Armenian occupation. The liberation of the territories has created new opportunities for the development of cooperation between the two countries. By activating border connections, the potentials can be used the best.

"Great opportunities, such as customs and tax benefits, as well as infrastructure opportunity have been created for companies and investors in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan from occupation, and companies from the East Azerbaijan Province are invited to the territories," he said.

During the meeting, the Governor of the East Azerbaijan province Abedin Khorram said that the policy of the current Iranian government is to create close ties with all countries, especially neighboring countries. Azerbaijan is a friendly and brotherly country in Iran's foreign policy, and the existing ties between the two countries should be strengthened and developed.

Khorram stressed that during the visit of the Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Rostam Ghasemi to the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, the Iranian delegation witnessed that Azerbaijan has begun great work to reconstruction of these territories.

The governor also pointed out that the establishment of the Khudafarin border checkpoint will allow create new opportunity for the development of relations between the two countries.
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have detained several British citizens and an American, including a former freelance television journalist who has been coming to Afghanistan for more than 40 years, both governments and a family member say.

A statement from the British government this week said there are a number of British nationals currently in Taliban custody. While the government refused to release their identities, Hassina Syed, the wife of Peter Jouvenal, a former freelance cameraman turned businessman, told The Associated Press, her husband was taken on Dec. 13.

And U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN's ``State of the Union'' on Sunday that Washington was ``actively working'' to get the American released from Taliban custody. He refused to say more, citing the ``sensitivity of it.''

The American detainee and at least four other British nationals in custody remain publicly unidentified. It was not clear how many were detained together.

Speaking to The AP by phone from her home in London, Syed, an Afghan, said her husband was in Afghanistan investigating business opportunities, including investment in lithium mining. Afghanistan is rich in lithium, a key component of energy-storage batteries. He was traveling alone and not associated with the other detainees, she said.

Jouvenal had worked as a freelance cameraman during the 1980s Soviet invasion in Afghanistan and followed the country through its many wars. He married Syed and they have three daughters.

Jouvenal, who speaks both Pashto and Dari, Afghanistan's two official languages, had held several meetings with the Taliban's mining ministry before being detained in December, Syed said, including with the minister. No charges have been filed and until his detention, Syed said, Jouvenal had been careful to stay in regular contact with the Taliban authorities to ensure that they were aware of his activities and movements.

In the mid 2000s, Jouvenal owed and operated the Gandamak Restaurant and guest house in the Afghan capital, which had become well known among the many journalists who traveled to Afghanistan during the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban government in 2001.

The Taliban did not respond to requests for comment on the foreign nationals and on Jouvenal in particular.

In a statement, the British foreign office said the detention of British nationals is being discussed with the Taliban.

``UK officials have raised their detention with the Taliban at every opportunity, including when a delegation travelled to Kabul last week,'' the British foreign office said in a statement earlier this week,

There's been no explanation for the detentions.

Syed said her husband was alone and was not travelling with the other men who have been detained.

According to people with direct knowledge of the men currently being held in Taliban custody, at least two of the detainees were apparently in Afghanistan to secretly evacuate Afghan nationals. The people with direct knowledge spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.

The Taliban have made it clear that Afghans without proper documents would not be allowed to leave the country.

Syed said she feared her husband may have gotten caught up in a Taliban investigation into attempts to secretly transfer Afghan nationals out of the country.

But Syed said she, too, was planning to return to Afghanistan after her husband's initial trip looking for partners in mining ventures. Together they planned to establish joint ventures.

In the telephone interview, Syed expressed fear for her husband's welfare but also frustration with the Taliban administration.

``They say they want foreign and Afghan businesspeople to come to Afghanistan, to invest in Afghanistan, but why will anyone want to invest if they

A statement from the British government this week said there are a number of British nationals currently in Taliban custody. While the government refused to release their identities, Hassina Syed, the wife of Peter Jouvenal, a former freelance cameraman turned businessman, told The Associated Press, her husband was taken on Dec. 13.

And U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN's ``State of the Union'' on Sunday that Washington was ``actively working'' to get the American released from Taliban custody. He refused to say more, citing the ``sensitivity of it.''

The American detainee and at least four other British nationals in custody remain publicly unidentified. It was not clear how many were detained together.

Speaking to The AP by phone from her home in London, Syed, an Afghan, said her husband was in Afghanistan investigating business opportunities, including investment in lithium mining. Afghanistan is rich in lithium, a key component of energy-storage batteries. He was traveling alone and not associated with the other detainees, she said.

Jouvenal had worked as a freelance cameraman during the 1980s Soviet invasion in Afghanistan and followed the country through its many wars. He married Syed and they have three daughters.

Jouvenal, who speaks both Pashto and Dari, Afghanistan's two official languages, had held several meetings with the Taliban's mining ministry before being detained in December, Syed said, including with the minister. No charges have been filed and until his detention, Syed said, Jouvenal had been careful to stay in regular contact with the Taliban authorities to ensure that they were aware of his activities and movements.

In the mid 2000s, Jouvenal owed and operated the Gandamak Restaurant and guest house in the Afghan capital, which had become well known among the many journalists who traveled to Afghanistan during the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban government in 2001.

The Taliban did not respond to requests for comment on the foreign nationals and on Jouvenal in particular.

In a statement, the British foreign office said the detention of British nationals is being discussed with the Taliban.

``UK officials have raised their detention with the Taliban at every opportunity, including when a delegation travelled to Kabul last week,'' the British foreign office said in a statement earlier this week,

There's been no explanation for the detentions.

Syed said her husband was alone and was not travelling with the other men who have been detained.

According to people with direct knowledge of the men currently being held in Taliban custody, at least two of the detainees were apparently in Afghanistan to secretly evacuate Afghan nationals. The people with direct knowledge spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.

The Taliban have made it clear that Afghans without proper documents would not be allowed to leave the country.

Syed said she feared her husband may have gotten caught up in a Taliban investigation into attempts to secretly transfer Afghan nationals out of the country.

But Syed said she, too, was planning to return to Afghanistan after her husband's initial trip looking for partners in mining ventures. Together they planned to establish joint ventures.

In the telephone interview, Syed expressed fear for her husband's welfare but also frustration with the Taliban administration.

``They say they want foreign and Afghan businesspeople to come to Afghanistan, to invest in Afghanistan, but why will anyone want to invest if they cannot be certain of their safety?`` she asked.

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The National Council for Women (NCW) condemned on Saturday recent comments made by TV presenter Yasmin Ezz on an incident that was filmed and went viral of a groom repeatedly beating his bride in Ismailia governorate.

The groom appeared in a video on social media Thursday, grabbing his bride by her head and throwing her to the floor and forcing her into a car.

The video, which was filmed by journalist Amira Abdel-Hakim, triggered public uproar across social media.

The incident drew further outrage when the couple appeared on Fridays episode of Yasmin Ezzs TV program Kalam El-Nas on MBC Masr.

The newlyweds, who are cousins, appeared smiling in front of cameras and spoke about their long love story on the first day of their marriage in Ismailia, reportedly going to Sharm El-Sheikh to spend their honeymoon.

The husband said it is normal here to hit your wife and cousin, although the people of Lower Egypt can see it as terrible, while the wife said she was shocked by the reaction of people on social media and that nothing can force her to marry someone that she does not love.

During the segment, Ezz praised the brides willingness to forgive him  and contain her mans anger.

Whoever asks you to get a divorce after being hit or touched for the first time does not love you, Ezz also said.

The NCW decried Ezzs remarks as showing acceptance and tolerance toward the violence, humiliation and intimidation the bride has seen in front of everyone at a time when the Egyptian society has rose up to condemn this disgraceful behaviour.

The council said it is inappropriate for an Egyptian female media figure to issue such remarks and that she should reject such crimes that offend Egyptian women and the society.

The Ismailia incident contradicts the Egyptian states efforts to protect women from all forms of violence as per Article 11 of the 2014 constitution, the NCW said.

The council also condemned Ezzs remarks as a clear violation of the media honour code that affirms the necessity of adhering to objectivity in addressing [a topic], balance in presenting viewpoints, and not to give priority to personal interests over professional and national considerations.

The NCW also warned that these statements justify and encourage the repetition of such crimes of violence.

The council urged MBC Masr TV channel to adhere to standards of objectivity and impartiality when addressing and presenting Egyptian womens issues, which receive strong and direct attention from the Egyptian political leadership.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Head of the NCW Maya Morsy criticised the brides decision to forgive her husband after the incident, saying it will never be surprising if he recklessly kills you or beats you in front of your children or in the street again.

Men do not beat women, she said.

Spousal abuse in Egyptian law

Egyptian law criminalises violence against women, including wives. However, officials and activists have called for toughening the penalty.

On Friday, MP Amal Salama said parliament is discussing a draft law to protect women against violence.

Earlier this year, Salama said she would propose an amendment to Articles 242 and 243 of the countrys Penal Code 58/1937 which currently imposes a penalty of one year in prison or a maximum fine of EGP 200 for hitting ones wife, and a maximum of five years and a EGP 300 fine for those who injure or beat others in a manner that results in injuries or permanent disability.

Instead, she wants the article to state that if the husband beats or injures his wife, the penalty is obligatory detention for a period of no less than three years and not more than five years.

Based on NCW statistics released in the past years, around eight million Egyptian women are at risk of domestic violence each year, and up to 86 percent of wives may face spousal abuse.

Four out of every five married men have psychological abused their wives, statistics show. Additionally, almost half of young women have reported physical violence against them by either their brothers or fathers.

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Following a two-week holiday, Egypt's House of Representatives  the lower chamber of parliament  will reconvene this week, holding plenary sessions on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

On Sunday, the house will discuss a government-drafted law that aims to liberalise rents of non-residential units.

A report prepared by the house's Housing Committee said the draft law aims to create a more balanced relationship between landlords and tenants of non-residential units.

"The draft law will give tenants of non-residential units a five-year grace period from the date of its promulgation to adjust themselves, after which they will be forced to pay five times the value of the current rents or be evicted from units," said the report, indicating that "the value of rents will be also annually increased by 15 percent and over the following four years."

The report said the new law was drafted in line with a recent ruling by the Supreme Constitutional Court stating that old rents of non-residential units should be liberalised to reflect economic and social changes, particularly after the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic.

The report argued that the draft law represents an initial step towards striking a balance between the rights of landlords and tenants in a way that will not harm the economic stability of Egyptian society.

The report said the committee members had changed the government's title of the draft law to "A Law on the Procedures and Dates of Evicting Units Rented to Entities for Non-Residential Purposes in Light of the Economic Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic."

"This title correctly reflects the meaning of the bill and clarifies the exact reasons for promulgating it," said the report.

The committee's member Atef Meghawry said he had expressed reservations during the debate over the government-drafted bill.

"The bill will do a lot of harm to non-profitable entities such as civil society organisations, charitable societies, political parties, consumer societies and trade unions which rent non-residential units to offer free-of-charge services to local communities," Meghawry said.

He indicated that "there are 54,000 NGOs (non-government organisations) which are currently renting units for non-residential purposes and that these will be negatively affected when the rents are liberalised, adding "while the state declared that the year 2022 will be the year of civil society, we are surprised that this law will come to do a lot of harm to civil society organisations."

Parliament's Sunday schedule also includes discussing government-drafted amendments to the capital market law (Law 95/1992). A report by the House's Economic Affairs Committee said the amendments aim to streamline the performance of Egypt's capital market in line with international rules and criterion and to make use of Egypt's current economic growth in all sectors at the same time.

"In brief, this law aims to provide the funding necessary to achieve greater economic growth and comprehensive development," said the report, explaining that "currently implementing projects will be allowed by this law to issue bonds on the capital market, the proceeds of which will be used to fund its operations, streamline its performance and provide sustainable services."

The house will also discuss Monday a government-drafted law on the procedures necessary to contain the negative impact of Coronavirus and tackle the impacts of the pandemic.

On Monday, the house's agenda of debate will include discussions of amendments to the agrarian reform law (Law 178/1952). The amendments allow the government to use part of the land owned by the agrarian reform institutions to set up national service projects.

On Tuesday, the house's agenda will include discussions of amendments to the income tax law (Law 91/2005), which imposes a tax on trading of properties and land used for construction beginning from 19 May 2013.

The house's schedule will also include debating and passing five foreign agreements. The list includes a $3 million contribution from Egypt to the International Fund on Agricultural Development (IFAD), an agreement with Burundi on the exemption of holders of diplomatic passports from entry visas, and a five million Swedish krone grant agreement with Sweden to fund urban transportation and the purchase of fast track buses on highways.

The list also includes a 10 million Swedish krone grant to improve the performance of Egypt's electricity grid, and a grant from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to fund Egypt's purchase of new train locomotives.

The house is also expected to take a final vote on the Egyptian Health Council law which was provisionally approved by MPs two weeks ago.

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Speaker of Egypt's Parliament Hanafy El-Gebaly said on Saturday that a fair, comprehensive and permanent settlement for the Palestinian cause is necessary in order to achieve stability in the Arab world and protect Arab national security.

The speakers comments were made while addressing a conference entitled "The Role of Parliamentarians in Supporting Security and Stability in the Arab world" during the Fourth Conference of the Arab Parliamentary Union, which was held at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo on Saturday.

"Arab parliamentarians should exert greater efforts to raise the awareness in the international community of the fairness of the Palestinian cause," El-Gebaly said, adding "the Palestinian cause is central to Arab security and without finding a comprehensive and fair solution for this problem the Arab national security will remain in danger."

El-Gebaly argued that the Arab national security also requires that Arab parliamentarians coordinate efforts to stand up to the economic and political challenges facing the Arab world.

"In this respect, we should make use of our role as parliamentarians to revive all Arab economic cooperation and integration projects," said El-Gebaly.

Within the same context, El-Gebaly called upon Arab parliamentarians to hurry up drafting a unified vision on fighting terrorism.

"This vision should tackle the root causes of terrorism, which poses a real threat to the Arab national security," said El-Gebaly.

El-Gebaly held talks with Sakr Gobash, speaker of the United Arab Emirates' National Federation Council; with Abdel-Karim El-Daghmi, speaker of Jordan's House of Representatives; and with Ibrahim Boughali, speaker of the Algerian National People's Council.

Ahmed Manaa, secretary-general of Egypt's House of Representatives, was elected deputy chairman of the General Council of Secretaries-General of Arab Parliaments.

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Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi continued his meetings with leaders on the sidelines of the European Union - African Union Summit in the Belgian capital of Brussels on Friday.

In a meeting with Cypriot counterpart President Nicos Anastasiades, President El-Sisi praised the ongoing development in Egyptian-Cypriot relations and progress in their bilateral cooperation as well as the Cypruss supportive stances toward Egypt in regional and international events, the Egyptian presidency reported

El-Sisi stressed Egypt's keenness to continue cooperation and intensify consultation about issues of common interest with Cyprus whether at the bilateral level or the tripartite level with Greece.

Anastasiades, for his part, praised the strong relations with Egypt, saying his country looks forward to bolstering cooperation in light of Egypt's role in achieving stability in the Middle East and countering terrorism and illegal immigration.

The two presidents also affirmed the importance of moving forward in implementing joint projects between Egypt and Cyprus.

El-Sisi meets with Bulgarias prime minister

During his meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, El-Sisi congratulated Petkov on assuming office in December, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady noted.

President El-Sisi said that Egypt was keen to foster cooperation with Bulgaria in various fields, especially at the level of trade exchange, tourism, industry and agriculture.

Petkov expressed his happiness for meeting El-Sisi, pointing to his country's keenness to develop its relations with Egypt as a central pillar for stability and security in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

The meeting tackled cooperation in the fields of defence, security, countering terrorism and the economy given that Egypt is the biggest trade partner for Bulgaria in Africa and the Middle East region.

President El-Sisi also met other leaders and officials on Friday during the second and final day of the EU-AU Summit including President of Senegal Macky Sall, President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari and President of Kenya Uhuru Kenayatta.

The EU-AU Summit addresses key topics including climate change, energy and vaccine production and seeks to ensure renewed and deeper partnership between AU and EU based on trust and clear understanding of shared interests.

The EU-AU Summit was established in April 2000, when it was held for the first time in Cairo under the auspices of the Organisation of African Unity (now the AU) and the EU, resulting in a plan of action being adopted.

The summit aims to set political priorities between the two sides and address current and persistent challenges.

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Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Egypt has not stopped sending aid to Lebanon since the deadly Beirut explosion on 4 August, 2020, as he spoke in an interview with Ahram Daily Newspaper's journalist Mohamed El-Qazzaz.

Beiruts deadliest explosion, which was caused by a fire in a chemical warehouse at the Beirut port, claimed the lives of dozens, injured thousands, left hundreds of thousands homeless and caused up to $15 billion in damage.

Since then, Egypt has launched an air bridge to deliver urgent medical aid to Lebanon and send medical teams to take part in the relief efforts.

Most recently, Egypt sent a shipment of more than 478 tons of aid, including medicines and foodstuffs to Lebanon, according to official statements. The shipment was the largest of its kind since the blast.

The shipment was delivered by sea due to its massiveness as the aid [would have] needed around 37 planes, Berri said, noting that the shipment included 265 tons of medicine.

Lebanon has been mired in political and economic crises in recent years after anti-government demonstrations erupted in 2019 then the blast a year later, which caused then-Prime Minister Hassan Diab to resign and kept the government in a state of political vacuum for months.

In July, then-Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri stepped down after failing to form a government for eight months. In September, current Prime Minister Najib Mikati formed a government, bringing an end to over a year of deadlock in the Arab country.

As the Lebanese pound has lost over 90 percent of its value and poverty has spiked since October 2019, Lebanese politicians and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) started talks in January on support measures to pull the country out of its economic crisis.

Talks between officials of Diabs government and the IMF in 2020 broke down due to lack of agreement on the scale of the losses in the Lebanese financial system.

By now, the negotiations between the government and the IMF is very successful, Berri said, blaming the worsening economic situation on political absence.

Lebanon is still rich in resources and assets and has a sea that is full of natural gas, Berri said.

Egypt is also expected to start sending natural gas to Lebanon via Jordan and Syria as per a roadmap agreed upon by the energy ministers of the four countries in September to help Lebanon generate electricity amid its energy crisis.

Lebanon is preparing to hold its first parliamentary elections since the 2019 demonstrations in May this year and will also elect a new president in October.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese government has to be done with its negotiations with the IMF and situations shall improve, like what happened with Egypt, Greece and Argentina, Berri said.

Hariri, also leader of the Sunni-majority Future Movement party since 2007, said he will not stand for election amid the state of national and sectarian division.

Hariri was prevented from running [for elections]. It was not his own decision, Berri said, adding that such step is not in the democratic benefit for Lebanon  as Saad represents a very important current.

Berri is visiting Cairo to attend the 32nd Conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union, themed Arab Solidarity.

He thanked the Egyptian officials for inviting Syria to attend the conference.

I have a personal rule that I established; I do not attend any conference for Arab parliaments without the presence of all Arab countries without exception, he said.

On a possible end to the rift between Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, and Iran, Berri said he believes that the Iranians want to build best relations with Arabs and the Gulf, especially the Saudi kingdom.

The US and the West managed to put Arabs in front of a foe that they created instead of Israel, which is the Iranian foe, Berri said.

The Lebanese speaker said he failed to converge views between Egypt and Iran but succeeded in bringing Iran and Algeria together.

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Egypts Ministry of Health and Population reported 2,053 new coronavirus infections for Friday, bringing the total number of cases since the outbreak began in February 2020 to 465,423.

The ministry also recorded 52 COVID-19-related fatalities, bringing the total tally of deaths to 23,632, according to the ministrys daily report.

The report added that the total number of recoveries increased to 397,218 after 1,983 patients were discharged from hospitals nationwide in the past 24 hours.

Egypts daily infections and deaths have slightly stabilised over the past week following several weeks marked with a dramatic increase, during which the country experienced its highest single-day rise in infections, with 2,301 cases recorded on 6 February.

Egypt is currently witnessing a drop in cases and deaths in comparison to the past six weeks, Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, the acting health minister, said on Wednesday, citing the results of COVID-19 tests performed  including those conducted for travel purposes  at public and private laboratories.

On Friday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the general director of the World Health Organisation (WHO), announced in an event hosted in Brussels during the European Union  African Union Summit that the first African countries to receive technology from an European hub to produce their own mRNA vaccine would be Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.

Tedros said the transfer would be carried out with help from the EU, Germany, Canada, France, Norway, and Belgium.

Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, who attended the event, stressed that the mRNA technology transfer hub is in line with the countrys existing efforts to produce vaccines and develop a medical infrastructure capable of ensuring the continuing availability of vaccines in Egypt and across Africa.

Egypt has been producing the Chinese Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine since summer 2021 at its VACSERA factory for domestic use as well as for export to Africa.

The Egyptian private sector company Minapharm also signed an agreement in 2021 with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to locally produce Russias Sputnik V vaccine.

In November 2021, Egypt started clinical trials for its own home-made vaccine, COVI-VAX, which are expected to run from six to nine months.

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Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Saturday that Egypt is planning to organise the first youth forum on climate change as part of the country's preparations to host the Conference of the Parties (COP27) slated for November in the Red Sea city of Sharm El-Sheikh.

Egypt is keen to enable youth and civil society to play an effective role within the framework of international efforts to combat climate change, added Shoukry, who is also the COP27 president designate.

The foreign minister made his statement during his participation in the Environmental Diplomacy and Climate Change session held on the second day of the Munich Security Conference (18-20 February).

Shoukry arrived on Friday in the German city to participate in the conference which brings together a host of senior officials, ministers, heads of international organisations, and leaders to discuss the international status quo and the critical challenges and crises on the global front.

He added that addressing climate change is not the sole responsibility of governments, noting that the issue needs the efforts of civil society and private sectors.

Civil society represents the majority of those most affected by climate change, while the private sector plays a vital part given its role in providing the necessary funding and modern technology to confront the global phenomenon, he stressed.

Egypt's top diplomat stressed the need to promote cooperation between countries to combat the repercussions of climate change, as has been the case with the coronavirus pandemic.

"One of the most prominent lessons learned from the pandemic is the importance of international cooperation," he said, adding that climate change is also a global crisis with unprecedented repercussions.

Shoukry pointed out that the issue necessitates multilateral environmental diplomacy, saying that "political balances should not reflect on climate change negotiations."

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A suicide bomber killed 14 people in a popular restaurant in the central Somali town of Beledweyne on Saturday, on the eve of a round of voting there, police said.

The attack was claimed by the Al-Shabaab Islamist militant group, which has been waging an insurgency in the troubled Horn of Africa nation for years.

Security had been tightened in Beledweyne ahead of a first session of voting for parliamentary seats in the constituency, which lies about 340 kilometres (210 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu.

"The number of people who have died in the heinous terrorist attack in Beledweyne today has increased from 10 people to 14 as of now," local police officer Mohamud Hassan told AFP by phone.

He said some of the 16 civilians earlier reported wounded in the suicide bombing had died of their injuries in hospital. Among the dead were local government officials.

"This was the deadliest attack I can recall in this town," he added.

Al-Shabaab said in a statement that one of its fighters carried out the bombing.

Somalia, particularly Mogadishu, has seen a spate of attacks in recent weeks as the country hobbles through a long-delayed election process.

Witnesses said the huge explosion tore through an open area of the Hassan Dhiif restaurant where people had gathered under trees to eat lunch.

"I saw dead bodies of several people and I could not count how many wounded that were rushed to hospital," said one witness, Mahad Osman.

"Some of these people were waiting for their ordered meals to come while enjoying the fresh weather when the blast occurred," he added.

"I saw... shoes, sticks and hats strewn at the scene of the blast, there was also blood and severed parts of human flesh in the area."

In another incident on Saturday, one person was killed and six others wounded when an explosive device went off in a teashop in Bosaso, the commercial capital of the northern state of Puntland, police said.

No-one has yet claimed responsibility for that blast.

Political impasse

Somalia is due to wrap up voting for the lower house of parliament by February 25 under the latest timetable for the elections, which are already more than a year behind schedule.

President President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known by his nickname Farmajo, has been at loggerheads with Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble over the election delays, an impasse that has Somalia's international backers worried.

Among those running for a seat in Beledweyne is Farhad Yasin, Somalia's former intelligence chief who is now Farmajo's national security adviser.

Somalia's voting process follows a complex indirect model, whereby state legislatures and clan delegates pick lawmakers for the national parliament, who in turn choose the president.

Voting for the upper house concluded last year, while clan delegates have so far elected 159 of the 275 MPs who sit in the lower house.

Somalia's international partners fear the election crisis distracts from the battle against Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist group fighting the weak central government.

Its fighters were driven out of Mogadishu in 2011 after an offensive by an African Union force, but they still control vast swathes of rural Somalia from where they launch regular attacks in the capital and elsewhere.

The United States issued a statement on Friday calling on Somalia's leaders to complete the elections in a "credible and transparent manner" by February 25.

"The United States will hold accountable those who obstruct or undermine the process," it said.

Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a decision to restrict visas to current or former Somali officials or others "believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Somalia".

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Vietnams economy to strongly rebound in 2022: Standard Chartered experts

The Vietnamese economy will recover strongly in 2022, starting at the end of the first quarter, said Tim Leelahaphan, Economist for Thailand and Vietnam at Standard Chartered, at a seminar held in Hanoi on February 18.













At Hai Phong seaport. (Photo: VNA)

The hybrid 2022 Economic Outlook and Green Finance Policy seminar, co-organised by the bank and Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gathered more than 120 officials, diplomats, researchers, businesspeople, and economic experts.



Leelahaphan said Vietnam is expected to grow 6.7 percent in 2022 and 7 percent in 2023, with its medium-term outlook remaining positive. Vietnam will continue to be an important link in the global supply chain and a destination chosen by many businesses, he added.



Investment activity in the country is expected to recover this year after being affected by the COVID-19 epidemic for a period of time, noted the expert.



Michele Wee, Chief Executive Officer at Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam Ltd, said Vietnam's economy is in the process of recovering.



According to her, in a recent survey conducted by the bank, clients said that Vietnam has a lot of potential for growth and investment attraction, and is playing an increasingly important role in international trade and global supply chain.



Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung assessed that Vietnam is entering a very important stage of development with an expectation that its recovery and growth in 2022 and 2023 will create a strong bounce for the 2021  2025 period towards development goals set for 2030 and 2045.



Opportunities and challenges are intertwined, but opportunities are dominant, he stressed.



The Government is drastically accelerating the implementation of a largest-ever programme for socio-economic recovery and growth, the official informed. According to him, the programme includes both short- and long-term solutions to create sustainable development drivers./.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

President Ilham Aliyev has signed the law "On approval of the agreement between the government of Azerbaijan and the government of Serbia on mutual abolition of visa requirements for persons holding civil passports".

Under this law, the document on mutual abolition of visa requirements, signed on October 11, 2021, in Belgrade, has been approved.

To recall, the agreement between Azerbaijan and Serbia on the mutual abolition of visa requirements for holders of general civil passports was signed during a meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers, Jeyhun Bayramov and Nikola Selakovic, on the sidelines of the high-level meeting commemorating the Non-Aligned Movement's 60th anniversary in Belgrade on October 11, 2021.

Azerbaijan and Serbia collaborate in a variety of economic sectors. The Azerbaijan-Serbia Declaration on Strategic Partnership, signed in 2013, and the Joint Action Plan on Strategic Partnership, signed in 2018, laid the ground for the development of relations.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Serbia amounted to $9.2 million in 2021.
The Russian military on Friday announced massive drills of its strategic nuclear forces, a stark reminder of the country's nuclear might amid Western fears that Moscow might be preparing to invade Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will personally oversee Saturday's exercise, which will involve multiple practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, the Defense Ministry said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin would observe the drills from the Defense Ministry's situation room and supervise the practice missile launches himself.

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 Russia could invade Ukraine 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 Ukraine 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.

Russia 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 Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

The Black Sea Fleet has surface warships and submarines equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles, but it doesn't have intercontinental ballistic missiles and didn't take part in similar previous drills of the country's strategic forces.

The Kremlin's Peskov said Russia notified foreign partners in advance and the exercise shouldn't cause worries in the West.

"Practice launches of ballistic missiles are part of regular training," he said. "They are preceded by a series of notices to other nations via different channels.''

The strategic forces of both Russia and the United States include a nuclear triad of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-based ICBMs and nuclear-capable bombers.

The exercise of Russia's nuclear forces follows a series of sweeping drills that the Russian military held near Ukraine and in Belarus, an ally of Moscow that neighbors Ukraine to the north.

The Russian military said it started pulling troops back to their permanent bases after the drill. The U.S. and its allies questioned the claim and said that Moscow has actually moved thousands of new troops closer to Ukraine.

Moscow argued that the pullback takes time and rejected Western criticism, saying that it would deploy troops wherever it's necessary to ensure national security.

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Spiking tensions in eastern Ukraine on Friday aggravated Western fears of a Russian invasion and a new war on the edge of Europe, with a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling and pro-Russian rebels ordering the evacuation of civilians from the conflict zone.

The Kremlin declared massive nuclear drills to flex its military muscle, and President Vladimir Putin pledged to protect Russia's national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats. U.S. and European leaders, meanwhile, grasped for ways to keep the peace and Europe's post-Cold War security order.

While Putin held out the possibility of diplomacy, a cascade of developments this week 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.

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. U.S. 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.

Separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions announced they are evacuating civilians to Russia starting Friday afternoon. The announcement appeared to be part of Moscow's efforts to counter Western warnings of a Russian invasion, and paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead.

Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk rebel government, said women, children and the elderly will be evacuated 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, known as the Donbas.

Around the volatile line of contact, a UNCHR convoy came under rebel shelling in the Luhansk region, Ukraine's military chief said. No casualties were reported. Rebel forces denied involvement.

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.

Ukrainian officials charged that the rebels intensified the shelling in the hopes of provoking a retaliatory attack by government forces.

The Ukrainian military chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said it is ``not planning any offensive operations or shelling of civilians,'' adding that "our actions are purely defensive.''

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.

Austin said the U.S. believes Russia could launch an attack "any time.''

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 didn't materialize, Putin said, "I'm not paying attention to that, there are so many false claims."

"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 the condition that they will be discussed in conjunction with Moscow's main security demands.

He also urged Ukrainian authorities to implement a 2015 peace deal for eastern Ukraine that was brokered by France and Germany, adding that "regrettably, we are now seeing the exacerbation of the situation in Donbas.''

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. Announcing the deal, Austin said Russia's military buildup had only reinvigorated NATO instead of cowing it, as Moscow had hoped.

World leaders meeting in Munich warned that Europe's security balance is under threat. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the situation is "calling into question the basic principles of the European peace order.''

"Even steps, millimeters toward peace are better than a big step toward war,'' she said.

Biden planned to speak by phone Friday with trans-Atlantic leaders about the crisis and continued efforts at deterrence and diplomacy.

Blinken revealed some conclusions of U.S. intelligence in Thursday's speech at the U.N. Security Council, warning that Russia could create a false pretext for an invasion with a trumped-up terrorist bombing inside Russia, a staged drone strike, or a fake or real chemical attack.

U.S. and European officials were on high alert for any Russian attempts at a so-called false-flag operation, according to a Western official familiar with intelligence findings. Ukrainian government officials shared intelligence with allies 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, according to the official who was not authorized to comment publicly.

Putin met Friday with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to discuss the ongoing joint drills in Belarus that borders Ukraine to the north. The massive exercise involving Russian forces moved from the Far East fueled Western fears that they could use it to cut a short way to the Ukrainian capital.

Isachenkov reported from Moscow and Superville from Washington. Lorne Cook in Brussels, Matthew Lee and Karl Ritter in Munich, Angela Charlton in Paris, Jill Lawless in London, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Frank Jordans in Berlin, Aamer Madhani and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington, and Vanessa Gera in Warsaw contributed.

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Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has not changed his plans to personally attend Saturday's Munich Security Conference, his office said, despite US warnings of a Russian invasion.

Without referring to US President Joe Biden's questioning of whether it would be wise to leave Kyiv, Zelensky's office issued a statement insisting the situation in Ukraine's east "remains under full control".

Zelensky will meet with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US Vice President Kamala Harris, his office said.

"Vladimir Zelensky expects concrete agreements concerning the delivery to our country of additional military and financial support," his office said, adding that he would return to Kyiv later Saturday.

Warning that he believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made the decision to invade Ukraine, Biden on Friday suggested "it may not be the wise choice" for Zelensky to attend that annual Munich conference.

"But it's his decision," Biden added.

Without referring to US President Joe Biden's questioning of whether it would be wise to leave Kyiv, Zelensky's office issued a statement insisting that the situation in Ukraine's east "remains under full control".

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Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilization Saturday amid a spike of violence in the war-torn region and fears in the West that Russia might use the strife as a pretext for an invasion.

Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russia separatist government in Ukraine's Donetsk region, released a statement announcing a full troop mobilization and urging reservists to show up at military enlistment offices.

A similar announcement quickly followed from Leonid Pasechnik, separatist leader in the Luhansk region.

Pushilin cited ``immediate threat of aggression`` from Ukrainian forces, accusations that Ukrainian officials vehemently denied earlier.

The separatists and Ukrainian forces have been fighting for almost eight years. But the violence along the line of contact separating the two sides, including a car bombing in the eastern city of Donetsk and a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling, has risen in recent days.

With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops now posted around Ukraine's borders, the long-simmering separatist conflict could provide the spark for a broader attack.

On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians from the conflict zone with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscow's efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead.

In an ominous assessment, US President Joe Biden said he was now ``convinced'' Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and assault the capital, Kyiv.

Biden, who for weeks had said the US was not sure if Putin had made the final decision, said his judgment had changed, citing American intelligence.

``As of this moment, I'm convinced he's 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 that it would conduct massive nuclear drills Saturday, and Putin pledged to protect Russia's national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats.

Biden reiterated his threat of crushing economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia if it does invade, and pressed Putin to reconsider. He said the US and its Western allies were more united than ever to ensure Russia pays a steep price for any invasion.

As further indication that the Russians were preparing for a major military push, a US 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 closer to the border.

The shift has been underway 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 US military assessments.

The official also said the number of Russian ground units known as battalion tactical groups in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each group has 750 to 1,000 soldiers.

Lines of communication remain open: the US and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday. 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 the pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people.

Fears of such escalation intensified amid Friday's violence. A bombing struck a car outside the main government building in the rebel-held 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. Shelling and shooting are common along the line that separates Ukrainian forces and the rebels, but targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities.

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.

Overall, monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported more than 600 explosions in the war-torn east of Ukraine on Friday.

Separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that form Ukraine's industrial heartland known as the Donbas announced they were evacuating civilians to Russia.

Pushilin, the 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. US authorities have alleged that the Kremlin's disinformation campaign could include staged, 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 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 region.

By Saturday morning, more than 6,600 residents of the rebel-controlled areas were evacuated to Russia, according to separatist officials, who have announced plans to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people.

The explosions and the announced evacuations were in line with US warnings of so-called false-flag attacks that Russia could use to justify an invasion.

Around the volatile line of contact, a United Nations humanitarian convoy came under rebel shelling in the Luhansk region, Ukraine's military chief said. No casualties were reported. Rebels denied involvement and accused Ukraine of staging a provocation.

Ukraine denied planning any offensive.

``We are fully committed to diplomatic conflict resolution only,'' Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the threat to global security is ``more complex and probably higher'' than during the Cold War. He told a security conference in Munich 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 US officials said they saw no sign of a pullback and instead observed more troops moving toward the border with Ukraine.

In other developments, the White House and the UK formally blamed Russia for recent cyberattacks targeting Ukraine's defense ministry and major banks. The announcement was the most pointed attribution of responsibility for the intrusions, which barraged websites with junk data to make them unreachable. Russia rejected the accusations.

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 exercise Saturday that will involve multiple practice missile launches.

Asked about Western warnings of a possible Russian invasion on Wednesday that did not materialize, Putin said: ``There are so many false claims, and constantly reacting to them is more trouble than it's 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.''

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At least 12 truck drivers remained missing from an Italian-flagged ferry ablaze for a second day off Corfu Saturday, as criticism mounted over conditions onboard.

The blaze on the Euroferry Olympia prevented rescuers from boarding, but tugboats managed to tow the vessel closer to the island, ERT television said.

The ferry on Saturday afternoon was just some 6 nautical miles (around 11 km) north of Corfu, ERT said, after anxious relatives started arriving in the morning.

A thick cloud of black smoke billowed into the sky after wind rekindled the fire, with Greek state agency ANA reporting the heat onboard had reached 500 degrees Celsius.

The coastguard has said those missing were all lorry drivers -- seven from Bulgaria, three from Greece, one from Turkey and one from Lithuania.

On Friday, 280 passengers were evacuated to Corfu after a blaze broke out the previous night as the Olympia was en route from Greece to Italy.

Rescuers who boarded the burning vessel halted work Friday evening because of the intense heat, dense smoke and darkness, ANA said.

One of the rescuers was taken to hospital with respiratory problems but was released on Saturday, the fire brigade told AFP.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Shipping minister Giannis Plakiotakis said a team from the Maritime Accident and Incident Investigation Service was in the area to launch a probe.

Overcrowded cabins

ERT reported the vessel's captain and two engineers had on Saturday been brought before a prosecutor.

Plakiotakis told Skai television that, after the fire is extinguished, the ferry would be towed to safety in order to pump out any fuel, and avoid marine pollution.

Rescued truckers told Greece's public broadcaster some drivers had preferred to sleep in their vehicles because the cabins were overcrowded.

According to the Kathimerini newspaper, the Greek trucker union had since June 2017 warned about conditions on the Olympia as well as another ferry belonging to Italian ferry and container operator, Grimaldi.

Ilias Gerontidakis, the son of a missing Greek trucker, told the Proto Thema online newspaper the Olympia "miserable from every point of view".

"It had bed bugs, it was dirty, it had no security systems," said the young truck driver, as he waited in the port for news.

"It had 150 lorries inside. Normally it should have 70 to 75 cabins, but it only has 50. They force us to sleep four people in a cabin", he said. "My father, from what I was told, slept in the truck."

Vassilis Vergis, the cousin of another missing driver, said he thought his relative too "was afraid of the cabins".

"He probably stayed in the truck because he was afraid of coronavirus," he added.

The ferry's operator has claimed the 27-year-old vessel had last completed a safety check on February 16.

Undocumented travellers

The ferry was officially carrying 239 passengers and 51 crew, as well as 153 trucks and trailers and 32 passenger vehicles, the company has said.

But the coastguard has said two of the people rescued -- both Afghans -- were not on the manifest, sparking fears that more undocumented passengers could also be missing.

The Bulgarian foreign ministry said 127 of its nationals were on the passenger list, including 37 truck drivers.

Another 24 were from Turkey, the country's NTV station said, while ERT said 21 Greeks were aboard.

Among the rescued, nine people remain in hospital with breathing difficulties.

Fahri Ozgen, a rescued passenger, recounted waiting for four hours for rescuers to arrive, as the flames roared around him.

"Two-hundred and fifty people were screaming, shouting, some of them were jumping into the sea," he told AFP.

"Some of our friends are still missing, we don't know where they are."

Turkish trucker Ali Duran said he had lost everything in the fire

"We lost our money, we lost our passports, we lost all our administrative documents," he said.

"I don't even have a shoe to wear."

The last shipboard fire in the Adriatic occurred in December 2014 on the Italian ferry Norman Atlantic. Thirteen people died in that blaze.

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Germany's foreign minister warned Saturday against trying to guess or assume Russia's decisions on Ukraine, toning down the rhetoric after Washington's fierce warnings of an imminent invasion.

"We do not know yet if an attack has been decided on," Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, adding that the "threat against Ukraine is very real".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, attending the same conference, also pushed back against Washington's dire predictions.

"We do not think that we need to panic," Zelensky told an audience of top-level officials and security experts from around the world.

US President Joe Biden had said a day earlier that he was "convinced" Russian President Vladimir Putin had "made the decision" to attack Ukraine, sending fears soaring that a major conflict could break out in Europe.

Baerbock made her remarks after hosting a G7 foreign ministers' meeting on the fringes of the Munich gathering, which has been dominated by the Ukraine crisis this year.

The group of seven most developed nations -- including the United States -- reaffirmed that they were "united" in their support for Ukraine and determined to respond to any violation of its sovereignty, said Baerbock, whose country holds the rotating G7 presidency.

"Pull your troops back, avoid damage to Russia and Ukraine and let us talk," Baerbock said in an appeal to Putin.

But the message of unity was slightly undermined by Baerbock's refusal to echo US claims that Russia could invade Ukraine any moment now.

"In crisis situations, the most inappropriate thing to do is to somehow guess or assume," Baerbock told reporters, after being repeatedly pressed on whether Germany shared Biden's assessment.

Speaking on the main stage in Munich, Zelensky said it was "difficult for me to judge" the US intelligence behind the warnings, but "I trust Ukrainian intelligence, who understand what's going on along our borders".

Zelensky also touched on the toll the incessant threat of war was taking on his country, both on people's mental health and on the economy.

"We need to preserve our stability. We need to keep calm and be adults," he said.

Nord Stream 2 spat

Western and NATO allies have been at pains to present a united front, warning Russia of severe consequences in case of any further escalations.

Baerbock reiterated in Munich that Russia would face "unprecedented" sanctions, some of which would bring economic pain to the countries imposing them.

That includes potentially halting the not-yet-certified Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, she said, an issue that had previously driven a wedge in transatlantic relations.

The project, backed by Germany's previous chancellor Angela Merkel, has long irked the US and Germany's European partners, who believe it will be used as a geopolitical weapon by Putin.

Germany's early reluctance to explicitly put Nord Stream 2 on the list of possible sanctions exasperated allies, particularly Washington, and raised doubts about Berlin's resolve in the Ukraine crisis.

New Chancellor Olaf Scholz travelled to Washington earlier this month to reassure President Biden that Germany could be counted on, and made clear that the pipeline would be stopped should Russia invade Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in an interview with Germany's Sueddeutsche newspaper, praised America's reinvigorated relationship with European allies and the "incredibly close cooperation" with Germany.

The joint response to any Russian aggression will be swift and determined, he said in Munich.

"I have never experienced such a level of coordination before," Blinken added, in comments translated into German.

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If knowledge is power, knowing the intimate secrets of one's DNA could be a powerful weapon. That might explain why the world leaders who hastened to Moscow in recent days for diplomatic talks seemed to balk at Russian-administered coronavirus tests.

But this may be a case where imagination is getting a bit ahead of what science is actually capable of.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz refused to let Russia conduct a PCR test _ while French officials said President Emmanuel Macron balked at some of the requirements to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, leading to speculation he didn't want the Russian swab either.

Neither leader is known for opposition to COVID-19 countermeasures, so speculation arose that they were trying to keep genetic material out of Russia's hands.

In the high-stakes world of national security and international espionage, global powers are always looking for an edge, and increasingly those new fronts are less tangible than the battlefield.

So gene science may one day be a useful addition to the arsenal, intelligence experts say. But scientists say that day might still be a long way away.

Here's a look at what may be _ but probably isn't _ afoot:

HAVE THE LEADERS ACTUALLY ACCUSED RUSSIA OF TRYING TO USE THEIR DNA FOR NEFARIOUS MEANS?

Well, no. But that hasn't stopped the rampant speculation.

French officials bristled at questions and dismissed any idea that the Russians were trying to secretly get Macron's DNA.

A French official said Russia's conditions for Macron to get close to Putin were ``not acceptable'' and ``not compatible'' with the French president's agenda. Hence: the absurdly long marble table that Macron and Scholz shared with the Russian president and which spawned many memes.

German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said he was ``reluctant'' to comment after the Macron stir. But he told reporters in Berlin that Scholz followed the same procedure Germany applies to foreign dignitaries: They can submit their own PCR tests and, if there's any doubt, a doctor can come on board the plane to observe the testing.

``The Russian side saw it differently and said: if there's a test it needs to be a Russian one. And the chancellor decided he wouldn't be available for that,'' said Hebestreit, adding: ``But I wouldn't interpret too much into that.''

WHY WOULD FRANCE AND GERMANY HAVE REASON TO MISTRUST RUSSIA?

Both countries are members of NATO, which also includes the United States and Britain. NATO was formed during the Cold War by Western allies as a bulwark against the Soviet Union.

Russia has expressed concern that NATO is using Ukraine as a pawn to undermine Russia and has cited that as the reason for its military buildup along Ukraine's borders.

WHAT CAN YOU ACTUALLY LEARN FROM DNA?

DNA is inside every cell in the body and could be extracted from multiple methods _ like a nasal swab _ even though a coronavirus test swab is after different genetic material: RNA from the virus.

``Those samples have tons of human DNA,'' said Kenny Beckman, who directs the University of Minnesota Genomics Center. ``You could definitely take that sample, extract the DNA and do whatever kind of full workup you'd want to do on that person.''

Your DNA has the instructions that you need to survive and grow. Every person's DNA is unique. It can be used to find where your ancestors might have come from, whether you have any unknown relatives floating in the ether, and also whether you have certain genetic diseases or genetic abnormalities associated with diseases or medical conditions.

In forensic science, DNA can be used to physically connect someone to a piece of evidence or eliminate someone as a suspect in a crime.

HOW COULD DNA BE USED AGAINST WORLD LEADERS?

``You can use DNA to identify disease risk, so (the world leaders) might be at risk for a disease,'' said Howard McLeod, a genetics expert and director of precision medicine at the Florida-based Geriatric Oncology Consortium. ``You could look and see if there could be some ancestry elements that could be exploited.''

But in general, he said, the idea of learning more about someone like a world leader through DNA probably ``seems a lot more scary than it is in reality.''

Beckman said it seemed ``farfetched'' to think that the information gathered could be politically damaging.

``What are you going to do, say that Macron has a slightly higher risk of blood pressure?'' Beckman asked. ``But then I don't spend a lot of time trying to dream up ways to weaponize someone's genetic information.''

George Annas, a bioethicist who has written extensively about the importance of genetic privacy, wants to make one thing clear: ``DNA is not magic. It'll give you some information, but it's not going to tell you how you can assassinate somebody.``

But even without the capability to build an individually targeted bioweapon, the power of suggestion can be enough to compromise world leaders, and Russia has been known to employ kompromat _ blackmailing someone by threatening to release embarrassing information about them.

WHY CAN'T PUTIN AND HIS GUESTS JUST WEAR MASKS?

Putin has largely eschewed masks throughout the pandemic _ but is otherwise hypervigilant about COVID-19 measures. The 69-year-old appeared to work mostly remotely and was rarely seen in public before he was fully vaccinated with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine (which still has not been approved by the European Union).

DOES THE UNITED STATES INSIST ON TESTING WORLD LEADERS?

When dignitaries visit U.S. President Joe Biden, they are required to be tested, according to an official. The White House makes itself available as a testing option, but most leaders arrange for their own, which the White House is fine with.

When Biden himself is tested at home and abroad, samples are taken and processed exclusively by the White House Medical Unit.

The U.S. government has allegedly dabbled in collecting the DNA of foreign leaders. Obama-era diplomatic cables revealed by Wikileaks instructed U.S. diplomats in select African countries to collect ``fingerprints, facial images, DNA, and iris scans'' from ``key and emerging'' officials, including religious and business leaders.

I AM A NORMAL PERSON WHO GETS COVID TESTS OFTEN. DO I HAVE ANYTHING TO BE WORRIED ABOUT?

This shouldn't deter you from testing.

In the U.S., federal law bars medical providers and laboratories from using patient samples for any purpose other than the original test administered. In certain cases, people can consent to make their results available for research, as with health and ancestry services like 23andMe. Use caution with those services, though; even if tests comply with U.S. law, data can still end up in the hands of another country.

Annas says the right to privacy is paramount, no matter who you are: ``Even presidents have the right to medical privacy, and they should not have their information disclosed to the public without their consent.''

SO DO WORLD LEADERS REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO BE WORRIED ABOUT?

The consensus is the most that a bad actor could do with DNA is generate scandal _ not a presidential clone.

But you never know where your DNA might end up: a few years ago, an anonymous group calling themselves the Earnest Project claimed to have grabbed DNA from a bunch of world leaders who attended the Davos summit. The group said they would put the samples up for auction as a statement about the perils of surveillance capitalism, but the auction was delayed because of legal concerns and seemingly never rescheduled. The group did not respond to a request for comment made through its website.

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The constitutional limbo in Iraq is exacerbating the countrys already serious political troubles.

When Iraqis voted for a new constitution following the US-led invasion of their country in 2003, US president George W Bush, who ordered the conquest, hailed the referendum as a momentous time in the history of the Middle East.

Bush described the successful passing of the document, written by an Iraqi panel chosen by an assembly elected in 2005 under pressure of anti-occupation resistance, as a landmark day in the history of liberty.

In its preamble, the drafters of the new constitution pledged to build a nation of law and to ensure the document would preserve for Iraq its free union of people, of land, and of sovereignty.

Nevertheless, this constitution, which promised enormous opportunities for a peaceful, free, and democratic Iraq following the collapse of the regime of former dictator Saddam Hussein, has topped the list of problems in restoring stability to the beleaguered country.

For more than 15 years, the abysmal record of malpractice and non-compliance with the norms of democratic governance as they are stated in this document has been the main reason behind the states failures and lingering conflicts in Iraq.

Iraqs current government crisis is a vivid example of the deep-rooted and still-unresolved constitutional weaknesses of the post-Saddam political order.

More than four months after Iraq held national elections last October, the countrys political groups have not been able to agree on a new president, a necessary step under the constitution before the appointment of a prime minister and the formation of a new government.

The poll had been due later this year, but it was brought forward in response to mass protests over corruption, unemployment, and poor public services that erupted in 2019.

The vote was also marred by one of the lowest turnouts in the countrys history, reflecting widespread apathy and disillusionment over government dysfunction and a lack of accountability.

It was also mired by protests over the outcome of the elections and disagreements about which parliamentary bloc had the right to form a government and who should be the next prime minister that led to the four-month political gridlock.

The controversy has sent tensions high between differing parties, especially among Shia groups that contested the election outcome and the two main Kurdish parties that are fighting for the post of president.

In the southern province of Masyan, gunmen believed to belong to Iraqi Shia cleric and politician Muqtada Al-Sadrs Saraya Al-Salam militia and the rival Asaib Ahl Al-Haq have reportedly been involved in tit-for-tat assassinations, triggering unbridled tribal violence.

The disputes went to the High Federal Court (HFC), effectively the countrys constitutional tribunal, where the plaintiffs sought rulings on many constitutional questions raised by these ugly episodes in Iraqs politics even though they themselves had been pioneers in misusing the countrys constitution.

The trouble began with a lawsuit filed by a group of Shia parties that had disputed the election results, asking the court to annul the election of the speaker of the parliament on the grounds of irregularities during its first session.

The HFC turned down the case and ruled that the parliamentary session during which Sunni speaker Mohamed Al-Halbousi had been elected was in line with the constitution.

Many experts, however, said the court may have stretched its interpretation of the constitution, which is vague on the role of the speaker of the assembly.

Then there was the controversial case of registering the largest bloc in the 329-member parliament that is constitutionally mandated to nominate Iraqs next prime minister.

While the constitution states that the president should ask the largest parliamentary bloc to nominate the next head of the government, it does not say how this bloc should be formed, making it a constant battle in post-election periods.

After a simmering dispute in 2010, Iraqs highest court identified the largest bloc as being any single political party or coalition of parties that has the largest number of seats formed at the first session of the parliament.

Since the US-led invasion that toppled Saddams minority Sunni regime, Iraqi governments have been dominated by parties from the countrys Shia majority in coalitions that have also included Kurdish parties and Sunni representatives.

A new elections law following demonstrations calling for fundamental political change was based on dividing Iraq into smaller electoral districts instead of the old one which designated each of Iraqs 18 governorates as a single district.

It also banned newly elected MPs from moving from their registered lists to others, a practice used by the political blocs to increase their members in lieu of other kinds of incentives. This move has made identifying the largest bloc in parliament more of an issue

Al-Sadr, whose Saroon list won 73 seats in parliament, was the first to announce that he had the largest parliamentary bloc to emerge from the voting and was therefore entitled to nominate the next prime minister.

But the Coordination Framework (CF) Shia Alliance, which disputed the poll results, said it had handed over a list with the names of 88 MPs, thereby jostling for primacy in determining which group should be recognised as the largest.

The HFC became involved in the dispute when it decided that the largest bloc could be formed any time after the first session of the parliament, clearing the way for Al-Sadr to form the new government based on his alliance with the Sunnis and Kurds and eliminating his Shia rivals in the CF.

More constitutional confusion was created when the court decided on Sunday to bar Kurdish politician Hoshyar Zebari from running for Iraqs presidency against the incumbent Barham Saleh, citing a lawsuit filed against him on charges of corruption.

As a result, Iraqs parliament has indefinitely postponed a scheduled vote for the republics president and reopened nominations for the post, throwing the process into further disarray.

The move, aimed at giving a chance for a replacement for Zebari, clearly violates an article in the constitution that stipulates that the president should be chosen by the parliament within 30 days of its first session.

Supreme courts around the world have unique authority in democratic nations, and their jurisprudence is valued for seasoned and non-political constitutional interpretation.

Iraqs constitution should have established a democratic parliamentary system in which the executive branch of the government is accountable to the legislature.

In principle, a government in a parliamentary system should be formed by a party or a coalition of parties having the greatest representation in the parliament with its leader becoming prime minister.

Iraqs governance system was also meant to be based on a political consensus that would bring all Iraqs communities into a national project to rebuild the country on the basis of compromise and mutual benefit.

In practice, however, constitutional flaws and the misuse of the consensus system coupled with mismanagement and corruption have pitted the system into perpetual dysfunction and triggered an endless spiral of conflicts.

Iraqs political system in the post-Saddam era, which was orchestrated by the US Occupying Authority after 2003 in collaboration with the Iraqi cronies it had brought to power, has never been parliamentary or even democratic.

In the four elections that have taken place since 2006, all Iraqs parliaments have just been rubber stamps with no real or very little authority while power has remained vested in the hands of the ruling oligarchs.

The last two prime ministers were not even elected members of parliament and neither were most of the cabinet ministers. Almost all senior government and security forces officials who are required by law to be named by parliament have not been sanctioned.

No one in the small political circle that is currently involved in deal-making about Iraqs next government has been elected, even though these are the ones who are selecting the government leaders and setting the rules of engagement for the next four years.

There are huge political and partisan interests in Iraqs highest court itself, whose judges were named by the ruling oligarchs and endorsed by the previous parliament according to the same power-sharing system that is in place elsewhere.

Some 19 years after the ouster of Saddam, the interpretation and application of Iraqs constitution remain entirely dependent on the whims and dictates of its ruling elites who continue to undermine the countrys long-term democratic future.

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Israels assassination of three Palestinian resistance figures could usher in escalation affecting the Palestinian Authority, reports Mohamed Abu Shaar from Gaza.

Israel stepped up the confrontation in Occupied Jerusalem and various locations on the West Bank this week by killing four Palestinians and injuring dozens of others.

The Palestinian factions threatened to respond to Israels aggression from both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, ending the tenuous calm in Gaza.

The Israeli army began the latest escalation with the assassination of three members of the Al-Aqsa Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah on 8 February. Israeli special forces went to the centre of Nablus on the West Bank in a taxi and carried out their first direct assassinations on the West Bank in many years.

In response, armed resistance groups in the West Bank attacked Israeli army targets and threatened more operations.

On 14 February, the Israeli Occupation Army (IOF) clashed with armed Palestinians in the Jenin Refugee Camp on the West Bank in the first large-scale armed response by the Palestinian armed factions to Israels incursions into the West Bank since 2002.

Israel had then destroyed the entire Jenin Camp when it invaded the West Bank in Operation Defensive Shield led by former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon.

Israels incursion into Jenin killed one Palestinian youth and injured others, as the IOF attempted to demolish the home of detainee Mahmoud Jaradat, accused of shooting at Israeli settlers.

The escalation on the ground deepened the predicament facing the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank, as well as the unprecedented financial and political crisis it has been experiencing as no one in Israel is willing to return to the negotiating table for peace talks.

The PA is also not able to take control of the security situation in many areas on the West Bank.

A report issued by the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University warned that the current impasse facing the PA could make its collapse only a matter of time.

The impasse is due to Israels actions, failed Palestinian reconciliation efforts, dim prospects for peace, Hamas attempts to control the West Bank, and growing numbers of opponents to the Palestinian president within and outside Fatah institutions.

Mekheimar Abu Saada, a political analyst and professor of political science at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, said that everyone knows that the position of the PA is weak, especially in terms of security, even though it has invested billions in building security agencies and strengthening the security forces.

The PA is now confined to the city of Ramallah, Abu Saada said.

Speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly, he added that what makes matters worse is the problem of convening the Central Council in the absence of a Palestinian consensus on holding a meeting, and imposing new appointments in sensitive positions in the Palestinian Liberation Organisation [PLO], which led to divisions inside Fatah after historical Fatah figures were excluded.

Abu Saada was referring to a meeting of the Palestinian Central Council (PCC) that convened recently and at which Hussein Al-Sheikh was appointed a member of the PLOs Executive Committee, the highest Palestinian executive agency, and Raouhi Fatouh was appointed chair of the Palestinian National Council (PNC), the highest parliamentary agency.

Al-Sheikh and Fatouh are close to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and observers believe that they are being groomed to succeed him.

The main reasons for the PAs weakness are the policies and presence of the Israeli occupation, Abu Saada said. The recent assassinations in the West Bank have greatly damaged the PA and its security agencies, which some accuse of being in tune with Israel.

Despite the Israeli escalation, Tel Aviv wants the PA to survive because it does not want to take on the responsibility of the West Bank if the PA institutions collapse, Abu Saada said.

A critical choice for the PA in the coming phase will be how to implement the decisions of the PCC regarding suspending the recognition of Israel and ending security coordination with Tel Aviv.

This will show how serious the PA is about taking these steps and how tolerant Israel will be if these decisions are implemented, transforming the West Bank into a vast arena of confrontation between Israel and the Palestinians.

This could take place in the form of popular resistance or armed resistance, which is gradually becoming more likely.

Along with Israels escalation in the West Bank, the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in Occupied Jerusalem has once again been at the forefront of events. There were extensive clashes between Jerusalem residents and Israeli police and settlers when the Israeli authorities tried to evacuate a house in Sheikh Jarrah under the pretext that it belongs to a settler association.

Tensions peaked in the Jerusalem neighbourhood when extremist right-wing Knesset member Itamar Ben-Gvir decided to set up a tent in the middle of it before it was removed by Israeli police following warnings that the situation could spiral out of control.

This was a reminder of the trigger of the Israeli war on Gaza in May 2021, sparked by Israeli aggression in Sheikh Jarrah followed by Hamas launching several rockets towards Jerusalem.

The war lasted for 12 days and ended through Egyptian and UN mediation in the restoration of calm in Gaza and the beginning of reconstruction after extensive damage had been inflicted.

The Palestinian factions view Israels escalation in the West Bank and Sheikh Jarrah as playing with fire and say it sends a message to mediators to intervene and to try to defuse tensions caused by Israels aggression in Jerusalem.

Events in Abu Jarrah and the recent assassinations will lead to a stronger reaction in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The Gaza Strip will not be far behind, said Abu Saada.

However, he added that it is unlikely that the armed Palestinian factions in Gaza will enter into military confrontations, as was the case last May.

Gaza has been under siege for 15 years and suffers from appalling humanitarian and economic conditions. Hamas, Abu Saada said, understands the need to avoid military confrontations that could exacerbate the misery and pain in Gaza.

The symbolic value of Occupied Jerusalem for the Palestinians, the impatience of the armed factions in the Gaza Strip about Israels dragging its feet in lifting the siege, Israels obstruction of reconstruction efforts, and its blocking of the transfer of Qatari funds to Hamas employees are all pressure points that could lead to further escalation.

Whatever the interim calculations, whether regarding conditions in Jerusalem or the West Bank, the PAs resilience and survival, or even the end of the truce between the armed factions in the Gaza Strip and Israel, political and security matters remain open to various options, many of which could be explosive.

Meanwhile, Israels intransigence in dealing with the PA and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, continues, with Tel Aviv refusing to make any concessions on any issues with either side

*A version of this article appears in print in the 17 February, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Some point to the development mega projects, such as the highway, bridge and overpass networks and the urban renewal and expansion projects that are visibly transforming the face of the country as never before. But that is merely the infrastructure for the new republic which, in fact, should be based on investment in people and the establishment of a new way of life for them.

President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi stressed this point when he launched the concept during his opening address to the Ministerial Conference of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Women in July 2021. That occasion, he said, confirmed the birth of the new republic which is open to all, without distinction or discrimination, and based on the principles of democracy, justice, equality and citizenship.

We should bear in mind that, in choosing this name, the president averted a futile debate over whether the new republic was the second or the third. In one numbering system, Abdel-Nasser established the first and Sadat ushered in the second with his political and economic reorientation and the 1971 Constitution.

According to others, Nassers and Sadats regimes were two eras in the same republic. All agree that the Mubarak regime was an extension of Sadats and its outlooks. As for the rule of Mohamed Morsi, that was but a brief transitional that the people did not want to take root. But there is no doubt that, on July 2013, a new republic was born by dint of the historical break marked by the dual grassroots uprising that overthrew Mubarak in 2011 and Muslim Brotherhood rule in 2013. Then the constitutional referendum in 2014 established the new legitimacy.

The new republic immediately set out to build vitally needed infrastructure, as well as to modernise healthcare services, address the needs of youth, women and the handicapped, eliminate slums and develop rural areas in the Delta and Upper Egypt. That spirit is epitomised by the Decent Life initiative. But what I am looking forward to is a document embodying the philosophy of our new republic and serving as a compass to orient the state and society in the upcoming period. I wonder what such a document would look like.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 17 February, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

Human Rights Commissioner Sabina Aliyeva has urged the international community to give legal assessment to Armenia's aggression and ethnic cleansing policy against Azerbaijanis, including the genocide in Garadaghli village.

In her appeal to international agencies on the 30th anniversary of the tragedy in Garadaghli village committed by Armenia against the Azerbaijani civilians, Aliyeva said: "Those who committed this crime against peace and humanity must be brought to the international legal responsibility."

Aliyeva recalled that the Armenian armed forces committed genocide against the civilians in Garadaghli village of Azerbaijans Khojavand region on February 17, 1992. As a result of this bloody crime, Garadaghli village was occupied and burned, 118 civilians were taken hostage and 68 of them were brutally killed.

In 2020, a counter-offensive operation was launched to prevent another military aggression against Azerbaijan and to ensure the security of the civilian population. Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia for nearly 30 years were liberated in a short time, and the violated rights of compatriots were restored.

As a result of the war crimes committed by Armenia against Azerbaijan during these military operations, more than 100 civilians, including more than 10 children were killed, more than 450 people were wounded, 12,000 civilian objects, including more than 3,410 houses, 120 multifloored apartments, 512 civilian infrastructure, including apartment buildings and numerous schools, hospitals, and kindergartens, as well as our historic, religious, and cultural monuments were destroyed or severely damaged, she added.

It should be mentioned that in the 20th century, Armenians perpetrated systematic crimes and atrocities against Azerbaijanis to break the spirit of the nation and annihilate the Azerbaijani people of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Khojaly genocide is regarded as the culmination of Armenian mass murders.

Some 613 Azerbaijanis, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 elders were brutally murdered on the ground of national identity in Khojaly in 1992.

This heinous act was preceded by a slew of others. Armenians set fire to around 20 buildings in the Baghanis-Ayrim village of Gazakh region, killing eight Azerbaijanis. A family of five, including a 39-day-old newborn, were all burnt alive.

Between June and December 1991, Armenian troops murdered 12 and wounded 15 Azerbaijanis in Khojavand region's Garadaghli and Asgaran region's Meshali villages.

Armenian military detachments bombed buses on the Shusha-Jamilli, Aghdam-Khojavand, and Aghdam-Garadaghli routes in August and September of the same year, killing 17 Azerbaijanis and injuring over 90 others.

In October and November 1991, Armenians burned, destroyed, and plundered over 30 settlements in the mountainous area of Karabakh, including Tugh, Imarat-Garvand, Sirkhavand, Meshali, Jamilli, Umudlu, Garadaghli, Karkijahan, and other significant villages.




Tesla accounted for almost half of government subsidies in Korea for electric cars in the first half of this year. Chinese electric bus makers also benefited significantly.

According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association on Sunday, EV sales during the January to June period increased 2.7 percent on-year to 16,359 cars.

Korean automakers' sales plunged 43.1 percent during that period due to the delayed release of new models, as well as reduced subsidies per car and increased recharging costs.

But sales of imported electric cars surged 564.1 percent. Tesla's aggressive marketing of its Model 3 resulted in sales surging from just 417 to 7,080 while its share of Korea's EV market rose to 43.3 percent in the first six months.

The U.S. carmaker benefited from W90 billion worth of subsidies or 43 percent of the total (US1=W1,203).

Chinese automakers also performed well thanks to their electric buses. Their sales of electric buses here rose 64.5 percent on-year to 181 as provincial government expanded subsidies for green vehicles. That meant Chinese electric bus makers Hifus and J Motors' sales doubled to 70 and saw their share of the Korean market rose to 38.7 percent.

They benefited from 35.1 percent of EV subsidies or W5.9 billion.

KAMA chairman Chung Man-ki said, "Subsidies come from taxpayers, so we need to revise the system to benefit Korean automakers."

According to KAMA, France in May overhauled its EV subsidy system to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to benefit Peugeot Citroen more, and Germany did the same so that Mercedes-Benz and BMW gain more. China offers subsidies only to EVs that use Chinese-made rechargeable batteries.


The military government of Mali says France's decision to withdraw troops is a violation of bilateral accords. At the same time, the government says it wants French forces to leave Mali immediately.

During an address from Elysee Palace Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron said the withdrawal of French and European forces from Mali would take between four and six months. But Mali's military government has now asked that forces with Operation Barkhane and the Takuba Task Force depart immediately.

Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, a spokesperson for Mali's military government, read the government's statement on Mali's state television station ORTM. Maiga called France's move a "unilateral decision," similar to decisions that France announced last June suspending joint operations with the Malian army and ending Operation Barkhane.

These decisions, he said, were made without consultation with the Malian side and constitute flagrant violations of French-Malian agreements. Maiga said that in view of these repeated breaches of the defense agreements, the government asks the French authorities to withdraw, without delay, Barkhane and Takuba forces from national territory, under the supervision of Malian authorities.


KYODO NEWS - Feb 19, 2022 - 08:39 | All, World

U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday he is "convinced" that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine following a massive military buildup near its borders, but he noted that diplomacy is not yet off the table.

As tensions simmer over the Ukraine crisis, the Russian Defense Ministry said it will conduct massive military drills involving its nuclear forces on Saturday.

In the latest show of Western unity, Biden and European leaders agreed during a phone call to continue pursuing diplomacy to de-escalate tensions, while reiterating their warning that Russia will face "swift, coordinated economic costs" should it choose further conflict, according to the White House.

The overwhelming message of the call was "one of unity, determination and resolve," Biden told a press conference.

Biden said Thursday that he saw a "very high" risk of a Russian invasion of Ukraine within the "next several days." On Friday he said Putin had made up his mind.

"We have reason to believe the Russian forces are planning and intend to attack Ukraine in the coming week, in the coming days," he said, adding that the Ukraine capital will also likely be targeted.

The leaders of the Group of Seven -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union -- will also hold a virtual meeting next Thursday to discuss the situation in Ukraine, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told a press conference.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has traveled to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference, and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov are planning to meet on Thursday, unless Moscow invades Ukraine.

Russian troops have been arrayed along Ukraine's borders, with forces positioned within Russian territory as well as in Belarus, which has close ties with Moscow, and in Crimea, annexed from Ukraine by Russia in 2014.

Russia is likely to have amassed between 169,000 and 190,000 military personnel near Ukraine, compared with about 100,000 on Jan. 30, according to a statement from Michael Carpenter, U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

He said the buildup was "the most significant military mobilization in Europe" since World War II and doubled down on the U.S. assertion that Moscow is seeking to create a pretext to justify an invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian government may stage a fabricated attack by the Ukrainian military against Russian territory, or against Russian-speaking people in separatist-controlled territory, to justify military action against Ukraine, he said.

While denying any intention to invade the former Soviet republic, Moscow asserts that its security is under threat with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's eastward expansion and the possibility of Ukraine's membership of the alliance.

Concerns are growing in particular over the situation in eastern Ukraine -- the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, collectively known as the Donbas and partially controlled by Russian-led forces since 2014.

Ukrainian forces have been fighting pro-Russian separatists in those regions. As clashes continue, a kindergarten in eastern Ukraine was among civilian structures shelled recently, with the two sides blaming each other for the attack.

On Friday, the separatists said they planned to evacuate residents to Russia due to fears of a military operation by Ukraine, an apparent effort to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 20, 2022 - 02:11 | All, World

The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major developed countries on Saturday warned further aggression against Ukraine would cause Russia to incur "severe and unprecedented costs."

Calling Russia's "unprovoked and unjustified" massive military deployment a "challenge to global security and the international order," the G-7 ministers said in a statement released after their talks in Munich that Moscow should choose diplomacy and de-escalate tensions by implementing the announced reduction of military activities along Ukraine's borders.

"Russia should be in no doubt that any further military aggression against Ukraine will have massive consequences, including financial and economic sanctions on a wide array of sectoral and individual targets that would impose severe and unprecedented costs on the Russian economy," the statement said.

The G-7 has seen no evidence of reduction in Russian military activities, the ministers said.

The ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States as well as the European Union also demanded that Russia "take up the offer of dialogue" with Washington and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, while vowing to back Ukraine's efforts to strengthen its democracy.

The meeting took place on the fringes of the Munich Security Conference as the international community anxiously monitors the situation at Ukraine's borders, where Russia is seen as having amassed as many as 190,000 troops.

On Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden said he is "convinced" that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine within days, with targets including its capital Kyiv.

Russia has warned that it could take "military-technical measures" if the United States and its allies continue to reject Moscow's demand for security guarantees precluding Ukraine's entry into NATO.

Russia has been asserting that its security is threatened by NATO's eastward expansion while denying any intention to invade Ukraine, a former Soviet republic.

The meeting of the top diplomats will lay the groundwork for a virtual summit of G-7 leaders slated for next Thursday.

Earlier this week, the G-7 finance ministers have warned that economic sanctions bringing "massive and immediate consequences" will be imposed on Russia if it invades Ukraine.

The G-7 foreign ministers last met in December in the English city of Liverpool and reaffirmed their "unwavering commitment" to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"This issue is about the fundamental principle of the international community that changing the status quo by force is not tolerated," Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters after the gathering.

Before attending the annual security conference, Hayashi also had bilateral meetings with foreign ministers from such as EU, Latvia, Britain and Romania, pledging to keep close cooperation in addressing the Ukraine issue, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
By Yuki Yamaguchi, KYODO NEWS - Feb 19, 2022 - 11:01 | All, Feature, Japan

When Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. froze its project to develop the Mitsubishi SpaceJet, Japan's first domestically manufactured passenger jet, in the fall of 2020, it looked like Japan's ambition to rank with the United States and Europe in aircraft manufacturing was over.

Launched in 2008, the project to develop the small-size plane for 70-90 passengers was hit by repeated delays caused by a lack of production know-how and supply chain issues. The COVID-19 pandemic dealt it a final blow by wiping out demand for commercial airplanes across the globe.

The company slashed the budget and the workforce, leaving only enough to maintain some test airplanes in its facilities and examine accumulated flight test data. Many people thought the future of Japan's aircraft manufacturing industry was doomed.

Not Junichi Miyakawa. Last fall, the 67-year-old engineer, formerly involved in the project, launched a course designed to share knowledge of airplane manufacturing with future industry professionals and keep the ambition alive.

"The aircraft industry is definitely going to make a comeback in the future," Miyakawa said in a recent interview. "I want to pass on the efforts we've made to the next generation."

The course, held both online and in Nagoya, central Japan, near Mitsubishi's assembly plant for Mitsubishi SpaceJet, covers a broad range of areas such as aircraft design, supply chain management, and marketing. It started last October and is scheduled to end in March.

The program, consisting of 16 lectures, invites professionals in various fields, including an engineer at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and a former top official at ANA Holdings Inc., to talk about their fields of expertise.

Participants learn not only about the technical aspects of building aircraft but also get an overview of the industry, something that Miyakawa believes is key to developing successful engineers and other professionals.

Miyakawa explained that in the future, they must focus not only on narrow technical areas but also look beyond their fields of specialization.

"You also have to look into the far distance. You have to have bifocal glasses," he said.

Miyakawa, a native of Tokyo, was born nine years after World War II. Like many children then, Miyakawa grew up building plastic models of Japanese military planes like the Zero fighter.

His vague interest in airplanes took shape after his friend's brother, a pilot, took him on a flight around Tokyo in a Cessna when he was 18. He was fascinated by the beautiful view of Izu Oshima Island, south of Tokyo, from above.

"He even made circles above my house," he said. "That flight left a really strong impression on me."

After studying aeronautics at the University of Tokyo, Miyakawa joined Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 1978.

A thriving industry during wartime, Japan's aircraft manufacturing fell into decline after the General Headquarters of the Allied Forces introduced a seven-year ban on making airplanes in the aftermath of World War II.

Although there have been some attempts to develop commercial airplanes, Japanese aircraft making has primarily revolved around producing Air Self-Defense Force planes along with supplying parts to giants such as Boing Co. and Airbus SE.

In an attempt to turn it into a growth industry, Mitsubishi Heavy, backed by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, launched a project to make the country's first domestically manufactured passenger jet in 2008.

The Mitsubishi Regional Jet was set to be Japan's first passenger airplane in half a century after the YS-11 turboprop flew for the first time in 1962. Amid growing hopes among government officials and business circles, it virtually became a national project.

The aircraft, later renamed Mitsubishi SpaceJet, was designed for close to medium distance flights, boasting high fuel efficiency helped by new-generation engines.

The company said it planned to take a 40-50 percent share in the global small aircraft market dominated by Canada's Bombardier Inc. and Brazil's Embraer SA.

To achieve such an ambition, the company appointed Miyakawa as its first project manager. "It came out of the blue," he said, as he had a long career in military aircraft development.

After working on the aircraft's basic design, Miyakawa took charge of sales marketing, winning orders from regional airlines such as U.S.-based Trans States Holdings Inc. The number of orders rose to more than 400 at its peak.

However, initially scheduled for 2013, the delivery date was pushed back six times as the airplane went through repeated design changes to improve its safety. According to people familiar with the matter, development costs kept soaring, reaching about 1 trillion yen ($8.7 billion).

With no clear exit in sight and faced with shrinking air travel demand caused by the pandemic, the top management decided to put the project on hold in October 2020, saying "it will pause it for the moment," without specifying when it will resume.

"We made an airplane of some quality, but we lacked know-how and experience needed to obtain (the certification necessary for commercial flights)," Mitsubishi Heavy President Seiji Izumisawa told reporters at the time.

The decision devastated its engineers. "It was so close to completion. It was like my baby," said Miyakawa, who had already retired from the company by then.

Experts say that while Mitsubishi, the maker of the Zero fighter plane during WWII, had the technical abilities to make airplanes, it underestimated the difficulty of obtaining type certification -- signifying the airworthiness of a particular category of aircraft.

Japan's transportation ministry supervises the process but heavily draws on a similar procedure of the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States as the Japanese ministry had no previous experience reviewing certification for a domestically manufactured passenger jet.

Mitsubishi's struggles came from a lack of knowledge about how to meet each procedure requirement, leading to continual design changes.

"It was so different from making SDF planes," a former senior official involved in the project has said.

According to the experts, Mitsubishi's corporate culture of developing products on its own without seeking outside help also added to the difficulties.

Miyakawa's course seems to draw on such past mistakes.

Rather than just teaching about how to make airplanes, it tries to train students to be versatile in a broad array of topics like market and customer trends, airline and airport management, and even how flying cars and electric aircraft could change the industry.

To date, the course, which is offered through the Nagoya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has attracted more than 100 participants, including current engineers in the aircraft industry, students, and small-business owners considering entering the industry.

"I wanted to have a framework to pass on the knowledge and know-how I acquired through developing the MRJ to the next generation," Miyakawa said. "I'm really happy young people involved in airplane making are actually taking this course."

Miyakawa says it takes time to train engineers, but once a certain skill level is achieved in a country as a whole, the potential for the future is limitless. The resumption of the Mitsubishi SpaceJet project would make that dream a reality, he said.

"I really want the company to come up with ways to continue (the development) at any cost," he said. "We were so close to the mountain top. Why would we go back to the base of it?"
KYODO NEWS - Feb 19, 2022 - 02:59 | All, World

The Russian Defense Ministry said Friday it will conduct massive military drills involving its nuclear forces, a move that could further raise tensions at a time when the West is fearing a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The United States and its allies in Europe and elsewhere are warning of the heavy economic and other consequences Russia will face for any military aggression against its neighbor country, and are calling for a diplomatic solution to the Russia-Ukraine standoff.

But there have been no signs of a breakthrough so far.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the exercises for its strategic deterrence forces will take place Saturday, overseen by Russian President Vladimir Putin. They will include launches of ballistic and cruise missiles, according to Russian media.

Tensions are running high as Russian troops have been arrayed along Ukraine's borders, with forces positioned within Russian territory as well as in Belarus, which has close ties with Moscow, and in Crimea, annexed from Ukraine by Russia in 2014.

Currently, Russia is likely to have amassed between 169,000 and 190,000 military personnel near Ukraine, as compared with about 100,000 on Jan. 30, according to a statement from Michael Carpenter, U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

He criticized the buildup as "the most significant military mobilization in Europe" since World War II and doubled down on the U.S. assertion that Moscow is seeking to create a pretext to justify an invasion into Ukraine.

The Russian government may stage a fabricated attack by Ukrainian military against Russian territory, or against Russian-speaking people in separatist-controlled territory, to justify military action against Ukraine, he said.

While denying any intention to invade the former Soviet republic, Moscow has been asserting that its security is under threat with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's eastward expansion and the possibility of Ukraine's membership of the alliance.

Concerns are now growing in particular over the situation in eastern Ukraine -- the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, collectively known as the Donbas and partially controlled by Russia-led forces since 2014.

Ukrainian forces have been fighting pro-Russian separatists in these regions. As clashes continue, a kindergarten in eastern Ukraine was among the civilian structures to be shelled recently, with the two sides blaming each other for the attack.

On Friday, the Russian-backed separatists said they planned an evacuation of residents to the Russian side due to fears of a military operation by Ukraine, in what can be seen as part of efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 19, 2022 - 20:10 | All, Japan

An arrangement is being made for U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel to visit atomic-bombed Hiroshima with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida next week, a Japanese government source said Saturday.

Under the plan under consideration, Emanuel, once a top aide to former President Barack Obama who visited Hiroshima in 2016, will offer prayers and flowers to those who suffered from the U.S. bombing in 1945 at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on Feb. 26, the source said.

Emanuel met Kishida earlier in the month and expressed his intention to visit the western Japan city at an early date.

A final decision will be made after further assessing the coronavirus pandemic situation in the country, the source said.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 19, 2022 - 21:54 | World, All, Japan

The northern Australian city of Darwin on Saturday marked the 80th anniversary of a Japanese air raid that killed hundreds during World War II.

The bombing of Darwin on Feb. 19, 1942, the first attack by Japanese forces on the Australian mainland, killed at least 250 people and destroyed 30 aircraft and nine ships.

"Eighty years ago, Australia and Japan faced off across a seemingly unbreachable divide," said Darwin's mayor Kon Vatskalis on the eve of the anniversary. "But time, good sense, and an improved appreciation of not just our differences but our similarities have healed those old wounds."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison echoed the sentiment on Saturday, recalling the quiet moment of reconciliation in November 2018 when he laid a wreath at the memorial alongside former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

"That enemy that inflicted such violence on this city and this nation, on this day, has now become one of our most trusted and loyal friends," Morrison said. "Out of the suffering of war, we have turned to each other in a spirit of reconciliation and respect."

At 9:58 a.m., the sound of air raid sirens blared across the waterfront as members of the Australian Defense Force re-enacted the exact moment 188 Japanese aircraft flew over Darwin Harbor.

Cannons fired plumes of red smoke into the air, as army personnel simulated the Australian response to the Japanese air raid, returning fire using blanks while Royal Australian Airforce fighter aircraft flew by overhead.

Darwin's strategic location on Australia's northern edge, close to present-day Indonesia, along with a major military buildup since the mid-1930s made it a prime target for Japanese forces during the war.

The air attacks across northern Australia, centering on the Northern Territory, continued until November 1943, by which time the Japanese had raided Darwin at least 64 times.

Brian Winspear, a 101-year-old former flight lieutenant in the Royal Australian Air Force, recalled watching from the bottom of a trench in Darwin as the raid began.

"You could see the sun glinting off the bombs. It was just like confetti coming down," Winspear told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

He described the incoming aircraft as being so close that he could see the faces of the Japanese pilots as they flew overhead.

After laying a wreath at the memorial, Winspear raised his hands in the air in a jubilant fist pump, to the loud applause of those gathered to mark the occasion. Morrison and Japanese Ambassador to Australia Shingo Yamagami were among those who also offered flowers.

The sinking of the Japanese submarine I-124 about a month before the air raid was also commemorated on Friday with the unveiling of a new plaque at the existing memorial site overlooking Casuarina Beach, near the location of the submarine's resting place on the seafloor.

The plaque lists the names of all 80 crew who died when the submarine was sunk around 95 kilometers off the Darwin coast while trying to torpedo a U.S. Navy fleet oiler during the war. They remain entombed in the submarine.

"By doing so, we give these men their names, and thus their basic identities back," said Yamagami. The envoy told reporters after offering flowers at the new plaque that he looked back on the "footprints of postwar reconciliation and peace" between Japan and Australia.

"All that once divided us has long since been replaced with true friendship. There is only understanding between the Australian and Japanese people, an understanding that cannot be shaken," said Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner.

The plaque, a joint effort of the Embassy of Japan, the Northern Territory government and the Australian-Japanese Association of the Northern Territory, joins at the site an existing memorial plaque and commemorative Pongamia tree, a healing plant native to both Japan and Australia, planted to promote peace between the two countries.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 19, 2022 - 21:00 | World, All

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has called on Myanmar to facilitate visits by its new special envoy to help defuse its political conflict, according to a statement released after a meeting of the group's foreign ministers earlier in the week.

The statement issued late Friday by the Cambodian chair of the meeting urged the military junta "to facilitate missions of the special envoy of the ASEAN chair, beginning with the first visit to Myanmar as soon as possible in order to move forward implementation of the five-point consensus."

"In this regard, we recognized that in undertaking his duties, the special envoy could engage with all the parties concerned," it added.

The Myanmar military, which toppled a democratically elected government in a February 2021 coup, has not made progress in implementing ASEAN's so-called five-point consensus, which includes a call for an immediate end to violence and the dispatch of the group's special envoy to meet with all stakeholders in the country.

ASEAN member states welcomed the endorsement of Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn as the special envoy, according to the statement. Sokhonn assumed the post as Cambodia took over the annually rotating chairmanship of the 10-member group from Brunei at the start of this year.

Related coverage:

ASEAN's special envoy to visit Myanmar in March

The wording in the statement suggested a shift in the regional group's approach in dealing with the crisis compared with last year, with less pressure on the junta to allow the special envoy to meet with all parties in the conflict.

Sokhonn said Thursday following the ministerial meeting in the Cambodian capital that he will travel to Myanmar in the second week of March without imposing preconditions on the junta to allow the envoy to meet all conflicting parties during the visit.

"Maybe it's not possible to meet everyone for the first visit, and we should not be too ambitious," he said.

The minister also said Cambodia has decided to take a different approach to overcome a deadlock between Myanmar and ASEAN over the insistence of some members last year that the group's then Bruneian envoy should meet with all parties concerned including ousted and detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Compared with an earlier draft, a copy of which was seen by Kyodo News, the wording in the statement was watered down.

The previous version said the special envoy would not take sides or legitimize the positions of any parties "to enable him to operate in an inclusive and neutral manner" and "facilitate mediation of the dialogue process" among all groups.

Conference sources said the Myanmar junta had opposed the portion that was later removed, delaying the release of the statement.

However, ASEAN officials told Kyodo that there is fundamentally no change in the group's position on the five-point peace plan agreed on by its leaders in April last year, with one saying, "We still insist on (the envoy meeting) all parties concerned."

"However, the special envoy may do this differently and he may visit Myanmar first and engage with different parties rather than all parties all at once."

During the foreign ministers' meeting, several members did mention that the envoy should visit Suu Kyi and engage with pro-democracy forces, according to sources who attended.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
BAMAKO, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Eight soldiers of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) were left dead and 57 terrorists were killed in violent attacks Friday in the northeast of the country, confirmed the Directorate of Information and Public Relations of the Armed Forces (Dirpa) in a statement released Saturday.

According to the statement, a reconnaissance patrol unit of the FAMa encountered elements of the Armed Terrorist Groups (GAT) riding on motorcycles Friday afternoon in the area of Archam, west of Tessit, which is near the border zone of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso.

The FAMa used airstrikes to help kill columns of motorcyclists who were allegedly trying to encircle the reconnaissance patrol unit, which led to the killings of 57 terrorists, and the deaths of eight soldiers on the side of FAMa.

While praising the Malian soldiers for their courage and bravery, the statement promised that nothing will stop the FAMa in their relentless struggle for the return of peace and tranquility.

Since 2012, Mali has been facing deep and multifaceted security, political and economic crises. Separatist insurrections, jihadi incursions and inter-communal violence have left thousands dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced in this West African country. 
By Trend

The opening of the Zangezur corridor will help establish a direct link between Azerbaijan and Europe, founder of the NomadMania travel company Harry Mitsidis said during his visit to Karabakh, Trend reports.

"When we visit these regions in 10 years, we hope to see big hotels, smart villages, and developed economic spaces. I expect Karabakh to become a new bridge between Azerbaijan and Europe. More people should visit and discover Azerbaijan," he added.

The visit to Karabakh and East Zangezur was organized by the International Club "NomadMania", uniting famous travelers who had visited at least 100 countries of the world.
MEXICO CITY, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- With a yellowed newspaper in hand, Fernando Gual Sill recalled when the first giant pandas from China arrived in Mexico almost five decades ago as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.

"It was big news," Gual Sill, general director of Mexico City's public zoos, told Xinhua. The September 1975 newspaper and a photo album are treasures he has carefully tended.

That year, China gifted Mexico with a pair of giant pandas: a male named Pe Pe and a female named Ying Ying, who made their new home at the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City.

"When they arrived they were just cubs," Gual Sill said. "At the time, not much was known about pandas in zoos or how they reproduced. We were fortunate that a few years later, giant pandas were born in Mexico City."

To preserve the species in Mexico, experts from the two countries have collaborated closely and conducted academic exchanges.

"Several Mexican veterinarians traveled to China for academic and training visits, including for medical, geriatric and offspring care, and reproduction, which were key," the expert said.

Pe Pe and Ying Ying turned out to be one of the most prolific panda couples in the world, breeding seven offspring in captivity.

Currently, two females -- Shuan Shuan, born in 1987, and Xin Xin, born in 1990 -- live at Chapultepec and they are the longest living giant pandas in captivity outside China.

Gual Sill confirmed that the pandas are the stars of the zoo, with thousands of people visiting and getting to know the Chinese species and Mexican offspring.

For the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mexico on Feb. 14, Gual Sill invited Chinese friends to the zoo's giant panda pavilion to celebrate together.

Javier Ojeda, a member of the veterinary team at the zoo, said the pandas represent the friendship between the two countries because reproduction and conservation could not have been successful without both individual and governmental collaboration.

"It's a privilege to work with this species," Panda keeper Elias Garcia Ramirez, who has over 20 years of experience, told Xinhua, adding that he considers the pandas part of his family since he spends most of his time with them and has a close emotional connection with them. 
RAMALLAH, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Friday condemned Israel's refusal to cooperate with a United Nations (UN) commission of inquiry into the tension that broke out in the Gaza Strip in May 2021.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it condemns the Israeli government's decision to deny the entry of the commission's representatives to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

On Thursday, Israel officially informed the UN Human Rights Council that it will not cooperate with the commission of inquiry and will deny the entry of its members to the country, according to Israeli media.

"The decision is illegal," the Palestinian statement said, adding that it is necessary to support the commission's work "to succeed in its tasks consistent with the mandate granted by the UN and with international law and its references."

In May 2021, Egypt brokered a ceasefire that ended 11 days of clashes between Israel and Hamas-led Islamic Resistance Movement in the Gaza Strip, during which around 250 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed. 
Ebrahim Raisi attends a swearing-in ceremony in Tehran, Iran, Aug. 5, 2021. (Photo by Javad Salarheyli/Xinhua)

TEHRAN, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Saturday that any possible agreement between Iran and world powers in the Austrian capital of Vienna must include removal of anti-Iran sanctions and valid guarantees for the implementation of commitments, according to the presidential website.

Raisi made the remarks during a phone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.

"In the course of negotiations, the Islamic Republic of Iran has offered constructive proposals and has examined the proposals by the other sides of the talks and their compliance with the interests of the Iranian people," Raisi said.

He also warned against "political pressures or claims made with the aim of maintaining pressure on the Iranian people," which has undermined the prospect of reaching an agreement in the talks aimed at reviving the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks at the opening ceremony of the 6th European Union-African Union Summit in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 17, 2022. (European Union/Handout via Xinhua)

For his part, Macron said that good progress has been made in the Vienna talks, expressing the hope that the talks would draw conclusions as soon as possible.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of 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 Vienna 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. 
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivers his first government statement at the Reichstag building in Berlin Dec. 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

Russia has repeatedly urged NATO to halt its eastward expansion as the intergovernmental military alliance led by the United States has further enlarged even after the Cold War.



MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that diplomatic channels are still the means to solve the Ukrainian problem but warned against "being naive."

He made the remarks in his first speech at the 58th Munich Security Conference (MSC), which will last through Monday.

The conflict in Ukraine shows no sign of easing, and "there is a danger of another war in Europe," he said.

Ukraine's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which has been a major concern for Russia, is not on the agenda either now or in the near future, he noted.

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)

Regarding Germany's decision not to supply weapons to Ukraine, Scholz said that his country had strict regulations on arms exports, and that Berlin had provided financial support to Ukraine instead.

Scholz stressed the importance of the transatlantic partnership, noting that Germany will ensure compliance with the Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, the collective defense clause.

Russia has repeatedly urged NATO to halt its eastward expansion as the intergovernmental military alliance led by the United States has further enlarged even after the Cold War.

U.S. President Joe Biden arrives at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States on Jan. 24, 2022. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

At a press conference held with Scholz in Moscow on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that postponing Ukraine's possible accession to NATO will resolve nothing for Russia and that Moscow wants its security concerns to be addressed seriously. 
A sign of mask requirement is seen near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, March 3, 2021. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

Certain flights will still operate Saturday and Sunday, in order to offer travel options to those who have already booked.



BERLIN, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The German government on Saturday urged its citizens to leave Ukraine immediately, while Lufthansa plans to partially suspend flights to and from Ukraine from Monday.

"A military conflict is possible at any time... Leave the country in good time," The German Federal Foreign Office said in its security instructions on its official website.

A Lufthansa airplane prepares to land at Frankfurt airport in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)

Meanwhile, Lufthansa, the flag carrier and largest airline of Germany, announced that it will suspend its regular flights to Kiev and Odessa until the end of February.

Certain flights will still operate Saturday and Sunday, in order to offer travel options to those who have already booked. Those affected by the cancellations will be informed and rebooked on alternative flights, the company added.

However, Lufthansa said that flights to Lviv in western Ukraine will continue on a regular basis.

People walk on a snow-covered road in Kiev, Ukraine on Jan. 15, 2021. (Photo by Sergey Starostenko/Xinhua)
A woman walks past the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in Paris, France, Jan. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

The notice was published after French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke on the phone on Saturday with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov about the current situation along the Ukraine borders.



PARIS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- France on Saturday urged all its nationals who are currently in Ukraine for non-essential stays to leave the country.

French nationals in Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk are urged by the French Foreign Ministry to leave these regions without delay due to the security situation.

"It is recommended to exercise heightened vigilance and not to go to the border areas in the north and east of the country," the ministry said, adding that French citizens are advised to postpone all travel to Ukraine.

Citizens walk on the frozen Dnieper River in Kiev, Ukraine, Feb. 19, 2021. (Photo by Sergey Starostenko/Xinhua)

The notice was published after French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke on the phone on Saturday with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov about the current situation along the Ukraine borders.

Lavrov warned that ignoring the legitimate rights of Russia in the security area hurts stability not only on the European continent but also in the world.

Le Drian reiterated that dialogue was still possible but Russia should "choose" to engage in it.

Photo taken on Feb. 10, 2022 shows the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi) 
The second anti-pandemic work group from the Chinese mainland to support the COVID-19 control efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) arrives at south China's Hong Kong, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

The second medical team from the mainland consists of 114 members, who will fully cooperate with the HKSAR government in fighting the latest COVID-19 outbreak.

HONG KONG, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The second team of mainland health experts and workers arrived in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) via the Shenzhen Bay Port on Saturday to work with the HKSAR government in fighting the latest COVID-19 outbreak.

The team is comprised of 114 members, including four critical care medical specialists, four administrative staff members, and 106 sampling workers.

The second anti-pandemic work group from the Chinese mainland gets ready to depart from Shenzhenwan Port in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

The four critical care specialists will discuss with clinical medical experts in Hong Kong on the treatment of severe and critical COVID-19 cases, and share the treatment experience of COVID-19 patients in the mainland.

Also on Saturday, the construction of two community isolation and treatment facilities built with assistance from the mainland began at Penny's Bay and Kai Tak Pier in Hong Kong, respectively.

HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks at the commencement ceremony held at Penny's Bay quarantine site in south China's Hong Kong on Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua)

Designed and constructed by China State Construction International Holdings Ltd., the two isolation facilities are expected to provide about 9,500 quarantine units when fully operational.

On behalf of the Hong Kong residents, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam expressed her heartfelt thanks to the central leadership for their great attention, care and full support to Hong Kong at the commencement ceremony held at Penny's Bay quarantine site.

The HKSAR government would like to express its sincere gratitude to the China State Construction International for its professionalism and sense of responsibility in assisting Hong Kong in the fight against COVID-19, Lam said. 
ALGIERS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Algerian counterterrorism troops on Saturday killed seven "terrorists" near the locality of Collo in the northern coastal province of Skikda, said a statement of the Ministry of National Defense.

"Thanks to efficient use of intelligence, army troops on Saturday morning killed seven terrorists, following a counterterrorism operation carried out at the upper woods of the locality of Collo," the ministry statement said, adding the operation is still underway.

The army also seized six Kalashnikov-type submachine guns, a sniper rifle, large quantities of ammunition, communication tools, clothing and medicines, among others, according to the statement.

Despite remarkable improvement in the security situation in Algeria compared to the 1990s, clashes between the army and terrorists are reported from time to time, especially in the eastern and southernmost regions of the North African country. 
MOGADISHU, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) - At least ten people were killed in a suicide bombing in Beledweyne town, central Somalia, in the latest attack Saturday, the police and witnesses said.

The police said a suicide bomber blew himself up at a tea shop in the town, causing multiple casualties.

"We are at the scene to examine the situation," the police said on the phone.

No more details are available at the moment. 
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed hope and strong expectations that continued engagement and dialogue will lead to a diplomatic solution to the ongoing Ukrainian issue.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said during a weekly media briefing on Friday here that he believes diplomatic solution is "the right way to go," and Pakistan is closely following the developments in this regard.

Pakistan's mission is in close contact with the Pakistani community, especially the students in Ukraine, he added.

"They are taking care of their welfare and they are also, from time to time, issuing necessary advice and guidance to them keeping in view the evolving situation," Ahmad said.

The spokesperson said that Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to visit Russia next week at the invitation of the Russian leadership and its preparations are underway.

"Pakistan attaches great importance to its multi-faceted and strong relationship with Russia," he added. 
By Trend

I was very delighted with the nature of Karabakh, traveler Nicola Coratella said during his visit to Karabakh, Trend reports.

The nature of Karabakh, and especially the Kalbajar district of Azerbaijan is mesmerizing, Coratella said.

"We were shocked by the destruction, meanwhile we were struck by the speed of restoration work progress," he added.
New Delhi :

Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad hit out at anti-CAA protesters at Shaheen Bagh saying that 'people who want to divide country are using Indian flag.' Shaheen Bagh is not an area anymore, it is an idea, where the Indian flag is being used as a cover for the people who want to divide the country, it is being supported by tukde-tukde gang, he was quoted as saying by ANI. Prasad also said that Shaheen Bagh is emerging as a textbook case of a few hundred people seeking to suppress the peaceful majority.

Shaheen Bagh is emerging as a textbook case of a few hundred people seeking to suppress the peaceful majority. This is the true face of Shaheen Bagh and uncovering it in front of the country is very important. Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal are both silent on this issue, the BJP leader said.

Taking a dig at the Opposition parties for opposing CAA, the BJP leader said that they are talking about Jinnah to divide the nation. I've heard that Jinnah has also made an entry into Indian politics these days. Mani Shankar Aiyar puts all his opinions out in Pakistan. His friends keep dividing the nation and talk about Jinnah, he said.

He emphasised that former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal are silent but their party members are openly talking about CAA. Manish Sisodia says that he is with Shaheen BaghDigvijay Singh and Mani Shankar Aiyar of Congress know what they have said by going there, Prasad said.

He also raised the issue of traffic jams because of the ongoing protest at Shaheen Bagh. "Lakhs of people are distressed because they can not go to office, shops are shut and their children are not able to go to school due to roadblock by Shaheen Bagh protesters," he said.

Amit Shah asks Delhi voters to prevent "thousands of incidents like Shaheen Bagh"

Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that voting for the BJP in Delhi polls will prevent "thousands of incidents like Shaheen Bagh".

Shah attacked the opposition leaders including AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on various issues and asserted that only Prime Minister Narendra Modi can ensure safety and security of the country.

A large number of women have been holding a sit-in against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Shaheen Bagh in south east Delhi since mid-December. The protest, supported by people from different fields including politicians, Bollywood actors and academicians, has emerged as a symbol of anti-CAA agitation in the country.

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New Delhi:

The death count from the Coronavirus outbreak crossed the 100-mark on Tuesday. As many as 106 fatalities were reported from China. Over 4,000 confirmed cases of exposure have been reported so far. Most of the deaths were reported from Beijing, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hainan, Shanghai. The coronavirus threat has also reached India with several suspects being reported from Kolkata, Jaipur and Patna. Three suspected cases were also reported from the National Capital. The patients have been kept in isolated wards at Delhis Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. Apart from Delhi, similar suspected cases of coronavirus have been reported from Chandigarh and Bengaluru. Kolkata was on high alert after a Thai citizen died under mysterious circumstances. No official report has been issued in this regard.

Suspects Across Cities

On Monday, in Rajasthans capital city, a doctor, who returned to India after completing the MBBS course in China, was kept in isolation at the SMS Hospital on the suspicion of being affected by coronavirus. In an official statement, the minister said a blood sample of the patient was sent to the National Virology Laboratory in Pune. In Patna, a PhD scholar was kept in the isolated ward at Patna Medical College and Hospital over coronavirus scare. Apart from Jaipur and Patna, one person each from Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta and Malappuram and three from Ernakulam are in isolation wards of various health centres in Kerala.

Coronavirus Reaches Germany, Canada

Meanwhile, Germany and Canada have confirmed one case each of coronavirus. Closer home, vigil has been intensified on Indo-Nepal border. Both Myanmar and Sri Lanka have also started using thermal screening for China-returned flyers at the airports. In fact, Sri Lanka has suspended its policy of granting visa on arrival for Chinese travellers on Tuesday, a day after the health authorities detected the country's first coronavirus infection. Sudath Suraweera, the chief epidemiologist of the country's health ministry, said on Monday that a 40-year-old Chinese woman was found positive for the virus.

US Issues Advisory

The US has also urged its citizens to reconsider travelling to China amid coronavirus outbreak that has killed 106 people after its outbreak in the city of Wuhan. Barring Tibet, all Chinese provinces have reported the virus cases, posing a major challenge for the health authorities to contain it.

"A novel (new) coronavirus is causing an outbreak of respiratory illness that began in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. This outbreak began in early December 2019 and continues to grow. Chinese health officials have reported thousands of cases throughout China," the State Department said.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi:

Pooja Hegde has taken the Indian film industry by storm with her glamour quotient and acting chops. From being just another beauty pageant winner testing the waters in the Telugu film industry in 2014 to becoming the most sought after actress, Pooja has come a long way. Hegde made her Bollywood debut opposite Hrithik Roshan in the 2016 film Mohenjo Daro, and impressed everyone with her good looks and brilliant performance.

The gorgeous actress recently shared a series of pictures for her 9.1 million followers on Instagram. Dressed in a black velvet lehenga with an intricately embroidered blouse, the diva looks oh-so perfect. Hegde completed her look with stunning earrings and minimum makeup.

Pooja was last seen in South film Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo and Bollywoods Housefull 4. Talking about Housefull 4, she had said, I chose this film because its quite different from what I did in my Bollywood debut. Mohenjo Daro (2016) was a serious drama with a specific look. After that, I needed some comic relief, too. Making people laugh is a big deal and it feels great when you crack it.

Also Read: Happy Birthday Pooja Hegde: Surprising Facts About The Mohenjo Daro Actress

On key takeaways from her film career so far, she said, "Success and failure are both short-lived, and success bringsin more success, and at the end of the day it's all about talent."

On the work front, Pooja will be next seen opposite Prabhas in a romantic film, tentatively titled Jaan. Reportedly, Jaan is touted to be a period love story set in the 1920s in Paris. While Prabhas will be seen in the role of a fortune teller, Pooja is rumoured to be seen as a violin teacher in the film. However, there have been no updates on the same.
New Delhi:

Afghanistan Plane Crash: United States (US) military is investigating the reports a plane crash in Afghanistan's Ghazni province. The investigation started after reports surfaced of Taliban shooting down an American plane in the region. Earlier, it was reported that an local airline plane had crashed in Deh Yak district of Ghazni province.

The US military said Monday that it is investigating reports of an airplane crash in Taliban-controlled territory in Afghanistan. US Army Major Beth Riordan - a spokeswoman for US Central Command - said that it remained unclear whose aircraft was involved in the crash. Riordan declined to immediately comment further.

However, pictures on social media purportedly from the crash site showed what could be the remains of a Bombardier E-11A aircraft, which the US military uses for electronic surveillance over Afghanistan.

Local Afghan officials had said earlier on Monday that a passenger place from Afghanistan's Ariana Airlines had crashed in the Taliban-held area of the eastern Ghazni province. However, Ariana Airlines said that none of its planes had crashed in Afghanistan.

Large swathes of rural areas in Ghazni province are controlled or under the influence of Taliban militants, making access difficult for officials. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said they were investigating the crash claims but were unable to comment further.

Crashes involving military flights, particularly helicopters, are common in Afghanistan where inclement weather and creaky aircraft are often pressed to their limits in the war-torn country -- and where insurgents have been known to target helicopters.

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New Delhi:

As many as 4,596 passengers returning from China have been screened for Wuhan Coronavirus at Mumbai International Airport till January 28, National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune said on Wednesday. Of the total passengers screened, 23 were from Maharashtra and 9 out of them were admitted to isolation facilities. Those under watch showed mild symptoms like fever, cold and cough, the NIV said.

"4596 passengers screened for Coronavirus at Mumbai International Airport till 28 Jan. 23 passengers belong to Maharashtra. Out of these 23 passengers, 9 felt mild fever, cold & cough symptoms hence they were admitted to isolation facilities," the institute said.

India At 'High Risk' Of Coronavirus Spread

India is among the top 30 countries at high-risk from the spread of the deadly coronavirus, according to a study based on the number of air travellers predicted to arrive in the countries from the worst affected cities in China. Researchers from the University of Southampton in the UK compiled a list of cities and countries they believe are at high risk from the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) -- which has killed over 100 people so far, and infected thousands.

The most "at risk" countries or regions worldwide are Thailand (1), Japan (2), and Hong Kong (3). The US is 6th on the list, Australia 10th, the UK 17th and India 23rd, the researchers said in the study released on Tuesday.

Coronavirus Death Count Rises To 131 In China

The number of confirmed deaths from China's viral outbreak has risen to 131, with authorities in central Hubei province on Wednesday reporting 25 new fatalities and 840 new cases. The latest figures from Hubei, the epicentre of the contagion, would put the nationwide total of confirmed infections at more than 5,300, based on figures previously released by the central government.

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New Delhi:

The Delhi Police crime branch said anti-CAA activist Sharjeel Imam, on the run after sedition charges were slapped against him for allegedly making inflammatory speeches, was on Tuesday arrested from Bihar's Jehanabad district, denying his claim that he surrendered before the police.

Sharjeel Imam was arrested from his village in Jehanabad around 2 pm today. We are taking transit remand from Bihar and trying to bring him to Delhi from the shortest possible route, said Rajesh Deo, DCP of the Delhi Polices crime branch.

The JNU scholar was wanted by police of several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Delhi.

Jehanabad Superintendent of Police Manish Kumar said Imam, who was arrested from a place in Kako police station area, was produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate RK Rajak where he was handed over to a Delhi police team on transit remand for 36 hours.

The Delhi police team subsequently left this central Bihar district and Imam is expected to be taken to the national capital, he added.

According to the SP, Sharjeel Imam was arrested in the afternoon from a place close to his ancestral house, hours after his younger brother Muzzamil Imam was picked up for questioning and grilled by police.

The officer did not disclose further details though unconfirmed reports said that the JNU scholar, who had arrived in his native district the previous night, was hiding in a mosque to which he was guided by a close relative.

The police had earlier raided his ancestral home on Sunday when it went hunting for him but Imam eluded the dragnet.

A graduate in computer science from IIT-Mumbai, Imam had shifted to Delhi for pursuing research at the Centre for Historical Studies at the JNU. He was slapped with a sedition case after a video of his purported speech went viral on

social media where he was heard speaking about "cutting off" Assam and the northeast from the rest of India.

"If five lakh people are organised, we can cut off the northeast and India permanently. If not, at least for a month or half a month. Throw as much 'mawad' (variously described as pus or rubbish) on rail tracks and roads as it would take the Air Force one month to clear it.

"Cutting off Assam (from India) is our responsibility, only then they (the government) will listen to us. We know the condition of Muslims in Assam....they are being put into detention camps," he was shown in the video as saying.

Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reacted to the development, saying the arrested student activist "ought to have an understanding of the countrys Constitution and the law....if anybody talks about India's disintegration, who is going to accept this".

Kumar also stressed that people like Sharjeel were "exceptions" and did not represent "views held by a large section of people".

(With PTI inputs)

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This accord will pave the path for development of both Assam and Bodo region, Amit Shah said. (Photo Credit: Twitter)

New Delhi:

The Government of India on Monday signed a landmark tripartite accord with representatives of all factions of banned organisation National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal were present during the signing ceremony. Today Centre, Assam government and Bodo representatives have signed an important agreement. This agreement will ensure a golden future for Assam and for the Bodo people, Shah said after the peace accord was signed at the Home Ministry office in North Block.1550 cadres along with 130 weapons will surrender on 30th January. As the Home Minister, I want to assure all representatives that all promises will be fulfilled in a time-bound manner, Shah further said.

What Bodo accord says?

This accord will pave the path for development of both Assam and Bodo region, Shah said. According to the peace pact, the Centre will grant Rs 1,500 crore to the region, which will be spread in the three-year period. Special attempts will be made to safeguard language, culture and land rights in the region. Those who will surrender will be rehabilitated accordingly. Families of those killed in Bodo movement will get relief of Rs 5 lakh each. All stakeholders of Bodo society has signed this agreement, reaffirming the territorial integrity of Assam, Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The four factions of the NDFB, which signed the pact, were led by Ranjan Daimari, Govinda Basumatary, Dhiren Boro and B Saoraigra.

The accord marks the end of three-decade long movement. Bodos are the single largest tribal community in Assam. It was in 1960s that the demand for separate Bodoland was raised. Two decades later, the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) renewed the demand in 1987.

A look back at peace deal of 1993

The first Bodo accord was signed with the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) in 1993, leading to creation of a Bodoland Autonomous Council with limited political powers.

In 2003, the second Bodo accord was signed with the militant group Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), leading to formation of a Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) with four districts of Assam -- Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baska and Udalguri -- called the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD).

The BTC has control over 30 subjects like education, forests, horticulture but no jurisdiction on the police, revenue and general administration departments, which are controlled by the Assam government. The BTC was formed under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution.

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The Congress posted several tweets on its official Twitter handle, alleging that the government was subverting the Constitution. (Photo Credit: Twitter)

New Delhi:

A day after the Congress sent a copy of the Constitution to Prime Minister Narendra Modi via retail giant Amazon, the Grand Old Party on Monday tweeted return receipt of the order claiming that the Prime Minister had refused to take the copy. Dear people of India, We tried, but Modi ji is just not interested in the Constitution. Ab kare toh kare kya? (What should we do now), the Congress aid in a tweet while posting the screenshot of the return receipt. You package is being returned to seller because it was refused at the delivery address or the order was cancelled, the return receipt said.

On Sunday, on the occasion of the 71st Republic Day, the Congress had sent a copy of the Constitution to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and took a dig at him saying, "when you get time off from dividing the country, please do read it". The opposition party posted several tweets on its official Twitter handle, alleging that the government was subverting the Constitution.

The Congress also tweeted the videos of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reading the Preamble from a protest assembly at Rajghat recently.

Dear people of India,

We tried, but Modi ji is just not interested in the Constitution.



Ab kare toh kare kya? pic.twitter.com/eRX6g0n0iA  Congress (@INCIndia) January 27, 2020

"Dear PM, The Constitution is reaching you soon. When you get time off from dividing the country, please do read it. Regards, Congress," the party tweeted along with the snapshot of an amazon receipt which stated that the copy of the Constitution was being dispatched to the Central Secretariat.

In another tweet, the Congress said a lesson the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has failed to understand is that all persons no matter creed, caste or gender are guaranteed equality before the law under Article 14 of the Constitution.

"It is this article that is completely violated by the government's Citizenship Amendment Act," the party said.

"It is important to remember that it is enshrined in our Constitution that all persons are protected from discrimination of any form. Therefore, any attempt to draft laws based on discrimination are unconstitutional," it said.

Last week, the Supreme Court on Wednesday categorically said that it will not grant any stay on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) without hearing the Centre and restrained all the High Courts from hearing pleas on the amended Citizenship Act till it decides on all the pleas. A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde, while hearing the pleas, said that it may refer these pleas to a larger Constitution bench.

Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, told the Supreme Court that the government has been given copies of around 60 pleas out of the 143 petitions. He said it wanted time to respond to pleas which have not been served on it.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal urged the bench to put on hold operation of CAA and postpone the exercise of the National Population Register (NPR) for the time being. The court said it will not grant any stay on CAA without hearing the Centre on the matter.

The CAA seeks to grant citizenship to migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities who came to the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014. President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 on December 12, turning it into an Act.

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Ministry of External Affairs is yet to react on the resolutions against the CAA in European Parliament. (Photo Credit: File photo)

New Delhi:

France, a founding member of the European Union, considers the new citizenship law an internal political matter of India, French diplomatic sources said on Monday. The assertion came after close to 600 lawmakers in the 751-member parliament moved six resolutions against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), saying the enactment of the law marked a dangerous shift in Indias citizenship regime. For France, the CAA is Indias internal political matter and it has been stated on several occasions, the sources said.

They said the European Parliament is an institution independent of member states and the European Commission. The new law, passed by Parliament last month, offers citizenship to non-Muslim persecuted religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

India has been witnessing massive protests against the new law with opposition parties, civil rights groups and activists saying that granting citizenship based on religion is against the foundational principles of the Constitution.

There has been no reaction from the Ministry of External Affairs on the resolutions against the CAA in European Parliament. Official sources, however, maintained that the CAA was an entirely internal matter of India and that the legislation was adopted through democratic means after a debate in both houses of Parliament.

Every society that fashions a pathway to naturalisation contemplates both a context and criteria. This is not discrimination, a government source said, explaining why India is opposed to the resolutions at the EU parliament.

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Diplomatic win for India as no voting on EU resolution on CAA tomorrow: Govt sources (Photo Credit: Representative image)

New Delhi:

In a big diplomatic victory for India, government sources said there will be no voting on the European Union (EU) resolution on the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act at European Parliament on Thursday.

Friends of India prevailed over the friends of Pakistan in the European Parliament on Wednesday, the sources said.

Strenuous efforts of outgoing British Members of the European Parliament Shaffaq Mohammad to have a resolution passed by the European Parliament against India on the penultimate day before Brexit were defeated, the sources added.

The CAA is a matter internal to India and has been adopted through a due process through democratic means. We expect that our perspectives in this matter will be understood by all objective and fair-minded MEPs, they said.

Also Read: For France, New Citizenship Law Internal Matter Of India: French Govt Sources

Taking strong objections to resolutions being moved in the European Parliament against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla conveyed to the head of the European Union's (EU) legislative body on Monday it was inappropriate for one legislature to pass judgements on another and the practice could be misused by vested interests.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also asserted that there was no scope for outside interference in India's internal matters and the country was capable of addressing its concerns on its own.

The ruling BJP and the Congress also weighed in on the resolutions before the European Parliament, with the former questioning the objectivity of the members of the EU Parliament and the latter accusing the saffron party of internationalising the citizenship issue.

Also Read: Emmanuel Macron Raised Kashmir Issue With PM Modi, Confirms France Government

The assertions came after close to 600 lawmakers in the 751-member EU Parliament moved six resolutions against the CAA, saying the enactment of the law marked a dangerous shift in India's citizenship regime.

Birla wrote to European Parliament President David Maria Sassoli over the resolutions on Monday.

"I understand that Joint Motion for Resolution has been introduced in the European Parliament on the Indian Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. This act provides for easier citizenship to those who have been subjected to religious persecution in our immediate neighbourhood," he said in the letter.

It was not aimed at taking away anyone's citizenship and the legislation was passed after due deliberation by both Houses of the Indian Parliament, Birla said.

"As members of Inter Parliamentary Union, we should respect sovereign processes of fellow legislatures, especially in democracies," he added.

It was inappropriate for one legislature to pass judgements on another, a practice that could surely be misused by vested interests, the Lok Sabha speaker said.

The new law, passed by Parliament last month, offers citizenship to non-Muslim persecuted religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

India has been witnessing massive protests against the new law with opposition parties, civil rights groups and activists saying granting citizenship based on religion is against the foundational principles of the Constitution.

There has been no reaction from the Ministry of External Affairs on the resolutions against the CAA in the European Parliament.

(With PTI inputs)

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By Trend

First Deputy Defense Minister - Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijani Army, Colonel-General Karim Valiyev conducted a sudden inspection of the combat readiness of the Naval Forces, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The crews of the warships were put on alert. The practical skills of commanders in making quick decisions, as well as combat and tactical-special training of military personnel were tested, the ministry said.

The Chief of the General Staff was provided with details concerning combat training, organization of service and other issues.

Valiyev also visited the Hydrographic Department of the Naval Forces, inquired about the organization of the service and the social-living conditions of the servicemen.

Then a business meeting was held based on the results of a comprehensive audit. Analyzing the work done, the chief of the General Staff gave a positive assessment of the ships and crews' combat readiness.

Valiyev gave specific instructions on preparations for the upcoming summer exercises in the Azerbaijani Caspian Sea.




New Delhi:

A 33-year-old woman has written to the National Commission for Women (NCW) alleging that Bollywood choreographer Ganesh Acharya used to make her watch porn videos whenever she visited his office in Mumbai. In a complaint filed with the police, the woman, an assistant choreographer, has alleged that Acharya and two women assaulted her during a function of the Indian Film and Television Choreographers Association (IFTCA) held in suburban Andheri on Sunday.

Besides Acharya, the complainant has named Jayashree Kelkar and Preeti Lad in her complaint for assault, a police official said on Tuesday. Calls made to Acharya for his reaction remained unanswered.

In her letter to the NCW, the woman claimed that Acharya forced her to watch adult videos whenever she visited his office. In her complaint with Amboli police station, she alleged that Acharya was demanding a commission from her for working in the film industry.

Mumbai:33yr-old woman choreographer,has filed complaint against Ganesh Acharya, GenSecyIndian Film&Television Choreographers Assoc at state's Women's Commission&Amboli PS accusing him of depriving her of work in film industry,demanding commission&forcing her to watch adult videos pic.twitter.com/Z8jYzgVyQh  ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2020

The woman is also a member of the IFTCA. Acharya, who was elected as a general secretary of the IFTCA, used to frequently call the complainant at the office in Andheri, the police official said quoting the complaint.

On January 26, when she reached the IFTCA office, Acharya shouted at her and announced that she was being "suspended", he said. Acharya grew furious after the complainant told him that she is a member of the IFTCA and allegedly asked his team member, Jayashree Kelkar, to slap her, the police official said.

"Kelkar and Preeti Lad hit me in public view which was captured on the CCTV," the complaint stated. Police have registered a non-cognisable (NC) offence and investigating, the official added.

Earlier, veteran choreographer Saroj Khan accused Acharya of exploiting his dancers and using his position to malign the Cine Dancers Association (CDA). Acharya, however, fended off the allegations made against by Khan.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai on January 17, Saroj Khan said, "I am just saddened that Ganesh wants to divide this association which is not good. He and his father were associated with this association. It is good that we have rejoined the federation because we have to take some steps."

Tanushree Dutta had also lashed out at the choreographer for spreading "malicious rumours" about her. Along with Nana Patekar, Tanushree had filed a complaint against Ganesh Acharya as well. He was the choreographer for the 2008 film Horn OK pleassss.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)

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New Delhi:

The government on Monday decided to prepare for possible evacuation of Indian nationals from Wuhan city in coronavirus-hit Chinese province of Hubei. India's Ministry of External Affairs will request Chinese authorities for evacuation of Indians from Wuhan, officials said on Monday. China is reeling under the coronavirus epidemic which has claimed 80 lives so far.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba which carried out a detailed review of the situation arising out of outbreak of coronavirus in China. It was also decided that shipping ministry will initiate screening of people at international ports having traffic from China. The Shipping Ministry informed that necessary communication has been sent to the national port authorities. They were also directed to follow up with the Inland Waterways Authority of India, and coordinate with the maritime states.

The Centre has stepped up vigil in areas bordering Nepal in view of a confirmed case of novel coronavirus detected there. The Union Health Ministry on Monday said teams of healthcare professionals have been deployed in West Bengal's Panitanki and Uttarakhand's Jhulaghat and Jauljibi in Pithoragarh district, bordering Nepal.

Till Sunday, 29,707 passengers arriving in India in 137 flights have been screened for novel coronovirus infection symptoms and no case has so far been detected in India. Over 100 people have been kept under observation in Kerala and Maharashtra following screening for a possible exposure to the novel coronavirus, which spread in China.

The Prime Minister's Office on Saturday reviewed India's preparedness to deal with any situation amid mounting global concern over rising cases in China.

A 24x7 NCDC call centre (+91-11-23978046) has been made operational to monitor the list of contacts furnished by the Ministry of External Affairs; provide details of district and state surveillance officers to those who seek them; and in case of any clinical query, direct the concerned to the relevant Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) officer.

Thermal screening is being done at seven designated airports -- New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi.

Novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from common cold to acute respiratory syndromes, but the virus that has so far killed 80 people and affected 2,744 in China is a novel strain and not seen before. It has emerged from a seafood and animal market in China's Wuhan, and is suspected to have spread to as far as the United States. According to the World Health Organisation, the common symptoms of the novel coronavirus strain include respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

(With PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi:

Bihar Police SI (Sub Inspector) Prelims Result has been declared by Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission (BPSSC). Candidates who appeared for the BPSSC Bihar Police SI Prelims exam need to visit the official website, i.e. bpssc.bih.nic.in to check the result. Alternatively, the direct link to check the Bihar Police SI (Sub Inspector) Prelims Result has been given below. The result is declared for all those who appeared for the BPSSC Police SI/ Sergeant/Assistant Superintendent Jail (Direct recruitment)/Assistant Superintendent Jail (Ex-Serviceman) Prelims exam.

Bihar Police SI Prelims Result

Candidates who appeared for the BPSSC Police SI Prelims written exam need to visit the official website to check and download the Sub Inspector Prelims Result. Earlier, the BPSSC Sub Inspector Prelims Exam was conducted on December 22, 2019 wherein a total of 5,85,829 candidates appeared in the exam. In order to check the Bihar Police SI Prelims Result, candidates need to follow the below mentioned steps:

First, candidates need to visit the official website of Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission

Click on the Prelims Result of Examination for the post of Police Sub Inspector/Sergeant/Assistant Superintendent Jail (Direct recruitment)/Assistant Superintendent Jail (Ex-Serviceman) in Bihar Police. (Advt. No. 01/2019) link that is flashing at the homepage

A new page in the pdf format will open where candidates can check their result

Alternatively, candidates can click on the below mentioned direct link to check and download the Bihar Police SI Prelims Result.

Bihar Police SI Prelims Result Direct Link

It is to note that candidates will be selected for the Sub Inspector Post based on written test performance that will be held in two parts, Prelims and Main.

Candidates who qualify in the prelims exam need to appear for the Main exam. Further, a total of 2246 vacant positions are going to filled through this recruitment drive out of which 215 positions are for Sergeant, 42 for Ex-Serviceman candidate for Assistant Superintendent Jail Post and 125 are for Assistant Jail Superintendent.
Eunice, called "one of the deadliest storms in three decades," brought record-breaking winds to the UK, killing three people and causing extensive power outages, flight cancellations, and school closures.

According to media reports, a woman in her 30s was killed when a tree fell over her car in north London, a man in his 20s died when his truck collided with a fallen tree in southern England, and a man in his 50s died due to flying debris in northwestern England. The three people died on Friday.

According to the Met Office, wind speeds hit over 200 kilometres per hour on the Isle of Wight, provisionally the strongest one-off wind gust recorded in England. Eunice has previously received a rare red weather warning from the Met Office. After the top level warning was lifted, an amber warning was issued in portions of England and Wales, indicating that there is a possibility for life to be threatened. Several more were brought to the hospital after being injured by debris in separate incidents, according to the British police and London Ambulance Service.

The O2 Arena in London, which hosts concerts and sporting events, was forced to close on Friday after a storm ripped pieces of its roof off. A concert scheduled for Friday night has been cancelled after around 1,000 people were evacuated. Hundreds of schools were closed across most of Wales and parts of England, including Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Dorset, and Bristol, as a result of the storm.

The storm has also caused significant travel delays. On Friday, all train services in Wales were halted, and more than 400 flights from or within the United Kingdom were cancelled. The O2 Arena in London, which hosts concerts and sporting events, was forced to close on Friday after a storm ripped pieces of its roof off. A concert scheduled for Friday night has been cancelled after around 1,000 people were evacuated.

As the low-pressure system moved eastwards, the Met Office predicted major impacts from Storm Eunice will be seen over the weekend across southern and central parts of the UK. On Thursday, the British government called an emergency conference to consider the storm's response. The army was "on ready" to assist people affected, according to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

After storm Dudley slammed parts of Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland last week, leaving thousands of homes without power, Eunice is the second storm to hit the UK in a week.

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Adela Raz, the Afghan Ambassador to the United States, has resigned, according to a senior source at the mission, citing new limits put on the Embassy by the US Department of State as the cause for her resignation.

On Friday, Afghan Deputy Ambassador Abdul Hadi Nijrabi told the media that the US State Department had decided to halt Afghanistan's political and diplomatic activity in the US. In a letter to the Afghan embassy in Washington, the State Department demanded that diplomatic activity be ceased, he said.

"According to a letter from the US State Department to the embassy, only the ambassador is permitted to work from home, but only on political and diplomatic matters." "The remainder of the diplomats are unable to work," he stated.

According to media reports, Raz is the third top Afghan ambassador to resign in the last six months. The Afghan ambassadors in China and Turkmenistan have already resigned from their posts. The Afghan diplomatic offices have been experiencing money troubles since the Taliban took control of the nation in August.

According to officials at the Afghanistan embassy in Washington, the mission's financial system has been halted for more than four months by a bank.

"The salaries of the Afghanistan embassy's (workers) have been suspended for nearly four months. "All diplomats are having issues," Safi Delawar, a former adviser to the Afghan embassy in Washington, was quoted as saying. Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Italy, Poland, and Iran's embassies are thought to be suffering similar financial problem. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of the Taliban-led government, on the other hand, has welcomed the closure of embassies that are not in contact with the present authority.

"The closure of Afghanistan diplomatic offices in several countries is a wise move since they refuse to work with the new government and are trying to abuse their authority," a Ministry official said.

Brazil landslides, floods claims 130 lives till now

3 killed as storm Eunice batters UK

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According to local officials, the number of deaths caused by landslides and floods in Petropolis, a town in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state, has increased by 130.

According to media sources, the number of people reported missing has nearly doubled to over 200 since heavy rains on Tuesday forced rivers to overflow, triggering catastrophic landslides that damaged many homes, according to the latest report from the local Civil Defense organisation. President Jair Bolsonaro, who performed an aerial survey of the disaster-stricken area at 12 p.m. on Friday, described it as a "war scene" and ordered a series of actions.

Despite the fact that weather conditions made it difficult to utilise heavy gear to move earth and rubble, firefighters stated it was still feasible to rescue people alive four days after the disaster. The Brazilian government is anticipated to provide emergency help in the sum of 500 million reais ($95 million) to the affected area.

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New Delhi: A group of people of Hindu and Sikh community who came to India after suffering atrocities in Afghanistan have met with PM Narendra Modi today. He thanked PM Modi for helping Afghan citizens of Indian origin in difficult times. The delegation thanked PM Modi for ensuring the welfare of Afghan minorities and providing them shelter after the capture of the terrorist organization Taliban.

During this, Afghan civilian Nidan Singh Sachdeva, who was kidnapped by the Taliban in 2020, was also present. Those who met PM Modi included Guljit Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Dr. Raghunath Kochhar, Afghan-born Indian businessman Bansari Lal. These people were kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan early last year. The meeting was mostly attended by Hindus and Sikhs of Afghan origin who have come to India in the last two decades. There are some of these who have recently been rescued from Afghanistan and brought to India.

Apart from PM Modi, the people involved in this team congratulated many Indian organizations including World Punjabi Organisation, Mandeep Singh Sobti Foundation and Puneet Singh Chandok Indian World Forum. These organizations had done a lot for the rehabilitation of Afghan citizen Nidan Singh Sachdeva.

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Noida: A case of cheating lakhs of rupees by creating a fake website of a pizza company has come to light in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The company, which has master franchisees for pizza in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, has filed a fraud case at Noida's Sector 20 police station against people who are defrauding lakhs of people by creating a fake website of the company.

The officials of the Food Company located in Sector 16 of Noida have filed a complaint in Sector 20 that some unknown people have created a fake company and have also created its fake website. It is alleged that by contacting people through fake email and mobile numbers, lakhs of rupees are being cheated on the pretext of getting the franchise of food company abroad.

The company came to know about this when the claimants of the franchisees who were duped, they started creating ruckus after reaching the food company's office in Sector 16. Then the company came to know that the fraud of lakhs of rupees is going on in the name of their franchisee. Police officers have assured that soon these accused will be arrested. Noida Police Cyber and Surveillance Cell is probing the matter.

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According to a government official, a mediation effort organised by local tribal elders failed to free five UN personnel who were reportedly kidnapped in Yemen's dangerous southern province of Abyan. "A high-ranking committee formed of local tribal elders undertook a number of negotiation rounds with an armed group in the past few days with the goal of freeing the kidnapped UN personnel in Abyan," the official told the media on Friday.

"The tribal mediation attempts came to a halt... because the kidnappers wanted a $5 million ransom... while UN officials and local Yemeni authorities refused to pay the ransom," he added. According to the official, there were attempts to organise a new mediation team to undertake another round of discussions with the kidnappers in the coming days.

Five UN staff members were kidnapped in Abyan "after having finished a field assignment," according to Russell Geekie, senior communications advisor to the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Yemen. No one has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping so far, but local media reports say gunmen suspected to be members of Yemen's Al Qaeda branch intercepted a UN vehicle in Mudiyah area, east of Abyan.

The Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) network, which is located in Yemen and predominantly operates in the country's eastern and southern regions, has been responsible for a number of high-profile assaults against security personnel. Years of deadly conflict between the Yemeni government and the Houthi militia have allowed the AQAP to grow its position in crucial parts of the war-torn Arab country.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday that discussions in Vienna between Iran and global powers on reviving a 2015 nuclear deal are "quite near to a good and accessible agreement," according to the state news agency IRNA.

The statements were delivered by Hossein Amir Abdollahian upon his arrival in Germany for the 58th Munich Security Conference, where he also stated that Iran had already "placed its active proposals on the negotiating table." The Western parties must present their efforts and show genuine flexibility, as "it is they who, by their reaction to Iran's initiatives, will determine whether the talks will come to completion within a few days or weeks," according to Abdollahian.

"In the Vienna discussions, there are still a number of unresolved concerns," he added. The Iranian minister stated that after signing a possible agreement, talks should be undertaken to guarantee compliance to the nuclear deal's provisions, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

In May 2018, former US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the JCPOA and reimposed sanctions on Iran, leading the latter to renounce some of its nuclear commitments a year later and resume its halted nuclear programs.

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By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Illegal Armenian armed units have shelled Azerbaijani military positions located in the Khojavand region, the Defence Ministry reported on February 19.

In a statement posted on its website, the ministry said: "Starting from 1540 on February 19, members of the illegal Armenian armed detachment in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed, with no reason, using small arms periodically subjected to fire the positions of the Azerbaijan Army in the direction of Taghavard village of the Khojavand region."

The Azerbaijani army units took appropriate retaliatory measures to suppress the opposite side.

The trilateral ceasefire deal signed by the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders on November 10, 2020, ended the three-decade conflict over Azerbaijans Karabakh region which along with the seven adjacent regions came under the occupation of Armenian armed forces in the war in the early 1990s.

On January 11, 2021, the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders signed the second statement since the end of the 44-day war. The newly-signed statement was set to implement clause 9 of the November 2020 statement related to the unblocking of all economic and transport communications in the region.

On November 26, 2021, the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders signed a statement and agreed on a number of issues, including the demarcation and delimitation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border by late 2021, some points related to humanitarian issues and the issue of unblocking of transport corridors which applies to the railway and to automobile communications.

On December 14, 2021, during the Brussels meeting, organized between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders at the initiative of European Council President Charles Michel, the sides reaffirmed their commitment to the conditions agreed in the Sochi meeting.

Both sides agreed to establish a temporary working group on the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The issue of demining the liberated territories of Azerbaijan was also brought up on the agenda, and the European Union's readiness to provide technical assistance to Azerbaijan in this regard was underlined at the meeting.
Jaipur: The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has arrested a Pakistani spy from Rajasthan. He has been identified as Mohammed Yunus. He is said to be a resident of Kishangarh in Ajmer. Yusuf used to work as a slip-cutting in the parking lot at the Kishangarh bus stand. Yunus had been sending intelligence related to the Indian Army to Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI for the past several days. After which the IB arrested him on February 18, 2022 (Friday).

According to the report, the Intelligence Bureau had been keeping an eye on Yunus' movements for a very long time. He used to contact the Pakistani officials through the phone. He had also purchased the SIM from fake documents to contact them. He received the money in exchange for information. The money came from Pakistan in his bank account. He had sent several pictures and videos of the military area to Pakistan. His phone and laptop have been seized and sent by the IB for investigation.

Younis has no criminal history. He was taken into custody and brought to Jaipur headquarters. After a long interrogation, he was officially arrested. The IB will try to produce Yunus in court and take him on remand. During the period of remand, questions will be answered about the money he received from Pakistan, the information sent to Pakistan and their network.

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Today is the National Democracy Day in Nepal. On this day, Nepal welcomed democracy for the first time. This was the result of a revolution.

This was a political movement against the tyrannical Rana regime that eventually resulted in the end of the 104-year-long Rana rule in the country.

Lets celebrate this Democracy day that marked the awakening of the democratic movements in Nepal, by learning some of the facts that revolved around it:

1. King Tribhuvans exile

It is an open secret that Kind Tribhuvan always had an anti-Rana attitude and wanted to overthrow the Ranas from power. Hence, he also worked with Nepal Praja Parishad, a political party formed under the leadership of Tanka Prasad Acharya to remove the Rana dictatorship.

In the very process, King Tribhuvan along with his family took refuge in the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu in November 1950. Only Prince Gyanendra, a grandson of King Tribhuvan, was left in the palace. At that time, Mohan Shamsher JBR was the prime minister of Nepal.

Then, on November 10, 1950, King Tribhuvan accompanied by his family fled to New Delhi on two Indian military planes from the Indian Embassy.

2. Gyanendras first stint as the king

Being infuriated by the move of King Tribhuvan, Mohan Shamsher JBR called an emergency cabinet meeting on November 7, 1950, in Singha Durbar and declared the three-year-old Prince Gyanendra as the new king of the country. He was enthroned during a function at the Hanuman Dhoka Palace the same day.

However, many countries including India, the UK, and the USA refused to recognise the new king of Nepal.

Women march demanding Nepal be declared democracy in 1951. Photo: Sahana Pradhan Collection/Nepal Picture Library

3. Mukti Senas rebellion

On the same day when child Prince Gyanendra was crowned as the new king, mass demonstrations and protests against this act started in every corner of the country including the Kathmandu valley.

Also, the Mukti Sena, the military wing of the Nepali Congress party, also known as the liberation army of the Nepali Congress, started an armed revolt against the Rana regime. They were successful in taking control of many places in Terai.

4. The Delhi Accord

King Tribhuvan was formally welcomed in the capital of India by the Indian Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, and other high-ranking officials. After some months in the third round of negotiations, a tripartite agreement was signed in New Delhi among the Ranas, Nepali Congress, and King Tribhuvan. Later, it was known as the Delhi Accord.

In the accord, the three parties agreed to create a democratic constitution within two years by an elected constituent assembly, to not restrict any political organisations, to free the political prisoners, to hand over all the arms and ammunitions to the governments, and to make an interim cabinet having 10 ministers, five from Nepali Congress and the remaining half from the Ranas under the premiership of Mohan Shamsher and the ultimate power lies in the monarch.

The then Prime Minister Mohan Shumsher with Tribhuvan and his children. Photo: Nepal Royal Family.

5. Return of King Tribhuvan

Following the agreement, on February 15, 1951, King Tribhuvan returned to Nepal as the head of the state along with the leading members of the Nepali Congress party.

They were welcomed and cheered by a huge flock of supporters.

6. The proclamation and the joint government

On February 18, 1951, King Tribhuvan declared Nepals first steps to democracy with a historical proclamation. After that, this day is celebrated as Democracy Day.

Also, a cabinet was formed headed by Mohan Shamsher JBR including the members of the Rana family and the Nepali Congress Party.

7. Continuity of Mohan Shamshers premiership

Even after the end of the Rana regime, Mohan Shamsher JBR headed the cabinet as the Prime Minister of the country and was also able to enact the new constitution named the Interim Government of Nepal Act, 1951 until November 16, 1951.
Description

With live music offered just about every night, K.J. Farrell's is a must-visit for music fans in Nassau County. The venue has a full menu of appetizers, pizzas, tacos, sliders, and more to snack on during each show. 70s Rock Parade and Fools For Kings will be performing on this particular date.
The sign out front of F.O. Barden Lumber Co. on Tuesday, Jan. 11 at 205 S. East St. in Boyne City proclaims the company is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.

BOYNE CITY  Through the Great Depression, multiple recessions and now a pandemic, Barden Lumber has continued to thrive for the last 100 years.

The family-owned business is celebrating its centennial year in 2022. Currently owned by Paul Barden, the company has seen three other owners, all within the same family.

The company was founded in 1922 by F.O. Barden and his son Russel, who later left the company. F.O.'s other son, Aldwyn also known as Al, soon joined his fathers business. At the time, Al was a recent college graduate and brought marketing and accounting knowledge to the business. Both men were strongly involved in the community, civic organizations and local government, Als great-granddaughter Asuka Barden said.

Later Als son, Ed Barden, joined the company as well and worked there until 2015 when he passed it on to his son Paul.

Paul started at the company in 1986 after his grandfather Als semi-retirement. He had recently returned from serving four years in the United States Air Force as a crash rescue firefighter in Japan. There he met his wife Yumi and had his first daughter Asuka.

He started running the store in the early 2000s after Ed started working part-time, and became the official owner in 2016.

F.O. Barden Lumber Co. owner Paul Barden stands in the drive-through lumber barn on Tuesday, Jan. 11. The company is celebrating their 100th anniversary.

Neither Paul nor Asuka expected to join the family business, but both fell into it when openings became available.

Before joining the company in 2013, Asuka worked as a music producer in Florida. She said she needed a change in her life and wanted to be closer to family so she moved back home.

Now celebrating 100 years of business, both Asuka and Paul said they are very proud of their familys success.

Reaching 100 years means that the business, our employees and our customers and our entire community have something to really be proud of, Asuka said. This community has been so supportive to sustain a business this long and that's something to be proud of in this day and age. It means that we've been through The Great Depression, The Great Recession, multiple fires, a pandemic and are still going strong.

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It's a milestone that, obviously, as the climate changed in the building industry, we've been looking forward to, Paul said. Part of my concern going through this pandemic has been that I can make the three owners prior to me proud. That's been our goal all along. But we try to be humble. We do recognize that without community support and loyal customers, as well as good suppliers, that we would be nothing.

In March 2020, the Bardens were planning to return to Japan, which would have been Pauls first trip back since leaving in 1986. In January, Pauls wife, Yumi, heard about a virus that was going around Japan and they made the decision to cancel the trip.

Long before many Americans knew about the virus, Paul was stocking up on personal protective equipment and other supplies. When the virus broke out in the U.S., he donated around 75% of it and used the rest to keep himself and his employees safe.

When lockdown happened and people were staying in their homes, Barden Lumber saw an increase in the number of DIYers looking for supplies for home projects. The company was a leader in developing a no-contact system where customers would call in their orders then call again when they arrived at the store and have their orders loaded into the back of the car without ever coming face-to-face with an employee.

That was probably the toughest part of this whole thing because when you have to abandon a, basically 99-year-old way of doing business and taking care of customers for procedures that even the customers aren't prepared for, it just took more time and effort. It got a little frustrating, Paul said.

According to Paul, none of the 13 Barden Lumber employees have caught COVID-19 from work. While some have had to quarantine due to exposure outside of work, the companys continued use of masks, plexiglass dividers and hand sanitizer has made the store and lumber yard a safe place to work and patronize.

Keeping employees safe was not the only challenge Barden Lumber faced due to COVID-19, they also had to keep their shelves stocked during a national material shortage and supply chain issues. For many years before the pandemic, the company was part of an independent building material cooperative, along with many other independent and family-owned companies in Michigan. By consolidating resources, these companies were able to create a national buying power similar to big-box stores and had enough leverage to get competitive prices and keep their shelves stocked, even during a pandemic.

We're very proud of our membership to these cooperatives, Asuka said. The resources and power of these cooperatives are absolutely a very big reason why independents like us were able to get through the pandemic and the ripple effects of the supply chain.

F.O. Barden Lumber Co. owner Paul Barden (right) and his daughter Asuka Barden (left) pose at Paul's desk on Tuesday, Jan. 11. Behind them are photos of the three previous owners, all members of the Barden family. Left to right: Founder F.O. Barden, his son Al Barden, and Al's son Ed Barden. The company is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.

Every year, Barden Lumber hosts an event for suppliers where they demonstrate new products, host a barbecue and give out prizes. This year, in honor of their 100th year, the event will be even bigger with community and state leaders, family, friends and customers coming together to celebrate on May 11.

I think if you were a customer of ours, you could sense that there's 100 years worth of customer service and trials and errors, and everything that goes into every customer that we wait on today, Paul said. And that's just not something that you can model after.

Barden Lumber is located at 205 S. East St. in Boyne City. For more information about the business, visit www.bardenlumber.com.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Barden Lumber celebrates 100 years in operation
Northeast Alabama Regional Airport

Gadsden Airport Authority member Ken Robertson says the authority has misused the exceptions to the Alabama Open Meetings Act to have discussions and deliberations in private that should have been conducted in public.

Robertson has, in recent months, voted against going into executive session at GAA meetings  and at Friday's meeting, he said he would continue to do so.

"The Gadsden Airport Authority discussed matters and deliberated on matters which were not subject to exceptions allowed for executive sessions and should have been discussed in the public portion of the meeting," Robertson said, adding that he'd explained that in previous meetings.

Robertson said since he was appointed to the authority in August, in all but one meeting when the authority voted to reject proposals to sell or lease property at the Northeast Alabama Regional Airport  the authority has gone into executive session to discuss pending or threatened litigation, and did not reconvene to take any action.

The authority has done nothing for the betterment of the airport, Robertson contended, because so much of its time has been spent in executive session  where it cannot take any action.

Robertson noted that the authority (on Dec. 17) voted against proposals from Pilgrim's Pride and the Etowah Community group to purchase airport property for, respectively, an animal parts rendering plant or a light industrial park. He said that's a matter that would have required deliberation  however, none was conducted in a public forum.

GAA member Robertson: Vote 'no' on Pilgrim's Pride, 'no' to Citizens Business Park

Lawsuit filed against GAA names everyone except Robertson

The Open Meetings Act allows public entities to close their meetings for certain exemptions, such as discussions of good name and character of an individual, pending or threatened litigation and security, among others.

Lance Koury and Lance Williamson on Dec. 10 filed a lawsuit alleging the authority was in violation of the act, and the case is pending in circuit court, assigned to Judge Sonny Steen.

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The lawsuit names everyone on the GAA except Robertson who, as he said, had consistently voted against going into executive sessions.

Robertson said a hearing in the case had been scheduled earlier this month and all members of the authority  including him  had been subpoenaed to testify. He said he anticipates the hearing will be rescheduled and all members again subpoenaed.

He said he expects to be asked about executive sessions and to elaborate on what has been discussed in closed sessions.

Case will be separate from previous Open Records Act case

Judge George Day on Friday denied a plaintiffs' motion to combine the open meetings case with an Open Records Act case filed in February 2021 by Choice Fabricators and Advance Etowah against the City of Gadsden, the Gadsden Water and Sewer Board and the Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority. Billy Billingsley was later added as a defendant in his role as chairman and board member of the GAA.

Day in his order wrote that the cases shared a single common defendant  Billingsley  and would be expected to rely on different evidence and be considered under different statutes.

"The focus of evidence in the Open Records Act case includes the Plaintiff's requests for documents, the Defendants' response thereto, and in this case, a determination of whether certain documents are legally protected from disclosure by statutory confidentiality provisions," Day wrote.

"By contract, evidence in the Open Meetings Act case would be reasonably calculated to focus on testimony concerning what was discussed at various times in the course of the subject GAA Board meetings (before, during and after executive sessions), minutes of meetings, and public notices of meetings," the order continued.

Day issued his order in the older of the two cases  the open records case. The open meetings case will remain in Steen's court.

Contact Gadsden Times reporter Donna Thornton at 256-393-3284 or donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Gadsden Airport Authority member says Open Meetings Act 'misused'
Photo credit: Yana Blajeva

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With a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre film starring Elsie Fisher coming to Netflix literally today, Leatherface fans are looking back at the franchise that began in 1974. The good news is that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is technically fictional. The bad news is that the movie is most definitely based on a real-life murderer. Delightful! If you've already seen the filmwhich you should if your interests include being emotionally traumatizedthen you know it's about a group of friends who are preyed on by a family of cannibals in the middle of nowhere. One notable member of the cannibalistic fam is Leatherface, whose preferred method of killing is with a chainsaw. Delightful x 2!

One of the things that's cool about the original film is that it opens with a crawl that resembles a documentary or news report, which frames it as if it were a true story. Director Tobe Hooper was inspired by the graphic way the news covered the arrest of serial killer Elmer Wayne Henley in 1973as well as the televised coverage of the Vietnam War. But what is the truth!?

Video: 15 of the best horror movies

So, is there an IRL Leatherface?

The movie was marketed as being a "true story," but it'd be more accurate to say that it was inspired by the real-life crimes of Wisconsin-based murderer and "body snatcher" Ed Geinotherwise known as "the Butcher of Plainfield." Gein was known for exhuming corpses from graveyards and making mementos with their bones and skin, which clearly served as inspiration for the scene in Texas Chainsaw Massacre when one of the characters stumbles into a room full of furniture made of dead people and then is impaled on a meathook. 

Photo credit: Getty Images

Gein, who was found guilty of murdering a hardware store owner named Bernice Worden in 1968, was eventually institutionalized for being, well, really mentally unwell. Sheriffs found Worden's decapitated body in a shed, and while searching Gein's house they also found all sorts of horrifying objects made of skinincluding masks, which is noteworthy because Leatherface wears a mask made of human skin in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.



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As if all that isn't disturbing enough, Gein was also obsessed with his deceased mother; after she died, he kept her room in pristine condition even as the rest of the house decayed. He apparently hoped to "literally crawl into her skin." AH!

If you're feeling deja vu at these deets, you may not be surprised to learn that the Texas Chainsaw Massacre killer is not the only fictional character inspired by Gein. Aspects of his case are also woven into the backstories of Norman Bates from Psycho, Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs, and even a character on American Horror Story. He's also referenced by Patrick Bateman in American Psycho.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Texas Chainsaw Massacre co-writer Kim Henkel says he was definitely, uh, "inspired" by Ed Gein, but he also had another murderer in mind:

I definitely studied Gein...but I also noticed a murder case in Houston at the time, a serial murderer you probably remember named Elmer Wayne Henley. He was a young man who recruited victims for an older homosexual man. I saw some news report where Elmer Wayne...said, 'I did these crimes, and I'm gonna stand up and take it like a man.' Well, that struck me as interesting, that he had this conventional morality at that point. He wanted it known that, now that he was caught, he would do the right thing. So this kind of moral schizophrenia is something I tried to build into the characters.

So, basically, the cannibal crew in Texas Chainsaw Massacre is actually an amalgamation of lots of creepy IRL men, which definitely makes the entire movie much more terrifying. On that note, have fun trying to sleep tonight. Bye!

Wait, what about the chainsaws?

Oh, that part is actually inspired by a very real, very relatable real-life horror: holiday shopping. Director Tobe Hooper explained to Texas Monthly:

There were these big Christmas crowds, I was frustrated, and I found myself near a display rack of chain saws. I just kind of zoned in on it. I did a rack focus to the saws, and I thought, I know a way I could get through this crowd really quickly. I went home, sat down, all the channels just tuned in, the zeitgeist blew through, and the whole damn story came to me in what seemed like about thirty seconds. The hitchhiker, the older brother at the gas station, the girl escaping twice, the dinner sequence, people out in the country out of gas.

And yeah, the ones used in the film are actual chainsaws. Business casual.

A popular read of the dinner scene with the villainous Sawyer family is that it parodies a stereotypical suburban family the likes of which we see in American sitcoms. So, uhhh, taking inspiration from normal activities like Christmas shopping that makes a lot of sense, actually. Yikes!

That creepy house wasn't real then, right?

Actually, it is. It's been relocated and refurbished but yeah, it's still standing. And it's home to a restaurant that serves a dessert that consists of "three deep fried pancake balls with mixed in treats." IT'S A HAPPY ENDING AFTER ALL YOU GUYS!!!

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Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Charlie Munger provided new perspective on how the role of local newspapers and traditional newsrooms are increasingly being replaced by untrustworthy voices.

"We are going to miss these newspapers terribly," Munger said at the Daily Journal's annual shareholders meeting on Wednesday. Each newspaper... was an independent bastion of power. The economic position was so impregnable and the ethos of a journalist was to try to tell it like it is. And they really were a branch of the government they called them the Fourth Estate, meaning the fourth branch of the government. It arose by accident. Now about 95% of [newspapers are] going to disappear and go away forever. And what do we get in substitute? We get a bunch of people who attract an audience because theyre crazy."

Local newspapers are vanishing across the country: Nearly 1,800 U.S. newspapers have closed since 2004 and more than 100 newsrooms shuttered since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Berkshire Hathaway sold its newspaper business in 2020.

U.S. newsroom employment fell 26% from 2008 to 2020. (Pew Research)

That decline  increasingly replaced by social media, digital media outlets, and celebrities with massive reach  seems to be affecting the quality of information being consumed by the public.

"When we analyze disinformation trends in the United States," Microsoft President Brad Smith said this week, "we are seeing that the content is being consumed at a disproportionate pace in the parts of the country that have seen newspapers disappear."

'We have suffered a huge loss here'

Munger asserted that while trusted newspapers like The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times will survive, some of the newer media outlets are telling people what they want to hear rather than actual facts.

"I have my favorite crazies, and you have your favorite crazies, and we get together and all become crazier as we hire people to tell us what we want to hear," the billionaire said. "This is no substitute for Walter Cronkite and all those great newspapers of yesteryear. We have suffered a huge loss here. Its nobodys fault. Its the creative destruction of capitalism, but its a terrible thing thats happened to our country."

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CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite ran from 1962 to 1981. (Source: screenshot/CBS)

One prominent example of this trend is Christopher Ruddy, CEO of the media outlet Newsmax and a confidant of former President Donald Trump, stating in November 2020 that "people want something that tends to affirm their views and opinions."

Newsmax, which amplified Trump's false allegations of election rigging and voter fraud related to the 2020 presidential election, issued a retraction and apology in response to a defamation lawsuit brought by a Dominion Voting Systems employee. (Dominion is also suing Newsmax, accusing the outlet of defamation for spreading misinformation.)

Public sentiment towards the news outlets is also near all-time lows. A Gallup poll from October 2021 found that 29% of the American public has "not very much" trust in the media while 34% have "none at all." At the same time, just 7% of adults have "a great deal" of trust in the press.

This is not good for our republic, Munger said. I dont have the faintest idea what to do about it.

Just 36% of the American public trusts the media either a great deal or a fair amount. (Chart: Gallup)

Adriana Belmonte is a reporter and editor covering politics and health care policy for Yahoo Finance. You can follow her on Twitter @adrianambells and reach her at adriana@yahoofinance.com.

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With help from machine learning software, computer scientists may have unmasked the identity of Q, the founder of the QAnon movement. In a sprawling report published on Saturday, The New York Times shared the findings of two independent teams of forensic linguists who claim theyve identified Paul Furber, a South African software developer who was one of the first to draw attention to the conspiracy theory, as the original writer behind Q. They say Arizona congressional candidate Ron Watkins also wrote under the pseudonym, first by collaborating with Furber and then later taking over the account when it eventually moved to post on his fathers 8chan message board.

The two teams of Swiss and French researchers used different methodologies to come to the same conclusion. The Swiss one, made up of two researchers from startup OrphAnalytics , used software to break down Qs missives into patterns of three-character sequences. They then tracked how often those sequences repeated. The French team, meanwhile, trained an AI to look for patterns in Qs writing. Both techniques broadly fall under an approach known as stylometry that looks to analyze writing in a way that is measurable, consistent and replicable. To avoid the possibility of confusing their respective programs, the teams limited their analysis to social media posts. Among all the other possible authors they put through the test, they say the writing of Furber and Watkins stood out the most for how similar it was that of Qs.

And theyre confident in that identification. The French team made of computational linguists Florian Cafiero and Jean-Baptiste Camps told The Times their software correctly identified Furbers writing in 98 percent of tests and Watkins in 99 percent. At first most of the text is by Furber, said Cafiero. But the signature of Ron Watkins increased during the first few months as Paul Furber decreased and then dropped completely.

People have previously used machine learning software to identify Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling as the secret writer of Cuckoos Calling, a 2013 crime fiction novel Rowling wrote under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. More broadly, law enforcement agencies have successfully used stylometry in a variety of criminal cases, including by the FBI to show that Ted Kaczynski was the Unabomber.

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Experts The Times spoke to  including Professor Patrick Juola, the computer scientist who identified Rowling as the author of Cuckoos Calling  told they found the findings credible and persuasive. Whats really powerful is the fact that both of the two independent analyses showed the same overall pattern, Juola said.

Both Furber and Watkins deny they wrote any of Qs messages. I am not Q, the latter told The Times. Furber, meanwhile, said he was influenced by Qs posts to change the style of his prose, a claim linguistic experts told the outlet was implausible. Also worth mentioning is the fact the analysis included tweets from Furber that date from the earliest days of Qs existence.

What happens next is unclear. The researchers who worked on the identification told The Times they hope unmasking Q will loosen QAnons hold on people. Spreading like wildfire on social media, the conspiracy theory has had a profound effect on politics in the US and other parts of the world. And while Q hasnt posted a new message since the end of 2020, that hasnt dampened peoples enthusiasm for conspiracies about the "deep state" and its involvement in their lives.
Tom Holland may be one of the most famous young actors in Hollywood, but that doesn't mean his mom won't make a few phone calls on his behalf!

During an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan on Friday, the Spider-Man: No Way Home star, 25, shared a hilarious story, recalling the time his mom secretly phoned producers about giving him an adequate amount of bathroom breaks while filming one of the early Spider-Man films.

After co-host Ryan Seacrest, 47, had mentioned that he donned a Spider-Man suit while shooting his and Ripa's annual montage of Oscar-nominated films, the actor asked him if his suit had a zipper. "And you know what I mean by 'a zipper,' " Holland said before launching into his story, mentioning that his suit didn't have one.

RELATED: Andrew Garfield Says Tom Holland Would Be 'Incredible' Oscars Host: 'Confident in His Confidence'

Tom Holland and mother

Dave Benett/Getty

"On the first movie, I remember we were shooting this sequence on the stack on the Washington Monument, and I was in the suit for days at a time, sort of 11 hours [a day] and I was young, and wanted to impress the studio, and didn't want them to think I needed [bathroom] breaks," Holland began.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"I remember calling my mom up on our daily phone calls, and I was like, 'Mom, I'm really struggling, I'm working every day, and because I wear the suit, I can't go to the bathroom,' " he continued. "And then two days later the producer came up to me and was like, 'How are your kidneys?' "

RELATED: Tom Holland and Zendaya Hold Hands in Complementary Outfits En Route to Uncharted Screening

After Holland had told the producer that his kidneys were fine and inquired as to why they were asking, the producer replied, "Well, your mom called us"

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RELATED VIDEO: Couple of the Moment: Zendaya & Tom Holland Were Showstoppers at the Premiere of Their New Movie

"Yeah, so my mom called up the biggest studio in the world and was like, 'Give my son more toilet breaks!' " Holland said, which got an uproar of laughter from the audience, as well as from Kelly Ripa, 51, and Seacrest.

During his appearance on the morning talk show on Friday, Holland also addressed rumors that he and girlfriend Zendaya bought a house together in South London.

"I've had so many people call me up, because apparently, I bought a new house in South London? Which is completely false!" Holland told the hosts. "I didn't buy a new house. I'm like, 'Wow, what a surprise, I wonder when I'll get the keys.' "
Even Spider-Man needs a mom to look out for him.

Tom Holland shared another amusing behind-the-scenes story from his days playing the Marvel superhero, recalling on Friday's episode of Live With Kelly and Ryan the time his mother phoned producers to demand more bathroom breaks for her son.

After mentioning that his Spider-Man suit doesn't have a zipper ("And you know what I mean by 'a zipper,'" he quipped), Holland said, "On the first movie, I remember we were shooting this sequence on the Washington Monument, and I was in the suit for days at a time, 11 hours [a day], and I was young, so I wanted to impress the studio. I didn't want them to think that I needed breaks."

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME

Jay Maidment/Sony Tom Holland in 'Spider-Man: Far from Home'

One day, during his daily call to his mother, Holland explained, "I was like, 'Mom, I'm really struggling. I'm working every day, and because I wear the suit, I can't go to the bathroom.'"

He continued, "And then two days later the producer came up to me and was like, 'How are your kidneys?'"

When Holland replied, "My kidneys are fine. Why are you asking?" the producer responded, "Well, your mom called us..."

So, as Holland put it (to great laughter from the audience and hosts), "My mom called up the biggest studio in the world and was like, 'Give my son toilet breaks!'"

With all those billions, you'd think Marvel could afford to put a zipper in the Spider-Man suit. But alas

You can see Holland's latest turn as the web-slinger in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which recently dethroned Avatar as the third-highest-grossing film ever at the domestic box office. Watch him on Live With Kelly and Ryan below.

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Twenty students from 17 countries visited Azerbaijans Aghdam district liberated from Armenian occupation [as a result of the 2020 second Karabakh war], Trends Karabakh bureau reports.

During the visit organized within the XI International Winter School of Multiculturalism, the students visited the Shahbulag fortress, the Imarat palace complex, the Aghdam Juma and Giyasly mosques.

After visiting Aghdam, the foreign students are expected to go to Shusha.

Through the organizational support of the Baku International Multiculturalism Center, within the Winter School of Multiculturalism, from February 17, events on the theme of "War crimes against cultural heritage on the example of the Karabakh conflict" are being held in Azerbaijan, which will end on February 24.
Cruise plans to expand the self-driving delivery pilot it has with Walmart in Arizona, the company's senior government affairs manager said in a recent public meeting with state legislators.

The autonomous vehicle company, which is a subsidiary of GM, is mostly focused on testing  and eventually launching  a commercial robotaxi service in California. But Cruise also has a small fleet of electric autonomous Chevy Bolts in Arizona as part of a limited pilot program with Walmart.

Today, that pilot involves just one Walmart store located on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community lands near Scottsdale. The autonomous vehicles all have human safety operators behind the wheel. The company plans to expand to as many as eight Walmart stores in 2022, Carter Stern, Cruise's senior government affairs manager, said during an Arizona Senate Transportation Committee meeting held earlier this month.

Image Credits: Walmart

"We'll really continue to see that grow in Arizona first and then it'll be exported to the rest of the country," Stern said in describing the intended ramp-up of the program. Cruise employs more than 100 people in Arizona, which includes the team that monitors the company's global fleet. That group is expected to grow, although Stern didn't provide a figure or timeline for when more people would be hired.

The comments provided by Stern provided a rare insight into Cruise's activity in Arizona and its pilot with Walmart, which for now is the only source of revenue for the company.

While the bulk of Cruise's operations is in San Francisco, the company cannot currently charge for ride-hailing services (or delivery, for that matter) in the state because it lacks the proper permit from the California Public Utilities Commission. (Cruise has been providing free delivery services through its partnership with San Francisco Marin Food Bank & the SF New Deal. The company told TechCrunch it has completed 113,000 deliveries to date.)

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Cruise has nearly all of the permits required to operate and charge for rides in vehicles that operate without a human driver behind the wheel. It has the three permits required by the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test and deploy "drivered" and driverless vehicles, including one that allows it to carry the public. It also applied for a permit with the California Public Utilities Commission to charge for those rides, though the company has not yet received that permit.

Earlier this month, Cruise opened up its driverless robotaxi service to the public in San Francisco. For now, these rides are free and a public waitlist has been set up via Cruise's website. The company has previously said that members of the public who join the waitlist will not have to sign a non-disclosure agreement before using the service.

Cruise's initial driverless service is available from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Cruise tests its autonomous Chevy Bolt vehicles throughout San Francisco. However, the driverless service is limited to certain areas and streets within the Haight-Ashbury, Richmond District, Chinatown and Pacific Heights neighborhoods.
A series of missile and artillery attacks in Ukraine are false flag operations carried out by Russia in preparation for an invasion of the country by Vladimir Putin, western leaders have claimed  in a volatile day of bitter accusations and counter recriminations.

Even as what may be the last rounds of diplomatic talks to prevent a conflict were under way, Joe Biden warned that a Russian attack is almost inevitable. Every indication that we have is that they are prepared to go into Ukraine, attack Ukraine. My sense is it will happen within the next several days, said the US president.

Signs that the Kremlin may be ready to start military action  after weeks of tension, and building up of its forces around Ukraines borders  a number of attacks took place across the Donbas region, in the east of the country, on Thursday.

In one barrage, Russian-backed separatist forces hit a nursery school in the city of Stanytsia Luhanska. The children, who were in another part of the building were unhurt, but three people were injured. In another attack a woman was reportedly injured in the village of Marinka.

In the Stanytsia Luhanska shelling, nursery worker Natalia Slesareva said she was thrown against a door by the shell blast that blew a hole in the wall of a two-storey building being used by more than 20 children and a number of staff.

The children were eating breakfast when it hit. It hit the gym. After breakfast, the children had gym class So another 15 minutes, and everything could have been much, much worse, she told the AFP news agency

Media in Russia and the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk sought to claim that it was the Ukrainian forces who had started firing first using, in some case, Javelin missiles newly supplied by America. Nato states and the Ukrainian government denied the Russian claims, with President Volodymyr Zelensky calling the nursery school attack a great provocation.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, highlighting the alarming exchange of fire, pointed to the huge strike potential of Ukrainian armed forces at the demarcation line which, along with provocation, may represent a terrible danger. He accused Mr Biden of whipping up tension.

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The Russian mission at the United Nations distributed documents alleging Ukrainian forces have been exterminating the civilian population of the Peoples Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk over a prolonged period. It suggested that attacks by Ukrainian forces had resulted in thousands of civilians [being] wounded or killed. Russian investigators were said to have obtained information about spontaneous unmarked mass graves that were arranged outside specially designated places out of necessity due to the ongoing hostilities. The extent of civilian casualties, it held, amounted to genocide of the Russian-speaking population of Donbas.

Such claims of genocide have repeatedly been condemned by western leaders. Natos secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said after the Donbas attacks: We are concerned Russia is looking for a pretext to invade. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin added: Weve been saying for some time that Russia might do something like this to justify a military conflict and the UK defence secretary Ben Wallace said that Moscow will peddle more false stories and youll see false stories around, genocide, incursions and breaches of ceasefire. The UK Ministry of Defence released a graphic which identified seven routes a potential incursion could take  something it called an axis of invasion.

Boris Johnson also spoke about pretexts for a Russian attack. A kindergarten was shelled in what we are taking to be  well, we know  was a false flag operation designed to discredit the Ukrainians, designed to create a pretext, a spurious provocation for Russian action, said the prime minister.

Speaking after a session of the United Nations Security Council, the US secretary of state, Anthony Blinken, laid out the path he claimed Moscow will follow in triggering a conflict. Possible pretexts, he said, could include a fabricated terrorist bombing in Russia, the discovery of a mass grave, or a fake, or real, chemical weapons attack.

In the aftermath of such a move, said Mr Blinken, Moscow will theatrically convene an emergency meeting following which Russian missiles and bombs would be launched into Ukraine along with the jamming of communications and cyberattacks. After that, Russian tanks and soldiers will advance on key targets that have already been identified, he said.

The signs of escalating confrontation between Russia and the US and its allies continued with the Kremlin announcing that it was expelling the American head of mission, Bartle Gorman, a move Washington said was unprovoked and an escalatory step.

The expulsion was followed by the Kremlins formal answer to the US and Natos proposals on security following a series of high-level talks. It accused the west of ignoring Moscows security concerns and said: 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 react, including by implementing measures of a military-technical character.

The Russian response, as reported by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, appeared uncompromising, included demands not made before  as well as ones which the US and Nato would find impossible to agree with.

Russia demanded that the US stopped all arms deliveries to Ukraine, remove defensive weapons already provided to the country, and ensure that Mr Zelensky enforced the Minsk Accord, an agreement Kiev holds it signed under duress and would give the separatist republics a veto over joining Nato or the European Union.

Liz Truss, on a visit to Kiev, said that the west must not cave in to Russian demands but strengthen relations further with Ukraine. If we hang back, that would only embolden the bullies in their campaign against sovereignty and the right of self-determination, she said.

The foreign secretary added: We must stand up to and defuse Russian aggression now, because if we dont it will embolden not only the Kremlin, but aggressors, authoritarians and autocrats everywhere.
Andrea Russell, a Spotsylvania County resident, has been named the new managing editor at The Free LanceStar.

Ive been privileged to work for the most intelligent, hard-working and supportive journalists, Russell said. I will rely on the many lessons theyve taught me as I work alongside our talented staff to continue to provide outstanding community journalism to the Fredericksburg region.

Russell has held various editing, reporting and designing posts for the last 22 years. She started her career at the Stafford County Sun, a weekly newspaper, and eventually joined the copy desk at the News & Messenger, then a daily newspaper in Northern Virginia. She was hired at The Free LanceStar in 2010, most recently serving as a local news and section editor.
One of every three stores selling cigarettes in King George County was not in compliance with a new ordinance when surprise inspections were held this month.

As a result, an estimated $37,000 worth of cigarettes that did not have the countys stamp affixed to them were seized, Sheriff Chris Giles recently told the King George Board of Supervisors.

In addition, summonses were issued to clerks and managers in five stores where 404 cartons and 2,109 single packsalmost 129,000 cigaretteswere taken because the countys new cigarette tax ordinance hadnt been followed.

Well give them some time to get through the litigation before we hit them again, Giles said, hesitating to pinpoint an exact date, probably some time soon.

Hoping to capitalize on the many cigarette outlets that dot the landscape along U.S. 301 between Dahlgren and the Maryland line, King George enacted a cigarette tax in July. Each pack is taxed an additional 40 cents and the countys cigarette stamp has to be attached to each single pack or 20-pack carton of cigarettes sold.

All cigarettes have to display the county stamp, according to the ordinance, whether theyre in a back room or at the front counter.

These were found in the back rooms, they werent on display for sale, they were in the storage areas, Giles said about the cigarettes that were seized. Now whether they were selling them out of storage areas, we dont know, but thats where they were found.

The ordinance took effect July 1 and county officials gave the 25 stores that sell cigarettes a 90-day grace period to purchase the necessary stampswhich is how the county gets its cigarette tax revenue. Then, a sheriffs deputy and representative from the Commissioner of the Revenues office visited the markets in late summer and identified ones not in compliance.

No summonses were issued then, only the warning that the tax would be enforced the next time.

They were warned then that they can purchase stamps, put them on themselves or send them back to the distributor for them to put them on, said Judy Hart, commissioner of the revenue.

When officials returned on Feb. 1, 8 and 9, they found 8 of 25 stores in violation and handed out tickets, not just to managers and owners, but to all those involved in selling cigarettes as the ordinance dictates. Violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor, the most serious misdemeanor in the state, and punishable by up to 12 months in jail, a fine of up to $2,500 or both.

One store had more than 400 unstamped cartons. In another, a manager told the deputy he hadnt had time to take care of the matter, but would have thrown the cigarettes in the Dumpster and burned them if hed known the inspectors were coming, the sheriff said.

Hart said she was surprised by the number of stores that were in violation.

I hope that the other stores find out what King George can and will do and will take note, she said.

Under the ordinance, seized cigarettes can be stamped by the county and sold at auction if thats what the court decides. The county would receive the money due from the stamp tax, a 50-percent penalty and any costs incurred during legal proceedings. Businesses could buy the seized cigarettes back from the county, which would generate additional revenue, the sheriff said.

In its first seven months, King Georges cigarette tax has generated almost $1.5 million in new tax money. However, thats lower than projections. County officials hoped the tax would produce up to $1 million every three months.

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The votes have been tallied in the special election for the Livingston District seat on the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors and Jacob Lane is the winner.

Lane held the lead at the end of Tuesday, but absentee ballots remained to be counted, with votes allowed to arrive at the county office of elections through Friday.

His lead held, with Lane totaling 1,506 votes to Raymond Bells 1,429. The third candidate, Justin Carlisle, finished with 235 votes.

Lane fills the seat left vacant by the October death of Supervisor Barry Jett, and will serve the remainder of Jetts term, which runs through 2023.

Im humbled by the outcome, said Lane, who lamented a low voter turnout.

I still have a lot more trust to gain, he said.

A Luck Stone foreman and lifelong Spotsylvania resident, Lane has said his ideologies are in line with Jetts, and that he is ready to add to his community service work.

The 37-year-old married father of three, who was appointed to the Planning Commission by Jett, knows he has his hands full, especially as he starts his tenure with the budget process having already started.

Lanes first meeting, on Tuesday, includes a work session with the School Board on the school systems budget.

If recent School Board meetings and past contentious budget negotiations between the two boards is any indication, Lane has his work cut out for him.

Im really stepping into it ... a trial by fire, Lane acknowledged.

He plans to do a lot of listening in an effort to get up to speed with the budget process, he said. I just want to get to work for the community.

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Nebraska high schoolers can win cash prizes and college scholarships during a statewide business pitch competition.

The University of Nebraska at Kearneys Center for Entrepreneurship and Rural Development is accepting entries for its second annual Big Idea Nebraska High School Competition.

Open to students in grades nine through 12, the virtual event is an opportunity to learn more about entrepreneurship and business resources while competing for up to $2,000.

To enter, students must create a two-minute video pitching their business idea and upload it to YouTube, then submit the URL at unk.edu/bigidea.

Entries do not have to be complete business models, but they should include: a description of the product or service; what problem it solves; the target audience; and how it might be made available to customers

The submission deadline is March 1. There is no cost to participate.

The top 10 finalists, determined by a panel of expert judges, will present their ideas at 9:30 a.m. March 30 during a virtual event livestreamed on Zoom. That event is open to the public. After judges narrow the final group to five contestants, the online audience will vote to determine the winners, who receive $1,000 for first place, $500 for second and $250 for third. The cash prize winners will also receive matching scholarships to UNK.

Fifty high schoolers participated in the inaugural Big Idea Nebraska High School Competition, with students from Omaha, Red Cloud and Wayne winning the top prizes. This years event is sponsored by the UNK College of Business and Technology, Nebraska Public Power District, Omaha Public Power District, Black Hills Energy and Metropolitan Utilities District.

For more information or to request assistance with an entry, contact Aliese Hoffman at 308-865-8199 or hoffmanal2@unk.edu.

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By Trend

Foreign Ministers of Russia and Turkmenistan discussed preparations for the Sixth Caspian Summit, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

Today, on February 17, a telephone conversation took place between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov.

During the conversation, the ministers discussed key issues of Turkmen-Russian cooperation.

The ministers also touched upon preparations for the Sixth Caspian Summit.
Saturday

HomeStore open, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 701 E. Dodge St., Fremont. The HomeStore sells donated items at discounted prices. Proceeds support the mission of Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous womens heart-to-heart group, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Fremont Eagles Club open, noon to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. Line dance lessons will be offered at 6 p.m.

Bingo to support veterans, 5 p.m., Fremont Commons Apartments Clubhouse, 550 S. Johnson Rd., Fremont. This is a 21-and-over event. The cost is $10 per person and bingo sheets are $1 each  cash only. There will be a cash bar for drinks. Outside food is permitted. All proceeds will support the Fremont Area Veterans Coalition. Call or text 402-720-0364 for more information.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Mead Fire Department Wild Game Feed, 6 p.m., Mead Fire Department, 220 E. Fourth St., Mead. Food donations are encouraged. Contact a Mead Volunteer Fire Department member to donate wild game ahead of time or bring a cooked dish to share. Everyday food also will be available for those who dont like wild game. Alcohol will be sold; no outside drinks are allowed. Freewill donations will be collected at the door. Raffle tickets will be sold for $5.

Izaak Walton February Family Dinner, 6:30 p.m., Izaak Walton Park, 2560 W. Military Ave., Fremont. Barbecue pork, baked potatoes, green beans, salad, bread, dessert, coffee or juice will be served. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for kids, and free for kids under 3. Twenty free games of bingo with prizes will be played after dinner. For more information, call or text Kim at 402-620-1732.

Spiritual 12-Step Recovery Program, 7 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous The Lie is Dead meeting, 8 p.m., LifeHouse, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Sunday

Alcoholics Anonymous Happy Sober Sunday Group, 9 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Seekers of Serenity meeting, 10:30 a.m., LifeHouse, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511.

Fremont Eagles Club open, noon to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous Sunday speaker, 7:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Monday

TOPS Club (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), 9 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 850 N. Broad St., Fremont. Weigh-ins begin at 8 a.m. Visitors (preteens, teens and adults  male and female) are welcome. The first meeting is free. For more information, call Janet Bloemker at 402-721-8952.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Lightkeepers Womens Group, 10 a.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Movie Day, 1 p.m., Keene Memorial Library, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont. The Disney movie, Encanto, will be shown. Those attending are encouraged to bring blankets and pillows. Popcorn will be provided.

Fremont Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary meeting, 1 p.m., Godfathers Pizza, Fremont. The group will eat at noon and a meeting will follow at 1 p.m. For more information, call 402-317-2676.

Fremont Eagles Club open, 3 p.m. to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. There will be a trustees meeting at 4 p.m.

Digital Drop-In, 4 p.m., Keene Memorial Library, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont. Drop in at your convenience for technology instruction. No appointment is necessary.

Planning Commission meeting, 5 p.m., Fremont Municipal Building, 400 E. Military Ave. The meeting will be held in person and electronically to allow remote meeting access via computer or telephone. The link and instructions are provided on the agenda that is posted in the agenda section of the citys website at fremontne.gov.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Celebrate Recovery, 6:30 p.m., Fremont Church of the Nazarene, 960 Johnson Road.

Keene Memorial Library Board meeting, 6:30 p.m., Keene Memorial Library, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont. The meeting will be held in person and electronically to allow remote meeting access via computer or telephone. The link and instructions are provided on the agenda that is posted in the agenda section of the citys website at fremontne.gov.

Fresh Hope Mental Health Support Group, 7 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont.

The Digg Sites 2022 Film Series featuring The Notebook, 7 p.m., Fremont Theaters, inside Fremont Mall. Cost is a $5 donation. All proceeds will benefit the Empress Art House Cinema renovation project.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 854 meeting, 7 p.m., Fremont Eagles Club.

Alcoholics Anonymous 12x12 meeting, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

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It was a sneak peek.

Members of the Fremont Municipal Airports advisory board along with other guests walked through the new terminal on Friday.

Still under construction, the new building didnt have the amenities of chairs or curtains, but those taking the tour got a chance to imagine what it will look like in the future.

The Fremont City Council awarded the construction contract for the new terminal to the Omaha-based Ronco Construction for $1.667 million. The $1.7 million project is being constructed entirely through local funding.

Fremonts new terminal will include a conference room, front area and pilots lounge. It also will have three offices available to be rented out.

Dave Goedeken, director of public works for the City of Fremont, said the tenant offices wont be furnished.

The tenants will furnish the offices, he said.

Furniture will be purchased for the pilots lounge. That should include a couch, desks and recliners. A conference room will include a table and chairs and podium. An outer office will include a reception desk and other furnishings.

Before the tour of the yet-to-be-completed building, Goedeken shared progress made thus far.

Theyve got the sheeting that needs to be done on the outside of the building yet, Goedeken said. Im not sure if its delivered now or not. It wasnt here the other day and theyre waiting for that to be delivered so they can install that.

The interior of the building is basically finished.

Were just a week or two from doing final closeout to the building, Goedeken said. They have the exterior work to do, the sodding, final grading.

Goedeken said staff is working with a company regarding furniture selection.

Those taking the tour included advisory board members, Fremont Aviation staff, Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg and Fremont City Councilman Mark Jensen.

Various people taking the tour said while the building looks smaller from the outside, the inside is spacious.

Guests walked through a front area, where light streamed through front windows.

Several proceeded down a hallway to a large conference room, smaller meeting rooms, separate pilots lounge and office for Fremont Aviation, the fixed base operator which operates the city owned airport.

The current terminal was built in 1964 and isnt Americans with Disabilities Accessible (ADA).

Goedeken told the Fremont Tribune that the current terminal will not be torn down, but will be repurposed.

He previously has said the new terminal will be closer to the runway. This location will let staff in the terminal better monitor the runway and be able to see incoming planes.

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When I recently accepted an offer to join the staff of The Denver Gazette full-time, ending two years of COVID-induced underemployment anxiety
After a five-hour meeting Thursday night, Academy District 20s Board of Education agreed to table a proposed policy change that could affect the way its employees are allowed to interact with students.

The measure, proposed by newly-elected board member Aaron Salt earlier this month, would prohibit staff members from giving students medical treatment, advice or opinions without consent from a parent or guardian except in emergency situations.

Public opinion has been sharply divided on the issue. Some parents  many of whom spoke during the public comment portion of Thursdays meeting  believe the measure would grant parents primary decision-making power when it comes to their childrens health.

We do need this issue to be addressed specifically, said teacher Stacy Adair, who thanked the board for getting D-20 back to a place where the family is acknowledged as the authority for its students.

Others contended the proposal is either a knee-jerk reaction to a vocal minority of parents or a COVID-related political gesture.

Why are you voting on (the proposal) so quickly? asked Stacy Cowell, a D-20 parent. This really feels like a political move to appease a select group of parents that youre having conversations with versus taking the time to invite more voices to speak to this issue and asking deeper questions as to how this policy would affect the climate of our schools.

Some expressed concern that a policy change might negatively affect significant support needs students  who sometimes require immediate assistance  and students in abusive homes, who might refrain reporting their situations for fear that staff members would be statutorily required to inform the parents.

The divided stances of board members appeared to mirror those of the attendees. Salt and board president Thomas LaValley voiced support for the measure.

Medical treatments and procedures do not belong in the classroom, Salt said. We have nurses who are trained for that.

Board member Heather Cloninger, who attended the meeting remotely, said the language of the proposal was too vague, with no clear definition of what constitutes an emergency situation or medical opinions or advice. Cloninger also said the board needed to seek extensive legal counsel before voting on a measure that could potentially expose the district to a liability action.

Will Temby, the boards vice president, was brief in his comments, stating his stance against the measure was already a matter of record.

I believe the vote is premature, Temby said.

Board member Nicole Konz also spoke in favor of the measure, but acknowledged the concerns of constituents who said the language was ambiguous. Konz said it would be up to Superintendent Thomas Gregory and his staff to define the scope of the measure.

It is their job to hash out the details, and that is what they do best because theyre in the schools, she said.

After more back-and-forth discussion, Cloninger moved to table the proposal. Salt seconded the motion, and the board voted unanimously to postpone the vote until an unspecified later date.
By Trend

Irans Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani has started a meeting with the representatives of France, Germany and the UK on Thursday evening, Trend reports citing IRNA.

Bagheri Kani wrote in a tweet last night that the negotiating teams in Vienna are closer than ever to an agreement After weeks of intensive talks.

[N]othing is agreed until everything is agreed, though, he noted, adding: Our negotiating partners need to be realistic, avoid intransigence and heed lessons of past [four years].

Irans top negotiator said that its time other parties to take their serious decisions.

Iran and the P4+1, namely China, France, Germany, Russia and the UK, are holding talks with the indirect participation of the US in Vienna to resume the JCPOA.
Four Douglas County school board members testified in district court Friday about whether the board's leaders broke open meeting laws in the run-up to the dismissal of the district's superintendent, the first skirmish of what's set to be a multi-front legal war over that decision.
Academy School District 20 was forced to cancel its high school classes on Friday when teachers organized a sickout in protest of a forthcoming scheduling policy they say will add to their workload without increasing their pay, dramatically lower teacher morale and ultimately lead to resignations.

District officials announced the closure Thursday evening, stating about 180 of its 600 high school teachers  nearly 30%  called in sick, leaving schools without enough staff to adequately cover classes.

With such significant absence rates, we are unable to properly fill enough positions with guest staff to safely operate our high schools, district spokeswoman Allison Cortez said in a written statement announcing the closures.

At issue is a scheduling change commonly known as six of eight. The new schedule, set to be implemented in the fall, would increase the full teaching load for high school teachers to 12 course sections per year, as opposed to the 11 they currently teach, essentially taking away a planning period.

The Academy Education Association, the teachers union that organized the sickout, said in a statement the scheduling change underscores the districts history of undervaluing its teachers.

Our educators continually answer the call for our students and the district continues to show that they don't value us, the statement read, in part. We need time to plan. We need time to ensure that each and every student has the time and the resources they need to succeed.

Amy Ver Duft, a high school math teacher and Academy Education Association member, said she intends to retire earlier than intended because of the scheduling change.

I just cant do the six of eight, said Ver Duft, who has been teaching nearly 34 years. Ive done it three other times in other states, and it just kills you. I didnt have time for myself or my family. Its just too difficult, and I wont do it again.

During Thursday nights school board meeting, about 20 teachers echoed Ver Dufts sentiments, warning that an increase in workload without a commensurate pay raise will cause some teachers to move to other districts or quit teaching entirely.

Rachel Sinclair, a D-20 teacher and Rampart High School graduate, fought back tears as she addressed the board. After stating her reasons for becoming a teacher and speaking of her passion for her students, Sinclair read aloud her letter of resignation.

As the district moves to take planning time away from teachers and increase workload while keeping salaries the same, Im faced with the reality that I cannot afford to continue doing what I love, Sinclair read from her letter. As a direct result of the districts decision, I will be pursuing alternate careers.

Ver Duft said she hopes the sickout will make district leadership begin to take the teachers seriously before more teachers follow Sinclairs lead and resign their jobs.

Were hoping that the district either decides not to do the six of eight schedule, or pays us to do it, Ver Duft said. Teachers are working too hard for too little, and if they keep overworking us, more teachers will quit.
By Trend

Turkey will continue its principled and responsible stance within NATO, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the alliances Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday as Ankara celebrates 70 years of membership, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

Erdogan and Stoltenberg in a phone call discussed the cooperation between Ankara and the alliance as well as regional issues.

The president thanked Stoltenberg for clearly underlining Turkeys indispensable position within NATO on various platforms.

He said that in the new strategic concept, the threat of terrorism must be reflected with all its dimensions and that it is Turkeys natural right to expect solidarity and support from its allies in areas such as the fight against terrorism.
You probably will not be able to get prominent Democrats to admit it publicly, but the past year, 2021, was a banner year for the Democratic P
Vietnam, EU to enhance energy partnership

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien held a meeting with visiting Executive Vice President of the European Commission (EC) Frans Timmermans in Hanoi on Friday, during which the two sides sought future cooperation, especially in energy transformation.













Executive Vice President of the European Commission (EC) Frans Timmermans. VNA/VNS Photo





Dien hailed the visit by the EC official, as Vietnam and the EU are building specific action plans to realise the outcomes of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).



The minister asked for support from the EU with strong commitments and actions in climate change mitigation and green transformation, in the transformation towards a green, circular and sustainable economy.



Both sides discussed issues of shared concern such as adapting to climate change, plans to realise commitments at the COP26 and power transformation plans as well as the development of the circular economy.



Minister Dien said that Vietnams commitments at the COP26  especially the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050  showed the countrys determination to switch from traditional fossil energy sources to green energy resources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, together with cooperation and support from the international community in both financial resources and technology.



The Ministry of Industry and Trade will prioritise support for clean and renewable energy projects and is willing to coordinate with partners and donors from the EU in the field, he said.



Sustainable development cooperation between the two sides has been implemented positively and efficiently over the years through the institutions within the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), he noted.



He said that it was Vietnams first deal with content related to sustainable development, which showed the countrys attention to the balance between trade and environmental protection.



"Thanks to the EVFTA, Vietnams has favourable conditions to access modern technologies from the EU and draw more projects to speed up the growth of the green and digital economy as well as renewable energy, helping Vietnamese products meet technical and environmental requirements in the EU market," he said.



At the meeting, both sides expressed delight at the Vietnam-EU cooperation in economy, trade and energy, and agreed to strengthen their partnership.



The Vietnamese side proposed that the EU continue to support and give priority to technical and financial support and the transfer of technology to Vietnam, including the sustainable energy transformation programme and the Vietnam Energy Partnership Group.



According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, last year, trade between Vietnam and the EU reached US$57 billion in 2021, up 14.5 per cent year on year, with Vietnams export revenue rising 14.2 per cent to 40.1 billion.



The Import-Export Department reported that in the first year of implementing the EVFTA, the export revenue of products using the EUR.1 certificate of origin reached about $7.71 billion.
By Trend

Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Irina Vereshchuk at a briefing on the situation in the Donbass said that Ukraine has turned to Germany and France with a request to strengthen the monitoring mission of the OSCE, Trend reports citing Unian.

Vereshchuk noted that the Ukrainian side hopes that a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group will take place tomorrow.

"We are ready to work, we are ready for dialogue, we are ready to do everything so that a sustainable ceasefire continues, the regime of silence is restored, and the civilian population does not suffer," she said.

According to her, Ukraine has asked its partners from Germany and France to strengthen the OSCE monitoring mission by providing additional observers.

She stressed that the Ukrainian side is ready to allow observers to any points they need.
Gov. Kim Reynolds hasnt announced her re-election bid yet, but she said if and when she does, she expects an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.

If and when I make that announcement, I wouldnt be surprised if he endorses me, Reynolds told reporters Friday during taping of Iowa Press at Iowa PBS in Johnston.

Trump said as much at an October rally in Iowa, where he endorsed Sen. Chuck Grassley for re-election.

I said, Kim, do you want me to endorse you tonight or later? Trump told ralliers at the Iowa State Fairground. And she said, Sir, this is Chuck Grassleys night. How nice is that?

Reynolds boasts a high approval rating among Iowa Republicans and a campaign war chest of $4.8 million  far more than her best-known Democratic competitor.

If she runs, Reynolds would be seeking a second full term in office. She assumed the governors office in May 2017 when former Gov. Terry Branstad resigned to become U.S. ambassador to China. She won her first full term in the 2018 election and is the first woman to serve as Iowa governor.

Asked Friday whether she believes in gubernatorial term limits, Reynolds deferred to the voters.

I think thats what elections are about, Reynolds said. I think the people will decide if you should be re-elected or not.

Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence.

Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.

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In one cell at the Mitchell County Jail, there is a monitored restraint chair to keep prisoners who want to hurt themselves safe. It can be a four-deputy operation. Like many Iowa counties, there is no nurse on staff.

Its not easy at night when you have two or three officers out, Osage Police Chief Brian Wright said. We just dont have the resources.

Local control

In 2022, Iowa will mark the seventh anniversary of two of the states four mental health facilities closing.

Two leaders of Mitchell County law enforcement, Wright and Sheriff Greg Beaver, believe this has had a direct impact on their departments. They consider these institutions the last line of defense in assisting those in need of mental health treatment, and that the result of their closures is a decrease in patient care and an increased burden on local law enforcement.

We feel it every day, Wright said.

After shutting down facilities in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant, the Branstad Administration maintained in 2016 that the overall number of beds in Iowa did not decrease, but boots on the ground say they have witnessed a difference.

Before he left office, Gov. Branstad said to treat patients locally, how that would be best for these folks, Beaver said. Thats fine, but we dont have the resources to do it Ive got people here today who probably should be in a hospital.

According to Beaver, emergency mental healthcare teams that are available in larger cities are not accessible to small town Iowa.

So its law enforcement that goes (on mental health calls), he said. When you read about deaths in county jails across the state of Iowa, its because of mental health.

A 2016 Disability Rights Iowa study appears to back up Beavers claims. The report found that 87 percent of staff at county jails across Iowa indicated they were in need of more mental health resources.

In addition, those held in Mitchell County often move on to a state correctional facility. The Iowa Department of Corrections found that in 2016 around 57 percent of all inmates were subject to either serious or chronic mental illness, and Beaver believes state numbers mirror the local problem.

Former Mitchell County Attorney Mark Walk suggests the local figure is even higher, as many housed in the jail in Osage simply return home without what he considers appropriate psychiatric care.

Youre dealing with mental health more than youre dealing with anything, Walk told Beaver at a 2021 Mitchell County Board of Supervisors meeting. Its not crime, its mental health. All the inmates you have in there, 90 percent have mental health issues.

NAMI

Another voice rallying behind these claims is Peggy Huppert, the executive director of Iowas chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

NAMI works a lot with law enforcement, because they get it. They have to deal with this on an ongoing basis, Huppert said of the burden on local sheriff and police departments. The problem was, when mental health facilities were closed, there were inadequate community-based services to take their place.

It definitely was a resource. If a private hospital wouldnt take patients, the state would. So, when they closed, that had a big impact. We are by far the lowest in the nation for state public beds said Huppert. According to NAMI, including the District of Columbia, Iowa ranks 51st in the ratio of state psychiatric beds to residents, down from 40th in 2014.

Wright and Beaver see this statistic as proof of what they claim to witness every day, that there is a direct correlation between the closures of state mental health facilities and the increased workload on local law enforcement.

The perfect storm

Huppert emphasizes mental illness is often directly related to substance abuse.

"Its a self-medicating behavior," Huppert said. "Meth, as bad as it is, actually helps silence the voices for people suffering from hallucinations. This further taxes the sheriff department's resources, according to Beaver.

Youve got a lot of people working each (drug) case, but we dont have the manpower, Wright added of the relocation of resources. He contends this is another side effect of placing too much of the psychiatric burden on the local police force.

As well, Beaver believes the comorbidity of mental health and substance abuse has increased the level of violent crime in Mitchell County.

Beavers ideal solution is for Iowa to reopen the facilities it closed a few years ago, or something else equivalent in scope. As well, he would extend month-long care to long term: If we have someone weve been sitting with for 18 hours, the state says, here, sign this paper that you wont hurt yourself and sends them out the door.

Jason W. Selby is the community editor for the Mitchell Country Press News. He can be reached at 515-971-6217, or by email at jason.selby@globegazette.com.

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VIGHNESHKAMATH wrote:

Can someone explain why answer to this question is Option B? Constitutional prerogative of the parliament was there even before the UN passed the legislation; then how does it help to resolve the paradox? I marked option B, as funding would be done by the parliament.



Regards

Vighnesh

Incorrect.

Correct!

Incorrect.

Incorrect.

Incorrect.

This is a paradox question. On the one hand, the country's parliament criticized the prime minister for sending the troops while on the other, the parliament did not have an issue in sending the armed forces for intervention. So we need to find an option that resolves this discrepancy.A.If this option is true, then the parliament should be criticizing the UN Security council and not its own prime minister. Hence, this option doesn't help.B.If this is true, then it means that the reason why the parliament criticized was not that the PM promised the troops but because this was the responsibility of the parliament, not the PM. This option gives us some information as to why the parliament would have criticized PM and yet would not have any issues with the promise of the troop.C.If this information is true, then it does not make sense why the parliament would be okay with the decision of promising the troops.D.This does not help resolve the paradox. First of all, for all we know that the public was aware that parliament was in support of sending the troops.E.This is irrelevant as well. Also, this option does not tell us where the public sentiment lies with regard to the current situation.Hope this helps!
Email special events to news@registerbee.com. The deadline is noon Wednesday.

FOOD & CLOTHING

MINISTRY

Union Hall Baptist Church Food & Clothing Ministry, 6861 Strawberry Road, will be open from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 5, with food and clothing of all types. For information, call 434-724-4354 or 434-250-8964.

SERVICES AT NEW

EPHESUS

New Ephesus Missionary Baptist Church, 375 Ephesus Church Road, Semora, North Carolina. Through February, all services will begin at 11 a.m. To worship inside the church, masks must be worn and other CDC guidelines must be followed. Worshippers also may participate through Facebook Live, by calling 1-978-990-5000, code 197724 or park in the church parking lot and tune your radio to 107.3 FM.

SERVICE CHANGE

Bennett Memorial Missionary Baptist Church will not hold parking lot services until further notice. Services can be heard by calling in through conference call at 10 a.m. on Sundays and 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. Phone number is 1-774-220-4000, ID number 608-2009.

IN PERSON/ONLINE

SERVICES

Ascension Lutheran Church is worshipping in the sanctuary at 314 W. Main St. each Sunday at 11 a.m. and is simultaneously streaming the service on Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/ascensionlutherandanville. The service is available for viewing anytime afterward at that link. Masks are required while in the building.

Mount Vernon United Methodist Church now offers in-person services at 10 a.m. each Sunday as well as online worship services every Sunday at mtvernonumc.org or www.facebook.com/MountVernonUMC. These will be held until further notice.

IN-PERSON SERVICES

Mount Sinai Glorious Church of God, 716 Jefferson St., will hold services in the sanctuary with Sunday school at 10 a.m. and morning worship at 10:30 a.m. Participants are asked to wear a mask and to practice social distancing. The service also will be streamed on Facebook.

Mount Freeman Baptist Church, 2100 Laniers Mill Road, will resume in-person service at 11 a.m. Sunday. There will be no Sunday school.

CONFERENCE CALL SERVICES

North New Hope Baptist Church, 123 Old Piney Forest Road, will no longer hold in house services, but will offer services via conference call by calling 1-425-436-6368, access code 243106#. Tune in at 9:30 a.m. for Sunday school and 11 a.m. for morning worship until further notice.

ONLINE WORSHIP SERVICES

Sacred Heart Catholic Church will livestream worship service at 9 a.m. Sundays in English and noon in Spanish at www.facebook.com/sheartchurch.

DRIVE-IN SERVICES

Staunton River Baptist Church, Long Island, will hold drive-in services at 10 a.m. each Sunday.

ONGOING SERVICES

Sacred Heart Catholic Church celebrates Mass every weekend with a vigil Mass at 5 p.m. Saturday and at 9 p.m. Sunday in English and noon in Spanish.

Watson Level Missionary Baptist Church holds Sunday worship services each week at 11 a.m. Because of COVID-19, a face mask is required for all attendees and social distancing is mandatory.

Calvary Church of the Nazarene, 2450 Franklin Turnpike, from 6 to 7 p.m. every Sunday, will hold Ladies Need Encouragement, an hour of worship and prayer. Participants are asked to bring a Bible and practice social distancing. The event is for ages 10 and up with adult supervision. For more information, call 540-907-8836.

Mount Zion Temple, now located at 503 Hughes St., presents The Word Homelitic Institute at 10 a.m. every Sunday. Transportation is provided by calling Bishop David K. Fuller at 434-429-8960.
It isnt every day that a prince of the Roman Catholic Church, and a strategic Jesuit ally of the pope, openly rejects centuries of Christian teachings that clash with core doctrines of the Sexual Revolution.

The Churchs positions on homosexual relationships as sinful are wrong, said Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg in a recent interview with KDA, a German Catholic news agency. I believe that the sociological and scientific foundation of this doctrine is no longer correct. It is time for a fundamental revision of Church teaching, and the way in which Pope Francis has spoken of homosexuality could lead to a change in doctrine. ...

In our archdiocese, in Luxembourg, no one is fired for being homosexual, or divorced and remarried. I cant toss them out  they would become unemployed, and how can such a thing be Christian? As for homosexual priests, there are many of these, and it would be good if they could talk about this with their bishop without his condemning them.

The latest unorthodox proclamations by Cardinal Hollerich commanded attention because he leads the Commission of the Bishops Conferences of the European Union, and is also the popes choice for relator general for the October 2023 global Synod of Bishops, where he will help shape its work to weigh the churchs future.

This Cardinal seems to be claiming a private revelation which is contrary to scripture & the Catechism of the Catholic Church, tweeted Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, an outspoken conservative. Any private revelation that contradicts public revelation must be condemned.

However, the recent Synodal Way meetings of German Catholic leaders voted to approve draft texts that affirmed some of Cardinal Hollerichs beliefs, including overwhelming approval for a document entitled Blessing celebrations for couples who love each other. Support was just as strong for a Magisterial reassessment of homosexuality text stating that official church teachings on chastity and homosexuality should be revised.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that persons experiencing same-sex attraction must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. However, citing Scripture and church tradition, it also teaches, homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and thus contrary to the natural law. ... Under no circumstances can they be approved.

The crucial question: Was Cardinal Hollerich attempting to steer Pope Francis toward change, or airing views he already knew had support inside the Vatican?

Pope Francis has, as recently as last year, affirmed the Catechism on these issues  signing a Vatican decree barring priests from blessing same-sex unions, since they are not ordered to the Creators plan and God cannot bless sin.

The pope also released a letter this past December praising 50 years of work by Sister Jeannine Gramick, a leader in ministries seeking change on behalf of LGBTQ Catholics. In 1999, Pope John Paul II had signed a statement by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger  the future Pope Benedict XVI  prohibiting Gramick and her New Ways Ministry co-worker, the late Father Robert Nugent, from all pastoral work involving homosexual persons.

But Pope Francis praised Gramick for her 50 years of ministry conducted in the style of God, offering closeness, compassion and tenderness while suffering with others without condemning anyone.

Now, Cardinal Hollerich has openly called for the kinds of doctrinal changes that Catholic progressives have been seeking for decades.

We must change our way of considering sexuality. Until today we have had a rather repressed view of it, he said in another recent interview  this time with La Croix, a Catholic newspaper in France. This is clearly not a matter of telling people they can do anything or of abolishing morality, but I believe we have to say that sexuality is a gift from God. We know this, but do we say it? Im not sure.

The upcoming Synod of Bishops, he stressed, is the time for flexibility on tough issues.

This is a synod. It must be open. As the pope says, it is the Holy Spirit who is the master builder. So, we must also leave room for the Holy Spirit. ... This change in decision-making goes hand in hand with a real change in civilization, which we are facing. And the Church, as it has always done throughout its history, must adapt to it.

Mattingly leads GetReligion.org and lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is a senior fellow at the Overby Center at the University of Mississippi.
GREENSBORO  Badi Ali, an unapologetic local voice for justice, has died after a battle with COVID-19.

The imam  a Muslim spiritual leader  and longtime president of the Islamic Center of the Triad was 60 and will be eulogized today.

All his life, and even at 60 years old, he would always mention how he woke up every morning and wanted to move mountains, daughter Maitha Ali said. He wanted to serve others.

Ali arrived in Greensboro as a young engineering student at N.C. A&T and over time became a conscience of the community.

Maitha Ali says her fathers roles were many: He was somebodys mentor. He was somebodys teacher. He was somebodys father. He was somebodys brother. It took one interaction to know how special he was.

In the Muslim tradition, burials take place within 24 hours, but so many people from out of state wanted to attend Alis funeral that it will be held today to give them time to get here. Members of the Islamic Center mosque have been told to expect several thousand people.

Yesterday was a hard day for a lot of Muslim families in Greensboro, said Nahed Eltantawy, the chair of the journalism department at High Point University and a board member of the mosques food bank. My kids were crying. Other kids were crying. Everyone felt like they lost a family member.

Through tears, Eltantawy spoke of the pride Ali instilled in children through the Youth Club he established. He also started Sunday schools.

He made them love their faith, Eltantawy said. Being a Muslim here wasnt always something that made them comfortable. Weve gone through a lot of rough times  9/11, the Trump era. He always made the kids feel comfortable and proud of who they were. He told them stories about the prophets life and to be hardworking Muslims.

As a fiery young Palestinian activist living in Greensboro, he often lead vigils downtown, including in 2002 after Israels two-week old military offensive as a way of identifying with relatives living in the West Bank without food, electricity or water.

How can I sleep knowing that they might kill my brothers and sisters at any point for no reason? Ali asked at the time. We cannot be merely spectators.

In 2005, he spoke out against the arrest of an elderly Muslim woman at a Greensboro Walmart. The woman, who suffered injuries during the incident, was accused of shoplifting. But Ali and her family called it a misunderstanding and a result of miscommunication.

Few might have known that through the mosque he provided meals to the Greensboro Police Department more than once and notably after the death of one of their officers. Most recently, the mosque delivered boxes of hand sanitizer as a way of strengthening relationships.

He often preached at the Islamic Center on Fridays, an event that attracted many non-Muslims.

This is all because of the work he put in into the community spreading the message of love and peace in Islam, said Abdul Ali, a mosque member who isnt related.

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Ali often found himself answering questions involving the Muslim faith. When a Sudanese cab driver who attended services at the mosque was suspected of having ties to Al-Qaeda and arrested, Ali called him a well-disciplined, polite, modest, likable man with a sense of humor whose father was a principal of a high school and a noted scholar.

He came to this country for one reason and one reason only: to earn a better life, Ali said at the time.

Ali eventually made it his mission to change the anti-Muslim rhetoric and what he called fearmongering. In a 2021 column for the News & Record acknowledging the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, he wrote: It is the responsibility of the majority to protect and amplify the voices of the minority.

Ali lived by those words.

My father was a god-fearing man and a selfless individual and it drove him, daughter Maitha Ali said. He lived as if his life span was one day  as if he was born in it and would die at the end of the day.

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 336-373-7049 and follow @nmclaughlinNR on Twitter.
By Trend

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told journalists after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening that Turkey will see a gradual decline in the number of COVID-19 cases next week based on their projections. Koca said a more significant decline is anticipated in the next "two to three weeks," Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

Kocas remarks came amid a record surge in daily cases and a climbing number of fatalities stemming from the omicron variant. Though daily cases decreased below 100,000 after a few days earlier this month, the numbers are still fluctuating around an all-time high for the country.

The minister said cases peaked as of last weekend and they would decrease. "The pandemics burden on hospitals will also decrease. We currently see a drop by up to 30% in hospitalizations. The number of people in intensive care also decreased by 15%," he remarked.

Answering a question on whether Turkey would follow suit with some European countries that have started lifting COVID-19 restrictions, Koca said they would inform the public on the issue at a press conference next week, as well as a decision "on the timing of lifting the mask rule."

Media outlets had reported earlier that Turkey may lift the mandatory mask rule in the summer. Rules were earlier eased for wearing protective masks outdoors if the wearer adheres to social distancing rules but masks are still mandatory at indoor, crowded venues. These are among the few restrictions left from Turkeys strict counter-pandemic measures. After a 17-day lockdown last year, the country gradually lifted most restrictions, including curfews. The removal was linked to the expansion of the vaccination program that helped keep the number of cases low. But the omicron variant, spreading faster than earlier strains, prompted concerns in late 2021 as cases started climbing. Still, the variant poses a risk only for the elderly, the unvaccinated and people with chronic illnesses, according to experts, as most people recover with mild symptoms.

The minister also said they were shipping more doses of Turkovac, the countrys domestically developed inactive vaccine, to more hospitals across the country. He said 800,000 doses had been shipped to hospitals so far and the jab would be available in more vaccination venues soon. "We will soon ship an average of 2 to 2.5 million doses monthly," he added, noting demand was high for Turkovac. He said a comprehensive study on Turkovacs efficacy against the omicron variant was also expected to be concluded in March.




RALEIGH  In its day, the Raleigh Holiday Inn on Hillsborough Street boasted a rooftop pool, a 20th-floor lounge and a house piano player nicknamed Will Silver, who wore glittery shirts and sang Howling Wolf songs.

When it opened in 1969, the Holiday Inn topped the list of Raleighs tallest buildings  holding its title for eight years.

The plushest pleasure dome ever decreed here, raved The News & Observer at the time, gushing over the Maine lobster on its menu, the racing stripes on its white vinyl tile and the wall-to-wall everything inside.

But long past its heyday, the Holiday Inn endures with its sore-thumb roundness, a beige cylinder bouncing off its sleek rectangular neighbors. Locals seasoned enough to have seen Southern Culture on the Skids will recall the band played the 20th floor  making it likely fried chicken got thrown there.

Even those who snub it  one architect called it a dreadful travesty  nurture a fondness for its out-of place nature. It is the prom jacket Raleigh never threw away.

And now that its last days approach  developers ironically plan to replace the Holiday Inn with a luxury hotel  nostalgia for the oddball cylinder is reaching a new peak. Its likeness already appears on a T-shirt at House of Swank.

Love it or loathe it, this building sits on Raleighs skyline quietly reminding us that things can, and were, done differently, said Ian Dunn, a state archivist who also sits on the citys historic preservation commission. The demolition of this architectural and cultural landmark will not only be a loss to present citizens of Raleigh, but future citizens when they look back on the whimsy Raleigh once had.

Cylindrical refuge

Roughly two dozen round Holiday Inns went up around the nation, some of them with rotating top floors. Though Raleighs offered a floor-to-ceiling view uninterrupted by any obstacles, its rooftop stayed put.

And for decades, it provided the backdrop for special days  now being hazily recalled on social media along with news of the hotels demise.

Broughton High School graduates reveled inside its rooms, watching the sunrise from the top floor.

Teenagers snuck to the pool, pilfered a Holiday Inn towel and then returned to swim all summer, wrapping their ill-gotten souvenirs around their shoulders to look like guests.

Generations stayed overnight before their first job interviews downtown. And when ice storms struck, Raleigh took cylindrical refuge.

Barbara Buescher recalled her family fleeing there in roughly 2002 when a storm knocked out the power, sneaking in a yapping peekapoo and a pet box turtle.

Terrified that wed be discovered, she said. Fun times.

Hundreds more celebrated marriage there, often walking the few blocks from Edenton Street United Methodist Church.

People waved to us and honked their horns as the 20 or so of us in the bridal party walked over there, recalled Jennifer Pope Edwards of the day in 1998. It was just about the only place in town to have a wedding in August. Most places were either outdoors or expensive.

Gaudy at best

The outpouring of memory comes even as much of Raleigh acknowledges the Holiday Inn looked gaudy at best and tacky in its most honest assessment.

Thomas Barrie, architecture professor at N.C. State University, described it as moded.

The Holiday Inn steps back from the street rather than cozying up to the sidewalk with retail windows to catch a pedestrians eye  the modern approach.

It stands alongside a parking lot made of dirt, and its circular ramp to parking spaces can be seen from the street, showing that its designers made giant concessions to the automobile.

But Hillsborough Street  Raleighs main drag before downtown revitalization  has watched a collection of flawed, beloved landmarks fall to the wrecking ball in favor of shinier replacements that seem sterile by comparison because nobody yet loves them.

Sadlacks. The Velvet Cloak Inn. The Brewery.

Fans of the Holiday Inn shudder to imagine the same luxury considerations taking down Dorton Arena, just as much a relic.

The Holiday Inn building is iconic in its own way in part because its a survivor, Barrie said. Losing the collective memory that is embodied or materialized in the environment is something we should really be aware of and be careful about.

Or in other words, when Raleigh memories lack a room to crash in for the night, they just move on, getting smaller as they walk away.
The opioid epidemic has continued to worsen across North Carolina, and it has affected all kinds of people  including people who are pregnant or will become pregnant.

Much of the fallout from the opioid crisis has trickled down to county jails and other carceral institutions, as 85% of the prison population was incarcerated for a crime related to or has a substance use disorder, according to federal data. This means that pregnant people with opioid use disorder are also being sent to jails.

There, administrators decide whether to put them through detox and force them into a state of withdrawal from the substances they were using or allow them to take medication-assisted treatment. The medical community recommends MAT for pregnant people with substance use disorder, as detox or chaotic drug use puts stress on the developing fetus.

Despite research supporting medication-assisted treatment as the standard of care for all people with opioid use disorder, access to medications such as methadone and buprenorphine for people detained in North Carolinas jails is spotty at best.

A recent study from researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that 60% of the 836 jails surveyed across the country provide MAT to pregnant people in their jails. That means that 40% of those jails did not. In North Carolina, a handful of counties offer MAT in jails, but it depends where you are.

MAT for pregnant people in jails

MAT helps stabilize pregnant people while preventing them from experiencing painful withdrawal, which can put stress on both them and their unborn baby, said Carolyn Sufrin, one of the papers authors and an associate professor of gynecology and obstetrics at Johns Hopkins University.

To do that in a jail setting where you dont have any control over your environment, your temperature, your ease of access to water, the toilet, its a pretty miserable experience, Sufrin said.

There is not a clear-cut causal relationship between withdrawal and miscarriage, Sufrin said, but it can cause dehydration, which could affect blood flow to the fetus or cause preterm contractions.

More importantly, withdrawal, doesnt work, and it can be fatal if a pregnant person returns to drug use and overdoses, Sufrin said.

They get released from jail, and they go back into their communities and they use again, Sufrin said. They might use the same amount of drugs that they used before. But their tolerance is much lower than it was before they were in jail and so theyre more prone to overdose.

The state of MAT in NC jails

Unlike state prisons, which are controlled by one central system, the N.C. Department of Public Safety, the states jails follow the jurisdiction of individual sheriffs.

What this means is that treatment of opioid use disorder is handled differently in each county, said Elisabeth Johnson, primary provider for prenatal and gynecologic care at UNC Horizons, a Carrboro-based program that provides MAT and resources for mothers.

Its really the luck of the draw of where you land if you are a pregnant person using opiates, Johnson said. If you happen to land in Durham County, it might be different than if you happen to land in Alamance or Granville.

North Carolina Health News reached out to all 100 counties in the state to see what kind of addiction treatment they offer in their jails and 10 responded. About half of those jails implement a detox protocol, which means they force pregnant people with opioid use disorder into substance withdrawal.

The Department of Health and Human Services previously told NC Health News that at least 13 counties in the state have started programs to implement MAT programs in their jails. Some jails, such as in Durham County and Buncombe County, have started programs where they identify detainees with substance use disorder and prescribe them MAT.

North Carolina jails that do not have the resources to care for pregnant people awaiting trial also have the option to send them to the medical unit at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women in Raleigh through the states safekeeper program. Safekeepers are people county jails send to state prison pre-trial for anything from medical concerns to that person being under 18-years-old.

Pregnant safekeepers are housed separately from the general prison population, unless they are admitted to a medical or mental health unit.

The Department of Public Safety does not keep track of the number of pregnant safekeepers that go through the states womens prison every year, said spokesperson John Bull, but four pregnant people were being treated there as safekeepers as of Wednesday, Bull said.

The number of pregnant offenders varies on a regular basis and the counties that send them routinely vary, Bull said. I dont know of any particular counties that obtain these safekeeper orders for pregnant offenders more than other counties.

The possibility of being sent to the states womens prison, which could be far from home for some pregnant people arrested in the far eastern or western parts of the state, could be an incentive for pregnant people not to disclose their pregnancy status, said Essence Hairston, UNC Horizons program manager.

That creates another issue because you have a pregnant patient thats withdrawing in the jail, Hairston said.

Difficulties upon release

If a pregnant person being held as a safekeeper at the womens prison is released from their county jail, they will be released from the custody of the prison in Raleigh, Hairston said. No one is responsible for returning them to their home county.

That might not be as much of a problem if that person is from Wake or Orange County, but if theyre coming from the far western part of the state, it could be difficult to find a way home.

Its not an uncommon thing, Hairston said. Its just an unsafe practice, especially when youre dealing with individuals affected by OUD (opioid use disorder) or any other substance use disorder.

Pregnant people with substance use disorder may also be released and find out that their Medicaid has been paused, Johnson said. It could take 45 to 60 days for a persons Medicaid to go back into effect, Johnson said. That means it will be difficult to get access to MAT  and prenatal care.

You dont leave with medication in hand, Johnson said. Hopefully youre connected with somebody who might be able to take care of you quickly, but you dont have insurance coverage to pay for the medication.

Improving access to MAT

Starting a MAT program inside a county jail can be expensive  especially in smaller counties with more limited funding. Additionally, providing MAT in a jail is difficult if that facility is in a county that doesnt have a health provider licensed to dispense those medications, Sufrin said.

If your jail is in a community where the community doesnt have a provider of buprenorphine or methadone, it makes it really hard for the jail to be able to provide that as well, Sufrin said. And to be able to provide continuity upon a persons return to the community.

There is also stigma still attached to MAT, even though it is the FDA-approved treatment for opioid use disorder.

Some jail administrators are concerned that incarcerated individuals will divert the medications to other people and sell drugs in the jail, Sufrin said. And so there are those concerns that may lead some people to be hesitant to provide these treatments in their jail.

The lack of access to MAT for pregnant people in jails is a product of a combination of stigma, Johnson said. Many providers in jails feel uncomfortable treating pregnant people, she said.

Still, Johnson said there is potential for positive change.

Sometimes peoples feelings can shift when they start hearing from those of us who do the care, Johnson said.

This article first appeared on North Carolina Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. North Carolina Health News is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit, statewide news organization dedicated to covering all things health care in North Carolina. Visit NCHN at northcarolinahealthnews.org .
DURHAM  Walter E. Dellinger, a constitutional scholar who argued numerous cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, served in top positions in the Justice Department and taught for decades at Duke University, died Wednesday. He was 80.

Dellinger died Wednesday morning in Chapel Hill, his son Hampton Dellinger said.

During the administration of former President Bill Clinton, Dellinger headed up the influential Office of Legal Counsel that advises the attorney general on often sensitive legal and policy issues and served as the acting solicitor general, the administrations top Supreme Court lawyer.

While serving as acting solicitor general during the 1996-97 term of the high court, he argued nine cases  more than any of his predecessors in two decades at the time. Dellinger was an emeritus professor at the Duke University School of Law, where he had been a faculty member since 1969.

On Wednesday, he was remembered for his friendship and guidance from Duke's campus to the Supreme Court itself.

Walter was a great mentor and friend to me. He gave the best advice when I became Solicitor General, sharing everything he knew about the job, Justice Elena Kagan, who served as solicitor general during the Obama administration, said in a statement. He was generous and kind, and he made everyone he dealt with feel 10 feet tall. He was a phenomenal lawyer with an endless string of accomplishments, but he always gave the credit to others.

Justice Stephen Breyer called Dellinger a great lawyer and a valuable public servant.

His positive contribution to law and to the rule of law in this country will be long remembered, Breyer said in a statement.

Dellinger remained an active commentator on legal, political and other news until just before his death. Ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Dellinger helped lead a legal team assembled by Democrats to take on election-related court cases. And in early February, Dellinger spoke out in defense of Bidens pledge to name a Black woman to the Supreme Court in an essay published by The New York Times.

There are approximately 25,000 Black female attorneys in America. There is every reason to believe that President Bidens nomination process will benefit by focusing on that extraordinary group for the next justice of the United States Supreme Court, Dellinger wrote.

Dellinger was born in Charlotte and attended UNC-Chapel Hill and Yale Law School. Early in his career, Dellinger served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black.

Walter lived a wonderful and extraordinary life. He had many loves, first among them his wife Anne but also the state and University of North Carolina, the law and the rule of law and American democracy, said Hampton Dellinger, himself an assistant attorney general in the Biden administrations Justice Department.

As acting solicitor general, Walter Dellinger won five of the cases he argued himself, including when he defended the president's line-item veto and two cases defending state laws outlawing physician-assisted suicide. He got a split decision in another, and lost three, including when the high court threw out a key part of the Brady gun control law and allowed the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit to proceed against Clinton.

This is the best lawyers job in the world, Dellinger said in a 1997 interview as he prepared to leave the role to return to Duke to teach. He said then that spending time with his family in North Carolina was a big part of his decision.

Attorney General Merrick Garland, who worked with Dellinger at the Justice Department, lauded his impactful work and dedication.

Walter approached the law not as a career, but as a calling. He believed it was his privilege to be able to use the law to make our democracy work better for everyone," Garland said in a statement.
The top Republicans in the Montana House and Senate say they had enough buy-in from their caucuses to reconvene lawmakers to redraw the states unconstitutional Public Service Commission districts, but that a special session remains out of reach due to internal divisions over a proposed committee to investigate elections.

Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, who would have to call a special session to meet fast-approaching court deadlines to draw a new PSC map, hasn't publicly pulled the plug on the possibility of reconvening lawmakers in Helena. And late Friday afternoon, GOP leadership in the Legislature appeared to leave that door open as well.

"Whether it's in a special session or during the next regular session, Republicans are going to reform the system to ensure federal judges can't interfere in Montana's PSC elections again," Senate President Mark Blasdel and House Speaker Wylie Galt wrote in a joint statement.

But despite Gianforte's insistence that a special session be narrowly confined to redrawing the PSC districts, a prominent Republican lawmaker continued his push throughout the week to use a special session to create an interim committee to investigate election issues. That effort appeared to fizzle out by Friday afternoon after failing to win support from enough of his Republican colleagues.

"Those of us attempting to build consensus for the special session were unable to gain a majority in either chamber for the request, based on the manner it was crafted," Rep. Derek Skees, R-Kalispell, wrote in a letter to the governor sent Friday afternoon. That request had included the creation of the investigatory election committee.

In a letter sent to Republican lawmakers Thursday, Blasdel and Galt had, for the second time this week, pushed back on calls to add election issues to the special session agenda.

A majority of each (GOP) caucus would support a special session for the sole purpose of PSC redistricting according to informal leadership vote counts, but we havent been able to get agreement to limit the special session to only that subject, Blasdel and Galt wrote. Without that agreement, there arent enough votes as of our last count.

Since a federal court indicated it may step in to redraw PSC districts that have been challenged as denying equal representation to the states voters, Republicans in the Legislature have viewed a special session as a remedy. Many argue that the courts have no place in the process, which is a responsibility of the Legislature. But despite growing disparities between the districts  which both the plaintiffs and the state agree violates the Constitutions one person, one vote principal  they havent redrawn them since 2003. In the absence of a special session, the courts may select a new PSC district map on March 4, which is 10 days before the candidate filing deadline.

Adding to the time crunch, the Legislative Services Division ideally needs 14 days' notice to prepare for lawmakers to reconvene.

And beside the question of expanding the special session call beyond PSC districts, the two GOP leaders haven't said whether a single map yet won the support of enough Republicans to pass both chambers. Gianforte has insisted on majorities in the House and Senate reaching consensus on a PSC map before a special session is called.

Republicans hold nearly two-thirds majorities in both chambers. Democrats have said their caucuses wont support a special session to address the issue.

"We need a process that gives the public an avenue for significant input, where we're thoughtful and not rushed, and I think it's best to do that in 2023," House Minority Leader Kim Abbott said Friday, referring to the Legislature's next regular session.

Democrats, along with some Republicans, have also expressed concerns about the cost of a special session. The Legislative Services Division estimates a special session would cost $108,000 for the first day, plus $56,000 for each subsequent day.

Skees, a House majority whip, did not respond to a request for comment Friday. But in a Jan. 26 interview with the Montana State News Bureau, he acknowledged that pushing for an interim committee to investigate elections could derail the Republican effort to fix the PSC district map before the courts do so.

Some of us want that. Theres some of us who dont want that, Skees said of the proposed election committee. But, he added, It could kill the process of what we must do, which is a draw a map. We cant let the feds do that.

At least two prominent Republican lawmakers indicated Friday that that prediction may have come to fruition.

On Friday, Rep. Wendy McKamey, R-Ulm, said that the latest push by Skees and others has prompted her to withdraw her previous support for a special session entirely.

"Theyve shown themselves to be disingenuous in really wanting to have a single-issue session," she said, adding that her prior support for the special session was based on the assumption "that everybody would be operating in good faith."

Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, has also pulled his support for a special session, even if it were in theory limited to a PSC map.

"Since our first discussions of a very limited, narrow (PSC) map, it has become more than apparent that there are significant forces that want a much broader session, a much broader discussion, one that is better held in a full-length session," Jones said Friday, adding that dwindling time also factored into his stance.

An 'election integrity' committee

Since at least late January, theres been a push by right-wing Republican legislators to tack other issues onto a special session, including addressing election integrity issues. Those lawmakers have advanced unsubstantiated theories that the 2020 general election was marred by fraud, including in Montana. To date there has been no evidence indicating there was any widespread effort to commit voter fraud during the election.

Earlier this week, tensions between those Republican lawmakers and GOP leaders surfaced publicly when Skees sent lawmakers a draft letter to Gianforte, asking for him to call a special session that includes the appointment of the election committee.

On Tuesday, Gianforte issued a letter to leadership doubling down on his position that he would only support a single-issue special session, plus any statutory requirements associated with it. That could include interim appointments that, under state law, must be confirmed by the Legislature the next time it convenes.

Galt and Blasdel also followed up the same day with a response to Skees' letter. In it, they questioned the potential cost, scope and purpose of the committee. Skees responded Thursday, writing that he wants $250,000 for the interim committee, while noting that "normal" committees have budgets typically closer to $50,000.

He asked for a base budget of $50,000, another $50,000 to allow the committee to meet more often, $50,000 for legal staff, $50,000 for anticipated travel expenses and another $50,000 for expert witnesses.

Mr. President and Mr. Speaker  please quantify the value of legitimate, free and fair elections. Is $250k a worthwhile investment of our tax revenues into ending election corruption? Skees wrote. He did not cite any evidence of alleged corruption.

Skees also wrote that the committee should have the power to subpoena people and take sworn testimonies under oath. In response to leaderships question about the proposed scope of the committee, he cited the part of the state constitution giving lawmakers authority to establish voting laws and guard against abuses of the electoral process.

Thursdays response from Galt and Blasdel amounted to their most pointed public critique of the proposal.

Any special committee to work on this topic needs to have defined goals and a defined plan to be successful, they wrote. A special committee that doesnt accomplish anything will do more harm than good to election integrity.

During the 2021 legislative session, Republican lawmakers passed some of the most dramatic changes to the states election laws in decades. Those included increased restrictions on allowed forms of voter identification, eliminating same-day voter registration in the state and limiting when elections can be held only by mail-in ballots, as occurred during the pandemic-year elections in 2020.

Skees declined to outline any new policy proposals in his latest response to Blasdel and Galt. But a series of bill drafts requested last November by Sen. Theresa Manzella, a Hamilton Republican who has been one of the leading voices pushing for the committee, offers an indication of where such a committee might he headed.

One asks for hand counting to become (the) official manner of counting. Manzella told the Montana State News Bureau in January that eliminating the use of ballot-counting machines in Montana is her top voting-related priority.

Others include:

 Limiting the use of mail-in ballots to those who serve in the military of are disabled.;

 Poll books must be paper and precinct-specific;

 Ballots are counted at the precincts where the votes are cast, with the process being video- and audio-recorded;

 Establishing an official chain of custody for ballots;

 Requiring that a forensic image of all voting machines, tabulators and any electronic equipment used in the voting process must be taken" before and after elections;

In a text message Friday, Manzella indicated she would respond to questions sent by text message, but did reply to a list of questions by press time.

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A federal agency has given the Montana State Hospital 23 days to correct noncompliance issues so severe that the agency determined patients' health and safety are in immediate danger, or else the state's only psychiatric hospital will lose its federal funding.

The violations that spurred the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to potentially strike its federal funding agreement with the Warm Springs facility: patients rights and infection prevention control.

In a Feb. 18 letter to Montana State Hospital administrator Kyle Fouts, CMS said it intends to terminate the hospital's Medicare provider agreement on March 13. Termination of that agreement can only be averted by correction of the hospital's actions by that date.

According to the letter, CMS inspectors pored over the facility from Feb. 8 through 10. By the end of the survey on Feb. 10, the state hospital was in an immediate jeopardy situation, although the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, which operates the facility, has denied it was under that status when inspectors left the facility.

"Information was provided regarding the failures that were identified during the survey and the need for a written plan of action to remove or abate this serious situation," Friday's letter states. "The hospital at that time was unable to provide a written plan of action and was unable to implement sufficient corrective actions to remove the (immediate jeopardy) situation by the end of the survey."

Earlier this week a DPHHS spokesperson said that although the hospital had not been officially placed on immediate jeopardy status and was awaiting the report, the agency was moving forward with a corrective action plan as if it had.

Immediate jeopardy is a specific designation that comes with potential sanctions and fines by the day for noncompliance. In order to reach such a finding, inspectors must conclude that the facility is out of compliance with federal health and safety regulations, that serious injury or death could arise from that noncompliance, and that the threat is so dire that the facility must take immediate action to prevent it.

Disability Rights Montana, an advocacy group that monitors health care facilities in Montana that work with people with disabilities, raised the alarm Friday about the immediate jeopardy status. Bernie Franks-Ongoy, the organization's executive director, said in an interview Friday it's important that families with loved ones at the state hospital be aware of the situation at the state hospital.

"We are really concerned about the conditions in the hospital and we are particularly concerned because were talking about immediate jeopardy," Franks-Ongoy said Friday. "Were talking about the threat to health and safety and when the state takes people into their care and removes them from their community, they need to be able to do it in appropriate way.

"This isn't about a 'gotcha' for the state hospital," she added. "This is about 'Let's all roll up our sleeves and do the right thing,' and the right thing is to make sure that people are getting the appropriate care in the facility."

The letter does not bear details of what patient rights and infection control violations were uncovered at the facility; DPHHS likewise did not return an email asking to provide those details, or to comment on the CMS notice issued Friday.

In January, two weeks before the recent inspection, DPHHS confirmed the hospital was experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak. Subsequent interviews with current and former staff indicated employees have been given work assignments that transferred them from COVID-positive units to units without infected patients.

"They do it constantly," one traveling nurse, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, told the Montana State News Bureau. "They say they're doing safe practices, but they're not. They're not even trying."

CMS had initially approved an inspection of the facility in September that found staffing numbers were below the level needed to prevent patients from falling. Inspectors then found patients had fallen 113 times between June and August 2021, and employees told inspectors staffing documentation had been altered to not list patients whose needs required one-on-one attention from staff. After the Montana State News Bureau asked the agency how it approved that inspection, CMS said it would revisit the situation in Warm Springs, although it is yet to answer how the September inspection was approved.

The Montana State News Bureau has interviewed more than 20 current and former staff since October who illustrated untenable working conditions and an unresponsive administration led by Fouts. The state health department has declined to make Fouts available for an interview, although November figures from DPHHS showed 40% of positions are vacant at the hospital; many of those functions are being carried out by traveling nurses at a much more expensive rate. Employees say long-term staff continue to leave the facility, which in turn has grown more reliant on traveling nurses.

Employees also raised their concerns with state lawmakers like Sen. Mark Sweeney, a Democrat whose district includes the state hospital, and at a committee hearing in January. Rep. Ed Stafman, a Bozeman Democrat who chairs the interim committee that heard from those employees, on Friday criticized the state's response to employees pleading for relief in Warm Springs.

In order to stabilize the work force, DPHHS last year put out a request for proposals from potential contractors to temporarily take over management of all its health care facilities, not just the state hospital. Gov. Greg Gianforte, similarly hoping to pad the low staffing numbers in Montana's health care facilities, offered signing bonuses for health care workers to come to Montana. Neither proposal directed additional funding to retain permanent staff in Warm Springs.

"Our committee held a hearing several weeks ago where we made clear that 'the house is on fire,' so we can't afford to wait months for a consultant's report," Stafman said in an email Friday evening. "Still, no action was taken. Our hearts go out to the patients and their families whose health and safety have suffered and will suffer from this neglect, and our thanks go out to the dedicated MSH employees who have stuck it out, despite having to work under deplorable conditions. We will do everything within our power to compel DPHHS to appropriately address patient safety and working conditions."

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Todays Highlights in History:

On Feb. 19, 2008, an ailing Fidel Castro resigned the Cuban presidency after nearly a half-century in power; his brother Raul was later named to succeed him.

On Feb. 19:

In 1473, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland.

In 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr, accused of treason, was arrested in the Mississippi Territory, in present-day Alabama. (Burr was acquitted at trial.)

In 1878, Thomas Edison received a U.S. patent for an improvement in phonograph or speaking machines.

In 1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which paved the way for the relocation and internment of people of Japanese ancestry, including U.S.-born citizens.

In 1945, Operation Detachment began during World War II as some 30,000 U.S. Marines began landing on Iwo Jima, where they commenced a successful month-long battle to seize control of the island from Japanese forces.

In 1959, an agreement was signed by Britain, Turkey and Greece granting Cyprus its independence.

In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford, calling the issuing of the internment order for people of Japanese ancestry in 1942 a sad day in American history, signed a proclamation formally confirming its termination.

In 1985, the British soap opera EastEnders debuted on BBC Television.

In 1986, the U.S. Senate approved, 83-11, the Genocide Convention, an international treaty outlawing acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, nearly 37 years after the pact was first submitted for ratification.

In 1997, Deng Xiaoping, the last of Chinas major Communist revolutionaries, died at age 92.

In 2003, an Iranian military plane carrying 275 members of the elite Revolutionary Guards crashed in southeastern Iran, killing all on board.

In 2012, three skiers were killed when an avalanche swept them about a quarter-mile down an out-of-bounds canyon at Stevens Pass, Washington, but a fourth skier caught up in the slide was saved by a safety device. Forty-four inmates were killed in a prison riot in Apodaca, northern Mexico.

In 2017, three former elite U.S. gymnasts, including 2000 Olympian Jamie Dantzscher, appeared on CBS 60 Minutes to say they were sexually abused by Dr. Larry Nassar, a volunteer team physician for USA Gymnastics. (Nassar would be sentenced to decades in prison after hundreds of girls and women said he sexually abused them under the guise of medical treatment.) Anthony Davis had an All-Star Game for the record books, scoring 52 points as the Western Conference beat the Eastern Conference 192-182  the highest-scoring game in league history.

In 2019, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to develop plans for a new Space Force within the Air Force, accepting less than the full-fledged department he had wanted.

In 2021, Southern cities slammed by winter storms that left millions without power for days were dealing with water pipes ruptured by record-low temperatures; the breaks created a shortage of clean drinking water, shut down airports and left hospitals scrambling. The United States officially returned to the Paris climate accord; President Joe Biden told a virtual gathering of European leaders that the world can no longer delay or do the bare minimum to address climate change. U.S. officials scrambled to reinforce the nations cyber defenses following a sweeping hack that may have exposed government and corporate secrets to Russia. Kim Kardashian West filed for divorce from Kanye West in Los Angeles after 6 1/2 years of marriage.

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By Trend

United States Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin sat down with Minister of Defence of Georgia Juansher Burchuladze in one of the few meetings the American official held at the NATO ministerial in Brussels on Thursday, with the discussion covering questions of strategic cooperation between the partnering countries, Trend reports citing Agenda.ge.

Hosted at the NATO headquarters during the alliances ministerial in Brussels on Thursday, the talk between Austin and Burchuladze stressed the importance of the recent memorandum of understanding on the Georgia Defence and Deterrence Enhancement (GDDE) Initiative.

Signed between the two sides in October during Austins official visit to Georgia, the GDDE is a continuation of Georgia Defence Readiness Programme, an earlier package providing a platform for defence-related cooperation between the country and its US partners.

The Georgian minister thanked Austin for Americas strong support and position regarding Georgia and Ukraines security, with the meeting coming on the backdrop of raised tensions in the Black Sea region.

Burchuladze and his Ukrainian colleague Oleksii Reznikov participated in meetings of NATO ministers of defence in Brussels today.
ORLAND PARK  New lawsuits filed on behalf of two Orland Park parochial schoolteachers struck while leaving a Christmas party more than two years ago by a car allegedly driven by a since-deceased priest allege he was helped in evading a police investigation by another pastor at his church.

In response to lawsuits pending in Cook County Circuit Court by Margaret "Rone" Leja and Elizabeth Kosteck, who both worked at St. Michael School, the Chicago Archdiocese denies allegations of a conspiracy involving Geofrey Andama, an associate pastor at St. Michael in Orland Park, and the Rev. Paul Burak, the priest who was allegedly behind the wheel of his car.

Burak, who died Jan. 11, 2021, at age 74, had been charged in connection with the December 2019 death of Leja and the injuries to Kosteck after they all were at a holiday party at the Square Celt in Orland Park.

Burak had retired in 2018 as pastor of St. Michael Catholic Church in Orland Park.

The teachers were walking to their vehicles in a parking lot outside the restaurant when they were struck by a vehicle driven by Burak, according to authorities. Leja, 61, a technology teacher at the Catholic school, later died at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox.

In amended lawsuits filed in early December on behalf of Leja and Kosteck, it is alleged that Andama knew Burak was driving the car that struck both Leja and Kosteck, and knew that Burak had been drinking and should not have been driving. Andama later drove Burak's car to take him to his home in Palos Heights, according to the lawsuits.

Burak's estate is a defendant in those lawsuits along with the archdiocese, and the complaints were amended Dec. 3 to include Andama as a defendant.

Andama has not been charged criminally in connection with the Dec. 4, 2019, accident and did not respond to a message seeking comment.

The archdiocese sought to dismiss allegations in both the Leja and Kosteck complaints related to any collusion the church might have had in connection with the collision. Cook County Associate Judge Melissa Durkin sided with the church in a ruling last month, calling the arguments by the plaintiffs "factually deficient," but gave the attorneys for the women the opportunity to buttress their arguments with added details.

The family of Leja filed its fifth amended complaint Jan. 28, while attorneys for Kosteck filed an amended complaint Feb. 4, her third, according to court records. Both asserted additional details regarding Andama's alleged actions in shielding Burak from police scrutiny the night the teachers were hit.

Both cases have been consolidated and are being heard by Durkin. A status on the case is scheduled for Nov. 28, according to court records.

Responding to the initial allegations by Leja and Kosteck regarding Andama's participation in an alleged conspiracy, the archdiocese contended the arguments were "premised entirely on conclusory allegations rather than facts."

The lawsuits argue that the archdiocese "knowingly and voluntarily participated in a common scheme" with Burak, "by and through its employees and/or agents, including but not limited to Andama."

The complaints allege the archdiocese, by Andama's intervention, "had the opportunity to stop, prohibit or dissuade" Burak from driving while he was impaired.

The archdiocese said that this alleged passive conduct is a far cry from the "substantial assistance or encouragement" required for the imposition of in-concert liability.

There are no allegations that Burak was visibly impaired at the party, or that the archdiocese encouraged Burak to drive while he was impaired, the archdiocese said in its filing. Regarding any possible collusion, the archdiocese argued that there were no allegations that "when the Archdiocese allegedly assisted Burak in fleeing the scene of the accident, the Archdiocese knew" the priest had caused the accident.

The plaintiffs failed to show that the archdiocese, through Andmana, was acting in-concert with Burak when he allegedly left the scene, the archdiocese said.

In her Jan. 10 ruling, Durkin sided with archdiocese regarding the civil conspiracy and in-concert liability accusations.

For Andama to have participated in a civil conspiracy on behalf of the archdiocese, he would have had to participate knowingly in a common scheme, but that no facts had been plead that showed Andama was aware Burak had hit the two women, Durkin wrote.

The judge said the arguments by the plaintiffs were "factually deficient" in showing a conspiracy and ruled in favor of archdiocese, but gave the plaintiffs the opportunity to firm up their arguments in amended complaints.

Orland Park police have said that Burak was driving his Buick Regal shortly after 8 p.m. after the holiday party at Square Celt when he hit Leja and Kosteck, who were walking to their cars.

Burak was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death and leaving the scene of an accident involving injury.

Burak assured other partygoers that he was OK to drive home after they expressed concern, according to Cook County prosecutors. After striking the women, according to authorities, he drove his Buick Regal down an access road and pulled into the drive-through lane of a restaurant, but did not order anything, before returning a short time later to the parking lot of the Square Celt. At that point, police officers, paramedics and other emergency personnel were on scene, but Burak did not tell anyone he had hit the women, authorities said. He was driven home by another St. Michael priest.

Burak told investigators that he had a Manhattan and a glass of wine at the party and blacked out for much of the night after being driven home, prosecutors said. Burak initially told investigators that he didn't know he had hit anyone and believed he had struck a parking block as he was trying to leave Square Celt.

In their amended complaints, attorneys for the teachers allege Andama went outside the Square Celt after he and others who were at the gathering learned there had been an accident.

Andama saw Burak in the driver's seat of his car and that emergency vehicles that responded were blocking exits, and he witnessed Burak hit a parked car while making a three-point turn, according to the lawsuits.

The lawsuits allege Andama knew at the time Burak had hit the women and offered to drive Burak to his home, an offer Burak initially resisted but accepted after Andama pressed the matter.

Burak sat in the back seat of the Buick while Andama drove, but Burak was unable to recall his address or direct Andama, but Andama was able to get the address from documents inside the car, according to the lawsuits.

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After another wave of school closures due to COVID-19, reaching the end of the academic year without further disruptions must be an overriding priority. Yet even if that modest goal is met, Americas youth face learning deficits that could take years to overcome. Preventing further damage will require schools to provide much more instruction for struggling students, even if it means cutting summer short.

The cost of doing so shouldnt be understated. In 2021, about 13% of public-school students attended district-provided summer school. Considering how many U.S. students are performing below grade level, a minimum goal should be to double that number. Nationwide, that would cost at least $20 billion, with large districts accounting for much of the spending. To ensure that investment is productive, districts need to start planning now  by identifying students in greatest need, developing curricula to reinforce what theyve already learned, and recruiting teachers willing to work through the summer for bonus pay.

The shift to remote learning early in the pandemic wreaked havoc on students. Going into the 2021 school year, they were, on average, five months behind in math and nearly as deficient in reading. Black students and those in low-income school districts suffered even more  and theres every indication that achievement gaps are growing. A McKinsey & Co. report estimates that the diminished earning potential of these students could cost the U.S. economy as much as $188 billion annually once they enter the workforce.

Reversing those trends is a matter of national urgency. Some districts have used federal COVID-relief funds to expand tutoring services for disadvantaged students, but such programs arent adequate to the scale of the crisis. All students need more concentrated instructional time and fewer extended breaks from learning. Adding days to the current academic year and moving up the start of the next one would help, while also limiting the effects of summer learning loss, which can cause students to forget as much as 25% of what they learned the previous year.

For children in greatest need, districts should require full-time summer school that blends academics with recreational activities aimed at bolstering social and emotional health. Schools should provide bonuses to teachers and staff to work through the summer, as districts in South Carolina, Virginia, Texas and other places did last year. They should also hire more part-time instructors, including retired teachers and college and graduate students. Explaining the value of extended school, especially to skeptical parents, will be critical.

None of this will come cheap. Keeping schools open will require more funding to maintain facilities, provide meals and pay support staff. The good news is that states have spent only a small portion of the $122 billion in federal funding provided by last years COVID-relief bill. Partnering with community groups to provide enrichment programs for part of the day could keep staffing expenses down, while consolidating facilities where summer classes are held could reduce other fixed costs. Moreover, investing in added instruction now will yield savings over time, by making it easier for districts to offer summer programs in the future, reducing students need for remedial classes, and lowering their risks of dropping out.

Beyond this summer, the Biden administration should launch a more visible campaign to combat pandemic learning loss. State and local education officials should be encouraged to take bolder steps to increase instruction time, track student achievement, and expand the most effective strategies  including Saturday academies like those created by the school district in Hartford, Connecticut. The pandemic might also offer an opportunity to rethink the wisdom of summer vacations more broadly, as Washington state is doing.

For now, its essential to simply get kids back on track. The pandemic has caused deep and potentially lasting damage not just to student achievement but to the public-school system itself. Extending the school year and ensuring that all students get the instruction they need are the first steps toward repairing it.

Bloomberg Opinion

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It isnt every day that a prince of the Roman Catholic Church, and a strategic Jesuit ally of the pope, openly rejects centuries of Christian teachings that clash with core doctrines of the Sexual Revolution.

The Churchs positions on homosexual relationships as sinful are wrong, said Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg in a recent interview with KDA, a German Catholic news agency. I believe that the sociological and scientific foundation of this doctrine is no longer correct. It is time for a fundamental revision of Church teaching, and the way in which Pope Francis has spoken of homosexuality could lead to a change in doctrine. ...

In our archdiocese, in Luxembourg, no one is fired for being homosexual, or divorced and remarried. I cant toss them out  they would become unemployed, and how can such a thing be Christian? As for homosexual priests, there are many of these, and it would be good if they could talk about this with their bishop without his condemning them.

The latest unorthodox proclamations by Cardinal Hollerich commanded attention because he leads the Commission of the Bishops Conferences of the European Union, and is also the popes choice for relator general for the October 2023 global Synod of Bishops, where he will help shape its work to weigh the churchs future.

This Cardinal seems to be claiming a private revelation which is contrary to scripture & the Catechism of the Catholic Church, tweeted Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, an outspoken conservative. Any private revelation that contradicts public revelation must be condemned.

However, the recent Synodal Way meetings of German Catholic leaders voted to approve draft texts that affirmed some of Cardinal Hollerichs beliefs, including overwhelming approval for a document entitled Blessing celebrations for couples who love each other. Support was just as strong for a Magisterial reassessment of homosexuality text stating that official church teachings on chastity and homosexuality should be revised.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that persons experiencing same-sex attraction must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. However, citing Scripture and church tradition, it also teaches, homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and thus contrary to the natural law. ... Under no circumstances can they be approved.

The crucial question: Was Cardinal Hollerich attempting to steer Pope Francis toward change, or airing views he already knew had support inside the Vatican?

Pope Francis has, as recently as last year, affirmed the Catechism on these issues  signing a Vatican decree barring priests from blessing same-sex unions, since they are not ordered to the Creators plan and God cannot bless sin.

The pope also released a letter this past December praising 50 years of work by Sister Jeannine Gramick, a leader in ministries seeking change on behalf of LGBTQ Catholics. In 1999, Pope John Paul II had signed a statement by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger  the future Pope Benedict XVI  prohibiting Gramick and her New Ways Ministry co-worker, the late Father Robert Nugent, from all pastoral work involving homosexual persons.

But Pope Francis praised Gramick for her 50 years of ministry conducted in the style of God, offering closeness, compassion and tenderness while suffering with others without condemning anyone.

Now, Cardinal Hollerich has openly called for the kinds of doctrinal changes that Catholic progressives have been seeking for decades.

We must change our way of considering sexuality. Until today we have had a rather repressed view of it, he said in another recent interview  this time with La Croix, a Catholic newspaper in France. This is clearly not a matter of telling people they can do anything or of abolishing morality, but I believe we have to say that sexuality is a gift from God. We know this, but do we say it? Im not sure.

The upcoming Synod of Bishops, he stressed, is the time for flexibility on tough issues.

This is a synod. It must be open. As the pope says, it is the Holy Spirit who is the master builder. So, we must also leave room for the Holy Spirit. ... This change in decision-making goes hand in hand with a real change in civilization, which we are facing. And the Church, as it has always done throughout its history, must adapt to it.

Terry Mattingly leads GetReligion.org and lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is a senior fellow at the Overby Center at the University of Mississippi.
Northwood High School senior Cami DeBusk will have a lot of help toward her goal of becoming a pediatrician.

DeBusk has been awarded a $20,000 college scholarship from the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership Award program.

I am honored, DeBusk said of the award. Im really excited. I was really nervous going to the interview. I wasnt expecting to win.

Students chosen for the award must go to an interview in Richmond, and DeBusk said there were about 11 people in the room.

It was very intimidating, said the soft-spoken Saltville native. They asked questions about how I help people in the community and how I would help in the future.

DeBusk said she and a classmate started the Comfort Closet at Northwood High when they were freshmen. The program provides hygiene items to students in need. A cash donation from Utility, she said, used to stock the closet began the program.

People have recently started using it, she said. Use was limited over the past two years with students often restricted to distance learning from home. They say its really nice to have something like that when you need it.

She plans to study at Emory & Henry College and VCOM (Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine) in Blacksburg and hopes to practice in Smyth County.

Ever since I was little I knew I wanted to help people and, ultimately, health care was what I wanted to do, DeBusk said. I really love kids and thats mostly why I decided to be a pediatrician. Kids need someone to look up to. I think they look up to doctors. Ive always looked up to my doctors.

At school, DeBusk is a member of the Beta Club, FFA, student council and the Foreign Language Club. She is studying Spanish in order to be able to communicate with her patients if needed.

The Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership Award is open to high school seniors who are nominated by a high school in Virginia. Students must demonstrate academic accomplishment and embody excellence of character, leadership, and good character. One winner is selected from each congressional district.

DeBusk is the second Northwood student to win the award. It was also presented to Ashleigh Danielle Waddle in 2002-03.

DeBusks interview in Richmond took place on Jan. 26. Recipients will be presented their awards at a ceremony in Richmond on March 17.

The mission of the program is to nurture public service, which is critical to the preservation of American democracy, by awarding Virginias high school seniors who demonstrate a combination of excellence of character, qualities of leadership, devotion to duty and academic accomplishment with a $20,000 award.

DeBusk said her parents, Ben and Karen DeBusk, are proud of her winning the award and excited about how it will help with her education.

Im really glad to have won, she said. This will really help with my college expenses.

Harry F. Byrd Jr. Leadership Award

In 1994, former U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd Jr. established the award program because of his deep conviction that a strong system of public education is essential to democratic government, and that cultivating leadership among young citizens advances both education and government. It was Sen. Byrds hope that this award will create a desire for excellence among students; enhance student self-assurance by the Selection Committees vote of confidence; and provide recognition and financial assistance to students with outstanding leadership qualities.

The first awards were made in the spring of 1995. Although it was Byrds hope that these young people will choose to remain in the commonwealth for their higher education, this is not a requirement, and there is no restriction on the use of the award. The University of Virginia Foundation administers the trust.

Byrd spent 36 years in elected public office  18 years in the Virginia State Senate (1948-1965) and another 18 years in the U.S. Senate (1965-1983).

At 16, Byrd entered the Virginia Military Institute and later attended the University of Virginia to study government. Born into a political family  his father having been Governor of Virginia and a U.S. Senator - he attended nine national political conventions, the first at 17 (Democratic 1932) and was elected to the Virginia Senate at 32.

During World War II, he served as executive officer of a patrol bombing squadron in the Central and Western Pacific as a lieutenant commander in the Navy.

In the U.S. Senate, Byrd was active as a member of the Armed Services Committee and made fact-finding trips to the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, and Vietnam. Byrd also served on the Finance Committee, which has primary authority for all legislation dealing with taxes, trade, and Social Security. Byrd was elected to office nine times, seven as a Democrat and twice as an Independent. He is the only person in the history of the U.S. Senate to be twice elected as an Independent, and, in 1970, received more votes than the combined total of his two opponents - one a Democrat and one a Republican. He retired from the U.S. Senate in 1983.In his business life, Byrd was editor and publisher of The Winchester Star, Winchester and the Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg. He was an active member of the board of directors after his retirement in 2001 from the Daily News-Record and in 2011 from The Winchester Star.

Born Dec. 20, 1914, he died at his home in Winchester, July 30, 2013.

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MARION, Va.  Two people were taken into custody Thursday after drugs were seized from an apartment in Marion.

Joshua Lee Kogod, 40, and Alexis Harris, 20, were arrested, according to a Smyth County Sheriffs Office press release. The agency executed a search warrant in the 200 block of Main Street and seized a substantial amount of meth and a firearm, the release said.

The Virginia State Police Tactical Team and the Marion Police Department assisted during the incident.
Hickory Mayor Hank Guess said last spring the arches over the City Walk would be a feature that is safe and itll be exactly what were supposed to have and itll last forever.

On Friday morning, Guess said he was grateful no one was hurt when the 40-ton arches fell onto the adjacent Main Avenue bridge around midnight.

Assistant City Manager Rodney Miller was among the officials assessing the scene Friday morning. As he was walking away, he would only say the investigation is ongoing.

When asked about the cause, Miller said: Have no idea.

Guess said a windy night might have played a role in the collapse of the arches. A press release from the city also referenced the arches falling during last nights storm.

Carolina Weather Group meteorologist Scotty Powell said he was skeptical of the winds being an explanation for the collapse.

He said the highest wind speed recorded at the Hickory Regional Airport, which is located about four miles from the arches, was 33 mph and the highest recorded in the county was 42 mph in Newton. He did acknowledge potential for somewhat higher gusts in the area of the arches.

Forty mile-per-hour wind gusts are not a normal, everyday thing but its definitely not out of the realm in our area to see those, Powell said. Those wind gusts to me doesnt seem to be plausible because we didnt see any widespread trees coming down from those wind gusts.

Guess said taxpayers would not bear a cost because of the warranty on the arches.

He said the initial evaluation of the Main Avenue bridge showed it to be safe, but further assessments are needed. The city will be working with other experts and agencies, such as the N.C. Department of Transportation, he said. There was some damage to at least one side of the bridge.

When asked to respond to public concerns and questions regarding the arches, Guess said: I would tell anyone that we did everything according to the rules and according to the professionals, the architects, the engineers. I dont know what else we could have done that we didnt do.

Councilman Tony Wood said the citys focus now should be figuring out what happened in order to integrate (that information) and do something even better than what we had before.

The arches were a centerpiece for the City Walk in downtown Hickory, a project that was funded through the $40 million bond referendum in 2014. At a cost of approximately $750,000, the arches accounted for around 5% of the $14.3 million City Walk contract.

They were up for less than a year. The official dedication of the City Walk and lighting of the arches was two months ago.

There had been problems with the arches before.

The installation of the second arch was delayed last year after part of the wood splintered. Hickory Communications Specialist Sarah Killian said then the arch was fixed using a combination of adhesives, clamps and screws.

The city did not say what adhesive was used. At one point, the manufacturer recommended using Gorilla Glue.

The City Walk contractor Neill Grading & Construction and engineering firm John Wood Group PLC are assessing the damage, the city said in a news release shortly after 11 a.m. Friday. An investigation is under way to determine the contributing factors that led to the fall of the arches. Until that investigation is complete, the debris cannot be removed, the release said.

A statement posted to Neill Gradings Facebook page on Friday said that the company had no direct involvement in the design, manufacture, or erection of the decorative wooden arches and that its subcontractor Dane Construction handled the installation.

The arches were built by Western Wood Structures in Oregon and shipped across the country.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has opened N.C. 127. The Main Avenue Bridge and the Rudy Wright Bridge remain closed until further notice, the city release said.

On social media and on a street near the arches, there was frustration.

Hickory resident Kim Hudson, 55, was among those who came out to see the collapsed arches. She called it an embarrassment for the city.

Im really disappointed and Id like to have some transparency into how the city decided to spend the money for the bond referendum and why this is such a complete disaster, Hudson said.

Another Hickory resident, 72-year-old Kris Ferguson, said: We saw this coming. You dont have to be a psychic to see this was going to fail.

Guess said there has been no discussion of what might replace the arches.

Councilman Wood said the feedback he received on Friday consisted of people providing support and encouragement for city leaders.

Every telephone call I have received today has been positive and that has been amazing because you would think that there would be some negativity come out, Wood said. Now, Im sure that social media is doing its thing. Theres always going to be detractors.

Councilwoman Jill Patton said she, too, had received positive messages in the wake of the collapse.

The support that I have received and the phone calls and text messages have been overwhelmingly supportive of saying, Lets just go back to the drawing board and do something bigger and better, Patton said. Weve had setbacks as a city in the past and we always pull together. We have a vision of what we want and what we want the city to be and people are already talking about new ideas for it.

She added: I think so often it is naysayers that love to jump on something and beat it with a stick when we have to have time to assess what it is, get the parties that are involved.

Kevin Griffin is the city of Hickory reporter at the Hickory Daily Record.

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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.
By Trend

Israel's Minister of Economy and Industry, Orna Barbivai, will pay a four-day working visit to Morocco starting Sunday, the ministry announced on Thursday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

During the visit, the minister is expected to sign an economic-trade cooperation agreement, the details of which were agreed upon about a year ago, shortly after the two countries signed a historic agreement for the establishment of full diplomatic relations in December 2020.

The economic agreement to be signed in Morocco is an important step in laying the basis for doing business between the countries, the Israeli ministry noted.

Barbivai will meet with Morocco's Minister of Industry Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Economy and Finance Nadia Fettah Alaoui and Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment, and Skills Younes Sekkouri, as well as other senior government officials and business leaders.

The Israeli minister is also expected to visit projects of Israeli companies operating in Morocco in the fields of textiles and agriculture.
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."
If you are innocent, why are you taking the Fifth? Taking the Fifth is a refuge for mobsters. Harrible he said with that N.Y. accent. Its disgraceful what they are doing taking the Fifth before Congress. Just some of what former President Donald Trump has said about taking the Fifth.

Before the Congressional Committee investigating Jan. 6, conspiracy specialist, Alex Jones took the Fifth over 100 times even refusing to answer what he had for lunch. Did he steal lunch from an alien spaceship and assume aliens have extradition treaties with the United States? Who knows what nonsense lurks in the mind of Alex Jones?

Who else is taking the Fifth? There is Jeff Clark, the guy Trump wanted as attorney general when Barr resigned just before the end of his administration, and attorney John Eastman who wrote the memo on how Trump could retain power after losing the election. Then, we have Roger Stone, a man accustomed to pleading the Fifth.

Given the former presidents heartfelt feelings about pleading the Fifth, the most shocking is son Eric pleading the Fifth, not once but 500 times during a deposition related to the New York investigation into the former presidents business. Coming as no shock was Allen Weisselberg, CFO of the Trump organization.

If all these people are innocent, why are they are pleading the Fifth? There is a saying that if you tell the truth you dont have to remember anything. It follows that if you dont break the law, you dont have to worry about self-incrimination. Wonder what Trump would say today about taking the Fifth?

It is a rare day that I agree with the former president, but all this pleading is horrible, downright disgraceful. Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we start to deceive.

David Turman

Hickory

Editor's note: The fifth amendment protects people from having to testify in court on topics that may incriminate them.
" " William Henry McCarty Jr., aka Billy the Kid, born in 1859, was killed in an ambush by Sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, in 1881. Wikimedia Commons

Lincoln County, New Mexico Sheriff Pat Garrett would later claim that on the night he shot down Billy the Kid, the notorious outlaw was holding a gun.

But the account Garrett gave of that night in his biography of Billy the Kid is odd, to say the least. The date was July 14, 1881, and Billy had been a fugitive for months. Acting on a tip, Garrett had tracked Billy to Fort Sumner, New Mexico and entered the home of his acquaintance Peter Maxwell. Garrett found Maxwell asleep. The sheriff sat down on the bed, roused Maxwell and asked him the whereabouts of Billy.

Remarkably, at that precise moment a shadowy figure entered the room, having nearly stepped on Garrett's two assistants who were lurking outside the door. It was Billy. He was carrying a butcher's knife and, allegedly, a gun. The knife was intended for carving a hunk of meat from a yearling Maxwell had recently butchered. You see, Billy was feeling peckish and in need of sustenance and had ventured over to Maxwell's to secure the meat in question.

As Billy entered the dark room and moved to the head of the bed to speak with Maxwell, his eyes adjusted enough to note the presence of Garrett who was still sitting next to the supine Maxwell on the bed. Billy jumped back nervously, aiming his gun at Garrett and saying in Spanish, "Quien es? Quien es?" (Who is it? Who is it?) They were the last words Billy the Kid ever spoke.

Maxwell helpfully informed Garrett that this new visitor was none other than Billy the Kid, whispering, "That's him." Garrett drew his gun and fired. Billy fell, struggled to breathe for a few moments, then expired. Garrett claimed Billy was 21 at the time but nobody knows for sure if that's true. He might have been as young as 19.

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Billy's Background

Billy the Kid, whose legal name was William Henry McCarty Jr. (though he sometimes also went by the name William Bonney), was an orphan who, while still a teenager, had become embroiled in a violent local dispute known as the Lincoln County War. During one confrontation, several men had been shot dead. Sheriff Garrett formed a posse and captured Billy who was tried and sentenced to hang.

While awaiting execution, he was kept under lock and key in an improvised prison in the Lincoln County Courthouse. He and two other prisoners were guarded by a pair of armed men, one of whom was an old enemy of the Kid's named Bob Olinger. When Olinger took the two other prisoners to a hotel across the street for a meal, he left Billy in the care of Deputy James Bell.

Billy the Kid was to eat in his cell, which was really just a room with a lock on the door. This room lacked amenities and when necessary the guards escorted the prisoners to the outdoor privy. While Olinger was out, Billy asked to make such a visit and Deputy Bell complied. According to the Kid's own account to a friend, this is what happened next: Having used the privy, Billy and Bell headed back inside. As they mounted the stairs back to the cell, Billy was in the lead, moving slowly because he was handcuffed and his feet were shackled. He must have been a very cool customer to do what he did next, but as Samuel Johnson once said, "when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates the mind wonderfully."

Billy was on the small side and it seems his handcuffs were one-size-fits-all. Going up the steps he slid one hand out of its cuff and turned his heavy iron restraint into a weapon, swinging it at the end of its chain as he swiveled and hammered Bell in the head. Dazed with pain, Bell staggered, clutching his injured head long enough for Billy to jerk the deputy's gun from its holster, point the business end at his former captor and instruct him to raise his hands. Bell unwisely chose to run. Seeing no alternative, Billy the Kid shot Bell in the back. A groundskeeper came running to the front door at the sound of the shot and Bell died in the man's arms.

" " Pat Garrett, sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico, around 1881. Print Collector/Getty Images

Olinger too had heard gunfire and left the hotel to investigate. But as he closed in on his partner's corpse, he heard a familiar voice call his name from the balcony overhead. Looking up, he saw Billy pointing his own rifle at him. It fired and Olinger died instantly. Billy added a few more guns to his arsenal, commandeered a horse and rode out of town with the whole town as his audience.

He had less than three months to live.

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Did Garrett Really Kill Billy?

Several details about Garrett's account of Billy the Kid's death stand out as odd, the foremost being the remarkable coincidence of Billy showing up in a dark bedroom just as Garrett happened to be questioning its occupant about his whereabouts. In the wake of Billy's death, many people took a dim view of Garrett's actions, judging him to have committed an extrajudicial killing of a teenage boy. It was for this reason that Garrett published his biography of the Kid, estimating his age to be a conveniently adult 21 and insisting that he was armed and dangerous when he came into Maxwell's bedroom looking for food.

Billy the Kid scholar Marcelle Brothers also is highly skeptical of Garrett's version of events. In an interview, she outlined a different scenario: Billy the Kid was romantically involved with Maxwell's sister, Paulita. Maxwell wasn't happy about this, as he intended to marry Paulita off to a wealthy landowner.

Brothers speculates that Maxwell might have tipped Garrett off that Billy was in Fort Sumner. Garrett and Maxwell could then have planned an ambush, luring Billy into the dark bedroom, where he might have expected to find Paulita. Brothers doubts that Billy was armed. "Pat Garrett had a pattern of ambushing and killing. That's what he did to Billy's friend, Tom O'Folliard," says Brothers.

In later years, Maxwell refused to talk about the night Billy died. And so, the only account that we have of the famed outlaw's death is the one given by his killer. It's an old cliche that history is written by the victors, and in this case, it's certainly true. Garrett's story is so implausible that it's led some people to believe he never actually killed Billy, but rather allowed him to escape and concocted a tale that allowed the outlaw to live to a ripe old age. Marcelle Brothers has no time for this theory. We'll never truly know exactly what happened in Fort Sumner on the night of July 14, 1881, she says, except that one way or another, Sheriff Garrett shot and killed Billy the Kid.

Now That's Interesting It's remotely possible that Billy the Kid was trilingual. Having grown up amongst Spanish speakers, he was reasonably fluent in Spanish. He might also have been able to speak Irish. There's very little evidence to support this theory, but one writer has alleged, based on an oral history account, that Billy learned Irish from his mother and translated for a young Irish speaker in New Mexico.
" " Karl Marx is considered by many as the man whose ideas spurred on authoritarian communist regimes in Russia, China and elsewhere. HowStuffWorks

One quick glance at Karl Marx's curriculum vitae says a lot. Economist, philosopher, journalist, sociologist, political theorist. Historian. Add to that socialist, communist (in the original meaning of the word) and revolutionary, and that's just a start.

Karl Marx was one of the most respected minds of the 19th century. His meditations on how societies work, and how they should work, have informed and challenged humans for more than 150 years.

Yet to the uninitiated, Marx may be only a bushy-mugged symbol of revolution, the Father of Communism, the hater of capitalism. He is considered by many, especially in the West, as the man whose ideas spurred on authoritarian communist regimes in Russia, China and elsewhere.

That, again, is selling the man short because it's not entirely right.

"Viewed positively, Marx is a far-seeing prophet of social and economic developments and an advocate of the emancipatory transformation of state and society," writes Jonathan Sperber in "Karl Marx: A Nineteenth-Century Life." "From a negative viewpoint, Marx is one of those most responsible for the pernicious and evil features of the modern world."

If nothing else, Karl Heinrich Marx was a keen observer of the human condition. He was a deep thinker with bold ideas about how to make life better.

"Marx himself was first and foremost a kind of scientist," says Lawrence Dallman, who teaches a course on Marx and philosophy at the University of Chicago and is the co-author of a chapter on Marx and Marxism in "The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Relativism." "He was a student of reality. But he himself struggled throughout the course of his career with how exactly to put his ideas to politics."

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Growing Up Karl Marx

For the truly uninitiated it's important to note that, despite his one-time lofty standing in the former Soviet Union, Marx was born in Trier, in the Kingdom of Prussia, in 1818. That's what's now known as the Rhineland area of Western Germany. After the failed German revolution of 1848, Marx fled to London, where he died in 1883. He's buried beneath a large tomb in London's Highgate Cemetery.

Marx grew up privileged, the son of well-off and liberal parents, in an ancient town that had been racked for decades before his birth by war and revolution. That upheaval  cultural, religious, and political  shaped his parents and was a big part of young Marx's upbringing.

Later, Marx attended universities, studying law and philosophy, where he became engaged to (and later married) a Prussian baroness, Jenny von Westphalen. The two met in their hometown of Trier, while teenagers. It was while studying philosophy and law that Marx was introduced to the works of German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, whose ideas he used to later form his take on communism.

Marx began a career as a journalist in his early 20s, writing for radical newspapers in Cologne and in Paris. Throughout, he consorted with other liberal-minded philosophers and, by his mid-20s, met and collaborated with one of the major influences in his life, Friedrich Engels. It was Engels who convinced Marx that society's working class would be the instrument to fuel revolutions and bring about a more fair and just society.

In 1848, the two published a pamphlet that would be the basis for a new political movement: "The Communist Manifesto."

In 1883, after Marx's death, Engels summed up the main idea in The Communist Manifesto:

[T]hat economic production, and the structure of society of every historical epoch necessarily arising therefrom, constitute the foundation for the political and intellectual history of that epoch; that consequently (ever since the dissolution of the primaeval communal ownership of land) all history has been a history of class struggles, of struggles between exploited and exploiting, between dominated and dominating classes at various stages of social evolution; that this struggle, however, has now reached a stage where the exploited and oppressed class (the proletariat) can no longer emancipate itself from the class which exploits and oppresses it (the bourgeoisie), without at the same time forever freeing the whole of society from exploitation, oppression, class struggles.

"Marx was always concerned to understand the real underlying causes of social phenomena, the events and institutions that shape the social world," explains Dallman. "Marx wanted to dig down beneath the appearances and see what was really going on. Early on in his career, he thought that the best arena to do that in was philosophy. And then as time went on, he transitioned more into the social sciences.

"What's most important about Marx is that he very much had an engineering mentality about society. He wanted to know what makes it work and how, if we want to change it, do we change it. What are the levers that we have to pull?"

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Communism vs. Capitalism

Marx's 1847 economics work, "Capital. A Critique of Political Economy," a takedown of capitalism that decried the exploitation of the working class, crystallized a debate  one that continues today  between the West's ruling social and economic theory, capitalism, and Marx's idea of communism. To many, it's a fight that pits rich versus poor; bourgeoisie versus proletariat; ruling class versus workers. It is even more than that to those who debate it: It's right versus wrong, an argument about the best path to a perfect society.

But that, of course, is criminally simplistic and doesn't get Marx's thinking right.

"Above all else, the association that people have with Marx, that he's some utopian, pie of sky, dreaming up a perfect world that is free of all the nastiness we live in now ... really, that couldn't be further from the truth," Dallman says. "As I said, Marx had a kind of engineering mindset. He was, probably of all the major figures in the history of political thought, the most practical, the most realistic. He was the most concerned with what is really possible in the real world."

What Marx defined as communism  boiled down, a society that produces goods only for human need, not for profit, and in which there is no master-slave/royalty-peasants/owner-worker relationship (and therefore no need to overthrow anybody)  certainly clashes with the materialism of capitalism. But it's a long way from what many see as communism, too.

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, and later under Joseph Stalin's reign, some of Marx's ideas (along with those of Vladimir Lenin) were used to build a new empire. Millions were killed along the way. Similarly, millions died in China under the rule of Mao Zedong's communist party.

"It's hard to even talk about what Marx thought of communism without dragging in all the weight from Soviet Russia and communist China," Dallman says. "And, obviously, a lot of people hold Marx responsible for that."

" " Karl Marx and his daughter Jenny, a left-wing journalist and her fathers secretary, in 1869. Public Domain

Clearly, authoritarian rules like Stalin's and Mao's were not what Marx had in mind. It's important to note, too, that Marx did not hate capitalism. Far from it. He actually saw some virtue in the system. He saw it as a necessary precursor to communism. He envisioned some of the technological challenges  automation unseating workers, for example  that are true today.

"Marx was very impressed with the progressive character of capitalism. By forcing people from all different walks of life into the same workplaces, capitalism breaks down the old divides between communities," Dallman says. "And so things like race and gender and religion divide people less, the more people are forced to see each other as equals in the workplace."

Marx recognized and marveled at the economical and technological growth that capitalism spurs, and saw it as an improvement from previous societies. Later in life, Dallman says, Marx suggested a growth in capitalism might be a way to move toward communism, instead of all-out revolution.

But he still saw communism  with no master-slave dynamic  as the end goal.

In that way, and in others, Marx's idea of communism was far from the atrocities committed in the name of communism elsewhere. And his ideas are still, perhaps strangely to many, a beacon in a search for a better way of life. In that, a practical man and deep thinker of the 19th century still has relevance in today's world.

"Marx was so committed to giving a rational criticism of everything. Not just the enemy, but to himself and everything," Dallman says. "He was willing to criticize the old modes of life and show how capitalism improved on them, but he was also willing to criticize capitalism and show how we could foresee improvement coming in the future. That is still a hopeful vision."

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Marx's tomb in London, topped by a huge bearded bust, is inscribed with the words, "Workers of All Lands Unite." Those are the last words in "The Communist Manifesto." Kind of. The real words read "Proletarier aller Lander, vereinigt euch!" or "Proletarians of all countries, unite!" In the English translation, the last lines go like this: "The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Working Men of All Countries, Unite!"
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:
Hickory Mayor Hank Guess said last spring the 40-ton arches over the City Walk pedestrian bridge would be a feature that is safe, and itll be exactly what were supposed to have, and itll last forever.

On Friday morning, Guess said he was grateful no one was hurt when the wooden arches fell onto the adjacent Main Avenue bridge around midnight.

Assistant City Manager Rodney Miller was among the officials assessing the scene Friday morning. As he was walking away, he would only say the investigation is ongoing.

When asked about the cause, Miller said: Have no idea.

Guess said a windy night might have played a role in the collapse of the arches. A press release from the city also referenced the arch falling during (Thursday) nights storm.

Carolina Weather Group meteorologist Scotty Powell said he was skeptical of the winds being an explanation for the collapse.

He said the highest wind speed recorded at the Hickory Regional Airport, which is located about 4 miles from the arches, was 33 mph and the highest recorded wind in the county was 42 mph in Newton. He did acknowledge potential for somewhat higher gusts in the area of the arches.

Forty mile-per-hour wind gusts are not a normal, everyday thing but its definitely not out of the realm in our area to see those, Powell said.  We didnt see any widespread trees coming down from those wind gusts.

Guess said taxpayers would not bear a cost because of the warranty on the arches.

He said the initial evaluation of the Main Avenue bridge showed it to be safe but further assessments are needed. The city will work with other experts and agencies, such as the N.C. Department of Transportation, he said. There was some damage to at least one side of the bridge.

When asked to respond to public concerns and questions regarding the arches, Guess said, I would tell anyone that we did everything according to the rules and according to the professionals, the architects, the engineers. I dont know what else we could have done that we didnt do.

Councilman Tony Wood said the citys focus now should be figuring out what happened in order to integrate (that information) and do something even better than what we had before.

The arches were a centerpiece for the City Walk in downtown Hickory, a project that was funded through the $40 million bond referendum in 2014. At a cost of approximately $750,000, the arches accounted for around 5% of the $14.3 million City Walk contract.

They were up for less than a year. The official dedication of the City Walk and lighting of the arches was two months ago.

There had been problems with the arches before.

The installation of the second arch was delayed last year after part of the wood splintered. Hickory Communications Specialist Sarah Killian said then the arch was fixed using a combination of adhesives, clamps and screws.

The city did not say what adhesive was used. At one point, the manufacturer recommended using Gorilla Glue.

City Walk contractor Neill Grading & Construction and engineering firm John Wood Group PLC are assessing the damage, the city said in a statement. An investigation is underway to determine the contributing factors that led to the fall of the arches. Until that investigation is complete, the debris cannot be removed, the release said.

A statement posted to Neill Gradings Facebook page on Friday said that the company had no direct involvement in the design, manufacture, or erection of the decorative wooden arches and that its subcontractor, Dane Construction, handled the installation.

The arches were built by Western Wood Structures in Oregon and shipped across the country.

On social media and on a street near the arches, there was frustration.

Hickory resident Kim Hudson, 55, was among those who came out to see the collapsed arches. She called it an embarrassment for the city.

Im really disappointed, and Id like to have some transparency into how the city decided to spend the money for the bond referendum and why this is such a complete disaster, Hudson said.

Another Hickory resident, 72-year-old Kris Ferguson, said: We saw this coming. You dont have to be a psychic to see this was going to fail.

Guess said there has been no discussion of what might replace the arches.

Councilman Wood said the feedback he received on Friday consisted of people providing support and encouragement for city leaders.

Every telephone call I have received today has been positive and that has been amazing because you would think that there would be some negativity come out, Wood said. Now, Im sure that social media is doing its thing. Theres always going to be detractors.

Councilwoman Jill Patton said she, too, had received positive messages in the wake of the collapse.

The support that I have received and the phone calls and text messages have been overwhelmingly supportive of saying, Lets just go back to the drawing board and do something bigger and better, Patton said. Weve had setbacks as a city in the past and we always pull together. We have a vision of what we want and what we want the city to be, and people are already talking about new ideas for it.

She added, I think so often it is naysayers that love to jump on something and beat it with a stick when we have to have time to assess what it is 

Kevin Griffin, kgriffin@hickoryrecord.com, is the City of Hickory reporter at the Hickory Daily Record.
CHARLESTON  A group of concerned citizens is asking residents for their support in bringing awareness to ongoing issues at the Coles County Animal Shelter.

I just care about the quality of life for the Coles County animals, said Latonya Davies, owner of All For Them, Latonyas Pet Care Services. Im here to speak out about and to make sure that those animals in those shelters arent forgotten about.

In response, the group plans to attend the Coles County Health and Safety Committee meeting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, in the Coles County Courthouse, 651 Jackson Ave. in Charleston, to present findings that the shelter is underfunded, understaffed, and in need of assistance.

Davies, who has hundreds of clients in and around the county, said they hope to urge the committee and county board to utilize COVID-19 relief funds to help fund the shelter.

Davies said she has been getting phone calls about allegations and certain issues happening at the shelter which prompted her to learn more about their situation and partner with Melissa Brown Burton-Sanders, a former warden of the shelter.

Burton-Sanders, who owns Topa Farms, which shelters stray and feral animals, said she ran the shelter back in 2002 for about two years and knows the job wears on people, especially when they are having to put down animals for no other reason except they do not have the space or can not find a home.

Recently, Burton-Sanders said she was brought in to be an interim warden at the shelter from Sept. 22 to Oct. 26 in 2021 when the current warden, Julie Deters, was placed on administrative leave for six weeks.

The Journal Gazette & Times-Courier reached out to Deters for an interview but she did not respond to the request before the publishing of this article.

During her time there, Burton-Sanders said she was impressed by how the staff pulled together and worked on a day-to-day basis, but still noticed issues of the shelter being understaffed and lacking space for the number of animals being brought in.

One of the goals that were trying to do is get more animals adopted out and less euthanized through rescues, volunteer organizations, and transporting them to other shelters because they have a higher euthanasia rate than what people would like to see, Burton-Sanders said. Especially with the pandemic, there has been a huge influx of returned animals that arent spayed and neutered and the shelter needs a lot of assistance.

The shelter has also lost its primary way of spaying and neutering animals after the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine suspended its spay and neuter program which provided low-cost services to partnering shelters, Burton-Sanders said.

Spaying and neutering animals is necessary for the shelter because the state mandates that all sheltered animals should be spayed and neutered in order to be adopted from the shelter, Burton-Sanders said.

During her time as interim warden, Burton-Sanders said she would only euthanize animals if it was a worst-case scenario and instead would have the people adopting pay in advance to have the animal spayed and neutered.

Burton-Sanders said another issue is the ongoing problem of feral cat colonies occupying the county and the shelter not having the resources to trap, neuter and release them back into the wild, making sure they do not reproduce.

If a cat comes in and it is deemed unadoptable, whether it be for health reasons or if its feral, it is most likely going to be euthanized, Burton-Sanders said.

Outside of problems with staffing, space, and programs, Burton-Sanders said the shelter was unable to receive the Better Cities For Pets grant from Mars Petcare since they did not allow for the required inspections and audits necessary to be considered for the grant.

Julie is a wonderful human being, she genuinely cares about these animals but she is very much between a rock and a hard place, Burton-Sanders said. Shes in a facility that is too small and understaffed and having been in her shoes, I dont how shes done it this long.

As for now, Burton-Sanders said she is continuing to catch and release feral cats on her own while also sheltering about 70 others on her farm which she hopes to find new homes on other farms as barn cats.

Davies said they hope to bring the issues to light and are currently in the process of receiving a 501(c)3 nonprofit status in order to take in donations for the shelter but right now they are doing it on their own.

Its been a long conversation and overdue topic but nows the time to be vocal, Davies said. Its time to bring positive change.

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CHARLESTON  The Coles County Health Department reported nine new COVID-19 cases on Friday.

This brings the total number of positive cases to 15,020 since the beginning of the pandemic. The total number of deaths stands at 163.

The health department also reported that 43.74% of Coles County residents are vaccinated, with 47.43% receiving at least one dose as of Feb. 17.

Currently, there are 16 COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center and out of those hospitalized, three are in the Critical Care Unit. Five others are being monitored in the COVID @ Home program.

Health officials continue to promote vaccinations as a primary means of preventing the spread of the virus.

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Albert Gallatin

Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin (Jan. 29, 1761-Aug. 12, 1849) was an American politician, diplomat, and linguist. He is known for serving in the Democratic-Republican Party at various federal elective and appointed positions across four decades.

Gallatin represented Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives before becoming the longest-tenured U.S. secretary of the treasury and serving as a high-ranking diplomat.

He would serve as a delegate to the 1789 Pennsylvania constitutional convention and won election to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. An opponent of Alexander Hamiltons economic policies, Gallatin was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1793. However, he was removed from office on a party-line vote after a protest raised by his opponents suggested he did not meet the required nine years of citizenship as he immigrated from Switzerland as a youth.

Gallatin returned to Congress in 1795 after winning election to the House of Representatives. He became the chief spokesman on financial matters for the Democratic-Republican Party. Gallatins mastery of public finance led to his choice as secretary of the treasury by President Thomas Jefferson.

Under Jefferson and James Madison, Gallatin served as secretary from 1801 until February 1814.

Gallatin was primarily responsible for the reduction in the national debt prior to the War of 1812. Following the War of 1812, he helped found the Second Bank of the United States.

In 1813, Madison sent Gallatin to St. Petersburg, Russia to serve as a negotiator for a peace agreement to end the War of 1812. Unfortunately, the talks were not successful. In Gallatins absence he was replaced as secretary of the treasury by George W. Campbell. Upon Gallatins return to the states, he would again take up the position of secretary of the treasury.

In Gallatins later life he would move to New York City in 1828 and become president of the National Bank of New York the following year. He attempted to persuade President Jackson to recharter the Second Bank of the United States, but Jackson vetoed a recharter bill and the Second Bank lost its federal charter in 1836.

In the mid-1840s, he opposed President James K. Polks expansionist policies and wrote a widely-read pamphlet, Peace with Mexico, that called for an end to the Mexican-American War.

Gallatin is commemorated in the naming of a number of counties, roads, and streets.

A statue of Gallatin stands at the northern entrance of todays Treasury Building.

Gallatin was so well thought of that a certificate bearing his name is given to outstanding retiring Treasury officers. A copy of the award is given to the Treasury agent and the original award is mounted in the foyer of the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C.

On a personal note: Many of you now known that my father, Charles E. Campbell, retired as an ATF Agent in 1954 and was awarded the Gallatin Award. As my father has passed, I have a copy of the Gallatin Award, mounted in a frame by my parents.

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By Trend

A team of senior Turkish officials Thursday held meetings in Jerusalem ahead of the Israeli presidents planned trip to Ankara, officials said, as the two countries work to repair strained ties, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

The parties discussed preparations for the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Turkey, bilateral ties between the two countries, as well as various regional issues, Herzogs office and the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a joint statement.

Ibrahim Kal?n, President Recep Tayyip Erdogans chief foreign policy adviser and government spokesperson, and Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal led the delegation that also meet Palestinian authorities on Wednesday.

Herzog met with Ibrahim Kalin and Sedat Onal, who also held talks with other senior officials, including Foreign Ministry Director-General Alon Ushpiz and Eyal Shuiki, director-general of the Israeli Presidential Office, said an Israeli press release.

Turkey and Israel have broad influence in the region, and both have agreed that the rehabilitation of relations can contribute to regional stability, the statement added.

The parties discussed preparations for Herzogs visit, bilateral ties, as well as various regional issues.
A Mount Airy man who was in death row for murdering two women in Forsyth and Stokes counties in 1991 died Thursday night of natural causes. The same day he died, a joint consent order requesting new DNA testing in one of the murder cases had been sent to a Stokes County judge.

Carl Stephen Moseley, 56, died at 9:58 p.m. Thursday at Central Prison Healthcare Complex, a hospital that treats prison inmates from around the state, prison officials said in a news release. State prison officials declined to provide any further details, citing medical privacy laws.

Christine Mumma, director of the N.C. Center for Actual Innocence, was representing Moseley in his efforts to prove his innocence and said Friday that Moseley died from cancer. He was diagnosed in June 2021 with Stage 4 stomach cancer, Mumma said.

Moseley was convicted of first-degree murder in 1992 in Forsyth County in the death of Deborah Jane Henley, 38. And then in 1993, he was convicted of first-degree murder, first-degree rape and first-degree sexual offense in the death of 35-year-old Dorothy Woods Johnson in Stokes County. He was sentenced to death in both killings and also received a life sentence for the rape and sexual assault convictions.

Johnson was found on April 12, 1991, in a secluded area in a Stokes County development. According to testimony, she had been raped, beaten, cut and strangled.

On July 26, 1991, Henleys body was found in a cornfield off Bethania Road. A pathologist testified that she had been beaten, stabbed, cut and sexually assaulted.

Both women were last seen alive at the SRO nightclub on North Patterson Avenue. Witnesses said Henley had accepted a ride from Moseley. Johnson was last seen at the nightclub, dancing with Moseley.

Mumma said Moseley first contacted the N.C. Center for Actual Innocence in 2015. Mark Pickett, an attorney for the Center for Death Penalty Litigation, also represented Moseley. Pickett could not be reached for comment on Friday.

Eventually, Mumma said she filed a motion for post-conviction DNA testing in the Stokes County case. A judge denied the motion and Mumma said she appealed the decision. The N.C. Attorney Generals Office agreed to consent to the DNA testing. Mumma dropped her appeal.

A consent order signed by Mumma and Kimberly N. Callahan, a special deputy attorney general, was sent to a Stokes Superior Court judge on Thursday for the judges signature.

Even though he faced a cancer diagnosis, Mumma said Moseley consistently claimed his innocence of both murders and wanted to get out of prison so he could be with his family.

He was adamant about his innocence, she said.

In 2010, Moseley was among hundreds of inmates on death row who filed claims under the Racial Justice Act, which was signed into law the previous year. Under the law, death-row inmates could use statistics and other evidence to prove that racial bias played a role in their sentencing. If they prove such bias, they could have their death sentences converted to life without parole.

Moseley, who was white, raised the issue of reverse discrimination in his filing. He said he was discriminated against because he was white. In general, studies have shown that defendants are more likely to face the death penalty if at least one of the victims is white. Moseleys motion argued that the alleged reverse discrimination stemmed from efforts to stamp out bias against Black people.

In 2011, the Racial Justice Act passed its first constitutional challenge based on claims filed by Moseley and another inmate, Errol Duke Moses, after a hearing in Forsyth Superior Court. Judge William Z. Wood, who has since retired, ruled that the state law was constitutional, rejecting arguments from Forsyth County prosecutors that the law was too vague and broad and subject to multiple interpretations.

A Republican-led General Assembly repealed the law in 2013, but litigation has continued over the Racial Justice Act, going all the way up to the N.C. Supreme Court.

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A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Winston Weaver Co. fertilizer plant over the fire that led to city officials strongly encouraging more than 6,000 residents to evacuate from a one-mile radius around the plant.

This is the second lawsuit filed against the company in less than a month. Earlier this month, the Crumley Roberts law firm in Greensboro filed a lawsuit in Forsyth Superior Court on behalf of Kathleen DuBois.

Attorneys for Crumley Roberts filed another lawsuit, this one seeking to be a class-action, on Feb. 10 in Forsyth Superior Court on behalf of two residents  Vanda Thomas and Stacy Wharton. Both women said in the lawsuit that they were forced to evacuate their families and incurred numerous expenses as a result.

The attorneys, Brian L. Kinsley and James R. Harrell, could not be reached for comment Friday.

Winston-Salem firefighters responded to a fire at the plant at 4440 N. Cherry Street just before 7 p.m. Jan. 31. The Winston-Salem Fire Department pulled out of the area once officials realized that more than 500 tons of ammonium nitrate was stored at the plant.

A plant that caught fire in Texas on April 17, 2013 had 240 tons of ammonium nitrate. That fire killed 15 people and leveled 150 buildings.

Winston-Salem public-safety officials issued an evacuation directive that night for a one-mile radius around the plant. Officials also closed nearby roads because they were concerned about a possible explosion from the ammonium nitrate and other unknown chemicals believed to be stored on the property.

For three days, people were strongly encouraged to stay away from their residences before the evacuation radius was lowered Feb. 3 to one-eighth of a mile around the plant, allowing many residents to return to their homes.

According to the lawsuit, Thomas, her fiance and her daughter left their homes and stayed at a hotel outside the evacuation zone. Thomas, the lawsuit said, had to buy food and clothing for herself and her family because they didnt have enough time to pack before leaving. She was also had to pay for transportation, the lawsuit said.

Her family returned home on Feb. 4, according to the lawsuit.

Wharton had to stay with family who lived about 100 miles away and also had to buy food and clothing for herself and her family, the lawsuit said. She and her family got back home on Feb. 5.

The lawsuit alleges that the burning of the chemicals at the plant released smoke into the air and spread across the surrounding area  including residential neighborhoods such as the one Plaintiff lived on.

In addition to the risk of inhalation of fumes from the burning chemicals, there was also a substantial risk of detonation of the ammonium nitrate and other flammable chemicals at the Weaver Facility, the lawsuit said.

Neighborhoods within the one-mile evacuation zone were exposed to significant amount of toxic smoke, soot, ash, and/or dust and fumes coming from the fire at the Weaver facility.

The lawsuit also noted that city officials warned residents to stay out of Muddy, Mill and Monarcas creeks downstream from the plant because the water contained elevated levels of chemicals. Those chemicals included nitrates and ammonia nitrogen. The lawsuit said the fire hurt the air quality in the area near the plant.

The lawsuit claims that the company was negligent.

Defendants failed to exercise due case in the maintenance and monitoring of the Weaver Facility so as to prevent fires and the uncontrolled release of hazardous smoke, odors, and wastes into the environment, the lawsuit said.

Adam Parrish, a spokesman for the company, declined to say anything about the lawsuit.

Im not going to comment on that, he said, before hanging up when reached late Friday afternoon.

The plant was constructed in 1939 and debuted in January 1940. The original 1936 building code applies to four of the campus five buildings. Sprinklers were not required until the 1953 code amendment and only for buildings two stories or higher.

Facilities are required to be in compliance with the code in effect when it was built.

Winston-Salem fire investigator Rick McIntyre told the Winston-Salem Journal that the 1936 code had very little in it to control how chemicals are kept on the site.

Older facilities have been grandfathered, rather than requiring them to meet new business code standards. The state Building Code limits what elected officials can tell residents who live around plants containing hazardous materials.

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The word Bible came from Greek word byblos which means book. The books of the Bible offer knowledge, wisdom and inspiration and continue to be relevant today.

It teaches us about the importance of righteousness, justice and kindness. It inspires us to seek spiritual truth. The Bible teaches us about ancient cultures. It explains the importance of spiritual roots of the Abrahamic religions. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the more familiar ones, but the Bahai Faith, Yezidi, Druze, Samaritan and Rastafari are also Abrahamic religions. All of these religions consider Abram(Abraham) to be their spiritual father, and they are blessed by their heavenly Father, as recorded in Genesis 12:1-3. The Lord had said to Abram, Go from your country, your people to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

Considering the gifts from God found in the Bible, it is no surprise that over the years, billions of people have read this best-selling book. According to The Guinness Book of World Records, around 5 billion Bibles have been printed, and it has been translated into nearly 700 languages. Forty people who were inspired by God wrote the 66 books. The Bible includes the sacred texts of Judaism and Christianity. The Bible has influenced literature, art and music. We are grateful for the scholars who search for accurate biblical information. It is important that rabbis, ministers and priests work on interpretation of passages so that they can teach and preach.(https://www.history.com/news/who-wrote-the-bible)

We often think about the Bible as the story of God and his people from Genesis to the Book of Revelation, but history reveals that this story includes a 400 year period of silence between the Old Testament and New Testament. It was a period without prophetic inspiration called the Intertestamental period by the Protestants and the Deuterocanonical period by the Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Churches. The following information is an abbreviated view. I can address additional questions about this period.

Historically and culturally, it was a violent period with upheavals that affected people in the area including the times that the Jewish people suffered the loss of freedom and religious expressions. Political power and cultural influences were shifted from the East to the Greco-Roman world by King Philip II of Macedonia and his son Alexander. Alexander was tutored by Aristotle and was inspired to greatness by Homers The Iliad. He died in 323 BC having conquered the entire Mediterranean world and leaving his legacy of Hellenic views.

After Alexanders death the kingdom was divided. Ptolemy took over present-day Egypt, and controlled the Jewish residents. Then the Jewish people were ruled by the Seleucids (Greek kings in Asia.) In 169 BC, the Seleucid King Antiochus tried to destroy the Jewish religion in horrible ways and tried to force Hellenic views on the Jewish people. The Jews fought to gain their freedom in the Maccabean Revolt. When King Antiochus died in 164 BC, the Jews regained some religious rights. In 142 BC, the Jews were given their religious and political freedom by King Demetrius II. They were free for 79 years. Around 63 BC, Pompey of Rome conquered Israel, and Judea was controlled by the Romans. Eventually Rome appointed Herod to be a Rome-controlled king of Judea. Herod was a cruel king with loyalty to Rome, and he gave the Jews very limited power.

The Jewish people were oppressed during the Intertestamental Period. They had hoped that God would send a Messiah and restore the Kingdom of David. Today Orthodox Jews continue to look for the coming of the Messiah. Conservative and Reformed Jews speak about the coming of a Messianic Age.

The time was right for the fulfillment of Old Testament promises of a Messiah. Alexander made Greek the universal language in that part of the world. The Hebrew scriptures were translated into Greek which made the Old Testament easier to read by more people. Rome had made the Mediterranean region safe for travel. These changes provided the opportunities to spread the messages of Jesus throughout the known world. (https://www.gotquestions.org/intertestamental-period.html

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Earl Crows column is published Saturdays in the Winston-Salem Journal. Email him at ecrow1@triad.rr.com.
A handful of angry parents spoke at last weeks school board meeting to express their outrage over a disgusting book that some ninth graders are required to read in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

I wanted to know what they were so upset about, so I decided to read it.

The book is called The Girl Who Fell from the Sky. Set in the 1980s, it tells the story of Rachel, a young biracial girl who is sent to live with her grandmother in Portland after her mother and siblings tragically die.

Rachel, the daughter of a Danish mother and a Black father, spent most of her life in Europe, where, its implied, the color of her skin never mattered much. In Portland, however, she discovers that it does. Society is divided into two categories  Black and white  and she doesnt quite fit in either one.

I learn that black people dont have blue eyes. I learn that I am black. I have blue eyes, one chapter reads.

The book does contain mature content, which is what parents seem to be focusing their objections on.

One parent read from a scene in which Rachel, the main character, is raped  pressured into a sexual encounter she didnt want to have because the boy called her beautiful and she didnt think she was allowed to tell him no.

Please explain to me how this is not pornographic material being forced upon students in our school system, the parent said. He then proceeded to read an excerpt of the book suggesting racial stereotypes.

Brooke Weiss, chairperson of the group Moms for Liberty in Mecklenburg County, also spoke against the book, saying the innocence of our children (is) being taken away so fast.

If you want to teach about racism, there are books that dont sexualize our children. There are no cultures that this is relevant to where we promote teenage sex and normalize it, Weiss said at last weeks meeting.

A scene depicting rape is hardly promoting or normalizing sex. It also isnt a very long scene  only a few pages, then its never mentioned again  nor is it especially graphic. But it does teach an important lesson about rape culture and consent, and the fact that society wrongly tells women that every time a man gives them attention, they are supposed to like it.

When I was in ninth grade, we read To Kill a Mockingbird in English class. We took turns reading it out loud and our teacher told us there was no need to censor the n-word, which bothered me because I knew it was wrong. I liked the book, but I think I would have learned more from something that challenged the way I saw the world by showing me an entirely different perspective.

The Girl Who Fell from the Sky is an example of a book that does just that. And unlike To Kill a Mockingbird, the book shows that racism doesnt have to be violent or even intentional in order to be harmful. After Rachels grandmother takes her to get her hair relaxed, white people suddenly start telling her shes beautiful. Later in the book, a male love interest, who is white, calls Rachel his mocha girl and revels in the fact that hes never done it with a black girl before.

Youre different anyway, you know? Its like youre black but not really black, he tells her.

As with the many other book banning debates happening across the country, the outrage over The Girl Who Fell from the Sky isnt just about a book. Its another example of parents wanting their kids to see the world the way they want them to see it, as opposed to the way it actually is. But the idea that one can choose when to learn about the bad parts of the world is an inherently privileged concept. The only people who get to make that choice are the people who arent already living it.

Paige Masten is a Charlotte Observer opinion writer.
One of modern agricultures most beloved offspring, ethanol, received a sharp reprimand Feb. 13 from Iowas largest newspaper, the Des Moines Register.

In an editorial titled Ethanol has been a boon for Iowas economy. But its time to pivot and figure out whats next, The Register chided Iowa Republicans and Democrats alike for supporting ethanol-pushing programs when everyone in the Hawkeye State would be better served to figure out what comes after ethanol.

It wasnt ethanols only public slap in the past month or even the past week.

Two days before, Christopher S. Jones, a widely published research engineer at the University of Iowa, lit up Twitter with a blog post titled Iowa is Addicted to Cornography, an essay that, in part, compared the energy supplied from an acre of Iowa corn grown for ethanol to that of an acre of solar panels making electricity.

There are about 75,000 BTU in a gallon of ethanol, Jones explained, and it takes about 35,000 BTU to grow the corn and produce the ethanol. That means, on average, an acre of Iowa corn will produce about 500 gallons of ethanol with a net energy gain (of) about 20 million BTU per acre.

That sounds big, noted Jones, until you add in corn/ethanols unaccounted costs: ... soil erosion, nutrient pollution, degraded streams, lakes and drinking water, habitat loss and farm program subsidies that keep the herniated system from blowing out.

By contrast, one acre of solar panels in Iowa produce 34 times the amount of usable energy as an acre of (corn-made) ethanol ... Not twice as much  not 10 times as much. Thirty-four times as much.

Case closed, right?

Not so fast, says the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a non-profit science advocacy agency in Cambridge, MA, known more for its strong endorsement of wind and solar rather than any love of ethanol.

However, in an interview for an episode of the podcast Corn Save America, Jeremy Martin, the director of fuels policy at UCS, suggests ethanol and other biofuels may claim a larger share of the fast-shrinking liquid fuels pie as electric cars rise to dominate the roads.

For example, farm and commodity groups are lobbying for an updated Renewable Fuels Standard that mandates a 15% ethanol-to-gasoline blend, 1 times more than todays 10% blend. If the lobbying succeeds, Martin figures the 15% requirement would hit just as gasoline sales start to plunge, say 2035, due to fast adoption of EVs, or electric vehicles.

If those two things happen in parallel, he tells podcast host Sarah Mock, ... they perfectly cancel each other out. In short, We can go to electricity as fast as possible and still maintain the corn/ethanol program.

And, he adds, If we sell no more gasoline-powered cars by 2035, we could see total liquid fuel sales used for transportation fall by 85%. If most of that remaining market is claimed by biofuels, Then theres a huge opportunity to expand corn and other feedstock biofuels.

Thus Big Ags big rush to lock in higher, at-the-pump ethanol blends at state and federal levels: they see EVs as a market maker for biofuels, not a market taker. As such, the biggest fight over future biofuel policy wont be between corn farmers and solar advocates; it'll be between Big Ag and Big Oil, two of the oldest, deep-pocketed titans of Capitol Hill lobbying.

That also means the steep environmental costs of biofuel production will likely get buried in the higher-blend fight and the current CO2 pipeline craze.

That would be a mistake. Ever-emerging evidence like the just-published Environmental Outcomes of the US Renewable Fuel Standards, (link at farmandfoodfile.com)  shows ethanols cost, when fully tabulated, is substantially more than previously calculated.

Which brings us back to The Registers and Jones original worries: Ethanols environmental price is already steep. So steep, in fact, that everyone would be better served to figure out what comes after ethanol.

The Farm and Food File is published weekly throughout the U.S. and Canada. Source material and contact information are posted at farmandfoodfile.com.

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Lincoln's retail market has bounced back somewhat from the downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but the office market continues to struggle.

At the end of 2021, the city's retail vacancy rate was 6.6%, according to a report from local commercial real estate firm NAI FMA. That was the lowest rate since December 2019, before the pandemic started.

The report said retail rents also increased, in what it called a "largely positive" performance for the sector.

"While the market is still experiencing some closings, confidence is gaining that the worst is over for retail," the report said.

Jared Froehlich, a commercial advisor with NAI FMA, said in a video accompanying the report that while there haven't been a lot of large retail store openings, Lincoln has seen a "high volume of smaller retail stores opening for business."

One notable exception on the large retailer front was Ross Dress for Less, which opened its first Lincoln location at Gateway Mall in October.

The news was not as bright for Lincoln's office sector, which saw its vacancy rate rise in the second half of the year.

According to the report, the rate was 9.5% as of Dec. 31, which was up from 9.2% as of June 30, although it was down slightly from 9.6% at the end of 2020.

The more concerning statistic in the office market, however, was the negative net absorption rate, which measures how much space was occupied during the period vs. how much became vacant.

According to the report, 140,457 more square feet of office space came open in the second half of the year than was occupied. It was the first time the city has seen more space become vacant than occupied since 2010.

The sluggish performance in the office market was due largely to a large amount of vacant office space downtown. The vacancy rate just for that part of the market rose from 12.3% at the end of June to 18.9% at the end of the year. On Dec. 31, 2020, the downtown vacancy rate was 10.1%.

Downtown also had negative net absorption of more than 381,000 square feet of office space in the second half of the year.

Some of the increase in vacancy was due to office buildings emptying out for redevelopment projects, but some of it also is due to companies paring down the amount of space they lease as they transition to more remote and hybrid work.

Across the city, more workers are returning to the office, at least part time, as the pandemic eases, but uncertainly still remains as to when large corporate sites will fully reopen, the report said.

"The uncertainty of COVID's lasting impact still divides how companies will return to the office," Mike Ball, vice president of sales and leasing for NAI FMA, said in the report.

The one area of commercial real estate that has continued to thrive throughout the pandemic is the industrial market.

According to the NAI FMA report, the vacancy rate for industrial space fell to 1.6% at the end of 2021, the lowest rate recorded in at least 15 years. The rate was 3.2% at the end of June and 2% at the end of 2020.

Marc Hausmann, an associate broker at the firm, said in the report that businesses have filled more than 1 million square feet of space in just the past two years.

The absorption rate for industrial space just in the last half of 2021 was more than 550,000 square feet, the most since 2014.

The report says that due to the current shift in demand toward e-commerce sales, industrial demand will remain strong in Lincoln this year. But it also notes that "construction must ramp up" to meet that demand.

Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.

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On Friday, as the city's latest mask mandate was set to expire, the federal lawsuit filed by Madsen's Bowling & Billiards was dismissed without fight or argument.

Earlier in the week, attorneys for the Lincoln business and its management, vocal critics of the directed health measures put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, asked to drop the case.

The city of Lincoln agreed.

City Attorney Yohance Christie said: "We're pleased with this result. We're looking forward to getting past this and moving forward as a community."

Madsen's attorney, J.L. Spray, said the lawsuit had an impact on the city's decision to not aggressively enforce the mask mandate and the action Friday to end the mandate altogether.

The action in court came roughly two weeks after Madsen's pleaded guilty by waiver in Lancaster County Court in six cases stemming from violations of public health orders. In exchange, four other cases were dismissed.

At a hearing, Madsen's defense attorney, Bill Kirtenbach, appeared in court alone and told Judge Laurie Yardley that Madsen's had reached an agreement with city prosecutors.

Yardley fined the business $180 on each of the guilty pleas and ordered Madsen's to pay court costs in all 10 cases with which it had been charged.

The Madsen's misdemeanor cases were the last of about 200 filed against about 15 Lincoln businesses to be resolved.

In September 2020, on the heels of police ticketing Madsen's Bowling & Billiards multiple times over noncompliance with DHMs, the business sued the city, following through on a pledge by owner/general manager Benjamin Madsen.

But the case met with a number of legal setbacks.

In February 2021, District Judge Michael A. Smith granted the city's motion to dismiss two of Madsen's three claims for monetary relief and denied a motion for an injunction that would have blocked the city from enforcing mask mandates and other local directed health measures as the civil lawsuit moved forward.

Soon after, the case moved to federal court, where a judge in December struck down a substantial portion of the remaining claims, which included allegations the city had violated the Nebraska Open Meetings Act and had abused its power.

In his order, Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Rossiter Jr. said: "The need to prevent the spread of COVID-19 was severe, and the DHMs provided legitimate ways to limit community spread."

He dismissed the federal constitutional claims against the city and Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Director Pat Lopez and former Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister from the case, leaving only Lancaster County.

By then, the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department and its board already had been dropped from the case.

In the suit, Madsen's alleged Gaylor Baird and Lopez  primarily through the issuance and enforcement of various DHMs  violated the business's rights to equal protection, freedom of speech and assembly, unconstitutionally seized its property and violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, among other things.

Spray argued the DHMs prevented Madsen's from fully operating its business.

But Rossiter said Madsen's operating time, services and capacity only had been temporarily restricted, and the business "points to no authority suggesting the 14th Amendment protects the 'liberty' to operate or engage in commerce without such restrictions during a public health emergency."

The city attorney's office didn't charge anyone with violations in the last round of mask mandates, which started Jan. 14 and was set to end Friday at midnight.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger

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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 LB322, introduced by 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.

Lincoln Public Schools encourages staff, students and family to report any concerning behavior through a "Safe to Say" link on the district's website.

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 LB322 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?"

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T.J. McDowell, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln assistant vice chancellor, will become an adviser to Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird.

McDowell, who was executive director of the Malone Community Center and worked for both Lincoln Public Schools and Nebraska Wesleyan University before joining UNL, will begin his duties with the city March 21, according to a news release from the mayors office.

He will replace Adelle Burk, who worked as a mayoral aide before leaving for a job in the private sector.

McDowell is transitioning from his role as the assistant vice chancellor for student affairs for student life and leadership at UNL. His experience also includes being program manager at the Community Health Endowment, executive director of Lighthouse and director of education outreach at Lincoln Action Program.

He will lead the citys One Lincoln initiative to foster equity, diversity and inclusion. His duties will be similar to Burk's.

TJ is a recognized and accomplished leader in Lincoln, and we are excited to have him join our team, Gaylor Baird said. His experience serving our community in the education and the nonprofit sectors is significant. His vast network throughout Lincoln will provide a strong foundation to lead our One Lincoln initiative.

McDowell is an active volunteer leader in Lincoln and serves on the boards of the Cooper Foundation, the Foundation for Educational Services, and the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation.

Burk was one of three mayoral aides to leave the office for other job opportunities in recent months. The city hired Mairead Safranek to replace Kevin Cass. The position of Kate Bolz, who left to be Nebraskas USDA rural development director, remains unfilled.

McDowell will be paid $120,000, city officials said.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSreist

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By Trend

Iran's Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali exchanged views with his Italian counterpart in Moscow Giorgio Staras on bilateral cooperation in the regional and international arenas, Trend reports citing IRNA.

According to a statement by the Iranian embassy in Russia, Jalali and Staras discussed ways of cooperating to establish peace, stability, and security in the region.

Pointing to the old record of historical and civilizational relations between the two countries, the two ambassadors highlighted the unique position of both countries in the world from the cultural and civilizational perspective.

They also noted that the friendly relations between Tehran and Rome go back to 160 years.

The two politicians went on to underline the great capacities existing both in Tehran and Rome in economic fields such as energy, advanced industries and high technologies, science and automobile manufacturing and said these are very good grounds for cooperation in these sectors
Saturday morning's temperatures in the low 20s didn't stop dozens of brave souls from taking a dip in Holmes Lake.

Special Olympics Nebraska held its annual Polar Plunge to help raise money to support Nebraskans with intellectual disabilities who participate in its programs.

The plunge is an important part of showing support for the things we do at Special Olympics Nebraska," said President and CEO Carolyn Chamberlin. "Its just a great opportunity for people to do something unique in the middle of the winter when weve all been cooped up."

This year, 13 teams, many dressed in costumes, lined up to race into the lake while friends, family and supporters pledged money to the cause. Organizers expected to bring in about $40,000 in donations from the event.

Participants were challenged, but not required, to touch a buoy about 10 feet from shore. Some fully submerged in the water, while others simply dipped in their toes.

Plunge For Roses team member Cameron Neeman braved the cold and took the plunge because he felt it was important.

"I care a lot about the Special Olympics," he said. "It's a great cause and important work."

Neeman, 29, has participated in the Polar Plunge for two years after being encouraged by his co-workers. This year he and his team dressed as horses and Kentucky Derby attendees in elaborate hats and outfits.

Other team costumes included sumo wrestlers, Skittles, characters from the musical "Frozen" and "Cat in the Hat."

Special Olympics Nebraska has put on the event for nearly 20 years in Lincoln, and hosts plunges across the state throughout the winter.

While COVID-19 never stopped the Polar Plunge, it has slowed participation, Chamberlin said.

We got very lucky, because we finished out plunge season in early 2020 probably the weekend before the pandemic hit," Chamberlin said. "Last year we did some different types of smaller plunges and had a much smaller turnout. This year it feels like were finally getting back to normal.

The event was monitored by both the Lincoln Police Department and Lincoln Fire and Rescue to ensure participants' safety.

Reach the writer at jebbers@journalstar.com

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YORK  Matthew Jinright, 47, of York, has been charged with burglary, possession of a deadly weapon while committing a felony and possession of a controlled substance in a case that began as a report of stolen lingerie and adult items.

The case began on Jan. 30, when a woman contacted the York County Sheriffs Department reporting that while she had been incarcerated at the Seward County Jail she believed Jinright had broken into her residence and stole $200 worth of items, including lingerie, adult items, stuffed animals, coloring books and cellphones.

She later reported that he returned some of her property but not the lingerie or the adult items. The woman described Jinrights white pickup truck, which a deputy saw in Waco. Upon a records search, he found the license plates were supposed to have been attached to a blue pickup, not the white one. The deputy also saw Jinright allegedly commit a driving violation, so a traffic stop was initiated.

During the stop, the deputy saw some of the reported stolen items in the vehicle and Jinright was searched because of the report that he may have been in possession of a stolen firearm. During that pat search, according to court documents, the deputy said he found a vial containing meth in Jinrights shoe and he was arrested.

A canine unit arrived, and the dog alerted to the presence of narcotics. During a search of the vehicle, deputies found a broken portion of a glass pipe containing methamphetamine and a saber with a blade measuring 21 inches long.

During a search of Jinrights residence, deputies found five packages of lingerie, two pairs of leggings, a variety of different types of womens underwear and stolen adult items.

He has been charged with three felonies, one being a Class 2A, another being a Class 3 and the third being a Class 4.

The case has been bound over to District Court after Jinright has waived his preliminary hearing in York County Court. Arraignment proceedings are pending.

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Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte, a conservative firebrand in the Nebraska Legislature, said hes going to resign from his post after allegations surfaced that he took inappropriate photographs of a female staffer.

Groene said hell also withdraw his candidacy for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

Nebraska Sunrise News on Friday published a story online saying the staffer discovered photos of herself on Groenes laptop in the course of her work.

In a phone interview with the Omaha World-Herald, Groene said he did take photos of the staffer and that it was a mistake, but he denied many of the published details regarding the allegations and said he never made sexual advances toward the staffer or "said anything to her that could be termed harassment."

The story says photos appeared to have been taken by Groene then emailed to others with email captions of a sexual nature, that the emails were described as objectifying and demeaning, and that some were zoomed-in photos of provocative body parts."

The staffer and a family member declined to comment on the matter when reached by the World-Herald.

I'm going to resign, Groene said. I'm not going to take my family through this.

In a Friday evening statement, Gov. Pete Ricketts said he spoke with Groene earlier in the day.

And we both agreed it was best for him to resign, Ricketts said.

Sen. Dan Hughes, who chairs the Executive Board of the Legislature, released a statement Friday afternoon confirming that a complaint was received. Hughes said the Legislature's workplace harassment policy is being followed and an investigation is ongoing.

However, he did not mention Groenes name specifically. The policy provides that anyone who receives or investigates a complaint keeps it confidential during the investigation to protect the complainant and the process, Hughes statement reads.

Groene, a gruff conservative who often butts heads with the establishment, said the staffer worked in his office off and on in different roles over the last seven years, and that she was very brilliant and very professional. Most recently, she was working as an administrative aide.

He said he took full-length photos of her but did not zoom in, that she was not in compromising positions, and he did not send them to anyone.

I made a mistake, he said. Im just sad she didnt confront me about it.

Asked why he took them, he said: Just stupid. I just did  stupid.

He said he's going to write a letter of resignation over the weekend and submit it Monday. Its not the seriousness of the crime, he said, but what Democrats will make of it.

I'm not gonna let the Democrats attack me and embarrass my family and my wife, he said.

The Nebraska Democratic Party put out a statement condemning Groene and the state GOP earlier Friday. Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb called upon him to resign, and urged Sen. Mike Hilgers, speaker of the Legislature, to answer questions regarding the incident.

When the World-Herald asked Hilgers about rumors related to the allegations Thursday, he said he wasnt allowed to comment on whether theres an investigation into workplace harassment.

I take the workforce policy very seriously, he said.

Groene said the issue first came up a few weeks ago and he thought it had been settled internally. He apologized, he said, the few photos were removed, and he agreed to never contact the staffer  though he said he never did outside of business matters.

He was forwarded the Nebraska Sunrise News story, he said, and it shocked him.

Groene was first elected to the Legislature in 2014, then was reelected in 2018. He said hell be completely out of politics after this and doesnt want anything to do with it.

Im done, he said.

Ricketts will be able to appoint a replacement for the remainder of Groenes term, which ends in January. To serve beyond that date, a candidate would have to run for election this year. Thus far, three candidates have filed for Groene's District 42 seat: Chris Bruns, Mel McNea and Brenda K. Fourtner. Those who don't currently hold elected office have until March 1 to file.

Thursday was the 28th day of a 60-day legislative session. Lawmakers will return from recess Tuesday.

World-Herald staff writer Martha Stoddard contributed to this report.

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As the Taliban advanced and the Afghanistan capital started to fall last year, Mohibullah Hamit and his family knew they were in danger. Hamit had worked for the U.S. military in Kabul, and anyone working there had started to vanish.

We stayed longer than we should with risk of Taliban retaliation, Hamit says, now safe and sound in Lincoln with three of his adult siblings. Insurgent groups are still coming to the house of my parents in Afghanistan, knocking on the door. They are looking for us; we are targeted. My mother tells us, Son, dont try to come back home.

Fairly fluent in English, Hamit tells a compelling story of their escape and of how blessed he and three tenacious siblings feel to have found a home in Lincoln. We are so happy and thankful to the people of the U.S. for bringing us here.

Clayton Naff, executive director of Lincoln Literacy, says this kind of gratitude is uniform among all refugees.

People like Mohibullah and his brothers and sisters are filled with gratitude, he says. They bring great vitality to our community, just as refugees and immigrants before them. I am fully confident we will be better off for having welcomed refugees to Lincoln.

Bridge to a better future

For decades, Naff says, Lincoln Literacy has served a major role in helping newcomers adjust to life in Lincoln  most recently the latest wave from Afghanistan: Lincoln Literacy works as a bridge across to a better life, a better future.

According to the latest numbers, 500 Afghans have settled in Nebraska since fall and thousands more are expected in coming months  estimates that increase regularly.

Hamit, a civil engineer, was among the first wave to arrive in Lincoln in October while his three siblings arrived months later. Now living in temporary housing, they await a more permanent home, but are content in their newfound sense of security.

Surprisingly composed, Hamit relates an emotional story of his familys flight: The government was collapsing and the Taliban took control so fast, very cruel people arresting and killing people  I called my brothers and sisters and told them I could get the papers, but we needed to escape. It was terrible, such a bad time.

Unfortunately, Hamit and his three siblings were separated in the crowded chaotic Kabul Airport  but reunited in Lincoln with the arrival of his brother, Hikmatullah Wazirzai, and his two sisters, Fishtal Wazirzai and Masouma Wazirzai. Another of Hamits brothers is stranded in The Netherlands, while a fifth brother is still back in Afghanistan in hiding.

Hamits brother, Wazirzai, says they already feel comfortable in Nebraska. We have a message for our family still in Afghanistan, our mom and papa, our brother: We are good. We are safe. There is no war and no fighting here. There is so much space  Our next ambitions are learning English and finding work.

Working with resettlement agencies

Naff says thats where his agency enters the picture. Part of the New Americans Task Force  a network of agencies that help refugees and immigrants find footing in this community  Lincoln Literacy supplements the significant contributions of the two major resettlement agencies here: Catholic Social Services and Lutheran Family Services.

Southeast Community College generally provides a month of language classes, then new citizens go to Lincoln Literacy.

But the agency is about so much more than teaching skills in reading and writing, Naff emphasizes. We provide essential survival services that help a refugee settle into a new home, he explains, citing guidance in everything from figuring out utility bills to earning a drivers license.

Lincoln Literacy also provides:

 Van transportation to and from classes.

 Free onsite child care.

 Support with job skills and GEDs.

 Literacy lessons in math and computers, health and finance.

Through volunteer tutors, we not only help refugees learn the language, we often serve as their first American friend, someone who they can ask any question, Naff shares.

50th anniversary

Lincoln Literacy celebrates its 50th anniversary this year as a community-based nonprofit. The agency started in 1972 as a small civic group with a handful of volunteers, increased their range of services in the early 1990s with a major wave of immigration, and truly ramped up after a 2005 Woods Charitable Fund grant.

We increased learning opportunities  an English Language and Literacy Academy  22 learning centers across the city. By 2020, we served a record 1,200 people.

The pandemic undoubtedly set them back, Naff says, but adds he is proud of how the organization weathered the storm.

Life changed in an instant, but Lincoln Literacy paused to regroup and bounded back fast  I was never prouder to live in Lincoln, he says. We demonstrated that we are a community and that we care about one another  Despite our individual worries, we were willing to pitch in and help one another. And thats beautiful.

He praises Lincoln Literacy volunteers who stayed with us through all our frustrating twists and turns these past two years. And Im proud of our staff for enduring all the hardships and remaining extraordinarily dedicated.

Currently the agency is seeing a modest rebound, reopening some in-person classes as well as eight learning centers  while continuing weekly online classes, and providing free Chromebooks and internet access.

Im optimistic about the future, Naff says. Looking ahead, Im hopeful we will be able to again provide robust services throughout Lincoln.

Welcoming city, opening doors

Hamit and his brother and sisters are overwhelmed with the welcoming people of Lincoln, and praise Lincoln Literacy for opening so many doors for us already.

He recognizes inevitable challenges loom ahead with housing and financial support, anxiously awaiting their absent siblings. Nonetheless, when asked about the future, Hamit smiles calmly: The Taliban are not after us here. I dont have many complaints.

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UNION GROVE  Community State Bank (CSB) recently completed its fourth year of #Gift2Giving, an employee directed donation program.

Each CSB employee was presented with $100 to donate back into the communities of Racine, Kenosha and Walworth counties. CSB announced that 100% of their employees participated in contributing more than $10,000 towards local nonprofit organizations throughout southeast Wisconsin.

Campaign funds were distributed among 12 nonprofit organizations. CSB employees were encouraged to work together and combine their #Gift2Giving funds to create a larger impact with their donations. This year Community State Bank also provided an opportunity for staff to make personal donations. Before campaign funds were released Community State Bank surprised employees by matching all personal donations.

I love this campaign and everything it stands for, said Scott Huedepohl, CSB president and CEO.

Our employees pour their hearts into these donations and its their way of saying thank you to an organization that has impacted them personally or at a community level.

One of the recipients of this years campaign was Childrens Hospital-Kenosha Campus. Peter Schumacher, CSB CFO, and Kacie Rose, CSB universal banker, shared their heartfelt donation stories about how Childrens Hospital had personally helped their family members.

Another recipient of this years campaign was Willow Creek Ranch, a non-profit therapeutic riding center for children and adults with special needs. Sixteen CSB employees collaborated their #Gift2Giving funds in addition to making personal donations.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Kenosha County also received a #Gift2Giving donation. NAMI provides advocacy, education, support, and public awareness for individuals and families affected by mental illness. Twenty-five CSB employees combined their #Gift2Giving funds and made personal donations for a grand total of $3,000.

Community State Bank has documented employee donation stories through an online blog filled with written and video testimonials. They can be found at CSB.bank/gift2giving.

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MADISON  After stating last month hes not trying to jail mayors, the Republican-appointed investigator tasked with reviewing Wisconsins 2020 election filed another petition Friday that would do just that to the mayors of Madison and Green Bay  and now a list of city and election staff  if they dont comply with a lengthy list of demands.

Conservative former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman on Friday filed yet another petition in Waukesha County Circuit Court against the two mayors, this time adding Racine Mayor Cory Mason, the city clerks from Madison and Green Bay, staff from the Wisconsin Elections Commission and City of Milwaukee employees.

The Journal Times on Friday reported that Racine officials were subpoenaed to be deposed by Gableman on Valentines Day, but the officials did not go.

The petition seeks emails, voting machine information and other election-related documents. If the city staff, election workers and mayors fail to provide the documents and attend depositions, Gableman is again asking the courts to order the respondents to be incarcerated until such time as they comply.

The petition is largely the same as the one filed in December against Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich. The primary difference is the additional respondents.

In a January memo, the attorney representing Gableman told the court that his intent was to force the mayors to testify, not jail them.

But Rhodes-Conway doesnt see it that way. She said Friday night that Gablemans  investigation has once again gone off the rails.

After saying he wanted to arrest me, then saying he didnt, Gableman once again is asking the courts to arrest me and eight other public officials, Rhodes-Conway said. Its an awfully bold move for someone we dont even know is authorized to conduct an investigation.

The others listed in the latest petition include Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl, Green Bay City Clerk Celestine Jeffreys, Wisconsin Elections Commission chair Ann Jacobs, Wisconsin Elections Commission employee Sarah Linske, state Division of Enterprise Technology director Trina Zanow, and city of Milwaukee employees Hannah Bubacz and David Henke.

Its unclear what prompted the latest petition, but the document states that Linske, Zanow, Henke, Bubacz and Jacobs failed to appear at recent depositions to testify.

At least in our case, and I believe the other municipalities, we were told that nobody needed to show up for the deposition, Madison City Attorney Michael Haas said.

The petition also states that the Wisconsin Elections Commission failed to provide the documents required in a subpoena.

Gableman issued subpoenas in October seeking election records from the states five largest cities and demanding their mayors submit to questioning, even though mayors dont play any role in conducting elections.

He later backed off those subpoenas, but in early December filed petitions in Waukesha County asking that the county sheriff force Rhodes-Conway and Genrich to answer his questions under the October subpoenas. Those petitions, called writs of attachment, can lead to jail for people who are found in contempt for not complying with a subpoena.

Among the demands in the petition are lists of people who were deactivated as a voter, a list of serial numbers of computers or other electronic devices used in the election, and any emails concerning the election from nearly 50 different people and organizations.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, has allocated $676,000 in taxpayer money for the Gableman-led, one-party review of the election, which is focused on some of the procedures voters and clerks relied on in casting and processing ballots. Vos has said the review could cost more, and he has not said when it might be finished or what additional expenses might accrue.

A recount and court decisions have affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes. Similarly, reviews of the election by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty found no evidence of widespread fraud, but did lead to recommendations on how elections can be improved.

An analysis by The Associated Press found only 31 potential cases of voter fraud in Wisconsins 2020 election, which represents less than 0.15% of Bidens margin of victory. In 26 of the 31 cases, prosecutors declined to bring charges after conducting a review.

Adam Rogan of The Journal Times contributed to this report.

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RACINE  One man coming out of chronic unemployment can create a ripple effect.

Thats what Chris Litzau, director of the Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps, spoke of when his organization was named to receive a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The grant is meant to train environmental workers.

If that one man is able to receive training through the Racine-based Great Lakes CCC program, get a job and come out of poverty, he is able to change his income, his familys income, his childrens lives and his childrens childrens lives for the better, Litzau said.

Its that one pebble, Litzau said. The ripple is the generations that are coming out of poverty, its not just one. Its that drop in the pond that encompasses multiple generations. Its really significant.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced 19 organizations selected to receive a total of $3,797,102 in grants for the job training programs across the country. Job training and workforce development are a part of the Biden-Harris Administrations commitment to advance economic opportunities and deliver environmental justice to underserved communities to build a better America.

The Great Lakes CCC is the only one in Wisconsin to receive the grant this year, and its at least the third time the group received a $200,000 EPA grant within the last five years.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., was among those who voted for this because it will create new, good-paying jobs in Wisconsin, Baldwin said in a statement. Now, the Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps will have federal support from the Biden Administration that strengthens their community partnerships to train workers and put them into jobs that will boost our environmental workforce.

Great Lakes CCC serves Racine, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Walworth, Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee counties, but its main campus is located in Racine, at 1437 Marquette St.

The organization is expected to receive the money within the next eight weeks.

Great Lakes CCC plans to train 100 students and place at least 64 in environmental jobs. The group is targeting unemployed and underemployed students in Racine. Funded through the EPAs Brownfields Job Training Program, a grant like this one provides funding to organizations that are working to create a skilled workforce in communities where assessment, cleanup, and preparation of brownfield sites for reuse activities are taking place. A brownfield is a property that is contaminated or may be contaminated.

Since this program launched in 1998, the Brownfields Job Training Program has awarded more than 352 grants. More than 19,456 individuals have completed training, and of those, more than 14,560 individuals have been placed in full-time employment in careers related to remediation and environmental health and safety.

The stars are in alignment

GLCCC operates a veterans corps for military veterans transitioning to civilian life, in addition to a youth corps for those ages 17-24. The crews of young adults and veterans travel throughout the seven counties of southeastern Wisconsin to participate in real-world projects to make a difference. The opportunities for learning differ by geography.

Job training focuses on middle-skill employment credentials, certifications and licenses, which will help students gain skills for other opportunities such as working with city departments or entering the trades.

The training also falls under an umbrella of disaster response. Corps members are prepared to respond and lead in a disaster or crisis situation.

Litzau said with the grant, the CCC will be training students with innovative technology to clean up contaminated properties, in both water and soil. They will be planting trees and other greenery. The grant will additionally help with scholarships, expanded training opportunities and partnerships to accelerate participants into the middle-skill occupations.

The ability to overlay the EPA grant to allow the hands-on training and create the pathway to advanced training, were able to blend those together, Litzau said. Were able to layer them. All the stars are in alignment to keep reaching goals. (The grant) is a real foundation piece to link well these tangential programs together, it is the anchor that brings everything into alignment.

Key partners include Terracon, LF Green Development LLC, Racine Vocational Ministry, First Choice Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program, Lakeside Curative Services, City of Racine Public Health Department, Gateway Technical College, Racine County Workforce Solutions, The Sigma Group, Jacobs, the City of Racine Department of Public Works and Racine County Economic Development Corporation.

Litzau said hes thankful for the partners that wrote letters of support for the application for the grant.

It underscores the unity within Racine to be able to compete at the major level. Were right alongside Los Angeles. If you think of it that way, its phenomenal, Litzau said. Were really happy and grateful to everyone.

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WASHINGTON  The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, a federally funded research center led by UW-Madison, would receive an additional $5 million in funding each year through 2026 from legislation that passed the House earlier this month but still faces hurdles to its final passage.

The America COMPETES Act  which aims to increase U.S. competitiveness with China and other countries  includes an amendment by Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Black Earth, to fund the research center at $30 million annually through 2026.

The Department of Energy has funded the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center at $25 million a year since the center opened in 2007, but under the new legislation, it would receive an additional $5 million each year.

By investing in our supply chains, increasing our manufacturing capacity for critical goods like semiconductors on American soil, and strengthening our scientific and technological leadership, were putting America in the best position to increase our global competitiveness, Pocan said in a press release.

While the start of the fiscal year technically began last October, lawmakers have yet to pass appropriations for the fiscal year, instead approving stopgap funding. The most recent bill, which passed the Senate on Thursday, extends the deadline into March.

In addition, Pocans amendment will need to make it through a House-Senate conference committee that reconciles differences between the COMPETES Act and its Senate counterpart.

Weve been optimistically planning for (this funding), and so we hope that authorization language remains in an appropriations bill that is ultimately signed by the president, said Tim Donohue, director of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center.

Increased funding would be directed toward hiring more staff and modernizing equipment that is now 15 years old, he said, so the center can further its research.

The mission of the research center is to convert nonfood energy crops into replacements for gasoline and diesel and new chemicals that we currently derive from fossil fuels, Donohue said.

Nonfood energy crops are grown specifically to produce energy, Donohue explained, and can be grown on land not fit for cultivation.

I think we always want to be at the cutting edge of where the taxpayer wants us to go, he said. So we are very interested in using new funding to help improve the agricultural practices that would be needed to grow these crops on nonfood land and to increase their productivity, to allow them to be used with less fertilizer and pesticide input.

Another portion of the funding would go toward using genomics and synthetic biology to ensure energy crops are easier to process, more valuable when theyre processed, and ... make maximal amounts of these hydrocarbon or diesel or gasoline replacements, Donohue said.

Hope for jobs

According to a 2016 report from the DOE, the U.S. has the potential to produce at least 1 billion dry tons a year of biomass resources  which include energy crops, wood and various waste materials  without hurting the environment. Donohue said in addition to creating gas and diesel replacements, biomass can produce compounds used for nylon, plastics, fungicides and even acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol.

Switching to biofuels could generate more jobs and revenue for states like Wisconsin, which would allow for less reliance on importing chemicals and fuels, Donohue added.

UW-Madison leads the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and has research partnerships with Michigan State, Michigan Tech, Texas A&M, Princeton and the University of British Columbia. The center employs about 475 people, according to Donohue.

Over 15 years, we estimate or track that we have trained well over 1,000 students in Great Lakes Bioenergy, and theyre now out in the workforce, he said.

Going green

Since its inception, the center has applied for 253 patents and produced five startup companies.

The ultimate end goal is to help transition the country to a greener economic position or transition to a green bioeconomy, Donohue said. So in my mind, Great Lakes Bioenergy is another example of the dedication that the university has to the Wisconsin Idea, a concept created at the University of Wisconsin that suggests that education should have real-world impacts and ultimately serve the larger community.

Donohue emphasized that the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center is trying to build a system that is resilient to change.

What if there were a day where there were refineries in Wisconsin, that in addition to producing a steady state amount of fuels and chemicals, could increase their capacity when refineries elsewhere go down? he said.

Thats a resilient energy and chemical supply. ... Thats the vision of where wed really like to be based on the output. And that would create jobs and create a much more just energy future than we have now.

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Killeen, TX (76540)

Today

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
By Trend

Conversations are ongoing on a number of potential projects between the UK and Turkmenistan, the UKs Department for International Trade told Trend.

"Ongoing discussions on potential cooperation opportunities in the agriculture sector have been useful to both sides, with both agreeing to continue the dialogue," said the department.

According to the department, the volume of trade between the UK and Turkmenistan was 28 million ($37 million) from June 2020 through June 2021.

During the reporting period, the UK exported 27 million ($36 million) of goods and services to Turkmenistan. About one-third of this was goods, and the rest - various services.

The top goods that Turkmenistan imported from the UK during the same period were chemicals, mechanical power generators, industrial machinery, and jewelry worth 5.58 million ($7.5 million).

The department said the top five goods that Turkmenistan exported to the UK were inorganic chemicals, mineral manufactures, electrical goods, cars, and electrical machinery worth 1 million ($1.3 million). Imports of services were negligible.
KEARNEY  The Great Backyard Bird Count offers a snapshot of a particular location on a particular day in terms of the kinds and numbers of birds that happen to visit at that time.

It gives us relative numbers of species and it helps us to understand their distribution, said Amanda Hegg, Conservation Program associate at Audubons Rowe Sanctuary. The real importance comes in comparing these numbers year after year so we can understand if different populations are declining, where bird species are at  and if that changes from year to year.

This information that is collected consistently during the years will help scientists better understand stresses to the climate and the environment.

This long-term data is really valuable with research on climate change and in the face of other threats that birds experience, Hegg said.

To gather data on bird populations, National Audubon Societys Rowe Sanctuary will present a guided bird outing at Cottonmill Park west of Kearney at 10 a.m. Saturday. The free event will engage bird watchers of all ages and abilities in counting birds. Participants should meet in the parking lot facing the swim beach. Binoculars will be available to borrow. Plan to bring warm clothes including gloves.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the global event.

The count is a fun event because people of all birding skill sets can take part, whether you are an expert or new to birding, Hegg said. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about your local birds, help an important scientific effort and enjoy a relaxing morning at Cottonmill Park with other bird enthusiasts.

The event features opportunities to hike around the park as well as a chance for individuals with limited mobility to participate.

Birds tell us a story about whats going on with our landscape, Hegg added. On the more broad scale, it tells us whats going on with our ecosystems and our planet. This kind of data helps us to look at multiple different resolutions of how birds are doing. On the more local scale, if youre not seeing the number of species you used to years ago, or not seeing as many of a certain type of species, that can tell you about the quality of the ecoysteme youre in.

The same situation applies to bird populations in urban areas.

You might not think of that as an ecosystem, but your community forests, your community parks and your own backyard is a type of habitat, she said. Birding in your community is a great way to understand how certain bird species are doing.

Conducting a bird count in winter allows bird watchers to more easily identify different species due to a lack of folage on trees. In the summer, birds use more vocalizations to attract mates and defend territory making it easier to identify birds through their calls.

During the winter, birds are far less vocal because they dont need to be, Hegg said. They have different calls in the summer when they will be singing. In the winter and fall they will be calling or chipping. Its a little bit harder to identify birds by calls in the winter. Also, their plumage isnt as bright because they dont need that bright plumage to attract a mate.

The Great Backyard Bird Count takes into account migratory species noting that birds visit central Nebraska at different times of the year.

The birds we see in the winter may be either year-round residents that breed here and spend the winter here, she said. Or they might be migrants who breed somewhere up north.

Organizers of the original bird count picked February as a time to take a bird census ahead of the spring migration that starts in many areas in March. This years count extends over three days from Friday through Sunday.

Our event on Saturday is just an educational program for people to learn more about community science and to be able to learn more about their local birds, Hegg said. I think people wouldnt normally think about going birding in the winter or just going outside. I hope people can get something out of this event because community science is an awesome thing. It helps people from all backgrounds and experiences to get more involved with science. You dont have to have the knowledge of a scientist to be involved, but it still helps science and birds.
KEARNEY  Trevor Lee has been hired as the new president of the Economic Development Council of Buffalo County.

Lee, the executive director of Gage Area Growth Enterprise (NGage) in Beatrice, was announced earlier this week by the EDCBC Board of Directors.

Lees background in economic development made for a good fit for the position, according to the EDCs press release announcing his appointment.

Lee will start with the EDCBC on April 1.

Lee said that he is extremely excited to return to central Nebraska to continue his career in a place he considers home.

Buffalo County is a special place to my family and me. The area has performed well historically through difficult economic times thanks to the resiliency and entrepreneurial spirit of its businesses, residents and institutions, he said.

Even as a student attending UNK nearly two decades ago, the communitys pro-growth attitude was apparent, Lee said. The EDC has long been viewed as a leading economic development body throughout the state and I count myself fortunate to have been selected to lead it.

Dave Oldfather, chairman of the EDC board of directors, said, We are excited that Trevor chose to return to Buffalo County and lead our economic development organization. Trevors experience and energy will be an excellent addition to the region we serve.

Before working for NGage in Beatrice, Trevor was the executive director of Valley County Economic Development in Ord and executive director of Ravenna Economic Development Corp.

He has served on many statewide and regional economic development boards, including the Nebraska Economic Developers Association and as a member of the Heartland Economic Development Board.

In its 36 years, the development council has provided economic and industrial development services for existing and new employers. Board members include representatives from Kearney, Gibbon, Ravenna and the rest of Buffalo County. Notable projects the EDC has been involved with include the relocation of the Central Nebraska Veterans Home to Kearney and the development of Tech oNE Crossing, which led to the recruitment of Xpanxion and Compute North.
KEARNEY  The person who coined the phrase you can never go home again never spoke with Tom Roeder.

Roeder and his wife, Marta, spent most of their married life as vagabonds, chasing down job opportunities.

Marta was a teacher and Tom was an accountant, and both said the times were rare when one or both of them werent commuting. Most of the time Marta answered the call for teaching opportunities, but Tom also had career opportunities that came with daily doses of windshield time.

All of that commuting and moving  they lived in 10 different towns  came to a screeching halt about one year ago.

Toms mother had passed away and he and Marta had an opportunity to live in Kearney, in the 2700 block of Avenue I in east Kearney in Toms boyhood home.

The house was built in 1955 and was a modest 950 square feet.

Before Marta and Tom moved in, they spoke with architect Keith Eschliman and decided that Toms boyhood home would become their forever home, but first it needed some upgrades.

After Eschliman came up with a roomier, more functional floor plan, the Roeders handed the project to John McCarter of Husker Tech Construction in Overton.

Everything is low maintenance, which is what we wanted, Marta said.

The Roeders invested in more space, the exterior is sheathed in long-life quality siding, and theres a driveway as wide as an aircraft carrier for easy take-offs and landings. After trips to the market, Tom and Marta can easily unload their vehicle from the shelter of their double garage.

Indoors, new kitchen appliances make food preparation more pleasurable. Theres plenty of storage space in beautiful sage-colored Shaker cabinets. A generous center island topped in quartz gives Marta and Tom plenty of space for food preparation.

After living in many different places in south-central Nebraska, the Roeders could employ a lot of decorating and floor plan ideas they picked up along the way,

Their trail began with a spell in Kearney. In chronological order, the couple then moved to Grand Island, Fullerton, Gretna, Fullerton, Grand Island, Central City, Clarks, Aurora and Fullerton.

They moved into their enlarged and remodeled Kearney home in November.

Were gypsies, Tom said about living in so many communities. He said for the final move, we wanted to be in a larger town with health care. Were excited to be back.

Marta was an art instructor, so she looked forward to decorating their home. She chose simplicity for the look and functionality for the materials. The pallet is earthy, with gray being the dominate color. The sage kitchen cabinets are a pleasing complementary color, while white elements turn up the contrasting brightness.

Marta and Tom treated themselves to a luxurious master bath. For him, theres a roomy walk-in shower. Marta enjoys a daily soak in a sit-down tub.

Visitors might not discover the well-planned look of the interior immediately, but a few minutes of casually observing things unveils a lot of subtle details. Husker Tech produced a quality build that shines through with perfect drywall and handsomely installed wood flooring. Windows are high quality, with retracting shades sandwiched between twin panes of glass.

Its just a snap to darken a room or to brighten it, and Marta said theyll never have to purchase curtains. I love the details  the cupboards and the quartz counter tops, and its easy to clean.

A few details are still are on the checklist for interior decorating. One element stands in a place of honor: a china cabinet that Toms father, Dale Roeder, built for Marta. Dale enjoyed many hours tinkering in a detached garage/workshop that is heated and plumbed. Marta and Tom currently are storing a few possessions in the workshop. They said one of the items on their to-do list is installing a lawn sprinkler system and sodding the front and back yards.

Asked if they overlooked any details or would do anything differently, the Roeders said they feel proud and satisfied with their home.

I like the openness and simplicity, Tom said.

We are so very happy with this house, Marta added. And the best part is I wont have to spend the rest of my life commuting.
KEARNEY  Faith, family and resilience  playwright Charlayne Woodard uses those themes in her 1993 one-woman play, Pretty Fire.

I was originally drawn to Pretty Fire years ago because its a beautiful one-woman show that follows the journey of a young Black girl growing up, and the challenges she encounters in her life and how she uses faith, family and resilience to overcome those challenges, said Steve Barth, director of Crane River Theater. I was drawn to that story and I thought what a perfect time, being Black History Month, to elevate this story as well.

A year ago, Barth cast Marika Gray from Birmingham, Ala., in the role of the young girl and presented the drama as part of Crane River Theaters season. Barth decided to bring the show back for a short public run at 7 p.m. Feb. 27-28.

Tickets for the production are $10. The show is not part of Crane River Theaters 2021 season package.

Last year we opened our Crane River Theater season with it, Barth said. We also scheduled a number of performances at schools throughout Nebraska and other community venues. Unfortunately, because of COVID restrictions in 2021, we were unable to tour the show to a lot of the places. We made the commitment at that time to bring Marika back in 2022 to tour the show.

Barth restaged Pretty Fire and scheduled the production with a number of schools in eastern and central Nebraska.

With few technical requirements, the show travels easily, but for Barth, the message supersedes the convenience.

The message of the show is the driving force, more than anything, he said. Having the mission of wanting to do something for Black History Month and to elevate this wonderful story, we wanted to find the right script. Ive known the script of Pretty Fire for about 15 years now. Its such a powerful message because its told through the lens of a child and how this child overcomes obstacles in life.

In telling the story, the girl takes on the personalities of about 26 characters, Barth noted.

She not only encapsulates herself as a child and herself as a narrator, but she incorporates her mother, her daddy, her grandfather, her grandmother  and the nurse and the doctor in the hospital where she was born, Barth said. She takes on many different characters that encapsulates her world while growing up.

While the story deals with serious historical issues, Barth, who also directs the show, recognizes the values that provide a structure for the storytelling.

Charlayne Woodard, the playwright, said she wants this story to relate to everyone, Barth said. Everybody encounters challenges. Every person has to overcome obstacles and they have to find those resources of how they do that. This play really elevates that while also bringing to light this beautiful story of a young Black girl.

Gray said she admires how the playwright molded the characters and the plot.

The first time I read the script was at the end of November 2020, Gray said in a previous interview. I just fell in love with Charlayne and the story. What I was not expecting was to play 26 different characters, but it has been a journey getting to know Charlayne and the people in her life that are most influential to her. These are the people who shaped her.

The one-woman show tells the story of Charlayne, from the viewpoint of a child, as she learns about family members. Gray plays the different characters from different points of view.

In going through the play and studying the script, I tried to get to know each character on their own little basis, she said. I tried to figure out how this person talked, what this person sounded like. What did this person walk like? How can I bring that to the stage?

As a performer, Gray wanted to create sharp differences between the characters so audience members could easily recognize the different roles. She uses movement, voice techniques and gestures to differentiate the characters.

Barth said that the reception of the play and the story impressed Gray and the members of the crew.

We took the show to Callaway in 2021 and performed for the school there, Barth said. The superintendent, the teachers and the administration were really taken by the show. They just loved it. They thought it sent such a wonderful message. I know that race is a very delicate issue today. Sometimes, even in conversations, we get nervous about talking about race, but especially when we start bringing it into schools and larger community formats. We dont want to present something that is going to create division.

Barth acknowledges that some people shy away from these conversations to avoid conflict.

Whats beautiful about this story is the whole intention, from the playwright, to unite and present a universal message through the lens of a young Black girl. And it does just that. So I think that my introduction to the script years ago  and knowing how the story can easily relate to audiences of all types  this just seemed like the perfect vehicle to bring to these issues to light at this time, he said.
Staff from McIntosh Memorial Library of Viroqua participated in the Wisconsin Library Associations Library Legislative Day. The event was held Tuesday, Feb. 8, at the State Capitol in Madison.

Invited speakers were Gov. Tony Evers, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jill Underly, and State Librarian Tessa Michaelson Schmidt. State Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R-Irma) and Rep. Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton), both members of the legislatures Joint Committee on Finance, were named Library Legislative Champions for their ongoing promotion of Wisconsin libraries, particularly throughout the 2021-2023 budget process. A Special Recognition Award was presented to Sen. Felzkowskis legislative aide Stamena Ivanov.

The 2022 Library Legislative Day theme was one of appreciation for legislators overwhelming support for state library aid, particularly public library system funding, in the current budget. Attendees were asked to share stories about the way libraries make a difference in the lives of the constituents they share with legislators representing their area. They brought examples of how renewed investment in regional public library systems like the Winding Rivers Library System translated to enhanced local library services, particularly in the areas of workforce development, technology, and lifelong learning.

Representing McIntosh Memorial Library were Library Director Trina Erickson, Youth Services and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisor Laci Sheldon, plus Maggie Strittmater the Adult Programming and Outreach Assistant. All three librarians had the opportunity to meet with staff from Sen. Brad Pfaffs office, along with Rep. Loren Oldenburg. McIntosh Memorial Library was presented with a certificate of commendation from Gov. Tony Evers.

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Despite much of the population being eligible, and health experts espousing the importance of booster doses, the percentage of U.S. residents who received their third shots lags behind a number of countries.

Currently, a third dose is advised for all persons 12 and older, and for those 5 to 11 who are immunocompromised. Pfizer is the only brand available to those younger than 18. In addition, a fourth shot is recommended for those 12 and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised. Per the CDC, only 43.1% of people in the U.S. have had a dose beyond the initial series, with 50% of those eligible for a booster having not received it.

In comparison to other countries, the U.S. is considerably behind on booster uptake.

Our World in Data, which calculates the number of booster doses administered, divided by the total population of the country, shows the U.S. has given 27.6 booster shots per 100 people, around half that of the U.K at 55.4 per 100. Canadas rate is 44, and Spain, Germany, France and Denmark all rate between 50 to 62 per 100.

In Wisconsin, nearly 1.9 million booster doses (those beyond the Johnson and Johnson one shot or Pfizer or Moderna two shot courses) have been administered but daily rates have been on the decline since early December. At peak, the seven-day average was over 21,000 booster doses per day. In recent weeks, the rate has dropped to between 2,400 to 4,400 per day.

Dr. Gregory Poland, vaccinologist and infectious disease expert at Mayo Clinic, emphasizes the need for booster doses, as immunity from the initial series has been shown to wane over time. He sites a CDC study which shows booster doses at five months raised protection up to around 90% against hospitalization or need to seek outpatient care for COVID symptoms. At four months post booster, effectiveness dropped to around 66%.

So, 40% of people who got a booster after four months, if exposed, are still likely to get infected, granted mild or trivial, even asymptomatic infection, but still infected, Poland said in a Mayo Clinic podcast this week. For hospitalization, two months after that booster it maintained efficacy very well, 90 plus percent. And by four months it was still at 80%.

For the immunocompromised, Poland stresses a three-shot course of mRNA vaccine is not enough.

They really get three, if you will, primary doses followed by a fourth booster dose. So, for people who are immunocompromised, moderately to severely immunocompromised, we want to emphasize its not two and done. Its not three and done. Its four, Poland explained.

For those not considered immunosuppressed, Dr. Melanie Swift of Mayo Clinic notes a fourth shot may be recommended in the future.

We dont yet know how many boosters well need, or if well need that ongoing, Swift said in a Mayo briefing earlier this week.

Vaccination, while the best available tool in viral prevention, is not perfect, and as such Poland cautions against prematurely ditching face coverings as case rates decline. The omicron wave is subsiding  cases have gone from around a million to 250,000 per day, and hospitalizations are down around 20%  but Poland notes, We still have about 110,000 people in the hospital. Were still having about 2,500 deaths a day, and were still having about a quarter of a million new cases a day...If youre in a four-lap race, and were on lap three why would you stop and declare victory? Finish the lap and then win.

Notes Swift, Its very encouraging to see the rates come down from the omicron surge. But to put it in perspective, we are still having rates that are among the highest that we had during our delta surge, and really second only to omicrons peak in the pandemic so far. So we are far from out of the woods. COVID is still very much with us right now.

The decline in acute and lagging indicators, Poland emphasizes, should be a sign of encouragement, not finality.

If we can convince people to hang on, keep wearing your mask, get vaccinated, get boosted if you havent, I think were going to get to a baseline level unless a new variant comes up, Poland says. I know that the public is weary of wearing a mask. I know they think its over. It is not over. The worst thing that we could do would be to ignore these recommendations and never get this suppressed down and have to just keep living with this and having new variants arise ... I plead for people to wear their masks, protect themselves, and protect people around them.

In regards to the the deltacron variant, also referred to as stealth omicron, the severity is still unknown as the number of cases are low at present. Poland says with the number of persons still unvaccinated we are still in a vulnerable phase and the development of new strains is an ongoing concern.

Unfortunately, politicians and others are removing mask mandates which is a signal, an inappropriate signal, to the population of, Oh, its over. Weve heard it is mild. Weve heard cases are decreasing. But theres always a variant waiting in the background, Poland states. And as Ive said before, weve watched this movie happen worldwide now five times. And I keep saying to myself, When are we going to learn? When are we going to learn?

Poland urges individuals to trust in medical experts and scientists, and acknowledges while there may be risks with vaccination, the chance of adverse effects are minimal in comparison to the risks to ones health if they dont have the shots. Swift notes the majority of COVID patients in the hospital are unvaccinated.

Vaccination has moved us to a very different place than we would have been without it, Swift said. We still have had surges. We still have had record high hospitalizations. But without vaccination, this would have been so much more devastating.

At stake if more people are not vaccinated and boosted is the health direction and the survival of humanity and human history.

And yet people have been resistant to the data. They have operated on fear, on misinformation, Poland says. And this is very sad...As health educators, as physicians, we want people to be safe.

Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net.

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The UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts will soon be named after one of the most accomplished alumni in the universitys 113-year history.

Truman Lowe, who graduated from UW-L in 1969 and went on to become a world-renowned artist and sculptor, will have his name added to the arts building after the UW System Board of Regents approved the dedication Feb. 10.

Chancellor Joe Gow proposed the idea in September, noting Lowes remarkable accomplishments as both an artist and educator, as well as the way he helped advance public perception of Native American art and culture. Lowe, honored twice as a distinguished alumnus at UW-L, died in 2019 at age 75.

During his life, Truman Lowe fully embodied the UW-L spirit  striving for excellence, honoring ones culture and heritage, and leaving the world a better place than we found it, Gow says. Im proud to call Truman Lowe an alumnus of our university. I hope seeing his name on the Center for the Arts will inspire future generations to learn about his legacy and work to create their own.

Lowe, who was born in Black River Falls and is of Ho-Chunk ancestry, will be the first person of color with a UW-L building named in their honor  a distinction Gow called long overdue.

More than 650 people pledged their support for the name change by signing an online petition during the fall semester.

Lowes family members say theyre grateful the man they knew is being celebrated for his outstanding career and transformative impact on so many people.

On a personal level, he was an incredibly empathetic person and always knew what to say to support someone at a pivotal moment in their life, says Tonia Lowe, Truman Lowes daughter. Professionally, he was part of a second wave of Native artists that really helped change peoples perceptions of what Native art could be. This feels like recognition for all the work he did to open peoples minds and pave the way for the next generation.

He really loved La Crosse  he loved the campus, the city and the beauty of the location. And it was really where he discovered art as a career, adds Nancy Lowe, Truman Lowes wife. Seeing his name on a building would make him very, very happy and be incredibly meaningful to him. Thats what makes it so exciting for us.

Lowe will be formally recognized at a building dedication ceremony later this year. Details will be announced soon.

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MINNEAPOLIS  U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, a conservative Republican from southern Minnesota who followed his father's footsteps into Congress, has died after a battle with kidney cancer, his wife said. He was 59.

Jennifer Carnahan said in a Facebook post Friday that Hagedorn "passed away peacefully" Thursday night.

"Jim loved our country and loved representing the people of southern Minnesota," Carnahan wrote. "Every moment of every day he lived his dream by serving others. There was no stronger conservative in our state than my husband; and it showed in how he voted, led and fought for our country."

Under state law, Gov. Tim Walz must call a special election to fill the vacancy. Hagedorn's district leans Republican, and that didn't change much when the state's new congressional district maps were released Tuesday. Hagedorn carried the district by less than half a percentage point over Democrat Dan Feehan in 2018 and by 3 points in a rematch in 2020. No Democrats have launched campaigns for the seat in the current cycle. President Donald Trump carried the district with nearly 54% of the vote in 2020.

Hagedorn was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer in February 2019, shortly after he began his first term, and just a couple months after he married Carnahan, then state chairwoman for the Minnesota Republican Party.

He underwent immunotherapy at the Mayo Clinic. The treatment knocked back his cancer enough that doctors felt safe taking out his affected kidney in December 2020, which he said removed an estimated 99% of the cancer in his body. But he announced in July 2021 that his cancer had returned.

Hagedorn represented the 1st District, which stretches across southern Minnesota.

He won the seat in 2018 on his fourth try, after countless appearances in small-town parades and county fairs, and after nearly unseating then-Rep. Tim Walz in 2016. In both his 2018 and 2020 races against Democrat Dan Feehan, Hagedorn touted his staunch support for Trump and conservative positions.

"I want to be a partner with the president," he was fond of saying during the 2018 campaign.

In office, he voted against certifying President Joe Biden's election, just hours after the failed Capitol insurrection, and he signed on earlier with other House Republicans to a last gasp bid to get the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Biden's victory. He was actively raising money for another run in 2022.

"During his service, Jim's focus was always on the priorities of the region: agriculture, small business, transportation, and our world class health care system," his campaign said in a statement. "Moreover, he'll forever be known as a commonsense conservative who championed fair tax policy, American energy independence, Peace Through Strength foreign policy, and southern Minnesota's way of life and values."

Hagedorn was the son of former congressman Tom Hagedorn, who represented some of the same territory from 1975-83. After getting his degree from George Mason University in suburban Washington, he worked as aide to Rep. Arlan Stangeland of Minnesota, then in congressional liaison positions with the Treasury Department, before returning home to Minnesota and launching his long quest for a seat.

"Jim lived a legacy of service to our state and our country," current Minnesota GOP Chairman David Hann said in a statement. "Please join us in praying for Jim and his loved ones in this time of sorrow."

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy called Hagedorn "a patriot who will be remembered for his strong Christian faith, his deep passion for serving others, and his joyful spirit."

"Even while battling cancer, Jim never stopped working to better the lives of his constituents and his fellow Americans," McCarthy said in a statement. "He always put others ahead of himself."

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By Trend

Agadzhan Bekmyradov, Deputy Head of the Executive Authority of the Mary region has been registered as a candidate for the post of president of Turkmenistan, Trend reports citing Turkmenportal.

He received his presidential candidate certificate during a meeting of Turkmenistans Central Election Commission on February 16.

Bekmyradov was nominated for the post of president by a general vote during the 4th extraordinary congress of Turkmenistan's Agrarian Party.

On February 11 during the extraordinary meeting of the Halk Maslakhaty (Peoples Council) and Milli Gengesh (National Council) of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that road to the public administration of the country should be given to young leaders.

The nomination of candidates for the country's presidential position started on February 14.

Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Berdimuhamedov has become the first candidate for the post of head of state in the upcoming early presidential election in Turkmenistan scheduled for March 12.

Moreover, the CEC has registered six initiative groups of citizens that will be able to nominate candidates for the countrys presidential election.
At the end of the year, Johnson & Johnson plans to close its East Lampeter Township plant where it makes Pepcid and Imodium products.

The 144,000-square-foot plant in Greenfield at 1838 Colonial Village Lane will end production in December and then be decommissioned by the fall of 2023, a company spokesman confirmed Friday.

We are working the consumer health supply chain network to better meet the needs of consumers and customers for years to come. As a part of this strategy, we intend to exit production at our Lancaster, Pennsylvania, facility, said Annette Reichel, director of communications and public affairs.

Reichel would not disclose the size of the workforce at the Greenfield plant, but there were 120 employees in 2011 when Johnson & Johnson took full ownership of what had previously been a joint venture with Merck.

We understand the potential impact this may have on our people and their families. Consistent with our credo, we will work to provide them with appropriate support during this time of change, Reichel said.

The Greenfield plant is part of Johnson & Johnsons consumer health division. Last fall, the New-Jersey based health care giant announced plans to spin off that division as its own, yet-to-be-named company selling over-the-counter medications and consumer health goods such as Tylenol, Band-Aid and Listerine. The rest of the company sells medical devices and prescription drugs, including a COVID-19 vaccine.

Johnson & Johnson has said it expects the separation to be completed by fall 2024.

In 1985, Johnson & Johnson began developing the plant in Greenfield for production of disposable diapers, but that plan was dropped several years later. In 1992 a joint venture between Johnson & Johnson and Merck began making consumer health products there, and then in 2011 Johnson & Johnson purchased Merck's stake in a joint venture between the firms.

In Lancaster County, Johnson & Johnson also has a plant in Lititz where more than 400 employees make Listerine, among other things.
Millersville University freshman Nanga Lin recently helped the choir at Lancasters Holy Trinity Lutheran Church learn a new hymn in Chinese, which the choir will sing in a worship service at 10 a.m. March 6.

Lin, who was born and raised in China, first came to Lancaster with her mother when she was 12 to attend the 2015 Lancaster International Piano Festival. Two years later, she came back to study in the international program at Lancaster Mennonite High School.

It felt very natural to me, Lin said. It helped me to understand the religion and culture of the community. I absolutely love it here.

Now Lin, 18, is a freshman at Millersville University majoring in music, with a focus on piano. She studies with Xun Pan, assistant professor of keyboard studies and artistic director of the Lancaster International Piano Festival.

Lin is also a student of Robert Horton, organist and choir master at Holy Trinity, 31 S. Duke St., who is teaching her to play the harpsichord. He asked her to teach the choir to sing the Chinese hymn.

Lin was impressed with how quickly the choir  with just eight members due to the pandemic  learned the hymn.

It was just one time, just 20 or 30 minutes, Lin said. They learned incredibly fast. I taught them how to pronounce the words and  bang  it came out right. ... I was fascinated by how they sang so naturally because they knew the melody. It sounded right. I enjoyed the teaching time. ... When they sing it, I would love to be there.

Lin also made an audio recording of her reading the lyrics for the choir to use to practice.

Horton said the Chinese hymn translates to Golden Breaks the Dawn, with lyrics by Tzu-Chen Chao, written in 1936.

Its common for hymnals published in the last generation with 700 to 800 hymns to include 30 or so of them in other languages, Horton said.

As an example, he said there is a Presbyterian hymnal with Amazing Grace in the Navajo language.

Holy Trinity, with the motto Breaking Barriers/Building Community, also has several Spanish hymns in its repertoire. The congregation has the option to sing along in either language, an idea Horton picked up from a Polish Catholic Church near Chicago.

It sounds chaotic, but they have a great time doing it, he said. Theres a Puerto Rican member of our congregation  Margarita Shultz  who always has a big smile on her face when we sing in Spanish.

Raised in Spanish churches, Shultz has lived in Lancaster for more than 40 years. She said she loves to sing Spanish hymns in church because it transports her back to Puerto Rico.

Holy Trinity has always been interested in building community, Shultz said. They have a wonderful breakfast program on Sunday mornings that has been going on forever. Its a very imposing building, but the people are so open. ... I feel very loved in the church. Im very comfortable here.
Lancaster city police are searching for a missing 12-year-old boy.

Amari Poole was last seen about 8:15 p.m. Feb. 11 and was possibly trying to get to New York City, according to police.

Poole is 5'5" and 150 pounds; it is unknown what he what he was wearing. He lives on the first block of West New Street with his family.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 717-735-3301 and ask for detective Jessica Higgins or a working Special Investigations Unit detective.
During its Feb. 23 meeting, the Coatesville Area school board unanimously approved a resolution calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to increase funding for public education.

The board called upon the assembly to remove barriers to equal educational opportunity across the commonwealth, including the funding rules that entrench structural inequality.

According to Superintendent Tomas Hanna, in approving the resolution, Coatesville joined a number of Pennsylvania school districts that are calling for a change in how public education is funded.

Coatesville Area School District currently faces a budget gap of $9.3 million for the 2022-23 school year. Hanna expressed that the resolution is asking the assembly to address state funding processes that would prevent budget inequities, like what Coatesville is currently experiencing, from occurring in districts across the state.

This is the type of work that the Legislature has to do to provide us with support, Hanna said.

Hanna thanked Laurie Shannon-Bailey, a community member, for bringing the resolution to the boards attention.

Hanna stated that there are difficult decisions ahead for district administration as they work toward balancing the budget. Next steps for the administration include estimating district expenditures, revenue and determining its personnel needs for the 2022-23 school year.

The district will continue to explore ways to close the gap, including how it may use Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds to offset spending as it relates to COVID-19, options to reduce programming that would have limited impact on student achievement and continuing to monitor staffing costs.

According to Hanna, the district administration has set the goal of adopting its preliminary budget in April 2022 and its final budget in June 2022.

The next board meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 23.
College news

Honors

Emily McComsey, is a senior at Millersville University majoring in occupational safety and environmental health. She was recently awarded the Board of Certified Safety Professionals Foundation QAP/ABET Student Scholarship. Emily is a graduate of Lampeter-Strasburg High School and is the daughter of Barb and Dean McComsey, of Willow Street.

Will Stover, a senior at Warwick High School, passed the FAA Checkride and is now a private pilot. In June 2021, Will was awarded a $6,000 Ray Aviation Scholarship through the Experimental Aircraft Association to cover flight training expenses. Will pursued his flight training at Aero-Tech Inc., at the Lancaster County Airport. In the fall, he will attend Eastern Mennonite University to pursue a bachelors degree in leadership and organizational management with an aviation concentration.

Liza Graybill, of Lititz, was awarded a Brooke Owens Fellowship  a nationally acclaimed nonprofit program recognizing exceptional undergraduate women and other gender minorities with space and aviation internships, senior mentorship and a lifelong professional network. 51 Fellows were selected through a fair and competitive application process involving written and creative submissions, interviews with the fellowships leadership team and its close network, and interviews with 36 leading aerospace employers from across multiple sectors in the US aerospace industry. The Fellows were selected based on their commitment to their communities, stand-out creative abilities, record of leadership, talent, and their desire to pursue a career in aerospace. The Brooke Owens Fellows will each be matched to an executive-level mentor in the aerospace industry who will support and work with the Fellows to help launch their careers. This summer, the Fellows will start their internships and come together for the annual Brooke Owens Summit in Washington, D.C. Graybill is a sophomore studying aerospace engineering at University of Colorado Boulder. She will work at Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Catherine Hull, of Lancaster, was recently initiated into the Duquesne University Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society.

Area cadets and students were among those who were awarded gold stars at The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina, for achieved a 3.7 GPA or higher in the fall 2021 semester. They are Eric Becker, of Denver; and Corbin Snavely, of Lititz.

Area high school students were among those recently awarded merit scholarships to Albright College. They are listed with their hometowns and scholarships.

Columbia  Kirolos Makar, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship.

Denver  Chandler Xiong, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship.

Ephrata  Samuel Mantsevich, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship.

Florin  Joseph Carreras, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship.

Lancaster  Caroline Alvarez, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship; Avalynn Baer, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship; Ashley Bombin, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship; Connor Brumbaugh, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship; Janeen Diaz, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship; Rhodnadgie Este, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship; Rebecca Franklin, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship; Genesis Gonzalez Marte, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship; Nathan Leisure, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship; Ashley Musante, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship; Jahquesha Smith, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship.

Lititz  Olivia Delgiacco, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship; Stella Longer, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship; Jenna Ober, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship.

Millersville  McCabe Kreider, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship; Peyton Wanger, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship.

Mohnton  Lauren Rowe, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship.

New Holland  Ainslee Binkley, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship.

Paradise  Hailey Yothers, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship.

Quarryville  Braden Jarabak, $17,000 annual Deans Scholarship.

Willow Street  Gabrielle Burdge, $19,000 annual Presidential Scholarship.

Email college news items to collegenews@lnpnews.com.
Gov. Tom Wolf has made his budget address and local Republican legislators have already decried nearly every aspect of it. As the governors proposed budget must have state House and Senate approvals, the state Legislature is responsible for the good and the bad, as well.

I put forth the following scenario to save Pennsylvania taxpayers a minimum of $12 million per year, year after year:

Our Legislature is the largest full-time legislature of the 50 states with 253 members for the fifth-largest state by population (13 million).

California, with the nations largest population at 39.5 million has merely 120 legislators (40 senators, 80 representatives). In California, each senator represents about 988,000 people and each representative represents about 494,000 people. If Pennsylvanias Legislature were the same size as Californias, each senator would represent about 325,000 people and each member of the House would represent about 162,500 people.

Based on the current Pennsylvania base salaries for state lawmakers (about $95,000), their current annual salary cost is about $24 million. If there were just 120 members of our state Legislature, that cost would drop to about $11.4 million  an annual savings of $12.6 million. And these figures are base salaries and do not include per diems, health care or pension benefits, or leadership increases.

Shrinking the size of the Legislature is clearly an easy and enduring way to save Pennsylvania taxpayers a significant amount of money. I look forward to our fiscally responsible Lancaster County Republicans placing this as a statewide referendum on an upcoming ballot  or when pigs fly.

Pat McGeehan

Manheim
By Trend

An astronomical station will be built after the creation of infrastructure in the Azerbaijani lands liberated from Armenias occupation, Executive Director of the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (ANAS), Professor Nariman Ismayilov said in response to Trends request.

Ismayilov added that it is necessary to conduct corresponding research within a year to clarify the future location of the astronomical station.

We plan to build an astronomical station in Kalbajar district, professor said. It must be located at an altitude of 3,000 meters above the sea level. There are such heights in Kalbajar district.
Troy Kotsur is the second deaf actor to be nominated for an Academy Award. In his Oscar-nominated performance in CODA, Kotsur spoke just one word.

CODA stands for Child Of Deaf Adults. The movie stars Emilia Jones as the only hearing member of a deaf family. Urging Jones, his daughter, to go after her dreams of singing and attending college, Kotsur says: Go!

For Kotsur, that one word meant lots of rehearsal. It also meant speaking dialogue he himself could not hear.

I hope that young people who happen to be deaf or hard of hearing can get an increased confidence, Kotsur said. I want those kids to not feel limited.

The Apple TV+ release CODA, is nominated for Best Picture. The movie has made Kotsur famous and made history for the deaf community. Kotsur is the first deaf actor ever nominated individually for a Screen Actors Guild award. He was also nominated for a BAFTA.

I feel like I can die happy, with a smile on my face, Kotsur said.

Kotsurs road to the Oscars began in school. As a child, Kotsur loved cartoons like Tom and Jerry. He would act out the stories for his deaf classmates on the school bus. He later studied acting at Gallaudet University, a university for the deaf in Washington, D.C. He later performed with the National Theatre of the Deaf.

With few roles in television and film available for deaf actors, Kotsur found work in stage acting. Beginning with Of Mice and Men in 1994, Kotsur has acted in some 20 productions by Deaf West. Deaf West is a nonprofit theater company in Los Angeles.

On stage, Kotsur is a very physical actor. Its really important for me on stage to show emotion through sign language, Kotsur said. Sometimes, sign language can be more three-dimensional and meaningful than spoken dialogue.

Kotsur has long been used to seeing simple, if not victimized, deaf characters. But the deaf characters of CODA are presented differently. The Rossi family in the movie are a family like any other.

Kotsur wants viewers to change their wrong ideas about what deaf people are like. There are deaf doctors. There are deaf lawyers. There are deaf firemen. A lot of hearing people are oblivious to that, he said.

Perhaps Kotsurs most emotional scene is shared with his daughter, Ruby. Unable to hear Rubys singing, he listens to her sing by feeling the vibrations of her neck. The scene has connections to Kotsurs own life. His daughter is also the child of deaf adults who plays music.

When my daughter is playing music  Ill walk up and Ill touch the body of the acoustic guitar and I can feel the vibrations of the guitar, Kotsur said.

The first time Kotsur read the script for CODA, he took it as a warning sign. He, like his character, is not ready for his daughter to leave home. It is these personal connections that have made it hard for the actor to separate from the character Frank.

It took me about half a year to disconnect from Frank, he said.

Kotsur has since gone on to appear in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian.

DJ Kurs is the director of Deaf West. He said Kotsur is one of the greats.

Weve been waiting for the world to recognize it for some time now and it is our hope that  future deaf actors will not have to wait so long to be recognized on this level.

Im Dan Novak.

Dan Novak adapted this for VOA Learning English from reporting by The Associated Press.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

rehearsal  n. an event at which a person or group practices an activity

dialogue  n. the things that are said by the characters in a story, movie, play, etc.

role  n. the character played by an actor

dimension  n. the amount or number of things that something affects or influences

oblivious  adj. not conscious or aware of someone or something

vibration  n. a continuous slight shaking movement

acoustic  adj. not having its sound changed by electrical devices
Researchers say the severe drought affecting the American West worsened last year and is now the driest in at least 1,200 years.

The scientists report in a new study that 40 percent of the droughts intensity is linked to human-caused climate change. The study recently appeared in Nature Climate Change.

The researchers found that 2021 was especially dry. The United States governments Drought Monitor map shows that 55 percent of the American West is currently suffering drought conditions.

Over the past 10 years, California and other western states have experienced severe water shortages. This led to widespread usage restrictions and raised concerns about future water supplies for farming and drinking.

Overall levels of snow and rain have not been enough to make up for the shortages.

Park Williams is a climate specialist with the University of California, Los Angeles. He helped lead the study. Williams told The Associated Press that the current drought actually began in 2002, which was one of the driest years on record.

I was wondering if wed ever see a year like 2002 again in my life and in fact, we saw it 20 years later, within the same drought, he said. The drought levels in 2002 and 2021 were very close. But the single driest year was 1580.

Scientists say climate change from the burning of fossil fuels has caused hotter temperatures and increased evaporation in the air.

In the study, Williams and his team tested soil for dryness in a series of U.S. states across the West and areas in northern Mexico. The researchers used modern measuring equipment and examined tree rings to make estimates dating back as far as the year 800.

A few years ago, Williams studied the current drought and said it met the requirements to be considered a long and deep megadrought. But he said 2019 turned out to be a wet year, so he thought the western drought might be coming to an end. But the American West then dried up in late 2020 and 2021.

Williams used 29 models to create a hypothetical world with no human-caused warming. Then, he compared that to what happened in real life. Such a comparison is a scientifically accepted method to identify whether an extreme weather event was caused by climate change.

Williams found that 42 of the drought conditions were directly linked to human-caused warming. Without climate change, he said, the megadrought would have ended earlier because 2005 and 2006 would have been wet enough to break it.

Jonathan Overpeck is with the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan. He was not involved in the latest study. But he called it an important wake-up call.

Climate change is literally baking the water supply and forests of the Southwest, and it could get a whole lot worse if we dont halt climate change soon, Overpeck said.

Williams said there is a direct link between drought and higher temperatures and the increase in wildfires that have affected the West for years. This is because the fires need dry fuel created by drought and heat.

Williams said the current megadrought can be ended with a few good rainy years. But, with continuing climate change, another extreme dry period could quickly start again, he added.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________

Words in This Story

drought  n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain

fossil fuel  n. fuels such as coal, oil, or natural gas formed in the earth from dead plants or animals

evaporate  v. to turn from a liquid into a vapor

hypothetical  adj. a situation or idea that has been suggested but does not yet exist or has been proven to be true

literally  adv. with the meaning of each individual word given exactly
And now Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.

Bad news can be hard to hear. It can be even harder to share with someone. So, we may tell someone bad news in a way that is easier for them to hear. In other words, we may try to sugarcoat it.

And that is our expression for today -- sugarcoat.

When you sugarcoat something you try to make it more pleasant or acceptable than it really is. You try to make an event or situation seem not so bad. So, you dont share all the upsetting or otherwise bad details.

It might surprise you to learn that a United States president was criticized for using the term sugarcoat in an official message. I will tell you which one later in the program.

But first, lets talk about the word coat.

A coat can be a layer, such as a coat of paint. As a verb, coat also means to cover something with a substance. So, you could say the walls were coated with a layer of paint.

Sugar, as you know, is a sweet substance. It makes so many things taste good  things like cakes, cookies, pies, and candy. But sugar can also make things like medicine taste better too and therefore easier to take.

So, medicine makers began adding sweet flavorings to their products to help people, especially children, take the medicine.

Now, pills can taste bitter too. So, pill makers started doing the same. They began coating pills with a hard sugar coating. This made them easier to swallow.

These days we use the term sugarcoat for actual sugar coatings and when we share news and information.

Here is a quick example. Lets listen to these co-workers talk about their business.

A: Okay, give it to me straight. How much money did we lose last year?

B: Let me start by saying  well make up our losses this year.

A: Stop sugarcoating it! I want numbers. How much did we lose?

B: All of it. We lost all of our profits from last year.

A: Wow. That IS bad. You could have broken the news to me a bit easier.

A: You said not to sugarcoat anything!

Now, back to our earlier question. Which U.S. president was criticized for using this informal term in an official address?

In a message to Congress on July 4, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln wrote:

With rebellion thus sugar-coated they have been drugging the public mind of their section for more than thirty years, and until at length they have brought many good men to a willingness to take up arms against the government

Often on this show we talk about whether a term or expression is formal or informal. Formal language is well suited for professional and official situations, such as a presidential address. Informal is the type of language we use with those close to us.

Well, reportedly, some government officials at the time did not like President Lincolns use of the informal term sugar-coat in an official message.

Experts at the website History.com explain that the official government printer objected to Lincoln using sugar-coat, saying the word was beneath the dignity of the office of the president.

Also, reportedly, Lincoln didnt care.

History.com experts claim Lincoln said, The time will never come in this country when the people wont know exactly what sugar-coated means.

And he was right. Sugarcoat in all its forms remains commonly used and clear in meaning. Feel free to use it in any situation, even if it is formal. You will be in good company.

And thats all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories. Until next time  Im Anna Matteo.

Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

layer  n. an amount of something that is spread over an area : a covering piece of material or a part that lies over or under another

delightful  adj. highly pleasing

flavoring  n. a substance that is added to a food or drink to give it a desired taste

bitter  adj. having a strong and often unpleasant flavor that is the opposite of sweet

give it to me straight  phrase to tell someone the truth

profit  n. money that is made in a business, through investing, etc., after all the costs and expenses are paid : a financial gain

rebellion  n. an effort by many people to change the government or leader of a country by the use of protest or violence : open opposition toward a person or group in authority

formal  adj. suitable for a proper occasion

informal  adj. marked by the absence of formality or ceremony

dignity  n. the quality or state of being worthy of honor and respect
A former leader of Temple Universitys business school was found guilty in late 2021 for sending false data to lift the schools rankings.

Moshe Porat was head of Temples Fox School of Business and Management from 1996 until 2018. He worked with some employees to provide false information to U.S. News and World Report, a publication known for its rankings of American colleges.

The false information included the number of students who sent test scores, their school grades, and work experience. Based on the information, U.S. News gave the universitys computer-based business degree program, known as an online MBA, the top ranking for four years ending in 2018. The publication also moved up Temples part-time MBA program to seventh place in 2017.

U.S. Government lawyers said Porat boasted about these rankings to bring in more students and donations to the school. The number of students, they said, grew greatly in a few short years and rising rankings brought in millions of dollars.

On November 29, Porat was found guilty of charges related to sending false information to defraud the rankings system, potential students, and donors.

Lower ranking

After news about the false information came out, the number of students in Temples online MBA program dropped to just over 100. NBC News reported that the program had more than 330 students in 2017.

U.S. News and World Report also took Temples online business program out of its rankings for a short time. It is now ranked 105th.

Ibrahim Fetahi was a student in Temples online MBA program. He said he chose the program because of its high ranking. He said he felt as if he paid for a costly meal, but instead got something more like fast food. Fetahi added, I will always have a scar on my resume.

During the trial, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that one of Porats lawyers argued Temple University itself was the real guilty party in the case. He said the school was occupied with rankings and even trained their employees on how to get higher rankings.

History of false rankings

In its coverage of the Temple case, the publication Inside Higher Ed listed several well-known universities that have admitted to providing false information. The schools are Villanova Universitys law school, Tulane Universitys business school, Claremont McKenna College, and Bucknell University.

The Temple case is different, however. Porat is believed to be the first university official who has been charged and found guilty of providing false information in college rankings.

Robert Morse oversees data for U.S. News and World Report. He said the publication counts on schools to send correct data. He told VOA that schools will be removed from the rankings if they send information that results in an inflated rank.

U.S. News takes cases of misreporting seriously. Our mission is to provide students with accurate, in-depth data to help them in their school search.

What to make of college rankings?

There are two important questions about rankings that come from the Temple case: Can students trust rankings? And how much weight should students give rankings when choosing a college?

Francie Diep writes about college rankings for The Chronicle of Higher Education. She said students should use rankings as only part of their college decision.

Theres also just a lot of things that are important to students that the U.S. News rankings dont measure. So, if the only thing youre looking at is the rankings, then you may not be, sort of, making the best choice for you depending on what things you want from college.

Ahead of rankings, Diep says students may want to consider the cost of attendance, a sense of belonging at the school, and how much money they could earn after school. Thats one of the most important things for most families and thats not really captured in the rankings, she said.

Katie Burns is a college adviser for IvyWise. She works with both American and international students to help them pick the best college.

Burns said international students often want to choose a university people back home will know about, but American students are open to considering schools that are the best fit.

The ranking systems are one tool, but they are not the end-all, be-all of your success. You need to have your own benchmark and system for evaluating whats a good fit for you.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English with additional reporting from The Associated Press.

How important do you think college rankings should be to students? Tell us about it in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. Quiz - Will Scandal Change How People View College Rankings? Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

Words in This Story

ranking  n. the position of something on a list

boast  v. to express too much pride in yourself or something you have

defraud  v. to trick or cheat someone or something in order to get money

potential  adj. capable of becoming real

party  n. a person who is involved in a legal case or contract

scar  n. a feeling of pain or sadness caused by a bad experience; a mark left on something where it has been damaged

resume  n. a document describing your education and work history

inflated  adj. increased to a level that is not proper or too large

accurate  adj. free from mistakes or errors

benchmark  n. something that can be used to judge the quality or level of other, similar things
A 2,000-year-old Roman cemetery has been found in the northern Gaza Strip, with the antiquities ministry calling it the most important local discovery of the past ten years.

Gaza is rich with ancient objects. The area has been an important trading spot for many civilizations, from the ancient Egyptians through the Roman empire.

Ruins discovered there include the remains of an attack by Alexander the Great as well as a Mongol invasion.

A grave is a place where a person is buried. Twenty Roman graves have been located so far and the research team expects to find about 80 in total within the 50-square-meter cemetery. Only two graves have been opened; one contained skeletal remains and some clay jars.

Jamal Abu Rida is director-general of Gaza's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Abu Rida suggested that researchers believe the graves likely belonged to "senior ranking people" in the Roman empire during the first century.

Unlike Muslim graves from later periods that face north to south, the Roman graves lie east to west, Abu Rida explained.

"We have made several discoveries in the past, this is the most important archaeological discovery in the past 10 years," said Abu Rida.

The area is closed off to journalists and the public while it is organized and made safe for visitors, the ministry said.

The cemetery, which is being supervised by a French team of experts, was found by a construction crew working on an Egyptian-funded housing project. When they came upon some of the cemetery's large, ancient bricks, they stopped work and called in the experts.

Gaza is run by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which has fought four wars with Israel since 2008.

The conflict has hurt the local economy and officials usually ask international groups to help dig out and preserve archaeological findings, said Abu Rida.

Im John Russell.

Nidal al-Mughrabi reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

cemetery  n. a place where dead people are buried

antiquities  n. objects from ancient times

archaeological  adj. of or relating to a science that deals with past human life and activities by studying the bones, tools, etc., of ancient people
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_.

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A Houston man has been indicted for his role in a conspiracy to traffic large amounts of marijuana illegally grown in Oregon for redistribution and sale in other states.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Oregon, the man had marijuana grows in multiple counties, including Linn County.

Fayao Paul Rong, 51, has been charged with conspiring to manufacture and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, according to the news release.

Court documents allege that starting at an unknown time and continuing until September, Rong conspired with others to make and possess with intent to distribute thousands of marijuana plants.

Rong allegedly bought multiple residential homes in Oregon  using various identities  and converted them into indoor marijuana grows. The organization grew, harvested and transported marijuana to states were the possession of marijuana is illegal.

According to the news release, in a 12-month period starting August 2020, Rong trafficked more than $13.2 million in black market marijuana.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oregon State Police Northwest Region Marijuana Team targeted Rongs organization on Sept. 8 and 9. According to the news release, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant on 25 Oregon properties and Rongs home in Houston.

Investigators seized nearly 33,000 marijuana plants, 1,800 pounds of packaged marijuana, 23 firearms, nine vehicles, $20,000 in money orders and more than $591,000 in cash.

Following the operation, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Oregon filed an action in federal court seeking to forfeit 16 properties used for the illegal manufacturing of marijuana. The properties are worth around $6.5 million total, according to the news release.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald.

The takedown of the operation followed a 14-month OSP investigation which began after the agency discovered excessive electricity use at the various properties. In several cases, this excessive electricity led to transformer explosions.

Multiple citizen complaints confirmed law enforcements suspicion that Rong was the leader of a large black market marijuana operation. With help from Columbia and Polk County Sheriffs Offices, OSP discovered associated marijuana grows in Clatsop, Clackamas, Linn, Marion, Multnomah and Polk counties.

DEA agents arrested Rong in Houston, and he made his initial appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of Texas.

According to the news release, if Rong is convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum, a $10 million fine and five years' supervised release.

The case was investigated by the DEA, OSP, and U.S. Marshals Service. The Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team, along with various other agencies, assisted with the investigation.

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LEXINGTON  The Dawson County Commissioners approved a conditional use permit for a recreational vehicle park on a five acre tract near Lakeview Acres at Johnson Lake during their meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Marvin and Doug Cochrane appeared before the commissioners regarding the permit for the RV park. Marvin Cochrane said the area would allow for 32-35 RV lots.

The triangle shaped lot in question abuts the north side of Johnson Lake Recreation Road, across from Lakeview Acres and northwest of the Nautical Rose.

He said, if approved, they would operate the park year round to not only accommodate summer visitors to the lake, but workers who might be operating in the area on longer term projects.

Cochrane already operates CraZy Marvs RV & Cabin Retreat, which includes 10 full time RV hook ups and 14 overnight hook ups on the Gosper County side of the lake near the inlet. There are also two small, fisherman bunk cabins and a rental home with three beds and two baths.

Zoning Administrator Pam Holbrook said she had only received one letter from a resident near the lot asking how long someone with an RV could stay at the location.

According to county regulations, an RV may be inhabited for four months and remain on site in stored state for the remainder of the year.

She also noted the Dawson County Planning Commission first reviewed the permit and voiced their approval. Commissioner Rod Reynolds said the RV park would be a good use for the area, which is undeveloped at this time.

The commissioners approved the permit for the RV park.

Another public hearing was held to discuss an amendment to the countys zoning regulations regarding the maximum area of private garages and outbuildings on lots in lake shore resident and rural residential zones.

Mike Moran, a Bass Bay resident appeared to speak for the amendment, he noted Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (CNPPID) recently granted extensions for outbuildings and he plans to construct a garage/workshop on his property but current county regulations capped the size of these buildings at 1,200 square feet.

The amendment would increase the size to 3,300 square feet, the size CNPPID allows. Holbrook said the Zoning Board voted unanimously to approve the increase. She noted the number one need at the lake is for more storage.

The commissioners voted to approve the amendment, with Reynolds abstaining, stating he was involved at Johnson Lake with the issue.

A public hearing for a conditional use permit by Doug Block for a hospice center on a 10 acre tract northwest of Gothenburg was canceled after the permit had been withdrawn due to a large amount of opposition to the plan.

Chad Derocher, with TNT Cyber Solutions gave an update on the countys network and the recent work after the ransomware attack.

He gave a brief timeline of events, stating on Sept. 25, 2021, suspicious activity was detected on the countys computer systems.

Derocher said the cause of the breach was a compromised password; the cybercriminals did reconnaissance on the servers, looking for important information.

When asked by the commissioners how this password could have been compromised, Derocher said it could have happened a number of ways; it may have been written on a sticky note, sent in an email or was just was an easier password to crack.

Through its investigation, the county learned that the cybercriminals had accessed the countys computer network and removed a limited amount of county data before deploying the ransomware. When the county refused to pay the ransom, the cybercriminals posted some county data on the Dark Web. The County immediately began an extensive review of this data and discovered that the data contained personal information, according to a release from the Dawson County Attorneys Office.

It is the advice of the FBI that no ransom every be paid to regain information, as there is no way of knowing who the criminals are or who they are affiliated with and there is no guarantee the information will be recovered, Derocher said.

After the attack, Derocher said the countys systems were cleansed and rebuilt from scratch. The servers are now in Omaha under more security. Passwords across departments have been changed and changed again.

Two factor authentication is now being used to access the county systems and TNT will provide training to county employees on how to spot malicious emails.

TNT also did an audit of employees who had access permissions and those that were not deemed essential to a system were removed.

When asked about steps the public could take to ensure they are protected, Derocher said people should change every single password they have and make their new ones more difficult; instead of password 123 use something like ThX1d1U13m8T5%$#, which is harder to crack.

He also said people should made sure their anti-virus software is up to date and current. Derocher said anything with an Internet Protocol (IP) address is vulnerable and steps should be taken to ensure they are secure.

Derocher also warned of using cellphones for banking or other transactions, he noted it may be convenient but a smartphone is just as vulnerable to being compromised as any computer.

He also noted social media does not help the cause of cybersecurity, he said the seemingly innocent quizzes on sites like Facebook may appear harmless but more often than not are designed to extract personal information from a person, something that might be used in a password.

Dawson County Sheriffs Chief Deputy Greg Gilg appeared with the monthly crime report and stated the population of the jail by the end of Tuesday would be 95.

Newly appointed Commissioner Rick Zarek asked what the total population of the jail is, Gilg said 125 inmates, but if the population grows over 100, things begin to get tense.

Gilg noted their three new investigator cars are up and running and work continues on the statewide radio system upgrade.

Mark DeDiana, representing Lutz & Company, appeared to speak to the commissioners about an engagement letter his organization was presenting to the county.

DeDiana noted the National Association of County Officials (NACO) had been swamped with questions from counties about their American Rescue Plan funds and NACO contracted with Lutz & Company to help them address the needs of counties.

He noted the county was under no obligation to sign the engagement letter with Lutz & Company, they could go in on their own or could hire whoever they liked, but they were the organization chosen by NACO to help their member counties.

DeDiana said he could be as involved as remoting in to a computer to help fill out the additional reporting the ARPA funds require, he could simply review the reporting the county does or just offer guidance.

The commissioners approved signing the engagement letter with Lutz & Company.

During the committee reports, Commissioner Bill Stewart said Lutheran Family Services has moved out of the Dawson County Annex Building and found a new office space in Lexington.

In October 2021, the commissioners voted not to renew the lease with Lutheran Family Services in an effort to move some courthouse activities into the Annex Buildings 20 room office space.

It was stated room had effectively run out at the courthouse, with employees working in close quarters with one another and making the addition of any new services or offices difficult.

Lutheran Family Services appealed the decision, but the commissioners ultimately voted to let the lease expire in January 2022. Work is being done to figure out which services could be moved over to the Annex building.

During the board of equalization meeting, Assessor Nic Van Cura presented two permissive exemptions from a Hawk, LLC, and Breen Back, LLC, both not-for-profit and charitable ventures. The commissioners approved the exemptions.

A tax correction was also approved for a parcel owned by Dave Rowe. Van Cura said Rowe tore down a house that was on the plot in 2020 and that change had yet to be reflected in the taxes on the parcel, the commissioners approved the correction.
By Trend

Azerbaijan's Baktelecom LLC is intensively expanding the coverage of the optical network and laying modern telecommunication lines in the suburbs of Baku, Baktelecom told Trend.

According to the agency, it is scheduled to put into operation an optical network with a capacity of 10,000 numbers in Bina village by the end of 2022. Residents of the "Dairy farm" area has already started connecting to broadband access services. As for the Kurdakhani, Mashtaga and Mahammadi settlements, preparations are underway for the optical infrastructure establishment. By the end of this year, it is planned to build a network with a capacity of more than 20,000 numbers.

Baktelecom provides quality service to 150,000 apartments in Baku and surrounding villages via an optical infrastructure with a capacity of 300,000 users. A network based on GPON (Gigabyte Passive Optical Network) technology guarantees a stable speed, allowing to provide telephone, internet and television services on a single line.
LEXINGTON  An Orleans man accused of selling THC and nicotine cartridges to Lexington Middle School students pleaded not guilty in district court and a jury trial has been set for May.

Hector Lugo, 22, has been charged with distribution of a controlled substance, a Class 2A felony, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Lugo appeared in Dawson County District Court before Judge James Doyle on Jan. 31, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges. A pre-trial hearing was set for April 1 at 10 a.m. and a jury trial was set for May 10 at 9 a.m.

According to court documents, on Thursday, Nov.4, Lexington Police Officer Luke Pinkelman located several Lexington Middle School students with THC oil and nicotine cartridges at the school.

Pinkelman and school staff spoke with the students, who said they bought the THC and nicotine cartridges from a male identified as hector048 on Snapchat.

The students stated they would see hector048 advertise on Snapchat that he was in Lexington and selling the cartridges and would arrange a place to meet for the sale.

One student and their parents agreed to help the Lexington Police Department and Cooperative Operations for Drug Enforcement (CODE) task force arrange to buy from hector048.

The meeting was arranged at Morton Elementary near the playground, where it was stated hector048 had met for sales in the past.

The student identified the vehicle hector048 had driven to past meetups, and a felony traffic stop was then conducted by CODE and Lexington police officers.

Lugo was alone in the vehicle and allegedly had his phone open and unlocked in his lap with Snapchat open. The app showed a conversation between hector048 and the students account, according to the court records.

Lugo was arrested and booked into the Dawson County Jail. His vehicle was sealed and a search warrant was executed.

Lugo has also been charged with four felonies in Harlan County after a search warrant was executed on his residence in Orleans after his arrest in Lexington.

Officers with the CODE task force located drug paraphernalia, THC vape cartridges, around 6.7 pounds of THC edibles, $25,670 in currency and a large machete, according to court documents.

A warrant was issued for his arrest on Nov. 12 and he was taken into custody after his court appearance in Lexington on Nov. 16.
Australia delivers 3.6 million more Pfizer vaccine doses to Vietnam

Australia has delivered 3.6 million Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam over recent weeks through a procurement agreement with UNICEF and in partnership with Vietnams Ministry of Health.



The final 2.2 million doses arrived at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City today.







UNICEF Representative, Rana Flowers, Ambassador Robyn Mudie and Dr Luat from Vietnams National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology with the Australian-funded Pfizer vaccines delivered to Hanoi in January





This delivery completes Australias commitment to share 7.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses with Vietnam. In addition to the Pfizer doses procured through UNICEF, Australia has shared 4.2 million AstraZeneca doses from its own supply since August last year.



Australias Ambassador to Vietnam, Robyn Mudie welcomed the delivery. Australia is a close friend and partner of Vietnam and we continue to unite in our shared fight against COVID-19. Vietnam has made tremendous progress with its COVID-19 vaccine rollout and I am proud that Australia could contribute towards this important work. It is critical to saving lives and boosting economic recovery.



UNICEF Representative, Rana Flowers said: Vietnam has proven itself highly efficient in the safe delivery of vaccines, ensuring that these are utilized effectively. These vaccines will help Vietnam in its effort to reach all, extending over time to children, and ensuring the rollout of booster doses. All of which contributes to a reduction in the severity of disease experienced, and importantly protects hospitals and the health workers from being overwhelmed.


By Trend

The Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) is holding a general meeting, Trend reports.

The meeting participants are discussing the resignation of ANAS President Ramiz Mehdiyev and the issue of transferring his powers to the Academys First Vice-President Arif Hashimov.

A decision has been made to adopt Mehdiyevs resignation.
Wade Modisette is a local husband and father that seeks the best and most appropriate entertainment for his family. A movie connoisseur in his own mind, he seeks to educate his friends and community on quality choices for their family. Find more reviews and information at wadereviewsstuff.wordpress.com.
Four candidates have been selected as finalists for the position of Madison fire chief, the citys Police and Fire Commission announced Friday.

All of the candidates have ties to Madison and have served on the Madison Fire Department in some capacity. Three are men, and one is a woman of color.

The four finalists are: Scott Bavery, Tracy Burrus, Chris Carbon and Ted Higgins. According to property records, Burrus and Higgins are Madison residents, while Bavery lives in Waunakee and Carbon lives in Middleton.

Their selection comes after a three-month search and interview process, the first national search for the position since 1996. Despite the search being national, all candidates have strong ties to Madison.

Madison Fire Chief Steven Davis announced in October that he would be retiring April 1, ending a career of more than three decades with the Madison Fire Department. The fire chief position was posted in mid-November with an application deadline of Dec. 15.

Many of the candidates have similar credentials to Davis, who served as a firefighter, paramedic, training officer, lieutenant and division chief before being appointed fire chief in 2012.

Bavery is a Madison native and the departments current assistant fire chief. In its announcement of the finalists, the commission describes Bavery as having a reputation as a transformational leader who is driven by challenge.

Burrus moved to Madison in 2001 and has served in a variety of positions at the department, including assistant chief of personnel, division chief of training, fire lieutenant, training officer, firefighter, EMT and apparatus engineer. She is also a U.S. Army veteran.

Burrus started her firefighting career in 1995 in Macomb, Illinois. She has a bachelors degree in sociology and psychology from Western Illinois University.

Carbon, who describes himself as a lifelong Madisonian, has been with the Fire Department since 1999 in roles including firefighter, paramedic, lieutenant and training officer. Hes currently the division chief overseeing Emergency Medical Services Training and Logistics and has been heavily involved in community paramedicine, the commission said. He graduated from UW-Madison with a bachelor of science.

Higgins is a Madison resident and 19-year veteran of the Fire Department. He is currently a lieutenant and principal officer for the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 311, a union where he has built partnerships with other Dane County fire and EMS agencies.

Higgins got his bachelors degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame and is also a graduate of a paramedicine program at Malcolm X College in Chicago.

Beyond credentials, the four finalists will share their vision for being Madisons next fire chief in video presentations that will be released to the public in early March.

The Police and Fire Commission plans to conduct final interviews March 8. That process will include candidates recording a 15-minute community presentation video, which will be released for residents after the interviews.

The public is invited to comment on the finalists at the commissions March 14 meeting or send their comments via email to pfc@cityofmadison.com.

The commission plans to deliberate in special meetings from March 11 to 18 and has previously said it would announce its pick on March 18.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct where each candidate lives.

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Quadren Wilson, a Black man whose family said he was shot five times in the back by two white state Division of Criminal Investigation agents during a Feb. 3 arrest over alleged fentanyl distribution, was unarmed during the shooting, the Dane County Sheriffs Office said Friday.

The Sheriffs Office said it has not located any evidence to support that Wilson had a firearm or any other weapon during the police shooting  something Wilsons family has said since early February. A criminal complaint, also released Friday, shows that Wilson was being sought for allegedly delivering fentanyl connected to a mans death.

The complaint, however, doesnt shed any light on the reason that 21 law enforcement officers from five agencies were involved in Wilsons arrest.

For the first time Friday, the Sheriffs Office identified the DCI agents who shot their firearms during Wilsons arrest as DCI Special Agent Mark Wagner and DCI Special Agent Nathan Peskie. The Sheriffs Office did not say whether the agents did indeed shoot Wilson, as his family has contended.

The complaint charges Wilson, 38, of Beaver Dam, with the delivery of a fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl mixture that is alleged to be related to the April 9 death of a man who was found passed out in the bathroom of the McDonalds restaurant at 4020 Milwaukee St. in the town of Blooming Grove.

An autopsy found the mans death was caused by the combined effects of acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl, gabapentin, methadone, chlordiazepoxide and ethanol, according to the complaint.

Wilson does not face a homicide charge for the mans death, as is sometimes the case under Wisconsins Len Bias law, which allows authorities to charge a person accused of delivering drugs that caused the death of another person.

During a court appearance by video conference Friday, Wilsons lawyer, Stephen Eisenberg, questioned why the drug delivery charge is being filed now, when the complaint contains relatively dated information, and is a case being brought by the Dane County District Attorneys Office, and not the state Department of Justice, whose officers led efforts to arrest Wilson on Feb. 3.

The investigating agencies listed on the complaint are the Dane County Sheriffs Office and the state Division of Criminal Investigation.

Eisenberg also questioned whether the complaint really identifies Wilson as the person who sold the drugs. In the complaint, that person was described by a woman who was with the deceased man as a light-skinned Black male. Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Wagner, who is not assigned to the case but was representing the district attorneys office at Fridays initial appearances, said that description when combined with telephone records identifies Wilson, an assertion Eisenberg said he found disturbing.

Your honor, I dont think it confirms anyones identity, I think they threw a complaint together, Eisenberg said. If were going to find that hes responsible because hes a light-skinned Black male, and there are probably thousands of those, I find that disturbing.

The complaint alleges Wilson was identified through phone records from the Dane County Jail and the McDonalds restaurant as the person who sold the fentanyl to the woman who had been with the deceased man. She told police she had bought heroin from this person on two occasions, the complaint states.

She told police she contacted her dealer by phone, and he came to pick her up at the McDonalds parking lot. They drove into a nearby neighborhood, where she bought a half-gram of heroin from him for $60, the complaint states.

The woman said she had first met the man who sold her drugs after seeing his car several times while she was panhandling at Stoughton Road and Milwaukee Street. When the car stopped one time, she said, she got two phone numbers from the driver that she wrote on a piece of paper, the complaint states.

One of the phone numbers, investigators found, was dialed on various occasions by three men who were in the Dane County Jail in order to reach Wilson, the complaint states. The same number was called several times from McDonalds on Milwaukee Street on April 9, the day the mans overdose death occurred. Security video shows the woman using the restaurants phone several times that night.

The drug delivery charge carries up to 15 years of combined prison and extended supervision, with an additional six years because Wilson is charged as a repeat offender.

A state Department of Corrections hold on Wilson makes bail all but irrelevant, but Wagner asked Court Commissioner Jason Hanson to set bail at $5,000, while Eisenberg asked for $100 bail. Hanson set bail at $1,000, finding that while the criminal complaint is not iron-clad, it provided enough probable cause to pass muster for now, when the bar is low.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for March 11.

Criminal complaint

The complaint does not shed any light on what critics have said was a heavy-handed response by police during Wilsons arrest. His family has said Wilson was shot five times in the back during the incident, which happened on American Parkway on Madisons Far East Side.

Agents converged on a car Wilson was driving, sandwiching it between two large vehicles. A state Department of Corrections warrant filed on Feb. 3 and released this week listed history of firearms as a reason for officers to be cautious with Wilson, but that document otherwise sheds little light on why the 21 officers from five local, state and federal agencies were needed to arrest Wilson.

Wilsons family has said since Feb. 5 that Wilson was not armed. They contend he was complying with orders from the officers when he was shot inside his car, and that he was wearing a GPS monitoring device as ordered by DOC.

Sheriffs investigation

The Dane County Sheriffs Office, which was not one of the police agencies involved in the American Parkway shooting incident, is investigating the shooting. Normally, that would be done by the state Department of Justice but not in this case because its own officers were involved.

The Sheriffs Office said Friday investigators are continuing to process evidence and interview witnesses in the police shooting. At the conclusion of the investigation, the Sheriffs Office said it will turn over its reports to the Dane County District Attorneys office for a decision on whether to charge the agents who discharged their weapons during the incident.

The mission of our investigation is to determine the facts and report the truth, the Sheriffs Office said. We do not have any additional facts to release at the time.

Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has video recordings is asked to call the Dane County tip line at 608-284-6900, the Sheriffs Office said.

Wilsons family has said he was released from UW Hospital too soon after his surgery and is in pain at the Dane County Jail, where he has been held since Feb. 6.

Eisenberg said in court Friday that DOC has filed papers indicating it intends to seek revocation of Wilsons extended supervision for 2018 convictions for second-degree reckless endangerment and possession of a firearm by a felon. The decision to revoke Wilsons supervision and sentence him to prison will be made by an administrative law judge after a hearing to be scheduled.

Eisenberg said there was no indication prior to the Feb. 3 incident in which Wilson was shot that he was in any trouble with his probation officer, with whom he was scheduled to meet on Feb. 4 to seek permission to leave Wisconsin to go to Illinois with his girlfriend for Valentines Day.

State Journal reporter Emily Hamer contributed to this report.

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David OConnor was born and raised on the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Reservation on the southern shores of Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin.

My very first formal education began at the Bad River Tribe Head Start, he said, where he experienced community-centered education, his neighbor was his bus driver and his bus drivers wife was OConnors teacher, along with a number of other of OConnors neighbors and family members.

That to me just spoke volumes. It was so cool to see elders in our community come in and teach us different things and share stories and have that hands-on experience. It made it more real  not just something you got from a book.

OConnor, who now lives on Madisons North Side, has worked as an American Indian studies consultant with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for nearly a decade. At DPI, he assists with the implementation of curriculum at schools across the state in the areas of American Indian histories, cultures and tribal sovereignty, often referred to as Wisconsin Act 31.

His work with schools, libraries and others aims to provide training opportunities, develop and disseminate materials, and provide consultation on issues related to American Indian Studies and the education of Native American students, according to DPI.

Recently, he was named Educator of the Year (outside of the classroom) by the National Indian Education Association for the work hes done to educate Wisconsinites on Native histories and cultures.

Can you talk a little bit more about how you work with school districts to implement curricular requirements focusing on American Indian history and culture?

Most times when I work with educators, a lot of them come in with prior knowledge that could be considered misinformation or misleading. I try to get them to a space where they can unpack what they know. The next thing they need to do is relearn the content  thats a lengthy process.

I also provide training opportunities for folks, over 100 trainings a year. I present at different conferences and workshops across the state and have presented nationally on different research areas.

Ive also had the opportunity to develop and disseminate materials. For example, one of the resources Ive helped to develop, along with PBS Wisconsin, was a map called Current Tribal Lands Map and Native Nations Facts, specifically about Wisconsin. We work with tribal nations across our state to make sure the information weve laid out on the map is spot-on.

What was it like when you found out you were named Educator of the Year (outside of the classroom) by the National Indian Education Association?

You have to be nominated by someone who is affiliated by NIEA, and I was nominated by two different people that Ive worked with in two different roles. To be honest, I was honored to be nominated, or thought of by them.

Community members from across the country that are affiliated with NIEA were a part of the selection process. I thought it was really cool just to be nominated. I was like, Alright, I look forward to seeing who wins, its going to be really awesome and all of a sudden I get a letter that says, Youve been selected by the committee as the NIEA Educator of the Year. At first I was like, There must have been a different David OConnor, then I was like, Whoa, this is amazing. I was humbled by the whole experience.

The convention was in October in Omaha, Nebraska, and I had the opportunity to go there and receive the award. It was an amazing experience to have colleagues and other people you look up to praising you for your work. It was very humbling.

The one thing I want to reiterate is this work is a tribute to all of the education partners Ive had the opportunity to work with. The award may have my name on it, but I attribute it to everyone Ive worked with.

Do you have any anecdotes from your time spent as a mentor to students?

I always tell students  and adults who are working with them as educators  we need to stop asking our students to consider themselves as leaders of tomorrow. Theyre leaders already. They do it every day. A lot of our youths in many communities  theyre leading charges in many different areas, right now. I tell students, thank you for being leaders now. Thank you for stepping up in a role that can sometimes be challenging or overwhelming.

I also try to motivate them to share their stories. Sharing their story is one of the most powerful things in the world, and no one can take that from them. I try to push students to get in that space where they can think of the next chapter in their story.

The theme of the October NIEA conference was Native Control of Native Education: A Time to Lead. Can you share how that theme aligns with your work?

Native control, for example, goes back to what I said about stories  if were going to learn about the histories and cultures of our sovereign nations, who better to tell it than the people themselves? Its their lived experiences. I want our nations community members, historians and those who work to preserve languages to take ownership of that work.

Im always trying to grow the education programs around Native culture. I want to make a difference in the lives of our students, our families, our communities in the state and across the country. Every day, Im thinking whats next: What training needs to be done and what opportunities are out there?

At the end of the day I just want to make sure I can move the work forward in the best way possible: new trainings, work on articles that educators can use, expanding programming through support of community and education partnerships.

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A 15-year-old former Madison La Follette High School student who was assaulted by classmates at the Southeast Side school last month was assaulted again at a different school district site by a different classmate on his first day back in classes since the January attack, police and the boys mother said.

The Tuesday incident at a small alternative program run by the Madison School District at an East Side church, earlier reported by WKOW-TV, was not as serious as the one Jan. 13 at the high school, when the boy was allegedly beaten by two students so badly that he could need surgery to repair his jaw, according to the boys mother, Heather Colbert.

This kid just came out of nowhere and punched my son, she said of the Tuesday incident. I was very upset and angry that here we are, second time, in a totally different school.

Colbert said her son suffered swelling and that unlike in the Jan. 13 case, school staff called police on Tuesday. Madison police spokesperson Stephanie Fryer said a 17-year-old was issued a municipal citation for battery in the case.

Fryer said a school staff member who witnessed the incident said the two students appeared to have a brief and calm conversation before the 17-year-old walked away.

A short time later, the staff member said the 17-year-old approached the 15-year-old and hit him, Fryer said, and school staff members separated the two students.

Three teenagers were arrested or told to appear in court in connection with the Jan. 13 incident. Tayshon J. Ross, 17, was charged with substantial battery on Feb. 4, a 16-year-old boy was arrested on Feb. 4 and tentatively charged with substantial battery, and a 17-year-old boy was ordered to appear in court on Feb. 28 on a tentative charge of being party to the crime of substantial battery.

In all but the most serious cases, those under 17 who are charged with crimes are typically sent into the juvenile court system and police and the courts do not release their names. Police did not release the name of the second 17-year-old in the Jan. 13 case because he had not yet been arrested or charged.

Fryer said police were not releasing the name of the 17-year-old in the Tuesday incident because it has determined the record of the citation is a juvenile record, citing the states Childrens Code. That state law, however, says that for purposes of investigating or prosecuting a person who is alleged to have violated a state or federal criminal law or any civil law or municipal ordinance, child does not include a person who has attained 17 years of age.

Colberts son told police last month that a group of students was making fun of him before the attack at the high school. She said her son, who is on the autism spectrum, had been bullied for months before then.

School surveillance video of the incident shows her son and another teen preparing to fight and several teens punching or attempting to punch her son, police said.

Police said teachers and administrators quickly broke up the fight, but not before Colbert said her sons front teeth had been punched up into his gums.

Colbert said in early February that her son will lose a tooth due to the incident and that the bone near the tooth was totally destroyed. She said its not clear yet whether it might heal on its own or will need surgery to reconstruct.

Colbert said she was happier with the districts response in the Tuesday incident but wonders if staff would have called police if she hadnt made it clear before coming to pick up her son that she wanted them to do so.

School District spokesperson Tim LeMonds said La Follette staff are continuing to work with the family to develop a plan of support for the student.

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In April 2020, about a month into the pandemic, Kabby Hong met online with the Asian student organization he supervises at Verona Area High School to see how his students were doing amid COVID-19 and a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes.

One of my female Asian American students told me she was at a store and this grown man came up to her and yelled at her to go back to where she came from, Hong said. She was really shaken up by it.

He consoled his 15-year-old student, who was born in the U.S., but then he began to think about his students encounter and wondered whether the man had learned about the history and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in his own schooling.

He probably didnt, Hong said. He probably had a school system and schooling where we were basically invisible.

A number of states, including Illinois and New Jersey, have recently passed legislation to ensure Asian American and Pacific Islander history is taught in K-12 schools, while other state legislatures, including California, New York, Florida, Connecticut and Ohio, have recently introduced similar initiatives.

Wisconsin lawmakers also have introduced legislation with bipartisan support in both the Senate and Assembly that would amend an existing law to include teaching Asian American and Pacific Islander history in K-12 schools, but the bills have sat dormant since May and June.

I just cant seem to break through, to be able to get a hearing for that, said bill author Rep. Patrick Snyder, R-Schofield.

I kind of beat my head against the wall a little bit, he said, But I just think its important that the school districts look at what the Hmong have done for us.

One barrier to the passage of the bills  AB 381 and SB 379  is a legislative committee chair saying he doesnt want to increase the number of mandated courses. But that committee has approved bills that would mandate other courses, including financial literacy and cursive handwriting, as well as divisive bills that would require the creation of firearms education and law enforcement interaction classes.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers supports the Asian American history legislation, according to spokesperson Britt Cudaback. If it doesnt pass, it would be for the second legislative session in a row.

Required classes

An eight-month wait for a legislative education committee to approve a bipartisan bill, much less give it a public hearing, isnt standard.

Assembly Education Committee chair Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond Du Lac, said he typically doesnt like passing a bill mandating a course unless that bill also removes a different instructional mandate.

He added that hes less disposed to hearing a bill when the bill author isnt advocating its passage.

But Thiesfeldt has allowed hearings for bills requiring the creation and teaching of other courses, and Snyder said he spoke with Thiesfeldt about the bill recently and asked him to give it a hearing.

In early January, Republican lawmakers introduced a bill, AB 843, that would require the creation of a firearms safety course. The Assembly Education Committee gave it a hearing two days later and approved it several days after that.

For a bill that would require the creation of a curriculum on interacting with law enforcement officers, AB 830, the process from introduction to approval took just under two weeks.

It took about three weeks for the committee to approve a bill requiring a financial literacy course, AB 899, and three months for the Senate Education Committee to approve a bill requiring instruction in cursive handwriting, SB 431.

Unlike the Asian American history bill, the law enforcement interaction and firearms safety courses include provisions allowing school boards to opt out of teaching the class, meaning they may not be considered mandated courses.

Asked why the committee was approving other bills including instructional mandates, Thiesfeldt said, Its not a hard and fast rule. There are certain things, you kind of have to weigh the impact of it, I guess is the way I would look at it.

Thiesfeldt said its hard to mandate small courses or lessons.

This is just another one of those little things, and Ive taught in schools for over 20 years of my life, (and) you have to keep track of all of these little things, and its burdensome, he said.

Snyder raised another possible explanation for the bill stalling.

When I talk to some of the senators about this bill, theyre concerned, you know, that theres already bills out for African Americans, Native Americans, and, theyre just thinking If they add this, what group will come next? Snyder said.

The Asian American curriculum bill isnt the only one stalled in the committee, but its among only a couple of bills with Republican authors seeing no progress in it.

Its, I think, unconscionable that the state with the third-largest Hmong population  with all of the contributions Hmong communities have provided, in terms of culture and the economy of this state  excludes them from learning more about their history to better understand and build safer communities, said Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, the states first Asian American legislator. Im baffled.

Snyder and Francesca Hong (who is not related to the Verona teacher) speculated that her involvement in the legislation  she has created controversy with her social media rhetoric  may complicate its passage.

She has come out rather strong on other issues, attacking some Republicans in groups with her Twitter, Snyder said. And I think that is some of the heartburn going into this as well.

Hong added that she offered to remove her name from the bill if it would help it pass.

Thiesfeldt said he did not know Hong well and did not say she was a reason it was stalled.

Its frustrating that something that is bipartisan and that is clearly supported by the Wisconsin School Board Association hasnt been given the fair process and light that it deserves, Kabby Hong said.

Bill support

Efforts to pass the bill come after a significant increase nationwide in hate crimes directed toward Asian Americans in the past two years.

Kabby Hong  a state representative in the 2022 National Teacher of the Year Program  said Asians are invisible in most school curricula. He said that invisibility can lead to the violence community members have seen.

He said the stalled bill would simply amend existing legislation, 1989s Wisconsin Act 31, which requires each school board to provide an instructional program designed to give pupils an understanding of human relations, particularly with regard to American Indians, Black Americans and Hispanics  to include Hmong Americans, and Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans.

If you look at the bill, its like eight words. Its literally adding eight or nine words to the current state statute, Kabby Hong said. Currently, you do not have to have Asian Americans represented in school curriculum  for whatever reason we were left out. The bill basically rectifies what is a clear oversight.

The Wisconsin Association of School Boards adopted a resolution at its annual convention that encourages public schools to develop an educational curriculum and professional training to teach the history, culture and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the economic, cultural and social development of the state and country, said Dan Rossmiller, the associations director of government relations.

The resolution also requests the Legislature provide sufficient funding to develop an appropriate model curriculum for students and training package for teachers.

Other legislation

In April, Evers signed a bipartisan bill roughly two months after its introduction that would require Wisconsin middle and high school social studies classes to teach about the Holocaust and other genocides which, he said, would bring an increased awareness and recognition to the tragedies of the Holocaust as well as the pervasiveness of antisemitism still evident today. In a statement, he said he hoped the change would cultivate a generation that is more compassionate, empathetic and inclusive.

The Holocaust and other genocides were taught in many Wisconsin schools prior to the passage of the bill, and supporters say the new law is an effort to ensure continuity and consistency in instruction. Proponents of the bill, which passed the Legislature unanimously, pointed to a study released by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation in 2020 that found antisemitic incidents increased 55% between 2018 and 2019 and more than tripled since 2015.

Wisconsin Act 31 was enacted after racially charged clashes at boat landings in the northern part of the state, as members of the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwa attempted to exercise rights granted to them by a treaty with the U.S. government, Rossmiller said.

At the time, former Gov. Tommy Thompson and legislative leaders thought educating Wisconsin students regarding these issues might be a way to diffuse the hostilities, he said, though current law does not require data collection, tracking of compliance with Act 31 requirements, or evaluation of its efficacy.

If you see people that look like me, that are woven in the fabric of American history, then you feel like we are a part of America, just like anybody else, Kabby Hong said, of the stalled legislation.

Next session

Last week, Thiesfeldt said there would probably just be one more Assembly Education Committee hearing before the session ends. That hearing has since passed; it did not include the Asian American history bill in its agenda.

That means the proposed measure is all but certain to meet the same fate as last legislative session, when Rep. Katrina Shankland, D-Stevens Point, along with Snyder proposed a nearly identical bill that didnt receive a hearing, though it only focused on Hmong Americans, not other Asian groups.

Senate Education Committee chair Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, did not respond to a request for comment.

Snyder said hes hopeful for the Asian American bills passage in the next session. He said he has plans to shine a bigger light on the issue.

I dont want this to be a political thing, he said. I just think its important that the Hmong residents have a voice and a history in the educational system in the years to come.

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Alexander Shur | Wisconsin State Journal Alexander Shur covers state government for the Wisconsin State Journal. Follow Alexander Shur | Wisconsin State Journal 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
Wisconsin Republicans say tightening voting rules will restore faith in elections and lessen the possibility of voter fraud, while Democrats say the GOP is merely looking to suppress turnout and promote the canard that fraud is responsible for Donald Trumps loss in 2020.

Although specifically mentioned in statute, a space for a printed name of an absentee voters witness does not appear on the states absentee ballot envelope, also known as a certification or application. All thats provided are spaces for the witness address and signature.

So while its easy for clerks or other interested parties to know the identities of absentee voters because theyre printed at the top of the certificate, the scrawled and often illegible signatures of their witnesses mean its often not possible to know the witnesses identities and whether theyre U.S. citizens, thus legally eligible to sign the documents.

The head of the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, which has brought litigation challenging the use of drop boxes, said that while the group has not chosen to challenge the lack of a space for the witness printed name on absentee envelopes, it believes WEC could have and probably should have done a better job of complying with state law.

WILL president and general counsel Rick Esenberg also notes that the statute says the envelopes should be substantially similar to what is outlined in law and that the Elections Commission would likely argue the form it created is therefore legal.

The Elections Commission last finalized ballot envelope design on May 24, 2018. Minutes from that meeting dont reflect any consideration of a space for the witness printed name.

Among the Legislative Audit Bureaus recommendations from its audit of the 2020 election, is one to ensure that the absentee ballot certificates made available to municipalities comply with statutes by requiring witnesses to print their names, and Elections Commission spokesperson Riley Vetterkind said the commission has already asked staff to add envelope redesign to a future meeting.

In the meantime, he said state law and the commissions Election Day Manual do not list the absence of the witness printed name as a reason to invalidate a ballot.

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After stating last month hes not trying to jail mayors, the Republican-appointed investigator tasked with reviewing Wisconsins 2020 election filed another petition Friday that would do just that to the mayors of Madison and Green Bay  and now a list of city and election staff  if they dont comply with a lengthy list of demands.

Conservative former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman on Friday filed yet another petition in Waukesha County Circuit Court against the two mayors, this time adding Racine Mayor Cory Mason, the city clerks from Madison and Green Bay, staff from the Wisconsin Elections Commission and city of Milwaukee employees.

The petition seeks emails, voting machine information and other election-related documents. If the city staff, election workers and mayors fail to provide the documents and attend depositions, Gableman is again asking the courts to order the respondents to be incarcerated until such time as they comply.

The petition is largely the same as the one filed in December against Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich. The primary difference is the additional respondents.

In a January memo, the attorney representing Gableman told the court that his intent was to force the mayors to testify, not jail them.

But Rhodes-Conway doesnt see it that way. She said Friday night that Gablemans investigation has once again gone off the rails.

After saying he wanted to arrest me, then saying he didnt, Gableman once again is asking the courts to arrest me and eight other public officials, Rhodes-Conway said. Its an awfully bold move for someone we dont even know is authorized to conduct an investigation.

The others listed in the latest petition include Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl, Green Bay City Clerk Celestine Jeffreys, Wisconsin Elections Commission chair Ann Jacobs, Wisconsin Elections Commission employee Sarah Linske, state Division of Enterprise Technology director Trina Zanow, and city of Milwaukee employees Hannah Bubacz and David Henke.

Its unclear what prompted the latest petition, but the document states that Linske, Zanow, Henke, Bubacz and Jacobs failed to appear at recent depositions to testify.

At least in our case, and I believe the other municipalities, we were told that nobody needed to show up for the deposition, Madison City Attorney Michael Haas said.

The petition also states that the Wisconsin Elections Commission failed to provide the documents required in a subpoena.

Gableman issued subpoenas in October seeking election records from the states five largest cities and demanding their mayors submit to questioning, even though mayors dont play any role in conducting elections.

He later backed off those subpoenas, but in early December filed petitions in Waukesha County asking that the county sheriff force Rhodes-Conway and Genrich to answer his questions under the October subpoenas. Those petitions, called writs of attachment, can lead to jail for people who are found in contempt for not complying with a subpoena.

Among the demands in the petition are lists of people who were deactivated as a voter, a list of serial numbers of computers or other electronic devices used in the election, and any emails concerning the election from nearly 50 different people and organizations.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, has allocated $676,000 in taxpayer money for the Gableman-led, one-party review of the election, which is focused on some of the procedures voters and clerks relied on in casting and processing ballots. Vos has said the review could cost more, and he has not said when it might be finished or what additional expenses might accrue.

A recount and court decisions have affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes. Similarly, reviews of the election by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty found no evidence of widespread fraud, but did lead to recommendations on how elections can be improved.

An analysis by The Associated Press found only 31 potential cases of voter fraud in Wisconsins 2020 election, which represents less than 0.15% of Bidens margin of victory. In 26 of the 31 cases, prosecutors declined to bring charges after conducting a review.

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Protesters held placards saying my body, my choice, revoke hijab ban, stop telling women what to do, hijab is my right, and hijab ban in India is apartheid.

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Washington, DC  Scores of Indian Americans on Saturday held protests at multiple locations across New Jersey, Texas and Florida states of United States against what they called as, Islamophobic and unconstitutional ban on students wearing hijabs in schools by the Hindu nationalist government in Indias Karnataka state.

The protests were held in Orlando, Florida; South Brunswick, Teaneck, and Paramus, New Jersey; as well as Plano, Irving, and Valley Ranch, Texas, according to a statement issued by Alliance to Stop Genocide in India (ASGI), a coalition of Indian American and US-based civil rights organizations and activists.

Hijab is an Arabic term, meaning modesty. In popular language, it means the modest attire of Muslim women, including a headscarf. Many Muslims believe that the hijab is an essential part of the Islamic faith.

The statement said that similar protests have been planned across the U.S., including in New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, California, and Washington state, over the weekend and the coming week.

In South Brunswick and Hazlet, NJ, nearly 100 people, mostly women, poured out to protest Indias hijab ban. In Old Bridge, NJ, more protesters gathered in front of a local Islamic centre, while protesters in Orlando, FL and Plano, Irving, and Valley Ranch, TX staged protests in front of their respective mosques.

Protesters held placards saying my body, my choice, revoke hijab ban, stop telling women what to do, hijab is my right, and hijab ban in India is apartheid.

I firmly believe that its my body, my choice. No government has the right to tell a woman how to dress, especially when it comes to education, said Sabiha Ansari, a protester from South Brunswick. We stand with our Muslim sisters in Karnataka.

Its my choice, keep your hands off the hijab, said another South Brunswick protester.

Islam is my choice, and its my right to wear the hijab, said a group of protesters in Old Bridge, NJ. We are here to support all the Muslim women who are suffering in India, and we are with them.

Hijab is our right, and no one can take away from that, said Shagufta Khan, another protester from South Brunswick. Im from India, I studied in Karnataka, and 20 years ago, no one said anything about not wearing hijab in college hijab used to be a non-issue in colleges. Its upsetting to see the rise of Islamophobia [in India].

Speaking on the rise of anti-Muslim sentiments and Hindu extremism in India, protester Maheen Azam from South Brunswick said, Karnataka is supposed to be a very peaceful [region]. Hindus and Muslims used to celebrate Diwali and Eid together. Where is this hatred coming from? What happens to our next generation?

As Muslim women, its our right to do what we want with our bodies and to portray our religion its not anybodys business to tell us what to wear, said Mahwish Khan, another South Brunswick protester. Its human decency to respect everyones religion and values, and no one should have to lower their values and religious beliefs to fit in to society.

India needs to see that the international community is taking a stand against the hijab ban and blatant Islamophobia in India, said Minhaj Khan, protest co-organizer in South Brunswick and Hazlet, NJ.

This is not befitting of the worlds largest democracy. And no, its not an internal matter. Human rights violations should be the concern of every human on the planet, and that is why were protesting the hijab ban  out of love for India. If Hindu students have the right to see their deities displayed in schools, their prayers performed, and their festivals celebrated, then Muslim students have the full right to wear the hijab as well. That is true secularism.

[To] the government of India dont consider this as a Muslim issue, said Imam Hamad Chebli, a prominent Muslim leader who heads the Islamic Society of Central Jersey. This is a human [rights] issue.

On February 7, over 100 protesters in Houston, Texas also protested against the hijab ban, calling for the end of discriminatory anti-Muslim policies in schools, which first began at a Karnataka government college in December 2021. Since then, Muslim students across Karnataka and other Indian states have faced ongoing harassment from school faculty, groups of radicalized Hindu students, and leaders of Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who have accused the students of having a terrorist mindset and being part of an anti-India plot, and have doxxed some under-aged Muslim girls and their families on Twitter.
Best for Recruitment Campaigns ZipRecruiter Our Partner Highlights: Reach over 10 million candidates per week

Features: Campaign strategies and applicant sourcing

Integrations: ATS System Get Started Best for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses JazzHR Job Posting Software Our Partner Highlights: Unlimited jobs and users, no added fees or costs

Features: Applicant sourcing and tracking, offer management and automated onboarding

Integrations: Assessments, background checks, career page services, employer branding, HRIS and payroll, job boards and syndication, video interviews and more Get Started Best for Onboarding Greenhouse Job Posting Site Our Partner Highlights: Access and optimize job listings across 1,000+ job boards

Features: Applicant sourcing and tracking, interview and onboarding tools

Integrations: HRIS and onboarding, job distribution, sourcing, screening tools, productivity and collaboration, candidate experiences and analytics Get Started Best for Large Recruiting and Staffing Agencies Zoho Recruit Our Partner Highlights: A complete HR solution for staffing agencies and HR businesses

Features: Database, onboarding, time, attendance, performance and learning management, among many others

Integrations: Zoho apps, social media, Phonebridge, storage, SMS, document signing, job boards, productivity and collaboration, email marketing, recruiting, and more Get Started Best for Small Recruiting Agencies Recruiter Flow Our Partner Highlights: All the applicant tracking features you need -- none you don't

Features: Applicant Tracking System, Customer Relationship Management system, automated features,

Integrations: Google Workspace, Office 365 and job boards like Indeed, ZipRecruiter and more Get Started Best Freemium Option Breezy HR Our Partner Highlights: Full-featured end-to-end recruiting software with a great free version

Features: Candidate management and sourcing, analytics, messaging and scheduling, referral and careers portal, and more

Integrations: Assessment, background check, calendar, email, HRIS, productivity and single sign-on apps Get Started

If youre looking for the best talent to fill several open positions, simple recruitment tools may not cut it. The most efficient way to find top talent quickly is to use a recruiting platform or full-scale HR software that can help your hiring team carry out candidate sourcing in less time and with less effort.

The best recruitment systems can improve your hiring experience through automation, saving your organization both time and money. These often offer the ability to post job openings across hundreds of job boards simultaneously and integrate social recruiting features and configurable candidate screening tools to help you find the right talent.

Our Top Picks for Best Recruiting Software

ZipRecruiter  Best for Recruitment Campaigns

JazzHR  Best for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

Greenhouse  Best for Onboarding

Zoho Recruit  Best for Large Recruiting and Staffing Agencies

RecruiterFlow  Best for Small Recruiting Agencies

Breezy HR  Best Freemium Option

Find the perfect candidate that will help you take your business to the next level. Job Search Sites make it easier for you to find the most qualified candidates for your business. Click your state to learn more.

Best Recruiting Software Reviews

Best for Recruitment Campaigns: ZipRecruiter

Our Partner

Why we chose it: We choose ZipRecruiter as the best recruitment software for recruitment marketing campaigns because it offers customizable campaign strategies for every budget, real-time assistance for recruiters through dedicated account managers, a traffic boost option for urgent and hard-to-fill jobs and access to an ample database with over 32 million resumes.

Pros

Send job postings to 100+ job boards with one click

Automatically scan resumes for the skills/experience you need

Customer support over phone, email or live chat

Month-to-month plans, no long-term commitments or contracts

Cons

No built-in applicant tracking system

No onboarding tools

Offers few integration features

ZipRecruiter is a top-rated employment marketplace and hiring platform. It allows you to post jobs on over 100 job boards at once and claims to actively reach over 10 million qualified candidates per week, a great option for those looking to scale quickly.

The marketplace uses artificial intelligence to match the best candidates to your job posts and send you recommendations similar to those you have liked in the past. Besides its campaign features, you can also send pre-written, personalized messages to job seekers and close job posts at any time (no pause feature available).

ZipRecruiter plans are customizable, so pricing will depend on the number of job ads you post, how many users you register, your industry and the job post target location. With the exception of the Elite, all plans allow you to post up to 1 job per location at a time. A four-day risk-free trial is available for those interested in finding out more.

Plan Features Integration Cost Standard Smart dashboard, post to 100+ sites, AI candidate matching N/A $359/month Premium Same as Standard plus access to over 32 million resumes N/A $479/month Pro Same a Premium, plus traffic boost for urgent jobs ATS integration $779/month Elite For companies with over 5,000 employees, post 50+ jobs simultaneously ATS integration Starting at $4,500/month

Best for Small and Medium-Sized Companies: JazzHR

Why we chose it: JazzHR is an all-in-one talent management system that integrates candidate sourcing and tracking with offer management and automated onboarding features. Small and mid-sized businesses (including recruitment agencies) with under 500 employees will find JazzHR has everything they need.

Pros Offer management and automated onboarding tools

Post to dozens of job boards with one click

Purchase traffic on a pay-per-click or pay-per-post model

Sync with email to send messages without logging into the platform Cons Made primarily for desktop, not mobile

Not the best option for larger companies (over 500 employees)

JazzHr offers end-to-end talent management support, from employer branding to onboarding. It allows you to post jobs to dozens of job boards simultaneously and includes all the automation you would expect from recruitment software  customizable workflows, trigger emails, personalized communications and feedback loops for collaborators. JazzHR offers plans for every stage of business growth, provides referral program management, customizable recruiting and compliance reports and integration with a long list of HR tools for background checks, assessments, communications, HRIS, payroll and more. If youre looking to hire the right candidates quickly and dont have time for resume parsing, Jazz HR gives you a quick view of candidate profiles, so you can get the full picture at a glance. The software also provides interview templates and guides to help you get a head start with the interview process. Beyond these features, JazzHR also offers a variety of add-ons with which you can customize any plan, including candidate texting ($39/month), dedicated account managers ($119/month), all-access support ($49/month) and career-page customization ($39/month). JazzHR extends a 21-day free trial (no credit card needed) and a 20% discount for nonprofits. Plan Features Integration Cost Hero Unlimited users and three open jobs, only job opening and syndication (for small teams) Integrates with a variety of third-party HR technologies for assessments, background checks, HRIS, payroll and more $39/month on annual plan Plus Unlimited users and unlimited open jobs, job posting and syndication, APS, interviews and assessments Same as above $239/month on annual plan Pro Job posting and syndication, ATS, interviews and assessments, offers and signatures, reporting and compliance, all-access support Same as above $359/month on annual plan Best for Onboarding: Greenhouse Get Started Why we chose it: Greenhouse is our top recruitment software for onboarding new employees because of its robust post-interview features, including a dedicated resources hub, configurable email flows with next steps, feedback forms, integrations for signatures and countersignatures and customized information collection on documents.

Pros Create a personalized welcome experience for new hires

Candidates can self-schedule interviews & record the correct pronunciation of their names

Access 1,000+ well-known and niche job boards

Integration with 360+ third-party applications Cons Can be expensive for growing companies

No pricing information on site, must request a demo Greenhouse is an industry-leading hiring platform that offers recruiting and onboarding as separate products, with seamless integration between the two. Those interested in Greenhouses recruitment software will find it includes common features such as role-specific automated tasks and reminders, collaboration tools for hiring teams, interview kits and scorecards, and custom compliance and process reports. Greenhouse also allows applicants to self-schedule interviews and encourages them to record the correct pronunciation of their names before an interview  features few other competitors offer and that can greatly improve an applicants hiring experience. As for integrations, Greenhouse is compatible with over 360 third-party apps, including ADP, BambooHR, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed, Slack and DocuSign, among others. The company fails to provide any pricing information on its site and instead encourages interested parties to reach out for a demo. Plan Features Integration Cost Greenhouse Recruiting Access 1,000+ job boards, collaborate with hiring teams, get custom alerts and tasks, candidate relationship tracking, personalized reports Integrates with HRIS and onboarding, job distribution, sourcing, screening, productivity and collaboration, candidate experience and analytics tools Former customers say pricing can start at around $6k per year for 10-12 users but increases incrementally as you add new users Greenhouse Onboarding Personalized welcome experience and email flows with next steps, automated administrative tasks, onboarding performance evaluations, resources hub, tools for paperwork completion Same as above N/A Best for Large Recruiting and Staffing Agencies: Zoho Recruiter Get Started

Why we chose it: Zoho Recruit is an all-in-one human resources management software that caters specifically to staffing agencies and HR businesses. Some of its key features include time-off management, payroll integration, document management, onboarding, attendance tracking, shift scheduling and more.

Pros

Offers time-off management, payroll integration, shift scheduling and expense tracking

Create employee self-service portals and automate HR processes

Customized 360 performance management feature

Corporate learning management system for self-paced, hybrid courses

Cons

Ample features and tools make for a steep learning curve

Zoho Recruit is a cloud-based HR software that aims to be a complete solution for staffing agencies, corporate human resources and temporary workforce agencies. It offers everything from candidate sourcing, applicant tracking and resume management to background screening, interviewing, onboarding and much more.

Like other companies on this list, it offers custom job pages, the ability to post multiple jobs at once, AI-powered semantic matching for key job description criteria, recruiting pipelines, automated workflows, pre-interview assessments, video interviews and more.

Unlike any other company, however, Zoho Recruit integrates a host of HR management functionalities that facilitate time-off management, payroll scheduling, invoice generation, performance management and learning management for HR teams. If you need only a few features or are looking for recruitment software with a shallow learning curve, look elsewhere.

Zoho Recruits plans are per user per month and billed annually. There is a 30-day free trial, no credit card needed, and a freemium version that offers an employee database and time off management for up to five users. All paid plans have a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Plan Features Integration Cost Essential Onboarding, database and HR files management, time-off management, workflow management Zoho apps, social media, Phonebridge, storage, SMS, document signing, job boards, productivity and collaboration, email marketing, recruiting, background checks, video interviews and assessments $0.83/user/month on annual plan Professional Adds shift scheduling and rotation, overtime calculation, IP and Geo tracking, billing and invoicing integration Same as above $1.66/user/month on annual plan Premium Adds performance appraisals, advanced HR analytics, multi-rater reviews, skill set matrix (tracks skill proficiency), etc. Same as above $2.50/user/month on annual plan Enterprise Adds employee query and course management features, etc. Same as above $4.16/user/month on annual plan People Plus Offers payroll, expense and password management, among other features. Same as above $8/user/month on annual plan

Best for Small Recruiting Agencies: Recruiterflow

Why we chose it: While Recruiterflow doesnt offer as many features as Zoho Recruit, it has everything individual recruiters and small staffing agencies might need, including sourcing and pipeline management, automated features, integration with productivity tools, a full recruiting CRM and easy-to-read recruiting reports with visuals.

Pros

Candidate sourcing from LinkedIn, Github, AngelList and Xing

Visual hiring speed reports and sourcing distribution charts

Reach out to candidates directly from your inbox

Track when and how many times candidate opens the email

Cons

No mobile app

Few integrations

Recruiterflow offers all the necessary tools and automated features a small recruiting agency might need, including a chrome extension that lets you recruit right from your inbox, a careers page builder, and the ability to post jobs on sites like LinkedIn, Indeed ZipRecruiter and more.

Recruiterflows careers page is mobile-friendly, optimized for SEO and can integrate with Google analytics to improve marketing performance. As for pipeline management, it offers customizability, candidate tracking, collaboration features and automated transactional emails, among others.

More unique features include the ability to track when and how many times a candidate opens your email, application distribution charts and hiring speed reports with helpful visuals and candidate sourcing from sites such as AngelList, GitHub and Xing.

Recruiterflow plans for recruiting agencies feature unlimited job openings. There is also a 14-day trial and customer service available 24 hours a day, five days a week.

Plan Features Integration Cost Growth for Recruiting Agencies Unlimited job openings, complete CRM, custom fields, 7 campaigns or users, 24/5 email and chat support Google Workspace, Office 365, GitHub, and job boards like Indeed, ZipRecruiter and more $75/user/month billed annually OR $89/user/month billed monthly Enterprise for Recruiting Agencies Same as Growth plan plus automation recipes, unlimited campaigns and API access Same as above $99/user/month billed annually OR $129/user/month billed monthly Growth for Companies 5 active job openings, unlimited users, 24/5 email support, add more job slots for $20/month Same as above $99/month billed annually OR $119/month billed monthly Scale for Companies 10 active job openings, unlimited users, 24/5 email support, add more job slots for $15/month Same as above $149/month billed annually OR $179/month billed monthly Enterprise for Companies 20 active job openings, unlimited users, 24/5 email support, $12/month Same as above $249/month billed annually OR $299/month billed monthly

Best Freemium Option: Breezy HR

Why we chose it: Breezy HR offers one of the best freemium options out of any company on this list. Its Bootstrap plan includes all the basics for one position or talent pool, including a branded career site, the ability to post on 50+ job boards, resume parsing, multi-language support, plus compliance and automation features.

Pros Automated background checks with accurate results in 1-2 days

Automated reference checking at any stage

Drag-and-drop pipeline and mobile-optimized workflows

Source reports tell you where candidates are applying for open roles Cons Posts to fewer job boards than other software

Few integration options

Breezy HR offers candidate management and sourcing, reporting and analytics, candidate email, SMS and scheduling, referral program management, the ability to create a custom career site, hiring team collaboration tools and all the same automated features as other options on this list. Some of Breezy HRs standout features include candidate interview self-scheduling, nurture campaigns so you can double your response rates from passive candidates, automated background checks and reference checking, access to external recruiters and an AI-assisted messenger that engages with visitors and feeds their details and resume into your candidate pool. Like other companies on this list, it features a drag-and-drop pipeline interface and workflows that are optimized for mobile. And while it offers fewer integration options than similar companies, it does integrate with all the third-party applications you might need, from Google Workspace to Slack. All Breezy HR plans can accommodate an unlimited number of candidates. And in addition to its free version, it also offers a full-feature 14-day trial with no credit card needed. Plan Features Integration Cost Bootstrap All the basics for one position or pool, branded career site, post on 50+ job boards, resume parsing and multi-language support, compliance and automation Integrates with assessment, background check, calendar, email, HRIS, productivity and single sign-on apps Free Startup Background screening integrations, automated and customizable pipelines, questionnaires, reports, email and calendar integration, interview self-scheduling, video assessments, mobile apps, Slack integration, etc. Same as above $143/month Growth Automated reference checking, customizable interview guides and scorecards, custom referral portal, e-signatures, messenger tool, multiple pipelines, permissions for external recruiters Same as above $249/month Business Advanced questionnaires, assessment integration, candidate comparison, personalized email campaigns, custom permissions, offer management Same as above $399/month

Recruitment Software Guide

Recruitment software is a recruiting solution that can help companies save time and money when screening candidates for multiple job openings.

Below we break down how recruitment software works, some common features across software providers and what to look for when shopping for the best recruitment software.

How does recruitment software work?

Recruitment software can help you post job openings on the best job posting sites for employers, source candidates from the best job search sites and match you with qualified candidates that have the skills and experience you need.

In addition to helping you find the best talent for your hiring needs, recruitment software can also help you optimize your recruitment strategy through customized workflows and automated tasks such as messaging and screening.

Beyond candidate sourcing, tracking and interviewing, recruitment software may also provide tools to streamline offer management and onboarding processes. Some software even include HRIS and HRM features such as payroll scheduling and time-off management.

Most recruitment software require a monthly or annual subscription and provide customer support features and other extras  access to third-party recruiters, campaign managers, etc. Pricing can vary widely depending on the size of your organization, your industry and location and the features included in the plan.

There are great free recruitment options with limited features out there. If you want to reach the broadest pool of applicants, have a large or growing business or need more robust features, recruitment software can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars per month.

How to choose the right recruiting software

Look for recruitment software that meets the needs of your organization. For instance, a small business wont require the same features as an enterprise with over 500 employees. Make a detailed assessment of your needs and proceed accordingly.

When shopping for software, you might want to look for the following:

A user-friendly interface

Built-in features, such as an applicant tracking system (ATS)

Integration with third-party apps

Tech support availability

Read our guides on how to find employees and how to hire employees for more recruiting tips.

Recruiting Software FAQ

What is recruiting software?

Recruiting software helps businesses of all kinds and sizes optimize their recruitment efforts to fill vacant positions. The software is typically designed to help recruiters and hiring managers source candidates, parse resumes, vet applicants, schedule interviews and simplify the hiring process.

Why use recruitment software?

Recruitment software can improve your talent acquisition strategy and save you both time and money through streamlined workflows and automated tasks. It can also provide you with a centralized location from which to track and manage applicants through the different recruiting stages, from pre-screening and interviewing to onboarding.

How much does recruitment software cost?

Pricing for recruitment software can vary greatly depending on the size of your organization, your industry and location, and the features you need.

If you own a small business, there are free software options that offer limited job posts and resume parsing. For larger companies or those looking for more robust features and automation, a paid subscription could cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars a month.

How to choose recruiting software

To choose the right recruiting software, first determine the needs of your business. Do you simply need to source applicants or do you want help with onboarding and beyond? Do you need to hire for multiple positions or are you looking for specialized skills?

Once you've determined your needs, look for software options that provide the features you're looking for while keeping within your budget.

How We Chose the Best Recruitment Software

To find the best recruitment software, we evaluated providers based on the following criteria:

Features  Beyond sourcing candidates, recruitment software should help you automate tasks and streamline your recruitment processes, from sourcing to interviewing. Some software also help beyond recruitment by providing onboarding and HR management tools. We prioritized software providers offering comprehensive or standout features for different hiring needs.

 Beyond sourcing candidates, recruitment software should help you automate tasks and streamline your recruitment processes, from sourcing to interviewing. Some software also help beyond recruitment by providing onboarding and HR management tools. We prioritized software providers offering comprehensive or standout features for different hiring needs. Integration  Depending on the business you run, integration with apps you use on a daily basis might be more than a simple convenience. We gave precedence to software providers offering integration with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365, among others.

 Depending on the business you run, integration with apps you use on a daily basis might be more than a simple convenience. We gave precedence to software providers offering integration with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365, among others. Pricing  Pricing for recruitment software varies depending on factors such as the size and nature of your business, your location and business needs. Our list compiles pricing options for every budget, from freemium to enterprise tiers.

Summary of Moneys Best Recruiting Software of 2022

ZipRecruiter  Best for Recruitment Campaigns

 Best for Recruitment Campaigns JazzHR  Best for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

 Best for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Greenhouse  Best for Onboarding

 Best for Onboarding Zoho Recruit  Best for Large Recruiting and Staffing Agencies

 Best for Large Recruiting and Staffing Agencies Breezy HR  Best for Small Recruiting Agencies

 Best for Small Recruiting Agencies RecruiterFlow  Best Freemium Option

 Copyright 2021 Ad Practitioners, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This article originally appeared on Money.com and may contain affiliate links for which Money receives compensation. Opinions expressed in this article are the author's alone, not those of a third-party entity, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed. Offers may be subject to change without notice. For more information, read Moneys full disclaimer.

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If you think your winter blues are bad right now, just wait til you hear about the IRS.

At the same time Americans are beginning to file their 2021 tax returns  which are tricky enough for the agency to process due to pandemic policies like the stimulus checks and advance child tax credit payments  IRS staffers are frantically working to clear a massive backlog of old paperwork.

The most recent filing season statistics, which came out Friday, show that more than 26 million tax returns for 2021 have already been turned in, with nearly 9 million resulting in refunds.

The IRS is off to a strong start to this years tax season, the agency said in a statement.

But this is the third tax filing season thats taken place during the COVID-19 crisis, and the cracks are arguably starting to show for the overwhelmed, under-staffed IRS. According to a January report from the Taxpayer Advocate Service, the IRS was only able to answer 11% of the 282 million customer service calls it got in 2021. Tons of tax returns for 2020 are still being processed, and some Americans havent gotten their tax refunds yet.

None of this bodes well for 2022.

I suspect the problems this year will only add to peoples frustration, Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, writes in an email to Money. Their inability to get questions answered by phone or on the website, struggles setting up an online account, and confusion about issues such as the child tax credit will hurt the agencys credibility even more. To the degree they have to wait a long time for refunds, they will get even more frustrated.

Tax Day is just a few weeks away!

Apr 18, 2022

File your state and federal taxes with the help of a Tax Preparation Software by clicking below.

IRS tax season problems

As April approaches, here are seven signs that could indicate a particularly rocky filing season this year:

The backlog from 2021 may be bigger than initially thought

The Washington Post reported this week that the IRS backlog includes almost 24 million 2020 tax returns that need manual processing in order to move forward. This is a higher number than previously indicated by the Taxpayer Advocate Service report, which said the IRS ended the year with at least 9.8 million individual returns still processing.

The discrepancy depends on how you calculate it, but everyone can agree on the underlying issue: The backlog is a major problem.

The IRS has begun publicly blaming its computers

The IRS posted a statement on its website Jan. 27 explaining the situation and linking the backlog to the agencys inadequate funding and outdated technological ecosystem.

While we will make every effort to find improvements to help taxpayers, we will have to do so in the constraints of an outdated system, where a seemingly simple modification could run the risk of jeopardizing the overall operating system critical to the current tax season  and the more than 160 million returns we anticipate receiving, the letter read.

It cant seem to manage to hire people to help

The backlog is so large in part because there arent enough IRS employees to work on it. At a Feb. 8 House Ways and Means subcommittee hearing, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins said the IRS wanted to hire 5,000 extra people to work on its campuses but has filled fewer than 200 roles.

Low pay may be partially to blame. The base salary for many entry-level IRS employees is $24,749, leading Collins to remark that in this economy, it is not surprising that the IRS is having difficulty finding enough suitable job applicants.

Improve your potential refund amount - Prepare and file your federal income tax return using tax preparation software Tax preparation software companies like E-File will help improve your earning potential.

Lawmakers are considering pausing audits

During the hearing, Rep. Tom Rice, R-S.C., pointed to an editorial written by Nina Olson, the director of the Center for Taxpayer Rights, that proposed stopping audits for four months while the IRS gets back on its feet. Olson suggested an audit pause would free up resources to be deployed to customer service functions and reduce the calls and correspondence that must be processed during the filing season.

Rice said this recommendation and others were worth consideration.

To be honest, Im a bit hesitant about pausing all audits  I used to be a tax lawyer and a CPA  that would be a serious action that could have a serious impact on the agency, he added. But in the end, I think this type of drastic action should be considered to mitigate this problem. Thats how serious the current crisis is.

Existing IRS staffers are getting moved around

Politico reported that 1,200 IRS workers were being temporarily reassigned in order to help clear the backlog as fast as possible. Most of the staffers previously worked in accounts management but moved on; IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig reportedly told them in an email he needed their experience because they are in the best position to provide the much needed skills and support to serve the taxpayers represented in these inventories.

In the statement, Rettig said the agency is in all hands on deck mode, leaving nothing off the table for consideration to improve overall service. He sent a letter to the 500-plus members of Congress, as well, saying that the IRS has implemented mandatory overtime and is prepared to rapidly adapt to changing circumstances, when appropriate to do so.

In addition, Collins has suggested outside vendors and possibly automation to help with manual work.

The IRS has stopped sending out certain notices

In its January statement, the IRS said it had stopped sending notices in situations where we have credited taxpayers for payments but have no record of the tax return being filed. On Feb. 9, it suspended more letters, including CP80 (for unfiled tax returns) and CP501 (for balances due), among others, to help avoid confusion for taxpayers and tax professionals.

It noted that it legally cant stop all notices, though. Collins has also pointed out that the letters may, in fact, be helpful for taxpayers because interest could accrue and penalties could stack up.

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Even accountants are frustrated

Tax professionals are speaking out about how hard it is for them to navigate the chaos at the IRS. The American Institute of CPAs, which had been pushing the IRS to provide relief to certain taxpayers and pause automated compliance actions, released a statement last week saying it was encouraged by the agencys recent moves  a welcome step. But it also asked the government to go further.

We continue to urge the IRS to consider additional recommendations for relief by providing longer account holds, easier reasonable cause relief and expanded payment safe harbors until the IRS can significantly and meaningfully reduce their processing backlog, AICPA added.

Jan F. Lewis, the chair of AICPA tax executive committee, told lawmakers during yet another recent hearing that accountants are increasingly feeling powerless to help their clients.

Without other options, some are going to extreme lengths to get answers from the IRS. The Associated Press published a story Tuesday about enQ, a company that allows tax attorneys, accountants and other tax preparers to avoid long wait times when calling the agency  for the low cost of roughly $300 a month or $1,000 a year.

While that fix may work for them, ordinary consumers arent quite so lucky. If youre worried about this tax season, the best you can do is likely to file early, accurately and electronically, and opt for direct deposit if youre getting a refund.

More from Money:

 Copyright 2021 Ad Practitioners, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This article originally appeared on Money.com and may contain affiliate links for which Money receives compensation. Opinions expressed in this article are the author's alone, not those of a third-party entity, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed. Offers may be subject to change without notice. For more information, read Moneys full disclaimer.

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Donations of cryptocurrency have soared along with the price of Bitcoin and other digital assets. In 2021, Fidelity Charitable investors donated more than $330 million in cryptocurrency, more than 12 times the amount given in 2020, according to a recent report.

In 2021, Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, saw its price reach an all-time high of $67,000 (its now trading around $40,000). Not surprisingly, Bitcoin accounted for most (80%) of crypto donations to Fidelity Charitable, followed by Ethereum (11%) and Litecoin (9%). A non-profit organization independent of Fidelity Investments, Fidelity Charitable distributed a total of $10.3 billion last year.

Build your ultimate crypto portfolio. Coinbase provides investors, from beginners to experts, with a comprehensive crypto trading experience, on a powerful yet user-friendly platform. Start investing today by clicking on your state!

Using crypto to invest in causes

There are many ways you can give cryptocurrency to your favorite charities. One way is to work with an organization like Fidelity Charitable, which administers donor-advised funds.

Heres how it works: You set up a Giving Account through Fidelity Charitable online with no minimum investment. Then you transfer the Bitcoin or other currency from your crypto wallet to your Fidelity Charitable account. The crypto you donate to Fidelity Charitable will be converted into cash. (Keep in mind that some investing apps dont currently let you transfer crypto from their platform to another, while others, like Coinbase, will charge you to do so.)

You can then choose when Fidelity Charitable will send the money to a non-profit of your choice. If you dont want to donate right away, you can invest the money in various securities, including ESG funds, mutual funds that own stocks of companies with favorable track records on environmental and social factors. Earnings grow tax-free in your account until theyre donated.

Another option for donating cryptocurrency is to work with companies like The Giving Block. This organization helps nonprofits accept cryptocurrency donations. It also links crypto donors to different charities. According to its latest report, The Giving Block took in a total donation volume of more than $70 million in 2021, or an increase of 1,558% from 2020. Moreover, NFT projects donated $12.3 million to charities via The Giving Block.

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Saving on your taxes when gifting crypto

Donating crypto to charity can also save you on taxes. When you sell an asset such as a stock or crypto coin for more than you bought it for, you typically owe a capital gains tax on the difference. The rate ranges from 0% to 37%, depending on your income and how long youve held the investment. (Short-term capital gains, levied on assets held for a year or less, are generally taxed at the same rates as ordinary income.)

So if you bought $10,000 worth of Bitcoin and sold it for $25,000, youd owe a capital gains tax on $15,000. But if you donated it to an eligible nonprofit, youd avoid a capital gains tax on your donation.

Plus, you may be able to deduct the donation from your federal income tax bill. Daniel Rodriguez, an accredited investment fiduciary and chief operating officer at Hill Wealth Strategies, a wealth management firm in Richmond, Virginia, says that if youre taking the standard deduction, then you wont also get a charitable deduction by selling cryptocurrency. Only people who itemize their deductions are allowed to deduct charitable contributions on their federal income tax return.

If you owe more than $10k in taxes, Tax Relief can allow you to break down your debt into payments. Community tax Relief provides a full menu of tax relief services to help clients get out from under the yoke of tax debt.

Making sure charities can accept digital assets

Before you decide to donate cryptocurrency to charity, make sure the recipient accepts crypto. And if it does, make sure the organization has a means to convert it to cash quickly and easily. Cryptocurrency is a highly volatile asset, and wild price swings can mean the charity benefits from less than you initially donated.

Organizations like Fidelity Charitable and The Giving Block convert your crypto donations into cash as soon as possible and transfer it to charities. Fidelity Charitable currently accepts only Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin. The Giving Block accepts these three, as well as Dogecoin and any cryptocurrency supported by the Gemini exchange.

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BOISE  Three men were sentenced to federal prison this week for their participation in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin in the Magic Valley.

According to court records, James Tyler Ferguson, 30, of Jerome, Jedediah Levi Dahl, 41, of Twin Falls, and Jay Dale Cummins, 52, of Twin Falls, conspired with each other and with at least four others to distribute the drugs.

Members of the group traveled to Mexico, where they obtained methamphetamine and heroin, which was brought back to Idaho and distributed in the Magic Valley area, prosecutors said. In June 2020, Cummins was one of the couriers who traveled to Mexico three times and returned with drugs. After Cummins was terminated from the conspiracy, Ferguson recruited two more couriers, who traveled to Mexico to obtain the drugs.

On July 11, 2020, Dahl, an active participant in the conspiracy, was stopped by police officers while driving his motorcycle. Dahl was arrested because of an outstanding warrant. During his arrest, police found methamphetamine, heroin, a digital scale, packaging material, and $5,200 in drug proceeds.

On July 14, 2020, Idaho State Police detectives conducted a traffic stop on a rental vehicle as it returned from Mexico to Idaho. Two of the drug couriers, Belinda Jean Leverich, 34, and Erica Lyn Overton, 31, both of Twin Falls, were driving the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, detectives found over 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 100 grams of heroin.

Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Ferguson, Dahl, and Cummins earlier this week.

Ferguson was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Ferguson pleaded guilty on Nov. 9. He has several prior felony drug convictions and was on parole at the time he committed the offense.

Dahl was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Dahl pleaded guilty on July 26. Dahl also has prior felony convictions including the crime of delivery of controlled substances and possession of controlled substances with the intent to deliver.

Cummins was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to the crime on Dec. 1. Cummins has several prior drug-related convictions and two prior felony burglary convictions.

Leverich pleaded guilty on May 25 and on Jan. 13, Nye sentenced her to 8 years and four months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.

Overton pleaded guilty on June 8 and on Sept. 7, Nye sentenced her to three years and one month in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Codefendant Ryan James DeRuiter, 39, of Filer, who faces up to life imprisonment, is scheduled for sentencing on March 16.

U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr. of the District of Idaho announced the sentences Friday and commended the cooperative efforts of the Idaho State Police, Twin Falls Police Department, Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office, Jerome County Sheriffs Office, Idaho Department of CorrectionProbation and Parole, and the Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorneys Office, which led to charges.

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For more than a century, the U.S. Senate has carried out the annual tradition of reading George Washingtons Farewell Address in recognition of the birthday of our countrys first president, who led our country during the American Revolutionary War and helped form our government as a Founding Father. This custom, carried out on or near President Washingtons birthday (Feb. 22), provides an opportunity to reflect on the challenges at our nations founding as they add perspective to the challenges of the present.

President Washingtons observations remind us of the struggle at the core of our nations foundation and the costs shouldered by many Americansthen, and sinceto maintain our constitutionally-protected freedoms. Upholding these ideals is all of our responsibility, as Americans entrusted with their protection. President Washington wished for us as Americans that Heaven would continue to bless us with a strong and lasting union and that our free Constitution may be sacredly maintained.

According to the United States Senate Historical Office, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison helped President Washington with the development of his Farwell Address that was designed to inspire and guide future generations. The historical office also notes his principal concern when crafting the 1796 address was for the survival of the then eight-year-old Constitution, and he believed that the stability of the new Republic was threatened by the forces of geographical sectionalism, political factionalism and interference by foreign powers in the nations domestic affairs.

He aspired for our resilience as a nation of individuals who seek a common strength. President Washington wrote, With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together. The independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint councils and joint effortscommon dangers, sufferings, and successes.

Senate historians write, The Senate tradition began on Feb. 22, 1862, as a morale-boosting gesture during the darkest days of the Civil War. Citizens of Philadelphia had petitioned Congress to commemorate the forthcoming 130th anniversary of Washingtons birth by reading the Address at a joint meeting of both houses. One senator is selected to read the Farewell Address each year, and the selection alternates between the political parties. Idahos former Senators Fred T. Dubois (1903), Weldon B. Heyburn (1904), Frank F. Church (1958) and Dirk Kempthorne (1993) are among the Senators who have read the address and inscribed their names and brief remarks in a book documenting this tradition maintained by the Secretary of the Senate.

On Feb. 21, 1958, when then-Senator Frank Church delivered Washingtons historic address, Senator Church wrote, The wisdom continued in the Farewell Address is ageless; the admonitions remain as valid as the circumstances which then prevailed. To the degree those circumstances have changed, we must measure the advice of George Washington against the living facts of our own times. Thirty-five years later, in 1993, then-Senator Dirk Kempthorne penned the following reflection on his reading of Washingtons address, To read the words of our nations first president on the floor of the U.S. Senate is a distinct honor. The fact that his words were written as a guiding light for the future of this nation makes the actual moment of the delivery of the speech timeless.

Like our past Senators recognized, President Washingtons words remain inspirational and instructive for us today as we tackle current and future challenges. May we all help ensure the name American always exalts the just pride of patriotism, as President Washington hoped.

Senator Mike Crapo represents Idaho in the U.S. Senate.

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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.
The ideal in the American West of a man and his dog, venturing outdoors, is something of a cliche, right? What to make of a man and his cat, hitting the trail?

Not one but two men, who do live in different parts of the country, partake in this activity in Cat Daddies, a funny and engaging film about dudes and their beloved pets that looks to undercut stereotypes about masculinity.

Director Mye Hoang cast a broad section of society, geography, race and class in choosing her subjects. They include a South Carolina firefighter, a roving trucker, an Oakland software engineer and veteran, a Brooklyn resident who works in advertising and starts a spay, neuter, release nonprofit, and an Atlanta movie stuntman. (His credits include Black Panther and the last two Avengers movies.)

The film opens with a very online character: An actor and owner of four cats (Pickles, Ginger, Annie and Princess) whos parlayed them into a career as an influencer. (Hes Nathan the Cat Lady on Instagram, where he has 353,000 followers.)

The most dramatic plotline in the film involves David Giovanni, a former construction worker whos been living on the street in New York for two years. During that time, he rescued a wounded kitten and nursed it back to health. (Hes named Lucky.) Chris Alese, a police officer who works on housing outreach, is also a cat guy, hears of a guy with a kitten who needs shelter and tracks him down to help get him off the street. He explains that people who live on the street might take better care of their pets than themselves, and Giovannis health isnt up to outdoor living anymore.

The film introduces them all in succession and lets them describe how they came to be cat owners and why they love cats. Many will be familiar: the pets intelligence and independence, for instance. Jordan Lide explains how his fire station adopted a stray (hes named Flame) and skeptics came to appreciate a laid-back pet in a high-stress environment. For cat lovers in the audience, rest assured the pets are introduced by name, filmed as characters unto themselves.

Also rest assured that for all the humor, the stories are taken quite seriously and the film is fascinating not just for cat lovers, but for those who might even be neutral. This is because Hoang makes sure to display how pets do affect the affairs of man. Ryan Robertson, the stuntman, has a cat named Toodles that weighs around 25 pounds and made the pivotal move in convincing his girlfriend he was a quality partner. (A man who takes care of something besides himself is sexy, she says.)

Giovannis situation becomes more dire and acts as a throughline, and the fate of his cat often seems more of a concern to him than his own precarious health. Jordan Jensen, who somehow is able to take his trail-loving cat, Mrs. Fitzby, out for hikes near his home in Santa Cruz without losing her, must cope with a pandemic and an impending fire season.

As youd guess from those examples, the film isnt a novelty value although it has fun with its subject. As one person says at the beginning, dog owners are just as weird as cat owners.

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Seeing some lights on Pennsylvania Stations upper floors promised what the future holds. The 1911 Amtrak and MARC depot is beginning a $175 million journey  and perhaps much more, if an ambitious development of the Station North neighborhood materializes.

The talk of refurbishing Penn Station and its environs began in 2012. That proposal stage is now over and construction barriers arrived after the holidays. Scaffolding began to rise up the walls a few weeks ago.

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Some of the rusting platforms, neglected for decades, are being torn apart for a thorough reconditioning.

By the end of the year the exterior walls will shine and glow, said Charles Bond, development director for Beatty Development Group, which is working alongside Cross Street Partners on this project, which mixes preservation of the Beaux Arts-styled station with modern rail technology.

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Work has begun at Baltimores Penn Station as part of an update. Scaffolding is going up to encase the main building and work has begun on the 1911 train platforms. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

At a meeting of the Urban Land Institute this week, the developers of the station project outlined some of the changes to look for this year and beyond.

While the main station floor is a busy arrival and departure point for the city, the stations upper floors have been dingy and vacant since the 1970s. They are to be reworked as modern offices.

The exterior windows are way overdue for putty and paint. The stations upper floors are dark at night, but a few former railroad offices have been lighted to show that change is on its way.

Bill Struever, a principal of Cross Street Partners, likes to show off the old electrical power directors office, a high-voltage chamber strictly off limits to the public. He predicts the massive power control board can be disassembled and become an historical centerpiece for the new wing of Penn Station to be built on Lanvale Street.

A rendering of the proposed redevelopment of Amtrak properties along Lanvale Street just north of Penn Station, looking across Charles Street. (Handout/Courtesy of Gensler)

Plans call for a glassy addition there to serve more passengers. Amtrak will add a new high speed rail platform too and plans to add additional Acela service.

There was a minimum of one and sometimes two power directors in this office 24/7, said John Stanford, a retired Amtrak employee who worked in the Baltimore train dispatching office until the 1980s. Their specific function was the control of the high voltage transmission lines and the overhead wires that fed electric train motors and signal lines.

Stanford said the sprawling control boards and their associated indicator lights and switches actually indicated the status of these circuits, whether on or off.

The old power control board at Penn Station. (Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore Sun)

The projected rebirth of the station is complicated by some nettlesome infrastructure issues.

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The Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel, built in 1871 under the Bolton Hill, Upton and the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhoods, bottlenecks rail traffic through the city along Amtraks Northeast Corridor.

A costly new tube, named for Frederick Douglass, could shorten the travel time on the fastest train to Washington to 18 minutes, Struever said. He also predicts travel to Philadelphia in an hour.

Struever said that two-thirds of the passengers who come and go here are commuters to Washington, D.C., or a few other spots in Harford and Cecil counties. The remaining third of the passengers are travelers along the Northeast Corridor, which stretches from Boston to D.C., or to other destinations.

Surveying the stations present state, Chris Seiler, a Beatty development marketing official, said: This place has not been touched for 40 years. Inside and out, it gets the works. We need to return it to its original luster.

There is a separate, ambitious master plan for the Station North community that envisions glassy buildings scattered along on at least six parcels of land from Greenmount Avenue to the North Avenue Bridge.

Struever believes that once the station is enlarged, its historic components restored and its exterior walls grandly illuminated, developers will build on these land parcels that now function as parking lots or vacant lots.

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The station is truly a regional hub, Struever said. Its a real launch pad. I believe the prosperity of the city will depend, one day, of being able to get around without a car.
In one scene of Daughter of a Lost Bird, Kendra Mylnechuk Potter leaves a voicemail  her first attempt at contact with the birth mother shes never met.

Potter, who was put up for adoption and raised in Missoula by a white family, began the first steps toward outreach and embracing her Indigenous identity, a process filmed at close range over the course of seven years by director Brooke Pepion Swaney.

Potter, an actor who worked in New York before returning to Montana, said the search began when she was getting ready to become a mother herself. They decided to document the journey, and I also decided to make the journey to start looking.

I didnt have nearly as much reticence, really, about documenting it. I had reticence about doing it at all, Potter said.

The film has its Montana premiere on Sunday at the Wilma at the 19th annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. It includes interviews with her birth mother and context on the U.S. governments assimilationist policies toward Indigenous children, who were separated from their parents, language and culture through the boarding school systems and later the Indian Adoption Project.

Swaney said they wanted to keep it to Kendras perspective, but as the project developed more background became necessary. That history isnt widely known, even to Potter and other Native adoptees, Swaney said. It was clear that we had to do something to contextualize the story in that way.

Lost Bird

Potter was adopted by a Missoula couple, Sandy Henderson and Larry Mylnechuk, and had a happy childhood, as seen in old film clips and photographs. (They were game to participate in the film and speak on camera.)

While Potter knew she was adopted, she largely thought of herself as white and it wasnt until she was older she began to ask questions about the heritage that she didnt know how to claim.

Swaney, who is Blackfeet and Salish, grew up on and off her mothers reservation, the Flathead, and in Helena and attended Stanford University and then film school at New York University. The two met and became friends in New York while working on indie movies together.

Potter starred in Swaneys short film, Ok Breathe Auralee, which played at Sundance Film Festival in 2012. Her character is a woman whos trying to get pregnant. The fictional backstory is that shes Native, but was raised outside of her community by a white family, a coincidental parallel that they talked about.

After Potter became pregnant and moved back to Missoula, the idea of researching her family history grew, and the project began, not knowing where it would lead.

Meeting her mother

Sans extra crew, Swaney came along to Portland where Potter first meets her mother, April Newcomb, in person for the first time.

The camera was there as Potter meets her mother and engages in an hourslong conversation. No one typically sits down and asks their mother to share their entire life story, Potter said.

We dont do that. We did that for the film, and I benefited greatly from it, she said.

Newcomb had agreed to participate immediately, telling Potter shes an open book.

That was such a gift to have her be so, so open and willing, she said.

Newcomb shares her own story  that she herself was put up for adoption and raised by a white family, part of the generation that were called lost birds.

Newcomb discusses how she struggled with substance abuse when she was younger. She describes abuse when she was a child, followed by years of living on the street and reaching rock bottom. After getting sober, she received a letter from her father, who introduced her to her tribe on the Lummi Reservation in Northwest Washington and began her effort to reconnect.

Potter hopes the experience inspires someone else to ask their mother, whether they grew up with her or not: "What was your life like?

A complex history

Along with Potter's and Newcombs personal histories, the film gives background on the assimilationist U.S. policy toward Indigenous people. The Indian Adoption Project removed children from their families, treating them as a pawn in the war to end tribes, as Swaney says in the film.

She cuts in historical footage, including an Indian Affairs official surrounded by children who he says are being rapidly brought from their state of comparative savagery and barbarism to one of civilization.

Terry Cross, founder of the National Indian Child Welfare Association, explains that the policies have had devastating effects on Indigenous people  a disproportionately high rate of suicide and substance abuse and child neglect. Were in a recovery process, he says.

According to NICWAs site, 25%-35% of all Native children were being removed; of these 85% were placed outside of their families and communities  even when fit and willing relatives were available.

In response, activists pushed for the Indian Child Welfare Act, passed in 1978, which prioritizes placing Native children within their communities. (That law is being challenged in a case, Brackeen v. Haaland, which could get taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court this term.)

Affecting reality

At one point in the film, Swaney as narrator-director says she begins to feel uncomfortable about whether she as filmmaker-friend is pushing her subject along.

She always offered help as a friend, with or without cameras, and was curious about that part of her life, and knows the act of filming is affecting reality.

Making a film creates moments in peoples lives that they dont necessarily ever have the courage to do, she said.

Potter said she couldnt have done some things without the support, since theyd worked together in the past and she knew the quality and integrity of her work set boundaries. Potter is a co-producer but they agreed she wasnt allowed in the editing room.

Swaney said shes a great subject, since she processes everything in dialogue in thoughtful ways.

Enrolling

Potter, like her mother before her, travels to the Lummi Reservation and meets relatives and begins the process of enrollment, all of which you see on camera.

Swaney said there are protocols when reaching out toward a tribal community, and they did likewise through a local connection through filmmaking and made their intentions clear. They had funding through a grant from Vision Maker Media, a public media program and we felt like it was important that the film be available for others to use, Swaney said.

The pandemic has made screenings complicated. The world premiere was in late 2021 at Maoriland Film Festival in New Zealand, and it has since screened at more than 20 festivals. Theyre also looking at screenings in tribal communities in the future, which has been complicated because of COVID.

We want to have the film available for the Lummi communities specifically, but also any other communities, whether it's on the other side of the fence with foster care workers and agencies."

The film makes a point to say that it's an ongoing process, and Potter on camera discusses how connecting with her mother, and family on a reservation in another state, leads to more questions for her, some affected by the pandemic and the geographic distance.

I feel I'm still an outsider, Potter said. You know, I don't have the relationships yet. I'm working on them, but they're not there yet  because I don't live there.

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The 19th annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is a hybrid event. Screenings at the Wilma, Roxy, ZACC and MCT run through Feb. 27.

Seating is limited; it is highly recommended to purchase tickets in advance at bigskyfilmfest.org/festival/tickets. Door sales are not guaranteed to viewers who arrive without a ticket. All tickets are good for in-person or online screenings.

All short films will be available online beginning Monday, Feb. 21, through Thursday, March 3. Feature films will be available to view online for four days, beginning the day after the films last in-person screening.

Films

Krimes  While locked up for six years in federal prison, artist Jesse Krimes secretly creates monumental works of art  including an astonishing 40-foot mural made with prison bed sheets, hair gel and newspaper. He smuggles out each panel piece by piece with the help of fellow artists, only seeing the mural in totality upon coming home. As Jesses work captures the art worlds attention, he struggles to adjust to life outside, living with the threat that any misstep will trigger a life sentence. Northwest premiere. ZACC, 11:45 a.m.

Return to the Big Skies: Miss Montana to Normandy  Missoula filmmaker Eric Ristau chronicles the dramatic efforts by a dedicated core of mechanics, pilots, smokejumpers and everyday Montanans to completely restore the historic Mann Gulch smokejumper plane, a 75-year-old DC-3 named Miss Montana, and fly it to Europe in time for the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France. Wilma, 12:30 p.m.

Fathom  From Montana-based filmmaker Drew Xanthopoulos comes the story of two scientists on opposite sides of the globe who take us on a fascinating journey into their studies of humpback whale songs and social communication. Roxy, 3:15 p.m.

Refuge  A veteran of the Iraq War and leader of a white nationalist hate group started hating Muslims on 9/11. When a former white nationalist encourages him to befriend a Muslim doctor, he begins to find healing from the people he hated. Changing his mind proves to be a challenging journey. Northwest Premiere. Wilma, 5:15 p.m.

Being Michelle  Michelle is a deaf autistic woman who survived incarceration under unimaginable circumstances in a system that refused to accommodate her needs. Outside of prison, Michelle is doing the difficult work of telling the story of her traumatic childhood and her adverse experiences in the criminal justice system. World premiere. Wilma, 7:30 p.m.

After the Rain  After an earthquake razed a Chinese city to the ground in 2008, more than 6,000 parents were encouraged to replace the children they lost and move on. "After the Rain" follows two of these families for over 10 years, as they attempt to recreate the family they once had. Northwest Premiere. ZACC, 7:45 p.m.

The Silence of the Mole  In the 1970s, a journalist who called himself "The Mole" infiltrated the bowels of Guatemalas most repressive government to help the resistance, accessing information about political violence that the military government had been planning. In 2014, The Mole was called to testify at the trial of politicians responsible for human rights violations during the Guatemalan Civil War. A contemporary tale of espionage against an oppressive government. Northwest Premiere. Roxy, 8:15 p.m.

Filmmakers in attendance

Q&A following film screening

Return to the Big Skies  Eric Ristau, director. Wilma, 12:30 p.m.

Echale Ganas  Shirley He, director. World premiere. Shorts block, Roxy, 2:15 p.m.

We Call Him Super  Michael Patten, director. World premiere. "April Sucks," David Zucker, director. "Street Reporter," Laura Hinson, director. Northwest premiere. "Stranger at the Gate," Joshua Seftel, director. World premiere. Shorts block, Wilma, 2:45 p.m.

Fathom  Drew Xanthopoulus, director. Roxy, 3:15 p.m.

Awoko  Felix Bazalgette and Josh Hughes, directors; Sorcha Bacon, producer. North American premiere. Laboratory NO.2," Aware Omer, director. U.S. premiere. Shut Up and Paint, Alex Mallis, co-director. World premiere. Time & Temperature, Justin Foreman, director; Mathew Pindell, producer. World premiere. ZACC, 5 p.m.

Refuge  Erin Bernhardt and Din Blankenship, directors. Northwest premiere. Wilma, 5:15 p.m.

The American Frontier  Edward Frumkin, director. Northwest premiere. Shorts block, Roxy, 5:45 p.m.

Being Michelle  Atin Mehra, director. World premiere. Wilma, 7:30 p.m.

Festival headquarters: ZACC, 216 W. Main St. Purchase tickets, passes and merchandise. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Sophie Treadwells play, Machinal, debuted in 1928 on Broadway, but the themes have seemed prescient over at the University of Montana School of Theatre and Dance.

Director Bernadette Sweeney said the story of a young woman, isolated and feeling misunderstood in an increasingly mechanized society, felt like a contemporary choice for their season.

Obviously, weve all been going through an extraordinary time in the last couple of years where weve all had to isolate quite literally, and stay far away from each other as possible, and so it seems like a timely script to bring to the public for those reasons, said Sweeney, a theater professor.

Treadwell, a journalist and playwright, was inspired by a story she covered: Ruth Snyder, who was convicted for the murder of her husband and executed.

She was really struck by how the media sensationalized the trial and made no effort to comment on the motivations or the conditions of the perpetrator, Sweeney said. Her play, written in the Expressionist style of the time period, builds on the isolation of a protagonist, a woman living in a modernizing (and alienating) time, Sweeney said.

The show is running one week only, from Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 23-26, at 7:30 p.m. Theres a matinee on Sunday, Feb. 27, at 2 p.m. The school is using a pick what you pay program and audience members can choose their price of entry. Go to griztix.com to buy in advance.

Machinal is being staged in the Montana Theatre, the schools main stage in the PAR/TV Center. While the school has had a steady schedule of offerings during COVID, this is its first full-length play for an in-person audience in that venue since Spring Awakening was canceled in spring 2020.

Forgotten and revived

While the play was a hit back when it debuted  Clark Gable played the lover  it was soon forgotten and disappeared out of production, even out of theater history until a revival in the 1990s, Sweeney said.

Its a great example of how often the work of female theater practitioners can get lost or has been lost, she said, which happens across cultures.

Regarding its Expressionistic style, Sweeney said in theater that means the subject of the human experience is often at odds with the world, and theyll highlight or stage a persons emotions and how they might feel at odds with the world around them, whether society as a whole or their family.

Regarding archetypes, the protagonist is known as "Young Woman, for instance. There are 28 roles played by 14 student actors who are all playing multiple parts.

Visually, that means a heavy emphasis on light and dark tones, and sound, too. Their designer, David Mills-Low, has arranged for noises of actual typewriters and adding machines during one chapter, To Business. Each of the nine chapters has a title that is evocative and its own atmosphere, she said.

The set for the show is a final project for scenic designer Aaron Chris en route to an MFA. The set reflects the themes in an incredibly evocative way, creating this monolithic, mechanical world, Sweeney said. Hannah Gibbs, also an MFA student working on a final project, designed the lighting, which has a palette to match.

Sweeney said it's "vital for our art form to have a live audience," and they're grateful to be part of bringing this play back to American audiences.

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A Missoula man who sexually assaulted four young girls was given a 47-year state prison sentence on Friday.

Jeffrey Allan Crocker, 46, pleaded guilty last September to five felony sexual assault counts, four of which were sexual assault involving a minor, along with one count of sexual intercourse without consent.

Crocker was initially charged with sexual assault of a 4-year-old girl in July 2019. The survivor disclosed to her family that Crocker had forced her to touch his genitals. She then was taken to the First Step Resource Center for an interview. A few days later while talking with Missoula police, Crocker made comments about waking up to the girl touching him some time months earlier, but told her to stop.

The following January, police received reports that Crocker had abused two more girls, who were ages 8 and 9 at the time. Both of these survivors said Crocker molested them in ways similar to the first girl that came forward.

One girl disclosed in a First Step Resource Center interview that Crocker visited her parents' house regularly, and she would frequently stay at his apartment overnight. She told authorities Crocker sexually abused them at his apartment, in his vehicle and out in the woods," on several occasions, according to court documents. He also took them to sex stores and purchased items for later use.

A fourth survivor came forward in May 2020, when new charges were filed saying Crocker forced a minor to perform oral sex on him and touched her inappropriately in the spring of 2018.

Missoula County District Court Judge Shane Vannatta followed the sentencing recommendations of the plea agreement, which asked for 47 years for each of the five counts, all to be served at the same time.

No victim impact statements were read at Fridays sentencing. Crocker indicated he took full responsibility for his actions and apologized to the survivors and their families.

He is required to register as a Level 1 sex offender, based off a psycho-sexual evaluation. Level 1 is the lowest tier designation in the state, and means the risk of a repeated sexual offense is low.

As part of the plea agreement, if hes ever released from prison, Crocker is ordered to not go to places where children gather, including schools, parks, malls, movies, swimming pools and parades. He also is barred from having contact with any of the survivors, or anyone under the age of 18.

Judge Vannatta called Crockers actions a betrayal of trust, and said the sentence recognizes the damage done to the young girls in the case.

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Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi, 40, a trans woman applies make-up before attending the funeral of her grandmother in her family's village in Ghana (Francis Kokoroko/Reuters)

In a dimly-lit room with racks of womens clothing, Ghanaian artist and LGBT+ activist Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi flipped through photo self-portraits illustrating her transition to womanhood.

Transitioning is not illegal in Ghana, but it will become so if a new law is passed, intended to tighten already strict anti-LGBT+ regulations which render same-sex relations illegal.

Homophobia is pervasive in the west African country and trans people are generally considered to be gay.

Fiatsi first exhibited the photographs, Rituals of Becoming, in 2017. Supportive audiences flocked to see the show in Ghanaian galleries.

Fiatsi holds two photographs showing her gender transition journey (Francis Kokoroko/Reuters)

Fiatsi holds up a gown at her home and studio (Francis Kokoroko/Reuters)

Her work reflects how LGBT+ people in Ghana have navigated legal and social constraints to carve out a space to express their identities.

But Fiatsi fears that even that limited space could now be closing with the new bill, which if it passes would see her risk prosecution every time she puts on a dress.

To say Im afraid is an understatement, but I am what I am, said Fiatsi, who runs an artist residence in Kumasi, Ghanas second city. It feels like waiting to be slaughtered.

Ghana is one of more than 30 African countries that outlaw same-sex relations. Guilty verdicts carry up to three-year prison sentences.

Artwork is seen in Fiatsis studio compound (Francis Kokoroko/Reuters)

Fiatsi visits local beautician, Lydia Kissiwaa, 33, to get her hair styled (Francis Kokoroko/Reuters)

A group of lawmakers from Ghanas opposition introduced a so-called Family Values Bill in November, which would impose jail terms of up to 10 years for advocacy of LGBT+ causes and between three and five years for those who hold out as lesbian, gay, non-binary, transgender and transsexual, or who undergo or perform surgical procedures for gender reassignment.

The bill, which has broad backing among lawmakers but has yet to be voted on, also includes a provision that would force some to undergo conversion therapy. Amnesty International said this could violate Ghanas anti-torture laws.

No politician has come out publicly against it. President Nana Akufo-Addo urged civil debate and tolerance when the bill was introduced, but did not take a stance on its content.

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Opponents say its passage would be a major setback for a country whose reputation as a friendly and stable democracy attracts tourists and investors.

Fiatsi speaks on the phone at home with a member of the LGBT+ community (Francis Kokoroko/Reuters)

Fiatsi poses for a photograph while reflecting on personal relationships (Francis Kokoroko/Reuters)

Its backers say LGBT+ activities threaten the concept of family which is central to the structure of all Ghanas ethnic groups. No voting date has been set.

I call it the Anti-Human bill, said Fiatsi, who is a former Christian pastor. It takes away from our family values of being a tolerant country, and being hospitable and loving.

WE ARE ALL THE SAME

There have been no national opinion polls on the bill. Advocates say LGBT+ people are often subject to physical abuse and blackmail in Ghana, and those who come out or are outed are frequently ostracised by friends and family.

There are some of my siblings and cousins who, for over five years, we never spoke, even though I love and miss them so much, said Fiatsi. Most of them think Im just a demon.

So do many of her former colleagues. Christian leaders have been among the most outspoken champions of the bill. When public hearings began in November, Abraham Ofori-Kuragu, a spokesperson for the influential Pentecostal-Charismatic council, said he had never seen a law so bold in its presentation of the Ghanaian agenda.

More than 70 per cent of Ghanas 30 million people are Christian, and billboards with the faces of popular preachers adorn most street corners in the capital, Accra. Some faith leaders condemn advocacy for LGBT+ rights as a western imposition.

Fiatsi stands inside her wardrobe (Francis Kokoroko/Reuters)

A portrait of Fiatsi hanging on a wall at home (Francis Kokoroko/Reuters)

No longer welcome at the churches where she used to preach, Fiatsi channels her evangelism into art and activism.

Her studio compound, where she hosts LGBT+-friendly artist residency programmes, is filled with sculptures carved from tree trunks or shaped from old electronics. Murals and affirmations like We Are All The Same line the walls.

She has a global network of allies but she insists she will stay in Ghana out of solidarity with those unable to leave.

Even as the perils of life as a trans woman rise, Fiatsi takes comfort in small acts of humanity. Shortly after the bill was introduced, she travelled for a funeral to her familys village, her first time back in 20 years.

Fiatsi and her brother, Prince Fiatsi, 47, greet people as they arrive at their familys village for the funeral of a their grandmother (Francis Kokoroko/Reuters)

Fiatsi talks with family members during visit back home (Francis Kokoroko/Reuters)

She stood nervously in her dress and heels. Some people exchanged pleasantries, while others darted their eyes and quietly sniggered.

Before too long, the awkwardness gave way to familial warmth. A relative patted her back. Another asked how life was going. When someone made a snide comment, Fiatsi playfully stuck her tongue out before continuing her conversation.

There are many more of us that will be born, even far after Im gone, she said. What I do today is not for me, or even for those living today. Its for the future generation.

Photography by Francis Kokoroko, Reuters
Burke County added more than 200 new COVID-19 cases in two days and while local and state health officials say things are improving, the positivity rate in the county remains high.

On Friday, the Burke County Health Department reported 232 new virus cases between Tuesday and Thursday and a 16.38% positivity rate. The countys active cases as of Friday was 798, according to the department.

Our positivity rates are slowly declining, and our daily case count is averaging around 78 new cases per day. This is good news. Things are heading in the right direction, the county health departments briefing said on Friday. With that being said, we are not out of the clear just yet. Burke remains at a high level of transmission. With restrictions on masking slowly being released around the state it is important that we keep in mind all the protocols weve learned over the last two years.

Those protocols include staying home when not feeling well, practicing good handwashing, keeping a safe distance from others in crowded spaces, start better managing any chronic health conditions as soon as possible, and get a COVID vaccine and booster when eligible, the health department said in its briefing.

UNC Health Blue Ridge also reported 20 COVID-19 patients, 13 of which are unvaccinated, with five of them in the intensive care unit, all of whom are unvaccinated. It reported two COVID-19 patients on ventilators, neither of whom are vaccinated.

In addition, the health care system reported 55 patients in its COVID-19 virtual hospital on Friday.

Statewide, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported 4,871 new cases with a daily percent positive rate of 10.3% and 2,634 people hospitalized on Friday. It also reported 87 new deaths on Friday for a total of 22,148 deaths, up from 22,061 total deaths on Thursday.

On Thursday, Gov. Roy Cooper encouraged the end of mandatory masking in schools but parents can choose for their child to continue wearing a mask.

State and local health officials continue to encourage people to get vaccinated against the virus.

The health department continues to offer COVID vaccines from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays. The department offers Pfizer, Moderna and J&J COVID-19 vaccines. Appointments are needed and can be made by calling 828-764-9150.

The states COVID-19 mass-testing clinic will continue at the Burke County Health Department parking lot until at least March 18. The department is at 700 E. Parker Road, Morganton.

It is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Appointments are not required, and tests are on a first-come, first-served basis, the health department has said. PCR tests will be the only tests administered at the clinic, and results will be given in two business days.

For general questions about COVID-19, call the county health department public information line at 828-764-9150 or visit the COVID-19 webpage at burkenc.org/COVID-19.
MOSCOW  Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilization Saturday amid a spike of violence in the war-torn region and fears in the West that Russia might use the strife as a pretext for an invasion.

Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russia separatist government in Ukraines Donetsk region, cited an immediate threat of aggression from Ukrainian forces in his announcement. Ukrainian officials vehemently denied having plans to take rebel-controlled areas by force.

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I appeal to all the men in the republic who can hold weapons to defend their families, their children, wives, mothers, Pushilin said. Together we will achieve the coveted victory that we all need.

An instructor watches as civilians train with members of the Georgian Legion, a paramilitary unit formed mainly by ethnic Georgian volunteers to fight against the Russian forces in Ukraine in 2014, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine have ordered a full military mobilization amid growing fears in the West that Russia is planning to invade the neighboring country. The announcement on Saturday came amid a spike in violence along the line of contact between Ukrainian forces and the pro-Russia rebels in recent days. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

A similar statement followed from his counterpart in the Luhansk region. With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops now posted around Ukraines borders, the long-simmering separatist conflict could provide the spark for a broader attack.

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The separatists and Ukrainian forces have been fighting for almost eight years. But the violence along the line of contact separating the two sides, including a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling, has risen in recent days.

They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said during a visit to Lithuania, where he assured the three Baltic nations they would not be on their own if faced with security threats from Russia.

Ukraines military said shelling killed a soldier Saturday in the government-held part of the Donetsk region and that separatist forces were placing artillery in residential areas to try and provoke a response.

On Friday, the rebels began evacuating civilians to Russia with an announcement that appeared to be part of their and Moscows efforts to paint Ukraine as the aggressor.

U.S. President Joe Biden said late Friday that based on the latest American intelligence he was now convinced that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and assault the capital, Kyiv.

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.

In a sign of heightened worry about an invasion, the NATO military alliance relocated staff of its liaison office in Kyiv to a city in western Ukraine and to Brussels. A NATO official told The Associated Press that safety of its personnel was the top concern.

We do not fully know what President Putin intends, but the omens are grim, and that is why we must stand strong together, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told officials attending the annual Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at the conference. Harris called the unfolding events a decisive moment in history and warned Russia that it would face unprecedented financial costs if it attacked Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials pushed back against the separatists suggestion that Ukraine initiated the latest violence in the countrys east. We are fully committed to diplomatic conflict resolution only, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted.

Ukraines ruling party, Servant of the People, echoed his sentiment in an online statement Saturday and accused Russia of trying to artificially create a pretext for a full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia conducted massive nuclear drills on Saturday. The Kremlin said Putin, who pledged to protect Russias national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats, was watching the drills together with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko from the situation room in the Kremlin.

Notably, the planned exercise involves the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014. .

Underscoring the Wests concerns of an imminent 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 closer to the border.

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The shift has been underway 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 in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each group has 750 to 1,000 soldiers.

Lines of communication between Moscow and the West remain open: the American and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron scheduled a phone call with Putin on Sunday. U.S. 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 the pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people. Violations of a 2015 ceasefire agreement, including shelling and shooting along the line of contact, have been common.

However, violence has escalated in recent days. A bombing struck a car outside the main government building in the rebel-held city of Donetsk on Friday. The head of the separatist forces, Denis Sinenkov, said the car was his, the Interfax news agency reported. Targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities.

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. The center cited witnesses as saying the other was at a vehicle service station.

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There were no immediate reports of casualties and no independent confirmation of the circumstances of the three blasts. Luhansk officials blamed a gas main explosion earlier in the week on sabotage.

By Saturday morning, the separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which form Ukraines industrial heartland known as the Donbas, said that thousands of residents of the rebel-controlled areas had been evacuated to Russia.

More than 6,600 people had been evacuated from Donetsk, and some 25,000 people have left Luhansk, with 10,000 preparing to leave, separatist officials said.

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Separatist officials announced plans Friday to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people. Russia has issued about 700,000 passports to residents of the rebel-held territories. Claims that Russian citizens are being endangered might be used as justification for military action.

Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk rebel government, alleged in a video statement that Ukraine 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 effort to come up with an invasion pretext could include staged, prerecorded videos.

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Authorities in Russias Rostov region declared a state of emergency because of the influx of evacuees. Media reports on Saturday morning described chaos at some of the summer camps in assigned to accommodate the people from eastern Ukraine.

The reports said there were long lines of buses and hundreds of people waiting in the cold for hours on end to be housed without access to food or bathroom facilities. Some of the camps were said to have run out of space.

Putin ordered the Russian government to offer 10,000 rubles (about $130) to each evacuee, an amount equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in the war-ravaged Donbas region.

Jim Heintz in Moscow, Geir Moulson in Berlin and Aamer Madhani in Munich contributed to this story.
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."

***
According to court records, Lance Michel Thomas, 52, of Columbus Junction faces one count of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, an aggravated misdemeanor that can bring up to two years in prison. He has also been charged with indecent contact with a child, also an aggravated misdemeanor, and four counts of lascivious conduct with a minor, a serious misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.
According to the arrest report, at 10:46 p.m. Feb. 15 the Washington County Communications Center received a call of a possible domestic altercation at 80 N. Washington St., in Riverside. Washington County Sheriffs deputies responded and requested assistance from the Iowa State Patrol due to one of the parties also being a sheriffs deputy. On arrival, state troopers found both subjects had injuries. Dep. Robyn Hoppman, 44, the resident of the home, indicated there had been no argument and no physical altercation. The other party told troopers she had been hit and kicked numerous times and had her head slammed into the tile multiple times by Hoppman. The subject reportedly sustained abrasions and bumps to her head and indicated injuries to her back and shoulder.
MUSCATINE  As the QCA branch of the Power of 100+ Women nears its first-year anniversary, the group has another check to a local organization in the hopes of making a difference.

On Thursday, Feb. 17, the Power of 100+ Women gathered at the Barrel House in Davenport. After two hours of voting on which organization they wanted to donate that quarters money to, they agreed to give the full $5,500 to Muscatines Pearl City Outreach.

According to Abby Repp, a founding member, two members nominated Pearl City Outreach. Other nominees were Clock, Inc LGBT+ Community Center and SEAP (Supplemental Emergency Assistance Program).

Pastor Sharon Phillips with the outreach center said she was overwhelmed and touched by the donation.

We were just really grateful to get this money in, she said. I cried when they gave me the check. Five thousand dollars may not seem like a lot, but it was like gold to us.

Phillips said Pearl City Outreach had been in desperate need of money. Earlier this year, several key items such as its truck and its refrigerator broke down and had to be fixed using their savings.

We had used up all our money. So to receive this donation, it was like an answer to a prayer, Phillips said, adding this money will be used to purchase food and continue the Outreachs services such as hot meals throughout the week and meal deliveries.

(The Power of 100+ Women) is wonderful, Phillips said. They care about every organization, not just a few, and they recognize everyone. Theyre strong women, and they work hard. Their desire is to get out there and touch life and encourage those that are making a difference.

Part of a nationwide group, the Power of 100+ Women in the QCA is a group that focuses on growing and supporting the communities within Muscatine, Scott and Rock Island counties. Each individual or team of four within the group donates $100 per quarter, and with no membership fees within the group, the Power of 100+ Women donates all of the money received.

It felt really great to give this money to Pearl City Outreach, Repp said. We have some members who have a personal connection to the Outreach, and the work that the Outreach does is really fabulous. Im really inspired by the people working there.

Repp said there were many great organizations in the QCA that she and her fellow members wanted to help and form connections with. She hopes to instill the values of giving back and supporting the community in her children through her work with the group.

Its about getting donations for these organizations, but its also about getting their information out there to people who might be in need of it, Repp said.

The groups goal is to reach 100 members within the Quad Cities branch. To learn more about the Power of 100+ Women or to join the group, residents can go to The Power of 100+ Women in the QCA Facebook Page.

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Dreams of widening Highway 29 in American Canyon from four lanes to six lanes appear to be officially dead  but not the quest to create a less-congested travel experience there.

Six lanes were the old vision. In a state concerned about climate change, the new vision could include roundabouts instead of more traffic signals, bike lanes, and perhaps a key reliever route.

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Even some American Canyon leaders who have long lobbied for a six-lane Highway 29  three lanes in each direction  are conceding that this outcome looks unlikely to happen.

From my perspective, the time has come to acknowledge thats an uphill fight thats not worth fighting for, City Councilmember Mark Joseph said.

What happens to Highway 29 in American Canyon has reverberations beyond the city limits. Every driver who has been stuck in a Friday evening traffic crawl there while leaving the county for the Bay Area has a stake.

The Napa Valley Transportation Authority (NVTA) is working with the city on plans to improve Highway 29 through American Canyon. On Wednesday, the agency Board of Directors voted to remove the six-lane option from future study.

Keeping the six-lane option and a pedestrian underpass on the table could boost the environmental study costs from about $1 million to $2 million. What's more, state climate policies discourage adding lanes to highways, NVTA staff said.

Caltrans District Four Director Dina El-Tawansy weighed in with a letter. She cautioned the NVTA about pursuing the six-lane alternative for the state road.

The Caltrans approach is to improve travel by using innovative multimodal solutions. Adding lanes is a last resort, El-Tawansy wrote.

The American Canyon contingent on the NVTA Board of Directors joined in the unanimous vote to delete the six-lane option. Joseph and Mayor Leon Garcia agreed to stick with the existing four lanes, two in each direction.

Garcia said talk of having three lanes in each direction for added capacity is engineer talk.

What the commuter wants is drive talk  how long does it take to drive from Point A to Point B; how long does it take to drive through American Canyon? he said.

The multi-modal solution being pursued could add bus queue lanes near intersections, bike lanes, and sidewalks through American Canyon. It could narrow lanes to reduce speeds. It could replace traffic signals with roundabouts at every intersection with the exception of American Canyon Road.

When all of this might be built is unclear. Once the plans are fleshed out, the NVTA and city will have to find funding.

Garcia and Joseph want more: the extension of Newell Drive through the city east of Highway 29 to create a parallel Highway 29 route.

Combined with the other proposals, that should improve traffic flow and safety, Joseph said.

If Newell Drive-to-South Kelly is equal to or better than a third lane in American Canyon, then we have met our goal, Garcia said.

Creating a Highway 29 parallel route

The Newell Drive extension is not part of the Highway 29 package that was before the NVTA Board of Directors on Wednesday. How the city and NVTA will pursue the idea remains to be seen.

Less than a mile of Newell Drive exists near American Canyon Road. Garcia wants to extend the road north another two-plus miles to South Kelly Road near the Highway 12 entrance to Jameson Canyon.

That would take Newell Drive not only through most of American Canyon but also into a stretch of unincorporated Napa County that is presently vineyards and vacant land. That means the countys help would be needed.

American Canyon City Manager Jason Holley on Nov. 2 brought up the topic during public comments to the Napa County Board of Supervisors. He noted road construction and an accident had recently tied up Highway 29 traffic in his city.

Its not the first time its happened, he said. We definitely have frustrated residents.

An extended Newell Drive to South Kelly Road would provide Highway 29 redundancy for American Canyon, Holley said. He compared this to Silverado Trail providing Highway 29 redundancy to the north in Napa Valley.

We have some ideas on how to make that happen sooner rather than laterId appreciate the opportunity to share some of those ideas, whatever time the Board would feel appropriate, he told supervisors.

There are possibilities. The Napa County Board of Supervisors in June 2021 agreed to explore allowing industrial development on 280 acres of vineyard and farmland near South Kelly Road, opening the door for a Newell Drive extension in that area.

I think the idea of a local reliever route on the east site is worthy of having this complex conversation, county Supervisor Ryan Gregory said at the time.

The county is processing the general plan amendment and rezone for the Hess Vineyards property requested by the owner, county Public Works Director Steven Lederer said on Friday. The request includes the adjoining Laird parcels.

"Because the new road would have to cross railroad tracks and creeks, construction costs may exceed $20 million," he said in an email. "It is unclear at this time how the proposed extension would be funded."

Possibilities include state or federal grants, the property owner, American Canyon, and other sources, he said.

County Supervisor and NVTA Board Chairperson Alfredo Pedroza on Thursday said transportation leaders are looking at a comprehensive solution for regional connectivity. That includes parallel roads.

His message to American Canyon and Napa County residents: the removal of six lanes from consideration isnt a retreat from improving American Canyon traffic conditions. Instead, the direction is finding better solutions.

Pedestrian undercrossing also deleted

An underpass had been proposed near Napa Junction Road to help pedestrians cross Highway 29 in American Canyon. The NVTA Board on Wednesday also deleted this idea from further study.

The idea instead is to have enhanced, at-grade pedestrian crossings at various locations. This would provide safer crossings at a lower cost, said Danielle Schmitz, NVTA director of capital development and planning.

During an Oct. 4 meeting, an NVTA consultant talked about adding enhanced crosswalk markings, median islands, and possibly crosswalk beacons at intersections.

Joseph said hes a little disappointed by the loss of the grade-separated pedestrian crossing. Still, he said, he thinks there are some alternative ways to get across the highway.

A highway with a history

The city of Napa-to-Vallejo route has existed long before either Highway 29 or American Canyon. A then-dirt road can be seen on pioneer-era county maps. Important locally at the time along the route was Napa Junction, where various railroad tracks converged.

Napa County and the state began constructing a highway system in Napa County in 1917 and the paving of at least parts of a Napa-Vallejo highway with concrete began in this era.

The Napa-Vallejo highway even in the 1920s was considered a gateway to Napa Valley. An idea was floated in 1926 to create a stately and dignified concrete arch over the road near what is now the Highway 12 entrance to Jameson Canyon.

A milestone came during World War II. A two-lane highway linked Napa County with the booming Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo. The US Navy in 1942 asked for two more lanes.

By fall 1944, the heavy equipment was at work near the future city of American Canyon. Workers added two concrete lanes, creating the four-lane Napa-Vallejo highway that remains to this day.

But thats the past, long before the American Canyon stretch of Highway 29 began handling 40,000 to 49,000 vehicles daily. Widening the road in American Canyon to six lanes was a linchpin of the NVTA's 2014 State Route 29 Gateway Corridor Improvement Plan.

The six-lane idea has seen dwindling enthusiasm from transportation officials in recent years, despite strong support from American Canyon leaders. With Wednesday's action, the idea for now at least is tabled.

You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com.

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Updated at 3:42 p.m.  A 42-year-old man faces attempted murder and other allegations after a highway shooting Friday morning in south Napa that left another driver hospitalized.

Tuong Nguyen was arrested before 7 a.m. after Napa County sheriffs deputies stopped his vehicle on southbound Highway 221 near Streblow Drive, according to sheriffs spokesperson Henry Wofford. The arrest followed a shooting into another vehicle on Highway 29 to the south, as well as a carjacking in downtown Napa, Wofford said.

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Sheriffs deputies were called at 6:40 a.m. to Highway 29 near Highway 221, where a man had been shot in the head through his passenger window while driving, the agency said in a news release Friday afternoon.

The shooting victim, who was not immediately identified, was able to call 911 despite his injury. He was taken to an out-of-county hospital and was awaiting surgery as of 3:15 p.m., the sheriffs office reported.

The shooting occurred eight minutes after the sheriffs office received a report of reckless driving near where the shooting occurred, Wofford said earlier.

Later, at 6:48 a.m., Napa Police officers were called to the scene of a carjacking at Franklin and Clay streets, the sheriffs office said in its statement. The carjacking victim was not injured in that incident, according to the agency.

Nguyen, who has no listed address, was booked at 12:56 p.m. into the Napa County jail without bail for investigation of attempted murder, carjacking, and firearm possession by a felon.

Highway 221 was closed for several hours between Streblow and Magnolia drives in Napa after the shooting before reopening before 11:40 a.m.

Detectives from the sheriffs office and Napa Police are conducting investigations into the shooting and carjacking, along with members of the Napa County District Attorneys Office, and are continuing to seek witnesses.

Anyone with information about the shooting or carjacking is asked to contact the sheriffs office investigations department at 707-253-4458.

You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@napanews.com

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A small group of Vintage High School students decided that enough was enough Friday afternoon, walking out in protest of the schools continued mask mandates.

Advocacy group Born Free Napa Valley and a slew of adult supporters joined a few dozen students across the street after they marched out signs-in-hand, with a protest picnic set up just down the block at Solomon Park.

Students and onlookers carried signs with phrases like Lions not sheep, Treat me like Im at the Super Bowl, and Let us breathe, as well as more direct messages such as one reading You dont care about my health, you care about our money.

During the protest, junior Nick Sims stood up to speak on behalf of his fellow students, many of whom said their grades had tanked since they stopped wearing their masks.

We got threatened with suspension and failing our classes, so I was willing to get suspended over it because I found it unlawful, said Sims, 16. Then, they gave me a classroom in the office. I got a room just to myself, then it turned to six, then it turned to 10, then 12, then we got a real classroom  So now, there are like 30 of us  an entire classrooms worth.

How is it different? he asked.

The group of students sat in the park chiming in about their frustrations with the mandates, explaining how the rules seemed counterintuitive and the repercussions were now interfering with their extracurriculars.

We sat outside from about 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. because they didnt know what to do with us, and they wouldnt suspend us because they knew it was illegal, one student said.

The school just doesnt know what they are doing, said another.

Vintage High is a closed campus and did not comment on the situation, and the group  led by Born Free founder Lindsey Grega  moved out of sight from school grounds after the protesting students marched through the quad during lunch period.

The thing that is hard for us as adults was to even notice that something wasnt right here, and when we did, it was hard for us to speak up because we thought we were very alone, Grega said to the crowd following the walk-out. Then, we started talking to each other and getting really outspoken and brave and sharing information about how we felt and what disparities we could see.

"We saw that we have this whole community of people who are like-minded and like-hearted, and we feel stronger now.

It feels easier now, [and] that's how we want you to feel, she continued. We want you to feel supported, and we have your back.

The small crowd hollered and clapped before Grega prompted the students seated in front of her.

So, whats next?

The group said they plan to attend future city and county government meetings, as well as school board meetings where they hope to advocate for a mask-by-choice policy. In the meantime, these committed students are standing their ground.

I am not a beaten dog, Sims said. I am a man that will stand taller when I talk to you, and I will rise up to your level.

You can reach Sam Jones at 707-256-2221 and sjones@napanews.com.

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California has laid out a plan that treats Covid as a permanent aspect of life, anticipating future outbreaks and new variants that may require temporary public health measures, such as wearing masks, depending on how much the virus disrupts economic and social activities, CNBC reported.

Governor Gavin Newsom said California is abandoning the crisis mentality that has characterized the response to the pandemic over the past two years. Newsom said the Golden State must learn to live with the virus by preparing as much as possible for an uncertain future using the tools developed over the past two years.

We have all come to understand what was not understood at the beginning of this crisis  that there is no end date, that there is not a moment where we declare victory, Newsom said during a press conference Thursday.

Californias response plan aims to use wastewater surveillance to detect rising viral transmission early, so the state can rapidly identify new variants as they emerge and determine within 45 days if vaccines, tests and therapeutics are effective against the strain. The state would then quickly deploy additional testing and health-care staff to regions impacted by rising transmission, according to the plan.

Health Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the states response will depend on the dominant Covid variant circulating at any given time, how much disease the variant is causing, and how many people are hospitalized by the strain.

California is likely to experience seasonal spikes in Covid in the fall and winter, he said, and the state will closely monitor whether those spikes are caused by new variants of concern or familiar ones.

California plans to increase its medical staff by 3,000 for three weeks if needed during an outbreak. The state will also retain the ability to run at least 500,000 tests daily for Covid. According to Ghaly, California will stockpile 75 million high-quality masks, thousands of ventilator machines and procure an additional 30 million over-the-counter Covid tests.
The US Air Force is funding a $7.5 million research project aimed at preventing moon jams, The Hill reported.

Created in collaboration between the Air Force Research Laboratory and the University of Arizona, the initiative aims to avert potential hazards for the next generation of manned missions to the Moon, scheduled to launch in the 2020s, by mapping dozens of natural and man-made artifacts surrounding the planet.

Orbital space around the Earth is becoming extremely congested, so the Space Force and Air Force Research Laboratory is trying to get ahead of the problem around the Moon, said University of Arizona astronomer Roberto Furfaro.

University of Arizona staff member is concerned that there are probably more than 50 missions to the moon planned over the next eight years.

The researchers note that each successful launch is accompanied by the release of space debris, which invariably increases the likelihood of a collision.

According to NASA, there are more than 23,000 orbital debris larger than 10 cm" in Earth's orbit. In contrast, there are about a dozen objects orbiting the Moon.
UMD School of Pharmacy must clarify vaccine science

I believe that the letter written by Peter Doshi and Linda Wastila of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy regarding the lifting of vaccine mandates presents very dangerous misinformation (Universities should stop mandating COVID vaccinations, Feb. 8). They are outliers in their field. Both testified about their concerns about the COVID vaccines in November before a panel convened by Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin  the U.S. Senate dimwit.

Im surprised by the lack of data supplied by these purported scientists. Every day The Sun provides data supplied by the Maryland Health Deptartment. In Maryland, we have had nearly 1 million confirmed cases and 14,000 confirmed deaths. We are told that the majority of deaths and the majority of patients placing a great strain on hospitals are the unvaccinated. These figures are real and represent tragic outcomes for families.

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I find it to be totally irresponsible for these faculty members of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy to sow seeds of doubt among the general population. How can we trust them? Ms. Wastila has claimed that some side effects of the vaccine have not been taken seriously. Every pharmaceutical has potential side effects for some people. One only needs to watch drug commercials to hear a long list of potential side effects. This dangerous foray into the culture wars regarding what is really a public health issue speaks to the arrogance of the writers. The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy has enjoyed a positive reputation in our state. Its now time for the school to disavow the message being sent by these faculty members. It is in the interest of public health and public safety that the school clarifies what the science really tells us about the vaccines.

Edward McCarey McDonnell, Baltimore

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Politics should not Trump science

I am simply a community pharmacist working to keep people healthy, having graduated from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in 1981. I have been vaccinating people against many illnesses since 2005 and against COVID for more than a year. I am compelled to respond to the recent letter from Peter Doshi and Linda Wastila contending that vaccine mandates harm college students and should be revoked.

They do not prove their point with any scientific evidence, but instead explain why booster doses are necessary and why they believe that requiring boosters as needed violates some inalienable right to come onto college campuses or anywhere else, free of vaccinations. Are they not aware that most universities  including the University of Maryland  have a list of required vaccinations for incoming students including, but not exclusively, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough and meningitis, as well as tests for Tuberculosis? Are all of these vaccinations to be subject to the same Personal Belief override? Many hospitals and other employers have for years required flu vaccinations for employees and outside contractors. What is it about this vaccination that has caused such a frenzy? Are the writers seriously going to support calls to Bring Back Polio  Get Your Iron Lung Machine Here in support of this nonexistent constitutional right?

The authors make sure we know that they are professors at the School of Pharmacy. I hope they not teaching the future pharmacists of Maryland that politics should Trump science.

Janet Abramowitz, Baltimore
EU: Poland fines in rule of law dispute now top $170 million

Putin and Lukashenko discuss ongoing situation

Greece and Bulgaria say new LNG terminal will help reduce dependence on Russia

German vice chancellor calls for rapid construction of LNG terminals

Rally of Resistance Movement takes place in France Square

Robert Kocharyan takes part in opposition march

Mario Draghi calls on EU to abandon requirement of unanimity in making foreign policy decisions

Finland and Sweden not yet decided whether to join NATO

Croatian president uses veto power to block Finland and Sweden from joining NATO

Slovakia will seek exemption from the EU embargo on Russian oil imports

NEWS.am digest: Blinken meets Mirzoyan in US, people detained during protests in Yerevan

Turkish Foreign Ministry on meeting of special envoys in Vienna

Opposition rally in central Yerevan starts with Sirusho's performance

Italy to face serious issues in winter if Russian gas supplies are cut off now

Johnson announces new military aid to Ukraine in amount of 300 million euros

Resistance Movement rally on France Square in Yerevan

EU hopes to adopt sixth round of sanctions against Russia at next EU Council meeting

Peaceful rallies of disobedience held in Spitak

Spain extends OVID-19 entry restrictions

Vayk joins demand for Nikol Pashinyan's resignation

Putin and Macron discuss Ukraine

Citizens demanding Pashinyan's resignation block road from Vayots Dzor to Yerevan

Peaceful rallies of disobedience held in Vanadzor demanding PM's resignation

Citizens demanding Pashinyan's resignation block Gyumri-Yerevan highway

Sirusho: Today I will join our compatriots in France Square

Third meeting of Armenia and Turkey special representatives held in Vienna

Dollar rises slightly after long decline, euro also goes up in Armenia

Civil disobedience actions in regions: Yerevan-Goris highway blocked

Azerbaijan settling occupied Armenian Hadrut, Shushi cities of Artsakh

New colors and new services: Team Telecom Armenia completes rebranding

Armenia legislature speaker receives France-Armenia Friendship Group delegation

France senator: We are leaving for Armenia with Senate group

Putin signs decree on economic measures against unfriendly countries

Armenia legislature speaker: Authorities have repeatedly proposed dialogue to opposition

Backpack action of protest being held outside Armenia parliament (PHOTOS)

Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD statement does not correspond to reality

Armenia defense minister receives Kansas National Guard delegation

Armenia Police: Yerevan-Sevan motorway reopened

Ned Price: Mirzoyan-Blinken meeting will launch US-Armenia strategic dialogue

Mirzoyan, Nuland discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement process

Civil disobedience actions are carried out in some Armenia cities

Armenia 2nd-President Kocharyan, ex-deputy PM and now lawmaker Gevorgyan trial to resume

Pashinyan to Morawiecki: This year we mark 30th anniversary of Armenia-Poland diplomatic relations

No new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Armenia Central Bank leaves refinancing rate unchanged at 9.25%

Demonstrators demanding PM Pashinyan's resignation block Sevan-Yerevan motorway

Police: 117 demonstrators apprehended in Yerevan

Kansas National Guard leadership visiting Armenia

Bloomberg: EU new gas partners

Armenian member of Turkey legislature says he was thrown at table of wolves

Italian PM slams Lavrov for his 'Hitler' statements in interview with local television

South Korea and US plan to start air force exercises on May 9

Police special forces apprehend Armenia ex-president Robert Kocharyans son

Police: 70 people apprehended from Yerevan streets

World Press Freedom Index 2022: Journalism as a profession is humiliated in Armenia

Newspaper: Armenia ruling party MPs are worried

Borrell speaks on possible disconnection from SWIFT of new Russian banks

Cyprus becomes first EU country with full 5G coverage

Police apprehending participants of civil disobedience actions in Yerevan

State Department: Deepening US-Armenia cooperation in nuclear energy will strengthen bilateral relations

Peaceful disobedience actions resume in Yerevan early morning

Mirzoyan: Armenia appreciates US support for developing energy sector

Blinken underscores US commitment to help Armenia, Azerbaijan find sustainable peace, prosperity

Eurozone economic sentiment falls much more than expected in April

Apple faces big fine

Armenia ex-president joins discussion in France Square

Poland wants the EU to set a clear date for stopping Russian oil imports

Armenia FM meets with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

Armenia FM meets with Director of USAID Samantha Power

Ann Linde says Finland will almost certainly apply for NATO membership

Police beat reporters, obstruct their work in Yerevan

European Commission may relieve Hungary, Slovakia of embargo on Russian oil purchase

Resistance Movement to continue large-scale civil disobedience actions on 3 May in Yerevan and regions

EU countries to continue to pay in euros or dollars for Russian gas

Resistance Movement participants return to France Square

Russian and Turkish defense ministers discuss current situation in Ukraine

Ukrainian intelligence accuses Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan of helping Russia evade Western sanctions

NEWS.am digest: Turkey says they have agreements with Armenia on border clarification

Toivo Klaar informs about meeting of Armen Grigoryan and Hikmet Hajiyev in Brussels

PACE initiates resolution on threats to journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan

Diplomat kidnapped in Haiti

Hungarian president asks Orban to form new government

Georgia PM hands over first part of questionnaire answers for accession to EU

Resistance Movement participants march in central Yerevan

Half of Japanese oppose change of peaceful constitution

Resistance movement rally on France Square in Yerevan

Blinken and Armenia FM sign memorandum on strategic cooperation in nuclear energy

Another earthquake registered on Armenian-Georgian border

FLYONE ARMENIA launches regular direct flights between Yerevan and Tbilisi

Georgia abolishes requirement to wear masks in closed spaces

One dollar drops below AMD 450, euro also falls in Armenia

Georgia PM receives Justice Minister of Armenia

Armenia MFA says there is no discussion, agreement on re-demarcating border with Turkey

Cavusoglu claims there is agreement to clarify Armenia-Turkey border

Azerbaijan president receives Brice Roquefeuil

Armenia ex-defense minister: These authorities are able to use force inside the country

Police: 244 people apprehended in Yerevan as of 2pm

Incident involving disobedience march participants occurs at Armenian State Pedagogical University

Yerevan Police apprehend opposition MP

Police: 199 people apprehended in Yerevan as of noon
YEREVAN.  Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Friday met with Minister of State Tobias Lindner of the German Federal Foreign Office, in Munich, reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

The interlocutors exchanged views on cooperation between the two countries. The Armenian FM noted the positive dynamics of the friendly relations between Armenia and Germany.

Also, ahead of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Mirzoyan and Linder expressed readiness to deepen cooperation between the two countries.

The parties exchanged views on a number of urgent matters on the regional and international agenda. FM Mirzoyan presented the situation in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

The need for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs was highlighted.

The matter of immediate return of the remaining Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees in Azerbaijan was discussed, too.

During the meeting, they reflected also the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey.
During the 15 years of its activity in Armenia, GeoProMining has collaborated with the country's leading publishing houses to publish and distribute classical, modern and educational literature. Tens of thousands of books were sent to the regions of the company's presence in Armenia, as well as distributed in schools and educational institutions of the country.

On Book Giving Day, the company organized a tour for 20 book-loving children, who most actively use the libraries of the cities of Ararat and Vardenis, to Antares Publishing House, where they got acquainted with the process of creating and printing books. They also visited the bookstore in Yerevan, where they chose books and presented them to each other as gifts.

Representative of GeoProMining Ruzanna Grigoryan: In the social policy of GeoProMining , educational programs occupy a special place, and within its framework, the distribution and popularization of modern and relevant printed literature among children and youth. Thus, not only the publishing industry is assisted, but also the generation, growing up in the age of smartphones and digital content, enjoys the printed book, discovers an amazing world of knowledge, experience and information. I am very pleased to state that our children have an interest in the books. There is also a common understanding that books and the knowledge contained in them are the force that they will need in the future to preserve and increase their capabilities, broaden their horizons and build a successful future for themselves and their country.

Founding director of the Antares publishing house, Armen Martirosyan: Such promotions should become our daily routine, our children need them - for our future, for their future. A book is knowledge, it is a window into the future, which can be different. I am glad that businesses, responsible businesses, also propagate these simple truths, thinking not only about today's profit, but also about the future of the country, the people, the generation that will create this very future. And the future without spirituality, without knowledge, without understanding the depth and complexity of the world around us, the interaction of people and systems, will be very gloomy. Such initiatives, although not very common among modern entrepreneurs, as well as children who read and are interested in books, infect us, publishers with optimism.

The GeoProMining group of companies is a dynamically developing international private company with a diversified metal resource base, founded in 2001. GeoProMining produces gold in the form of dore and copper, molybdenum and antimony concentrates.
A New York jury decided on Feb. 15 against former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in a libel suit she filed against The New York Times where she claimed that the newspaper had published a defamatory statement that had damaged her reputation.

In an unusual move, U.S. District Court Judge Jed Rakoff announced to the parties prior to the end of the jurys deliberations that he would dismiss the case because of the plaintiffs failure to have met the required legal standardeven if the jury returned a verdict in Palins favor.

The Palin case should be dismissed, said Samuel Terilli, associate professor in the University of Miami School of Communication and former legal counsel to the Miami Herald. To win her defamation suit, Palin, as a public person, had to prove convincingly that the Times published information that the Times knew was falseknowingly lied in other wordsor that the Times recklessly and utterly did not care whether the editorial was true or false.

The case stemmed from a 2017 editorial published by The New York Times that erroneously linked a map that Palins political action committee had posted to the 2011 shooting that injured Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

At the time, Palin said she was mortified that the newspaper had accused her of urging the shooting, which took the lives of six people.

Terilli said that the editorial was a case of sloppy editing.

He [the editor] should have edited the column differently to avoid any suggestion of a more direct connection between Palins political advertising and any actual shooting, but it was a mistake and not whats called actual malice under the law of defamation, said Terilli.

Journalists have a fair amount of freedom when covering public figures, such as Palin, who also was the vice-presidential running mate for the late John McCain, the former Arizona senator who ran for president in 2008.

The 1964 Supreme Court case of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan established the principle that the First Amendment ensures that to establish actual malice, no public official could win damages for libel without proving that the statement was made with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not. Subsequent cases expanded Sullivans actual malice requirement to public figures.

The judges decision to throw out the Palin case seemed unusual to some, but it is within his purview, legal scholars noted.

Even if a judge decides that a case should ultimately be dismissed, it makes sense to wait for the jury to hand down its verdict, so that there doesnt have to be a retrial in case the judges dismissal is overturned on appeal, said Lili Levi, professor of law and Deans Distinguished Scholar at the School of Law.

Even though Judge Rakoff announced his view to the parties before the end of jury deliberations, that announcement was not made to the jury, she said. While several jurors said that they had received push notifications of his announcement on their smartphones prior to their verdict, they assured the court that this information had not played any role in their deliberations.

When the judge threw out the Palin case, he said he did so because this is the kind of case that will inevitably go up on appeal, Levi added. This has led some legal scholars to speculate that courts, and ultimately the Supreme Court, would revisit the New York Times Co. v. Sullivan case.

Many think there are at least two, possibly three, sitting Supreme Court justices with questions about the 1964 decision in New York Times Co. v. Sullivanthe decision that announced the actual malice rule, said Terilli. I dont expect it to be overruled. Its been nearly 60 years and it is settled, logical, and well-founded law.

Levi agrees that a reversal of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan is not probable. While I think a reversal of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan by the Supreme Court is unlikely, the application of the actual malice standard could be significantly limited in practice, she said. Whether through changes in judicial interpretations of what should be deemed reckless disregard, or through changes defining public figures, or through the chilling effect of strategic ideological attacks on press editorial judgments by plaintiffs seeking hundreds of millions in damages, the press will continue to face sustained legal attack despite this win in Palin v. New York Times.

The press needs to hear well the implicit lesson of Palin v. New York Times. The paper may have won this round, but it took two weeks of testimony and involved three days of jury deliberation to get there, Levi said. More such cases will come.
Police move in to clear Ottawa protesters

Police move in to clear Ottawa protesters

Police in Canada moved on Friday to dislodge the final truckers and protesters from downtown Ottawa, in a mostly peaceful operation aimed at bringing an end to three weeks of demonstrations over Covid-19 health rules.



Late on Friday night, Ottawa police, who pledged the operation would push ahead "until residents and citizens have their city back," were still working to clear the capital's streets.



Deployed by the hundreds, police said they made more than 100 arrests and towed about 20 vehicles. No one was seriously hurt, they added, with Ottawa interim police chief Steve Bell saying the operation was going as planned but would take time.



Some truckers, who had led the protests that kicked off three weeks ago and choked Ottawa's streets with big rigs and demonstrators by the hundreds, chose to leave on their own, removing their 18-wheelers from the streets surrounding parliament.



Authorities continued to warn demonstrators to go.



"You must leave. You must cease further unlawful activity and immediately remove your vehicle and/or property from all unlawful protest sites," Ottawa police tweeted repeatedly, warning of possible arrests.



Throughout the day, heavily armed officers -- including on horseback -- lined up against protesters who locked arms, advancing slowly and methodically to push back the spirited crowd.



An AFP journalist saw several demonstrators led away in handcuffs as police and tow trucks moved in, although most simply surrendered.



A few demonstrators were wrestled to the ground, and at least one who refused to exit his truck had his windows smashed and was dragged out by police.



The so-called "Freedom Convoy", which inspired copycat protests in other countries, began with truckers demonstrating against mandatory Covid-19 vaccines to cross the US border. Its demands grew to include an end to all pandemic rules and, for many, a wider anti-establishment agenda.



At its peak, the movement also included blockades of US-Canada border crossings, including a key trade route across a bridge between Ontario and Detroit, Michigan -- all of which have been lifted after costing the economy billions of dollars, according to the government.



Most of the protest's leaders have been arrested. Far-right activist Pat King was taken into custody early on Friday afternoon as he left town, live-streaming his own apprehension on Facebook.



Two other leaders, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, were arrested on Thursday evening.



Lich, 49, was heard telling truckers as she was being led away by police to "hold the line."



The movement's Twitter account was still rallying supporters earlier on Friday: "If you disagree with unlawful and unprecedented government overreach, drop whatever you are doing, and make your voice heard," it said.



Lawmakers on Friday took the extraordinary move of cancelling a parliamentary session. Speaker of the House Anthony Rota cited an "ever-changing" situation in the streets outside the seat of Canada's democracy.



Police on Thursday gave protesters a final warning to leave, as barricades went up to restrict access to the downtown protest zone and surrounding neighbourhoods -- encompassing more than 500 acres.



Criticised for failing to act decisively to end the protests, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week invoked the Emergencies Act, which gives the government sweeping powers to deal with a major crisis.



It's only the second time such powers have been invoked in peacetime.



Lawmakers, split over the move, with only a small leftist party backing Trudeau's minority Liberal government, were debating its use when parliament was hastily shuttered.



"The House will resume debate Saturday on the use of the Emergencies Act to respond to the illegal blockades," Government House Leader Mark Holland tweeted.



Lawmakers are due to hold a final vote on the emergency measures legislation on Monday at 8 pm.



Trudeau has said the act was not being used to call in the military against the protesters and denied restricting freedom of expression.



The objective was simply to "deal with the current threat and to get the situation fully under control," he said. "Illegal blockades and occupations are not peaceful protests."



Police this week also arrested dozens of protesters at border crossings, including four people charged with conspiracy to murder police officers at a checkpoint between Coutts, Alberta and Sweet Grass, Montana.



They seized dozens of vehicles as well as a cache of weapons that included rifles, handguns, body armour and ammunition.



Authorities also froze the bank accounts of protesters and choked off crowdfunding and cryptocurrency transactions supporting the truckers. (AFP)
Suicide bombing in Somalia town kills 14

Witnesses say the huge explosion tore through an open area of the Hassan Dhiif restaurant where people had gathered under trees to eat lunch. Image: AP

A suicide bomber killed 14 people in a popular restaurant in the central Somali town of Beledweyne on Saturday, on the eve of a round of voting there, police said.



The attack was claimed by the Al-Shabaab Islamist militant group, which has been waging an insurgency in the troubled Horn of Africa nation for years.



Security had been tightened in Beledweyne ahead of a first session of voting for parliamentary seats in the constituency, which lies about 340 kilometres north of the capital Mogadishu.



"The number of people who have died in the heinous terrorist attack in Beledweyne today has increased from 10 people to 14 as of now," local police officer Mohamud Hassan said.



He said some of the 16 civilians earlier reported wounded in the suicide bombing had died of their injuries in hospital. Among the dead were local government officials. "This was the deadliest attack I can recall in this town," he added.



Al-Shabaab said in a statement that one of its fighters carried out the bombing.



Somalia, particularly Mogadishu, has seen a spate of attacks in recent weeks as the country hobbles through a long-delayed election process.



Witnesses said the huge explosion tore through an open area of the Hassan Dhiif restaurant where people had gathered under trees to eat lunch.



"I saw dead bodies of several people and I could not count how many wounded that were rushed to hospital," said one witness, Mahad Osman.



"I saw... shoes, sticks and hats strewn at the scene of the blast, there was also blood and severed parts of human flesh in the area."



In another incident on Saturday, one person was killed and six others wounded when an explosive device went off in a teashop in Bosaso, the commercial capital of the northern state of Puntland, police said. No-one has yet claimed responsibility for that blast. (AFP)
New Delhi [India], February 19 (ANI/PNN): In a huge partnership, top director Boyapati Sreenu and Ustaad Ram Pothineni and ace producer Srinivasaa Chhitturi, have joined forces for a pan-Indian film, a formal announcement about which was made today. Srinivasaa Chhitturi of Srinivasaa Silver Screen banner, after two back to back hits, is now producing 'The Warrior' starring Ram Pothineni and directed by N Lingusamy. Boyapati Sreenu is fresh from the success of Nandamuri Balakrishna-starrer recent industry hit Akhanda, while Ram Pothineni is one of the most happening crazy heroes of the Telugu film industry. The coming together of the three for this pan-Indian project is being viewed as a big combination. The yet-to-be-titled movie will be made on a lavish budget. Talking about the collaboration, actor Ram Pothineni says, " I am happy to be collaborating with Boyapati Srinu Sir and Srinivasaa Silver Screen, Boyapti Sreenu is a huge mass director. Our forthcoming project is a dream project for me, and together I am sure we will make a great film. The story of the film has a mass appeal, and I am happy to be associated with this project." Boyapati Sreenu has come up with a superb story loaded with mass elements that have thrilled both the producer and the actor. More details about the film, including its heroine and other members of the cast and crew, will be made in the near future. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
New Delhi [India], February 19 (ANI/NewsVoir): Making an emphatic pitch for multilateralism at the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2022 in New Delhi on Friday, Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly and the Foreign Minister of Maldives asserted that the era of isolationism is long over. "We will not succeed if we ignore the world around us, if we prioritize one region or issue over others, or if we neglect marginalized and vulnerable communities. We must breathe new life into multilateralism and shape it so that everyone benefits," Shahid said at the valedictory session on 'Collective Action for Ensuring a Sustainable and Equitable Future' at The Energy and Resources Institute's (TERI) annual flagship Summit. Watch the session here. Shahid called upon the international community to "Support initiatives to provide debt relief to economically vulnerable countries such as SIDS, LDCs, and LLDCs; to support industries crucial to their economic well-being, such as tourism; and to strengthen global regimes for development cooperation and assistance." COP 26, said Shahid, did not meet expectations, but there is ground for cautious optimism, he added. "Much more political will and cooperation will be required to enhance the ambition for rapid emission reductions over the coming decade to avoid dangerous levels of climate change," said Shahid. The Act4Earth initiative which seeks to continuously engage with stakeholders across the board on issues related to sustainable development and climate action was launched at the WSDS and will have two components: COP Compass and SDG Charter. "The COP Compass will be engaged in research on climate negotiations and action as well as on the Global Commons," said Anuradha Mathur, Associate Fellow, TERI. The SDG Charter will work on areas of sustainable development, inclusive energy transitions and mainstreaming SDGs through policy briefs and policy dialogues as well as management development programmes. Two documents associated with the initiative - the Act4Earth Strategy Paper and Act4Earth Manifesto - were released during the session. The Act4Earth Strategy Paper aims to drive ambitious and urgent action on climate change and sustainable development through knowledge, dialogue and capacity building. The Act4Earth Manifesto is a nine-point roadmap to keeping the planet healthy. "The Act4Earth Manifesto is informed by the discussions at WSDS," said Nivedita Cholayil, Research Associate, TERI. Chairing the session, Nitin Desai, Chairman and Governing Council, TERI, said, "Today every company dealing with fossil fuels is trying to get out of fossil fuels. In order to deal with the challenge of sustainability, it is important to get the corporations, trade unions and local authorities on board. The WSDS brings these entities together - to talk and explain to each other aspects of sustainability." In her address, Kathleen McGinty, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Government and Regulatory Affairs Officer, Johnson Controls said, "Equity and care for each other is the pressing business we are called to attend." Commenting on TERI's expansive role in driving conversations on sustainability, McGinty said, "TERI uniquely brings together the whole spectrum - from research to technology to action." In his address, Manjeev Singh Puri, Distinguished Fellow and former diplomat, observed that, "TERI has done yeoman service for India, the developing world and the globe at large." Dr Shailly Kedia, Senior Fellow, TERI pointed out that WSDS 2022 had over 12,000 registered participants from 143 countries. In her address, Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, expressed the hope that WSDS 2023 will be held in-person or at least in a hybrid mode. "Initiatives such as the Act4Earth stress on continuing engagement with stakeholders round the year on issues of sustainability," observed Dr Dhawan. WSDS 2022 was supported by a host of partners including the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; the Royal Norwegian Embassy, New Delhi; Bloomberg Philanthropies; Tata Capital; Rockefeller Foundation; The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, Federal Republic of Germany; International Climate Initiative; Climate Works Foundation; The World Bank; European Union; GIZ; auctusESG; British High Commission; Climate Group; Climate Trends; IFAT India; Kaizzen; NRDC; Outlook Group; Protect Our Planet; TERI School of Advanced Studies; The Food and Land Use Coalition; UNICEF and World Sustainable Development Forum. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is an independent, multi-dimensional research organization, with capabilities in policy research, technology development, and implementation. Headquartered in New Delhi, TERI has regional centres and campuses in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Mumbai, Panaji, and Nainital, supported by a multi-disciplinary team of scientists, sociologists, economists, engineers, administrative professional and state-of-the-art infrastructure. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who has commenced filming for Nag Ashwin's next project, tentatively titled 'Project K' with south star Prabhas, recently heaped praises on his co-star, as they completed their first shot together. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the 79-year-old actor praised Prabhas by writing, "... first day .. first shot .. first film with the 'Bahubali' Prabhas .. and such a honour to be in the company of his aura, his talent and his extreme humility.. to imbibe to learn .. !!" Earlier, Prabhas too had shared a post on his Insta handle and complemented the veteran actor. He wrote, "This is a dream come true for me. Completed the first shot of #ProjectK today with the legendary @amitabhbachchan Sir!" For the unversed, the upcoming movie is a mega canvas, pan India project that's been in the news ever since its announcement. It also stars Deepika Padukone in a pivotal role and she had recently completed filming for the first schedule of 'Project K' with Prabhas in Hyderabad. The multi-lingual sci-fi genre project whose massive set is constructed at Ramoji Filmcity is touted to be one of the most expensive Indian films of all time. Meanwhile, apart from this project, Big B will be seen sharing screen space with Neena Gupta in 'Goodbye'. He is a part of 'Brahmastra', co-starring Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt and also has 'Runway 34', 'Jhund' and 'The Intern' remake in his kitty. (ANI)
The 'Baywatch' actor took to her Instagram Stories and shared a photo of her parents from one of their fondest moments. She wrote, "This is always how I remember your anniversary. Miss u dad. Love you."

In the picture, Priyanka's father could be seen offering a rose to her mom Dr. Madhu Akhouri Chopra. The couple indeed shared an endearing moment with their gentle smiles.

Her father had passed away back in 2013 after a long battle with cancer. She was extremely close to him and even has a tattoo on her right wrist that reads 'Daddy's lil girl'.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Priyanka was recently seen in 'The Matrix Resurrections', and has wrapped the romantic comedy 'Text For You' opposite Sam Hueghan, as well as the limited series 'Citadel'. She is also set to star alongside Anthony Mackie in the action film 'Ending Things'.

In Bollywood, she will be seen in Farhan Akhtar's 'Jee Le Zara' along with Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif. (ANI)
A house in Baltimores Bolton Hill neighborhood still shows signs of damage Feb. 17, roughly nine months after a man set it ablaze with his ex-girlfriend and two other people inside. The arson and attempted murder case of Luther Moody Trent has become a political flashpoint in the race for Baltimore states attorney, with his originally lenient plea deal stirring up criticism for the office of States Attorney Marilyn Mosby. (Alex Mann)

Two months after he walked free with a controversial plea deal, a Baltimore arsonist who set his ex-girlfriends house ablaze with her and two other people inside is back behind bars and considering a new offer that would see him serve more than 20 years in prison.

Baltimore prosecutors returned to court Friday with a revised plea offer for Luther Moody Trent, 21, whose release from jail in December after six months in an attempted murder and arson case stirred up criticism of States Attorney Marilyn Mosby and became a political flash point in the race for her office.

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In court, Trent asked for more time to consider the offer: Effectively 40 years in prison with all but 22 years suspended for the three counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson. The offer also included five years of supervised probation, mental health screening and a referral to a domestic violence program, Assistant States Attorney Michele Lambert said.

Lambert and Trents lawyer, Alan Rombro, told Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn that they are hopeful to reach an agreement in the coming weeks and to return to court to resolve the case.

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Theres a very small likelihood of a trial, your honor. I cant imagine a scenario, Rombro said.

Trent stormed out of the room at the detention center from which he appeared via video. Rombro said he was concerned Trent wasnt getting all his medications in jail. Trent eventually returned and apologized to Phinn for his emotional outburst.

Thiru Vignarajah, an attorney for the three victims, expressed gratitude after the hearing Friday for the revised plea offer. He lauded the victims for speaking out against the offer that saw Trent walk free in December, a disposition that Vignarajah argued neglected to consider the impact his actions had on their lives.

Twenty-two years in prison, not 150 days, is far more in line with the violent crime Mr. Trent committed, Vignarajah told The Baltimore Sun. Where we are today would not have been possible without the courage of the victims to stand up for themselves but also for all victims whose voices need to be heard as part of these plea deals.

Trent admitted as part of his earlier plea to showing up to his ex-girlfriends home in the 1900 block of Linden Ave. in the middle of the night May 21 and setting it ablaze. The woman and two other victims escaped as the flames spread. The fire burned through the back deck of the Bolton Hill home and caused an estimated $40,000 in damage.

A Baltimore grand jury handed up an indictment against Trent in July, charging him with attempted murder, arson and reckless endangerment.

Prosecutors offered him a plea of less than six months of time served on one count of arson, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The prosecutor at the time said the case relied on circumstantial evidence. Before hearing input from the victims, Phinn accepted the plea agreement, which bound her to the sentence agreed upon by the attorneys.

A house in Baltimores Bolton Hill neighborhood still shows signs of damage Feb. 17, roughly nine months after a man set it ablaze with his ex-girlfriend and two other people inside. The arson and attempted murder case of Luther Moody Trent has become a political flashpoint in the race for Baltimore states attorney, with his originally lenient plea deal stirring up criticism for the office of States Attorney Marilyn Mosby. (Alex Mann)

Roya Hanna, a defense attorney whos running for states attorney, was waiting for her clients case to be called in reception court and heard Trents case play out. She called a press conference to bring attention to the disposition, seizing the opportunity to criticize Mosbys office. Another defense attorney challenging Mosby, Ivan Bates, called his own press conference to address the case.

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As the news media documented outrage over what was described as a lenient plea, Trent appeared on Fox 45 and said he shouldnt have gotten the deal.

Vignarajah, who previously ran against Mosby, stepped in to represent the victims. He argued that under the Court of Special Appeals case, Antoine v. State, Phinn erred by accepting the binding plea without hearing victim impact statements. The judge acknowledged her mistake and threw out his plea agreement, remanding him to custody.

Two of the victims spoke at the Feb. 3 hearing where Phinn vacated Trents plea, describing pervasive trauma, fear of retaliation and a long road toward regaining a sense of safety.

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives filed a federal criminal complaint against Trent the same day. The document charged Trent with malicious destruction of property used in and affecting interstate commerce by fire, an offense that carries a punishment of up to 20 years in prison.

Rombro has raised concerns that his client is getting treated unfairly because of the politicization of the case.

Its unclear how the new plea offer from city prosecutors will impact the federal case.

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Marcy Murphy, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorneys Office, said the federal charges stand and declined to comment further, citing the pending case.

But Vignarajah told reporters Thursday that the victims had constructive conversations with city and federal prosecutors, where they made clear how they thought the case should be resolved. He said the victims hope for concurrent federal and state sentences with Trent serving his time in the federal system so he has access to more robust resources.

Vignarajah spoke outside the Bolton Hill home Trent set fire to. A blue tarp covering the roof flapped in the wind. Plywood boards covered most of the windows. All that remained of the porch was a pile of soot and a scorched post.

Frankly, a global resolution of the federal and state charges would be the most efficient and fair resolution, Vignarajah said after the hearing Friday. We remain hopeful that justice will be served in the days to come.
Brenner died on Thursday at his home in West Hollywood, his wife confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. Before his death, he was in post-production for James Cameron's 'Avatar' sequel.

Born in Hollywood, Brenner attended North Hollywood High School and Stanford before serving as an apprentice editor on the 1985 film 'Radioactive Dreams'.

The acclaimed editor won an Oscar for his work on Oliver Stone's 'Born on the Fourth of July' in 1990, which he shared with co-editor Joe Hutshing. He also teamed up with Stone for films including 'Platoon', 'Salvador', 'Wall Street', 'Talk Radio', 'The Doors', 'Heaven & Earth', 'World Trade Center' and 'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps'.

He also worked with director Zack Snyder on 'Justice League', 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice', 'Man of Steel' and the extra-long 'Zack Snyder's Justice League'.

He's credited with trimming down 'Batman v Superman' to its theatrical cut of two hours and 31 minutes. After the superhero film hit theatres, an "ultimate edition" of the film released with 31 minutes of additional footage.

Brenner was in post-production on James Cameron's long-awaited sci-fi sequel 'Avatar 2', which is scheduled to release in theatres on December 16. He was also tapped to edit 'Avatar 3', which shot simultaneously and is set for December 20, 2024. (ANI)
Comedian Dave Chappelle is still very much on Netflix's home team as the streamer recently announced four new specials with Chappelle after coming under fire for the comedian's stand-up special 'The Closer'. As per The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix on Friday announced the release of four upcoming comedy specials executive produced and hosted by the controversial comic. The series of specials is dubbed 'Chappelle's Home Team', and each will feature a different comic introduced by Chappelle. The first to be featured is Earthquake (real name Nathaniel Martin Stroman), and his special, called 'Earthquake: Legendary'. It will premiere on February 28. Another special will spotlight Donnell Rawlings. One similarity shared by all the featured comics is they've been in the stand-up game for at least 30 years. "I've been doing this a long time and comedians like Quake and Donnell are not only friends but have inspired my own career," Chappelle said. He added, "Anyone in the comedy community knows these names and knows their time to shine is long overdue. I am proud to be a part of this moment." The specials are directed by Chappelle's go-to helmer Stan Lathan and executive produced by Chappelle, Lathan, Earthquake, Rikki Hughes and Jermaine Smith. Chappelle is a hugely popular name for the streamer. But his last Netflix special, 'The Closer', drew criticism from the media as well as from many of his fans for the comic's lengthy discussion of the transgender movement, segments that were blasted as transphobic. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos defended the special amid the backlash from some in the streamer's own employee ranks and later admitted "I screwed up" by not being more sensitive to Netflix staffers. Still, Sarandos backed the program as "consistent with our comedy offering, it's consistent with Dave Chappelle's comedy brand and this is ... one of those times when there's something on Netflix that you're not going to like." At the time, 'The Closer' was billed as the last of a six-special package of Chappelle content for the streamer. Chappelle will also headline a performance at the Hollywood Bowl for Netflix's Los Angeles-based comedy festival, 'Netflix is a Joke'. (ANI)
American actor Scott Eastwood and Shia LaBeouf allegedly had a "volatile" encounter during the making of filmmaker David Ayer's 2014 war movie 'Fury'. According to Variety, Eastwood recently told a news outlet that Brad Pitt had to intervene when LaBeouf confronted Eastwood over a miscommunication about filming. The script required Eastwood to spit on a war tank during a scene, but LaBeouf did not know about it and took offense to Eastwood's behaviour. Eastwood said, "[LaBeouf] got mad at me and it turned into a volatile moment that Brad Pitt ultimately got in the middle of." "I never think your process as an actor should ever hinder how people are treated on set. It should always enhance the production, not take away and put people in a situation where it's a shitty work environment or you're rude or people have to be in an uncomfortable situation," Eastwood added. He continued, "You got to put things in perspective. This is make-believe, it's fun, and at times it's serious and you're doing emotional work and you give people space to do that in, but everything has to have its parameters." In 2014, Pitt had detailed the altercation to a magazine shortly after the release of 'Fury'. Pitt had told that the tank was driving down the road in the scene with him and LaBeouf stationed in the tank's two turrets. Eastwood had chewing tobacco in his mouth and was spitting it out on the tank. "I said, in the scene with the cameras rolling, 'You're going to clean that shit up' Shia clocks it, and you have to understand, we've been through severe boot camp already, we've been through a lot in this tank. Shia saw it and felt he's disrespecting our home. So Shia had the same reaction I did, and started having some words," Pitt said. Several years later during the production of Olivia Wilde's 'Don't Worry Darling', LaBeouf was deemed "not an easy guy to work with". As Variety reported in December 2020, LaBeouf was dropped from the movie ahead of filming after displaying poor behaviour in pre-production and clashing with the cast and crew. A source close to the film said LaBeouf was "off-putting" to Wilde and those associated with the movie. (ANI)
Directed by Marc Foster with a script by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee, the film will hit theatres on December 25, 2022.

The movie was sold earlier this month after a bidding war at the Berlin Film Festival's virtual European Film Market.

Also starring Mariana Trevino, Rachel Keller and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, the film is an American update on Swedish author Fredrik Backman's best-selling novel 'A Man Called Ove'. The book's 2015 Swedish film adaption was nominated for two Oscars, including the best foreign-language film. (ANI)
Mumbai Anti Narcotics Cell informed in detail that 1.321 kilograms of charas has been recovered from the peddlers. The value of the seized drugs is around Rs 39.6 lakh in the international market.

Further probe into the matter is underway. (ANI)
The Ministry of Home Affairs in an order on Friday requested the State Government to relieve Sanjay Gunjyal immediately to enable him to take up his new assignment at the Centre.

"I am directed to convey the approval of the competent authority for appointment of Sanjay Kumar Gunjyal, IPS (UK:1997) as Inspector General (Level-14 of pay matrix) in Border Security Force (BSF) against existing vacancy on deputation basis for a period of five years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier."

"The State Government is requested to relieve Shri Sanjay Kumar Gunjyal, IPS (UK:1997) immediately to enable him to take up his new assignment at the Centre," the order reads. (ANI)
Stating that the BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi promoted the creation of 60,000 startups in India, Union Minister Smriti Irani has said that if the BJP forms the government in the state then it would form a corpus fund of Rs 100 crore for startups in Manipur. Canvassing for BJP candidate Okram Henry Singh in Manipur on Friday, "In the past seven years, the BJP government has promoted the creation of 60,000 startups in the country. If the BJP forms its government in the state, then it would create a corpus fund of Rs 100 crore exclusively for startups in Manipur." Attacking the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, she said, "Did Rahul Gandhi or the Congress party manage to create an environment for the creation of at least 60 startups in the country." She further said, "Rahul Gandhi's family used Manipur as ATM but PM Modi launched the Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. 11 crore farmers are given Rs 6,000 every year... If voted to power again, we'll give additional Rs 2000 to the farmers of Manipur." In a laundry list of freebies, the Union Minister said that those who attain 18 years of age would get free laptops and teenagers who want to go to college and girls who want to pursue further studies would receive free scooty. The elections in Manipur will be held on February 28 and March 5. Votes will be counted on March 10. (ANI)
"An abandoned packet of paste-like material weighing 490 grams was found concealed inside the panel beneath the seat of the aircraft of IndiGo flight 6 E 1998 inbound from Dubai," a senior customs official told ANI on Friday.

"On extraction gold ingot of 24 karat purity, weighing 421 grams worth Rs. 21.50 lakhs was recovered and seized under the Customs Act, 1962," added the official.

Further investigation into the matter is underway. (ANI)
Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill on Saturday took a jibe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for comparing himself with Bhagat Singh, saying that it is an insult of the legendary freedom fighter. Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader said, "Kejriwal comparing himself with Baghat Singh is an insult to the freedom fighter of this nation. It shows desperation and his lust for votes. On one hand, Bhagat Singh had given up his life for the nation and Kejriwal can not give up even one political post." Shergill further said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is dangerous for the peace, safety and security of Punjab. The state will teach him the difference between sacrificing life for the nation and misleading the people, he added. "The AAP is injurious and dangerous for the peace, safety and security of Punjab. This is the eternal truth. The people of Punjab will teach Kejriwal the difference between sacrificing life for the nation and misleading the people by making tall claims to fetch votes," he said. Earlier on Friday, the Delhi Chief Minister had compared himself with Bhagat Singh, saying "100 years back, Bhagat Singh was called a terrorist by the British and I am his staunch follower. Today, history is repeating itself. All these (political rivals) corrupt people have teamed up to brand the disciple of Bhagat Singh as a terrorist, but people know the truth." Meanwhile, Assembly polls for electing 117 assembly seats in Punjab will be held on February 20. The results will be declared on March 10. (ANI)
Soundararajan completed one year in the office on Friday. The Chief Minister N Rangaswamy called on Soundararajan, who is also the Governor of Telangana, last evening.

Speaking to ANI, Soundararajan said, "I have completed my first year as Lieutenant Governor in Puducherry. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving me an opportunity to work as an additional charge as an LG. I also thank Chief Minister and other leaders for cooperation in the past year"

She further said, "During the pandemic being a doctor I could manage the COVID-19 situation much better, and I'm thankful to all officers who cooperated with me."

Last year on February 17, 2021, Soundararajan had taken additional charge as the Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry. (ANI)
Jury trials and other court operations are set to resume March 7 after being postponed for months due to a spike in coronavirus cases, the state judiciary said.

Joseph M. Getty, chief judge of the Court of Appeals of Maryland, said the decision was based upon the fact that COVID-19 cases have decreased across the state.

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Although we are eager to resume jury trials, the Judiciary remains committed to the health and safety of all litigants, judges, employees, and court visitors, the judge said in a Friday statement. Jurors with questions or requesting accommodations should contact their local circuit court.

Wearing masks will be voluntary, along with other health measures like entrance screening, will not be required, the judiciary said, but local health mandates may impact that. For example, Baltimore City still remains under a mask mandate.

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Trials were first postponed in December after a sharp rise in COVID cases due to the omicron variant.
Senior Journalist Ravish Tiwari, who was the national bureau chief of The Indian Express, passed away last night. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed their condolences on the demise of Tiwari. PM Modi said he was insightful and humble. Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister said, "Destiny has taken away Ravish Tiwari too soon. A bright career in the media world comes to an end. I would enjoy reading his reports and would also periodically interact with him. He was insightful and humble. Condolences to his family and many friends. Om Shanti." President Kovind said, "For Ravish Tiwari, journalism was a passion, and he chose it over lucrative professions. He had an enviable knack for reporting and incisive commentary. His sudden and shocking demise silences a distinct voice in news media. My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues." (ANI)
Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People's Party (NPP) chief Conrad Sangma on Saturday visited his party's candidate from Andro L. Sanjoy Singh's father who was admitted to the hospital after being shot during the election campaign, said the Chief Minister's Office. Sangma, who was campaigning for NPP in Manipur, said he will ensure that necessary action is taken against the perpetrators and he will meet the Chief Electoral Officer today in this regard. Shamjai Singh has shot on the right shoulder during a campaign programme at Yairipok Yambem Leikai in Manipur on Friday, ahead of the assembly elections, added the CMO. "The incident that happened last night is very unfortunate. This simply reflects the frustration of certain individuals. They know the overall political situation. This is not acceptable at all the kind of action they are taking. And we in politics and in democracy have always believed in casting expression through speeches and our votes but this kind of behaviour, this kind of action is completely unacceptable," said Sangma. "We will be meeting the Chief electoral officer today at 3.30 pm and will express our deep concern over the situation which is prevailing in this election. As far as I remember, this is my fifth election in Manipur but I have not seen this level of violence. I have been campaigning since 2002 but I have not seen this kind of violence," added Sangma. "The government and the election commission should take action against this, cognizance against this. Take necessary action so that a free and fair election can take place. We will ensure that we take this up at the highest level including MHA as well as the Chief Election Commission of India. We will ensure that necessary action is taken against the people who have done this kind of act," he further said. The elections in Manipur will be held on February 28 and March 5. Votes will be counted on March 10. (ANI)
The Supreme Court has said that a convict's prior criminal history, conduct and behaviour in jail, possible danger to society etc. are relevant factors while considering his/her application for premature release. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant and Vikram Nath observed that the application for premature release has to be considered on the basis of the policy as it stood on the date when the person was convicted of the offence. The apex court's observation came while hearing a plea filed by one Sharafat Ali, convicted in a murder case, challenging the order rejecting his application for premature release. Ali, who had undergone 17 years, 9 months and 26 days of imprisonment, had submitted an application for premature release. However, the UP government rejected his application. "The order which has been passed by the State government in the present case is bereft of an application of mind to relevant circumstances bearing on whether the petitioner should be released prematurely," the top court said. "The order does not contain any reference whatsoever to whether the petitioner possesses any prior criminal history, save and except for the present case. Similarly, the order is completely silent on the conduct and behaviour of the petitioner in jail and after he was convicted of the offence. The relevant considerations bearing upon whether the release of the petitioner would pose a danger to society have not been adverted to. There has to be a considered application of mind to the facts of each case," the Supreme Court highlighted. "The order contains general observations to the effect that the release may result in resentment on the side of the victim," it said while ordering the authorities to consider Ali's application afresh within two months. (ANI)
The PM tweeted, "Remembering 'Tamil Thatha' U. Ve. Swaminatha Iyer on his birth anniversary. Admired for his contribution to Tamil culture and language, he popularised works from the Sangam era and helped conserve precious heritage. Urging more youngsters to read his rich works."

Uttamadhanapuram Venkatasubbaiyer Swaminatha Iyer was a Tamil scholar and researcher who played an instrumental in bringing many long-forgotten works of classical Tamil literature to light.

Swaminatha Iyer was born on February 19, 1855 and died on April 28, 1942. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit expressed his condolences and said that he was known for his simplicity and eloquence.

"After retiring from the Indian Police Service, Ahmed Hasan, who was active in the politics of Uttar Pradesh for nearly 40 years, has been known for his simplicity and eloquence as a cabinet minister in the then government," Dixit said.

"Dixit has prayed to God to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family members to bear this immense loss," read the statement by the office of the Speaker. (ANI)
The All India Bar Association has welcomed the Centre's move to implement Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System terming that it will make the system more robust and help to track criminals, solve crimes and make India a safer place. In a statement, Dr Adish C Aggarwala, Senior Advocate and Chairman of AIBA said that the long-standing need of mapping individuals who have a brush with the law is now going to be fulfilled with the revolutionary and ground-breaking Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System which is going to be implemented by the Union of India. "It is going to be a major leap forward by digitizing the criminal justice records and making it accessible to law enforcement agencies, laboratories and courts. This will not only make it far more difficult for persons to escape the consequences of their actions, it will also ensure that none, either the guilty or the innocent, is forgotten and that justice is equally meted to all," added Dr Adish C Aggarwala. A major lacuna in the criminal justice system, as it exists today, stems from the fact that vital information is spread into isolated databases that are neither accessible nor integrated with other pillars, which are left groping in the dark when faced with grave crimes. Ingenious criminals take advantage of this by manipulating and presenting distorted versions before the different stakeholders. In absence of an efficient system to track him, a person can go scot-free after committing a crime by simply assuming a fake identity. A person released on bail can escape trial by simply changing his address. The worst placed are victims of non-cognizable offences or others who have to pursue their complaints in court by themselves. They have the arduous task of finding the address of offenders by themselves, getting the accused persons served with a summons and ensuring their appearance in court till the case culminates into a final judgment. Any time during the trial, the said person may escape the system by simply changing his address and not disclosing the new address. A shrewd criminal operating under different names and identities manages to hoodwink the system and it is well nigh impossible to bring such persons to justice. It is not possible for the police to constantly monitor the activities and whereabouts of all accused persons who are not in prison. The criminal laws of India have been framed at a time when social ties were strong and every individual was known to the community. At that time, a person who shifted to a different place could be tracked with the aid of relatives and other persons in localities. Today, this is no longer possible and, therefore, there is a crying need for the system to track individuals without depending upon local cues, as has been formulated in other developed countries, said AIBA. (ANI)
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that the Delhi Government has built 20,000 classrooms in the last seven years and added that this is more than the combined number of classrooms built by Central and state governments during this period. The Delhi Chief Minister inaugurated 12,430 new smart classrooms in 240 government schools of the national capital at Rajkiya Kanya Vidyalaya in Rajokri. Speaking at the event, Kejriwal said, "Delhi government has built a total of 20,000 classrooms in the last 7 years. All the state governments and central government combined could not set up 20,000 classrooms in this period." The Chief Minister further said that the AAP-led Delhi government is fulfilling the dreams of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh, where children of rich and poor go to the same schools. "It was the dream of Baba Sahab (Dr BR Ambedkar) that every student gets the best education. Unfortunately, even after 75 years of Independence, his dream could not come true in other states. I am happy that his dreams have started coming true at least in Delhi. We will fulfill the dream of Babasaheb and Bhagat Singh in Delhi," said Kejriwal. He also said that smart classes have started in Delhi schools now and the poor children will also get a good education. "We have fixed the health system in Delhi. Our aim is that the country should move forward," he added. Kejriwal claimed that government schools have been given world-class facilities and over 20,000 additional classrooms, and teachers have been trained at renowned institutions in the nation. "To provide world-class education to children, the Delhi Board School Education was formed, and it collaborated with the International Baccalaureate. Along with this, Deshbhakti Curriculum was started to inculcate the feeling of patriotism in the children," he added. The Chief Minister said that their purpose is not politics but to build a better nation. "For the past few days, many big leaders of the country have been saying that Kejriwal is a terrorist, which made me laugh. The person, whom they are calling a terrorist, is today dedicating 12,430 classrooms to the nation," he said. Referring to Manish Sisodia's speech Kejriwal said, "The education minister said that this year 3 lakh 70 thousand students have taken admission in Delhi's government schools and have left private schools. What else can prove that the education revolution is coming in Delhi." Kejriwal took a dig at other leaders saying, "They don't fear anything except for schools. If good schools are built, leaders will not get votes in the name of caste and religion. These schools will produce staunch patriots. We are not building schools, we are setting up factories to make patriots," he added. He also said that if any state government wants to improve education, healthcare system, the AAP-led Delhi Government is ready to offer help. Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia and Delhi's Home Minister Satyendar Jain were also present on the occasion. Notably, this comes a day ahead of the Assembly polls in Punjab where the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is contesting. With the inauguration of 12,430 new smart classrooms, the tally of new classrooms built by the Kejriwal government reached 20,000 which is synonymous with 537 new school buildings, as per a statement issued by the Delhi government. The specialties of the new buildings constructed by the government include designer desks in classrooms, libraries, and multipurpose halls for the conduct of events. (ANI)
Ahead of the third phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Defence Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) star campaigner Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that if BJP retains power in UP, it will provide free LPG gas cylinder on the occasion of Holi and Diwali every year. Addressing a public meeting at Colonelganj in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda, he said, "If voted to power in UP again, BJP Government will provide free LPG gas cylinder on the occasion of Holi and Diwali every year. " While talking about the chances of BJP in the first and second phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Singh claimed, "Poll analysts and survey agencies have stated that in the first two phases, BJP is getting more or less the same number of seats it won in the last Assembly elections." On Rahul Gandhi's 'China and Pakistan are closer remarks', he said that Rahul Gandhi has not studied the history of ancient India, he should at least study the history of modern India. "Jawaharlal Nehru was PM when Pakistan handed over the illegally-occupied territory of Shaksgam Valley to China. Indira Gandhi was PM when Karakoram Highway was built in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Manmohan Singh, not Modi Ji was PM when construction on CPEC began," he further added. Escalating his attack on Rahul Gandhi, he said that it pains to see Congress leader Rahul Gandhi say in parliament that a large number of Indian soldiers and only 3-4 Chinese soldiers died in the (Galwan) clash Soon after Rahul Gandhi made this statement in Parliament, an investigative journalist of Australia reported that 38-50 Chinese soldiers were killed in the Galwan clash, he added. "India is no longer a weak country. It has emerged as a strong country. Earlier, the world would not listen when India said something on global platforms. Today, the world listens to India attentively when it speaks," he further stated. Polling in the third phase of the elections will be held in 59 Assembly seats in 16 districts of the state tomorrow. Two phases of the seven-phased polls in Uttar Pradesh have concluded, while the state will have another five phases of polling. Polling for the remaining five phases will take place on February 20, 23, 27, March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Residents of Delhi's Seemapuri are in shock after learning that a military-grade RDX was used in the improvised explosive device (IED) which was recovered from Old Seemapuri on Thursday. People expressed their dismay that even though the suspects had been living in the area for a long time but no one even noticed. Speaking to ANI, Rekha, a woman living in the house just opposite to those of the suspects said, "I have been living here for about 12 years. Three to four boys aged around 20 to 22 were living here for the last two months. They used to wear white round caps on their heads." Rekha told that the boys rarely stepped out of their homes and never talked to the neighbors. "They did not talk, therefore cannot say much about them. The window of the boys' room is clearly visible from our roof, but mostly the boys used to keep the window closed and seldom opened it and looked outside. We never realized that they can do this kind of work," she said. Zakir Hussain, who lives in the same neighborhood said that no one in the area had any inkling that something like this was happening in their neighborhood. On Thursday, when he recalled that panic had spread in the area after people came to know of the IED. "At that time, everyone was having food in his housewhen police asked them to vacate their homes. About two dozen houses around that house were evacuated. Initially people did not understand why they were asked to do so but when they found out people vacated their houses in fear and some stayed away from their houses for about five hours." "At present, the police force is deployed in the area and there is an atmosphere of peace prevailing in the area," he added. However, not many people living in and around old Seemapuri wanted to speak to the media as they are still panic-stricken from Thursday's incident. Investigators in the Old Seemapuri Improvised Explosive Device (IED) recovery incident are probing any support extended to the suspects by local residents. A pattern and similarities between Ghazipur IED recovery and Old Seemapuri are being drawn to zero in on other suspects. On Friday, National Investigation Agency (NIA) teams also inspected the spot. Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana told the media on Friday that there are similarities in the IED that was recovered in Ghazipur on January 17 and the one recovered and neutralized in Old Seemapuri on Thursday. "As per probe, these IEDs were prepared to cause blast in public places...such activities are not possible without local support," Asthana said. "Special cell and investigative teams are on it; we're probing forward and backward linkages. We're trying to pre-empt every such incident in Delhi and expose any local/foreign network. I cannot reveal any further details which may hamper the probe," he added. The Delhi Police have stepped up security in the area. We have put up barricades and sealed the house. The evidence of a crime has been preserved. "The local police have also done the verification of tenants in the area especially the verification of the house on the first floor of the building as part of the Republic Day security drills and a local inquiry has also been conducted by the local police," the officer said. Uttar Pradesh ATS and Delhi Special Cell is also at the spot for the investigation. The Delhi Police Special Cell had conducted a search in a house at Old Seemapuri to establish any linkage between Ghazipur and Old Seemapuri IED recoveries. The Special Cell team also retrieved all the CCTV cameras installed in and around the building in Old Seemapuri and those footage are being analysed to get clues, a senior police officer said. Further probe in the matter is underway. (ANI)
With the former Lok Sabha MP Kirit Somaiya going on a trail to identify assets owned by Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray's wife Rashmi Thackeray, Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday alleged that work is underway on the BJP leader's Rs 260 crore project in Palghar questioning the source of the money on his project. Addressing a press conference, Raut said, "You (Kirit Somaiya) give documents of scam to central agencies, I'll give yours. Don't threaten, we won't be scared. Work on his Rs 260 cr worth project is underway in Palghar. It's in his son's name, his wife is the director. Must probe how did he get the money." Taking a veiled dig at Somaiya, Raut said that there is a "system of extortion" has begun in Mumbai. "We will end the criminal syndicate prevalent in Maharashtra. We will do one expose every day and give information on it. We won't shy away from exposing the system of extortion that has begun in Mumbai," Raut said. Earlier in the day, Raut alleged that Somaiya invested Rs 260 crore in Neerav developers and Neil (Somaiya's son) and Medha Somaiya (Somaiya's wife) directors on Nikon Green Ville Project. "Mr Kirit Somaiya Since u know much abt others, I hope U will also have answers two these questions: 1. Who has invested 260 Cr in Neerav Developers @ Vevoor, Palghar? 2. Are Neil & Medha Somaiya Directors on Nikon Green Ville Project? 3. Which Jt Dir of @dir_ed hs Benami investment in this project?" Raut tweeted on Saturday morning. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena MP also accused Union Minister Narayan Rane of threatening. This comes after Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued notice of inspection to the residence of Rane. "Narayan Rane is threatening that he has our horoscope. Stop giving threats. We too have your horoscope. You might be Union Minister but this is Maharashtra. Don't forget this. We are your 'baap', you very well know what that means," Raut said. Rane in his defence said that the house was constructed by a famous architect on September 17, 2009, as per 1991 Development Control Regulations. He also said, "Eight members of my family reside in the house and no commercial activity takes place. But Shiv Sena complaints to the BMC as they are in power in the municipal corporation, the BMC initiates action." A team of BMC officers visited Narayan Rane's Adhish bungalow on Friday to inspect the house and its relevant documents. Earlier, the BMC had issued under section 68 of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1888. (ANI)
Members of the Joint Republican Caucus in the Maryland General Assembly this week announced a package of legislation that they say will establish common-sense safeguards for Marylands elections processes. The bills have drawn both supporters and critics.

We believe in free and fair elections for all Marylanders. We also believe that confidence in our elections and their validity is the basis of our civil society, said House Minority Leader Del. Jason Buckel, at a virtual press conference on Thursday. With mail-in ballots becoming a larger part of our elections process, this legislative package proactively establishes safeguards to ensure the integrity of our elections.

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Buckel is a Republican who represents District 1B in Allegany County.

Del. Haven Shoemaker, a Republican from District 5 in Carroll County, said the states mail-in ballot process is lacking in adequate protections.

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But Corynne Courpas, a member of Carroll Countys Democratic Central Committee, said the bill package is trying to solving a problem that does not exist.

There has been no indication of voter fraud in the whole country during the last election, especially not in Maryland, she said. There was no disaster or chaos ... [2020] was the absolute safest and most secure election ever held.

The Ballot Protection Act of 2022, or House Bill 939, would prohibit election officials at all levels of government from mass mailing unrequested ballots for any election year. House Bill 963 would require the State Board of Elections to use signature verification software for mailed-in ballots.

Both of these common-sense bills are aimed at securing ballots cast by mail, Shoemaker said. We saw firsthand the disaster of mailing unrequested ballots in the 2020 election cycle and need to be proactive about preventing that chaos from happening again. We also need signature verification as a way to ensure that ballots are being returned by the right people.

Courpas noted that providing mail-in ballots allowed more people to vote in the 2020 election, including her 88-year-old mother who wasnt able to visit a polling place in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Voting by mail is the obvious solution to give all eligible Americans the opportunity to vote ... thats the American way, she said. Questioning the security and validity of the election in Maryland is an affront to the hard-working people at the Board of Elections who are diligent to get things done properly.

House Bill 1172 would remove party affiliation from absentee ballot envelopes.

This bill passed in the House last year with bipartisan support and we hope this year it is taken up by the Senate, said Del. William Wivell, a Republican from District 2A in Washington County. Printing a voters party affiliation on a ballot envelope serves no purpose when it comes to processing mail-in ballots and voters deserve privacy.

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Senate Bill 738 would require the State Board of Elections to coordinate with local boards of elections during statewide elections to perform a sample audit of mail-in ballots to include signature verification. If a critical number of those sample ballots are rejected, it would trigger an audit of all the ballots in that jurisdiction. The bill also allows provisions for ballot curing, a practice that allows local boards of elections to contact voters whose ballots have a problem, such as a missing signature, and allows the voter to cure it so it may be counted. The bill also calls for the reporting and posting of audit results to the State Board of Elections.

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Bryan Simonaire, a Republican from District 31 in Anne Arundel County, said the audit of a sampling of mail-in ballots would allow a jurisdiction to identify any widespread voter fraud concerns.

This is a common-sense and reasonable safeguard that allows us to identify potential issues and give voters the opportunity to cure their ballot, if necessary, Simonaire said.

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

Senate Bill 532 would require voters to present identification at the polls to verify their name and mailing address with an election judge. Accepted forms include a current government-issued photo ID, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or any other recent government document that shows the voters name and address, voter notification card or sample ballot.

If a voter cannot supply any accepted form of identification, or has had a recent address change, they may vote with a provisional ballot. SB532 also makes voting with a false form of identification grounds for prosecution for voter fraud.

There are clearly trust issues with our elections. One of the most straightforward and common-sense ways to ensure fair, secure elections is for Maryland to join the vast majority of other states in requiring identification to vote, said Sen. Justin Ready, a Carroll County Republican. This proposal lays out several forms of identification that can be used to add a layer of assurance at the polls that people are who they say they are.

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Organizations that support voters rights, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, say requiring IDs to vote reduces turnout, citing a 2014 Government Accounting Office study that found strict photo ID laws reduce turnout by at least 2%. In additionally, the organization has said that people of color are disproportionally impacted by these laws because they are more likely to lack IDs.

Courpas also said signature verification software is unreliable and will only make it harder for eligible voters to vote.

Katherine Adelaide, a member of the Carroll County Republican Central Committee, said she agrees with the necessity of all five bills presented by the lawmakers, calling the package common-sense legislation.

I especially appreciate the emphasis on provisional ballots in SB532 for voter ID to make sure that all eligible persons can vote, Adelaide said.
As per the police, a call was received at about 2:50 am regarding the accident.

"A PCR call regarding the accident of a Mercedez car on road from Dhaula Kuan towards Gurugram was received," the Police said.

There were five people in that car and they have been identified as Vinod Kumar, Krishan Solanki, Nitin, Jitender and Karan Bhardwaj, the police said.

The police also stated that all the victims are residents of Palam village and they all were returning home after attending a wedding ceremony in Faridabad.

The police also said, "As per the bypassers, the victims were driving their car fast and rammed their car into a truck." The police informed that two boys, among the five victims, namely Vinod Kumar and Krishan Solanki, died on the spot while the other three are under treatment.

A case has been registered in PS Delhi Cantt. police station.

The Delhi police said, "we are probing to ascertain the cause of the accident."

Later, the police informed that its teams have been deployed and the CCTV cameras being checked to identify and trace the offending vehicles. (ANI)
He was presented before Special Judge Anurag Sain, who remanded him to ED custody till February 26.

Haque was arrested by Enforcement Directorate in connection with the cattle smuggling case.

Haque has previously also been arrested and detained for his alleged involvement in cattle smuggling cases on the India-Bangladesh border. Earlier in January, the Supreme Court had granted bail to Haque.

The bench of Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari had granted bail to Haque in a case involving the smuggling of cattle on the India-Bangladesh border with the help of Border Security Force (BSF) commandant at the Murshidabad border, West Bengal.

It was alleged that the smuggling of cattle through the India-Bangladesh border was carried out at Haque's instance and he paid bribes to the security personnel for facilitation of the trade.

Earlier CBI had also arrested Haque and contented that he had taken advantage of the porous borders to move items across, with a bearing on the National Security, and his release would have consequences for the national security.

The CBI had contended that Haque is an influential man since he managed to enter India through the border despite "Look Out Circular", with the complicity of the local police. If released, it would render further investigation vulnerable, contended the CBI. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday promised that free LPG cylinders would be provided to people on Holi and Diwali if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government returns to power in the state. Addressing a public meeting at Unchahar in Raebareli, Shah said, "For so many years SP-BSP-Congress took votes in the name of the poor. But apart from Narendra Modi, there has been no other Prime Minister who has worked for the poor. The bua-bhatija (aunt-nephew) government ran for many years in Uttar Pradesh. They did nothing except appeasement, casteism and dynastic politics. Rae Bareli has been the seat of the Gandhi family. Was there electricity in Rae Bareli before the BJP rule?" He said the BJP government has provided gas connections to 1.67 crore mothers and sisters under the Ujjwala scheme. "There are no bahubalis anymore in Uttar Pradesh under Yogi Ji. there is only Bajarangbali in the state. Elect BJP again, our government will give a gas cylinder free on Holi and Diwali," stated Shah. Earlier on Saturday, the Union Home Minister held a public rally at Tindwari in Banda district. Shah said, "If by any chance the cycle government (Samajwadi Party) comes to power, Uttar Pradesh will supply terrorism all over the country. Under the Akhilesh government, 2,000 farmers died out of hunger during famine. SP-BSP ruled for 15 years in Uttar Pradesh. What did their governments do for the water crisis of Bundelkhand?" He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government had brought many schemes to save Bundelkhand from the water crisis. "There were some irrigation projects in Uttar Pradesh that were started even before I was born. But could not be completed. Modi government and Yogi government have completed them in five years," Shah said. Referring to the defence corridor project, Shah said, "Earlier country-made pistols and bullets were made during the SP-BSP-Congress rule in Uttar Pradesh. Now missiles will be made that will be used to blow up the tanks of Pakistan." Two phases of the seven-phased polls in Uttar Pradesh have concluded, while the state will have another five phases of polling. Polling for the remaining five phases will take place on February 20, 23, 27, March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Ahead of the third phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections, Union Minister and BJP leader Anurag Thakur, in a press conference on Saturday, claimed that the Samajwadi Party (SP) has links with the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blast case and also gives protection to terrorists. Thakur has asked the Samajwadi Party chief to respond to his allegations. Anurag Thakur said, "When it comes to terrorism, BJP has a zero-tolerance policy on it while Samajwadi Party gives full protection to terrorists." "I would like to tell you that Ahmedabad's serial blast is linked to the Samajwadi Party and the 49 people who have been convicted, one of the masterminds is Mohammed Saif, the son of Shahbaad Ahmed who is a Samajwadi Party leader. Who is this Samajwadi Party leader? Why is Akhilesh Ji quiet on this?" Thakur said. The BJP leader further accused the Samajwadi Party chief of doing appeasement politics and said, "Will Samajwadi Party break its silence on the people who have made Azamgarh a place for terrorists? They do not trust the police or ATS, but they give full support in protecting the terrorists. I would say Aatankiyon se karein Pyaar, Jinnah ke kaseede gaaye hazaar, UP police pe karein waar, Samajwadi hai Tushtikaran ki yaar." "Because of the appeasement politics, these goons and terrorists have gotten stronger in the Samajwadi Party government. In the last 5 years, CM Yogi Adityanath worked to eliminate goons and mafias in UP", he further said. Accusing Akhilesh Yadav of giving protection to the terrorists, Thakur said, "I would like to say, 'Akhilesh ne thana hai, Aatankiyon ko bachana hai' (Akhilesh is determined to save the terrorists). In 2012, in Samajwadi Party's manifesto before the UP election, it was written that they will roll back the terrorism charges levelled against the Muslim youths. At that time, Samajwadi Party was the first national political party that promised in a manifesto that terror charges would be withdrawn from Muslim youths and the party will also take action against such police officials." "And when they came to power in 2013, the charges were dropped. They went to the court. Akhilesh's government did not investigate. Court took cognizance of it saying that today you're withdrawing cases against them, tomorrow will you give them Padma Bhushan?", the BJP leader stated. Anurag Thakur asked the Samajwadi Party Chief to break his silence on the matter. He said, "I would like to ask Akhilesh Ji as to why he is silent regarding the connection of his leader in the 2008 Ahmedabad Serial Blast case." "People have lost their lives and many were injured in the Ahmedabad serial blast incident. The connection of the incident is directly related to Uttar Pradesh's Samajwadi Party. That is in the past few days even after the court's judgement, the leaders of the Samajwadi Party are silent", Thakur told. According to the BJP leader, in the 2008 serial blast, 56 people had lost their lives, and hundreds were injured. "We welcome the judgement of the judiciary. In this, 49 people were convicted in the blast case. 38 terrorists have been given the death sentence, 11 terrorists have been given a life sentence. This all has happened when Gujarat's Chief Minister Narendra Modi was there. After the blast took place, all the agencies asked Narendra Modi not to visit the place where the incident took place. But, he went to the spot, to the police commissioner's office, hospital to see the injured", Anurag Thakur said. "I would like to say that be it SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India) or the Indian Mujahideen, PM Narendra Modi has worked to end terrorism, he added. (ANI)
As per the police, the body was found in a decomposed condition and according to preliminary investigation the teenager was strangled.

The police also informed that the girl's parents had filed a missing report at Narela Police Station (PS) on Tuesday.

The Police stated that they have registered a case of murder.

Police have also informed that the suspect has been identified and said, " The accused will be arrested soon." (ANI)
Commenting on allegations that AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal has had connections with separatists in Punjab, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait has said that the charges have been levelled by a former party colleague who was denied a Rajya Sabha nomination and the Delhi Chief Minister "does not seem like that". He said Kejriwal had been an "andolankari" (agitator) and there was a rift in the party over Rajya Sabha nomination. "He (Kejriwal) does not look like that. There was a rift over Rajya Sabha seat. If Rajya Sabha was given, it would have been fine. Rajya Sabha was not given, allegations have been made," Tikait told ANI. He was responding to a question over allegations by Kumar Vishwas, who was a founding member of Aam Aadmi Party, that Kejriwal had connections with separatists in Punjab and those having sympathy with separatists used to come to his house for meetings during the last assembly polls. Kejriwal has said that the allegations made him "laugh". Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on Friday assured Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi that the Centre has taken the matter of the alleged links between the banned organization 'Sikhs for Justice' and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) seriously and he would personally ensure that the matter is looked into in detail. Punjab Chief Minister had written to Shah alleging that the banned organization Sikhs for Justice is in touch with AAP. Punjab will go for assembly polls on Sunday. (ANI)
Indian Information Technology (IIT) Roorkee launches the 'KISAN' mobile app for dissemination of Agromet Advisory Services (AAS), on Saturday. In continuation of the series of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' program, a regional farmers' awareness program, organized at Water Resources Development and Management (WRD&M) Department, IIT Roorkee under Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS) project. Farmers from Haridwar, Dehradun, and Pauri Garhwal districts along with the stakeholders participated in the program and they were sensitized about the AAS, jointly provided by the Agro-Meteorological Field Unit (AMFU) Roorkee and India Meteorological Department (IMD). Dr K K Singh, Additional Director General Meteorology, IMD, New Delhi, apprised that the block-level weather forecast and weather-based Agromet Advisory Bulletins (AAB) are being provided to the farmers for all six blocks of Haridwar district by the AMFU Roorkee every Tuesday and Friday. Additional Director General Meteorology said, "Farmers can now easily access these bulletins on their mobile phones through the "Kisan" app. He also said that the special feature of the 'KISAN' app is that the weather forecast and advisory bulletin will display only for the block selected by the farmer. Dr Singh added, the farmers can share their feedback about these bulletins which would be helpful to improve the quality of bulletins as per farmers' requirements." He further added that the app is bilingual and users can select either Hindi or English language at their convenience. Dr Khushboo Mirza, Senior Scientist in Regional Remote Sensing Centre (RRSC), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), has developed the "KISAN" app under the guidance of Dr C S Jha, Outstanding Scientist and Chief General Manager at RRSC, NRSC, ISRO, Hyderabad. "The app will be updated from time to time as per the user's requirement so that the purpose of the farmers of the region could be solved," Dr Mirza said. She also demonstrated the working procedure of the 'KISAN' app through a PowerPoint presentation. In the event, Professor A K Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee said, "IIT Roorkee is actively involved in working with farmers for the adoption of better agricultural practices by using the benefits of modern technology. This is a small step towards helping farmers use the latest technologies for reducing the risk component of agriculture."Dr V M Chowdary, Director, Mahalanobis National Center for Crop Forecasting (MNCFC), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, also addressed the inaugural function. He further gave in detailed information on the extensive use of remote sensing technology in the agriculture sector. A video, prepared by AMFU Roorkee, describing in detail the GKMS project, has also been launched in the program. This video is available in Hindi and English language at the YouTube channel and website of the project. Besides, a booklet published in Hindi entitled "Agrometeorological Advisory Services for cereal crops, horticultural crops and livestock" has been released in the inaugural session by the dignitaries. The youth farmers from various villages, who created WhatsApp groups of the farmers from respective villages and disseminated the AAB through these WhatsApp groups, are named "Mausam Mitra" by AMFU Roorkee. A very limited number of farmers and media personnel were invited to the program as per the COVID-19 protocol. The live program was also telecasted through the YouTube channel of the GKMS project, AMFU Roorkee. The event ended with the formal vote of thanks given by Prof. Ashish Pandey, Nodal Officer, GKMS Project at AMFU, IIT Roorkee. (ANI)
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel will now provide security to Vishwas.

Vishwas, who was a founding member of Aam Aadmi Party recently alleged that Kejriwal had connections with separatists in Punjab and those having sympathy with separatists used to come to his house for meetings during the last assembly polls.

Following this, Arvind Kejriwal has said that the allegations made him "laugh".

Earlier on Saturday, Kejriwal said that he will give a befitting reply to the "corrupt people targeting AAP" by inaugurating 12,430 modern classrooms in Delhi schools today.

"This country will not bow down to these corrupt people. Now the country has decided. Now the country will move forward. Baba Saheb and Bhagat Singh's dreams will be fulfilled," he said.

Meanwhile, 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. (ANI)
A person was arrested in Kashmir's Doda on Thursday with a Chinese pistol, two magazines and nine rounds of ammunition. He was identified as 26-year-old Aadil Iqbal Bhat from Sazan. It has been found that he was in contact with Mohd Amin alias Khubaib affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba. Earlier, he had gone to Pakistan in 2007. (ANI)
In a tale that speaks of communal harmony in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas, a Hindu family has been for the last 50 years acting as caretakers of the Amanati Masjid in Barasat here. Deepak Kumar Bose, a senior citizen and his son Partha Sarathi Bose of North 24 Pargana's Barasat have been setting an example of Hindu-Muslim unity in today's world. The Bose family has renovated the mosque named Amanati Masjid and for the last 50 years, Deepak Bose as a caretaker visits the mosque every day and cleans its the corridors to ensure that people from the Muslim community are comfortable during their prayers. It is worth mentioning that the Amanati mosque is situated in the Nabopalli area which is dominated by the Hindus. In 1964, the Bose family had exchanged the property which they had in Khulna (now Bangladesh) with land in North 24 Parganas. They found that there was a small mosque on that land. While many suggested breaking and constructing a building on that plot, the Bose family opposed it as it was a religious structure. "We decided to renovate it and since then we have been looking after this mosque. The Muslim community from different localities comes and pray here and we have appointed an Imam for daily Azaan", the caretaker of the mosque Deepak Kumar Bose told ANI. Deepak's son Partha Sarathi Bose said, "No one till now has objected to us Hindus taking care of the mosque. We have been taking care of mosque for years. In fact, within 2 km of area, there are not any mosques so Muslims from different localities come here to pray. Imam Sarafat Ali said, "I haven't felt any threat from the local people. Since 1992 I have been continuously asking people to come for Azaan. We believe in unity and peace." (ANI)
The Carroll County Board of Education has taken legal action against the Maryland State Department of Education to force the state to drop its mask mandate in public schools.

During a Feb. 9 school board meeting, the board voted to authorize its legal counsel, Edmund OMeally, to file a legal action in Carroll County Circuit Court that takes aim at the state boards December decision to require public school students and staff statewide to wear masks in schools until the end of the 2022 school year. The lawsuit was filed on Feb. 11.

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During the Feb. 9 meeting, board member Donna Sivigny said forcing children to wear masks negatively impacts students mentally, socially and academically.

Board member Tara Battaglia agreed, stating, facial recognition is what our kids need to in order to thrive and grow  that is one of the first things you learn in social psychology. We need to send a message loud and clear  enough is enough.

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The lawsuit states that the state boards regulations concerning face coverings in school facilities violate the rights of petitioners Battaglia and Sivigny as parents of children attending the Carroll County Public Schools and further thrust an irreconcilable dilemma upon the County Board, its elected Board members and its superintendent of Carroll County Public Schools.

In a letter to school board President Kenneth Kiler dated Feb. 12, the Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Education stated that the school system is recognized as a state government agency and does not have standing to sue the state.

The letter cited several court cases to support its assertion.

OMeally said he disagrees with the letter.

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

Even if the suit were dismissed, and I dont think it will be, Ms. Sivigny and Ms. Battaglia would have the ability to bring the claims on their own. ... I think its much ado about nothing, OMeally said. I feel strongly that we have very legitimate grounds to be in court and any disagreement would be for the court to decide.

The state school board amended emergency regulations in December to create off ramps allowing local school systems to end mask mandates in their district if they meet one of the following criteria: at least 80% of students and staff are fully vaccinated; 80% of a countys population is fully vaccinated; or COVID-19 transmission rates are low or moderate for 14 consecutive days in the school districts county.

The Maryland Board of Education is scheduled to meet Tuesday to further discuss the mask requirement. The current emergency regulation is set to expire on July 1.

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The Carroll County school boards lawsuit notes issues with the off-ramp requiring at least 80% of students and staff to be fully vaccinated, stating that the following individuals are not counted toward the 80% threshold: students who are not eligible for vaccination based upon age; and [s]tudents and school staff who are exempt from vaccination because of medical contraindication or religious exemption.

The school boards continued push for students to be able to remove their masks at school comes as Carroll Countys COVID-19 metrics are improving and cases continue to drop. As of Friday, the countys COVID-19 transmission levels were considered high according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at 7.36% or about 301 cases per 100,000 population. In Carroll, 77.1% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated as of Friday, according to the CDC.

On Feb. 15 a group of parents and activists in Charles and Baltimore counties filed its own lawsuit to challenge the school masking requirement implemented by Marylands State Board of Education.

The Coalition of Maryland Parents, a limited liability company created this month that combined members of ReOpen Charles County and Baltimore County Parent and Student Coalition, filed the lawsuit in Somerset County Circuit Court after raising more than $31,000 for legal fees in a week. The lawsuit seeks to stop the State Board of Education from requiring public school students to wear face coverings in school.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday expressed condolences on the demise of veteran Kannada actor 'Kalatapasvi' Rajesh, who passed away in Bengaluru. The Chief Minister said that the actor was a "personification of simplicity" adding that his demise is a "big loss" for the Kannada film division. "Senior actor of Kannada film world Rajesh has left us today. He was an artist known for his mature acting. His movies are etched in our hearts. He had the talent to essay any role with consummate ease. He was the personification of simplicity and lived without any attitudes of being a big actor. His demise is a big loss for the Kannada film world. I pray to the almighty to give the strength to his family members to bear this grief," Bommai said in his condolence message. Actor Rajesh, who won several film awards throughout his career, passed away in Bengaluru on Saturday, at the age of 89. He was reportedly admitted to a private hospital in Bengaluru on February 9 due to respiratory and age-related ailments. Rajesh was kept on a ventilator there; however, his health deteriorated this morning. Born as Muni Chowdappa, in Bangalore on April 15, 1932, he was very much interested in acting and acted in plays since his school and college days. After entering cinema in the 1960s, he rose to popularity as 'Kalatapasvi' Rajesh in the Kannada film industry. He was the father of film actor Aasha Rani and the father-in-law of popular Kannada and Tamil actor Arjun Sarja. Rajesh had acted in over 150 films and in 2014, he was awarded the Dr Rajkumar Cultural Endowment Award by the Kannada Sahitya Parishat. (ANI)
The assurance came when a delegation of the Federation of Northern Karnataka Associations in Bengaluru called on the Chief Minister on Saturday.

The delegation led by President of the Federation Shivakumar Meti presented the charter of demands to the Chief Minister at his home office 'Krishna'.

"Soon land would be granted for the construction of a building for the benefit of people from Northern Karnataka. The land would help build a hostel for the students and people coming from that region," Bommai said.

The Chief Minister responded positively to a demand from the delegation to provide funds on priority basis for prominent development projects of Northern Karnataka.

Apart from Shivakumar Meti, the delegation included Basavaraj Beluru, Sridhar Kalkuru, Gangadhar Vali, Journalist Shankar Pagoki and others. (ANI)
Two persons were arrested with Rs 4.05 crore in a raid conducted by Kolkata Customs (preventive) in the city's northern area on Saturday. According to the police, on receiving a tip-off, Kolkata Customs (Preventive) raided a house in the Hathibagan area of Kolkata and recovered about Rs 4.05 crore cash. More details are awaited. (ANI)
The BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Saturday slammed Congress for demanding the resignation of Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa's over his saffron flag remark and said that opposition is trying to manufacture a controversy. "Congress at the Centre and in state repeatedly behaves as an extremely irresponsible Opposition. They're holding on to this non-issue (demanding Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa's resignation), trying to manufacture a controversy and stall Assembly proceedings," said Surya. Triggering a controversy, Eshwarappa on Wednesday said that the saffron flag in the future could become the national flag and it will be unfurled at the Red Fort. "Not today but someday in the future maybe after 100, 200, or 500 years, the saffron flag may become the national flag. People used to laugh over the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Are we not building the temple now? Now Hindutva is being discussed in the country," Eshwarappa had said. Soon after that Congress MLA demanded his resignation in the state assembly continued their protest by staying overnight in the assembly itself. (ANI)
After bird flu was reported in Maharashtra's Thane, the avian influenza has now been detected at a poultry farm in Vasai-Virar region of neighboring Palghar. According to the district administration over 800 chicken died last week in parts of Arnala and Vasai. Following this, samples of the dead chickens were sent to the central laboratory for examination. The Palghar district administration has ordered culling 1,200 chickens and burying them in the ground in the Arnala area. The outbreak of bird flu in Vasai has raised concerns among poultry traders. Last week large numbers of chicken died in different parts of the city. More than 415 chicken died suddenly in three days in Arnala, Bhandar Ali, Agashi and Wagholi areas of Virar. The samples of dead chicken have been sent by the Animal Husbandry Department to the Medical College, Pune for examination. Pune College said that these chickens died due to infectious fever. After this, they were sent to Bhopal Medical College for further investigation. Bhopal Medical College later said that the chickens died due to bird flu. Earlier, it was reported that bird flu had spread in Shahpur taluka of Thane district. According to the official, more than 15,000 chicken have been killed. The poultry business is at loss due to bird flu. The infected include village hens also. The district animal husbandry department has appealed to the citizens not to be panic in this situation and keep the birds in a bio-secure environment as well have asked the poultry traders to be careful. (ANI)
The actions were taken after a complaint was registered by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)

In a letter to the senior SP of SAS Nagar, the state's Chief Electoral Officer said that a complaint in this regard was registered on February 18 by Arshdeep Singh Kler, Vice President and Spokesperson of SAD.

It stated that SAD leader had raised an objection to a video uploaded on social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter, "to malign the image of Shiromani Akali Dal and other political parties in the eyes of the general public."

"The case stands reported to ECI for further necessary action," it added.

The Punjab Chief Electoral Officer further said that the video clip is not approved by State level MCMC (Media Certification and Monitoring Committee).

The Model Code of Conduct has been in force in poll-bound Punjab since January 8, after the Election Commission announced polling dates in five state including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa.

Assembly polls for electing 117 assembly seats in Punjab will be held on February 20. The results will be declared on March 10. (ANI)
Members of the Afghan Sikh-Hindu delegation who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday told him about their circumstances in Kabul and thanked the government for Citizenship Amendment Act. They called for the government providing citizenship "under one window". A member of the Afghan Sikh-Hindu delegation later said that he "was kidnapped" by Taliban from a gurdwara as "they thought he was an Indian spy". "I was kidnapped by the Taliban from a gurudwara. They thought of us as Indian spies. They gave me hard time," Nidan Singh Sachdeva told ANI. He came from Kabul last year after the Taliban took over Afghanistan. Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for all the help provided by the Indian government in bringing them to India, he urged the centre to provide "nationality and shelter" in India. Another member from the delegation, Tarendra Singh who came to India in 1989 said they requested that "citizenship" should be provided under one window. "We briefed PM Modi about our circumstances in Kabul. Our main problem was naturalisation, we wandered around for our citizenship. So we thanked PM Modi for bringing CAA and would like citizenship under one window," he said. The Prime Minister met members of the Sikh-Hindu delegation from Afghanistan at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg and assured the community of continuous support in future to resolve all issues and difficulties. Members of the delegation thanked the Prime Minister for standing up for them in times of distress. They said that they had tears in their eyes when they heard him talking about making special arrangements to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan to India with proper reverence. "They said that he is not just the Prime Minister of India, but the Prime Minister of the world since he understands the difficulties faced especially by Hindus and Sikhs across the world and makes all-out efforts to provide immediate help in all such cases," an official release said. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Union Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi were also present on the occasion. (ANI)
As part of ongoing 'Food, Agriculture and Livelihood' fortnight, the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai hosted a seminar - 'India: Millets production and upscaling value chain' on Friday. Senior government officials and sector experts deliberated on opportunities for Indian industry players producing and processing millets to enhance the export potential of the country. Speaking at the session, Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare urged the startups and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to help in upscaling millets' value chain and connecting to domestic and international markets. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution sponsored by India and supported by over 70 nations declaring 2023 as the 'International Year of Millets', aimed at raising awareness about the health benefits of the grain and its suitability for cultivation under changing climatic conditions. Shubha Thakur, Joint Secretary (Crops and Oil Seeds), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare said the government is trying to build momentum for the millets campaign by highlighting its nutritional benefits and value chain. Underlining the nutritional security aspect of millets, B Dayakar Rao, CEO, Nutrihub, said they have health benefits and can reduce obesity and malnutrition. "It is well marked on vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals and it also helps beat hypertension, colon cancer and cardiovascular diseases as it reduces triglycerides present in the body. Now with the onset of the International Year of millets, India is ready to lead the world by sharing best practices, technologies, the goodness of millets and established values and experience with other countries," Rao said, according to an official release on Saturday. Kuntal Sensarma, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), talked about the policy incentives in this sector. "Two of our suggestions to the Union Ministry of Finance for this year's budget have been accepted to strengthen the sector and create necessary policy environment. One was in the context of the International Year of Millets for 2023 based on major programmatic interventions and the other one on the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and formalization of micro-enterprises." Deliberating on upscaling the value chain of millets, C Anandharamkrishnan, Director, NIFTEM said there is a need to formalize the unorganized food processing system by providing the FPOs, SHGs and co-operatives with technical support, credit linkages and ensuring adequate storage capacity to avoid food wastage. The release said multiple startups and FPOs are participating in the 'Food, Agriculture and Livelihood' fortnight and displaying their innovative agri-tech solutions and, sustainable and healthy millets-based products. The 'Food, Agriculture and Livelihood' fortnight will conclude on March 2. (ANI)
A new study has revealed that minor rises in blood pressure due to short-term stressors can be linked to a brain area that controls conscious and learned motor skills. This discovery, presented by University of Gothenburg researchers, paved the way for a chance to influence the rises in blood pressure and, in the long run, prevent hypertension. The study was published in 'Scientific Reports'. In roughly half of all people with hypertension--persistently high blood pressure (BP) --, there is no known cause. One plausible theory is, however, that hypertension might be the result of a long period of many recurrent BP peaks. Hundreds or thousands of micro-stress events may occur daily--the telephone ringing, a car horn sounding in the street--with BP spiking every time as a result. For nearly 20 years now, a University of Gothenburg research group has been investigating how this kind of micro-stress affects nerve signals to our muscles and the throughput (perfusion) of blood in their vessels (muscle vasculature). In half of the over 150 men included in the group's studies to date, the pattern of their reaction system leads to BP peaks, while for the other half the reactions taking place in their bodies do not bring about any change in BP. For the study, 20 men aged 19-45 were examined. The experiment involved triggering a response in the nervous system with unexpected electric shocks that emulate the sudden and/or stressful stimuli to which we are exposed daily. The researchers combined two measurement methods. In one, a traditional research technique called microneurography, very thin needle electrodes are used to probe the signalling in nerve fibres (specifically, muscle sympathetic nerve activity, MSNA) directed to the vascular bed (blood vessels) of the muscles. The other was a modern brain-imaging technique known as magnetoencephalography (MEG). For the first time, the researchers could link the increased susceptibility to micro-stress to a reflex-like signal in the brain. The brain area (the "rolandic area") that activated the signal-controlled several conscious brain functions. This finding opened the question of whether the BP peaks may be learned and could therefore also, with training, be eliminated. "We see a surprisingly strong connection between the peripheral autonomic vascular reaction, which takes place subconsciously, and a reaction pattern -- one that was already previously well known -- in a part of the brain where emotional impressions and motor skills undergo conscious interpretation. This raises questions about how independently the 'autonomic nervous system', as it's called, really works," said Mikael Elam, Professor of Clinical Neurophysiology at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. The idea that the discovery might come to be used to prevent hypertension was not unrealistic, but much research was needed. "If we can develop ways of boosting the signal-to-noise ratio, in the future, it may be possible to extract the relevant brain signals from a regular electroencephalogram [EEG], which is available in every Swedish hospital today. That would enable us, at an early stage, to identify people who react with BP spikes before they develop hypertension. Many other opportunities for preventive measures and research would then follow," said Justin Schneiderman, Senior Lecturer in experimental multimodal neuroimaging at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. Interestingly, our environment seemed to matter more than our genetic code when it came to which reaction pattern we developed, and thus whether we experience many daily BP spikes or not. An earlier study by the research group on identical twins showed that basic activity in the twins' blood-vessel-regulating autonomic nervous systems was very similar, while their stress-triggered reactions diverged. "One may speculate that today, many people have learned to suppress the primitive fight-or-flight response since it's not that relevant in modern society. It's an impulse that prepares us for action, by reducing the vasoconstrictor nerve activity and thereby increasing blood flow in the muscles. In terms of long-term health consequences, it might be beneficial to preserve the old flight-or-fight impulse in response to sudden stressors," Elam pondered. The research group hoped to be able to facilitate studies at the population level, monitoring large groups of people over a long period. This would enable investigation of, first, whether individuals with reaction patterns that cause many peaks in blood pressure during the day are indeed at increased risk of developing hypertension later in life and, second, whether influencing this reaction pattern is feasible. (ANI)
China sentenced an Uyghur educator and principal of a high school in Korla (Kuerle in Chinese) in northwestern China's Xinjiang region to 18 years in prison for inviting two Uyghur scholars to give presentations. Sherep Heyit organized and held a number of cultural events to which he invited well-known Uyghur intellectuals Yalqun Rozi and Abduqadir Jalalidin to give lectures, reported Shohret Hoshur, writing in Radio Free Asia (RFA). The two intellectuals have been in prison since 2017, the year that Chinese authorities began detaining Uyghurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims in a vast network of "re-education" camps in Xinjiang, purportedly to prevent religious extremism and terrorism. About 1.8 million people are believed to have been held in the camps, reported Shohret. According to Husenjan, a former student of Sherep's who now lives in exile said that he was detained by Chinese authorities in Korla about four years ago, but his sentence was not known. "I learned his sentence term of 18 years through a Chinese friend in inner China," Husenjan said. "I was very saddened by this tragic news, but I was not surprised at all because it has been three or four years since he disappeared. "He was an elite intellectual," added Husenjan. Authorities have targeted teachers and intellectuals in Xinjiang because they are the brains of Uyghur society and the most significant means of passing on Uyghur culture and identity, Abdureshid Niyaz, an independent Uyghur researcher based in Turkey, told RFA in a 2021 report. Husenjan, who already knew that Sherep was being detained, said the form principal was sentenced because of his association with the two Uyghur scholars who gave lectures, reported Shohret. A Chinese police officer in Korla contacted by RFA said he was aware of Sherep's arrest and detention and knew the officer who had been involved in the case. He also confirmed that Sherep was serving an 18-year sentence, though he didn't know where or what had happened to the former principal's family members. "Our police station commander was the leading officer in his arrest and case," the officer said. "He was sentenced to 18 years." Korla is the second-largest city in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and is the capital of Bayin'gholin Mongol (Bayinguoleng Menggu) Autonomous Prefecture, the largest prefecture in China. Sherep graduated from a Chinese university outside Xinjiang and was skilled in both Chinese and English besides his own language, Husenjan said. When the Chinese government stepped up its repression of the Uyghurs in 2017, Sherep was one of the first Uyghur elites to be abducted by authorities, he said. Sherep quickly rose to prominence in Uyghur society in Korla and in the rest of Xinjiang because of his responsible work ethic and educational background, according to another former student who now lives in Japan, reported Shohret. (ANI)
Xi extends condolences to Brazilian president over heavy rains disaster

Xinhua) 09:00, February 19, 2022

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.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Freedom Federal Credit Union is partnering with Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) to provide new teachers in kindergarten through second grade with starter libraries for their classrooms.

Freedom receives many requests from educators each year in search of financial support for their classrooms, said Carmen David Mirabile, senior vice president of marketing for the credit union. We have seen the need for elementary level books and reading resources as a recurring and unmet need for many educators, who quite often, are reaching into their own pockets to stock their classrooms with new, age-appropriate reading materials. This is a small step towards fulfilling that need, not just for a single teacher, but for many across Harford County Public Schools.

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Representatives from the credit union and school system presented the first libraries to teachers at Magnolia Elementary School on Jan. 24. Forty-two new teachers across 22 HCPS schools will receive a bundle of over 500 grade-specific reading books appropriate for their students and aligned with their curriculum.

Freedom hopes to build awareness around the need for classroom libraries and recognizes it will be necessary to address the need as a multi-year, strategic initiative, Mirabile said.

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Freedom is a very special community partner, said HCPS Superintendent Dr. Sean Bulson. Not only did Freedom provide masks and thermometers for staffs personal use during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they also found a way to support our classrooms. Putting books into the hands of students is one of the most important things we do. We appreciate Freedom for supporting these educators as they begin their teaching career.

Also, educators within Harford County or Baltimore County schools are eligible for Freedoms Golden Apple Program, a savings and rewards program for educators. This program includes access to the credit unions annual Golden Apple awards which allow teachers to apply for classroom grants up to $2,000. Entries are now being accepted for the current school year.

Freedom Federal Credit Union is a community-chartered federal credit union that offers consumer financial services to those who live, work, volunteer, attend school, or have family in Harford and Baltimore Counties. Freedom offers a full-line of banking services for all businesses, associations, and other organizations based in Harford or Baltimore Counties.

Freedom has six locations throughout Harford and Baltimore County. To learn more about credit union and its programs for teachers, visit freedomfcu.org.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Friday (local time) and discussed Ukraine situation as well as Afghanistan at the Munich Security Conference 2022 in Germany. Secretary Blinken and the Foreign Minister discussed tensions in Ukraine and the pressing need for Russia to deescalate the situation, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement. 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. Price also said that Blinken thanked Al Thani for "Qatar's generosity and continued willingness to partner in our efforts to assist the people of Afghanistan." It has been nearly six months after the Taliban recaptured power in Afghanistan but they have not been recognized by any country yet. Taliban, who are desperate to seek international recognition, and have time and again been reminded that respect for women and human rights, establishing inclusive government, not allowing Afghanistan to become a safe haven of terrorism are the preconditions for the recognition set by the international community. (ANI)
US President Joe Biden on Friday (local time) said that he believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine. Speaking about the latest developments at the White House over Russia-Ukraine crisis, Biden said, "As of this moment, I am convinced he's made the decision." Biden previously stated he did not believe the Russian leader had made up his mind but acknowledged his insights into Putin's thinking were limited. In previous appearances over the past month, Biden has suggested that Putin's thinking was a mystery to almost everyone, indicating even top Russian advisers were in the dark as to his intentions. Friday's comments marked a significant shift in the President's view and a far more definitive stance on his counterpart's plans. After his initial answer, Biden has pressed again whether he was convinced Putin had determined to go ahead with an invasion. "Yes," Biden said. "We have reason to believe that Russian forces intend to attack Ukraine in the coming days. We believe that they will target Ukraine's capital Kiev," he added. "We're calling out Russia's plans loudly repeatedly, not because we want a conflict but because we're doing everything in our power to remove any reason that Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine and prevent them from moving," said the US President. Biden said there has been an uptick in Russian disinformation that could be used as a pretext for an invasion into Ukraine. He said reports pushed to the Russian public that Ukraine is planning to launch an attack in separatist-controlled Donbas lacked evidence. He said those claims defied logic. "All of these are consistent with the playbook the Russians have used before," Biden said. "This is also in line with the pretext scenario that the United States and our allies and partners have been warning about for weeks," Biden went on. He said the US had seen an uptick in violations of the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. Biden once again warned Russia of possible consequences if an invasion of Ukraine occurred, but said: "It is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table." "The bottom line is this. The United States and our allies and partners will support the Ukrainian people. We will hold Russia accountable for its actions. The West is united and resolved. We're ready to impose severe sanctions on Russia if it further invades," Biden said. "Russia can still choose diplomacy. It is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table," he said. Biden noted that Russia agreed that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov should meet on February 24 in Europe. "But if Russia takes military action before that date, it will be clear that they have slammed the door shut on diplomacy," he warned. "They will have chosen war and they will pay a steep price for doing so. Not only from the sanctions that we and our allies will impose on Russia but the more outrage the rest of the world will visit upon them," he added. (ANI)
US President Joe Biden on Friday (local time) said that there has been an uptick in Russian disinformation that could be used as a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine. "We are calling out Russia's plans loudly and repeatedly ... we're doing everything in our power to remove any reason Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine and prevent them from moving. Make no mistake: if Russia pursues its plans, it will be responsible for a catastrophic and needless war of choice," Biden said at the White House while discussing developments on the crisis between Russia and Ukraine. President Biden said the US believes that Russian troops intend to attack Ukraine "in the coming week, the coming days." "We have reason to believe the Russian forces are planning and intend to attack Ukraine in the coming week, the coming days," the President said Friday speaking from the White House. "We believe that they will target Ukraine's capital Kyiv -- a city of 2.8 million innocent people." Biden went on to condemn such an attack, in the process pledging to continue supporting Ukraine. "The United States and our allies are prepared to defend every inch of NATO territory from any threat to our collective security as well. We also will not send troops in to fight in Ukraine, but we will continue to support the Ukrainian people," the President added. Biden said reports pushed to the Russian public that Ukraine is planning to launch an attack in separatist-controlled Donbas lacked evidence. He said those claims defied logic. "All of these are consistent with the playbook the Russians have used before," Biden said. "This is also in line with the pretext scenario that the United States and our allies and partners have been warning about for weeks," Biden went on. He said the US had seen an uptick in violations of the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. Biden meanwhile also said that it is up to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky whether he will attend this weekend's Munich Security Conference 2022 held in Germany. "That's a judgment for him to make," Biden said when asked by reporters following remarks he gave on the current state of tensions between Ukraine and Russia. Biden added, "I've spoken with Zelensky a dozen times, maybe more, I don't know. In the pursuit of a diplomatic solution, it may -- maybe be a wise choice. But it's his decision." It was previously reported that Biden administration officials have privately urged Zelensky that they do not believe it is a good idea for him to leave Ukraine and visit Munich on Saturday. Nearly half of Russian forces surrounding Ukraine are in attack position, according to a US defence official familiar with the latest assessment. The number of battalion tactical groups has swelled to approximately 120-125. A battalion tactical group usually comprises 1,000 troops. The official said the Russian military has continued to move forces toward the border, and within the last 48 hours, the number of forces in attack position has reached 40-50 per cent. At the same time, the Russian destabilization campaign has begun, the official said, with Russia accusing Ukraine of genocide in Donbas, conducting false flag operations, and more. On Friday, a military vehicle exploded in the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine near the Government House building, the headquarters of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic. An advisor to Ukraine's Interior Minister, Anton Gerashchenko, called it a "staging and a provocation." Earlier, the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, two self-governed regions in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed separatists, organized the evacuation of civilians to Russia. (ANI)
In a bid to save its crown jewel semiconductor industry from Chinese industrial espionage, Taiwan is mulling to draft a law that would carry up to a 12-year prison sentence. Lauly Li and Cheng Ting-Fang, Nikkei Asia said that Executive Yuan on Thursday approved draft amendments to the National Security Act that would make it a crime to engage in "economic espionage." This will help in the unapproved use of critical national technologies and trade secrets outside of Taiwan. In addition, any individuals or organizations that have been entrusted or subsidized by the Taiwanese government to conduct operations involving critical national technologies will have to receive government approval for any trips to China, according to the draft regulations. Failing to do so could incur a fine of between 2 million and 10 million New Taiwan dollars (USD 71,000 and USD 358,000), reported Nikkei Asia. "High-tech industry is the lifeline of Taiwan. However, the infiltration of the Chinese supply chain into Taiwan has become serious in recent years," Lo Ping-cheng, minister without portfolio and spokesperson for the Executive Yuan, said at a news conference. "They are luring away high-tech talent, stealing national critical technologies, circumventing Taiwan's regulations, operating in Taiwan without approval and unlawfully investing in Taiwan, which is causing harm to Taiwan's information technology security as well as the industry's competitiveness," added Lo. Lo said the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen sees an urgent need to amend the law to establish a more complete national security front line and stop such "unlawful actions." An official from the Ministry of Justice said the draft law aims to ban critical industry technologies from falling into the hands of any foreign country or external counterforce. The official said Taiwan will set up special courts to facilitate any trials related to trade secret leaks and other cases of economic espionage, said Lauly and Cheng. The move comes as Beijing seeks to build up China's semiconductor industry -- a goal that has intensified demand for Taiwanese engineers and its critical technologies. Last year, Taiwan banned job advertisements and postings for openings for careers in China. Taiwan, a self-governed democracy that Beijing views as a part of its territory, boasts the world's second-largest chip industry by revenue. Its global importance has been highlighted by the unprecedented global semiconductor crunch that affected a wide range of industries from smartphones to automobiles, reported Nikkei Asia. Taiwan's chip industry know-how and its experienced workers have long been a target for China in its push to develop its own semiconductor industry. There have been many indictments involving chip trade secrets being stolen by Chinese companies in the past few years, according to the Taiwanese government. However, the COVID pandemic and prolonged quarantine measures in China and Taiwan coupled with deteriorating relations between the two sides have slowed the move of talent from Taiwan to China in the past two years, industry executives told Nikkei Asia. (ANI)
The latest report from the local Civil Defense agency also said the number of people reported missing has almost doubled to over 200, since heavy rains on Tuesday caused rivers to overflow, sparking mudslides that destroyed many homes.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, who flew over the disaster area at noon on Friday, said it looked like a "war scene," and ordered his ministers to take a series of emerging measures.

Firefighters said it was still possible to rescue people alive four days after the disaster, though weather conditions slowed rescue efforts by making it difficult to use heavy machinery to move earth and rubble.

The Brazilian government is expected to release some 500 million reais (about 95 million U.S. dollars) in emergency relief for the affected area. (ANI/Xinhua)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock discussed Ukraine crisis at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. When asked about Russia-China new alliance, Blinken said, "Russia and China together are right now less than 20 per cent of world GDP. The United States, Europe together 45 per cent of GDP. When we bring in some of our democratic partners from Asia, Japan, Korea, Australia, others, we're well over 50 per cent of the world GDP. That is a very powerful weight when it's acting in unison, and increasingly, we are." "We are doing together to bring the countries - not just in Europe but beyond Europe - together in making very clear to Russia that if it commits renewed aggression against Ukraine, there will be, as we've said, and I quote, "massive consequences." This is what the G7 countries said together. The European Union, NATO, the power of that deterrent and our solidarity, I remain hopeful, will have an impact," he added. The German Foreign Minister said there is a new war impending right in the middle of Europe. "Russia issues an absolutely unacceptable threat with their troop's buildup vis-a-vis Ukraine, but also vis-a-vis all of us and our peace architecture in Europe. Therefore, this crisis is therefore no Ukraine crisis. We have to be very careful about our framing. It's a Russia crisis." She said that the Russian threat continues to be a real one and reiterated that if Moscow attacked Ukraine, then this would have massive consequences for Russia financially, politically, and economically. However, Baerbock said, "And we have yet another message to Moscow that is just as clear. We don't want to have that. We don't want to have to draw these consequences. We want to have a serious dialogue and security and peace together in Europe." Baerbock stressed determination, solidarity, and reliability regarding the crisis. " We are determined with a view to the actions and measures that we're preparing in the event of Russia acting against Ukraine. These sanctions are - or would be unprecedented and have been coordinated with all our partners and have been prepared with them," she added. Meanwhile, Blinken said that he had a chance to speak about the Ukraine crisis a little bit yesterday at the United Nations, at the Security Council, before coming here. "We are doing everything we possibly can to make clear that there's a diplomatic path, that this has to be resolved, the differences have to be resolved through dialogue, through diplomacy, we are deeply concerned that that is not the path that Russia has embarked on, and that everything that we're seeing - including what you've described in the last 24, 48 hours - is part of a scenario that is already in play of creating false provocations, then having to respond to those provocations, and then ultimately committing new aggression against Ukraine," said Blinken. (ANI)
"The petition for a writ of certiorari is granted," the court filing revealed on Friday. "The case will be set for argument in the second week of the April 2022 argument session."

In August, a US federal court in the state of Texas ordered the Biden administration to restart the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), otherwise known as the "Remain in Mexico" policy, on December 6. The decision came after the US Supreme Court rejected the Biden administration's initial attempt to end the program.

The Biden administration again asked the Supreme Court in late December to review its argument to end the policy.

More than 60,000 asylum-seeking migrants were returned to Mexico when the Trump administration rolled out the MPP program. Migrant shelters on the Mexican side of the border became overwhelmed and migrants themselves faced extortion or were kidnapped by criminal gangs.

However, the policy helped deter the influx of migrants arriving at the US southern border. The Biden administration has seen record-setting numbers on the number of illegal crossings into the United States from Mexico.

More than 1.5 million undocumented migrants crossed into the United States unlawfully from Mexico in the fiscal year 2021, according to US Customs and Border Protection. (ANI/Sputnik)
Haider, on Tuesday, slipped to the bottom of a well being dug in Shokak, a drought-ravaged village in Zabul province, some 400 kilometres (250 miles) southwest of the capital, Kabul.

According to the officials on Friday, Haidar was still alive - but they later announced he had died, Al-Jazeera reported.

"Sadly baby Haider was separated from us forever. Our country today is again the host of a great tragedy May Allah grant patience to all the Afghan people and especially to Haider's family And may God bring more springs of joy," Anas Haqqani, a senior Taliban member said in a tweet.

The incident took place on Tuesday and since then the local authorities had not been able to rescue the boy.

Local residents in the Jaldak area said rocks in front of the boy have made it difficult for rescuers, reported the Khaama Press. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock on Saturday, and discussed several issues including Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific and the ongoing tension between Ukraine and Russia. Taking to Twitter, the Foreign Minister said that he also focused on climate action and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during the meeting. "A wide-ranging discussion with German Foreign Minister @ABaerbock. Focused on climate action and SDGs, bilaterally and globally. Covered Afghanistan, Indo Pacific and Ukraine. Looking forward to building further on today's meeting", Jaishankar tweeted. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock discussed Ukraine crisis at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. The German Foreign Minister said there is a new war impending right in the middle of Europe. "Russia issues an absolutely unacceptable threat with their troop's buildup vis-a-vis Ukraine, but also vis-a-vis all of us and our peace architecture in Europe. Therefore, this crisis is therefore no Ukraine crisis. We have to be very careful about our framing. It's a Russia crisis." Amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, a "powerful explosion" hit Luhansk, Sputnik reported. The blast was said to occur at gas pipeline "Druzhba" and lead to a massive fire.Local gas infrastructure managing "Lyhanskgas" said in a statement that emergency crews are now present on the site, reported Sputnik. "At 00:10 on 19 February, calls began to arrive about a major fire on the gas pipeline near Malaya Vergunka, emergency teams of the State Unitary Enterprise 'Luganskgaz' went to the scene," "Luganskgaz" told reporters. Recently, the Quad meeting in Melbourne held a discussion over the ongoing situation between Russia and Ukraine to reinforce rules-based order that applies equally in Indo-Pacific as it does in Europe. "There was a discussion of Russia and Ukraine in the context of the Quad meeting that we had with our Indian counterparts, our Japanese and Australian allies. There was a strong consensus in that meeting that there needs to be a diplomatic - a peaceful resolution to this. One of the core tenets of the Quad is to reinforce the rules-based international order, and that is a rules-based order that applies equally in the Indo-Pacific as it does in Europe, as it does anywhere else," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. (ANI)
The two leaders also talked about the Afghanistan issue and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"Productive meeting with Iranian FM @Amirabdolahian. Discussed economic cooperation, connectivity, JCPOA and Afghanistan", tweeted Jaishankar.

The seventh round of the talks on Iran's nuclear program started in Vienna on November 29 last year and the main focus was lifting US sanctions against Iran.

In May 2018, the United States withdrew from the JCPOA - signed also by China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany and the European Union - and reintroduced comprehensive sanctions against Iran.

As a result, Iran largely abandoned fulfilling its own obligations under the accord.

In October last year, Tehran and Washington affirmed their readiness for the resumption of talks related to JCPOA.

In a separate Tweet, Jaishankar informed that he has met with his German counterpart to discuss Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific and the Ukraine crisis. (ANI)
Tremayne Murphy, 40, of Harford County, who federal authorities said was part of a drug trafficking ring, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison, and four years of supervised probation for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Murphy pleaded guilty to the charges in September. According to that plea, a Harford County Narcotics Task Force investigation into a drug trafficking organization distributing powder and crack cocaine determined that Murphy, along with Reginald Leon Bolden, 37, also of Harford County, and Joel Hammond, 35, of Essex were members of the organization.

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Hammond and Bolden were earlier sentenced to six years and nine years in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in the conspiracy. Murphy was convicted of selling at least 112 grams but less than 196 grams, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

During the investigation, the Justice Department said, law enforcement officers witnessed drug-related activities, including one instance where Bolden and Murphy traveled to Wilmington, Delaware, to meet with a cocaine supplier.

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After completing the deal for nine ounces of cocaine, Bolden and Murphy returned to Harford County to distribute the cocaine, the Justice Department said. Murphy was seen traveling back to Wilmington two days later to return the cocaine to the original supplier because customers complained about its quality.

After meeting with the supplier, detectives followed Murphy back to Harford County where he was observed conducting a hand-to-hand drug transaction. Investigators also intercepted communications between Bolden and Hammond. Bolden had arranged the transaction through a co-conspirator, who transported money to Hammond and received a small backpack from Hammond, which investigators believed contained the cocaine.

Investigators watched as the co-conspirator left Boldens residence with the same small backpack of suspected cocaine and got into a vehicle operated by Murphy. The co-conspirator quickly exited Murphys vehicle without the backpack and Murphy drove to Boldens residence, the Justice Department said.

Detectives later saw Bolden leaving Hammonds residence and as he was returning to Harford County, members of the Harford County Narcotics Task Force searched his vehicle andseized 16 grams of powder cocaine, 41 grams of crack cocaine and $660 in cash, the Justice Department said.
A delegation led by the exiled leader from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri has briefed Fabian Hamilton, a Member of Parliament from the British Labour Party about the ongoing situation in the region. The delegation raised concern for the restoration of peace in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and the protection of the rights of the citizens. They also urged for peace and stability in the region and the eradication of all forms of terrorism and extremism. During his briefing in London, Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri said that the people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are facing discrimination on the basis of ethnicity. "Natural resources are being plundered without the consultations of the local population. People of these areas are state victims -- facing discrimination, kidnappings, violence, torture and arbitrary arrest," he said. "Those who are peacefully advocating for their basic political and social rights are facing strict restrictions on freedom of movement in Gilgit Baltistan. Nationalists are put under Schedule IV by state institutions and they are not allowed to travel without prior permission from the authorities." The delegation comprises of Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, exiled Chairman of United Kashmir People's National Party, Sardar Tariq Khan, Sardar Amjad Yusuf, Mirza Haleem, Tika Tahir Khan. Mahmood Ahmed, Raja Waqar Aziz were in the delegation, Chaudhry Ghulam Hussain former member council and leader of Labour Party was also present in the meeting. "Terrorism and extremism are being promoted systematically in the region. Kashmiris who demand ownership of their natural resources and the right to self-rule are forced to flee from native areas and live in exile. They are levelled as anti-state, anti-religion. In such a grim state of human rights in these areas," added urging the UK to use its influence and ask Pakistan to respect human rights and give oppressed Kashmiris their basic human and fundamental rights The programme was to debunk propaganda by Pakistan. Under Pakistan's freedom of speech and opinion are being suppressed, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan have no basic rights. The plundering of natural resources is at its peak and people are suffering due to Islamabad's brutal policies. "We will not compromise on our basic rights. Pakistan has no locus standi. Our struggle is for the reunification and rights of people. Extremism and terrorism are backed and sported by the deep state of Pakistan," the delegation noted. (ANI)
Pakistani leader and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq has lashed out at Imran Khan government for destroying every institution over the last three-and-a-half years, and said that the surrender of the country's economic control to the IMF and the world money lenders is a disastrous tsunami for the country. The PTI government is the worst in the country's history, which devalued the national currency by over 58 per cent without the country fighting any war or undergoing any emergency," reported the News International quoting Sirajul Haq. "Imran promised to build 5 million homes, but instead made millions of people homeless. He promised to liberate the country of IMF, but instead given the State Bank under its control," he said. The JI leader made these remarks while addressing the third sit-in at Gujranwala of Pakistan's Punjab province, in connection with the proposed 101 sit-ins planned against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government of Imran Khan, according to the publication. Notably, on February 15, the Pakistan government had hiked the prices of fuel by Rs 12.03.Meanwhile, an Opposition leader and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) President Shehbaz Sharif held a secret meeting with PTI's influential leader Jehangir Khan Tareen to discuss the strategy to oust PM Imran Khan from power, as per The News international. PMLN chief Shehbaz Sharif has formed a committee to move a no-confidence motion against Pakistan. "Shehbaz Sharif has formed a committee," The News International reported citing sources. It added that the 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. 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)
Out of the injured many of them have suffered stray bullet injuries, while a boy was reportedly fell from a rooftop, according to Dawn newspaper.

"It looked like there was no police in the city today because we have not heard so many gunshots in the past," the publication reported citing a citizen.

Several injured people have been shifted to District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

Meanwhile, the district police have been taking action against kite flyers through digital monitoring, as per Dawn.

Quoting city police officer, Dawn said that at least 210 complaints have been registered against kite flyers on Friday. (ANI)
Prime Minister met leaders of the minority community who have been facing persecution in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the country in mid-August last year.

This comes after PM Modi hosted a delegation of eminent personalities and spiritual leaders from the Sikh community at his official residence on Friday.

PM Modi also took to Twitter to post a photograph of his meeting with Uday Singh from Sri Bhaini Sahib of Ludhiana, a spiritual leader of the Namdhari Sect.

The meeting comes ahead of voting for the Punjab Assembly elections on February 20.

In a tweet, PM Modi said, "Met with eminent personalities of Sant Samaj and Sikh community. These were all the Patwants who spread the Sikh community and culture all over the country and the world and served humanity."

In a video of the meeting shared by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Sikh representatives were seen gifting a 'kirpan' to PM Modi.

India has contributed significantly in recent years to the development of Afghanistan.

India has supplied three tonnes of medicines to Afghanistan as part of its fourth batch of medical assistance under humanitarian aid to the war-torn country.

"As part of our ongoing humanitarian assistance, India supplied the fourth batch of medical assistance consisting of three tonnes of essential life-saving medicines to Afghanistan. The same was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul," the MEA said in a statement on January 29.

Indian development projects have been undertaken in critical areas like water, road, healthcare, education, agriculture and capacity building. India's emphasis has been on the welfare, and the well being of the people of Afghanistan. (ANI)
The families of Baloch missing persons held a march against enforced disappearances of people in the province of Balochistan and demanded the release of their kins, according to a media report. The protesters reportedly marched from Quetta to Islamabad and urged rights activists and organizations to be vocal on this issue. On Thursday, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed concerns over reports of a fresh wave of enforced disappearances in the country's Balochistan province. "The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is alarmed by reports of a fresh wave of enforced disappearances in Balochistan and the rest of the country, including most recently, Hafeez Baloch, a postgraduate student at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad," the HRCP said in a statement. According to HRCP, Baloch was allegedly disappeared while in Khuzdar, where he volunteers at a local school. Reports suggest that he was abducted in front of his students. The rights group said the sheer brazenness of this act underscores the increasing impunity accorded to perpetrators. "Mr Baloch must be recovered immediately and the perpetrators identified and held accountable." Questioning the Pakistani government's pledge to criminalise enforced disappearances, the HRCP said this promise continues to ring hollow. "Two students at Balochistan University were allegedly disappeared last November, but an extended sit-in by students at the university was met with little more than vague assurances that they would be recovered." The rights group also raised concern over the "continuing shroud of silence" over enforced disappearances in the province, which remains deliberately cut off from the mainstream media. "The state must understand that it cannot expect to resolve the legitimate grievances of the Baloch people if it is not prepared to let these grievances see the light of day," the HRCP added. (ANI)
Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russian separatist government in the Donetsk region has signed a decree on general mobilization.

"The People's Council of the DPR has approved the decree of the head of the DPR on general mobilization," Sputnik News Agency reported citing a council member Vladislav Berdichevsky.

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.

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.

Meanwhile, the Russian Emergencies Ministry told Sputnik today that Rostov Region has opened 15 border crossings for refugees from the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas.

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)
China's offer of duty-free quota access to Nepal is not helping Kathmandu's economy, said a media report on Saturday. According to Tibet Press, in 2017-18 alone, Nepal's imports from China stood above USD 1.5 billion, while its own exports to the country stood around USD 23 million. The situation has remained so despite China providing duty-free access to Nepal since 2009. "Nepal hasn't been able to bring the trade deficit down due to unfavourable tariff conditions. China had assured Nepal of importing edibles, meat items and a number of plant products on the basis of special consideration for entry into the Chinese market, but these products are yet to receive duty-free access," reported the publication. Nepal seeks duty-free access from China for products including pashmina products, woollen carpets and handicrafts in which Nepal has a comparative advantage. These products are currently not included in the DFQF list offered by China to Nepal. During former Prime Minister KP Oli's visit to China, Nepal had made a fresh request to the Chinese government to grant an enhanced level of market access for 512 tradable products. But Beijing has not revised the DFQF list of Nepali products under its duty-free pledge as yet, read the report. China is the second-largest trading partner of Nepal after India. Still, despite receiving repeated assurances from the Chinese authorities, Nepali goods have been facing hurdles while being exported to China via land routes for the past few years, reported Tibet Press. The report further stated, "As part of its obligations at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), China has been extending the duty-free facility to products being imported from least developed countries, including Nepal. As most of the agro-based primary products are not included in the Chinese list, Nepal has not been able to utilize this facility and exports only about 247 products to China under the duty-free agreement. Nepal has been requesting China to include 512 more of its products in the list where it has a comparative advantage". (ANI)
An Afghan Sikh-Hindu delegation on Saturday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enacting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). In a meeting with PM Modi at his residence, the delegation praised the Central government for the CAA, saying it provided shelter to the Afghan refugees. PM Modi told the delegation told that India is their home. "This (India) is your home. You are not a guest for us and every Indian holds the same love and respect towards you," PM Modi said during the meeting today. Hailing Prime Minister, one of the members said: "Only you (PM Modi) can understand the pain of the Indians and Sikhs living across the country. Wherever there is a problem I see you came forward." The delegation members praised Prime Minister for taking various steps to allow the minorities in the neighbouring South Asian countries to take Indian citizenships. "When there was nobody listening, you were the only one who listened to us. They (the Afghan people) are all gathered here to thank you for the battle you fought during the (enactment of) CAA. After this, they get the opportunity to live in India," they said. The delegation gifted an Afghan turban to PM Modi. Appreciating the gesture, Prime Minister said: "It (Afghan turban) is a symbol of Afghanistan. With me wearing the turban gifted by you all, former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai must have been very happy." Recalling one incident during his visit to Kabul, he said personally I have received great care and love from Afghans. The delegation comprised of Afghan origin Indian national community leaders including Guljeet Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Dr Raghunath Kochar Afghan. This visit comes after PM Modi hosted a delegation of eminent personalities and spiritual leaders from the Sikh community at his official residence on Friday. (ANI)
Aurat March, which was first held in the city of Karachi in 2018, is now organized every year to celebrate International Women's Day. The march highlight the issues women face in Pakistan, the Dawn newspaper reported.

"If any attempts are made for obscenity on March 8 in Islamabad, we will condemn it," warned Abdul Majeed Hazarvi, the chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl's (JUI-F) Islamabad wing.

He made these remarks while addressing a demonstration held in the capital's D-Chowk.

Aurat March has been subjected to criticism in the country. Last year, petitions were filed in several courts, asking for a ban on the march. However, these petitions were dismissed.

As the annual Aurat March continues to be targeted in the country, Pakistan's Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Noorul Haq Qadri has urged the Imran Khan government not to allow any organization or individual to raise "anti-Islam slogans" during the march.

Qadri asked Khan to mark 'International Hijab Day' on March 8, the International Women's Day to highlight issues of religious freedom, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.

The minister wrote a letter to Imran Khan on February 9, asking him to mark the 'International Hijab Day' on March 8 to express solidarity with the Muslim women. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met members of the Sikh-Hindu delegation from Afghanistan at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg and assured the community of continuous support in future to resolve all issues and difficulties. In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said the delegation honoured the Prime Minister and thanked him for bringing Sikhs and Hindus safely to India from Afghanistan. Prime Minister welcomed the delegation and said that they are not guests but are in their own house, adding that India is their home. He talked about the immense difficulties faced by them in Afghanistan and the help provided by the government to bring them to India safely. In this light, PM Modi also talked about the significance of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and its benefits for the community. He assured them of continuous support in future as well to resolve all issues and difficulties faced by them. Prime Minister also talked about the significance of the tradition of honouring Guru Granth Sahib, in light of which special arrangements were made to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan. He talked about the immense love that he has received from Afghans over the years and fondly recalled his visit to Kabul. Manjinder Singh Sirsa thanked the Prime Minister for sending help from India for bringing back the community safely, and said that when no one stood with them, the Prime Minister ensured constant support and timely help. Other members of the delegation also thanked the Prime Minister for standing up for them in times of distress. They said that they had tears in their eyes when they heard him talking about making special arrangements to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan to India with proper reverence. They also thanked him for bringing about CAA, which will be of immense help for members of their community, the PMO said. They said that he is not just the Prime Minister of India, but the Prime Minister of the world since he understands the difficulties faced especially by Hindus and Sikhs across the world and makes all out efforts to provide immediate help in all such cases. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Union Minister of State Meenakashi Lekhi were also present on the occasion. (ANI)
Stevenson University Trustee Jennifer Ward Reynolds and her husband, George K. Reynolds III, are donating $250,000 to fund current need scholarships for Stevenson students.

We are fortunate to not only have Jennifers service as a trustee, but to also have two great friends deeply committed to Stevensons mission, President of Stevenson University Elliot Hirshman said. We are very grateful for their extraordinary generosity that will make a difference in the lives of our students for years to come.

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This gift comes after the Reynoldses donated $100,000 in 2021 to establish the Reynolds Endowed Scholarship which will assist students with strong academic standing who demonstrate financial need.

We have always believed in the power of higher education to transform lives and prepare students to become successful professionals, the Reynoldses said. We know that the pandemic has created financial challenges for many students and families, and with this gift we hope to help talented students who are completing their education at Stevenson but might be facing unexpected financial need.

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Jennifer Ward Reynolds has served twice as a Stevenson trustee, with her most recent term starting in 2018. As partner and director of the Harford County-based commercial real estate firm Ward Properties, she has spent more than 30 years in asset management and recently was vice chair and chief investment officer of Legg Mason Trust.

Shes also served as the chair of the board of trustees at Dickinson College, which is her undergraduate alma mater. She led the board of the National Aquarium and has been appointed to the boards of the Walters Art Museum, Sheppard Pratt Hospital and the Baltimore School for the Arts. The Maryland Daily Record has twice recognized her as one of Marylands Top 100 Women.

Her husband, George, is an attorney with Miles and Stockbridge and a member of the firms estate planning and administration practice. A graduate of Wesleyan University and the Boston University School of Law, he has practiced law in Maryland for more than 40 years. His areas of focus include tax law, estate planning and administration, trusts and elder care law.

George Reynolds is a regular speaker to professionals and groups on legal matters and is a former state chair of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a board member of the Irvine Nature Center and a former board member of the Walters Art Museum, the Howard County Conservancy, the St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation and the Arthritis Foundation, Maryland Chapter.

Stevenson University was founded in 1947 as Villa Julie College and serves more than 2,700 undergraduate students at its Owings Mills campus. The university offers a doctor of psychology (Psy.D.) degree and online masters and bachelors programs through Stevenson University Online. Stevensons mission is to provide connections to careers, a supportive community and exceptional experiences in and out of the classroom to foster students academic, social and professional success.
The Afghan Ambassador to the US has stepped down from her post, citing the new restrictions imposed by the US on its embassy in Washington. Adela Raz is the third senior Afghan diplomat who stepped down from her position within the past six months, the TOLOnews reported. This comes as US State Department had decided to stop the political and diplomatic activities of Afghanistan in the US. Afghan deputy ambassador Abdul Hadi Nijrabi said the US State Department in a letter to the Afghanistan embassy in Washington demanded the diplomatic activities be halted. "The letter sent by the US State Department to the embassy said only the ambassador is allowed to continue work from home, but not on political and diplomatic activities. The rest of the diplomats cannot work anymore," TOLOnews quoted Nijrabi as saying. With the Taliban taking over the country in mid-August last year, the Afghanistan diplomatic missions have been facing economic problems. Officials at the Afghanistan embassy in Washington said that the financial system of the embassy has been suspended by a bank for over four months. "It has been over four months that the salaries of the Afghanistan embassy's (staffs) have been suspended. All diplomats are facing problems," said Safi Delawar, who worked as an adviser for the Afghanistan embassy in Washington. (ANI)
Jaishankar is in Munich to participate in a security conference. He is holding bilateral meetings with Foreign Ministers and other delegates who would be attending the conference.

In a meeting with Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen, Jaishankar discussed bilateral and ASEAN-related defence cooperation. Shared assessments of regional hotspots.

He also met with members of the European Parliament and held discussions on transparency, reliable supply chains, and the world order.

"A great conversation with the @EPP group of MEPs @ManfredWeber, @gahler_michael, @radeksikorski and @EvaMaydell. An open discussion on transparency, reliable supply chains and the world order. Committed to stronger India-EU cooperation," Jaishankar tweeted.

Separately, the minister held a meeting with his Mongolian counterpart Battsetseg Batmunkh and discussed cooperation in energy, IT, and coal. "Partnership with our spiritual neighbor continues to strengthen," he said.

Jaishankar also meet Sweden Foreign Minister Ann Linde where he noted the progress in our bilateral cooperation.

"So nice to see FM of Sweden Ann Linde again. Noted the progress in our bilateral cooperation. Working well in LeadIT. Discussed respective national security challenges," the minister said in a subsequent tweet.

In a press briefing on Friday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said Jaishankar will participate in a panel discussion on Indo-Pacific in Munich.

He will also lead discussions at an Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav event being hosted by the Consulate General of India in Munich and Observer Research Foundation on the sidelines of the Conference. (ANI)
Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday announced that Province and Federal elections will be held after local level polls. Deuba made the announcement during his address to the nation on the occasion of 72nd Democracy Day today. Ahead of the local elections slated for May, Deuba also stressed the need of shared commitment to improve governance through elected people's representatives which as per him can be achieved by holding civic polls and subsequent provincial and federal elections. "We are going to hold the local level elections very soon. After this province and federal elections also would be held. All these elections should be held in environment that is free of fear as well as any kind of anomalies. There needs a shared commitment to improve the system," Deuba said. Noting that the political revolution waged for the establishment of democracy in 2007 BS was of far-reaching and historical importance in the annals of history, he recalled that the journey of federal democratic republic governance system has been realized today after completing several revolutions on the foundation of the 2007 BS epochal revolution. Deuba asserted that all Nepali people now are able to live a life with hard-earned freedom and self-dignity as well as enjoy civil rights and liberties by standing on the foundation of 1950s revolution. Pointing out the need of moving ahead being committed towards democratic governance and system, he mentioned. "The onus of responsibility to realize the dream of the martyrs and build Nepal as envisaged by our ancestors is on our shoulder." The PM stressed that it was the national responsibility to building an equitable society where entire gamut of political freedom and financial and social rights could be enjoyed. Saying the country had been facing COVID-19 pandemic at a time when reconstruction and new construction of physical infrastructures damaged by Gorkha earthquake has yet to be completed, he added it had made a huge impact on people's life and economy. Nepal on Saturday marked the 72nd National Democracy Day organizing a special function at Army Pavilion in capital Kathmandu. It was attended by President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Acting Chief Justice Deepak Kumar Karki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Agni Prasad Sapkota, ministers and high-ranking officials. The day is observed in commemoration of 7th Falgun, 2007 BS when democracy was established in Nepal after the end of the 104-year-old autocratic Rana rule. Since 2008 BS, it has become a tradition for the main ceremony committee to organize a special ceremony at the Sainik Manch or the Army Pavilion every year. The government has appealed to all for a special three-day celebration on February 18, 19 and 20. Illumination will also be held in the evening for three days. (ANI)
"Continuing our special partnership with the Afghan people, India delivered the fifth shipment of 2.5 tons of medical assistance and winter clothings to Afghanistan today," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met members of the Sikh-Hindu delegation from Afghanistan at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg and assured the community of continuous support in future to resolve all issues and difficulties.

Prime Minister welcomed the delegation and said that they are not guests but are in their own house, adding that India is their home. He talked about the immense difficulties faced by them in Afghanistan and the help provided by the government to bring them to India safely.

Last month, India supplied three tonnes of medicines to Afghanistan as part of its fourth batch of medical assistance to the crisis-torn country. (ANI)
US Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday (local time) warned Russia that if it invades Ukraine, the United States and its allies will impose "unprecedented economic costs" on Moscow. In remarks at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Harris vowed there would be a "swift, severe and united" response if Russia invades Ukraine. "We will impose far-reaching financial sanctions and export controls. We will target Russia's financial institutions and key industries. And we will target those who are complicit and those who aid and abet this unprovoked invasion," CNN quoted Harris as saying. Harris continued saying that "Make no mistake: The imposition of these sweeping and coordinated measures will inflict great damage on those who must be held accountable." "Let me be clear, I can say with absolute certainty if Russia further invades Ukraine the United States, together with our Allies and partners, will impose significant, and unprecedented economic costs," Harris said in a tweet. Harris is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky later on Saturday, and will also meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, according to CNN. Meanwhile, tensions have built up in Eastern Ukraine since Russia's build-up of around 1,50,000 troops just over the border from the Donbas region in the east in Belarus to the north and Crimea to the south. Russia claims the surge of forces, which is the biggest build-up of military might in Europe since the Cold War, has always been for military exercises and that it poses no threat to Ukraine or any other nation. (ANI)
As the political leadership in Nepal continue to debate over the US-backed USD 500-million infrastructure grant project, a European think tank has slammed the China-inspired protests by some of Nepal's Communist parties against the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact. The MCC is a US Foreign Assistance Agency that aims to fight poverty. Nepal was the first country in the region to qualify for the program and an agreement to this effect was signed in September 2017. Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba earlier this week had backtracked on his announcement to table US grant agreement in the country's Parliament due to threat from the leaders of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre). The European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) in its commentary said Nepal's political elite continues to prioritize its own personal political and economic interests and prospects over those of the country and its people. Citing the local news, the Amsterdam based think tank said the unfortunate, avoidable, and artificially created controversy over the MCC grant has, been stoked and fanned by a concerted Chinese propaganda campaign revolving around an imaginary breach of Nepalese sovereignty. "Not only is China uncomfortable with the continuing influence that the US has in Nepal, it is equally as much the nature of the US offering - a grant aimed at benefitting the people of Nepal and which does not need to be paid back - that has irked and worried the Dragon," the think tank said. On Wednesday, Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba went against his decision to table the MCC compact despite publicly stating on Tuesday that he had even spoken with Speaker Agni Sapkota for the tabling of the Millennium Challenge Corporation-Nepal Compact at Wednesday's House meeting, The Kathmandu Post reported. However, the MCC continues to hang in balance as successive governments in Nepal have failed to get the grant ratified by the parliament. Nepal's government 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. Media reports say Nepali communist leaders are under China's pressure to create trouble over the ratification of a million dollars worth of grant assistance by a US foreign aid agency. 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. (ANI)
Aurat March, which was first held in the city of Karachi in 2018, is now organized every year to celebrate International Women's Day. The march highlight the issues women face in Pakistan.

Aurat March Lahore organisation released the manifesto on Twitter. This year's theme is "Reimagining Justice" or "Asal Insaaf", Dawn newspaper reported.

According to the Pakistani newspaper, the manifesto has been drafted after extensive research and meetings with relevant communities including families having enforced disappearances, domestic workers, victims/survivors of sexual violence, and religious minorities.

The Aurat March Lahore demands more holistic reforms which seek to transform society, provide psycho-social support to survivors of violence as well as rehabilitation for perpetrators.

The march advocates structural reforms that prevent patriarchal violence rather than short-term solutions such as capital punishment and chemical castration.

It demands a radical shift in preventative policies: education, community building, and social welfare should drive the solutions, Dawn newspaper reported.

They stress the need to create a "culture of care" where communities support rather than victim-blame each other, the Pakistani newspaper reported. (ANI)
"A woman was killed and two more were wounded when security forces opened fire on a rickshaw that did not stop at a checkpoint in the city of Kandahar on Saturday afternoon, provincial security department confirmed," TOLOnews reported

According to media reports, the Taliban continue to threaten and harass women activists to intimidate them.

Earlier, four Afghanistan women activists, who were detained by the Taliban regime and later released after a long period of uncertainty, are under pressure not to publicize the details about their detention, their relatives told local media. (ANI)
"There's a warning against travel to Ukraine. German citizens are urged to leave the country now," the travel advice page on the ministry's website said, citing a possibility of a "military confrontation."

Germany's flag carrier Lufthansa is suspending all flights to and from Kiev.

"All flights from Monday, February 21, through February 28, for the time being, are affected," the company's website said.

Later on Saturday, the Austrian Foreign Ministry urged its citizens to immediately leave Ukraine, except for those in the western regions of Lviv, Transcarpathia, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi.

"This is to urgently warn against all travels to Ukraine, with the exception of the western areas mentioned, due to the unpredictable security situation. Except for these western areas, it is strongly advised to leave Ukraine immediately by commercial flights or land routes," the ministry said in a statement.

Many governments urged their countrymen to leave Ukraine and warned against traveling there over growing tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border, spurred by Western media reports of an imminent Russian "invasion." Russia, on its part, has rejected all the accusations and viewed the "hysteria" around Ukraine as a way to cover up Kiev's sabotage of the Minsk agreements. (ANI/Sputnik)
Ruling coalition partner, the Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Socialist has decided to support the government in tabling of MCC -- the multi-million US grant which is up for discussion in the country's parliament. The MCC is a US Foreign Assistance Agency that aims to fight poverty. Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba earlier this week had backtracked on his announcement to table US grant agreement in the country's Parliament due to threat from the leaders of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre). CPN- Unified Socialist which earlier was against US grant which supports cross border transmission and road improvement of road decided to help government in tabling it by conveying a meeting of the standing committee. "MCC cannot be passed in its current form but it should not be stopped from being taken to the parliament for discussion. It has been decided that it should be discussed in the sovereign parliament," Minister for Urban Development as well as the leader of the third highest majority weighing party, Ram Kumari Jhakri confirmed ANI over phone. Minister Jhakri, further stated that the party still stands on its demand that the MCC agreement should be amended before it is endorsed by the parliament. Issuing a press release late in evening, Deputy General Secretary, Jagannath Khatiwada further has clarified that the pact can only be tabled after the obstruction in parliament would be eased off. "If the obstruction in the parliament in eased off with political parties standing on a point of consensus then it can be tabled in the parliament, the meeting has decided on it. But the unrevised pact to be tabled on the parliament won't have any justifications and the party don't stand in support of tabling the pact without amendments," Khatiwada said in the statement. The Nepal opposition Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) has been continuing obstructing house procession since last year. Lawmakers of main opposition CPN (UML) in every meeting walk down to rostrum shouting slogans. The opposition has been demanding the resignation of Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota accusing him of not fulfilling his duties by not removing the 14 lawmakers from their posts against whom the CPN-UML had requested the Speaker to take action. UML has been protesting in the House of Representatives sessions demanding its demands be addressed. (ANI)
Lawyers for Baltimore States Attorney Marilyn Mosby presented a long-shot legal argument in their latest filing in federal court: The indictment against her should be dismissed because it is exclusively the result of federal prosecutors animosity toward her.

In making their case for a federal judge to throw out the charges against the two-term Democratic states attorney, Mosbys lawyers revealed new information about the yearlong criminal tax investigation of her and her husband, Democratic City Council President Nick Mosby.

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The motion, one of three defense pleadings filed this holiday weekend, asks U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby to throw out the case against Baltimores states attorney because of prosecutorial vindictiveness on the part of U.S. Attorney Erek Barron and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo Wise, the lead prosecutor on the case.

Since its inception, the prosecution against States Attorney Mosby has been driven by malicious personal, political, and even racial animus on the part of the prosecutors, Mosbys attorneys wrote. They described her indictment as the culmination of a crusade to ruin the political career of a young, progressive, Black, female elected official.

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Marilyn Mosby, 42, is charged with two counts of perjury and two counts of making false statements on loan applications to buy a pair of properties in Florida. Nick Mosby is not charged with any crimes.

She has maintained she is innocent, and the papers filed by her attorneys largely echo their public comments about the case. But now, Mosbys attorneys also argue the U.S. attorneys office is participating in discriminatory prosecution that violates Mosbys constitutional rights to due process and equal protection.

Even if theyve raised legitimate concerns about the appearance of bias, the effort by Mosbys attorneys to shut down the prosecution is unlikely to succeed, said David Jaros, faculty director of the Center for Criminal Justice Reform at University of Baltimore School of Law.

Simply showing that the prosecutor who filed the case doesnt like her and wants her out isnt sufficient to show the indictment wouldnt have been filed if he wasnt on the case, Jaros said, adding that its even more difficult to prove when a public official is the defendant. Its hard to argue that a prosecutor wouldnt think its appropriate [to file charges] because it is a big deal when a public official breaks the law.

Andrew Alperstein, a criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor, also said the subjective views of a prosecutor are not sufficient basis to have a case dismissed.

Sometimes in litigation, lawyers file papers with the court that they believe are for the purposes of PR or to reach prospective jurors. Thats what I believe is happening here because there is no chance this is going to be dismissed based on that motion, Alperstein said.

While Mosbys defense has long targeted Wise in its public statements, Friday nights filing is the first time her lawyers have gone after Barron. The lawyers wrote Barron has expressed disapproval of her both personally and professionally, accusing him of questioning her ability and repeating rumors about marital infidelity on Mosbys part.

For instance, Mosbys lawyers included in their filing a declaration from Sheaniqua A. Thompson, a top adviser of Nick Mosby at City Hall. She wrote that she worked with Barron between 2017 and 2019 while he was a Democratic state delegate and she was policy advocate for a nonprofit organization.

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She said she was outside a State House committee room once when Marilyn Mosby walked by and Thompson expressed admiration for her. She said Barron responded by bringing up rumors about Marilyn Mosbys sex life and said, I dont get how she got where she is. Thompson said she was paraphrasing, but said Barron continued while working with Thompson to tell me how much he disliked working with States Attorney Mosby, and how he didnt like her style and approach.

Mosbys defense accused Wise of being involved in several attempts to sabotage Mosbys career, engaging in similar conduct aimed at other Black officials and cited that Wise contributed to the campaigns of Mosbys Democratic primary opponents for states attorney in 2018, Ivan Bates and Thiru Vignarajah.

They noted that Wise and then-acting U.S. Attorney Stephen Schenning brought up during the prosecutions of members of the Baltimore Police Departments Gun Trace Task Force that an assistant states attorney from Mosbys office leaked word of the investigation to corrupt officers. Mosby and her defense said that didnt happen.

Earlier in the investigation of Mosby, lead defense attorney A. Scott Bolden raised concerns with the U.S. Department of Justice. He filed complaints in March that asked for Wise and Schenning to be removed from the probe. The departments Office of Procedural Responsibility declined, saying there was no evidence to support Boldens assertions and that he could raise those arguments with a judge during litigation.

Federal prosecutors have not responded yet to the motions from Mosbys defense lawyers, but wrote in a status report filed earlier Friday that they planned to ask the judge to preclude personal attacks on government counsel.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorneys office, Marcia Murphy, declined Saturday to comment. Barron did not respond Saturday to a separate request for comment. When asked publicly in the past about the Mosby case, he has defended his offices work by saying his prosecutors follow the evidence and the law.

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The motion for dismissal does little to address the specifics of charges she faces.

Mosby made two early withdrawals of a combined $81,000 from her retirement savings account without penalty under the federal CARES Act by claiming to have suffered financially from the coronavirus pandemic, according to the indictment. However, federal prosecutors say she suffered no such hardship, and noted her salary increased. She is paid nearly $248,000 a year.

She is also accused of using the money from the withdrawals for down payments on an eight-bedroom rental home near Disney World and a condo on Floridas Gulf Coast. Federal prosecutors said she lied on mortgage applications for those properties by neglecting to disclose a federal tax lien and declaring the Orlando-area house would be a second home, when she planned for it to be a vacation rental.

The documents attached to the motion show Bolden went to great lengths to quash the criminal tax investigation before charges were filed. The motion repeatedly says prosecutors neglected to consider exculpatory evidence, but do not detail that evidence.

The supplemental attachments are rife with details not previously known about the origins of the case against Mosby and her financial relationship with her husband, the City Council president.

Nick Mosby did not respond Saturday to a request for comment.

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The documents include an email from Wise to Bolden in April in which he said an earlier probe by Lydia Lawless, the bar counsel for the Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission, raised numerous questions about Mosbys taxes. Wise does not say Lawless referred the matter to him.

The filing also includes a detailed account of what Lawless was seeking from Mosby during her investigation. After requesting Mosbys taxes for 2014 through 2019, Lawless filed a request for documents substantiating Mosbys charitable donations for those years, as well as business records for Monumental Squared, a business owned by Nick Mosby.

Documents included in the filing show Marilyn Mosby refused the request, arguing it was overly broad and amounted to an audit of Mosbys taxes, which Lawless was not authorized to perform.

The motion to dismiss said that Lawless referred the case to Wise.

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The irregular manner in which this referral was made, instead of initiating a civil audit, demonstrates how Ms. Lawless and Mr. Wise conspired together to effectuate their mutual goal of damaging States Attorney Mosbys reputation, the motion states.

The documentation exchanged between Lawless and Mosbys attorneys at the time seeks to suggest she was unaware of the content of the joint tax returns she filed with Nick Mosby. According to the exhibit, Nick Mosby filed an affidavit stating that he was responsible for filing their federal income taxes from 2014 to 2018. The states attorney reviewed the forms before signing only to confirm her income figures, Nick Mosby attested.

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In that affidavit, Nick Mosby said his wife was unaware of a withdrawal he took from his 401(k) and the resulting tax liability, as well as ensuing installment payment plans he established with the Internal Revenue Service. Nick Mosby also said he did not inform his wife of the tax issues they faced until he learned of a $45,000 tax lien against them in an October 2020 article in The Baltimore Sun.

My client is clearly an innocent spouse, wrote attorney William C. Brennan Jr. of Mosby in a March 2021 letter to Lawless.

A separate attached letter from Bolden in September 2021 attempts to explain why Mosby began filing her taxes separately from her husband.

In 2019, States Attorney Mosby contemplated separating from her husband for a host of reasons, the letter states. At this time, she decided to change her tax status from married filing jointly to married filing separately. Her knowledge of the couples pre-2019 taxes was very limited, and her experience with tax filing was equally limited.

While documents attached to the motion show federal officials considered filing tax charges against Marilyn Mosby, no such charges have been filed. Her husband also faces no tax charges.
The court found out that Ma Ming, who was the Vice-Chairman of Inner Mongolia, had accumulated more than 150 million yuan in wealth and was sentenced to life.

Ma Ming, 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 Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the Chinese news agency, 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, according to Xinhua.

The court said all of Ma's personal property was confiscated and the illegal gains from bribery were recovered and turned over to the state treasury. (ANI)
The country's top anti-graft body said the decision to expel Xue Heng was made following an investigation by the CCP Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission upon the approval of the CCP Central Committee, Xinhua news agency reported.

Xue was previously vice chairman of the Liaoning Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the report said.

The anti-graft body said Heng was found to have lost his ideals and convictions, betrayed his original aspirations and mission, and resisted a probe by authorities.

According to Chinese media, Xue was also found to have accepted gifts and money in violation of the eight-point code for Party and government conduct. The anti-graft body said he failed to report personal information as required, and indulged in the sale of official positions.

Xue is the second such high-ranking official to be pushed in recent weeks, Earlier this week, a Chinese court had sentenced a former senior political advisor of the CCP, to life in prison for accepting bribes.

The court found out that Ma Ming, who was the Vice-Chairman of Inner Mongolia, had accumulated more than 150 million yuan in wealth and was sentenced to life.

Ma Ming, was deprived of political rights for life, the Xinhua news agency reported. (ANI)
Besides this, the CPEC committee again told Pakistan Navy to vacate another 52 acres of land, said The Express Tribune newspaper report. It added that occupation was hampering work on Gwadar Port.

The land currently in possession of the Navy is part of the concessional agreement that country signed in November 2015 with China Overseas Port Holdings Company Limited (COPHCL). Earlier, the CPEC committee had not accepted Pakistan Navy's plea, requesting permission to keep 20 acres of land.

Pakistan's Planning Minister Asad Umar told The Express Tribune that "until the Chinese contractors agreed, the land could not be given to Pakistan Navy."

Back in February 2021, the CPEC Committee had directed different ministries to get 72 acres of prime Gwadar land vacated.

According to the Pakistani newspaper, the delay in getting the land vacated slowed down work on projects that were very critical for the full functioning of Gwadar Port.

In 2015, China announced an economic project in Pakistan worth USD 46 billion. With the CPEC, Beijing aims to expand its influence in Pakistan and across Central and South Asia in order to counter the influence of the United States and India.

The CPEC project would link Pakistan's southern Gwadar port in Balochistan on the Arabian Sea to China's western Xinjiang region. (ANI)
A protest was held outside Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) office in France on Saturday to urge the financial watchdog to place Pakistan on its blacklist. The protestors which included Afghans, Baloch, and Uyghurs came forward to remind Pakistan's role in spreading terrorism. A video was posted by Pakistani journalist Taha Siddiqui on Twitter showing people holding anti-Pakistan placards. Ahead of the FATF Plenary and Working Group Meetings in Paris, analysts have said that Pakistan is likely to slip into the 'black list' of the global anti-terrorist financing and anti-money laundering watchdog for non-compliance. Pakistan has been on the Paris-based FATF's grey list for deficiencies in its counter-terror financing and anti-money laundering regimes since June 2018. This greylisting has adversely impacted its imports, exports, remittances, and limited access to international lending. Since coming to power, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been campaigning for Pakistan's removal from the FATF's greylisting without any success. Experts believe the Pakistani government has failed to take action against terror organizations. On the contrary, it has been capitulating before Islamist outfits such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). In an analytical piece, Global Strat View said that decisions taken by the Pakistan government may have violated the FATF mandates. "If the FATF puts Pakistan on the 'black list,' economic penalties and other restrictive measures will be imposed. This will be a big blow to the struggling economy of Pakistan whose economy has witnessed a cumulative decline of about $38 billion during 2008-2019 as a result of FATF's grey-listing," the report said citing Pakistani economist Dr. Naafey Sardar. According to the Global Strat View, there are strong signals that it could be placed in the 'black list'. (ANI)
Huitfeldt spoke at the Munich security conference in the session "Afghan Aftershocks: From Ashes to Ashes?" "We are reluctant to recognize [the Taliban] and will not do that," she said, reported Sputnik News Agency.

The Taliban's swift ascension to power in Afghanistan occurred in mid-August, triggering economic disarray and a dire humanitarian crisis. In early September, the Taliban leadership announced the composition of an interim government headed by Mohammad Hasan Akhund, a prominent member of the first Taliban government.

The restoration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was declared in December but has yet to garner desperately-needed international recognition, reported the news agency. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Saturday said that India's relations with China are going through a "very difficult phase" after Beijing violated the border agreements and asserted that the "state of border will determine the state of the relationship". "For 45 years, there was peace and there was stable border management. There were no military casualties on the border. That changed. We had agreements with China not to bring the military forces to the Line of Actual Control and the Chinese violated those agreements. Now the state of border will determine the state of the relationship. That's natural," he said. Jaishankar was replying to a question during the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2022 Panel Discussion here on the India-China border tensions and India's decisive shift towards the West. "The relations with China is going through a very difficult phase and the relations with the West were quite decent before June 2020 so it is not a cause and effect as far as good ties with the West are concerned," he said. Twenty Indian soldiers and an unspecified number of Chinese troops lost their lives in a violent face-off in the Galwan Valley on June 15-16 in 2020 when Chinese troops attempted to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation in eastern Ladakh following tensions along the Line of Actual Control. After the Galwan clash, several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have ended in a stalemate. Underlining the centrality of Indo-Pacific, Jaishankar during a panel discussion here said today's world is "far more interdependent, inter-penetrative and paradoxical in nature", one where a country has to do business with another despite a major conflict of interest. The External Affairs Minister said India's capabilities and influence has grown over the years. Jaishankar also held a series of meeting with ministers from Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world during his visit to Germany. He is in Munich to participate in a security conference. The minister held bilateral meetings with Foreign Ministers and other delegates who would be attending the conference. (ANI)
Reaffirming strong diplomatic relations with ASEAN nations, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday dismissed a recent poll that suggested that trust of the southeast Asian bloc had decreased in India. Answering a question on the low level of confidence between ASEAN and India relations in an opinion poll, Jaishankar, during a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference, said, "I am a politician so I believe in polls. But I have never seen a poll which is made any sense to me when it comes to foreign policy." Contrary to the claims made by an opinion poll, the External Affairs Minister said that India's relations with the ASEAN are actually growing well. "If I were to look at the evolution of the two big changes that are taking place. We have much stronger security cooperation with the ASEAN. In the Philippines, we have signed agreements for military supplies to the Philippines. We are part of ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus." Jaishankar also cited strong bilateral relations with Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam amongst others ASEAN countries. Jaishankar's remarks come in the backdrop of his recent visit to the Philippines from February 13-15. This was his first visit to the Philippines as the EAM. During his visit, both nations discussed the future trajectory of the wide-ranging engagement between the two countries. He held a bilateral meeting with his Philippines counterpart Teodoro L. Locsin Jr and had an in-depth exchange of views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. (ANI)




President Biden on Friday said he's "convinced" Russian President Vladimir Putin has made up his mind to move forward with an invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has assembled forces outside the Ukrainian borders over the past few months, sparking concern amongst the international community that Moscow will invade the former Soviet country.

These fears were exacerbated on Saturday when the leaders of Russian-backed separatist territories signed mobilization decrees and called for able-bodied men to take up arms.

Here are five things to know as the situation along the Russian-Ukrainian border escalates:

Eastern Ukrainian front becomes increasingly volatile

Violence in eastern Ukraine has increased in recent days as the former Soviet country and two separatist-held regions accused each other of escalation. Russia on Saturday said at least two shells fired from eastern Ukraine landed across the border, but Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed that claim as a "fake statement," according to The Associated Press.

The line separating Ukrainian forces from the Russian-backed rebels has been plagued by periodic violence in the last few years, but recent shelling attacks and bombings could set off an all-out war, the newswire noted.

According to Agence France Presse, the joint military command for eastern Ukraine said a soldier sustained a fatal shrapnel wound in the conflict zone.

Meanwhile, leaders of separatist territories in the Luhansk and Donetsk region on Saturday called for a mobilization of able-bodied males.

"I appeal to all the men in the republic who can hold weapons to defend their families, their children, wives, mothers," Denis Pushilin, the head of the pro-Russia separatist government in Ukraine's Donetsk region, said, according to the AP. "Together we will achieve the coveted victory that we all need."

Additionally, senior Ukrainian military officials were forced to take cover in a bomb shelter after a shelling attack near the separatist front.

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Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst told The Hill that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky does not believe Russia will launch a full-scale invasion; instead, fighting will be limited to the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine.

"The Ukrainian government thinks that if there is going to be a Russian escalation of its ongoing war in Ukraine, it's most likely to come in Donbas as opposed to something spectacular, like a drive to capture Kiev or any other major Ukrainian city," he added.

The separatist-controlled areas in Donbas became known as the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) and the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014.

U.S. touts a united front with its European allies

U.S. officials have continued to convey unity with its allies and their shared agreement on severe economic sanctions should Russia invade Ukraine.

Vice President Harris said in a speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that U.S. support for the NATO alliance is "sacrosanct," and pledged that Russia would face "unprecedented" economic penalties in the event of an invasion.

"Our strength must not be underestimated because after all it lies in our unity," she said. "And as we have always shown it takes a lot more strength to build something up than it takes to tear something down."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also made the trek to Munich where she underscored the gravity of sanctions that will be imposed against Russia should it overstep into Ukraine.

She added that an attack on Ukraine would be "an attack on democracy."

Similar statements were made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who warned that any invasion would also be met with sanctions.

Specifically, Johnson said that the U.K. would make it impossible for certain Russian companies to raise capital in London, according to the BBC.

"If Ukraine is invaded, the shock will echo around the world, and those echoes will be heard in East Asia, they will be heard in Taiwan," he said.

Ukraine feels weight of world order on its shoulders

Leaders made it clear throughout the Munich conference that stability in Europe and the world is riding on Ukraine's ability to defend itself and remain an independent nation.

Zelensky himself made clear the pressure the country was facing during a short press appearance with Harris.

"This is our land, we understand what is happening. The only thing we want is to return peace to our country, and in this situation, we are very grateful to you, the United States, as our ally and partner, we are grateful to President Biden," Zelensky said at his meeting with Harris.

He added that Ukraine's army is "defending all of Europe," and told Harris that "the only thing we want is to have peace." He characterized Ukraine as Europe's "shield" against the Russian military, and called for more international support.

von der Leyen sounded an even graver tone, warning that potential Russian aggression threatens the international order.

She added that a potential Russian incursion in the coming days "could reshape the entire international order."

Herbst, now senior director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, added that any conflict could end the "most peaceful, most stable, and most prosperous period in human history."

He also warned that "China is watching the events unfold," and a successful campaign by Putin could encourage the country to make moves of its own.

Russia continues to deny ill intentions

Russia, for its part, has denied accusations that it intends to invade Ukraine.

The U.S. earlier this week alleged that Moscow was responsible for cyberattacks on Ukraine's government and banks in an attempt to further destabilize the country.

However, Russia has pushed back against those claims and has blamed the U.S. for making "anti-Russian" statements.

"We paid attention to the frankly anti-Russian statements of the Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security E.Neiberger, who accused intelligence agencies of cyber attacks on  systems of the Ministry of Defense and a number of commercial banks," the Russian Embassy in the U.S. said in a statement on Twitter.

"[Russia] has nothing to do with the events mentioned and, in principle, has never carried out and does not conduct 'malicious' operations in the virtual space," the embassy wrote.

EU and U.S. rally to provide Ukraine with medical, financial support

The EU sent emergency medical equipment to Ukraine following a request from Kyiv amid an escalation of the crisis with Russia, the European Commission said on Saturday, according to a Reuters report.

France, Romania, Slovenia, Ireland and Austria have sent medical aid, the Commission said.

France has sent a field hospital, medicines and hundreds of tents, blankets, sleeping bags. Additional aid, including medical equipment and power generators, were deployed by the other EU countries, per the report. Reuters added that more help is expected in the coming days.

"Following a request from the Government of Ukraine for emergency assistance due to the threat of further escalation, the European Commission is coordinating the delivery of essential supplies to support the civilian population," said an EU statement.
Democrat Abby Broyles speaks about her U.S. Senate campaign during an interview at The Oklahoman in October, 2020.

Abby Broyles, an Oklahoma City Democrat running for Congress, said Friday that a combination of medication and alcohol led to a bizarre scene last weekend in which she allegedly insulted young girls at a slumber party and threw up at least twice.

In an interview on KFOR, the NBC affiliate in Oklahoma City, Broyles said she blacked out while at the Deer Creek home of a friend whose daughter had several friends over for a party. She said she had combined wine with an insomnia medication she had never taken.

I dont remember anything until I woke up  or came to  and I was throwing up in a hamper, Broyles said in the interview.

The comments are at odds with Broyles outright denials to the online publication NonDoc, which posted a detailed story on Thursday about Broyles insults and drinking. Broyles told NonDoc she hadnt even attended the party on Feb. 11 and that she was out of town.

On Wednesday, the mother of one of the girls who attended the party sent a message to Broyles on Twitter, saying Since its been five days and you have neglected to reach out to any of the young ladies (12 & 13 yr olds, including my daughter) you verbally and emotionally abused last weekend, I thought I would give you a chance to try to apologize (at a minimum) here.

For someone who pontificates to be undyingly pro woman, I am disgusted by your behavior and find it appalling you couldnt understand why their parents are angry. Your vile, cruel, and bigoted behavior should not be excused or swept under the rug

Not only did you scare and traumatize these beautiful girls with your words, you ruined a pair of their shoes with your vomit! (Which she saved up to buy with her own money!) Considering how much you bragged about how rich and successful you are to these children, surely you can afford to replace her shoes!

According to the NonDoc story, Broyles called one girl an acne f***er and another girl an Hispanic f***er.

Broyles, 32, an attorney and former television reporter, challenged Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe in 2020 and received 33% of the vote. She announced last year that she will challenge Republican Rep. Stephanie Bice for the 5th District congressional seat.

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In the KFOR interview on Friday, Broyles said, First of all, I want to apologize to the families again. And for people who say I just blacked out and Im making this up: you dont know me. I have never, ever would say something hurtful like those things, and thats why I know I was not in my right mind.

She did not say whether she would continue her campaign.

I deeply regret what happened because of the people who it affected, Broyles said. Ill be OK no matter what happens. But as far as this campaign, Im never going to stop fighting for Oklahomans whether its in this race or fighting for the cause some other way.

Oklahoma Democratic Party Chair Alicia Andrews said Friday, Regarding the party's stance on Ms. Broyles candidacy, the party is not in the habit of running candidates off. Should Ms. Broyles continue in her pursuit of Oklahoma Congressional District Five, the party will not get in her way.

Regarding a response to the allegations, I'd feel more comfortable allowing her to share her story directly.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma candidate Abby Broyles apologizes for insulting young girls
Heading into a matchup against No. 5 LSU on Friday at Pete Maravich Assembly Center, No. 8 Alabama gymnastics had a a chance to make a statement.

Instead, the Crimson Tide (4-4, 2-3 SEC) fell into an early hole as the Tigers (3-1, 3-1 SEC) took a two-tenths lead in the first rotation. While the gap would remain the same through two rotations,

LSU expanded its lead after its balance beam rotation thanks to a perfect 10 from Kiya Johnson. Alabama was unable to come back, falling 198.05-197.6.

Here's what we learned:

No Makarri Doggette

Following Doggette's injury in the Power of Pink meet against Georgia, her status for Friday night was up in the air. While Alabama coach Dana Duckworth hinted she might compete against LSU in a limited capacity, Doggette did not make an appearance.

Alabama gymnast Luisa Blanco performs on the floor in the Power of Pink meet with the University of Georgia Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in Coleman Coliseum. Alabama won the meet with a score of 197.475 to 196.800.

Alabama struggles with falls

On each of Alabama's first three rotations, the Crimson Tide had one gymnast fall during her routine. Shania Adams made an error on uneven parallel bars, resulting in a 9.35. On vault, Mati Waligora was unable to stick the landing, resulting in a 9.375. Finally, Emily Gaskins fell out of bounds on floor exercise, resulting in a 9.05.

While each of these scores would be dropped, LSU was able to establish momentum following each mistake.

PHOTOS:Power of Pink Gymnastics Meet

Near-perfect balance beam

Despite struggles throughout the first three rotations, Alabama had it all come together on the balance beam, with all six gymnasts posting scores of 9.9 or better.

Ella Burgess, Shallon Olsen and Lexi Graber all scored 9.9s, Waligora and Lilly Hudson both added 9.925s, and Luisa Blanco closed the meet with a 9.975.

Power of Pink Meet: Why Power of Pink meet means more for Alabama gymnastics senior Griffin James

What's next

Alabama returns home next week to host Missouri.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama gymnastics posts highest score in road meet in loss to LSU
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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson reviewed portions of a biography about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on his show.

Carlson said one excerpt from the book that referenced an Instagram Live broadcast was tantamount to "an invitation to a booty call."

Ocasio-Cortez responded by tweeting that Carlson is a "creep."

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday called Fox News host Tucker Carlson a "creep" after he ran a segment about her on his show, "Tucker Carlson Tonight."

On the Friday evening broadcast, Carlson offered commentary on "Take Up Space: The Unprecedented AOC," a forthcoming book by the editors of New York Magazine. The biography covers Ocasio-Cortez's rise to political stardom, and it's set to be released on February 22.

Carlson during the segment said he received an early copy of the book, which he called a "book-length suck up" to the progressive lawmaker.

Carlson then featured an excerpt that referenced one of Ocasio-Cortez' live broadcasts on Instagram.

The excerpt, which was read aloud on Carlson's show, read: "She has no agenda, nothing in particular to get off her chest. It really is as if she were exhausted and wanting to talk. 'I'm alone today,' she says pointedly at the camera."

Carlson called Ocasio-Cortez' comments "a little strange" and said she was "definitely oversharing."

"The person who wrote this didn't even perceive how creepy it was," Carlson said. "'I'm alone today, Ocasio-Cortez says pointedly at the camera.' Is it just us or does that sound like an invitation to a booty call? Maybe one step from 'What are you wearing?'"

Ocasio-Cortez responded to Carlson in a tweet Friday, referencing her past comments calling out Republicans for what she deemed their "sexual frustrations."

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"Remember when the right wing had a meltdown when I suggested they exhibit obsessive impulses around young women? Well now Tucker Carlson is wishing for this on national TV," she tweeted.

"You're a creep bro," Ocasio-Cortez added. "If you're this easy w/ sexual harassment on air, how are you treating your staff?"

A spokesperson for Fox News did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

In the same segment, Carlson said AOC was not a woman of color, calling her a "rich entitled white lady." Ocasio-Cortez's mother is from Puerto Rico, and she has called herself a woman of color multiple times.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Feb. 18A 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. Attorney's Office.

Jason Edmonds, 43, worked as a U.S. Army research biologist for the Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground. According to the news release, the center is known as the nation's main research and development hub for non-medical chemical and biological weapons defense.

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.

If convicted, both men face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy. Edmonds could face 15 additional years for bribery.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin testifies before the House Armed Services Committee on the conclusion of military operations in Afghanistan at the Rayburn House Office building on Capitol Hill on September 29, 2021 in Washington, DC.





Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he doesn't think Russian President Vladimir Putin is bluffing.

ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz asked Austin in an interview, an excerpt of which was posted Friday, about the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine due to the buildup of Russian troops along the border.

"This is not a bluff?" Raddatz asked Austin.

"Again, I don't believe it's a bluff. I think he's assembled the right kind of - the kinds of things that you would need to conduct a successful invasion," Austin said.

Raddatz noted that Russians had set up medical tents and had nurses on hand, which she added would not normally indicate a pullback of troops.

"Exactly. If they were redeploying to garrison, we wouldn't be seeing the kinds of things in terms of, not only combat power, but also logistical support, medical support, combat aviation that we've seen in the region," Austin replied.

The full interview with Austin will air Sunday on ABC.

President Biden said earlier Friday he was "convinced" Putin had decided to invade Ukraine. However, the president said that the U.S. was open to diplomacy should Russia opt for the alternative option.

"The entire free world is united," Biden said. "Russia has a choice between war and all the suffering it will bring, or diplomacy."

U.S. envoy to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Michael Carpenter said the organization had found evidence that up to 190,000 Russian troops are near the Ukrainian border, a stark increase from the approximately 100,000 believed to be there on Jan. 30.

Russia earlier this week claimed that it had pulled back some of its troops near Ukraine, though officials from the U.S. and NATO say Russia appears to only be doing the opposite of that.
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A tablet is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family. (Photo: Amazon)

The bad news? This holiday weekend has flown by waaay too fast. The good news? The Prez Day sales are still raging, especially for those in the market for a new tablet. Tablets marry the best of both worlds. If you want something bigger than a smartphone but easier to carry than a laptop, you turn to the trusty tablet for consuming YouTube videos, answering emails, playing games and simply browsing the web in a smoother and touch-friendly way.

Luckily, some of the best and brightest tablets are on sale this holiday weekend. We combed through the Presidents Day sales on Amazon to put together a list of exceptional opportunities. Nows the time to upgrade (you know youve earned it after the past year).

If you have Amazon Prime, youll get free two-day shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

Shop the deals below:

Amazon Fire tablets

You can even control your home from the comfort of your couch with the Fire HD 10. (Photo: Amazon)

For Presidents Day, the Amazon Fire HD 10 is on sale for $110, down from $150. Its currently at its lowest price this year  and its a great Apple iPad alternative.

This compact tablet has a brilliant 10-inch HD display at 1080p and 12 hours of battery life so it wont conk out mid-show. It features a lightning-fast octa-core processor paired with 3GB of memory and 32GB of on-board storage (expandable up to a whopping 1TB), which makes it the speediest of all Amazon Fire tablets.

The Amazon Fire HD 10 has over 47,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. One delighted customer had this to say about it: "I just got this tablet a few days ago and it fits me so well! The screen is very responsive, I loooove the split screen feature, I have been able to find all the apps I like to use. ... The Fire 10 feels like a quality-made product that will last a long time. From opening the box to the introduction when I first started the tablet up through my experience so far, I feel like they made the Fire 10 with care for the customer. I am very thankful for and happy with my purchase."

$110 $150 at Amazon

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Check out more Amazon Fire tablet deals below:

Samsung tablets

Save $60 on this Samsung Galaxy Tab A7. (Photo: Amazon)

The 10.4-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 rivals the basic iPad in every way. Its so easy to use and versatile, it just might convince iPad users to switch to Android altogether. And its on sale for $246, or $34 off.

It weighs just over a pound and boasts 64GB of storage (expandable up to a whopping 1TB via microSD card), compared to Apples entry level tablet, which isnt even expandable. And unlike that iPad, the Tab A7s 10.4-inch display has a full HD widescreen for immersive viewing.

It features an eight-megapixel selfie cam with a five-megapixel rear shooter on the front for video calls. This camera set is actually better than the one that comes with the iPad!

Super build quality. Glass panel is very smooth to the touch, shared a savvy tech shopper. The slightly longer aspect ratio is really noticeable when using in portrait mode while scrolling emails. The processor is pretty snappy with the latest Android 10 features. Best fit for media consumption and mid range gaming.

$246 $280 at Amazon

Check out more Samsung tablet deals below:

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was leading a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven industrialised nations, and the Ukraine crisis was expected to be discussed.

World leaders are to converge this weekend on Germany for the annual Munich Security Conference, which will be dominated by the Ukraine 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 NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will be among the dignitaries attending the three-day event, known as "Davos for defence", which kicked off on Friday (February 18) at the luxurious 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.
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
A 27-year-old man died Thursday night after his car crashed into the Tracy Police Department Parking lot, hitting three police vehicles and landing on top of a fourth.

The Tracy resident, who police have not identified, was driving a Pontiac G6 westbound on East 11th Street at about 9:45 p.m. when for unknown reasons the car veered off the left side of the road.

According to a press release from the Tracy Police Department, the car went off the road near the driveway to the departments north parking lot. Authorities did not say how fast it is believed to have been traveling.

The Pontiac struck a tree, followed by four parked, unoccupied police vehicles, coming to rest partially on top of the fourth vehicle.

Two Tracy Police officers came to the drivers aid and found him unconscious in the vehicle. They pulled him out and and began life-saving efforts, according to the press release.

Paramedics arrived at the scene and transported the man to a hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Traffic investigators are working to determine the cause of the collision and if alcohol or drugs were a factor.

Anyone with information regarding this ongoing investigation in encouraged to contact Sergeant Joel Petty of the Traffic Safety Unit at 209-831-6505 or Joel.Petty@TracyPD.com.
A man being sought by Pierce County detectives was fatally shot in Centralia on Friday after stabbing a police officer there, authorities said.

Pierce County detectives were in Centralia to arrest a 32-year-old man for investigation of second-degree child rape, according to a news release from the Lewis County Sheriffs Office.

They were attempting to apprehend the man at about 10:15 a.m. in the 400 block of Northeast Adams Avenue when he appeared to reach for a weapon, the news release said.

One of the Pierce County detectives fired his gun at the man, who ran off.

Multiple law enforcement agencies then began looking for the man with the help of a K-9 unit. About two hours later, they found him in another part of the city.

While making contact with the suspect, a Centralia Police Officer was stabbed in the head and back area. Officers from the Centralia Police Department then discharged their firearms, striking the suspect, according to the news release.

The man died at the scene.

The injured officer was transported by medical aid in order to undergo surgery, and is in stable condition, the news release said.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Lewis County Sheriffs Office at 360-748-9286.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  China has failed to live up to its promise to buy more Maine lobster under a deal that opened the door to an easing of a trade war under former President Donald Trump, Maine's congressional leaders say.

Maine's lobster industry was hurt by retaliatory Chinese tariffs in 2018 and failed to see substantial export gains after China committed to buying an additional $200 billion in U.S. goods, the delegation contends.

Under the Phase One Agreement, China was supposed to increase purchases above 2017 levels but China has bought almost no lobster above 2017 levels, according to a letter Thursday by Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent, and Reps. Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, both Democrats.

They urged U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to hold China accountable for its purchase commitments.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine earlier sent a letter voicing the same concerns and urging swift and appropriate action.

Maines live lobster sales to China fell in the year after the lobster tariff was imposed in July 2018, and China shifted its lobster purchases to Canadian dealers, industry officials said.

The sparring over lobster came as the U.S. trade representative accused Beijing of failing to carry out market-opening promises made when it joined the World Trade Organization. China rejected the accusations.

___

This story has been corrected to show that China committed to buying an additional $200 billion, not $200 million, in U.S. goods over 2017 levels.
A Southern California police chief apologized to a Black teenage girls family for the outcome of an arrest in which one of his officers using force on their loved one.

The Rialto police officer was caught on camera after placing his hand on the 16-year-olds neck and forcefully spinning her to the ground while trying to detain her for illegally riding her motorbike.

16-year-old Black girl slammed during arrest (Bystander footage)

The girl was riding a motor vehicle called a pocket bike in a residential area, which is not legal to ride on the street in California. According to Bikehike.org, states like California and Texas consider the operation of pocket bikes and/or mini-motorcycles illegal on all public streets, sidewalks, and trails.

However, the issue at hand for the childs parents is not whether she was right or wrong, but that the officers used what they considered force on a minor. The girls family is calling for the officer to be fired.

In a statement released Tuesday, Feb. 15, Rialto Police Chief Mark Kling said he personally viewed the bodycam footage and is reviewing the officers actions in this case.

Kling said, Although the video depicts the juvenile resisting officers, we are investigating the officers decision to trip the juvenile to the ground and later placing his hand on the juveniles throat during the arrest.

He further offered his apology to the family.

We apologize to the juveniles family regarding these unfortunate circumstances, he wrote. At a time when our police department strives to build community relationships, we certainly fell short in this encounter. We look forward to building rapport with this family now and in the future.

On Friday, Feb. 11, the Rialto Police Department reports the teenager was stopped around 4:10 in the afternoon for riding an illegal street pocket bike and traveling at an unsafe speed near the intersection of Linden and Pinedale avenues.

After stopping her, the officer asked her to identify herself, KTLA reports. According to their account, she refused to identify herself and resisted being brought into custody.

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Video footage of the encounter shows the next moves of one of the officers, who placed his hands on her throat as he forced her down. He grabbed her by the neck asking, Did you try to bite me?

The girl was arrested and taken to a juvenile detention center where she was kept for almost four days. Her representatives say as a result of the incident, she has sustained shoulder, neck and back injuries.

Some reports say the girl suffered a concussion and that the extent of these injuries has not been fully determined.

Use of force has come into question after the video of the altercation went viral, circulating on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.

Popular comedian D.L. Hughley used his Instagram to advocate for social justice. He wrote, This is becoming all too familiar on our timelines, POLICE BRUTALITY being carried out in situations that SHOULD AND COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN HANDLED WITHOUT PHYSICAL ASSUALT!! DO NOT ALLOW THIS TO BECOME WHITE NOISE. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELVES TO BECOME NUMB TO THESE IMAGES. ALL THIS over a raggedy little moped.

Understanding the publics concern, the chief stated that he has called for an independent investigation by the San Bernardino County District Attorneys Bureau of Investigations to determine if the officers use of force options were lawful.

I have also ordered an internal affairs investigation into the officers actions. Our investigation will determine if department policies, rules, or procedures were violated, his statement continued. Per department directives, confirmed violations of policy will lead to disciplinary action.

Her family has secured an attorney, Caree Harper, to assist in supporting their daughters needs. The first was to help get her released from the juvenile detention center.

The 16-year-old was booked Friday, Feb. 11, evening into juvenile detention on suspicion of resisting an officer by use of force. She was released to her family on Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Harper told The Los Angeles Times, They initially told her that they would release her to her father, and then based on some verbal exchange with the officers, he started to forcefully put her into custody.

The teen allegedly said something that unhinged the officer, according to the attorney, who claims, He arrested her to put her in an attitude check.

The attorney offered that the young person in fear of her life may have attempted to bite the officer.

She thought she was going to die, Harper said the child rationalized. You have two grown men throwing around a 90-pound girl. Its their job to de-escalate those situations. These two officers are the adults in the room. It wasnt a pretty moment, to begin with, and then it turned into a nightmare.

Harper was also hired to represent the familys wishes.

Chief among those desires is to have the arresting officer fired from his job for his use of force on the teen.

Harper said, If you choke a child you should be relieved of duty right now and Im speaking directly to supervisors. Fire him now, send a message. Let them learn now so that other children dont have to be punished later.

While the officer has not been fired, the chief said that he has been placed on leave.

The officer, whose identity is being withheld due to the ongoing investigations, has been placed on paid administrative leave, which is appropriate under these circumstances, Chief Kling said.

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The Washington County Commissioners' legal team has filed a motion to strike a Frederick County man's complaint against a county commissioner from a lawsuit the county filed against the man related to the sale of Fort Ritchie.

Last month, Craig Mahrle filed a third-party complaint against Commissioners Vice President Terry Baker as part of a lawsuit the Washington County Commissioners brought in county circuit court against Mahrle.

Baltimore-based Karpinski, Cornbrooks and Karp, the law firm the county hired to represent the commissioners in the case, states in court documents filed this week that Baker is immune from Mahrle's claim that Baker shares any responsibility for the lawsuit.

In 2020, Mahrle sued the commissioners saying they "materially changed the terms of a contract" for the sale of the former military base, including the legal description of the property. Because of that, he claimed, the county had to re-advertise the sale, but has "failed and refused to do so."

As a result, the sale of the property to Cascade resident and developer John Krumpotich was delayed for a year.

The commissioners prevailed in county and appeals courts, and the deal closed in April.

A month later, the commissioners sued Mahrle, a businessman from Sabillasville, Md., for $1 million in damages. That pending lawsuit states that "frivolous, groundless, and vexatious civil suits" have cost taxpayers thousands of dollars.

More on Mahrle Third-Party Complaint: Businessman says he sued Washington County on a commissioner's advice; commissioner denies it

More on Politics: Deputy State's Attorney Joseph S. Michael named to replace retired Judge Daniel P. Dwyer

Last month, Mahrle named Baker as a third-party defendant in the commissioners' lawsuit, in addition to Offit Kurman P.A.  Mahrle's legal representation during his initial litigation  claiming he would have not taken action against the commissioners had it not been at the advice of both parties.

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Filed too late?

In a 10-page court document, the commissioners' lawyers state that Mahrle's complaint was filed "untimely" on Jan. 14, 85 days after the commissioners' filed the lawsuit.

Mahrle made an attempt to dismiss the commissioners' lawsuit, but was denied on Oct. 5, according to the court documents. He had until Oct. 20 to answer the complaint, which Mahrle answered on Oct. 21.

"Because (Mahrle) filed the Baker Complaint in excess of 30 days of Oct. 20, 2021, any party is permitted to file, within 15 days of service of the third-party claim, a motion to strike it or to sever it for a separate trial," the documents state.

Washington County Board of Commissioners President Terry Baker

Questions of immunity

The county lawyers contend Baker is immune to Mahrle's claims and the third-party complaint must be dismissed.

The court documents state that an "official of a municipal corporation, while acting in a discretionary capacity, without malice, and within the scope of the official's employment or authority shall be immune as an official or individual from any civil liability for the performance of the action."

"Malice," according to the Cornell School of Law's online legal dictionary, "indicates the intention, without justification or excuse, to commit an act that is unlawful."

The county's lawyers added that Mahrle cannot contend that Baker acted outside the scope of his authority or with malice when he allegedly encouraged Mahrle to sue the county.

To overcome the immunity protection, Mahrle had to have a written contract with either Baker or the county, the county lawyers wrote in the court filing. They noted there was neither a written nor oral contract with either.

Craig Mahrle of Sabillasville, Md., asked the Washington County Board of Commissioners to rebid the former Fort Ritchie property. A majority of the commissioners approved an amended sale agreement with John W. Krumpotich of Cascade. Mahrle submitted an as is offer for the site for $1,525,000.

"It is (Mahrle) that filed the lawsuit against the county, thereby preventing the sale of Fort Ritchie and baselessly causing the county to suffer economic harm," the documents state. "Even assuming as true the allegations made in the Baker Complaint, the harm which the county endured would have not ensued but for (Mahrle's) tortious conduct."

Baker and Commissioners President Jeff Cline declined to comment when reached this week. Mahrle did not return calls seeking comment.

Timeline

November 2019 : Washington County proposes contract to sell more than 500 acres "as is" at Fort Ritchie military base to Cascade resident John Krumpotich for $1.7 million, with a 75-day feasibility study period.

January 2020 : Commissioners vote to extend the 75-day feasibility study period to March 5.

March 2020 : Craig Mahrle of Sabillasville, Md., tells commissioners during public comment to entertain new offers for the property after changes are made to the contract  increasing the sell to $1.85 million and adding infrastructure responsibilities to the county.

March 2020 : Mahrle submits a written offer of $1.5 million for the property.

April 2020 : Mahrle sues the county commissioners claiming the county "materially changed the terms of a contract" for the sale of the property, including the legal description of the property, thus the county must re-advertise, but has "failed and refused to do so." Because of the lawsuit, the closing deadline is extended to June 5.

April 2020 : County commissioners file motion to dismiss Mahrle's lawsuit to the Washington County Circuit Court.

May 2020 : Mahrle's lawsuit is dismissed, leaving him until June 11 to appeal the court's ruling.

June 2020 : The county commissioners extend the closing deadline from June 5 to June 30, due to the lawsuit and potential appeal.

June 2020 : Mahrle files an appeal to the court's ruling on June 9, extending the closing deadline of the sale to Jan. 31, 2021.

July 2020 : County officials make budget adjustments to continue covering the cost of maintaining the Fort Ritchie property.

January 2021 : The county commissioners extend the closing deadline to 45 days after the court case has been resolved or July 31.

February 2021 : The Maryland Court of Special Appeals affirms decision by Washington County Circuit Court to dismiss Mahrle's lawsuit challenging the county's sale of the property.

April 2021 : Krumpotich settles $1.85 million purchase of the former Fort Ritchie military base property.

May 2021 : The county commissioners sue Mahrle for $1 million in damages, stating that "frivolous, groundless, and vexatious civil suits" have cost taxpayers thousands of dollars.

January 2022 : Mahrle names Terry Baker, vice president of the commissioners, as a third-party defendant in the commissioners' lawsuit, in addition to Offit Kurman P.A.  his legal representation during his litigation  claiming he would have not taken action against the county commissioners had it not been at the advice of both parties.

February 2022: Washington County Commissioners' lawyers file motion to strike or dismiss Baker from Mahrle's third-party complaint.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Washington County lawyers: Commissioner immune in Fort Ritchie lawsuit
MINNETONKA, Minn.  Music megastar Prince was known for throwing parties that stretched into the wee hours of the morning, but his faith and the Bible could also keep him gabbing until sunrise, according to his longtime friend and "spiritual brother," bassist Larry Graham.

Prince, who died last month at 57, became a Jehovah's Witness later in life, and that helped shape his music as well as his lifestyle, according to Graham, who first met the star decades ago and became a confidante and tour mate.

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Prince would knock on doors, talk with visitors at his studio-compound Paisley Park in suburban Minneapolis and even share his faith with small groups after a show, said Graham, the 69-year-old bassist best known for playing in the funk band Sly and the Family Stone and with his own group, Graham Central Station.

"That brought him joy. That brought him real happiness," Graham said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday.

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Graham said Prince was a private person who didn't discuss his health issues openly. He said he saw Prince three days before he was found dead at Paisley Park and that, besides recovering from a cold, he seemed "pretty normal."

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 38 Prince performs in Los Angeles in 1986. (Los Angeles Times)

A law enforcement official has told the AP that investigators are looking into whether Prince died from an overdose and whether a doctor was prescribing him drugs in the weeks beforehand. The official has been briefed on the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media.

Graham said he had never seen Prince take any prescription drugs.

The two met while playing separate shows in Nashville, Tennessee, in the mid-1990s and Prince asked Graham, who was a Jehovah's Witness, to come on tour with him. Graham said Prince was deeply interested in the Bible and they would talk about it for hours.

"He asked me questions every day, every week  sometimes we would bring up the sun talking about the Bible," he said.

Later, Prince asked Graham if he would move to Minnesota to continue teaching him about God and his faith. He accepted, and Graham and his family relocated from Jamaica, where they had been teaching Bible school.

Prince's interest in the Bible grew and eventually he came to the conclusion that he, too, wanted to become a Jehovah's Witness, Graham said. Later, Prince began worshipping at a Kingdom Hall just outside Minneapolis. Graham said he considered Prince to be his "spiritual brother."

It was important to Prince, like many artists, to give his fans joy with his music, Graham said. But the most important thing to him was not just giving people a "temporary feeling" from a record or album but being able to share scripture, he said.

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"His joy  his biggest joy  was sharing the hope of everlasting life," Graham said.

Associated Press

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 126 Woody introduces the gang to a homemade spork toy with self-esteem issues in "Toy Story 4." Read the review. (Pixar / AP)
The U.S. and its allies poured tens of millions of dollars during the past seven years into helping Ukraine shore up its electric grid against a Russian cyberattack, while Ukrainian authorities launched a massive program to harden their cyber defenses.

Nobody thinks it will be enough.

Instead, the Ukrainian power supply remains vulnerable to a major hacking assault that could inflict extended blackouts in much of the country as part of an armed invasion by Moscow, cybersecurity experts say.

Ukraine experienced smaller-scale cyberattacks linked to Russia in 2015 and 2016 including one that turned off the lights for almost a quarter-million Ukrainians  an assault that also raised alarm bells in countries like the U.S. about the security of their own electric grids.

If Russia wants to take down the Ukrainian electric system, I have full confidence that they can, and the Ukrainian playbook in many ways is in a place where preventions not going to happen, Robert M. Lee, CEO and co-founder of cybersecurity group Dragos, said in an interview. He argued corruption and economic barriers in Ukraine have gotten in the way of hardening the electric grid. The Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not respond to a request for comment.

President Joe Biden said Friday that the U.S. has every indication that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has decided to invade in the coming days. His warning came after a senior U.S. official estimated that Russia had lined up 169,000 to 190,000 fighters for the invasion, in the most significant military mobilization in Europe since the Second World War.

Alongside a physical invasion, Putin could marshal the full array of cyber and disinformation tools that it has inflicted on targets around the world during the past decade, including the U.S. And the electric grid is a ripe target.



Ukraine has repeatedly served as a laboratory for these kinds of attacks since Russias invasion and seizure of its Crimea region in 2014.

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The first example came almost seven years ago, when three Ukrainian power stations went dark for six hours in the middle of winter, blacking out Kyiv and a large swathe of Western Ukraine. The hackers  identified by U.S. officials as Russian  tunneled inside the plants controls and opened breakers to prevent power flow. On top of that, they locked out power station employees from their accounts so they couldnt respond to the attack, and overwhelmed the power stations call centers with a barrage of malicious online traffic  making it difficult for customers to report outages.

One year later, in 2016, Russian hackers went one step further and tried to disable the transmission equipment by overloading controls with internet activity, which would have made it unsafe for workers to manually restore power, according to a report from Dragos. The attack left portions of Kyiv in the dark for more than an hour  and even though the attackers failed to fully incapacitate the equipment, the incident highlighted Russias ability to exploit Ukraines power system to devastating effect.

If they had destroyed that physical equipment, whether you could have responded or not, it would have been a month of outages, Lee said.

In the years since, the U.S. and the European Union and NATO member states have provided cybersecurity assistance to help Ukraine gird against future attacks. The U.S. Agency for International Development announced in 2020 that it was investing $38 million in Ukrainian cybersecurity resilience over four years.

But some experts are critical of whether the funds have had much impact. Lee said that not enough of the money has gone towards industrial control systems.

It didnt help, Lee said of the USAID effort, noting that Dragos had been approached to participate in the program. There was a lot of money put towards this, lets go do something, but when the alignment is not there, the understanding of the problem is not there, then there is an inability to use it. I think the West loves to throw money at stuff.

Vlad Styran, CEO of the Kyiv-based Berezha Security Group, said the Ukrainian government used the USAID funds to purchase expensive software and hardware for the private sector and to strengthen the capabilities of cyber defense systems. But he said that in his view, the funds were not used efficiently, and described the international efforts as mostly PR and communications management.

USAID declined to comment on the program. A White House spokesperson also did not provide details.

The EU in December approved 31 million for Ukraine over the next three years to help with issues including cybersecurity, but that could come too late. EU officials are also considering providing more cybersecurity assistance to Ukraine following cyberattacks in January that defaced and disabled a number of Ukrainian government websites.

The European Commission did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine has worked to accelerate preparations as the threat of an invasion has grown.



Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month approved a measure to develop a plan to respond to large-scale cyberattacks and improve the sharing of threat information among critical sectors. Thats after Zelenskyy opened a new cybersecurity center last year for Ukraines Computer Emergency Response Team, which works with almost 600 response teams from almost 100 countries.

The Ukrainian government has also made an effort to work with the private companies that it will need to help coordinate response to an attack on the grid, as not all energy companies are state-owned.

There is a noticeable difference between when I was first there in 2015 and the activities now, said Tim Conway, the industrial control systems lead for the SANS Institute, a cybersecurity training group. Conway was part of the team that responded to the 2015 attack in Ukraine. There is a much better level of information-sharing and communication from the government to the private sector for sure.

Even so, Russias advanced cyber capabilities as compared with Ukraines add to the weaknesses. In the 2015 attack, Russian hackers waited inside power stations networks for months ahead of the strike.

At the moment, Lee said Dragos is tracking multiple groups that are embedded in and targeting electric systems in Ukraine. He declined to attribute the cyber activity to any country.

Another danger: Ukraine may not have enough trained cybersecurity workers to restore the electric system in the case of an attack, or other priorities could steer those employees elsewhere.

If there are widespread cyberattacks on a range of targets, its going to be very difficult to find competent people that can go and recover all of this, said Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder and chair of Silverado Policy Accelerator, a nonprofit think tank, and co-founder and former chief technology officer of the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Many people may sign up for self-defense as volunteers for the military to defend the country, so you may not even have enough people around who are not fighting to even do the cybersecurity response.

To be sure, much richer countries like the U.S. are also extremely vulnerable to cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. Conway argued Ukraines experience responding to previous attacks could help the country in the end.

Ukraine is one of those countries that has firsthand experience and has had to endure a trial by fire, he said. They are probably much better positioned than a number of countries throughout Europe because theyve had to live through it and had to operate that way.
Feb. 19Thumbs down to fans at the New Prague girls basketball game this week who made monkey noises directed at the opposing team's Black players.

Such an offensive display during a game brings shame on the school and the entire community. The New Prague head coach promptly apologized to the Robbinsdale Cooper High School team, but this behavior needs to be addressed by the entire community.

Reportedly adults, not just kids, participated in making the racist noises, obviously upsetting the Robbinsdale teammates and coaches who tried to stop it.

This isn't a bad scene out of 1950s movie about race relations where urban kids run up against the white culture of country bumpkins. This scene is reality in 2022.

The school district has said it hired an outside firm to investigate the incident and such a step is warranted. An examination also needs to include why the referees did not stop the game, and if the behavior didn't cease, the offenders needed to be ejected from the gym.

Cop cameras

Thumbs up to the Mankato Department of Public Safety and city for moving ahead with equipping its police officers with body cameras.

The city is taking public input (everyvoice.mankatomn.gov) and says it wants residents to help fashion a policy for the use of cameras. While both officers and the public appear supportive of getting cameras, there are complexities in creating policies, such as whether officers should turn cameras off when talking to a sexual assault victim or responding to a domestic call where children are present.

But cameras have been used long enough in enough places that good policies are in place elsewhere to guide the city in making its rules.

The cameras don't come cheap. Buying, maintaining them and storing all of the data is expected to cost up to $200,000 a year. Fortunately, the City Council has already budgeted for the cost.

Appropriate action against Frost

Thumbs up to the Mankato City Council for its appropriate action against one of its members.

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The council this week censured Mark Frost, its senior member, and removed him from his committees after it came to light that in 2017 he attempted to undermine the employment of a critic of the city's urban deer hunt.

Frost's letter to Waseca County officials about Mark Leiferman may not have violated any law, but it violated common sense and the spirit of representative democracy. The council may not have the authority to remove the elected Frost from office, but the censure signals its collective disapproval of his intimidation of a critic, and removing him from his committees limits his ability to represent the city and influence policy.

Frost put his colleagues in an uncomfortable position, but they did what they needed to do.

No to no-knocks

Thumbs up to area law enforcement agencies that haven't used so called "no-knock" warrants for years and don't plan to employ them as any new manner of practice.

That's a positive sign.

A Free Press story that surveyed area law enforcement agencies showed many had not used the tactic in years and generally saw no need to do so in many of the cases in the region. In Mankato, top department executives have to sign off on no-knock warrants.

Many area law enforcement leaders say training and tactics have evolved to limit the need for no-knock warrants. De-escalation techniques and "surround and hold" tactics are safer and more effective, the leaders said.

And instructors in Minnesota State University's law enforcement program also stress how limited use of no-knock warrants should be.

The warrants are used more frequently in the metro area and may have use when police are apprehending suspects known to be violent. But the lack of the use of no-knock warrants here suggests we live in an area with less violence and well-trained police forces.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has delivered emergency medical equipment to Ukraine following a request from Kyiv amid an escalation of the crisis with Russia, the European Commission said on Saturday.

The request was made by Ukraine on Tuesday, amid rising fears of an imminent Russian invasion.

So far emergency aid has come from France, Romania, Slovenia, Ireland and Austria, the Commission said.

France has sent a field hospital, medicines and hundreds of tents, blankets, sleeping bags. Additional aid, including medical equipment and power generators, were deployed by the other EU countries. More help is expected in coming days.

"Following a request from the Government of Ukraine for emergency assistance due to the threat of further escalation, the European Commission is coordinating the delivery of essential supplies to support the civilian population," said an EU statement.

When the scale of an emergency overwhelms the response capabilities of a country, it can request assistance via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which coordinates assistance from EU and other European countries.

(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio; Editing by Mark Potter)
Feb. 19A former employee has admitted to stealing nearly $50,000 from Miami University using funds he collected as parking operation supervisor, according to the Butler County Prosecutor's Office.

Tommy Jessie, 46, of Trenton, plead guilty to felony theft, a fifth-degree felony, Thursday in common pleas court. He paid restitution of $49,987.96 to the university at the plea hearing, said Assistant County Prosecutor Garrett Baker.

Jessie was the MU parking operations supervisor during the time of the theft  from Aug. 30, 2019 through Aug. 20, 2021. He was employed by the university for nearly nine years and was terminated on Aug. 20, 2021, according to Jessica Rivinius, Miami University spokesperson.

Jessie was able to steal using two methods, according to prosecutors. He was given access to card readers, which are digital devices that are used to accept or refund parking payments. He also had access to parking payment kiosks/machines.

According to prosecutors, Jessie used the card readers to give himself refunds linked to two re-loadable debit cards. Then he used one of the cards to make purchases for himself. In addition to the refunds he stole coin revenue and money from the kiosks and garages.

"He had been there (MU) a while and he really exploited the trust his supervisors placed in him," Baker said. "At the end of the day he was supposed to go over to the parking garages, empty out the cash in the machines and then make a deposit. He stopped (making deposits) in 2019."

It was at a time that Miami University was switching over to all digital forms of payment, so the thefts when undiscovered for a while, the assistant prosecutor said.

The tip-off was the second part of the theft scheme when Jessie made refunds on disputed parking payments to himself using card readers he had access to, according to prosecutors. There is a system for reimbursement of disputed parking payments made by credit or debit cards. Jessie began using that system to refund himself and loading the money on debit cards in his possession, according to Baker.

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"He issued himself approximately $30,000 worth of refunds. Starting slow, but then bumping it up to giving himself refunds of $250 and $500," Baker said.

Jessie used the reloadable card to make various purchases for his personal use from Amazon, including cooking related items.

"The purchases were definitely wants and not needs," Baker said. "I think this was really a crime of opportunity. He saw that he had access to these funds and that his immediate supervisors trusted him."

Jessie's attorney Wayne Staton declined comment.

The case was investigated by Miami University Police who collected a "bevy" of evidence that led to the plea, the assistant prosecutor said.

Judge Jennifer McElfresh set Jessie's sentencing for March 24. The charge carries a possible maximum sentence of 12 months in jail. Jessie is free on his own recognizance.
By Andrew Osborn

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The head of a Russia-dominated military alliance that is sometimes called Moscow's answer to NATO has said his organisation could send peacekeepers to territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russia-backed rebels if needed.

The situation in two self-proclaimed pro-Russian republics in Ukraine's Donbass region is on a knife-edge after rebel leaders declared a full mobilisation of their forces and asked civilians to evacuate to Russia following shelling which Ukraine and the separatist rebels blame on each other.

In an interview conducted before that evacuation began, Stanislav Zas, secretary general of the Moscow-based Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), said the body could despatch peacekeepers to Donbass if there was an international consensus for such a deployment.

"Hypothetically you can imagine it (such a deployment) if there were goodwill from Ukraine - it is after all their territory - if there was a U.N. Security Council mandate, and if it was needed and such a decision was supported by all our governments," Zas, a Belarusian lieutenant-general, told Reuters in what aides said was his first Western media interview.

Zas, whose organization last month deployed troops in the former Soviet Union for the first time in its 20-year history to help quell what the Kazakh authorities said was an attempted coup in Kazakhstan, said the only way to resolve the crisis in Ukraine was through negotiations.

"I don't believe that the situation now will return to how it used to be when tanks were housed at their bases and soldiers in their barracks. It won't happen. There needs to be an understanding about the necessity to sit down at the table and agree something. It's a new reality," said Zas.

The CSTO draws on the armed forces of its six members: Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Russia, with overall active forces of 900,000, is by far the CSTO's most powerful member, and the organisation's unified military headquarters is headed by a Russian.

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Zas said the CSTO had a 17,000-strong force at constant readiness and a specialised peacekeeping force of nearly 4,000 troops.

A CSTO deployment to Donbass seems unlikely for now, given the organisation's geopolitical allegiance and a view in the West that it is a tool of Russian influence.

But the situation in eastern Ukraine is changing fast as Moscow attempts to compel Kyiv to hold direct talks with the rebels and grant the two regions they control a measure of autonomy within Ukraine.

RUSSIAN DEMANDS

Backing its demands with what according to U.S. estimates is up to 190,000 troops surrounding Ukraine on three sides, Russia also wants the idea of NATO membership for Ukraine taken off the table forever.

Kyiv has long spurned all those demands, viewing them as a ploy to give Russia influence over Ukraine's foreign and domestic policy via the rebels and as an attempt to thwart its turn to the West away from Moscow.

Zas rejected the idea that the CSTO was a vehicle to promote Russian influence. He predicted East-West tensions would remain dangerously high until a deal was done on the security guarantees Moscow is seeking from the West, which he described as being in the interests of the wider region and the CSTO.

Among other demands, Moscow wants NATO to halt its eastward expansion and promise not to deploy offensive weapons in Ukraine and other nations close to Russia.

Zas said the CSTO and its members would always carefully weigh any decision to use force.

"We have colossal potential in our hands. We all understand that we need to be very careful with this scalpel," he said.

If needed, the CSTO could swiftly deploy huge numbers of troops, he said.

"Believe me, we can send as many as needed," Zas said. "If we need 3,000, we'll send them. If we need 17,000 we'll send them. If we need more there'll be more. As many as are needed."

(The story refiles to clarify figure of 3,000 in final paragraph)

(Reporting by Andrew Osborn, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
A Family Dollar store in Hallandale, Florida. (Getty Images)

The US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about the safety of products from Family Dollar stores in six states, after more than 1,000 dead rodents were recovered after an inspection of a distribution facility in West Memphis, Arkansas.

Conditions observed during the inspection included live rodents, dead rodents in various states of decay, rodent feces and urine, evidence of gnawing, nesting and rodent odors throughout the facility, dead birds and bird droppings, and products stored in conditions that did not protect against contamination. More than 1,100 dead rodents were recovered from the facility following a fumigation at the facility in January 2022, the FDA said in a statement on Friday. A consumer complaint prompted the investigation, the FDA said.

The states impacted include: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. The products affected include various dietary supplements, cosmetics, pet food, and other medicinal items.

Family Dollar said that it was issuing a voluntary recall of the impacted items, adding that it was not aware of any customers falling ill related to the issue.

Family Dollar is notifying its affected stores by letter asking them to check their stock immediately and to quarantine and discontinue the sale of any affected product, the company said in a statement. Customers that may have bought affected product may return such product to the Family Dollar store where they were purchased without receipt.

The West Memphis, Arkansas location apparently had a history of rodent issues, the FDA said. Additionally, a review of the companys internal records also indicated the collection of more than 2,300 rodents between Mar. 29 and Sep. 17, 2021, demonstrating a history of infestation.

Families rely on stores like Family Dollar for products such as food and medicine. They deserve products that are safe, FDA Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs Judith McMeekin said in a statement. No one should be subjected to products stored in the kind of unacceptable conditions that we found in this Family Dollar distribution facility. These conditions appear to be violations of federal law that could put families health at risk. We will continue to work to protect consumers.
ORLANDO, Fla.  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.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

------
Feb. 18A former employee of the Clark County Auditor's Office pleaded not guilty to a charge of theft in office on Friday.

Robert Vanderhorst, 63, was arraigned in Clark County Common Pleas Court on Friday morning. He was released on his own recognizance.

Vanderhorst faces a third-degree felony charge of theft in office, meaning the value of property or services allegedly stolen is more than $7,500 and less than $150,000.

"Vanderhorst appears to have used his intimate knowledge, tenure, and trust to steal from our office," Clark County Auditor John Federer said.

An employee of the Clark County Auditor's Office since 1991, Vanderhorst was fired Jan. 12 after the Clark County Auditor's Office said it learned of the allegations.

Federer said that Vanderhorst's charge represents a "shocking betrayal of every Clark County citizen" and employees of his office.

According to the auditor's office, an employee noticed inappropriate vendor payouts in the financial management system in October 2021. State investigators visited the auditor's office and Vanderhorst's home last month to collect evidence.

Ohio Auditor Keith Faber's Special Investigations Unit is conducting a forensic audit and criminal investigation in conjunction with Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Driscoll. The investigation is ongoing.

Federer created a website, www.clarkcountyfacts.com, with the help of a communications consulting firm that he said has been paid out of his own pocket to outline details about the alleged theft.
Who does, really? Long ago, when I ran into an acquaintance who said he'd been reading my reviews, he asked whether I knew what I was talking about or just making things up. The truth is, it's a bit of both. It's never easy to write or talk about dance; despite ties to theater, music and visual art, dance is always and only its own nonverbal self.
PARIS (Reuters) - France urged its citizens on Saturday to leave the Ukrainian regions of Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donetsk without delay after a rise in tensions following Russia's military build-up near Ukraine.

A travel advisory issued on the French foreign ministry's website also suggested French citizens in Ukraine should leave if they do not have urgent business there.

Earlier on Saturday, Germany's foreign ministry told German nationals to leave Ukraine.

(Reporting by Juliette Jabkhiro; Editing by Alison Williams and Timothy Heritage)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's foreign ministry on Saturday told German nationals to leave Ukraine now, as tensions between Russia and Ukraine increased further.

"German nationals are urged to leave the country now," the ministry said in a statement. "A military confrontation is possible at any time."

Other countries including Britain and the United States have also asked their nationals to depart immediately.

(Reporting by Kirsti Knolle)
A civil rights group asked a judge to strike down the suspension of Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, who faces federal corruption charges. (Los Angeles Times)

A civil rights group asked a judge on Friday to strike down the Los Angeles City Council's suspension of Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas and halt the plan for replacing him with former Councilman Herb Wesson.

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Southern California filed a 31-page lawsuit saying the city's term-limit law bars Wesson from filling the seat, since he has already served three full terms  the maximum allowed under the City Charter.

The City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the plan to make Wesson a temporary voting representative of the 10th District while Ridley-Thomas continues to fight federal corruption charges.

The SCLC of Southern California, which was joined in its lawsuit by several district residents, contends the council violated the City Charter by suspending Ridley-Thomas last fall, one week after he was indicted on federal bribery and corruption charges in a case involving county contracts.

Ridley-Thomas has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Since November, the district has had a non-voting caretaker, which has sparked complaints that residents have been disenfranchised.

In its lawsuit, the SCLC of Southern California said the council cannot suspend one of its members based on "unproven criminal charges unrelated to any official city council duties."

"The decision to suspend [Ridley-Thomas] contravenes the bedrock presumption of innocence guaranteed under California law," the lawsuit states. "It conflicts with the plain language of the California Constitution and City Charter. And it deprives more than 230,000 residents of District 10  a district with one of the highest percentages of African Americans in Los Angeles  of their chosen representative."

The lawsuit seeks to have Ridley-Thomas resume his duties, with his salary and benefits restored, said John E. Sweeney, an attorney for the plaintiffs.

Council President Nury Martinez unveiled the proposal for making Wesson an interim replacement on Wednesday, saying he "knows the district better than anyone. Wesson represented the 10th District, which stretches from Koreatown to the Crenshaw Corridor in South L.A., from 2005 to 2020.

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Martinez spokeswoman Sophie Gilchrist said Friday that her boss would not comment on pending litigation. But earlier this week, the council president said the City Charter allows the council to suspend any city elected official who has been charged with a criminal felony related to a violation of official duties.

In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs sought to rebut that notion, saying the allegations against Ridley-Thomas stem from his tenure on the county's Board of Supervisors  not his duties at City Hall  and therefore cannot be used as a rationale for suspension from the council.

"The charges were based entirely on conduct alleged to have occurred several years prior to [Ridley-Thomas'] election to the City Council," the lawsuit states.

Rob Wilcox, spokesman for City Atty. Mike Feuer, said his office intends to review the complaint and has no further comment.

Ridley-Thomas was the executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Greater Los Angeles chapter from 1981 to 1991, according to his website. His lawyer, Michael J. Proctor, said in an email that Ridley-Thomas is willing to continue serving as the representative for the 10th District.

Mark Ridley-Thomas has been a lifelong advocate for civil rights," Proctor said. "He believes that the right to accountable and elected representation is paramount to our democracy. It seems that that is what the SCLCs lawsuit is about."

Trial in the Ridley-Thomas case is set for August. Under the council's proposal, Wesson would serve in a temporary voting capacity until Dec. 31  or sooner, if Ridley-Thomas prevails in court or the charges are dropped.

Wesson, who has been contacting council members about the appointment in recent days, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He served on the council for 15 years, representing the district until Ridley-Thomas took over 2020.

Ridley-Thomas' term expires December 2024.

The council would need eight votes to appoint Wesson as a temporary replacement. Four council members, including Martinez, signed the proposal to appoint Wesson last week. Several others have declined to say how they would vote.

Councilman Mike Bonin, who voted against the suspension last year, described Wesson as a "friend and a respected former colleague." But he argued that the council should revisit its suspension of Ridley-Thomas, which he called "an injustice."

"This is not about [Wesson]. It is about the way this matter has been handled from the start," Bonin said in a statement.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
February is Black History Month.

Given the divisive and violent events of the past two years, this is an important time to appreciate the complexities of our shared history as Americans. From its inception, the Florida Gulf Coast University Art Galleries have been devoted to showing contemporary artists dealing with topical issues in an effort to help us expand our points of view. In honor of Black History Month, two very different, yet overlapping, artists works are on display in the Wasmer Art Gallery and the ArtLab on FGCUs campus. The personal stories that inform their work give us pause to ask more questions rather than taking sides.

John Loscuito

Purvis Young, born in 1943 in Miami, documented life in the citys Overtown neighborhood until his death in 2010. Considered an outsider artist, he was self-trained, but highly collected and represented in numerous museum collections. In contrast, Travis Somerville was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1963 and moved throughout the South as a child due to his fathers activism and work as a preacher. Young, who was Black, and Somerville, who is white, both saw the need to depict the injustices of their times and surroundings in their art.

All of Youngs work is about his world, and all of his materials were gleaned from his world. The uninitiated may think it strange to see a frame made from old carpet strips, scraps of wood or mangled signage; however, once its relation to Overtown is understood, we can see that not only is Young portraying through his depictions the essence of a poor Black community, but he is imbuing the works with the spirit of the people by using materials directly from the neighborhood. As with so many situations, if we can spend time seeing a different perspective, maybe we are able to realize a different outcome for our future.

Anica Sturdivant

Collecting found objects and materials is just one of the crossovers between Young and Somerville. They are both painters at heart and express the love of the process even though their works are political.

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In speaking with Somerville, this became an important point. He spoke about finding that balance between creating a work of art and the joy of the process of discovery as well as investigating social and political ideas. This balance between discovery and belief seems to be something we all desperately need as we try to find a way to reengage each other and our communities. While Somervilles works speak out against injustice and racial inequality, they are also full of humor and play. They dont have the answers, but rather provoke the viewer to connect the dots and create a narrative that makes sense.

When viewing the works of both artists, we see their personal stories. In Youngs, it is the reaction at a local level to the struggles of the marginalized and overlooked of Miamis poor Black community. For Somerville, it is reconciling the stories of his youth with the ongoing national dialog. They confront us with the architecture of low-income housing juxtaposed with the grid of a prison cells iron bars; and with contemporary political figures alongside historical events and symbols. They also document a moment in time and provide a space for reflection.

As we continue to debate and evolve as a nation so, too, will these artists works be seen from different perspectives as future generations grapple with these issues.

We invite you to visit campus to experience these two exhibitions. Learn more at fgcu.edu/artgalleries.

John Loscuito is gallery director and Anica Sturdivant is assistant curator at Florida Gulf Coast University.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Two exhibitions at FGCU art galleries celebrate Black History Month
Kamala Harris and Volodymyr Zelensky ANDREW HARNIK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Vice President Kamala Harris met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, The Hill reports.

President Biden told reporters on Friday he is "convinced" Russian President Vladimir Putin has made up his mind to invade Ukraine, but a diplomatic solution could still be possible.

Zelensky told Harris, through an interpreter, that he is grateful for American support and that "the only thing we want is to have peace." Harris reportedly "reiterated U.S. support for Ukraine," per The Hill.

Zelensky has faced criticism for leaving Ukraine when an invasion might commence any day. CNN reported that the Biden administration privately urged Zelensky to remain with his people, but Biden refused to publicly condemn the Ukrainian leader for his decision. "That's a judgment for him to make," Biden said Friday.

In a speech delivered the same day, Harris warned the U.S. and NATO would respond to a Russian invasion of Ukraine with "far-reaching financial sanctions and export controls" that "will target Russia's financial institutions and key industries" and "inflict great damage," according to CNN.

Speaking after Harris, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a Russian invasion of Ukraine "would be an absolute disaster be disaster for Europe, a disaster for Ukraine, and a disaster, certainly for Russia," per the Independent.

Even China joined in calling for peace. Chinese Foreign Minister told the assembled leaders and diplomats the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of every country ought to be respected and "Ukraine is no exception," China expert Noah Barkin posted on Twitter.

China's foreign minister Wang Yi tells #MSC2022 that the sovereignty, independence & territorial integrity of every country should be safeguarded. "Ukraine is no exception," he says pic.twitter.com/23ByTHcnVj  Noah Barkin (@noahbarkin) February 19, 2022

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In this Feb. 16, 2021, file photo, California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a news conference. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File

An Illinois gunmaker is launching a miniature AR-15 rifle for kids, called the "JR-15."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the weapon "vile" prior to announcing a slate of new gun control measures.

Gun safety groups are also calling out the gun manufacturer for launching the JR-15.

Gun safety groups and California's governor have sharply criticized an Illinois gun manufacturer for unveiling a rifle designed specifically for children, reports say.

The JR-15, or Junior 15, is designed to be "smaller, safer, lighter" than a regular AR-15, gunmaker WEE1 Tactical said in a November press release announcing the gun's launch.

The child-oriented weapon is roughly 20% smaller than a full-sized AR-15, but the manufacturer claims it "operates just like Mom and Dad's gun," according to the press release.

The WEE1 Tactical press release notes: "We believe that this introduction early on will produce a deep respect for firearms that continue and last for a lifetime of safety."

The .22-caliber long rifle was unveiled last month at the 2022 SHOT show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The shooting and hunting event was sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), a trade association for the firearms industry, according to British publication The Independent.

Newtown Action Alliance, a gun safety group, is one of several organizations to criticize the launch of the weapon.

"The callousness of the National Shooting Sports Foundation to promote a children's version of the same type of assault rifle that was used in a horrific mass shooting of 20 first-graders and six educators in our shared community is just the latest proof that the organization, and the gun manufacturers it represents, will do anything in pursuit of continued profits," said Po Murray, chairwoman of Newton Action Alliance, in a statement on Wednesday, per the Independent.

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Murray was referring to the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, in which 26 people were killed.

Other critics have come forward to denounce the unveiling of the JR-15.

Kathleen Sances, president and chief executive of gun safety group One Aim Illinois, told the Independent that the marketing of this weapon to kids has the potential to "increase the threat of gun death and injury to children here and across the nation."

And Josh Sugarmann, executive director of the gun control nonprofit Violence Policy Centre, referred to the JR-15 as "grotesque," the Independent reported.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the JR-15 "vile" in a tweet on Thursday, noting that the inclusion of the logo, which features a skull and crossbones with a pacifier, was "to look 'cute' to appeal to kids."

On Friday, Newsom announced new measures to hold gun manufacturers accountable for the deaths their products caused.

Insider reached out to WEE1 Tactical for comment early Saturday, but did not immediately receive a response.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A U.S. Army soldier facing life in prison for the 2020 kidnapping and fatal shooting of a fellow serviceman, Hayden Harris, can represent himself at trial, a Superior Court judge ruled Friday.

Despite having no legal experience, Jamaal Mellish, 24, did not waiver last month when he asked a judge to let him make his own decisions.

"I realize the consequences that I face in terms of life imprisonment and also realize that no one is willing to fight more than myself," Mellish said during the roughly hour-and-a-half-long in-person hearing.

Mellish, stationed at Fort Drum in upstate New York, and his co-defendant, Hannan Aiken, 17  the brother of Mellish's girlfriend  allegedly kidnapped Harris, 20, during a dispute in a parking lot in Glen Park, New York, near Watertown. Prosecutors have said they bound and gagged him and drove nearly 275 miles to Byram, where Mellish shot and killed him. They then made their way back upstate.

On Friday, Sussex County Judge Michael Gaus offered Mellish several opportunities to change his mind, citing the severity of a case with the "stakes high," but Mellish, an Army private, was confident in his wishes.

Gaus, who closely interrogated Mellish in January to gather his level of understanding of the law, found Mellish's application was made "knowingly, intelligently, willingly." Mellish is aware of the ramifications of his decision, Gaus said.

Mellish last month said he is aware that his lack of knowledge in certain areas "may hamper me as a self-represented litigant," but said he was willing to put in the work and "do my research." He perused the law library at the Morris County jail while awaiting charges for murder and felony murder.

Jamaal Mellish listens to the judge during a hearing in Sussex County Superior Court on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. Mellish is facing murder in the death of fellow U.S. Army soldier Hayden Harris.

Mellish, who has been represented by three different attorneys since his December 2020 arrest, will have Joel Harris, whom he hired on Oct. 7, serve as standby counsel.

Under court laws, a defendant who represents himself, often called pro se, is solely in control of the trial strategy, including making motions pretrial, arguing points of law, questioning witnesses and addressing the court in opening and closing summations.

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Standby counsel can assist a defendant with procedural and evidentiary issues, such as how to introduce evidence and exhibits, and go over courtroom rules and procedures. The counsel cannot interfere with the defendant's trial strategy.

"He or she cannot act like they are 'running the show,'" Gaus explained. "There will be no question in the jury's eyes, you are in fact representing yourself."

Mellish said that he has had no prior issues with his attorneys, but he did not feel they were making his case a priority.

"Today makes one year I have been incarcerated," he said on Jan. 14, a year to the day after he was extradited from New York to Morris County, where inmates are held following the closure of the Sussex County jail in 2019. "So far there has been no motions done to help my defense."

"At the end of the day, it's my life and I feel like I will fight for myself better than (other attorneys) will fight for me," Mellish said.

Mellish said he anticipates filing a motion to suppress statements and another to suppress evidence gathered by authorities without a search warrant.

The soldier, who was raised in Jamaica and migrated to Brooklyn before joining the military, was indicted in July on 11 counts, but that indictment was replaced with a new one in November that added Aiken to each count, including murder.

Aiken, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, will be tried as an adult after a Superior Court judge in October waived the case out of the family court, where juvenile cases are typically heard.

Defense attorneys have not sought to separate Mellish and Aiken's cases.

Juvenile defendant appears

Aiken also appeared in court Friday, and the judge issued a warning over concerns that the teen was being "disruptive" while in the Morris County Juvenile Detention Center, where he has ordered held at the time of his arrest.

While the judge did not go into detail, he mentioned that there were "a number" of incidents reported within the last four months that gave him "serious concern for the safety of everybody."

Gaus noted several times that Mellish, who twice appeared wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, was polite.

It is expected that juveniles who are are tried in adult criminal court will still be held in juvenile facilities under state statute, Gaus said, but exceptions can be made.

Gaus said he would consider moving Aiken to another juvenile detention center or even an adult jail, although the teen would be required to be segregated from the adult population.

Aiken, wearing a blue button-up shirt and khakis, only spoke to his attorney during the hearing. At times, he appeared irritated and bored.

Mellish and Aiken are each facing up to life in prison if convicted. The minimum term of prison is 30 years, with the possibility for parole release after 30 years. They are also facing charges for kidnapping, carjacking, weapons offenses and hindering.

Hannan Aiken, 17, turns and narrows his eyes at the camera during a hearing in Sussex County Superior Court as his co-defendant, Jamaal Mellish, behind him, with attorney Joel Harris, speak on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022.

The case quickly became one of Sussex County's highest-profile murders, shaking up the quiet, close-knit community of Byram days before Christmas 2020.

Prosecutors say in July 2020, months before the kidnapping, Mellish agreed to swap his Chevrolet Silverado for Harris' Ford Mustang.

Harris was unhappy with the circumstances of the transaction and wanted his Mustang back, which angered Mellish, prosecutors have said. The men decided to undo the trade on Dec. 7, 2020, but when they met, there was no Mustang. Mellish had sold the sports car months earlier, prosecutors said.

Mellish used a gun to order Harris into the rear seat of the truck, where he bound and gagged him, records show. Aiken, who also was there, held Harris at gunpoint as Mellish drove to Byram, where he shot and buried Harris in the snow, with help from Aiken, prosecutors said. It is unclear why Mellish drove to Sussex County from Glen Park, which is near Watertown, New York.

After being given his Miranda warnings and with his older brother present, Aiken admitted to his role in the incident and told police Mellish pulled the trigger, according to court records. Mellish has accused detectives of manipulating and threatening the teen to give incriminating statements.

Mellish and Aiken were stopped by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department in Watertown about six hours after members of the Byram fire department on their annual Santa run discovered Harris' partially snow-covered body off Ross Road.

Both are expected back in court in March.

Lori Comstock can be reached on Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH, on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LoriComstockNJH or by phone: 973-383-1194.

This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Fort Drum NY soldier killed: Jamaal Mellish can represent himself
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 hasnt responded to a request for comment. Nor has Musk mentioned the donation on Twitter, his favorite communications forum.

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Yet that hasnt 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 worlds 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.

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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 is giving them this tax deduction, this subsidy to encourage more resources to get to communities, Arnold said. But the way that the tax law is structured today, it doesnt necessitate that that happens. You can get the tax deduction today, and theres no requirement for that money ever to get to the community. You can give money to a donor advised fund and keep it in a tax-free investment account forever.

Tesla and SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition March 9, 2020, in Washington. (Susan Walsh/AP)

Arnold and others who want to address that loophole have formed a coalition, the Initiative to Accelerate Charitable Giving, that seeks to tighten requirements for DAFs and other financial vehicles used by the wealthy.

This month, a bipartisan group of lawmakers proposed a bill in the House of Representatives that would limit how long donations can remain in a DAF untaxed. Similar bipartisan legislation was introduced last year in the U.S. Senate.

Many DAF proponents oppose the changes, arguing that DAFs, with an average payout rate of around 20%, are distributing money faster and more robustly than many private foundations, whose average distribution is generally only slightly above the 5% annually required by law, according to the Stanford Law School Policy Lab on Donor Advised Funds.

If Musk did place Tesla shares in a DAF, the tax laws intent backfired, Arnold said. The community received neither the tax revenue generated by Musks income on the shares or the philanthropic benefit that the tax deduction was meant to create.

DAFs also allow for anonymity. Benjamin Soskis, a historian of philanthropy and a senior researcher at the Urban Institute, suggested that Musks donation shows norms may be tipping towards a lack of disclosure about where large gifts are landing.

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When youre giving away that much money, it is by definition a matter of public interest where its going to, Soskis said.

Generally, Musks approach to donations has differed from that of many other wealthy donors, who are often accused of publicizing their gifts as a way to burnish their reputations.

About a month before donating his stock, the notoriously provocative Musk engaged in a Twitter fight with the head of the United Nations World Food Programme, who had urged billionaires to donate $6 billion on a one time basis to help end starvation.

Musk said he would sell $6 billion of Tesla stock and donate the proceeds to the agency if it could show how the money would solve world hunger. David Beasley, the organizations executive director, said this week that it had yet to receive a donation from the Tesla CEO.

Soskis, of the Urban Institute, has suggested that theres room for Musk to be more transparent about his gifts while still signaling his contempt for elite public opinion, as the Tesla CEO frequently does.

At times, Musk does provide transparency about his donations. Last year, he gave $50 million to St. Judes Childrens Research Hospital. He also donated about $30 million to a variety of public schools and nonprofits in south Texas, where SpaceX builds its rockets.

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His private foundations latest IRS filing shows he donated 11,000 Tesla shares to the charity in 2019. From July that year to June 2020, the foundation distributed $23.6 million in grants. Some of that went directly to working charities, but a large chunk  $20.7 million  went to Fidelity Charitable, a grantmaker that sponsors DAFs.

Some who have worked with Musk explain his style of philanthropy by saying he isnt focused on looking good.

Marcius Extavour, vice president of climate and energy at XPrize, which manages Musks $100 million prize for carbon removal, says Musk wanted the project to be focused on finding impactful solutions and didnt want it to use his image everywhere. Thats in contrast to some other donors, who, Extavour asserts, seem more concerned about invitations to speaking engagements and other events.

Its been pretty nice to work with the Musk Foundation as a donor who is not.. nitpicking on how we describe this or how we describe that, Extavour said. Or making sure they get the shine or the limelight.

Steve Greanias, general manager of fundraising solutions for the fundraising platform GiveSmart, says that like most people working in philanthropy, he is curious about where Musks money went and how it was or will be used. Yet he doesnt think its necessarily everyones business to know. His own platform, which serves about 8,000 nonprofits and has processed about $800 million in donations, accepts anonymous donations.

If you have this kind of money and you want to do good with it and you dont feel the need to be recognized for it, thats OK, Greanias said. Thats between you and the organization. As long as your relationships OK with them, it shouldnt matter if the world wants to know where money came from.

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The Associated Press receives support from the Lilly Endowment for coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
(Reuters) - Canadian police on Saturday used pepper spray and stun grenades in an attempt to restore normalcy in Ottawa, parts of which have been paralyzed by protesters opposing the government's pandemic restrictions.

Here is a timeline of main events:

Nov. 19 - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government announces that all cross-border truck drivers will be subject to mandatory vaccine and quarantine requirements from Jan. 15. The trucking industry association has warned the mandates could intensify supply-chain disruptions, but opposes protests on public roads.

Jan. 28 - A convoy largely consisting of trucks starts arriving in Ottawa from across Canada opposing the vaccine mandate. A similar requirement is in place in the United States.

Jan. 29 - Thousands of protesters under the banner "The Freedom Convoy 2022" hold a loud but peaceful protest in downtown Ottawa.

Jan. 31 - Trudeau, who was moved to a secret location, says Canadians are disgusted by the behavior of some protesters in Ottawa and says he will not be intimidated.

Feb. 2 - Leader of Canada's main opposition Conservative Party, Erin O'Toole, is ousted after a caucus vote, partly because of his failure to embrace the anti-government protest quickly enough.

Feb. 5 - Protesters occupy downtown Ottawa for second straight weekend. Protests spread to other cities including the financial capital Toronto.

Feb. 6 - Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declares state of emergency.

Feb. 7 - Police seize thousands of liters of fuel and remove an oil tanker supplying the trucks. A court grants an interim injunction preventing people from sounding horns in downtown Ottawa.

Feb. 7 - Protesters start blocking the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, the busiest crossing between Canada and the United States, and protesters block other border points in Alberta and Manitoba.

Feb. 8 - The blockade disrupts trade between the two countries. Ford Motor Co, General Motors Co and Toyota Motor Corp halt some production.

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Feb. 10 - The Biden administration urges Canada to use federal powers to ease the disruption at the U.S.-Canada border.

Feb. 11 - A Canadian judge orders an end to the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge and the province of Ontario declares a state of emergency. Protesters defy the court order and remain.

Feb. 13 The Ambassador Bridge reopens after a six-day blockade as Canadian police clear protesters.

Feb. 15 - Trudeau invokes rarely used special emergency measures to tackle protests.

Feb. 16 - Ottawa's police chief resigns.

Feb. 17- Police warn protesters occupying central Ottawa of "imminent" action.

Feb. 18 - Police begin push into crowds of demonstrators, arrest more than 100 and haul away vehicles. Key organizers are arrested.

(Compiled by Denny Thomas in Toronto; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
MILAN (Reuters) - KKR could block any move by Telecom Italia (TIM) to carve out a network company by vetoing a transfer of last-mile landline unit FiberCop, La Stampa reported on Saturday.

The U.S. investment fund, which owns 37.5% of FiberCop, last year made a 10.8 billion euro ($12.2 billion) bid for Telecom Italia but has not yet received any official response and is growing impatient, the Italian daily said.

The fund does not intend to allow FiberCop to be folded into any network company, the newspaper said, citing financial sources.

KKR and TIM declined to comment.

The new management team at indebted TIM is working on a new plan that could envisage shunting the former phone monopolist's network assets into a NetCo vehicle and splitting it off from its services businesses.

The overhaul would be an alternative to KKR's takeover proposal and could pave the way for a merger of NetCo with smaller rival Open Fiber to create a national fast-fiber network champion, sources have said.

State lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), which owns around 10% of TIM, controls 60% of Open Fiber, with the rest in the hands of Australian investment fund Macquarie.

"This move would open new scenarios (but) would not be that surprising taking into account the reluctance of TIM to deal with the offer," Italian broker Banca Akros said on Saturday.

($1 = 0.8833 euros)

(Reporting by Stephen Jewkes and Elvira Pollina; Editing by Mike Harrison)
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed a missing 43-year-old actor was found dead 3.5 miles from her home on Friday.

Lindsey Erin Pearlman was last seen at her home in East Hollywood in the 1600 block of Mariposa Avenue on Feb. 13, 2022, according to police. After sending out a missing person report on Friday, LAPD confirmed later that day that officers had responded to a death investigation at Franklin Avenue and North Sierra Bonita Avenue in the Hollywood area.

Lindsey Pearlman. (Provided by BRS/Gage Talent Agency / Courtesy of BRS/Gage Talent Agency)

LAPD said the L.A. County Coroners Office confirmed the individual to be Pearlman, though the coroner's office could not make the same confirmation to NBC News.

No word yet on her cause of death.

"We are deeply saddened by Lindsey Pearlmans passing today," her representative Michael Chiaverini said in a statement to TODAY. "The family has asked for privacy during this difficult time while they process and grieve."

Pearlman was a working actor who appeared on "General Hospital," "Chicago Justice," "The Ms. Pat Show" on BET+ and "Vicious," on Urbanflix.

Originally from Chicago, Pearlman also made appearances on "Empire," "Sneaky Pete," the "Purge" TV series and "Selena: The Series."

Her husband, Vance Smith, had been sharing updates on the search for Pearlman.

"The police found Lindsey. She's gone," he wrote Friday afternoon. "I'm broken."

Her cousin, Savannah Pearlman, also tweeted the news on Friday.

"Im deeply sad to report that they have found Lindsey, and it was too late," she wrote, adding she has "no other information about the location or circumstance."

Savannah Pearlman noted her cousin was "a fierce animal advocate and a talented actress."

Both Savannah Pearlman and Chiaverini added that donations can be made in Pearlmans honor to Los Angeles pet rescue Sante DOr.

"Parent Trap" star Elaine Hendrix had tweeted about Pearlman's missing person report, calling her a friend and asking for help to locate her.

"Thank you to everyone who shared Lindseys missing person report. Im deeply saddened & stunned to share that she was found deceased," Hendrix wrote on Friday afternoon. "Theres no further info to share at this time. Pls send her friends & family love. "
PUERTO TRIUNFO, Colombia (AP)  Alvaro Molina has had his run-ins with the burly bunch of neighbors with disreputable contacts who showed up about a decade ago along the river in front of his house in Colombia's Antioquia province. But he's learned to live with them and says he is worried about a government plan he fears could harm them.

People around Puerto Triunfo have grown accustomed to the herd of hippopotamuses descended from a few that were imported illegally from Africa in the 1980s by flamboyant drug lord Pablo Escobar, whose former ranch is nearby.

Molina, 57, says he supports the hippos even though he is one of the few Colombians to have been attacked by one. He was out fishing one day when he felt a movement beneath his canoe that spilled him into the water.

The female attacked me once  the first pair that arrived  because she had recently given birth, he said.

Within weeks, Colombia's government plans to sign a document declaring the hippos an exotic invasive species, according to Environment Minister Carlos Eduardo Correa. This means coming up with a plan for how to control their population, which has reached 130 and is projected hit 400 in eight years if nothing is done as they flourish in Colombia's rivers.

Correa said many strategies are being discussed but no decisions have been made. Local communities will be consulted about any plan to control the hippos' population, he added.

They talk of castration, sterilization, taking the life of some hippopotamuses," he said. What is important is the scientific and technical rigor with which the decisions are made.

Most people interviewed in Puerto Triunfo, some 200 kilometers (120 miles) of the capital, Bogota, say they can get along with the hippos and many oppose even sterilization  let alone killing some.

They make laws from a distance. We live with the hippopotamuses here and we have never thought of killing them," said Isabel Romero Jerez, a local conservationist. "The hippopotamuses aren't African now; they are Colombians.

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Escobars Hacienda Napoles  and the hippos  have become a sort of local tourist attraction in the years since the kingpin was killed by police in 1993. When his ranch was abandoned the hippos survived and reproduced in local rivers and favorable climatic conditions. They began showing up around Puerto Triunfo a decade ago.

Scientists warn the hippos do not have a natural predator in Colombia and are a potential problem for biodiversity since their feces change the composition of the rivers and could impact the habitat of manatees and capybaras.

An analysis by the Alexander Von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute said that climate change and an increase in equatorial conditions, the ideal climate for the species could increase the hippopotamus' dispersion across Colombia, potentially overlapping with the geographic and ecological niches of native species, increasing the risk of possible competition for resources.

Hippopotamuses can also cause damage to crops because they are mainly herbivores and seek food in large quantities at night.

While hippos are considered one of the most dangerous animals for humans in Africa, there have been only a few injuries recorded so far in these parts.

I dont consider them a threat, but there are difficulties with them. In the municipality, we have had reports of three attacks on the civilian population, said Carmen Montano, an official with Puerto Triunfo's Municipal Agricultural Technical Assistance Unit.

Locals say the hippos sometimes come out of the water and walk through the streets of the town. When that happens, traffic stops and people keep out of their way.

The human animal is the one that invades their territory, that is why they feel threatened and attack," said Romero Jerez. Human beings should be prudent, respectful and keep their distance.

Scientists warn that hippos are territorial and weigh up to three tons.

Daniel Cadena, a biologist and dean of sciences at the Universidad de Los Andes, said they are aggressive animals and not as gentle as people imagine.

There are estimates in Africa that hippos kill more people each year than lions, hyenas and crocodiles combined," he said.

When the document declaring them an invasive species in Colombia is signed, hippopotamuses will join species such as the giant African snail, coqui frog, black tilapia and lionfish. The declaration will allow the government to allocate resources to control the hippo population, one of the main obstacles.

There is currently an experimental program of immuno-castration with a drug donated by the United States. Surgically sterilizing them requires sedating them, transporting them to a safe place and cutting through their thick skin.

Hippopotamuses do not have what is called obvious sexual dimorphism, it is difficult to know if an animal is male ... the genitals are internal, Cadena said.

Any population control process promises to be costly and complex because it requires finding the hippos scattered along the mighty Magdalena River.

-

Suarez reported from Bogota.




German-based Lufthansa Group will be halting flights to the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Odessa amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Lufthansa said in a statement online that it would be suspending flights in and out of Kyiv between Monday and Feb. 28.

"Lufthansa is constantly monitoring the situation and will decide on further flights at a later date," the company said.

A spokesperson for Lufthansa told Reuters that flights would also be suspended to and from Odessa during the same time frame. Odessa is situated in the southern region of the country. The spokesperson told the news wire that flights will still be made to Lviv, located in the country's western region.

Last week, the Dutch airline KLM announced that it would not be flying to Ukraine until further notice.

"KLM always puts the safety of passengers and employees first in the conduct of its operation. Choosing safe and optimal routes is a standard part of our daily practice," it said in a statement.

The news comes as officials now estimate that between 169,000 and 190,000 Russian troops have been amassed near the Ukrainian border. Though Russia earlier this week claimed that it had pulled back some of its troops, U.S. and NATO officials say that Russia appears to have done the opposite.

In a joint statement on Saturday, the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven countries urged Russia to choose diplomacy and withdraw their troops near Ukraine.

"We call on Russia to choose the path of diplomacy, to de-escalate tensions, to substantively withdraw military forces from the proximity of Ukraine's borders and to fully abide by international commitments including on risk reduction and transparency of military activities," the foreign ministers said.

The Hill has reached out to Lufthansa for further information.
CORFU, Greece  Rescue teams in Greece searched a burning ferry Saturday for 12 people believed to be missing after it caught fire in the Ionian Sea while en route to Italy, while passengers described a frightening evacuation from the ship.

After working all night to try to extinguish the blaze that broke out Friday, firefighting vessels surrounded the Euroferry Olympia, which was carrying more than 290 passengers and crew. The Greek coast guard and other boats evacuated about 280 of them to Corfu.

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A ferry is on fire at the Ionian Sea near the island of Corfu, Greece, on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. More than 280 people have been evacuated from the ferry in northwestern Greece that caught fire overnight, while heading to southern Italy, authorities said. (Lazos Mantikos/AP)

When we got into the boats, I said I escaped hell, truck driver Dimitris Karaolanidis told The Associated Press.

Photos taken Saturday morning showed thick smoke hanging over the ship, which was transporting 153 trucks and 32 cars.

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A Greek coast guard spokeswoman told The Associated Press on Saturday afternoon that none of the 12 missing people had been found, although she said only small pockets of fire were active in the ferry.

A Greek prosecutor on the island of Corfu has ordered an investigation into the cause of the fire, which broke out three hours after the ferry left the port of Igoumenitsa, on the mainland in northwest Greece across from Corfu, for the Italian port of Brindisi. The Italy-based company that operated the ferry said the fire started in a hold where vehicles were parked.

The ships captain and two engineers were arrested Friday but were released the same day, authorities said.

Passengers described a dramatic rescue situation.

We heard the alarm, we thought it was some kind of drill. But we saw through the portholes that people were running, Karaolanidis told The AP. You cant think something at the time (other than) your family ... When I hit the deck, I saw smoke and children. Fortunately, they (the crew) acted quickly.

The moments were tragic. It was difficult, guys. Very difficult, said another truck driver, Dimitris Karavarnitis. Thankfully the guys responded quickly and ... we will return to our families. Thats what matters.

On Friday, authorities increased the number of missing from 11 to 12 after discovering that one person from the ferry was not listed on the passenger manifest.

The other missing passengers were believed to be mostly from Bulgaria. Officials said the people rescued included citizens of Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Italy, and Lithuania.

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Gatopoulos and Nellas reported from Athens, Greece. Lefteris Pitarakis contributed from Corfu, Greece.
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's Lufthansa group is suspending flights to and from the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Odessa, a spokesperson said on Saturday amid growing fears of a possible Russian invasion.

The company, which owns Germany's flagship carrier as well as Eurowings, Swiss, Brussels and Austrian Airlines, will conduct some last flights to those cities over the weekend before suspending flights from Monday until the end of the month, the spokesperson said.

It will continue to fly to the city of Lviv in western Ukraine where some countries have moved their embassies, the spokesperson said. Lufthansa is constantly monitoring the situation and will decide on further flights at a later date.

Lufthansa follows several other European airlines which have already canceled services to and from Ukraine.

Germany's foreign ministry earlier on Saturday told its nationals to leave the country.

(Reporting by Hans Seidenstuecker in Frankfurt; Writing by Sarah Marsh, Editing by Thomas Escritt)
When Microsoft announced it would spend $68.7 billion to buy Activision Blizzard to bolster its Xbox gaming division, the news came as a surprise to many. For months, the troubled publisher had been in headlines stemming from the workplace sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Californias fair employment agency in July. The bad press hit a fever pitch on November 16th after The Wall Street Journal published a report that asserted Activision CEO Bobby Kotick had not only known about many of the incidents of sexual harassment that had occured at the company but had also acted to protect those who were responsible for the abuse.

Days after that article came out, Xbox chief Phil Spencer reportedly told employees he was distributed and deeply troubled by the horrific events and actions that allegedly took place at Activision Blizzard and that Microsoft would re-evaluate its relationship with the publisher. Its one day after that email that Spencer called Kotick to start the process that would end with Microsoft announcing plans to buy Activision Blizzard some two months later, according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing first spotted by CNBC .

Starting on page 31 of the document, Microsoft devotes nearly 10 pages detailing the timeline of its talks with Activision. According to the filing, Spencer told Kotick during their November 19th phone call that Microsoft was interested in discussing strategic opportunities between the two companies and asked if he had time to talk to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella the following day. That Saturday, November 20th, Nadella made it clear Microsoft hoped to purchase the publisher, stating the company was interested in exploring a strategic combination with Activision Blizzard.

It turns out the quick pace at which the talks moved was mainly due to all the other companies interested in buying up Activision Blizzard after its stock dived in November. At least four other companies contacted the publisher about a possible acquisition. None of them are named in the SEC filing. However, one notably wanted to just buy Blizzard. Activision didnt move forward with that option because the companys board of directors deemed the sale would have been too difficult to pull off.
By Tife Owolabi

BENIN CITY, Nigeria (Reuters) - Two Benin bronzes were returned on Saturday to a traditional palace in Nigeria, more than a century after they were pillaged by British troops, raising hopes that thousands more artefacts could finally be returned to their ancestral home.

The artefacts, mostly in Europe, were stolen by explorers and colonizers from the once mighty Benin Kingdom, now southwestern Nigeria, and are among Africa's most significant heritage objects. They were created as early as the 16th century onwards, according to the British Museum.

At a colourful ceremony to mark the return of a cockerel sculpture and head of an Oba or king, spokesman Charles Edosonmwan for the Oba palace in Benin City noted that some of the bronzes were kept as far away as New Zealand, the United States and Japan.

The two artefacts were handed over to the Nigerian High Commission in October by the University of Aberdeen and Cambridge University's Jesus College but have yet to return to their ancestral home.

"They are not just art but they are things that underline the significance of our spirituality," Edosonmwan said in an interview on the sidelines of a ceremony attended by traditional leaders.

The return is another milestone in the years-long fight by African countries to recover looted works, as numerous European institutions are grappling with the cultural legacies of colonialism.

Some 90% of Africa's cultural heritage is believed to be in Europe, French art historians estimate. Musee du quai BranlyJacques Chirac in Paris alone holds around 70,000 African objects and London's British Museum tens of thousands more.

(Writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Richard Chang)
Feb. 19If you're a frequent flyer at the Hamilton County Courthouse seeking old records about family members or would like to know about local government functions in the 1950s or are wondering if a map is available that shows what sat on your land 100 years ago, your curiosity could cost you in the future.

It could, that is, if a bill passes in the General Assembly this session that would assess fees just to view public records.

Currently, there is no charge in Tennessee to view such records. However, there can be a cost if copies of the records are requested.

The bill, SB 2534 and HB 2635, is being pushed by the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police and the Tennessee Sheriff's Association and is sponsored by state Sen. Ferrell Haile, R-Gallatin, and state Rep. Dave Wright, R-Corryton.

It states that a requester will be required to pay "reasonable costs including, but not limited to, the labor costs associated with locating, redacting and producing each record requested for inspection."

Haile told the Nashville Tennessean the law is meant to curtail the public's ability to request a "ridiculous amount of information that is meant to harass" law enforcement departments.

That's throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

Surely, there are ways to amend the Tennessee Public Records Act, especially with specificity to law enforcement, to reduce harassing requests without drawing the curtain across the free viewing of most public records.

It turns out we've been here before, according to Deborah Fisher, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, and the last time didn't go so well for a similar bill.

In 2015, it was the Tennessee School Boards Association pushing for a charge to inspect records. In time, the bill's sponsors asked the state Office of Open Records Counsel to study the issue over the summer and report back.

What the office found  not surprisingly, to us  was that people wanted to retain the right to examine public records without being charged to do so.

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What they found is not likely to have changed in the six years since. For instance, citizens believed charging a fee:

 Would shut out those who can't afford to pay.

 Had the potential to create unbudgeted "slush funds."

 Promoted the thought of "secrecy" in government.

 Was antithetical to the country's heritage of liberty and freedom.

 Was akin to "double billing" since the information being sought had already been collected through tax dollars.

Once the study was reported in 2016, the sponsors withdrew their bill.

Since that study, according to Fisher, a number of laws have been passed to make the dissemination of public records more fluid and to address some of the people who abuse the system.

As to the latter, one measure allows a government entity to stop fulfilling public records requests for citizens who never show up to inspect the records they request, to not fill any more requests from someone who has failed to pay for copies on previous requests and to pursue an injunction against a requester who is abusing the law with an intention to "interfere with government operations."

Citizens quoted in the study, Fisher wrote in an article on the Tennessee Coalition for Open Records website, also suggested government entities more closely adhere to changing technology with the result that more and more records are able to be viewed online.

The result, they said, would be a more open, transparent government.

(In 2020, state law was amended to prohibit a government entity from authorizing the destruction of public records subject to disclosure if the entity knows the records are subject to a pending public records request made to that entity. The amendment rose from a 2019 incident when Hamilton County destroyed records for which this newspaper had made a public records request.)

The webpage for Hamilton County contains a section on open records requests, and it states that "the Tennessee Public Records Act grants Tennessee citizens an enforceable right to access open public records that exist at the time of the request." It goes on to detail that "there shall be no charge for inspection of public records" and how, when and where those records might be requested. It also details the prices of copies, if they are requested.

We wish the policy weren't 16 pages long, a detriment to many who are interested in such records but don't want to have to wade through jargon in order to be able to request a record showing Great Aunt Betty's address in 1906.

But for now, at least, we can request and look at that record. If the bill passes, we'll have to pay to do so. To keep the openness in government we have, we hope the bill goes the way of the 2015 measure.
Strengthen Iowas stance in support of Israel is the title of a guest opinion printed in Des Moines Register on Feb. 16. Interestingly, it is a joint effort by longtime Republican leader Charles Schneider and longtime Democratic leader Tom Henderson. It seems one of the very few things Democrats and Republicans can agree on these days is unquestioning devotion to Israel.

Here's a different view, based on the reality on the ground in Palestine and what the Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions, or BDS, movement is all about. This movement grew out of Palestinian frustration with Israels refusal to negotiate in good faith.

It became clear that Israels goal in the peace process was to use the negotiations and delays to seize more Palestinian land, leading to the current situation wherein there is not now a contiguous piece of land on which to build a Palestinian state. Seeing the futility of the peace process, the Palestinian people issued a call for non-violent resistance through a BDS campaign. Theyve asked the international community to join them in this effort, as the international community had done in South Africa in the struggle against apartheid.

More: Israeli leaders are asking states to sanction Ben & Jerry's after Palestinian boycott

Considering Iowas legislative initiatives and monetary contributions in support of Israel, its truly hard to comprehend how Iowa could strengthen its support for Israel.

The Legislature already passed an anti-boycott law in 2016 that seriously encroaches on free speech. Courts have repeatedly ruled that money is speech. Conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy in the Citizens United ruling wrote that limiting independent political spending from corporations and other groups violates the First Amendment right to free speech. While challenges to the laws have won important victories in several states (Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, Texas), lawmakers are not particularly worried. They understand challenges to such laws are costly, and, win or lose, the legislation itself has a chilling effect on the BDS movement.

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Additionally, the Legislature is working on legislation to redefine anti-semitism in such a way as to include criticism of Israel as being anti-semitic. Since when is criticism of a government, or its policies off limits? This represents one more stake in the heart of Iowans who value our constitutionally protected free speech.

Further, the whole of the US has been supporting Israel financially for years. According to the nonprofit organization If Americans Knew, Israel has been the largest annual recipient of direct U.S. economic and military assistance since 1976. To this day, the US gives $3.8 billion in military aid annually. Iowas share of that contribution is $28,414,471. Is this how Iowans want to spend our tax dollars  supporting Israel in its illegal occupation of Palestinian land? Supporting Israel in their illegal blockade of Gaza? Supporting Israel in what Amnesty International (and other human rights organizations) has labeled an apartheid state?

Would Iowas interest be better served by using that $28 million-plus to provide, according to the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, any one of the following:

351 elementary school teachers?

1883 Iowans with food assistance?

11,986 Iowans with health care?

384 clean energy jobs?

Clearly, it is not Iowas support for Israel that needs to be strengthened; it is instead, the Iowa Legislatures support for human rights in Palestine and Iowa that needs to be strengthened.

Kathleen McQuillen is director of the Catholic Peace Ministry. This piece was also signed by representatives of the Iowa Peace Network; Methodist Federation for Social Action  Iowa Chapter; Middle East Peace Education Coalition; Physicians for Social Responsibility, Iowa; Womens International League for Peace and Freedom  Des Moines Branch.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Opinion: Iowa could strengthen support for human rights in Middle East
Munich Security Conference opens focusing on "unlearning helplessness"

Xinhua) 09:07, February 19, 2022

Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Wolfgang Ischinger (R) talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the 58th Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)

Participants in the high-profile conference are also scheduled to discuss the ongoing tension around Ukraine. Other topics, such as climate change and digitization, will also be discussed.

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The 58th edition of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) opened here on Friday afternoon with a theme focusing on "unlearning helplessness" against the backdrop of tensions in the Ukraine crisis.

There is a mounting feeling of "helplessness" in many societies across the world in the face of a growing number of crises and conflicts, according to a security report published ahead of the conference.

"The feeling of helplessness is becoming a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy, which leads to give up, even though we have all the tools and resources to address such challenges as the pandemic, climate change or great power confrontations," said Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the MSC, in his opening speech.

Man-made problems can be solved by man, Ischinger said, calling on everyone to collectively unlearn and overcome helplessness.

Participants in the high-profile conference are also scheduled to discuss the ongoing tension around Ukraine. While Russia says it is withdrawing some of its troops from the Ukrainian border, U.S. President Joe Biden says his government has "not yet verified that."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during the 58th Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)

United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in his opening remarks at the MSC that he was "deeply concerned" over the situation in Ukraine and appealed for de-escalation.

"I am deeply concerned about heightened tensions and increased speculation about the military conflict in Europe. I still think it will not happen. But if it did, it would be catastrophic," Guterres said.

"There is no alternative to diplomacy, and all issues, including the most intractable, must be addressed through diplomatic frameworks, and it is high time to seriously de-escalate," he added.

Other topics, such as climate change and digitization, will also be discussed in Munich.

Except for official Russian representatives, more than 30 heads of state and government, 100 ministerial officials and leaders of important international organizations gathered at the three-day conference to discuss current crises and future security challenges.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
A 27-year-old man was fatally wounded while he was sitting in a parked vehicle Friday night in the East Chatham neighborhood on the South Side, Chicago police said.

Shortly before 9:45 p.m., the victim was in a parked vehicle in the 8400 block of South Ingleside Avenue when someone approached on foot and opened fire.

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The victim suffered a wound to the chest, and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

As of yet, the victim has not been identified.

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No one was in custody, and detectives were investigating.
On Jan. 9, the Oregon Ducks defeated the California Golden Bears by 35 points. Friday's rematch between the two teams was much closer, but the Ducks came away with the victory.

Oregon 19-8 (10-4 Pac-12) defeated Cal 12-9 (2-7) 52-47 at Matthew Knight Arena with 7,968 in attendance.

Sedona Prince led all Ducks in scoring with 15 points on 4-for-6 shooting off the bench. She also pulled down eight rebounds. Endyia Rogers also registered 11 points and along with three rebounds.

Oregon got the victory despite leading scorer Nyara Sabally struggling from the field. She only scored four points in 18 minutes.

The Ducks overcame one of their worst shooting nights of the season. Oregon was 0-for-16 from behind the 3-point line. They also shot 35% from the field.

Despite the victory, Oregon coach Kelly Graves was not happy with his team's performance.

"Never had a team go 0-for-16 on any level," Graves said. "This just isn't on them, it's on me.

"Our shootaround today was God awful. We need some time to work on us and we don't have that luxury. We now have one day to prepare for Stanford.

"A good shootaround is up to them. Are they coming in and prepared and focused? Our consistency... if it was a stock, I would have sold it a long time ago."

Oregon led 25-19 at halftime, but Cal fought back in the third quarter. The Golden Bears outscored the Ducks 13-12 in the third quarter despite shooting 38% from the floor.

In the final 10 minutes, Oregon had a stretch of more than four minutes without a basket. That allowed Cal to cut its deficit to 45-43. But Rogers and Paopao's key baskets and many missed Cal 3-pointers with less than a minute left allowed the Ducks to hold on for the victory.

Prince said she didn't think the Ducks were overlooking the Golden Bears.

Prince said she feels like the Ducks could have a more proficient inside presence.

"A lot of that is on me and Nyara," Prince said. "We are just not being aggressive enough. If our three aren't falling, we have to find different ways to score.

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"I hope we get back to that, Nyara and I, because they can't match up with our skill and size."

An unsung hero of Friday's contest during the first half was guard Ahlise Hurst. Not only was she able to give the Ducks some critical buckets when they needed it, she was a terror defensively.

She finished with four points and five first-half steals. After Oregon got down early in the game due to poor shooting, Hurst's defense got the team back into the game and ultimately got them the lead.

After spending three seasons at New Mexico, Hurst transferred to Oregon. The Australian native had several standout games for Oregon early in the season, including a 19-point performance against Long Beach State. But since Rogers, Sabally and Te-Hina Paopao returned from their injuries, Hurst's numbers and minutes decreased.

"Ahlise always gives us good defense," Graves said. "Tonight I thought we defended pretty well.

"Ahlise played hard and played well. We had a group that got us going."

Up Next, No. 2 Stanford

On Sunday, Oregon will play its final regular-season game at Matthew Knight Arena as it will host No. 2 Stanford at 1 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN2.

The Ducks played the Cardinal Jan. 7, losing 80-68 at Maples Pavilion. Stanford has not lost a conference game this season. The Cardinal have won 14 consecutive games after their 87-63 win against Oregon State on Friday night.

The Cardinal have not lost since a 65-61 defeat at South Carolina on Dec. 21.

Contact Register-Guard sportswriter Antwan Staley at astaley@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @antwanstaley.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Despite poor shooting, Oregon women hold on to defeat California
The Cass County Sheriffs Office is investigating a Saturday morning shooting that left a man dead.

Deputies responded to a report of shots fired at 1:54 a.m. in the 23600 block of Hanging Tree Lane in Peculiar, Missouri, said Lt. Jess Claibourn, a spokeswoman for the sheriffs office.

Deputies found a man who had been shot lying on the ground. He was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A person was questioned by law enforcement and later released, Claibourn said.

The exact nature of the incident remains under investigation.
Feb. 18A 22-year-old Portland man will be held without bail while he faces a murder charge in his father's death.

Abdallah Salim Al Siraj was supposed to have his first court appearance Friday, but the hearing was delayed until Wednesday. So far, officials have not released any details about how 50-year-old Salim Al Siraj died or why his son was charged with murder. A judge granted a motion Friday to impound the affidavit that outlines the probable cause for the arrest, and a spokesman for the Portland Police Department said he would not share details beyond a sparse news release from earlier in the week.

That release said officers were called to a unit at 17 Carleton St. about 10:50 a.m. Tuesday for a well-being check and discovered the body of Salim Al Siraj, and that investigators charged his son following an investigation. It was not clear whether the father and son lived together or what might have motivated the alleged killing.

Al Siraj is being held at the Cumberland County Jail.

This homicide is the first in Portland and third in Maine in 2022. The state reported 19 homicides in 2021. Ten of those people were allegedly killed by a family member or partner. Eighteen people were charged with murder or manslaughter in those deaths, and most cases are pending.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Jose Garza ran for district attorney in Austin on promises to hold police accountable in Texas capital city. He got off to a fast start, charging at least seven officers during his first year on the job, including one charged with murder twice.

But no cases have reached deeper into the police department than the indictments Thursday of 19 officers on felony charges over tactics used during the 2020 racial injustice protests.

Nineteen is, whew, I dont know any place else thats done that, said Margaret Moore, Garzas predecessor as the district attorney of Travis County.

The indictments widened the rift in the the booming city between Austin police and Garza, a Democrat whose 2020 campaign was backed by liberal allies including U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and promised crackdowns on misconduct by law enforcement.

By late Friday, all of the newly charged officers had been placed on administrative leave, said Saul Gray, a department spokesman.

Garza said the indictments were not politically driven and that our community is safer when our community trusts law enforcement. Community activists who have long criticized the citys handling of the protests, which included officers firing beanbag rounds into the crowd, called the indictments overdue and said Garza deserves credit.

But even allies on Friday were frustrated by the lack of details, which Garza has said he is unable to release yet. Garza announced during a news conference Thursday that grand jury indictments were expected, but he gave no specifics. And more than 24 hours later, the officers' names and the reasons they were charged hadn't been publicly released.

Texas law requires that an indictment remain secret until an officer has been arrested. Criminal justice experts also expressed skepticism about the large number of indictments in one case and whether it would result in convictions.

Officer Justin Berry, a Republican candidate for a state House seat, said in a statement Saturday that he is one of those charged. He blasted Garza for trying to influence voters with what he called a witch-hunt.

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This case is beyond preposterous, Berry said. He demonizes police, he puts no value on keeping people safe, and he harms our communities.

Berry said an internal police investigation into the incident cleared all the officers and that there is no question they will be acquitted.

Mayor Steve Adler said there had been pressure on the city to change police culture and that he supports Garza. But he said he wants details about the indictments to be made public soon as possible.

It is a large number and Im anxious for the public and for everyone to learn what it is that gave rise to that," he said.

Garza's office declined an interview request Friday and said it was still unable to release details.

Several people with knowledge of the indictments told The Associated Press that the charges include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly.

Aggravated assault charges, when committed by a public servant, could carry a sentence of up to life in prison.

Police Chief Joseph Chacon expressed disappointment over the charges and the head of the police union, Ken Casaday, blasted Garza, saying he was trying to fulfill a campaign promise to indict officers. Garza brushed off that criticism and emphasized that his office also prosecuted 33 non-officers who were involved in the 2020 protests.

Garza easily defeated Moore, a one-term incumbent, in a 2020 victory that he credited to outrage over the justice system in Texas' most liberal city. He had been the head of a labor group, the Workers Defense Project, and hadn't previously held public office.

Garza was among a handful of progressive prosecutors who won office that year, when the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others sparked a national outcry over law enforcement's treatment of Black people.

Theres literally been no accountability for the officers that seriously injured dozens of people during the protest, said Chris Harris, policy director of the Austin Justice Coalition. So this is something that needed to happen. And so were glad that Jose Garza is here and and did something.

It is by far the most indictments of officers from a single U.S. police department over tactics law enforcement used during the 2020 protests. Two Dallas officers face charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and official oppression, and a New York police officer was charged with assault after shoving a woman to the ground. But despite widespread claims of heavy-handed or even illegal police tactics, few cities pursued charges.

Former U.S. attorney Joe Brown, who also spent two decades as a Republican district attorney in North Texas, said convicting a police officer is always difficult and that Texas juries tend to give officers the benefit of the doubt.

"This is really unprecedented, to my knowledge," Brown said. To allege that there was criminal intent by that many police officers, who were operating in a chaotic and unpredictable environment and assumedly pursuant to policy and how they had been trained, is really remarkable."

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. The 1,640-officer Austin department serves a population of 960,000 people.

David Crump, a professor at the University of Houston Law Center and former prosecutor, also said it is rare to see more than one officer indicted together.

While stressing that the evidence needs to be seen, Crump drew a parallel between the charges in Austin and those brought against Baltimore police in the 2015 death of Freddie Gray. In that case, a recently elected Maryland prosecutor facing intense public pressure charged six officers. After three trials, she won zero convictions.

It just looks like an iffy sort of indictment that could go either way, Crump said.

___

Bleiberg reported 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.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to further invade Ukraine, President Joe Biden said Friday afternoon.

As of this moment Im convinced hes made the decision, Biden said during a televised address. We have reason to believe it.

When pushed on what evidence he has, Biden said really significant intelligence capability.

Biden said that over the last few days, weve seen reports of a major uptick in violations of the ceasefire. by Russian-backed fighters attempting to provoke Ukraine in Donbas.. a shelling of a Ukrainian kindergarten yesterday, which Russia has falsely asserted was carried out by Ukraine. We also continue to see more and more disinformation be pushed out by to the Russian public, including Russian backed separatists, claiming that Ukraine is planning to launch a massive offensive attack.

!-- start AP embed -->
Nine years ago, after Shari Martin was sexually assaulted in an Iowa hotel, the on-duty police officer who attacked her was fired, arrested, convicted and sent to prison.

It was justice for Martin  but only in the criminal sense. Martin and her lawyer say full justice will be achieved only if the Muscatine Police Department is held accountable in civil court for the crimes of its officer.

If Martin had been the victim of a murder or physical assault, she or her estate could have sued the department for monetary damages.

But this was a rape. Iowa law provides special protections from lawsuits against employers, including police departments whose officers commit serious crimes, and sexual assault isn't recognized as a violation of that law. That means the Muscatine Police Department could be legally shielded from liability.

Martin and her attorney want to change that in Iowa and are pursuing an appeal to the state Supreme Court. The officer "used his position to enable him to commit the rape," lawyer M. Leanne Tyler argued.

"It is not fair," Martin said in an interview with the USA TODAY Network. "And it doesn't make sense.

Around the country, similar cases are attempting to eliminate or weaken civil safeguards for police or their employers.

In many cases, qualified immunity laws shield the officers from liability. Those laws put the onus on everyday citizens to prove officers or other officials violated a clearly established law. To proceed with their cases, plaintiffs must point to a nearly identical case already on the books.

In other cases, such as Martin's, the challenge is respondeat superior  a law that can protect any employer, including police departments, from paying damages if the conduct is deemed outside the scope of normal duties.

Focusing on two states  Iowa and Missouri  and three lawsuits challenging different laws shows the difficulty of successfully suing public officials through civil courts.

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One case is Martins.

Another is a shooting by police that left a man paralyzed.

The third involves a Black couple who were allegedly harassed by local police and city officials after moving to a white neighborhood, and officers allegedly beat the husband.

Together, the cases show the wide range of situations  and various laws  where government officials can be protected.

US Supreme Court: Qualified immunity gives 'officials breathing room'

Qualified immunity may be the most well known legal justification that blocks civil damages for people harmed or killed by police. Under qualified immunity, all government workers  not just police officers  are granted wide immunity from civil suits.

The legal justification for federal qualified immunity rests chiefly on the premise that fear of being sued would dampen the ardor of all but the most resolute, or the most irresponsible [public officials], in the unflinching discharge of their duties, according to a 1982 Supreme Court decision.

Opinion: A bad cop sexually assaulted me. Qualified immunity protected him and his boss.

The high court also wrote: [T]he doctrine of qualified immunity gives government officials breathing room to make reasonable but mistaken judgments about open legal questions.

In addition to the federal law, many states have adopted versions of qualified immunity for public officials.

Activists have long tried to end such immunity. Their calls were amplified after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's May 2020 murder of George Floyd. That killing prompted some state and federal lawmakers to attempt to scrap the immunity altogether.

Backlash was swift from the officer ranks, unions and some members of the public. Few states  save for Colorado and New Mexico, as well as the city of New York  have taken steps to reduce the power of qualified immunity since 2020.

Lawmakers in a smattering of other states from Vermont to Wisconsin to Florida and Washington state have considered changing their laws to preclude use of qualified immunity as a defense or create separate state actions, according to Jay Schweikert, a Cato Institute research fellow who focuses on criminal justice.

And several states, including Iowa in 2021, have broadened qualified immunity laws, making it easier for officers to get cases against them dismissed.

A USA TODAY Opinion series: Faces, victims, issues and debates surrounding qualified immunity

In October 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed challenges out of California and Oklahoma to federal qualified immunity. And many changes have been rejected in state courts or by voters, such as in California last year.

In the U.S. Congress, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 would have eliminated qualified immunity for police officers. The Floyd Act passed the U.S. House last year but failed in the U.S. Senate. There has been no significant congressional action on it since then.

Qualified immunity was the chief sticking point that doomed a compromise bill, Schweikert said.

Federal qualified immunity dates back to a 1967 Supreme Court decision and is a standard developed for cases brought by civilians under the federal civil rights law known as Section 1983.

Qualified immunity depends on two questions:

Did the defendant's actions violate the plaintiff's constitutional rights? Was that law "clearly established" at the time?

If the answer to either question is no, the law enforcement officer or official has immunity.

Some experts believe the U.S. Supreme Court has pushed the bar to overcome qualified immunity higher over the years. Justices Clarence Thomas and Sonia Sotomayor have criticized such immunity as too high a hurdle for the public to overcome.

A police officer committed rape on duty. Is his department shielded from damages?

Martin was on the way home from a night of drinking with her boyfriend on Feb. 16, 2013, when Muscatine police pulled over and arrested her boyfriend on suspicion of drunken driving.

Muscatines practice is to give courtesy rides to passengers after a drunken driving arrest. Officer Thomas A. Tovar, who was at the scene, was responsible for getting Martin safely to the Clarion Hotel.

Inside the hotel, Tovar, who had deactivated his vehicle camera and body-worn microphone, used Martin's key to enter the room, then proceeded to rape Martin, who was barely conscious, according to interviews and trial transcripts from his criminal case.

Martin told investigators that she somewhat recalled Tovar, still in his uniform and wearing his gun, on top of her and hearing police chatter over his radio directing him to another call, according to the criminal trial transcript and Martin's filing to the Iowa Supreme Court.

Tovar lied about his whereabouts and his delay in responding to the next call and kept all systems that would track his whereabouts deactivated until he arrived, the court documents say.

In Muscatine, police immediately investigated, found Tovar's DNA in the hotel room and moved to fire him, but he resigned instead. He was charged with third-degree sexual abuse, convicted and given a sentence of up to 10 years.

Tovar testified at trial, three years after the rape, that he turned off the camera "because I obviously didn't want the police department to know what I was doing that I shouldn't have been."

Later, Tovar testified: "I was trying to cover my tracks because I had just had an affair and I didn't want my wife to find out about it, and I didn't want to lose my job over it. ... I was just trying to hide my affair."

That was in 2016. Martin, who said she has received therapy over the years, has been trying ever since to win damages against the Muscatine Police Department.

There's been many times where I just want to ignore it and walk away, Martin said. But there's other women out there who are suffering more than I am, and they deserve a lot of compensation, and I want this to change."

Martin filed suit against Tovar and the city of Muscatine in Muscatine County District Court while the criminal case wrapped up, claiming she was owed damages for the assault.

A judgment of $5,000 was ordered against Tovar. But the city of Muscatine and the police department were not held liable. Their attorneys argued that Iowa law does not recognize sexual assault as falling under the responsibility of Tovar's employer  the Muscatine Police Department  even if committed while on duty.

However, Tyler, Martin's attorney, counters that "the department needs to be responsible because of the special powerful position officers have."

While different from qualified immunity, which protects the officer, the doctrine of respondeat superior can shield the officer's department from paying out damages if Martin can't prove his job gave him the "access" or "authority" to commit the rape, Tyler said.

She notes that Tovar was on the job at the time of the sexual abuse and claims Muscatine should have known Tovars capacity to rape because of his long history of on-the-job misconduct.

I want to make the police departments responsible if (officers) raped or sexually assaulted someone while on duty and during their official time of duty," Tyler said.

Winning the case, Tyler said, could put Iowa in line with other states such as New Mexico, Louisiana, California, Delaware, Indiana and Vermont.

Tylers chief argument is known as "aided by agency," meaning the departments knowledge of previous improper on-the-job conduct should make it responsible for Tovars assault on Martin. But the city contends that argument is flawed under state law.

A brief from the city, filed in November, said overturning a lower court decision to rule in Martins favor would be tantamount to new state legal theory. That should be taken up by the Legislature, they wrote.

Read: Martin's appeal

Read: Muscatine's response

A man was paralyzed after being shot by police. Can he sue for damages?

It was almost 1 a.m. on April 7, 2021. Waterloo, Iowa, police received a call that a man, later identified as Marcelino Alvarez-Victoriano, had been walking toward the citys downtown with a rifle or shotgun.

What Alvarez-Victoriano was holding was a pellet gun, also known as an air gun. Authorities say he pointed the pellet gun at Black Hawk County deputies and advanced toward them. While police reports state that deputies asked Alvarez-Victoriano to put the gun down, a review of the incident by the county prosecutor also noted deputies could not understand Alvarez-Victoriano because he was speaking Spanish.

Waterloo police officer C.J. Nichols arrived at the scene and shot Alvarez-Victoriano in the back, according to the Black Hawk County Attorney's Office's review. Nichols then fired additional shots at Avarez-Victoriano because he allegedly appeared to be getting up before the pellet gun was out of his reach, the review states.

Black Hawk County prosecutors, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and Waterloo police have declined to provide video evidence of the incident to the Des Moines Register, part of the USA TODAY Network. Alvarez-Victoriano's attorney, Molly Hamilton, told the Register she has not been able to obtain video evidence either.

Authorities investigate the shooting of a man by a police officer following a report of a man with a gun in Waterloo, Iowa, on April 7, 2021. Marcelino Alvarez-Victoriano, who was paralyzed in the shooting, filed suit on Sept. 23, 2021, contending the shooting was not justified. Authorities say the officer shot Alvarez-Victoriano after he pointed a pellet gun that looked like a shotgun at two Black Hawk County sheriff's deputies.

Alvarez-Victoriano is charged with two counts of assaulting law enforcement officers. He's paralyzed from the waist down, Hamilton told the Register.

In the released review of the incident, Black Hawk County Attorney Brian Williams deemed the shooting justified because Nichols allegedly did not know Alvarez-Victoriano was holding a pellet gun, not a rifle.

Williams also released still photos that appear to show Alvarez-Victoriano allegedly pursuing a Black Hawk County Deputy, Blake Dodd, with the pellet gun in his hand before Nichols shot him.

Alvarez-Victoriano filed a lawsuit in September 2021 in state court against Nichols, the city of Waterloo and its police department, alleging Nichols was not justified in the shooting and used excessive force, therefore violating Alvarez-Victoriano's civil rights.

Attorneys for the defendants have used Iowas new qualified immunity law to argue for the lawsuit's dismissal, even before Alvarez-Victoriano and his lawyer can get the evidence they requested to argue their case.

Attorneys Bruce Gettman Jr. and Bradley Strouse, hired on behalf of the city, its police department and Nichols, cited a section of Iowa's qualified immunity statute requiring that plaintiffs "must state with particularity the circumstances constituting the violation and that the law was clearly established at the time of the alleged violation."

Hamilton and her client neither offered "particularity regarding the circumstances constituting the violation" as required, nor showed violations of clearly established law, provisions that "considerably" raised the bar for plaintiffs, Gettman Jr. and Strouse wrote.

Hamilton withdrew the lawsuit in January and had planned to file an amended petition. Gettman Jr. and Strouse resisted, asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice  meaning Hamilton and her client could not refile the lawsuit in the same court  based on Iowa's new qualified immunity law. Legislators approved the law, promoted under the "Back the Blue" banner, in June 2021.

In court filings, Hamilton and prosecutors had gone back and forth on how retroactive Iowa's qualified immunity law is. Alvarez-Victoriano was shot and paralyzed before its passage, but he filed suit after its approval.

Does the law apply to the actual event, or the lawsuit itself? Thats what our big dispute is about, Hamilton said.

On Feb. 9, First District Judge Joel A. Dalrymple sided with Gettman Jr. and Strouse and dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice.

Read: Alvarez-Victoriano's petition

Read: Waterloo's response

Couple claim they endured a year of 'repeated harassment'; officials say they have immunity

A few years ago, Aaron Fletcher, who is Black, had heard from a buddy that he was selling his home in a mostly white neighborhood about 15 miles from downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

It was a dream home, Fletcher and his wife, Tammy, said in a USA TODAY Network interview. Nothing big or fancy, but it had land and would allow Aaron Fletcher to expand his paint-sales business. The couple was thrilled, and said they seemed welcomed in the Sugar Creek, Missouri, neighborhood.

Fletcher Sugar Creek house

But the day after they moved in  March 4, 2018  the couple was visited by the city fire chief and the mayor, who carried a list of items that needed to be inspected at the house, according to the Fletchers and the civil complaint filed in federal court in Missouri. The Fletchers said they complied and fixed everything on the list, but no one  not the mayor, fire chief or any inspector  ever came to see if the fixes had been done.

The Fletchers say in a five-count civil rights complaint that the inspection began 13 months of "repeated harassment  about building codes, phantom business license requirements, dog ordinances, zoning laws, traffic ordinances, interference with utility billing, and other matters."

The Fletchers were the victims of an orchestrated effort by one or more of the Sugar Creek employees, officials or agents to force the Plaintiffs to leave town based on their race, origin or other equally protected class," the complaint says. The Fletchers are represented by Edward Foster and Kenneth Caldwell of the Caldwell Law Firm in Kansas City.

The complaint also includes allegations that police randomly followed the couple, arrested Tammy Fletcher when they showed up to pay an outstanding water bill and, on several occasions, roughed up and arrested Aaron Fletcher.

City officials deny the Fletchers' claims.

In April 2019, according to the complaint and the couple, Aaron Fletcher was followed, pulled over and, with Fletcher's hands in the air, police smashed his window, yanked him from his vehicle and began "beating him into submission."

The beating, caught on video, ended with Aaron Fletcher being placed in a neck restraint under the knee of an officer in an act similar to the scene that played across the nation when Floyd was killed in Minneapolis.

The couple, who said their finances have been drained since the incident because of its impact on Fletcher's work, have since moved to a remote area in Kansas.

"You don't have a (dead) body, but it's pretty much they killed me," Aaron Fletcher said, referring to Floyd's killing. "They took my livelihood... I've seen changes in myself; they've killed me as far as my finances go, my source of making a living."

The city, in a response filed by attorney David Baker, representing Sugar Creek, denies the Fletchers' entire complaint and claims that, even if it were true, qualified immunity at the state and federal levels shields all defendants  the city, mayor, building official, code enforcement officer, public works director, fire chief, police chief and a police sergeant and detective.

Aaron and Tammy Fletcher

Because of the defendants' official capacities, Baker wrote, "punitive damages may not be awarded against a governmental entity."

Later in the same filing, Baker writes that "any and all actions or acts committed by them or on their behalf were discretionary in nature, were objectively reasonable under the circumstances then existing, and were not in violation of clearly established law," the standard set by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Foster said Wednesday that the case is pending in federal district court in Missouri, and the lawyers continue taking depositions from the parties to the suit.

Read: The Fletchers' complaint

Read: Sugar Creek's response

Experts: Qualified immunity challenges have become more difficult

The battle against qualified immunity has become more difficult over the several last decades, experts said.

Many challenges to immunity are dismissed at the outset as frivolous. Many more go nowhere, even if justified, because the people trying to bring them do not have legal representation to help them navigate the legal intricacies of the court system or can't afford to pursue their cases further.

The U.S. Supreme Court, meanwhile, has whittled at civilians' ability to challenge the doctrine with each successive case, using a narrower lens to view similarities to existing cases, according to Schweikert.

Qualified immunity looks very different today than it did when it was sort of first invented in the 1960s," Schweikert said.

The three cases  as well as many more across the country, some by indigent plaintiffs and prisoners  show the difficulty of overcoming the hurdles as they are currently set, according to Des Moines civil rights attorney Glen Downey.

In Iowa, the state's new qualified immunity law has made it easier for the defense to get judges to simply dismiss cases as being without merit or as falling outside the new law.

"It gives the state the ability to shortcut having to respond to merits of lawsuits, and just dump them," Downey said.

Schweikert said that while qualified immunity is a decades-old doctrine, few Americans had heard of it before Floyd's killing shed light on the protections given to police.

Joseph Schreiber, of the Houston-based law firm Schreiber | Knockaert, has argued that, together, qualified immunity and respondeat superior make it nearly impossible for people who have been violated to see justice in civil court. Congressional Research Service made a similar connection.

"Such overbroad immunity removes the largest incentive for cities to clamp down on rogue officers," he wrote. "Qualified immunity, in its current form, and the prohibition against respondeat superior impair access to justice and leave mass protests as the only viable outlet to bring change."

Contributing: Des Moines Register reporter William Morris.

Eric Ferkenhoff is the Midwest criminal justice reporter for the USA TODAY Network.

Andrea Sahouri covers social justice for the Des Moines Register. She can be contacted on Twitter: @andreamsahouri.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Qualified immunity, respondeat superior a shield for police lawsuits
Feb. 19Ole Miss travels to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt on Sunday afternoon, the first of three games in five days for the Rebels (19-6, 7-5 SEC).

Ole Miss defeated Texas A&M Thursday night, completing the season sweep for the Rebels, who snapped a two-game losing streak with the win.

Senior guard Lashonda Monk led the team with 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. Sophomore forward Madison Scott finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds.

The Rebels play Vanderbilt Sunday, Arkansas Tuesday and at Auburn Thursday. The Arkansas matchup was a previously postponed matchup from Dec. 30.

The Commodores (12-15, 3-10) are led by forward Brinae Alexander, who averages 15.5 points per game.

Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

MICHAEL KATZ is the Ole Miss athletics reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at michael.katz@djournal.com.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Saturday rejected U.S. allegations that it was responsible for cyberattacks on Ukrainian banking and government websites as baseless, the Russian embassy in the United States said on Twitter.

"We categorically reject these baseless statements of the administration and note that Russia has nothing to do with the mentioned events and in principle has never conducted and does not conduct any 'malicious' operations in cyberspace," it said.

U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger said on Friday that Russian military intelligence was behind the recent spate of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks that briefly knocked Ukrainian banking and government websites offline.

(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by William Mallard)
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine accused Russia of wanting to escalate tensions by not attending planned trilateral peace talks on eastern Ukraine on Saturday, adding that it was concerned by the worsening security situation in the conflict zone.

Western powers have warned that Russia could be poised to launch a full scale attack on Ukraine after massing more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine's borders. Russia denies any such plan.

"We believe that the non-participation of the Russian Federation indicates its conscious intention to continue escalating the situation," a statement by the Ukrainian delegation to the talks said.

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets; Writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Alison Williams)
Western officials and intelligence agencies have been looking for any indication that Russias enormous troop buildup along Ukraines border is receding.

But Saturday brought news that its not likely to happen anytime soon.

Tens of thousands of Russian troops will remain in Belarus even after massive military exercises between the two countries wrap up on Feb. 20, a top Belarusian official announced Saturday.

Russian buildup along the border positions tens of thousands of Moscow's soldiers and armament within quick striking distance of Kyiv, Ukraine's capital.

That continued deployment without an end date shatters weeks of claims from both Russian and Belarusian leaders that Moscows troops and tanks would go home quickly, and adds a new element of tension as new deployments of Russian helicopters and fighter planes continue to flow into the country.

As late as Thursday, Belarus foreign minister scoffed at the idea that Russian troops would linger in his country. Not a single Russian serviceman, not a single piece of equipment will remain in Belarus after the completion of exercises with Russia, Vladimir Makei insisted to reporters.

But on Saturday, Belarus message to its citizens  and the world  amounted to scratch that.



Alexander Volfovich, head of Belarus Security Council, said a series of unspecified inspections and checks of equipment will continue after the drills end, and then only the nations leaders  Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko  can decide when troops are dismissed.

The exercise ends tomorrow, but the snap check of forces continues, Volfovich said Saturday. For how long  that will be determined by the commanders in chief.

A Ukrainian defense attache attended some of the exercises this week, after an agreement was reached between the two countries.

The comments came as Russias largest international military deployment since the Cold War  numbering around 30,000 troops along with the entire Belarusian army  wraps after 10 days of intensive exercises billed as practice for a NATO incursion into the country. The exercises included a much-hyped test of ground and air-launched nuclear-capable missiles which Putin and Lukashenko watched together from a Moscow command center.

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The Union Resolve 2022 exercises are aimed "at containing the Wests military activities," Volfovich said this week.



For days, leaders in Minsk and Moscow proclaimed that Russians troops would immediately head back to their garrisons upon the exercises conclusion. Troops will return to their permanent locations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said last week. "No one has ever said that Russian troops will remain on the territory of Belarus, this has never been discussed.

It appears Belarus, at least, has dropped that pretense. Michael Kofman, an expert on the Russian military at the CNA think tank in Arlington, Va., told POLITICO that Belarusian authorities are shaping their story for their own public first. At this stage, he added, these inspection excuses are unlikely to be believed by neighboring states, but still provide some internal rationale for Russias continued military presence.

Kofman also tweeted that he expects some Russian forces to remain in Belarus and provide logistical support for a Ukrainian operation. [O]ver time we will likely see Russia and Belarus agree to some new permanent basing arrangement, he continued.

Russian forces in Belarus will be around 100 miles from Kyiv.

The massive Russian presence in Belarus has become a new source of friction for the countrys neighbors, who see the authoritarian Lukashenko regime as a vassal state to Moscow. From a military planning perspective, Belarus as a country ceased to exist and Russians can operate freely from Belarusian territory, Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks told POLITICO in a recent interview.

The military buildup in Belarus seems to be something more permanent, unfortunately, and its a great concern of ours, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau told Foreign Policy last week.



Western intelligence assesses Putin will direct his troops in Belarus toward Kyiv when the invasion begins. President Joe Biden on Friday said that Russia will target Ukraines capital.

Satellite images taken over the past 48 hours show Russian troops and equipment continuing to move into Belarus, including dozens of Su-25 ground attack planes, drones and air defense systems, just miles from the Ukrainian and Polish borders.

About 50 newly arrived Russian helicopters have appeared within the last few days at several airfields close to Ukraine. Russia has also parked an S-400 air defense system in Brest, directly on the Polish border, drawing the attention of Warsaw.

Russia and Belarus had for weeks denied requests by neighboring countries to the north NATOs Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania  to send observers to watch the exercises, as mandated for exercises of this size under a 1990 agreement designed to encourage transparency in military drills in Europe.

Finally, on Friday, Belarus and Russia agreed to allow military attaches from the countries, and Ukraine, to observe some of the ground exercises.
A person was pronounced dead, and four others were seriously injured in an early morning rollover crash on an Interstate 94 ramp to southbound Illinois Route 294 in South Holland, according to Illinois State police.

Shortly before 4:45 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a single -vehicle rollover crash where one person was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Four other people were taken to a local hospital with significant injuries, police said in a news release.

The right lane of southbound Interstate 94 ramp to Route 294 is closed while ISP investigates, police said.
MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - Moscow's threats towards Ukraine could reshape the entire international system, the chief of the European Union's executive said on Saturday, warning Moscow that its thinking from "a dark past" could cost Russia a prosperous future.

"The world has been watching in disbelief as we face the largest build-up of troops on European soil since the darkest days of the Cold War, because the events of these days could reshape the entire international order," Ursula von der Leyen told the Munich Security Conference.

(Reporting by Sabine Siebold and John Chalmers)
Salesforce employees aren't happy with the company's plans to enter the non-fungible token (NFT) market. According to the Thomson Reuters Foundation, over 400 employees around the world have signed an open letter raising concerns about the environmental impact of NFTs, as well as their "unregulated, highly speculative" nature as financial assets. "The amount of scams and fraud in the NFT space is overwhelming," the employees reportedly wrote.

The company, the San Francisco cloud-based software firm that owns Slack, told its employees in early February that it's planning a series of NFT-related initiatives. They include launching an NFT Cloud that could help people create NFTs and list them on marketplaces. NFTs have blown up in popularity over the past year, and big companies have been cashing in on the craze. While not all ventures have been successful, some have made big money: Adidas, for instance, made $23 million during its first NFT drop.

That said, NFTs remain controversial for several reasons, including their environmental impact. It takes a lot of energy to sustain the blockchain activities associated with the tokens. One estimate backed by researchers put an average NFT's footprint at over 200 kilograms of carbon, which is equivalent to driving 500 miles in a gas-powered car. Salesforce employees' concerns about the environmental impact of the tokens come from the fact that the company positions itself as a leader in sustainable business  it even released a Superbowl ad starring Matthew McConaughey emphasizing its commitment to sustainability.

A Salesforce spokesperson told Thomson Reuters that the company welcomes "employees' feedback and [is] proud to foster a culture of trust that empowers them to raise diverse points of view." They also said that the company is holding a listening session with employees next week.
DUBAI (Reuters) -Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Saturday the kingdom was looking to schedule a fifth round of direct talks with rival Iran despite a "lack of substantive progress" so far, and urged Tehran to change its behaviour in the region.

Saudi Arabia and Iran, which cut ties in 2016, launched talks last year hosted by Iraq as global powers sought to salvage a nuclear pact with Tehran, which Gulf states deemed flawed for not tackling Iran's missiles programme and network of proxies.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said if the 2015 nuclear pact was revived that should be "a starting point, not an end point" in order to address regional concerns, and that Riyadh remained interested in talks with Iran.

"That will indeed require from our neighbours in Iran a serious desire to address the underlying issues that exist ... We hope that there is a serious desire to find a new modus operandi," he said.

"If we see substantive progress on those files, then yes rapprochement is possible. So far we have not seen that," he told the Munich Security Conference.

Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran are vying for influence in a rivalry that has played out across the region in events such as Yemen's war and in Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah's rising power has frayed Beirut's Gulf ties.

Earlier this month, Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said Tehran was ready for more talks if Riyadh was willing to hold them in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect.

Tensions between the two countries spiked in 2019 after an assault on Saudi oil plants that Riyadh blamed on Iran, a charge Tehran denies, and continue to simmer over Yemen where a Saudi-led coalition is battling the Iran-aligned Houthi movement.

Prince Faisal said Iran continued to provide the Houthis with ballistic missile and drone parts as well as conventional weapons, a charge both Tehran and the group deny.

"This does not contribute to finding a path to settle that conflict, but we are committed and we are supportive of the United Nations representative," he said, referring to stalled U.N.-led efforts for a ceasefire in Yemen.

(Reporting by Ghaida GhantousEditing by Mark Potter)
Street Scene Philip Stuart Guest columnist Retired state trooper Philip Stuart.

According to a study by columnist Nicole Gelinas of the New York Post, soaring U. S. traffic deaths reflect the same lawlessness as murder surge. I am, and Im sure all involved in transportation safety, as are you, sickened by both of these unimaginable statistics.

Q. Bertha is asking which agency can regulate and keep the ever increasing volume of large semi-trucks (Double-Unit Tractor-Trailer) off Concord Road. Semi trucks are coming off U.S. 27 onto Old Bainbridge Road then onto Concord Road then back to 27 along the canopy road which is already treacherous. Bertha believes there must be a responsible government agency that can at least keep these large trucks off a canopy road and stop destroying Concord Road.

Development: Seeing double: Amazon closer to building second Tallahassee facility with Project Cyprus

Opinion: Welcome to the new Betton Road | Opinion

A. Bertha, excluding The Highway Trust Fund, which funds most Federal Highway and Mass Transit projects, the use of Federal Highways, State primary & secondary roads and local roads and streets comes down to paying road taxes. Everyone who buys gasoline pays the tax. In Florida the State tax is 27.3 cents per gallon. We also pay 18.4 cents per gallon in Federal gasoline tax, plus additional local tax.

We havent figured out how, actually we dont want to separate truck road use taxes from the rest of us little guys driving our little cars doing little damage to our roads. Bertha, please let me know the name of the Canopy Road, its a long shot, but you might have something there.

Roundabout and sidewalks

Q. Linda R. wants to know if there is any truth to the idea of building a roundabout at Miccosukee Road and Dempsey Mayo Road and an as yet to be created exit from the Canopy Subdivision. If true, why would such a traffic hazard be created? Considering the huge retirement community and elementary school as well as the already high volume of traffic on Dempsey Mayo, in addition to traffic the Amazon project will create. So many drivers dont follow roundabout protocol and the expected increase in traffic, keeping the current traffic light would be the safest solution.

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A. Yes, Linda, there have been plans floated to build a roundabout at the same time build a connector to Canopy. As in everything the government does, citizen involvement is the answer to your question; what can be done to prevent a massive traffic buildup and potentially dangerous design?

Continue reading Street Scene and The Tallahassee Democrat each day to stay informed of what and when your Federal, State and City Government is Planning.

Q. Linda S. lets us know that sidewalk disrepair isnt only a Tallahassee phenomenon. In front of Lindas second home, near her daughter in Santa Rosa, California, the City planted sweet gum trees, whos roots grow huge and upend sidewalks and damage sewer lines. Adding insult to injury the City requires residents pay for sidewalk repair and are on their own when it comes to plumbing repair.

Linda S. also shares motorcycle safety tips:

When changing lanes use all rear view mirrors, motorcycles disappear into a vehicle's blind spots.

Allow a 4 second following distance behind motorcycles.

When possible allow motorcycles a full lane width.

Dont try to pass a motorcycle when sharing the same lane. Allow ample room so the motorcycle can pass you.

A. In Fort Lauderdale, beautiful exotic Ficus Trees, aka Weeping Fig, were all the rage providing beauty and much appreciated shade for backyard cookouts. They too invade any and all pipes containing water. We lived on a waterway behind our house giving us boat access to the Intercoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.

The Ficus tree in our front yard knew instinctively there was a treasure-trove of water about an acre of land away in the backyard. It sent roots after the water. You guessed it, built in a slab our terrazzo floor began to show stress cracks. Down comes the beautiful weeping Ficus Tree. We planted our favorite Weeping tree, the Weeping Willow when living in Atlanta.

Thank you, Linda, for helping us appreciate our sidewalks kept safe by ever vigilant Tallahassee crews maintaining them. Also the important motorcycle safety tips, these latest design motorcycles are really fun and can accelerate from zero to 60 in 2.35 seconds; the braking system is so advanced they can also go from 60 to 0 in less time.

Managing road wear and tear

Q. Ann likes Street Scene, is involved in her community and finds it difficult to believe the decision to close Betton Road, detour traffic to 6th Avenue, then (alternately) close one lane of 6th Avenue.

The recently constructed right turn lane on North Monroe Street and Old Bainbridge Road puts thousands of cars on a two lane road that is not maintained with the edges crumbling under semi trucks using it every day as a shortcut to Georgia.

The Countys idea for improvement was installing a few yellow signs which didnt help anything. Ann lives in this area and says; I feel like I risk my life every time I go out of the neighborhood and our elected representatives are missing in action.

Then Ann wades into the deep end to say Street Scene should be published more often. Holy cow Ann, were drinking from several fire hoses already.

A. Speaking of fire hose pressure, somewhere in the 300 psi range, (water pressure in your home is usually 50 to 75 psi) the idiom can apply to vehicular traffic during peak traffic times of the day. I can attest widening roads doesnt completely solve traffic congestion, mostly prolongs the inevitable. Constructing additional roads is a wiser decision. Adding lanes and upgrading access to freeways can be necessary due to the 24-hour nature of freeways and Interstate Highways.

Working from home is as close to a good solution as it gets in government towns like Tallahassee and Atlanta, however Detroit, where 24/7 factories are the norm, not so much.

Drive like there is a tomorrow! Street Scene will be back before you know it.

Philip Stuart is a retired Florida State Trooper, Traffic Operations Projects Engineer and Forensics Expert Witness. Write to crashsites@embarqmail.com.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Semi-trucks rumble canopy, tree roots buckle sidewalks
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian-backed separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine declared a full military mobilisation on Saturday, a day after ordering women and children to evacuate to southern Russia because of what they said was the threat of conflict.

Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, said in a video statement that he had signed a decree on mobilisation and called on men "able to hold a weapon in their hands" to come to military commissariats.

Another separatist leader, Leonid Pasechnik, signed a similar decree for the Luhansk People's Republic shortly afterwards.

Separatist authorities on Friday announced plans to evacuate around 700,000 people, citing fears of an imminent attack by Ukrainian forces - an accusation Kyiv flatly denied.

Less than 7,000 people had been evacuated from Donetsk as of Saturday morning, the local emergencies ministry said.

The Ukrainian military said on Saturday it had recorded 12 ceasefire violations by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in the morning after 66 cases in the previous 24 hours.

Separatist authorities also reported what they said was shelling by Ukrainian forces of several villages on Saturday.

Both sides regularly trade blame for ceasefire violations.

(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Andrew Osborn)




Russian-backed separatist leaders in two territories in Ukraine have called for general mobilization of able-bodied men in the region to take up arms amid fears of a Russian invasion in the country.

Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, announced in a video posted Saturday that he had signed a decree for a "general mobilization," a move that activates military reserves and appeals to able-bodied men.

"I appeal to all the men of the republic, who are able to hold weapons in their hands, to stand up for their families, children, wives, mothers," Pushilin said, according to a translation from The Washington Post. "Together we will achieve victory, we will protect the Donbas and all Russian people."

Another separatist leader, Leonid Pasechnik, signed a similar order, the Post reported, citing Russian state media. The state media reported that the order banned men 55 and younger from leaving the area and allowed authorities of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic to use properties and resources for defense needs.

The news is the latest in a saga of escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

In his video address on Saturday, Pushilin stated that the call to arms was in response to aggression from Kyiv.

President Biden said Friday that he is "convinced" Russian President Vladimir Putin will invade Ukraine.

"As of this moment I'm convinced he's made the decision. We have reason to believe that," Biden told reporters at the White House on Friday, delivering an update on the situation.

Russia has amassed close to 200,000 troops at its border with Ukraine, an increase from previous weeks. The Russian government had claimed that it had drawn down forces at the border earlier this week and that it did not intend to invade Ukraine. However, U.S. and NATO officials said that they saw no evidence of a drawdown.

Biden said Friday that Russia was looking for a pretext to invade Ukraine and cited the shelling of a Ukrainian kindergarten by Russian-backed separatists and "fabricated claims" of impending aggression from the country against Russia.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that Putin would receive a "swift and firm" response if Russia recognized the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine as independent. Doing so, he said, would violate the Minsk agreement, an effort agreed to in 2015 to halt fighting between separatists and Ukrainian forces.

Russia recognizing the regions as independent could provide a pretext for the Kremlin to invade and aid an ally.
The Kodiaq has heavily creased flanks but retains its fairly boxy, utilitarian character (Skoda Kodiaq)

The Skoda Kodiaq is a very unusual car because, as well as the usual five-seater version, it can be specified as a compact seven-seat people carrier, and this is the one that Skoda was kind enough to allow me to try out. In a very overcrowded market segment, having the seven seats marks the Kodiaq as a bit of a different choice. I found that entry to the rear pair of seats is pretty easy, at least for adults on the short side and kids. Its perfectly comfortable in the back, provided youre below average height. Im not sure how big the market for such an unusual design is, though.

By the way, according to the Office for National Statistics, there are only 162,900 households in the UK numbering seven or more, representing 0.6 per cent of the total. Proportionally, theyre most common in the West Midlands (1.1 per cent), and least popular, if thats the right word, in the northeast. Skoda marketeers take note. Most, I imagine, of those multi-child families will be familiar with Groucho Marxs quip when he was hosting a quiz show. He asked the guest how many children she said and she said something like eight. The audience laughed, Groucho rolled his eyes and the poor woman said, I love my husband very much, to which Groucho replied, I love my cigar but I take it out of mt mouth every now and again.

THE SPEC

Skoda Kodiaq 4x4 200PS

Price: 41,080 (as tested; range starts at 33,645)

Engine capacity: 2.0-litre diesel 4-cyl, 7sp auto

Power output (PS): 200

Top speed (mph): 134

0 to 60 (seconds): 7.8

Fuel economy (mpg): 41.5

CO2 emissions (WLTP, g/km): 179

Of course, Ive been in compact cars that can fit seven people in before. Im embarrassed to admit, back in my youth Id often find myself in an overloaded Datsun Sunny 120Y on a night out with a sober deso, as the Australians say, plus six other adventurers. The seating configuration would vary depending on the dimensions of the revellers, but sometimes someone, well one particular person, would end up going in the boot, Mafia-style. It makes me shudder to recall it. What were we thinking? If only wed had the Skoda Kodiaq in those days.

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Inside, its all very recognisable VW Group territory (Skoda Kodiaq)

Like that old orange Datsun, with its distinctive dustbin lid hub caps, this more purpose-built seven seater is something of a miracle of packaging, as indeed most Skodas are in the sense that theyre often roomier than the equivalent Volkswagen, Audi or Seat model (all being VW Group brands and sharing platforms, mechanical and electrical kit). Actually the miraculous aura is quickly dispelled by a peek in the boot, which is obviously compromised by the presence of the two chairs sat in the back. Still, its not bad, and almost proof that you can have your cake and eat it. Almost.

Indoors its all very recognisable VW Group territory, and its nice to see the odd Skoda touch, such as the little plastic clip on the side of the windscreen for your car park ticket and the like. The Kodiaq has been around for a few years now, so its interior isnt the bang-up-to date VW version of touchscreen controls, but to be honest thats a saving grace. The Kodiaq still has the cruise controls combined with the light switch rather than on proper buttons and dials on the steering wheel, but otherwise its all easy and intuitive to use.

Externally the Kodiaq is very VW Group generic-SUV styling, with its heavily creased flanks but retaining its fairly boxy, utilitarian character. The grille on this Sportline trim version is all-gloss black, like the rest of the exterior detailing, but doesnt look especially attractive: theres not much point in designing a grille if it just looks like a black hole. At least its not ridiculously oversized like certain BMWs and Audis. Theyve restyled the bonnet as well, which apparently makes it more aerodynamic.

Its perfectly comfortable in the rear seats, provided youre below average height (Skoda Kodiaq)

The interior isnt the bang-up-to date VW version of touchscreen controls, but thats a saving grace (Skoda Kodiaq)

Having driven quite a few electric cars in recent weeks its odd to get back into a diesel, and particularly one fitted with VWs slow-witted DSG (dual-clutch, direct shift) gearbox, which is a great idea but terrible in practice. If you keep the Kodiaqs 2-litre diesel unit in Sport mode then the response is just about tolerable, but theres no getting away from the noise and sluggishness. Its sprightly enough through the corners and can be hustled along country lanes with surprising aplomb once it gets going, but its doesnt make up for the way it has to make up its mind about what gear it should be in.

As a 4x4, adding to this seven-seat Kodiaqs unusual features, the diesel is very well suited to off-road work, and the Kodiaq has decent ground clearance (a Scout version is even better at tackling fields). However, Im thinking that once a lot of drivers have tried a modern electric car theyd be reluctant to go back to diesel. If you hate going to the petrol station, though, the Kodiaq is ideal for you, with its remarkable 500-mile range. If you need a car that will take seven people cross country for 1,000 miles and only fill up once, then the Kodiaq is waiting for you and your very large family.
The general public in the Upper Delaware region may be well familiar with Ten Mile River access on the Delaware River south of Narrowsburg, for both the launching area and in an adjoining, separate parcel at TMR, a looping hiking trail which the Boy Scouts of America allow the public to use. Near the beginning of this trail is a historic stone arch bridge which spans the Ten Mile River tributary to the Delaware River, its confluence a short distance away. The site is a few miles south of Narrowsburg off NY Route 97 and the nearest bridge to Wayne County, PA. Photo by Peter Becker

NARROWSBURG  National Park Service Superintendent Joseph Salvatore is hopeful the boat launch area on the Upper Delaware at Ten Mile River (TMR), Town of Tusten, will be in good hands and continue as a public access with anticipated sale of parcels by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).

This is based on the prospect that the parcel may be purchased by the Conservation Fund for the purpose of preservation and conservation, with the anticipated future transfer to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Making his comments to the Upper Delaware Council (UDC)'s "Zoom" monthly meeting February 3, he added that in light of the potential acquisition by the Conservation Fund, he could not see the National Park Service (NPS) continuing to pursue its own future purchase of the piece of Boy Scout land, adding that in his conversations with the Conservation Fund director, he learned they want to continue the relationship with the NPS, which currently leases the site from the Greater New York Council of the BSA.

The general public in the Upper Delaware region may be well familiar with TMR for both the launching area and in an adjoining, separate parcel at TMR, a looping hiking trail which the Scouts allow the public to use. Near the beginning of this trail is a historic stone arch bridge which spans the Ten Mile River tributary to the Delaware River, its confluence a short distance away. The site is a few miles south of Narrowsburg off NY Route 97 and the nearest bridge to Wayne County, Pa.

Of interest: The Poconos have 204 bridges in poor condition. How will PennDOT decide which to repair and replace?

More UDC news: Upper Delaware Council elects 2022 officers

The NPS, Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River and the UDC have been interested in making improvements at the launch site, keeping it maintained and open for public use. Landers River Trips operate there seasonally.

The Upper Delaware Council had it on their agenda this month because the subdivision plan for the BSA came before the Town of Tusten Planning Department, and that board sought the UDC's comments because a portion is within the Upper Delaware River Corridor- including the eight-acre parcel containing the launch access.

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Projects within the narrow Upper Delaware Council are subject to determination by the NPS if they are in "substantial conformance" with the River Management Plan governing the corridor. The UDC reviews the application and makes a recommendation to the NPS. In this case, the UDC found that subdividing the property into smaller parcels by the BSA is in substantial conformance and needs no further review- unless further development is planned in the future.

Salvatore said it was his understanding that the launch area piece would continue to be utilized by Landers River Trips and the site maintained by the NPS. Given the anticipation that the Conservation Fund may acquire the site, he related his confidence from speaking with the Fund's director that the Fund wants to keep the Park Service's presence.

In the long term, it is possible the Conservation Fund in turn may give control over to the New York State DEC, to continue the public fishing access, he said.

"I think we're lucky that we're going to get a preservation owner and not some sort of like 'Disneyland' coming in there...," Salvatore added.

Environmental news: The Poconos depend on recreation and tourism. How will climate change affect the industry?

Laurie Ramie, Executive Director of the Upper Delaware Council, said that their main interest is in keeping the popular river access open.

UDC Chairman Andy Boyar requested that the reply letter to the Town of Tusten Planning Board include a comment expressing the UDC's interest in keeping this parcel for a public river access. Ramie noted that this point would be even more important to make to a potential applicant who may acquire the property, but it wouldn't hurt to add that comment now.

The NPS- Upper Delaware had requested an allocation from the Congressional Appropriation of $220,000 to purchase this parcel. Salvatore noted that because the NPS is under a continuing resolution at this time, this approval was not coming any time soon; if it were to move forward it may take one or two years.

He said given that the Conservation Fund may seek to purchase it, he questioned if it would be advantageous at this point for the NPS - Upper Delaware to continue this course. Instead, it is more likely that funding request would be canceled and the amount remain available by the NPS for the "bigger picture of priorities."

Al Henry, the UDC's representative for Berlin Township and a retired NPS ranger who served most of his career on the Upper Delaware, advised that the NPS and Conservation Fund reach an agreement for the NPS to manage the access, to assure the public would keep access this year.

The UDC presently meets via Zoom online, on the first Thursday at 7 p.m. For more information contact the office at 845-252-3022 or visit upperdelawarecouncil.org.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Conservation foreseen for popular Delaware Ten-Mile River access
Prisoners at an Illinois Department of Corrections intake facility are living among mice, rats, roaches and other insects, have seen feces in the kitchen and are forced to eat rotten food among other issues, according to a lawsuit filed this week by a detainee at the far southwest Crest Hill facility.

The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Illinois by the Uptown Peoples Law Center and Jenner & Block LLP on behalf of detainee Gregory Shipp, names David Gomez, warden of the Northern Reception and Classification Center (NRC), and Rob Jeffreys, the director of the center, as defendants.

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Shipp, a detainee at the facility and on behalf of all others similarly situated, claims in the suit the approximately 1,000 prisoners housed there are experiencing constitutional rights violations as a result of their living conditions.

The NRC, a temporary reception center for prisoners before they are sent to other IDOC facilities, is riddled with vermin and coated in hazardous mold, according to the suit.

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Reached late Friday about the suit, IDOC spokesman Gregory Runyan responded via email. The Illinois Department of Corrections cannot comment on pending litigation, the email read.

Alan Mills, executive director of the Uptown Peoples Law Center, said the nonprofit legal services organization has responded to complaints of conditions at the center, 19647 Division St., since at least 2015 when they sent out a survey to several hundred prisoners at the facility.

Mills said the facility was originally opened to hold people for about a week before theyre transferred to a permanent IDOC facility but during the COVID-19 pandemic, they started spending up to more than a year there. Now, people spend between one and two months at the NRC on average, Mills said.

The organization has collected publicly available documents and corresponded with hundreds of prisoners to gather evidence of the poor living conditions in the facility, Mills said.

Ben Bradford, a lawyer with the law firm Jenner & Block, said his team has also conducted more than a dozen interviews with prisoners in the last year asking them about the conditions there. They have also received the same response from prisoners.

When you begin to get that kind of consistency among people who cant possibly have, you know, communicated with each other or otherwise coordinate their responses, then the veracity of those complaints, I think vastly increases in our minds, Mills said.

The lawsuit alleges a vermin infestation at the NRC which includes mice, rats, birds and insects.

Vermin are an everyday sight for prisoners, the lawsuit says. Mice run in and out of cells all night long. Cockroaches crawl up the walls, crawl into bedding, and bury themselves in commissary items. Gnats and flies swarm the pools of flooded water in common shower areas. Several varieties of insects cling to excess moisture in cell sinks and toilets  a condition which further exacerbates the insect infestation, the suit alleges.

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The problem worsens in the winter, as vermin escape the cold, the lawsuit says.

Because of the mice and insects, prisoners have trouble sleeping which affects their immune system and makes them more vulnerable to disease, the lawsuit says. The vermin also expose prisoners to infection and disease, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also alleges unsanitary plumbing at the facility.

In cells, NRC prisoners must contend with cell toilets that do not flush and will back up causing raw sewage to overflow inside the cell, sometimes covering the floor with standing wastewater, the lawsuit says.

Prisoners also lack adequate cleaning supplies to combat the filth in their cells, including the inability to clean cell toilets that are covered in feces, according to the suit.

Prisoners have also reported toilets are covered in mold, according to the lawsuit. Interconnected plumbing sometimes leads to toilet water backing up into sinks where prisoners brush their teeth or which prisoners use to drink water, the lawsuit alleges.

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There have been instances in which plumbing backed up in the kitchen and showers. In these instances, human feces were seen floating on the kitchen floor and in the flooded communal showers, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit also alleges prisoners have to eat spoiled or rotten food or go hungry. Their complaints about rotten food are ignored by staff, the lawsuit says.

Prisoners describe receiving the Stateville special, a concoction of rotten chunks of meat with visible green patches, as well as seeing rodent feces in their food,' the lawsuit alleges.

Mills and Bradford said the complaints are not exclusive to that IDOC facility. Bradford said he hopes the lawsuit will push the facility and the department to address the complaints highlighted in the lawsuit and to create more humane conditions in all of its facilities.

Mills said the reception center plays a unique role in the Illinois prison system, as its the center through which all state prisoners enter the system.

Going into prison in general is a psychological and physical shock to people, Mills said, adding that statistics show people are at higher risk of suicide or self-harm their first few weeks in prison.

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All those sorts of harms that happen are much more likely to happen in the first few weeks of prison, Mills said. And putting somebody in some of the very worst conditions in the entire department for those first two weeks just exaggerates all those.
Starbucks workers told Insider that customers had got ruder and more abusive during pandemic. Nixx Photography/AG Baxter/Shutterstock; Rachel Mendelson/Insider

Starbucks customers got ruder and more abusive in the pandemic, current and former employees said.

They told Insider that customers had yelled, cursed, and even thrown drinks at those serving them.

Service and hospitality workers across the US have complained of poor treatment during the pandemic.

Starbucks customers got ruder and more abusive during the pandemic, current and former employees say. One barista even said customers seemed to have "forgotten humanity."

There have been clashes over COVID-19 policies like mask mandates as well as complicated drink orders and product shortages, current and former Starbucks workers in the US and Canada told Insider.

Starbucks is one of the largest employers of service workers in the US but its front-of-house staff certainly aren't the only ones to have clashed with customers in the pandemic. Service and hospitality workers across the country have had to deal with more rude customers since the coronavirus struck. Workers have found themselves at the sharp end of violent incidents after asking customers to wear masks, maintain social distancing, and comply with other COVID-19 policies. Abusive customers are thought to be helping fuel labor shortages.

However, while some sources of customer frustration  like enforced mask-wearing, shuttered dining rooms, and product shortages  weren't unique to Starbucks, others were. Employees highlighted problems with mobile ordering on Starbucks' app, requests for excessive drink modifications, and the complexities of creating exotic, TikTok-inspired beverages.

Further, some employees said Starbucks didn't seem to have their backs when they suffered abuse at the hands of customers.

"COVID-19 has only increased the amount of customer management we baristas have to do, on top of our already-demanding jobs," Kayleigh Schuler, a Starbucks barista who's organizing unionization efforts in Boston, said. Schuler, also a representative for the Workers United labor union, said "many frustrated customers have taken to blaming us for the consequences of a global pandemic."

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A Starbucks spokesperson said the company expected "all our customers" to treat Starbucks employees "with dignity and respect."

Insider spoke with 27 current and former Starbucks workers about their treatment by customers during the pandemic. Current Starbucks employees were offered anonymity to protect their jobs.

Some employees heaped praise on regular customers, saying they were a source of comfort  and tips  during the pandemic.

But many said they'd been yelled or cursed at, and some said angry customers had thrown drinks at them. Some said customers occasionally got violent.

"Everyone got mean during COVID," Madeline Babin, who worked as a barista in Louisiana from 2018 to 2021, said. This included a customer who threw a cappuccino over her, she said.

A shift supervisor in Texas said: "Customers are incredibly rude, and it's worse than I've ever seen it. I don't know how to please people anymore. It's exhausting." Staff get treated "like we're robots," a current barista in New York said.

Carly Krantz, a former Starbucks barista in New York, said workers called the police and closed her store after customers got into a fistfight about drive-thru times, while a former store manager in New York, who asked not to be named because he had family still working at Starbucks, said customers had assaulted baristas at his store.

Employees told Insider their treatment by customers affected their well-being and productivity. "Just a few bad customers a day can stress you out for the whole week," a former barista in Baltimore said.

Mask-wearing became a flash point

Many of the Starbucks workers interviewed by Insider said some customers' frustration stemmed from COVID-19 policies like enforced mask-wearing and dining-room closures.

Multiple current and former baristas said some customers got angry over mask-wearing and some shouted and cursed at the staff.

"I hated telling people to wear masks," Kelly Preston, a former barista in Atlanta, said. "I knew I would get pushed back." Some customers told her that masks "don't work," she said.

Babin said that when she asked some customers to wear masks, "they would just yell and scream and throw a tantrum until we put them outside and gave them their drink."

A barista in British Columbia said she'd been called "stupid," a "fucking bitch," and "brainwashed" by customers whom she'd asked to wear masks, while a barista in Indiana said she was yelled at by customers for wearing a mask herself.

A barista in North Carolina said her store called the police at least twice after customers got angry about its mask-wearing policy. The former New York store manager said he was assaulted by anti-maskers and had hand sanitizer thrown at him twice.

A former barista in British Columbia said that by refusing to wear masks, some customers treated her "like my life doesn't matter."

TikTok drinks and complex modifications caused headaches

The number of customers ordering complex drinks with a list of modifications has boomed during the pandemic, thanks in part to TikTok crazes.

Customers would get angry if workers didn't know how to make off-menu items  including often-bizarre drinks that went viral on TikTok  and would also get annoyed if they weren't made perfectly, baristas said.

"TikTok should burn," the former New York store manager said.

Amanda Beaudouin, a former barista in Indiana, said some customers "don't know what they're ordering" and would then become angry if their drinks didn't look as they expected.

Nat El-Hai, who worked as a Starbucks barista in Beverly Hills, California, for nine months in 2020 and 2021, said some customers showed her drink pictures they'd found online that had "clearly" been edited. "And then people got really upset when we can't do that," she said.

Some baristas told Insider customers had asked them to make the so-called tropical refresher, a bright-blue drink that originated online and isn't on the Starbucks menu. A barista in Nebraska said that when he told customers he couldn't make it, they accused him of lying or withholding products.

A barista in Alabama said workers at her store had cried over their treatment by customers, saying it was usually because of impatience over complicated drink orders.

Product shortages added to the tension

Some Starbucks stores have been hit by product shortages linked to the pandemic. Mary Meisenzahl/Insider

Six current and former baristas told Insider that customers had gotten angry over product shortages, with some yelling at employees.

Some Starbucks stores ran out of key products and ingredients including cups, flavored syrups, and oat milk as the pandemic and labor shortage wreaked havoc on supply chains.

Preston, the former Atlanta barista, said customers "got really annoyed" about the shortages but regulars were more understanding. Beaudouin said she got cursed at by customers over shortages.

Customers would sometimes "lose it" over shortages, the Texas shift supervisor said. They said they asked themself: "How did I become the scapegoat here?"

Starbucks' mobile-ordering app created hassle

Some baristas said Starbucks' mobile app had created a lot of hassle.

Some of this came down to customers having unrealistic expectations about the app and how long it would take for their drinks to be prepared, the baristas said. Some said customers placed their app orders on their way to the store and would get angry if staff hadn't prepared their drinks by the time they arrived.

"Customers think it's instantaneous," the Nebraska barista said.

Some customers had shown up late to collect their mobile orders only to find their drinks had been thrown away, angering them, El-Hai said.

Baristas said a series of in-app glitches allowed customers to order out-of-stock food and drink items. They said that because they couldn't communicate with customers through the app, they couldn't tell them the ingredients weren't available until they came to the store to collect their orders.

Workers say Starbucks didn't have their backs

Some current and former employees said Starbucks didn't take enough action against rude and abusive customers.

"I think with the pandemic, people are angrier," Krantz, the former New York barista, said. "They need someone to take all their frustrations out on. And unfortunately that is all service workers."

Krantz said service workers should expect rude customers but also for "your employers to have your back about it."

"I would say that Starbucks is just not for the employee," she said.

Starbucks workers formed the chain's first US union in Buffalo, New York, in December, and staff members at other stores are pushing to organize. Staff members have voiced concerns over the coffee chain's COVID-19 protocols, the way they're treated by the company and by customers, and understaffing. Starbucks has repeatedly pushed back against the union and said it isn't necessary.

Krantz said Starbucks "never approved" barista complaints that might bar certain customers from locations.

Approving a barista complaint about a customer "was really a hard process to do" and most staff would just "grin and bear it," Gary Ladewig, a former Starbucks barista in Illinois, said. The Texas shift supervisor said managers needed to witness abuse from customers to kick them out and the company had "such a hesitancy to hold customers accountable for their actions."

"Whether it be the mask mandate, inability to sit and eat in our cafe, or that we're out of their favorite product, many frustrated customers have taken to blaming us for the consequences of a global pandemic," Schuler, the Boston barista, said. "I so wish that I could feel truly supported and empowered enough by corporate to tell someone, who is threatening my health by not wearing a mask, to leave our store."

El-Hai went as far as to say Starbucks had "uniquely horrible" customers that "truly have free rein and can walk all over employees."

"This is something I feel like is unique to Starbucks customers," a former barista in Atlanta said. He said they were the "most entitled group I think in human history, because the company has catered them and made them to be that way."

A Starbucks representative said: "We take pride in creating a warm and welcoming Third Place environment  it's core to who we are as a company. As such, we expect all our customers to treat each other and our partners (employees) with dignity and respect. In the event that a customer does not adhere to these standards, our partners have several resources to support them in navigating the situation responsibly."

Regulars provided comfort  and tips  in tough times

Starbucks workers said some regular customers had been a huge comfort during the pandemic.

"It's a relief to see them," Jude Snair, a former barista in New York City, said. "They understand what's going on."

"Even if they've been waiting in the drive-thru line for like 20 minutes, when they get to the window, I know I'm not going to hear backlash from them," she said. "It's having that security that I'm not going to get yelled at by those guys. It's nice."

Damien Campbell, a former shift supervisor in Baltimore, said regulars had been "overboard" with tips during the pandemic.

"The littlest things that we get and the littlest appreciation that we get from customers, and mostly regulars, just makes our hearts really full and made me personally want to keep going and want to keep working," Campbell said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Supreme Court Friday agreed to hear the Biden administrations appeal of lower court decisions that have prevented the government from shutting down the "Remain in Mexico" policy enacted under former President Donald Trump.

The policy requires most people seeking asylum at the U.S. southern border to wait outside the country while their claims are considered.

The Biden administration has repeatedly tried to end the program, but has been rebuffed in court following challenges from Missouri and Texas. The states argued that after President Joe Biden nixed the policy, the number of migrants trying to enter the country skyrocketed.

The states said migrants know that even though the vast majority of asylum claims are rejected, most applicants are allowed in the U.S. while they wait. The Trump-era policy, the states argued, takes that incentive away.

Under the policy, at least 71,076 asylum seekers were returned to Mexico to await court decisions in 2019 and 2020, according to data from the nongovernmental Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.

Since the policy was implemented, thousands of would-be refugees have set up homeless-style encampments just south of the border.

George Fishman, senior legal fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, long critical of the impact of undocumented migrants from Mexico and points south, recently called the policy the MVP of border enforcement.

It was wildly successful, in a very real sense being the closest thing we had to a silver bullet to bring the border under control, he wrote last month.

Advocates for asylum seekers argue that forcing desperate people to wait beyond the borders of a country that recognizes the right to asylum is illegal. Amnesty International has opposed Remain in Mexico, known formally as Migrant Protection Protocols, arguing that it denies the right to seek asylum "as enshrined in domestic and international law."

On his first day in office, Biden suspended the protocols.

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But Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas essentially ruled on Aug. 13 that Remain in Mexico must continue to define the country's approach to asylum seekers at the southern border. The Supreme Court previously denied the Biden administrations request to pause that ruling.

In October, the administration reiterated its intention to end the policy, but another federal court intervened and ruled that the Department of Homeland Security does not have the power to make law "in a vacuum."

The Supreme Court will hear the case during its last week of oral argument this term, in late April.
Swansea police are still looking for a gun-wielding suspect who shot through the Wendys restaurant window because he was upset over the service he received.

The incident happened at 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, Police Chief Steve Johnson said. The dining area in the restaurant, which is located at 2638 N. Illinois St., was closed and there were no injuries.

Johnson said the suspect drove through the drive-thru line and became upset with the person serving him.

He then asked to speak to a manager who talked to him through the closed glass door, Johnson said. He then pulled out a pistol and shot several times through the glass door and dining area.

Johnson said the Black male, about 5-feet-7 with twisties in his hair, was driving a four-door passenger vehicle, possibly a Volkswagen Jetta. A white female with blond hair was in the passenger seat, police said.

Illinois State Police assisted with the investigation, which is ongoing.

Anyone with any information to help police find the suspect is asked to call Swansea Detective Gary Reuter at 618-233-8114.

In December, a 19-year-old woman was charged with three felony counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm after allegedly firing multiple gunshots into a drive-thru window at Taco Bell, 760 Carlyle Ave, Belleville. One person was injured by broken glass.

Police tracked down the vehicle to a Belleville residence and Amy S. Gale was arrested and charged.
By Nandita Bose

MUNICH (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy in Munich on Saturday, in what is likely to be a powerful display of diplomatic support for the European nation, a day after President Joe Biden said he is "convinced" Russia had made a decision to invade Ukraine.

Harris will also deliver a highly anticipated address warning Russia that an invasion would likely lead to an even bigger NATO footprint on its doorstep and that it will face huge financial costs if it invades Ukraine, according to a senior U.S. administration official who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity.

Her message will, however, make clear the United States remains open to diplomacy "even at this late hour," the official said, even as Biden and other administration officials have given dire warnings that the window for diplomacy is narrow.

On Friday, Harris met NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and leaders from three Baltic nations and said Russia must show it is open to diplomacy, while heralding unity in the 30-member NATO alliance and warning Moscow of severe consequences if it invades Ukraine.

President Biden, who spoke later in the day, said Putin has decided to invade Ukraine, and that he continues to spread false information to try to build a pretext for a military strike that could happen in days.

Russia, which has said it has no plans to invade, wants to stop Kyiv from joining NATO and accuses the West of hysteria. On Friday, separatists backed by Moscow told civilians to leave breakaway regions on buses, a move the West fears is part of a pretext for an attack.

The Russian defense ministry said on Friday that Putin would oversee exercises by Russia's nuclear forces involving the launch of ballistic and cruise missiles. The senior U.S. administration official called the decision "escalatory and unfortunate."

Asked if the United States is concerned about whether Zelenskiy should travel to Munich for meetings tomorrow, the senior administration official said, "No. That's really his call. It's really up to him to decide where he needs to be."

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Biden, when asked the same question, said "that's a judgment for him to make."

Zelenskiy has long said that, while he believes Russia is threatening to attack his country, the likelihood of an imminent invasion has been overstated by Western allies, responding to Moscow's efforts to intimidate Ukraine and sow panic.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Munich; editing by Richard Pullin)
KYIV (Reuters) - A group of lawmakers and foreign media visiting the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine came under fire and had to be evacuated to a shelter, the spokeswoman for President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's party said on Saturday.

She did not provide further details.

(Reporting by Natalia Zinets; Writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Alison Williams)
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Saturday comments by Ukrainian separatists in the past 24 hours appeared to follow the false flag script many people had predicted, warning that this must not become a justification for war.

Ukraine did not do anything to justify the evacuations ordered in separatist areas, Baerbock said.

(Reporting by Thomas Escritt and Sarah Marsh)
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The last U.N. staff member detained by the Ethiopian government has been released, ending a months-long effort to gain freedom for at least 16 U.N. employees picked up since late October during the ongoing war in the countrys north, the United Nations said Friday.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said two others were freed in the past few days. All three were Ethiopian nationals.

The U.N. announced on Nov. 9 that at least 16 of its local employees had been detained in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and a government spokesman asserted they were held for their participation in terror under a state of emergency.

At about the same time, Ethiopian authorities arrested arrested and detained some 70 truck drivers contracted to the United Nations and other groups to deliver humanitarian aid. The U.N. announced on Nov. 18 that they had all been released.

Dujarric said Friday the United Nations repeatedly raised the issue of the detained U.N. staffers, and had never really gotten any clarity as to why they were detained in the first place.

But at this point, were just really, really glad that they are released, he said.

According to the U.N., the first arrest was on Oct. 31, 2021, with the majority of arrests taking place in November although there were arrests in December and January as well. The first releases came in mid-November.

U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, who returned from Ethiopia last week, said she raised the issue of the last three staffers still being held during meetings with the countrys leaders.

The arrests strained relations between the United Nations and the Ethiopian government.

I think we have been stunned by the response that we have had from the Ethiopian government but I do think that its on the mend. Mohammed told reporters last week. The perceptions from the Ethiopian people that we cannot be trusted, must be corrected and the leaders in Ethiopia have to start to help us do that.

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The deputy secretary-general said she thinks her visit helped show that the U.N. is remaining in the country and is loyal to our commitment in supporting the people of Ethiopia.

Months of political tensions between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds government and leaders in northern Tigray who once dominated Ethiopias government exploded into war in November 2020.

Following some of the fiercest fighting of the conflict, Ethiopia soldiers fled the Tigray capital, Mekele, in June 2021, and the government declared a national state of emergency with sweeping powers. A drone-assisted government military offensive halted the Tigrayans approach to Ethiopias capital., Addis Ababa. In December, the Tigrayans retreated back to Tigray.

The war is believed to have caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people and the displacement of millions.

Although the conflict has subsided in several places, notably within the Tigray and neighboring Amhara regions, and lawmakers voted earlier this week to lift the state of emergency, concerns remain about fighting in the northeastern Afar region.

Dujarric told reporters the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, reported Friday that they are working with the Ethiopian authorities and partners to provide emergency aid to thousands of Eritrean refugees who fled a refugee camp in the Afar region due to fighting.

Refugees who trekked the long distance to the regional capital in Semera told UNHCR that armed men stole their belongings and occupied their homes, he said. According to their testimonies, at least five refugees were killed and several women were kidnapped.

Dujarric said that UNHCR remains worried about the safety and well-being of thousands of Eritrean refugees caught up in the conflict, with yet another refugee camp severely impacted.

On the humanitarian front, aid for millions in the Tigray region remains severely limited under what the U.N. has described as a de facto humanitarian blockade.

On Monday, the World Health Organization said it has been granted access to send medical supplies to Tigray for the first time in six months, but said fuel shortages were hampering its distribution.
A former tenant is suing the owner of a Lisle apartment complex, alleging it bans people who have faced felony charges even if they were never convicted  a practice his lawyers say amounts to racial discrimination.

Robert Johnson, joined in the federal lawsuit by Wheaton-based HOPE Fair Housing Center, says he lived at Villages on Maple without incident for about 19 months when, in March, he sought to sign a lease on a smaller apartment.

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According to the complaint, the property manager ran a new background check and discovered that Johnson, who is Black, had been arrested for possession of a licensed gun in 2015, when he was a security guard.

The case was dismissed a year later, the complaint says, but the property manager allegedly said it didnt matter: Johnson had 30 days to leave or his rent would be doubled.

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People of color get the short end of the stick most of the time, Johnson said in a statement.

Robert Johnson, pictured on Feb. 18, 2022, is suing the owner of a Lisle apartment complex where he used to live, saying the owner unlawfully kicked him out after learning he'd been arrested, but not convicted, on a gun charge years earlier. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

After Johnson brought his complaint to HOPE, the group sent testers to Villages on Maple and other suburban apartment complexes that share the same owner, the complaint says. In every case, according to the lawsuit, the testers were told theyd be denied if they had a felony charge on their record.

Josefina Navar, HOPEs director of enforcement, said such alleged blanket policies violate federal housing law.

Housing providers cant deny applicants based on arrest history, she said. An arrest really only shows someone has been suspected of doing something illegal.

The Tribune sought comment from B&A Property Group, one of the corporate entities named in the lawsuit, but the company did not respond. Johnsons lawyers declined to make him available for an interview.

Navar said landlords cant have a blanket ban even on people whove been convicted, but must do individual assessments that consider the nature and severity of the crime, the amount of time that has passed, the persons renting history and any evidence of rehabilitation.

Navar said given the disparities in the criminal justice system, prohibiting people with arrest records from renting an apartment is tantamount to racial discrimination. According to the lawsuit, 4% of people who live in Lisle are Black, while 28% of those arrested in the village are Black.

Enforcing a policy has a heavier burden on people of color, Navar said.

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The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and attorneys fees.

jkeilman@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @JohnKeilman
Veronique de Rugy

Pushing back on recent pro-worker populism on the Right, the American Enterprise Institute's Michael Strain writes that "workers need a growth-and-participation agenda." The addition of the word "participation" to traditional pro-growth ideas is especially important today.

Millions of pages of study and commentary have rightly made the case that economic growth lifts all boats. But while necessary, economic growth without the removal of existing government barriers to work and entrepreneurship won't be sufficient. It can't cure the participation crisis that traps many workers and lower-income Americans.

Price control backfire: Price controls always backfire; Today is no different

In addition to the money we make through our jobs, most of us find some intrinsic value in the act of working or from our work community. Of course, some people have excellent reasons not to work, such as the desire to stay home with one's children. But whether we work or not shouldn't be the result of government-created incentives or obstacles.

People on the Left have always been inclined to address poverty and other ills with government benefits, without much worry over their preferred programs' notable, unintended consequences. From the push for higher minimum wages to the implementation of a federal paid-leave program, they often overlook the ways in which these policies generate potential losses of work hours (or even lost jobs), lower wages and reduced prospects for promotion (especially for women). Lately, people on the political Right have joined the same chorus to demand counterproductive proposals.

Child tax credit extension could have negative effects

Take the new enthusiasm among some conservatives for universal programs like the extended child tax credit. Due to its remarkable generosity and lack of work or marriage requirements, it could have negative effects on labor-force participation and child poverty similar to those created by the pre-1990s-reform American welfare system. The same is true of other left-wing policy favorites now endorsed by some people on the Right  namely, industrial policy to boost manufacturing employment and protectionism.

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Contrary to how they're sold, these policies will hurt workers without addressing some recent developments that are sources of genuine concern.

Indeed, over the last 20 years, some Americans  disproportionately working-age men  have dropped out of the labor force despite low unemployment numbers. In the past, for instance, economic shocks like the Great Recession were followed by increases in unemployment. But as people moved away to find jobs and the economy improved, unemployment returned to lower levels. Not today. This is concerning to scholars and policymakers alike. Now, Americans (especially those who aren't college educated) tend to remain in hard-hit geographic areas, where they stay unemployed.

Right and Left join to blame free market

Unfortunately, Right-leaning populists have been quick to join the Left in blaming the free market for these woes and now demand an expansion of entitlement programs. But all too often, reduced geographic mobility and labor-force participation are the results of the very initiatives for which they're calling.

Take, for instance, the Social Security Disability Insurance program. It was created to support those afflicted with health conditions or injuries that make working difficult or impossible. It continues to serve that role. But scholars find that the program also helps keep many physically able adults with limited earning potential out of the labor market. Men make up a large majority of these would-be workers.

Another set of issues was brought on by the pandemic when numerous policies were enacted precisely to keep people from working. Most notable are paid leave, child tax credits, large individual stimulus "relief" checks and boosted unemployment benefits. Many Americans received more than one of these and found their incomes increased above and beyond what they earned while working. While understandable at first, the effects linger. With the worst of the pandemic behind us, some workers remain reluctant to return to the job market. In this, they're encouraged by politicians who would prefer to keep the handouts flowing permanently.

This situation is unhealthy and fiscally unsustainable. Emergency measures are for emergencies and need to be eliminated when such circumstances pass. That's just a start. Congress must finally remove worker-participation barriers created by long-term government programs. Doing so would lead to more opportunities and better lives for people who have been frozen out of the gains enjoyed by most workers.

While these steps might not be the whole answer, a failure to remove barriers to participation could very well nullify other government efforts to lift people up and increase economic growth. Americans deserve better.

Veronique de Rugy is the George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and a senior research fellow with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: To life all boats, help Americans resume fulfilling work
Feb. 18Partnerships could be behind the success of two new small businesses on South Main Street.

Color Me Rad, a new painting concept for the Joplin market that permits you to paint on just about everything, including yourself, has opened in a storefront in the Southtown Plaza at 32nd and Main streets. The owners, Kristen and Robert Fecke, are teaming up with friends Christine and Stewart Baird, who are marketing Socks of Our Time, to share in this business venture.

And just two doors south of Color Me Rad, two partners will soon be opening a new clothing boutique, the Pink Tiger, in a shop that now specializes in Herbalife nutritional products, shakes and teas.

These are examples of business entrepreneurs joining forces to lower costs and maximize the profitability of the high-profile retail spaces that they now occupy.

Color Me Rad opened this week after a trial run last weekend in which three birthday parties were held. A couple of the parties involved 15 to 30 people in a room. The third party involved 100 people and that pressed into service all three of the painting rooms at Color Me Rad.

Just about anything goes when it comes to your paint room experience.

You can paint on canvas and take your creation home with you or you can squirt washable paint on those who are there with you for the fun of it. Imagine yourself in a Jackson Pollock painting.

"We learned a lot from those parties," said Kristen Fecke, who has been working on the Color Me Rad concept since last May. "It is clear we need some mirrors along this wall so that people can take pictures of themselves after they have been in a paint room. Another thing we learned from the teenagers is that we need games for them to play while they are in a paint room."

Participants are issued personal protective equipment. You get white coveralls with a hood, goggles, foot covers and a beard cover, if you need one. You can secure your stuff in a locker. You pick your paints, which come in small squirt bottles, and go to town in a room where the walls are covered in plastic.

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Fecke said Color Me Rad has reached a deal with Simple Simon's pizza to provide pizza for the birthday parties and events that are held there. They also have teamed up with a cake vendor, Dia Bakes Me Crazy, to create cakes for the parties held there. Birthday packages with decorations are available. A party of 15, as an example, can cost $150. A person can spend an hour in a paint room for $15. Details about costs and services are available at the Color Me Rad website.

Fecke said the black-light room with glow-in-the-dark paint was a big hit during the trial run. One room is being organized around a theme.

This month's theme is Mardi Gras. Next month, it will be St. Patrick's Day.

While you are there, make sure you check out the selection of Foozys socks available through Socks of Our Time. These colorful socks are for children and adults. One section features socks that depict all kinds of dogs from poodles to terriers. They're a hoot. What a perfect gift for the dog lover in your life.

Color Me Rad is open from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, from 3 to 11 p.m. Friday, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.

The Pink Tiger, which is taking shape in the Vibrant Nutrition storefront, will offer men's, women's and children's clothing, accessories, shoes and jewelry. The owner of the boutique told me she is specializing in "quality clothing that is affordable, fashionable and trendy." She is being joined by a partner who creates graphic designs and custom shirts.

The shop, which has some clothing on display, will have its grand opening in May.

Vibrant Nutrition will stage a customer appreciation day from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. this Friday.

Shop hours are from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Those hours are likely to change as the Pink Tiger comes on line.

Up next

When the landscaping goes in, it's a good sign that an opening is just around the corner.

The new Braum's restaurant at the northwest corner of 26th and Main streets is on track to open on or about March 1.

This will be the third Braum's in Joplin. The other two are on the north and south ends of Range Line Road.

Contact Wally Kennedy at wkennedy@joplinglobe.com.
There was a moment of confusion in the curling match between Team GB and Canada in the Winter Olympics on Monday, as the Canadians passed up the opportunity to score a point by intentionally missing the ring with the final shot of the end.

But why would you want to blank an end in curling?

With the score at 1-1 and the ring wide open in the fourth, the Canada team decided to blank the end in order to retain the hammer, which is the term for the team with the last-stone advantage.

Since it was a close game, Canada perhaps wanted to retain their advantage for an end in which they had an opportunity to score multiple points.

This is because the scoring team must give up the hammer for the next end.

As it turned out, that opportunity presented itself in the following end, as Canada were able to score three points with their final stone as they already had two rocks in the ring.

They didnt have the opportunity to do so in the previous one, so it was a sensible decision to wait for a better scoring chance.

Of course, had it been the final end in the match, Canada would have just taken the point to win the match.
A woman who was seen pushing a 74-year-old man off a public bus in Las Vegas has been sentenced to prison as part of a plea agreement.

Cadesha Bishop, 28, received a sentence of 8 to 20 years on Friday, nearly two months after pleading guilty to abuse of an older person resulting in death. She was initially charged with murder after being accused of pushing Serge Fournier off a parked bus in 2019.

Bus surveillance video released by police five days after the incident occurred shows Fournier starting to exit the bus with a large foldable cart when Bishop shoves him from behind with both her hands. Fournier flies through the bus doors and lands face-first on the sidewalk and his cart.

A police report said Fournier had told Bishop to be nicer to passengers, NBC affiliate in Las Vegas KSNV reported. Witnesses also reported that Bishop was yelling profanities while on the bus, according to the police report.

Fournier died about a month later. Officials at the Clark County Coroner-Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide.

During her sentencing hearing Friday, Bishop said she pleaded guilty because she felt she would not receive a fair deal otherwise, The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Bishop also said she was "sorry for my behavior" and lamented "the way that I was portrayed in my lowest and weakest moment of my life. Her attorney, Stephen Spelman, added that Bishop suffers from bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

At the hearing, Bishop was given credit for the 252 days of time served.
Lynchburg City Schools administration gave members of the community the first real look at some of its requests for the upcoming fiscal year 2023 budget during its work session this week.

The plan, as laid out in a presentation by Superintendent Crystal Edwards, calls for a raise for all staff, increase in pay for all substitutes and additional staff positions to cover needs in all three levels of schooling.

The entire proposal has a projected total operating revenue budget of $108 million, up 8% from the fiscal year 2022 budget that was just over $100 million.

It also shows a $63.4 million request in state funding, up $5 million over last year. LCS also is requesting $42.9 million in funding from the city, while the other roughly $1.5 million will come from federal funding and other sources.

The board will host a public hearing March 15 to get community feedback on the budget before voting on it; it then will head to Lynchburg City Council for review next month.

During a presentation at the school board work session, as well as in a video on the school systems YouTube page, Edwards made it well known supporting all staff with pay increases is where officials have their biggest priority.

If weve learned anything in education, Edwards said during the video, the people who serve our students serve them well. And they come to school every day, they come to work every day and they are extremely dedicated.

Edwards said in the next budget, school administration officials are looking to provide an average of 5% raises to all staff and faculty, but such raises would be differentiated to take care of the people working in lower-wage jobs.

When we look at some of our lower-wage employees, we have to differentiate that. So some of those positions, such as our custodians and secretaries, they are going to see an 8, a 10, a 12, or even a 14% increase, Edwards said. We need all of our staff to be able to support their families at home so they can come to school and work and support our students here.

The presentation given during the work session says LCS will have to reclassify some positions to a higher pay scale to avoid compression.

Edwards also hopes school officials can raise pay another average of 5% the next year too.

School board member Atul Gupta gave his thoughts on the proposed compensation raise after the presentation, emphasizing it should be one of the most important things for the board.

For me personally, compensation was non-negotiable, he said. There is no way we can walk away and not improve compensation.

LCS also hopes to improve benefits for teachers. School officials are looking at adding an additional two bereavement days, taking them from three to five. They also are requesting to change the number of stored-up sick days that can be paid at retirement from 90 to 110.

In early childhood education programs, LCS looks to fund additional teacher and assistant positions for pre-K programs for 3- and 4-year-olds.

In elementary programs, officials look to add new testing coordinators. Currently, according to Edwards, many of the library media specialists are serving as testing coordinators, and with a change to the Standards of Learning assessments, students now are being tested twice throughout the school year. This means while students are testing, some libraries in schools are not able to remain open to support literacy programs.

Deputy Superintendent Amy Pugh said LCS will be required to give three assessments beginning next year, elevating the need to hire part-time testing coordinators.

LCS officials also are looking to add a gifted education teacher at Bedford Hills Elementary School and an English language learner at Sheffield Elementary School. English language learners are teachers for students who come from non-English-speaking homes learning the language in schools.

At the middle school level, staff hopes to add three positions: a math interventionist, a reading specialist and an additional school counselor for Dunbar Middle School.

Were going to continue to support our literacy, especially at the middle schools, Pugh said.

For the high schools, LCS hopes to add to its advanced education programs. Officials are looking to add six seats to the Governors School at Heritage High School. They also are looking to add 20 seats to the Central Virginia Community College Regional CTE (Career Technical Education) Academy and 10 seats to the University of Lynchburg dual enrollment program.

LCS also will be looking to add an additional month to the workload of school counselors and the special education chair, taking them from 10 months to 11 months.

Across all LCS schools, staff is requesting funds to add positions including social workers, grants specialists, network engineers and several others to help support students.

Gupta said he doesnt want to spend the additional $2.1 million to $2.4 million that would be needed for the new positions.

Compensation, yes, its necessary ... but what we are adding now, later on, somebody has to pay that money, he said.

School board member Kimberly Sinha replied, I dont like the idea of saying we arent going to fund any new positions, because our needs change.

There also are plans in the budget, if approved, to find a way to pay teachers for certifications they need to receive. LCS officials also are looking at paying for background checks for faculty and staff, while one board member, Gary Harvey, is asking LCS only reimburse for background checks if the person passes it and receives employment.

Finally, for bus drivers, according to the presentation, the starting salary for drivers with no experience has increased over 31% in five years, going from $10.86 per hour in the 2018-19 school year to a projected starting rate of $14.27 per hour for the 2022-23 school year.

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SPRINGFIELD  As a Republican candidate for governor, Richard Irvin has promoted himself as a no-nonsense, law-and-order candidate who as a onetime prosecutor put gangsters, drug dealers and wife beaters in jail.

Irvin was a prosecutor in Cook and Kane counties from 1998, shortly after getting his law license, until 2003. But he then worked for almost 15 years as a criminal defense attorney, specializing in defending people accused of the same types of crime he rails against in his campaign ads.

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Shortly before becoming mayor of Aurora in 2017 and stepping away from his law practice, for example, he represented a man accused of attacking a police officer. Hes also represented clients accused of kidnapping, domestic violence and sexual assault.

Its a significant but unmentioned part of his resume as he follows a tough-on-crime Republican script to go after Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his fellow Democrats.

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The crime issue has been pushed by billionaire businessman Ken Griffin, whose long-anticipated support of Irvin was formally announced last week and whose money is seen as critical to the GOP candidates success. Griffin, who has promised to go all-in to defeat Pritzker, made an initial contribution of $20 million to Irvins campaign.

In a widely aired campaign TV spot, Irvin portrays himself as being on the front lines in the fight against crime. When I was a prosecutor, Id go around with these guys. We raided crack houses and busted up gangs, he says, implying hes with a police officer. This apartment complex over here? It was bad. But we took it back.

Aurora police officers and Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, second from right, listen as the police chief discusses a police shooting in the city on March 23, 2018. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

John Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, said Irvins aggressive promotion of his law-and-order credentials is a slam dunk at a time when crime is an issue that has resonated in Illinois and across the country.

Its not all that unusual in American politics for candidates to dramatically expand one piece of their record and diminish another, even though the part thats being diminished might be a much more consequential and longer stretch of their career, he said.

The Law Office of Richard C. Irvin & Associates merged with another attorneys firm in 2017 when Irvin took office as Auroras first Black mayor. His original firms website said 90% of Irvins focus as an attorney was on criminal defense, and that the firm handled drug cases and an array of felony cases ranging from robbery and burglary to home invasion and reckless homicide.

The site explained how a domestic battery charge can be successfully defended in court: If the victim is the only other person present when the battery occurs, and the victim does not appear in court, the state cannot prevail in the case.

Irvins website went dark just last week, which quickly became political fodder for Democrats.

Maybe its his use of language that downplays the severity of domestic violence, blaming it on how emotions can run hot or tempers can flare, or how his Aurora domestic violence attorneys will zealously defend the rights of violent abusers, the Democratic Governors Association said in a statement released Friday.

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Since becoming a candidate for governor, Irvins public statements have shown subtle adjustments to his approach on crime.

During the 2020 civil unrest following the death of George Floyd, Irvin staunchly endorsed the Black Lives Matter movement, which has become synonymous with a push to fully or partially reallocate police resources to communities in economic peril  sometimes referred to as defunding the police.

But in his launch video for governor, Irvin declared that all lives matter  words that were superimposed on the screen  while pledging unwavering support for law enforcement.

In a Feb. 14 fundraising email, Irvin went even further by giving away Proud to Back the Blue stickers to donors to his campaign.

To be sure, working as a criminal defense attorney is not at odds with support of law enforcement. But voters who only know of Irvin from his TV ads and campaign rhetoric will have only a partial picture of the varied roles he has played in the criminal justice system.

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin during a remembrance ceremony at the Aurora Historical Society on Feb. 15, 2022, for the five people who died in the Henry Pratt Co. shooting three years ago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Kane County court records provide a look at many of the cases he handled. In 2017, shortly before leaving his practice, Irvin represented Alexander Nunez, who was accused of kicking a police officer in the left shoulder and face, and punching someone else in the face, court records show.

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Court records show Nunez pleaded guilty to a felony charge of aggravated battery to a police officer the following year and was sentenced to three years in prison.

Irvin in 2007 represented Juan Martinez, one of several alleged gang members accused of abducting eight people, four of them children or teenagers, from a restaurant at gunpoint and holding them captive at a Carpentersville home, court records show.

Irvins client pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated kidnapping about 4  months later, in early 2008, and was sentenced to 22 years in prison, the records show.

Another client of Irvins was Enrique Prado, convicted of concealing the 2013 homicidal death of 18-year-old Abigail Villalpando, court records show. Villalpando, described by relatives and co-workers as a hardworking teenager who aspired to become a cop, was beaten with a hammer, doused with gasoline and set on fire. An arson charge against Prado was later dropped.

Prado pleaded guilty to helping one man dispose of Villalpandos body after another man killed her and was sentenced to two years in prison, records show.

Irvins law firm partner was Reginald Campbell, now a Kane County judge. In 2009, Campbell represented Gary Martin, who later committed the worst mass shooting in Aurora history, over two restraining orders filed by an ex-girlfriend.

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Irvin was Auroras mayor in 2019 when Martin opened fire at the Henry Pratt Co. plant in Aurora, killing five people and wounding six others, five of them police officers, before being shot and killed by police.

In an interview, Campbell said he doesnt recall much about his work for Martin other than that he was a referral to the firm. He said Irvin did not have any involvement with the cases involving Martin.

A lot of our business was through word-of-mouth, Campbell said. We handled hundreds if not thousands of cases like this.

When the Tribune asked questions about the case, the campaign sent out a news release accusing the paper of having the intention of writing a misleading story attempting to connect Richard Irvin to a 2008/2009 court case in which he had no involvement.

Irvin campaign spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis described Campbell as Irvins partner but said the two attorneys did not have a profit-sharing agreement. They shared an office and split overhead expenses, Demertzis said.

The campaign did not answer specific questions sent in writing about Irvins career as a criminal defense attorney or why he has ignored it during his campaign.

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Irvin has joined the other Republican candidates in blasting the sweeping criminal justice law Pritzker signed a year ago. In an interview after announcing his candidacy, Irvin contended the law led to increased outbreaks of violent crime and had a role in the deaths of eight law enforcement officers.

But many of the sweeping criminal justices changes that were part of the law, including a controversial end to cash bail, have yet to take effect, which Pritzker noted in response when he said that Irvin doesnt really understand the law.

While voters are hearing little about Irvins time as a private attorney, his background on both sides of the justice should be considered an asset rather than a liability, said Robert Loeb, a veteran criminal defense attorney and a former Cook County assistant states attorney who also is a commissioner on the Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission.

You dont necessarily have a bias, Loeb said. Youre not a tool thats insensitive one way or the other.

Megan Jones reported from Aurora.

jgorner@chicagotribune.com

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mejones@chicagotribune.com
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 morning at the rest home during 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, including 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 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 past year too  about $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.
MOUNT VERNON, Iowa (AP)  Four men were pulled to safety Friday morning after being buried in grain that poured out of a bin near the eastern Iowa city of Mount Vernon.

The Linn County Sheriffs Office said the accident happened after two men began setting up a grain bin to unload corn just north of Mount Vernon.

An outer door opened, causing corn to rush out and cover the men. Two men passing by on nearby Highway 1 saw what happened and stopped to help, but they also became trapped.

It took more than an hour to rescue the four men. One man was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Thomas Jefferson High School senior Kandice Myers has been awarded a College Match scholarship through QuestBridge for Grinnell College.

She is one of two Thomas Jefferson students out of only six in Iowa to win QuestBridge scholarships this year. The other one is Mia Richardson, who was featured in an article in Fridays Nonpareil.

The awards are full-ride, four-year scholarships valued at up to $300,000 that can be used for tuition and fees, room and board, books, supplies and travel expenses. Myers will be expected to contribute $2,500 each year from a work study or summer job or personal savings, she said.

Myers said she found out about the program from Spencer Mathews, coordinator of the school districts Early College Academy at Iowa Western Community College and decided to apply. She has been participating in the Early College Academy and will graduate from Thomas Jefferson this spring with a high school diploma and associate degree in general studies.

I knew it was a good idea to start two years early on your college education, she said. A lot of my teachers were really supportive. I wanted to go to college and needed a better way to afford it. I was really scared I would accumulate huge amounts of debt.

Im incredibly proud of Kandice, said Mathews. Shes an excellent student and very kind and caring person who will make the most of this fantastic opportunity.

Myers started out focusing on health sciences and took biology and other courses on that track.

I think I wanted to do that more for the motivation of money, she said.

Myers decided library science was what she wanted to study, so she shifted to working on an associate degree in general studies, taking British literature, African American history, multicultural history and art/drawing.

I just thought it would be a lot better, she said. I didnt want to pursue a job I didnt think I would have fun doing.

Applying for the QuestBridge scholarship was pretty involved. It included filling out an application and financial aid forms, writing essays, getting references and having her transcripts sent. Grinnell was her top preference.

I did a little research, and Grinnell has one of the best library science programs, she said.

Myers has been interested in reading and writing at least since middle school. There, she was in a writing club where students wrote poetry and short pieces and shared them with each other.

Writing has always been one of my favorite things to do, she said.

Myers has also volunteered at the Council Bluffs Public Library and learned how a library works.

At TJ, Myers has been a member of National Honor Society, choir, show choir and jazz choir. She currently has a 4.21 GPA.

TJ has a good atmosphere and is a good learning environment, Myers said.

I dont think Ive ever had a teacher that didnt respect me as a person, she said. Ive always had a lot of help as far as college, especially from (TAG teacher Lizzie Busch).

Myers visited Grinnell a few months ago and plans to go back this spring.

Ive never lived outside my house, but I think Grinnell is a perfect place to begin my independence, she said.

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DES MOINES  Gov. Kim Reynolds private school tuition assistance and E15 ethanol requirements are still alive.

A restriction on the use of eminent domain is dead.

The first funnel  a self-imposed deadline designed to force state lawmakers stay on target and put aside proposals that dont have enough support  was reached this week.

Moving forward, only bills that have at least passed through the first two steps of the legislative process  a subcommittee hearing and full committee vote  can still be considered for the rest of the session.

Any bills that did not reach that benchmark are ineligible for the remainder of the year.

There are exceptions: budget and tax policy bills are not subject to funnel deadlines. And leaders can make legislative maneuvers if they truly wish to resurrect a proposal from the dead.

Here is a look at some of the bills that did survive this weeks funnel, and some that did not:

Survived

Income tax cuts: Both the House (House File 2317) and Senate (Senate Study Bill 3074)

Ethanol: Reynolds proposal to require the E15 ethanol blend at most Iowa gas stations, House File 2128

School choice: Reynolds bill, Senate Study Bill 3080, would give taxpayer funds to families wanting to place their student in a private school. Last year, the bill faltered in the House over concerns from legislators with rural school districts in their district.

School books: House Study Bill 706 is House Republicans proposal to address parents who want some books or other materials removed from school libraries or classrooms. The bill requires schools to post all educational materials online for parents to review along with the districts policy for how parents may challenge materials. The Senates version, Senate File 2198, goes further: it creates legal recourse for parents who disagree with a schools decision by allowing them to sue the district or teachers.

Transgender sports: Both the Senate (Senate Study Bill 3146) and House (House File 2309) have advanced bills that would ban transgender girls from competing in girls sports.

Vaccines: House Study Bill 647 would ban all businesses, schools and government agencies from requiring any vaccination for workers or students and prohibit them from requiring face coverings.

Abortion: House File 2119 would ban the dispensation of telemedicine abortion drugs.

Traffic cameras: Senate File 2078 would prohibit law enforcement in cities of 12,000 or fewer residents from ticketing speeders unless they are going 20 miles per hour over the speed limit or more. Senate Study Bill 3012 would outright ban all such cameras.

Mobile devices: Senate File 30 would ban the hand-held use of mobile devices while driving. House Study Bill 561 calls for a partial ban in school and construction zones.

Teachers: House File 2085 is a part of House Republicans plan to help schools find more teachers. It would create a temporary teachers license for anyone with a bachelors degree who completes an alternative teacher certification program and a praxis subject assessment. Groups representing teachers and school boards are opposed.

Public assistance: Senate Republicans have been driving the legislation on increasing verification measures for individuals who qualify for public assistance, in House Study Bill 698 and Senate Study Bill 3093.

Solar panels: Solar panels could not be installed on farmland deemed to be of high agricultural value under Senate File 2127.

Bottle bill: Changes to the bottle bill are still alive, in House Study Bill 709. Is this the year legislators finally address Iowas recyclables law? Stay tuned.

Did not survive

Eminent domain: A proposal to limit the states use of eminent domain  the practice of the government claiming private land for private business projects. (Senate File 2160)

Classroom cameras: A proposal to require cameras in all K-12 classrooms in order to livestream instruction. (House File 2177)

Vaccines: Insurance companies would have been prohibited from offering financial incentives for vaccinations. (Senate Study Bill 3037)

Sports: Would have required Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa play each other. (House File 2039)

Farm: While virtually all bills introduced by Democrats failed to advance  Republicans have agenda-setting majorities in both chambers  one noteworthy inclusion is the Democrats proposal to place a temporary moratorium on large-scale animal feeding operations. (House File 2305)
DANCE REVIEW: Repercussion by Boomerang Dance as part of LookOut at Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre: As "Repercussion" wore on in Steppenwolf's new cabaret-style venue, I started to feel I was in a crowded barroom. And though momentum does play a big role in some of the dancing, the piece overall has none. (1.5 stars)
Morocco took part in a large-scale international operation of fight against drug trafficking, which was carried out simultaneously in Brazil and three European countries, Brazilian media reported.

This operation, backed by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and Europol, was carried out as part of the execution of 19 arrest warrants issued by two courts in Rio de Janeiro.

The operation, code-named Brutium, was carried out to dismantle a drug trafficking group that operated in Central America, Brazil and Europe.

The drug traffickers used to fragment the banned substance and transport it in cars and trucks to Brazilian ports before shipping the drug to Europe.

Investigations showed that over the past 15 months, drug traffickers have transferred some 250 million reais ($48 million) from this drug trade.

The international drug smuggling gang was allied with two Brazilian criminal factions. According to the Brazilian Federal Police, traffickers were sending cocaine from Peru and Bolivia to European countries.

The group had an active branch in Central America.

On the same day, the authorities also carried out Operation Turfe, deployed in Brazil, Spain, Paraguay and the United Arab Emirates, which aimed to execute 20 arrest warrants and 30 searches against an organization that brought cocaine from producing countries, such as Bolivia and Colombia, before transporting it to Europe.
The Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union reiterated, on Friday in Cairo, its support to Moroccos sovereignty over its entire national territory.

In a report authored by the Committee on Political Affairs and Parliamentary Relations, presented during the 32nd session of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union, held in Egypt, the Union stressed the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco, in accordance with the relevant international legitimacy resolutions.

Similarly, the report affirmed the rejection of any foreign aggression or interference, directly or indirectly, in the internal affairs of any Arab country, especially Iranian interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries, as well as its acts aimed at undermining the security and stability of the region.

The document also called on the Tehran regime to renounce and refrain from funding and supporting groups that fuel conflicts and disputes in the Arab region and to stop supporting, funding and arming sectarian militias and terrorist and separatist organizations.

The economic, social and development challenges facing the Arab world are as important as the security and political challenges, the Union stressed, noting that common Arab security is an expectation to which all Arab peoples aspire. The session also discussed the role of parliaments in achieving economic integration and activating the role of Arab women, the Arab commitment to the centrality of the Palestinian cause and the rejection of projects that undermine the rights of the Palestinian people.

In this connection, the Union hailed the tireless efforts made by King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to support the Palestinian cause and defend the city of Al-Quds.

It also welcomed the efforts made by the Rabat-based Bayt Mal Al Quds Asharif Agency, which is part of the Al Quds Committee, to preserve the identity of the city and support its inhabitants.

In addition, it reiterated its position on the illegality of colonization in all its forms, calling on the UN Security Council to fully assume its responsibilities in implementing its resolutions concerning the rejection and immediate cessation of all forms of colonization in the Palestinian territories, including the city of Al-Quds.

The Union also urged the UN and the Security Council to put pressure on the occupation administration to end its ethnic cleansing policy, especially in Occupied Al-Quds, denouncing the continuing demolition and seizure of dwellings by Israeli authorities, the expulsion of legitimate residents, and the confiscation of the property of Islamic Awqaf, churches and citizens, as well as Islamic cemeteries especially in Jerusalem.
The COVID-19 pandemic amplifies the difficulties of finding substitutes when teachers deal with illnesses, according to Kevin Mills, director of human resources at North Platte Public Schools.

Mills said the district always has an advertisement out for substitute teachers. Carol Halley, HR administrative assistant, said the Nebraska Department of Education is trying to streamline the process for certification.

Primarily in our area we use what are labeled as local subs, Halley said. Those people have to have at least 60 college credit hours.

People who are interested in hiring on as substitutes must first apply to the NDE for certification, then apply to NPPS. Once that process is started, Halley said, the district sends a letter to NDE requesting the applicant be certified to be a local sub.

Local subs are limited to 90 days per district, Halley said. They can apply to various districts, but per district its limited to 90 days.

However, the districts can ask for a waiver to extend beyond the 90 days.

NDE is looking at revamping some things in regards to local substitutes, one of which is being able to go from district to district, Halley said. If somebody has been subbing at Hershey and wants to sub at North Platte, their certificate would transfer.

Under the current system, a substitute who wishes to work in another district must apply separately for certification for the second district.

(The NDE) is looking at some things to try to help with our sub shortage because they understand particularly in more rural areas you have fewer people to fill those vacancies, Halley said, and you have fewer retired teachers who want to come back and sub.

She said the district relies a lot on retired teachers as substitutes. But now many are reluctant to come into a classroom because of the potential for exposure to COVID-19.

Also because of the pandemic, some staff members are absent longer.

Prior to COVID, if you had your common cold and you had a sniffle, you just worked through it, Halley said. Ive heard a lot of teachers say its more work getting ready for a sub, so they say, Ill just work.

With the pandemic, that has changed.

Now, you wake up with a sniffle, youre not sure (whether its COVID) so youd better stay home because youre not sure, Halley said. Teachers who then test positive for COVID are out for whatever the quarantine period is at the time.

At one time it was 14 days, then 10 days and now its five.

Before, you didnt have as many absences because teachers werent gone that much, Halley said. They would just work through because it wasnt this type of illness.

NDE also is considering easing the process so people with a certificate from another state can begin subbing sooner.

We still want highly qualified people, but if you have a certificate to sub in California, you should be able to move to Nebraska and be able to get to work fairly quickly, Halley said. A lot of times thats held up.

Halley said there is a link on the NPPS website at nppsd.org to apply to be a substitute.

I dont know if people know about that local sub possibility, Halley said. If you have 60 college credits, if youre looking at adding another part-time job, you could look at subbing.

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A recent study by the National Education Association reported 55% of teachers are ready to leave the profession earlier than they planned because of burnout.

In the North Platte Public Schools, Director of Human Resources Kevin Mills and Carol Halley, HR administrative assistant, say they have not seen the same indications.

Mills said about 30 teachers per year leave the district, but most of them are moving on to other jobs, leaving the community or retiring. He said that hasnt changed in the last two years. The district currently employs 287 teachers, which means the turnover rate averages a little less than 10%.

Here at North Platte Public Schools District, I can personally say to you, I do not hear people say, man, Ive got to get out, Im done, Im finished, Im worn out, Im tired, Mills said. We have our normal turnover and I think thats how I would look at the data.

Mills said although he doesnt hear about people feeling burned out, it is possible it is dealt with before it gets as far as his office. There are regular meetings with principals and the Better Together meetings with Superintendent Ron Hanson and secondary and elementary directors, where there is discussion about the stresses that teachers encounter.

That topic is always there along with the topic of culture: What is the pulse of your building? Mills said.

North Platte Public Schools gave students two days off on Feb. 4 and 11 to give the teachers an opportunity to catch up with their paperwork, planning and extra duties. Mills said the Nebraska Department of Education gives all school districts four days to use as needed, based on the pandemic.

Teachers work, but no students, and that gives the staff time to catch up. Mills said. He said the four days granted by the state are mental health time for the staff to recollect themselves.

Mills said at the high school, filling in for absent teachers is not as difficult as it is at the elementary schools. High school teachers have a planning period as part of their daily schedule, and sometimes they are asked to cover other classes during that time.

Its a little more difficult with elementary schools, Mills said, because those teachers dont have planning periods.

They can combine some classes when teachers are absent, Mills said, and we have a lot of (other) things we can do.

Halley said the staff was thankful to have these two work days. She said the difficulty in finding enough substitute teachers has been amplified because of the pandemic.

Because of this (substitute) shortage, we do a lot of what we call in-house fill, Halley said. When you do that, then that person is missing out on their planning time. Thats where the mental stresses come because youre carving into your family time a little bit more.

Katie McClain, who teaches fourth grade at Eisenhower Elementary, and Becky TenEyck, a special education teacher at Madison Middle School, said they have not heard of any teachers wanting to leave the profession due to pandemic pressures.

McClain is in her 18th year of teaching fourth grade and believes teachers are handling the pandemic and teaching as a whole without losing hope.

I had both classes two days this week  40 kids  it is stressful,  McClain said. It hasnt happened a lot for us, but this week having a group of 40 two days in a row is exhausting.

All those interviewed agreed that teaching is more than a 7:45-a.m.-to-3:45-p.m. job. McClain said with the extra work, managing her time is of vital importance.

Youve got to use your plan time, a little bit of after-school time, McClain said. I, with a lot of years of experience, decided everything I take home really doesnt get done anyway. Youve got to leave school at school.

McClain said, however, she doesnt think teachers are wanting to quit the profession.

Honestly, I havent heard it once, I havent heard about any burnout, McClain said. I havent heard one negative comment, but I feel like North Platte is super supportive of each other. I feel like we do a good job communicating and being supported by our principals.

TenEyck said she has a unique perspective being both a teacher and a member of the North Platte Education Associations executive board.

Since COVID, thats really kind of been an upheaval spot for our economy and society as a whole, TenEyck said. Everybodys dealing with a lot of stress and not sure about things.

Last year, she said, many uncertainties added to the difficulty of navigating the pandemic in school.

I just take things in stride, take the bull by the horns, TenEyck said. When it started with we cant have visitors in, we cant have this, subs are going to be in pretty short supply, that was last years concern.

At times teachers would have to cover other classes during their planning time.

Yes, its inconvenient because we use our plan times to get prepped or grade papers, TenEyck said. So it does put a lot of end-of-the-day stress on for a lot of teachers.

This year, TenEyck was asked to switch from her regular class and take another in the interest of the students. She agreed and a substitute took her regular class so she could cover for a teacher who was going to be out long-term.

It was kind of stressful because you have expectations the district holds, expectations the parents hold and your own expectations as well, TenEyck said. But you kind of enter into education knowing that there are going to be those expectations. If you dont, youre just disillusioned.

She said the profession has many demands, but teachers know theyll be putting a lot of time in after contract hours.

I had so much support. Robin (Vahle, Madison principal) was amazing, TenEyck said. If I had questions or needed help with contacting parents or dealing with a behavior, she was excellent in supporting me with that.

As a member of the NPEA executive board, TenEyck said she has not heard of teachers wanting to get out of the profession. She said there have been 20 to 30 teachers who have reached out to her for help, but not because they are ready to quit.

I dont know if anyone else on the team has heard anything or not, TenEyck said, but its more about the masks, what are they doing with this or that, what about the vaccination.

TenEyck said more of the reasons she has heard from teachers about leaving involve issues like personality conflicts or a spousal job change, but not about leaving teaching in general.

Mills said from his perspective, the national statistics dont reflect the culture of the local district.

I dont take those statistics and the crisis, if you will, as serious, Mills said. I look at it, I listen to it, I see it, but I dont see that happening here at that level.

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Lincoln County commissioners Tuesday will consider job-description language as they seek a permanent successor to former Highway Superintendent Carla ODell.

The meeting, postponed from Monday due to the Presidents Day holiday, will start at 9 a.m. in the commissioners room in the Lincoln County Courthouse, 301 N. Jeffers St.

County Board members voted 4-1 Jan. 24 against reappointing ODell for another year atop the county roads department. ODell had held the post since September 2015.

Commissioners had shown interest in a temporary agreement with the city of North Platte to use City Engineer Brent Burklund as interim county roads superintendent.

But board Chairman Chris Bruns said Friday that the county, unlike the city, isnt required to have a roads chief who holds a Class A superintendents license.

Bruns said the job description to be discussed Tuesday likely will say its highly preferred that ODells permanent successor have a Class A license. That helps the county gain more state roads funding, he said.

For now, he added, the foremen in each of the countys three roads districts are taking care of day-to-day needs.

Questions are being referred to Commissioners Jerry Woodruff and Micaela Wuehler, who make up the County Boards Roads Committee, Bruns said.

Commissioners Tuesday also will discuss freshening up the commissioners room itself as they prepare to install audiovisual equipment for livestreaming meetings.

Possible changes involve a fresh coat of paint, installation of sound boards and other steps to bring the commissioners room into the 21st century, Bruns said.

The County Board expects sometime in March to join North Plattes school board and City Council in livestreaming their meetings online, he said.

In other business, commissioners will:

 Continue talks with D.A. Davidson & Co. on whether to refinance the countys bond debt by issuing refunding bonds this year.

 Decide whether to grant the Midwest Nebraska Problem-Solving Court  the local drug court  additional funds to pay for defense attorneys working with the court.

 Hold an executive session for an unspecified purpose. The agenda item includes state laws requirement that closed sessions be confined to talks on litigation, real estate purchases, deployment of security personnel and devices or job evaluations.

More by Todd von Kampen

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UPDATED, Feb. 20, 2022, 4:50 pm: This story has been revised to include further statements Feb. 19 by Kristina Konecko to the Omaha World-Herald.

***

State Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte said Friday hes resigning from the Legislature after allegations that he shared inappropriate photos of a female aide from his state laptop computer.

The District 42 senator, serving his eighth and final year due to term limits, denied wrongdoing but announced his decision to quit in a text to The Telegraph.

I never made any sexual advances or harassed the woman in seven years of off-and-on working for me. And she is not claiming I did, Groene said.

I made the mistake of taking pictures during office hours of my staff. I am not going to drag my wife, family and friends through the fight it would take to defend myself.

I am resigning and dropping out of politics completely. Life is too short. I need to focus on eternity.

Groene, 66, confirmed he also will withdraw from the District 7 race for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

He had entered that race earlier this week against Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg, who also is term-limited. Sixteen-year Regent Bob Phares of North Platte is retiring at years end.

Groene earlier told the Nebraska Examiner, a nonprofit news outlet, that he had submitted his resignation to Gov. Pete Ricketts and the governor had accepted it.

I spoke with Sen. Mike Groene earlier this afternoon, and we both agreed it was best for him to resign, Ricketts said later Friday in a brief press release.

The governor must appoint a successor to finish the last months of Groenes Unicameral term, which runs until Jan. 4, 2023.

Three candidates have filed to succeed Groene in District 42: retired Great Plains Health CEO Mel McNea, Lincoln County Commissioner Chris Bruns and Brenda Fourtner. All are from North Platte.

Bruns told The Telegraph that Groene, who had endorsed him as his successor, had texted him to tell him of his resignation.

My reaction is Im shocked, he said. I havent had time to digest all of the information yet ...

I wish him luck in his future endeavors. Hes done a lot for this community.

McNea declined comment in an email Friday evening, while Fourtner said that I pray for a forensic audit to be done on his computer and phone. There are a lot of unknowns at this point.

She added: I pray that people have the Christian values that tell them not to judge, lest they be judged as well.

Someone must have considered Groene a threat having just announced his run for regent, Fourtner said.

Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb disclosed the allegations against Groene and called on him to resign in an email earlier Friday.

This is despicable and the latest in a string of inappropriate behavior by Republican officials, Kleeb said. Groene should resign and the public deserves to know all the other senators or staff involved.

Nebraska Examiner reported that Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango, chairman of the Legislatures Executive Board, confirmed Friday afternoon that a workplace harassment complaint had been lodged against Groene and it was being taken very seriously.

That followed a report by Nebraska Sunrise News that Kristina Konecko, who had worked on and off for Groene for six years, had lodged a complaint over photos of herself she had discovered on Groenes laptop computer.

Konecko, according to Sunrise News, considered the photos inappropriate.

The pictures appeared to have been taken by Groene and then emailed from him to other parties with email captions of a sexual nature, the website reported.

In a follow-up Omaha World-Herald story Saturday, Konecko said she was that photos had been sent from Groene's phone to his personal email address on his work computer. But she did not see that the photos were sent to anyone else.

"I'm not sure where the misunderstanding came from," she told the World-Herald, adding that she felt it very important that confusion be cleared up.

Konecko described the photos to the Sunrise News as objectifying and demeaning.

Some of the photos, the Sunrise News account continued, were zoom-close-ups of provocative body parts with explicit subject lines.

Groene told the Examiner Friday that he had taken some individual photos of Konecko in his office, but he denied that they were sexual in nature.

He said that they depicted her full body, not body parts as has been claimed. There were not pictures that were zoomed in or anything, he told the Examiner.

In todays world, if you want to take a picture of someone, you should say Im taking a picture. But I didnt, and I apologized for it.

He told the Examiner that legislative IT workers had gone through his computer and discovered nothing that would be considered sexually inappropriate.

He said he had given Konecko access to his personal computer to screen and clean up unwanted emails.

Thats when she discovered the photos, according to the Examiner account.

Groene maintained to the Examiner that he had never treated the legislative aide as a sexual object.

He said he had taken about 20 photographs of Konecko with other visitors to his office, including his wife, but said he had also taken a few of his aide individually.

Shes kind of a strait-laced person, and I guess I did something I shouldnt have, Groene told the Examiner.

About three or four weeks ago, the senator said, he was informed that Konecko was offended after discovering the photographs. That, Groene said, is when he apologized.

I made a mistake, he later told the Omaha World-Herald. Im just sad she didnt confront me about it.

Asked why he took them, he said: Just stupid. I just did  stupid.

Groenes west central Nebraska Unicameral colleagues  Williams, Hughes, Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman and Gordon Sen. Tom Brewer  all declined to comment in response to a Telegraph inquiry.

Groene, a regional farm equipment salesman, came to prominence locally as chairman of the Western Nebraska Taxpayers Association and statewide as a co-founder of the Platte Institute.

He defeated Roric Paulman of Sutherland in 2014 to succeed two-term District 42 Sen. Tom Hansen of North Platte.

Groene, who won re-election in 2018 over Judy Pederson of North Platte, served as Education Committee chairman the middle four years of his Unicameral tenure.

Two of his bills won unanimous 49-0 final approval in his final two full sessions.

MicroTIF, passed in 2020, enabled property tax refunds for fixing up older buildings. Groenes 2021 Nebraska Rural Projects Act authorized state matching funds for building industrial rail parks like one planned outside Hershey.

Bills to refine both programs (LBs 1065 and 788 respectively) were pending in committees at the time of Groenes resignation.

So was a measure (LB 783) seeking $75 million in federal COVID-19 aid for building the proposed Sustainable Beef LLC beef processing plant in North Platte.

More by Todd von Kampen

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The 2022 Legislature will reach its halfway point next Wednesday with only a small number of bills by west central Nebraskas lawmakers awaiting floor debate.

Speaker Mike Hilgers two major bills affecting the region  revival of the 1894 Perkins County Canal and a special committees call for additional Lake McConaughy improvements  also had yet to emerge from committees at weeks end.

Four of the five lawmakers serving The Telegraphs coverage area have chosen priority bills for floor debate should they reach the full Legislature this session.

Former North Platte Sen. Mike Groene had not chosen a priority bill before his abrupt resignation from the Legislature Friday.

Priority bills move ahead of other bills in receiving first-round debate  but only if committees advance them to the floor.

Committees and the speaker of the Legislature also can designate priority bills.

Three regional colleagues chose to make one of their own bills their 2022 priority bill:

 Bayard Sen. Steve Erdmans latest version of his consumption tax constitutional amendment (Legislative Resolution 264CA).

 Gordon Sen. Tom Brewers constitutional carry handgun bill (Legislative Bill 773).

 Gothenburg Sen. Matt Williams bill refining his 2017 Rural Workforce Housing Investment Act (LB 1069).

None of those three bills had advanced from committee by weeks end.

Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango has prioritized the Perkins canal bill (LB 1015), introduced by Hilgers on behalf of Gov. Pete Ricketts.

That measure would authorize the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources to finish the aborted canal envisioned in the 1923 South Platte River Compact with Colorado.

Ricketts unveiled his plan Jan. 10 in response to indications Colorado wants to tap most of the remaining South Platte flows entering Nebraska after Front Range farmers and towns have tapped the river upstream.

LB 1015 received strong support at its Feb. 8 Natural Resources Committee hearing. But members of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee are balking at Ricketts separate request to set aside $500 million to finish the Perkins canal.

Gering Sen. John Stinner, the panels chairman, told the Omaha World-Herald his committee wont include any canal funding in its preliminary budget package.

Hes open to including $2 million to $3 million for preliminary study and canal design costs. But the idea of taking half a billion dollars off the table  thats where I draw the line, he told the World-Herald.

The Appropriations Committee also hasnt advanced Hilgers LB 1023, the so-called STAR WARS committees $200 million plan that features a proposed new 4,000-acre lake near Omaha and Lincoln.

LB 1023s Lake Mac projects include a proposed 100-slip marina at an as-yet-undetermined location. It also calls for construction of a formal entrance to the Keith County lake and road improvements near both its north and south shores.

Relatively noncontroversial bills  at least in comparison with regular headliners like taxes and social issues  have had the most success reaching the floor so far for west central Nebraskas lawmakers.

LB 744, introduced by Erdman and cosponsored by Brewer, revisits the 2021 overhaul of Nebraskas livestock brand-inspection laws passed as LB 572.

Its original language would have removed the earlier bills permission for the Nebraska Brand Committee to accept electronic or nonvisual ownership identifiers instead of traditional hot-iron cattle brands.

When the Agriculture Committee advanced LB 744 Thursday, however, its text had been replaced by a single change  also sponsored by Erdman  saying information that producers provide for brand inspection wouldnt be considered public records.

Three other measures from regional senators have been named priority bills by Unicameral committees:

 LB 872, a Brewer measure allowing Native Americans and other indigenous students to wear or display tribal regalia in school or at school functions. The Committee on State-Tribal Relations prioritized the bill.

 A pair of Williams cleanup bills prioritized by the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee, which he chairs.

LB 707 makes various changes to state banking laws, while LB 863 does likewise with laws affecting insurance holding companies.

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On the afternoon of February 5, 2022, President Xi Jinping met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, who was on a visit to China to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, at the Great Hall of the People.

Xi Jinping pointed out, since the establishment of China-Tajikistan diplomatic ties 30 years ago, bilateral relations have seen leapfrog development and reached the historic height of comprehensive strategic partnership. Tajikistan was the first country to sign Belt and Road cooperation documents with China, and both sides took the lead in establishing a development community and a security community, being ironclad friends in the real sense. Unbreakable political mutual trust and firm and strong mutual support are the most valuable experience of the long-lasting and steadfast China-Tajikistan relations. China is willing to work with Tajikistan to build on past achievements and work for new progress of China-Tajikistan relations.

Xi Jinping stressed, China firmly supports Tajikistan in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and security, and supports the Tajik people in achieving the development goal of building a strong country and enriching the people. The two sides should seek great synergy between the development strategies of the two countries, earnestly implement the economic and trade cooperation plan between the two countries, and strengthen cooperation in green energy, digital economy, e-commerce and other fields. China is willing to expand imports of high-quality agricultural products from Tajikistan and speed up the construction of the Luban Workshop in Tajikistan, the first of its kind in Central Asia. The two sides should explore the implementation of more projects aimed at improving people's well-being, give full play to the role of joint prevention and control mechanism at border ports, and ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of the freight transport artery between China and Tajikistan. China is willing to continue to provide support and assistance for Tajikistan in fighting the pandemic. China stands ready to work with Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation, work together to address threats and challenges, and safeguard peace and tranquility in the region.

Rahmon said, I sincerely congratulate China on the successful opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 30 years ago, the two countries have continuously consolidated and developed good-neighborly and friendly relations in the spirit of mutual understanding and mutual support, becoming the most important comprehensive strategic partners that can trust each other. China has good friends all over the world, and it is also a good neighbor, good friend and good partner of Tajikistan. Further deepening the friendly and cooperative relations between Tajikistan and China was, is and will be Tajikistan's top diplomatic priority. Tajikistan thanks China for providing valuable help for the country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and hopes to continue anti-pandemic cooperation. Tajikistan is willing to actively participate in the Belt and Road cooperation and promote cooperation in economy, trade, industry, energy, infrastructure and other fields under this framework. China is welcome to expand investment in Tajikistan, import more agricultural products from Tajikistan, and deepen people-to-people, cultural and educational exchanges and cooperation, among others. Tajikistan hopes to strengthen communication and coordination with China in international and regional affairs and jointly safeguard regional security and stability.

The two sides signed the Economic and Trade Cooperation Plan between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan (to 2025).

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi, He Lifeng and others were present at the meeting.
Pro-choice supporters participate in a rally for reproductive rights in Los Angeles on October 2. Photo: CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

As we await the Supreme Courts decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which is widely expected to strike down or at least significantly weaken Roe v. Wade, there has been a flurry of legislative activity in the states, which may soon control abortion policy, as they did in the days before the landmark 1973 ruling. Most of the attention has been on Republican-run states, some of which have long had trigger laws, designed to reimpose abortion restrictions the minute the Supreme Court allows them. Now there is even some infighting between red states emulating the Mississippi law the Court is likely to approve, which bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, and those pushing for even more restrictive laws that would ban abortion after six weeks, like Texass devious vigilante enforcement statute.

But blue states governed by pro-choice lawmakers are not being idle either. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 15 states plus the District of Columbia have enacted statutes that would protect abortion rights if Roe is reversed: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. Some have gone further than simply trying to keep abortion legal in their own jurisdictions. Most notably, Governor Gavin Newsom has said that California will be a sanctuary for women unable to obtain an abortion in other states. California Democrats are advancing a package of bills to make that pledge a reality. It includes a ban on insurers imposing deductibles and co-pays for abortion services, legal protection for abortion providers who serve out-of-state patients, and money for community clinics offering reproductive health care.

Now Vermont is poised to take a step intended to insulate abortion rights from temporary political swings by placing reproductive rights in the states constitution. Last week, state lawmakers advanced a constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to abortion and contraception, which would be the first such amendment in the United States. The Washington Post reports:

The Vermont House voted 107 to 41 for the proposed amendment, known as Proposition 5. It now heads to Gov. Phil Scott (R), who has signaled his support for the measure and is required to give public notice before it appears on the ballot in November. Voters in Vermont, where 70 percent of people say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, are expected to approve it.

Scott is one of three northeastern Republican governors who favor legalized abortion to one degree or another, a position that is rare among congressional Republicans (the other two, Marylands Larry Hogan and Massachusettss Charlie Baker, are not running for reelection this year, while Scott is considered a shoo-in).

The effort to protect reproductive rights at the state level is one reason many anti-abortion activists are already looking beyond the likely reversal of Roe. One option theyre looking at is federal legislation banning abortion (which is unlikely even if Republicans secure a governing trifecta, so long as the Senate filibuster exists). An even better route, from their perspective, would be a federal constitutional provision (a constitutional amendment or, more likely, a future Supreme Court decision) recognizing fetal personhood, a concept already embraced in every national Republican platform since 1980.

If the Supreme Court chooses to unleash the furies by overturning Roe this year, abortion politics is going to consume not just national politics but state governments for a long time.
The Opelika City Council is considering making amendments to the residential rental registration and inspection ordinance that has sparked praise, criticism and a lawsuit.

At Tuesdays meeting the City Council was presented with the first reading of the ordinance with the proposed revisions, which stated that certain amendments are necessary in order to more efficiently enforce these provisions while at the same time ensuring real property owners are given the maximum protection to which they may be entitled under the United States Constitution.

City attorney Guy Gunter said that the city is requesting the Council to amend the ordinance by making two changes.

The first is to remove the requirement that states the property owner must sign a statement that they are aware of the citys property maintenance code and the legal ramifications for violating the code.

Were asking the Council to eliminate that one single sentence, which would eliminate any First Amendment challenge to the ordinance, Gunter said.

The second proposed revision deals with the rights of the landlord or property owner and will allow them to challenge inspections before they occur. Gunter said this would eliminate any Fourth Amendment challenge to the rental ordinance.

These two amendments do not change the substance of the rental ordinance, but Gunter said he hopes it will help with the lawsuit against it as there are several objections to the ordinance as written.

Three rental property owners, Edna Ward, Eleanor Perry and SMB Rentals, managed by Susan Bolt, filed a lawsuit against the city in December stating that the ordinance is an overreach of the government.

Their lawyer, Bert Jordan of Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff and Brandt LLC in Birmingham, said his clients position is that the city cannot require landlords to register and they cannot conduct warrantless searches.

The ordinance with the two changes will be presented again to the Council for vote at the next meeting in March.

The ordinance still states that the owner of the rental dwelling unit will have to pay $50 per unit for the initial inspection and one reinspection. For any additional follow-up reinspections, the cost is $25.

A unit will not be subject to inspection more often than every three years.

The acceptable grounds for inspection, according to the ordinance, are as follows: upon first-time registration, upon change of tenancy unless the unit has passed inspection within the preceding three year period, upon re-inspection if the unit didnt pass and after a citizen complaint.

Violators and those who fail to comply will be fined no more than $500 or imprisoned for no more than 180 days, or both.

The ordinance includes the standard maintenance checklist, which has a list for administrative compliance, the exterior areas and structure, the interior areas and structure, plumbing, electrical and mechanical and fire safety requirements.

It states that if the unit passes all the items on the checklist, then the inspector will issue a rental occupancy certificate to the landlord, but if the property fails any single item on the checklist, the inspection fails.

The tenants of the property will receive a written or electronic notice, or both, at least three days before the inspection.

A date and time for the inspection will be scheduled to be convenient for everyone involved, and property owners and their local agent have the right to be present at any inspection.

If property owners have not finished the corrections needed but have shown significant progress, the inspector may extend the time period to finish the corrections.

The full document can be found on the City of Opelika website Opelika-al.gov/894/Rental-Ordinance-Rental-Registration.
Washington, PA (15301)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Fidelity Investments, one of the worlds largest investment fund managers, just this month launched not one but three ESG mutual funds and one exchange-traded fund.

ESG investing is the talk of the town. Suddenly, a lot of people with money to invest want to be not just richer but also kinder to the planet. Unsurprisingly, options for investing in so-called green businesses and projects are popping up like mushrooms after a rain. The question is, are people actually investing in them?

The abbreviation ESG refers to environmental, social, and governance: three aspects of any business that the new class of concerned investors has prioritized. In actuality, a lot of so-called ESG investment options focus on the E part of the abbreviation, with investment focusing on renewable energy companies, for example, or companies that have pledged to decarbonize.

Fidelity Investments, one of the worlds largest investment fund managers, just this month launched not one but three ESG mutual funds and one exchange-traded fund. With them, Fidelitys total ESG fund lineup has reached 15.

And Fidelity is far from the only one. Fellow investment giant Amundi recently added a new ESG fund to its lineup for the United States, dubbed the Pioneer Global Sustainable Equity Fund. Blackrock, the worlds largest asset manager, has half a dozen ESG funds. Vanguard has more. ESG fundsmutual or exchange-traded, passive, active or a combination of bothare the way of the future, it seems.

Or are they?

The Financial Times reported this week that an ESG exchange-traded fund backed by none other than the United Nations itself was about to fold. The reason: lack of investments. The fund, MSCI Global Climate Select, had only attracted less than $2 million in investments.

The fund excluded fossil fuel companies, as every ESG fund does, and focused on companies with low emissions. The top 10 holdings in its portfolio included Tesla, Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet, the parent company of Google. And yet the fund manager plans to shut it down by next month because nobody wants to invest in it, including top Wall Street banks that had pledged seed money for the ETF.

Perhaps the fund is failing because there is already quite an extensive choice of ETFs focusing on low-emission and non-fossil fuel businesses. Perhaps the reasons for the funds failure are more complex. The fact remains that banks that had promised to pump money into it have not done so.

According to the banks themselves, as cited by the FT in its report, their pledges for seed money were contingent on other investors joining the fund, too. Some of them, including Citi and Bank of America, said that their investment commitments include a provision that their holdings in the fund do not exceed 25 percent of its total size, which was impossible when its total size was $2 million and their pledges were, respectively, up to $50 million and $12.5 million.

One other interesting fact is that the banks that had pledged that money were all members of the Global Investors for Sustainable Development Alliance, a group of 30 companies aiming to support the United Nations climate targets financially. Worth some $16 trillion in combined assets, members of the alliance include, besides BofA and Citi, Calpers, Pimco, UBS, Standard Chartered, and insurance giant Allianz.

The most interesting part of the mystery is, in fact, the portfolios of those funds. Their creators say they are made up of environmentally, socially and governance-wise responsible businesses. A quick check shows that at least some of these funds are simply ETFs like all others, except they dont include traditional energy stocks.

Take, for example, Vanguards ESG U.S. Stock ETF. Its top ten holdings include, in descending order, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Tesla as its top-five holdings.

Fidelitys Sustainable Multi Asset Income Fund includes LVMH, Moet Hennesy, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, a wind power investment companyGreencoat UK Windand, interestingly, Chinese government bonds.

Now, since ESG funds prioritize emissions-cutting efforts and, to a somewhat lesser extent, work to improve social and governance track records, one might assume that all these companies have made commitments to that effect or are already working on these issues.

The tech giants, for instance, are a safe bet for ESG fund managers because they have made huge and very vocal commitments to emission reductions and renewable power purchases. So are other huge corporations simply because they are in the spotlight. But does this mean they are actually going to stick to these commitments? This is where things get really interesting and quite confusing.

The issue of ESG performance measurement has been drawing growing attention because there is no standard way to measure how companies that have made climate-related commitments are actually working towards these goals. Greenwashing is popping up in more and more headlines, with activists accusing corporates of making empty promises and then continuing to do business as usual to the detriment of the planet.

ESG investing, then, is in murky waters right now. Appetite is growing, and so is supply, but you can never be sure if the ETF you are putting your hard-earned money in to make the world a better place is, in fact, made up of companies that are serious about cutting their emissions or just going through the motions to please investors and keep them on board. Perhaps this is why the UN-backed ETF failed. Perhaps it will not be the only one.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Higher net crude oil imports are set to make the United States a net petroleum importer this year again, as in 2021, after a historic shift of being a net petroleum exporter in 2020, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Friday.

A net petroleum importer is a country that imports more crude oil and refined products than the crude and products it exports.

While the U.S. has been a net petroleum products exporter for more than a decade, it has always been a net crude oil importer, that is, it imports more crude than it exports.

The total crude and petroleum products trade marked a historic shift in 2020 when the U.S. became a net petroleum exporter. On a monthly basis, it was in September 2019 when the United States exported more crude oil and petroleum products than it importedthe first month in which America was a net petroleum exporter since monthly records began in 1973, the EIA said at the end of 2019.

In 2020, the plunge in global oil demand and the low oil prices that removed incentives for petroleum-exporting countries to raise production allowed the United States to export more petroleum in 2020 than it had in the past, the EIA said today.

Also in 2020, the difference between U.S. crude oil imports and exports fell to its lowest point since at least 1985, the administration added. With rising consumption in 2021, net crude oil imports increased by 19 percent to an average of 3.2 million barrels per day (bpd).

The U.S. will continue to import more crude than it exports this year, with net imports expected at an annual average of 3.9 million bpd. If EIA forecasts of a record-high annual U.S. crude oil production of 12.6 million bpd in 2023 pan out, the U.S. net crude imports would drop to 3.4 million bpd next year, the administration said.

By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com

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A concert called "Chinese Memories" was held on Friday evening in the western Belgian city of Ghent to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

All musical pieces were composed by Belgian composer Johan Famaey but performed and sung in Chinese by Belgian artists. The elegant music blending Chinese and Western styles drew the audience into the poetic and dreamlike artistic conception of ancient Chinese poetry.

"This is how Chinese Memories should be understood: an ode to China," said Famaey, who had lived in east China's Qingdao City from 2005 to 2009.

"Chinese Memories is kind of a combination of what I find intriguing and the romantic era. Baroque music sounds very exotic to the Chinese people, so I had this idea of bringing things together," he said.

"The music is entirely original, but there are allusions to important composers of the past such as Bach, Schubert and Puccini. There are no cliches to represent the Chinese style, but rather traditional elements that give the music a unique feel," he explained.

The concert was led by renowned conductor Geert Baetens and featured Famaey himself who played the yangqin, a traditional Chinese musical instrument, backed by an orchestra and children's choir.
Former Congressman Brad Ashford confirmed on Saturday that he has been diagnosed with brain cancer, but said he feels confident he can overcome it.

Ashford, 72, underwent a biopsy at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha on Friday, and his wife, Ann, said they are waiting for the results to determine the specific type of cancer and treatment plan going forward.

In a phone interview with The World-Herald on Saturday, Ashford said he was feeling good and would be returning home as soon as possible.

Its brain cancer, but Ive got a lot of work to do so Im gonna get out of here and keep doing what I do, he said.

Ashford, who first disclosed the diagnosis in a Facebook post Friday, said he felt grateful to be in the care of Nebraska Medicine.

The health care here at Nebraska Medicine is beyond anything one could imagine, its so incredible, he said. Ive been proud to work on many projects here, including the cancer center, interestingly. Theres nobody better.

Ashford represented Nebraskas 2nd Congressional District, which includes Omaha, from 2015 to 2017 after defeating former Rep. Lee Terry, a Republican, in 2014. Before Congress, he served in the Nebraska Legislature for 16 years.

Ashford, a Democrat, lost his reelection bid to Republican challenger Don Bacon in 2016. He ran for the seat again in 2018 but lost in the Democratic primary to challenger Kara Eastman.

After Eastman defeated Ann Ashford in the 2020 Democratic primary, Brad Ashford ultimately endorsed Bacon in the general election. Ashford, who was a registered Republican before becoming an independent and ultimately a registered Democrat, said at the time that the country needed unifiers not dividers in Congress.

Bacon shared a statement on his Twitter account Friday in response to Ashfords diagnosis.

I, along with the whole community, stand with Brad and Ann, and pray for healing and a quick recovery, he wrote. Brad is a great leader in the Omaha community and has made a huge impact for so many. I am grateful for our friendship.

Ashford said despite his health challenges he is focused on continuing to spread his message of bipartisanship.

Im not going anywhere, he said. But I think you learn from things like this that we, as a group, working together, were so much more powerful than when were fighting.

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A training pool at Naval Base San Diego will be named in honor of a Black Omaha war hero who saved the lives of 15 shipmates during World War II, the Navy announced Friday.

Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French, a Navy mess steward, was on the USS Gregory during the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. When the ship was sunk by Japanese forces, French was the only uninjured person accompanied by about 15 wounded shipmates. He loaded the injured men into a life raft.

Realizing that they were drifting toward danger, French, only 22 at the time, jumped into the shark-infested waters, tied a rope around his waist and pulled the raft while swimming for more than six hours in the dark until they were spotted by an aircraft and rescued.

The story of Charles Jackson French needs to be told and shared for generations to come, said Adm. Mike Gilday, the chief of naval operations. He exemplified our core values and faced adversity with unwavering grit and selflessness.

French was lauded as a hero by the public  his story prompting comics, radio dramas and a poem by a Pulitzer-Prize winner  but the Navy itself barely acknowledged his valor. Even though an officer on the raft recommended French for a Navy Cross, the militarys second-highest valor award, he received only a letter of commendation for his meritorious conduct.

Now, a movement is building to secure a posthumous award for French. Last May, U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., wrote the acting Navy secretary asking for Frenchs service record to be reviewed to ensure that he was appropriately recognized.

Still, there has been no award. The dedication of the swimming pool  which is used to train Navy rescue swimmers who conduct search-and-rescue missions at sea  marks the first recognition of French from the Navy since his commendation in 1943.

He exemplified the Navys values of honor, courage and commitment, and it is well past time that we recognize his actions in this way, said Rear Adm. Stephen Barnett, the commander of Navy Region Southwest.

Last month, the U.S. House passed a bill, introduced by Bacon and other Nebraska representatives, to name the Benson post office after French. U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., has introduced a companion bill in the Senate.

It will be a great part of the Omaha legacy and future if we can do it, Bacon said of the post office during a February legislative update.

French has connections to San Diego beyond the naval base. After the war, he settled in the city with his wife and daughter. Upon his death in 1956, he was buried in San Diego at the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.

A formal dedication ceremony for the training pool will be held in May.

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Want to view the cranes?

Every February and March, more than a million sandhill cranes travel through the Platte River Valley in central Nebraska to fuel up before continuing north to their nesting grounds. Here are two places to see them:

Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary

Open daily in Gibbon, Nebraska, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during crane season. Daily guided tours at sunrise and sunset along the Platte River. Preregistration is required. Trails are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Offers crane viewing experience, a guided crane photography experience, an overnight photography experience, virtual crane tours and crane behavior basics. Spots are limited.

For reservations: go to rowe.audubon.org/crane-viewing or call 308-468-5282.

All visitors are required to wear a face mask while on Rowe Sanctuary's property. All tours are subject to cancellation and refunds will be available if COVID-19 safety precautions change the scheduling.

Watch the birds for free on the crane cam at explore.org/livecams/national-audubon-society/crane-camera.

Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center

Open daily in Wood River, Nebraska, starting March 1, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Offers guided tours, Wild About Nebraska Speaker Series, group blind tours offered morning and evening, footbridge tours in the evening.

To see results of the aerial tours each week on social media, go to facebook.com/cranetrust or instagram.com/cranetrustnvc/.

For reservations, go to cranetrust.org or call 308-382-1820.

While you are there

The art exhibition, "Wings Over the Platte" is at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island until April 3. Jude Martindale is the featured artist. For information about other organizations, outfitters and public viewing locations go to nebraskaflyway.com.
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."

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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.
There's a reason Presidents Day was designated to honor George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and not, say, Millard Fillmore and Martin Van Buren.

We're especially obsessed with the 16th president, which explains why Hollywood keeps churning out films and TV specials examining his life. Here are three new documentaries to check out as well as gems from the past:
SPRINGFIELD  Students in McLean County Unit 5 and Bloomington District 87 can continue to attend school mask-free when in-person classes resume next week.

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 other emergency rules from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The appellate court decision was made in part based on a Joint Committee on Administrative Rules decision to block the renewal of the emergency rules on Tuesday.

The appellate court found that the TRO "in no way restrains school districts from acting independently" of Pritzker's executive orders or IDPH 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.

While both districts have recommended students and staff continue to wear masks, Unit 5 and District 87 went mask-optional this week and with the appellate dismissal, they will stay the course.

The results of that appellate court decision  basically kicking it back to the JCAR rules  more or less confirmed what we thought was going to happen, District 87 Superintendent Barry Reilly said. That just helps in terms of keeping that decision that we made intact, so we will move forward in that manner.

In a written statement, Unit 5 Superintendent Kristen Weikle also said the mask-recommended approach will continue, noting the JCAR decision expedited the districts transition this week.

Unit 5 respects each family's decision about whether or not their student should wear a mask in school, she said. We hope that our families, staff, and community can come together to support our students in their educational journey.

Reilly said he expected some students and staff would choose to continue using masks, and the district will work with those with health concerns on a case-by-case basis as they transition.

Thats certainly something that were concerned about, he said, noting that could include providing N95 masks to those with immunocompromised health issues. And we will continue the other safety mitigations that weve been doing this entire time.

Hopefully weve seen the near end of this pandemic, if not the end, Reilly said. But as we all know, different variants pop up and depending on how things play out with IDPH, well just take it day by day and case by case.

Also in accordance with the JCAR ruling, Unit 5 and District 87 have suspended the mandatory weekly COVID tests for unvaccinated staff. Weikle said staff can still submit to testing on a voluntary basis, though.

A Pritzker spokeswoman said 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," press secretary Jordan Abudayyeh said.

Weikle noted that her administration had heard Pritzker would be appealing this decision again.

This process has created tremendous uncertainty for school districts which impacts our primary mission of educating students, she said. Districts have received no guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education, IDPH or the Governor's Office on any of the decisions this week.

Pritzker has claimed 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 JCAR 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 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.

Unit 5 and District 87 were among the last districts in McLean County to lift their mask mandates.

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 despite 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.

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Each week The Pantagraph profiles a different community member. Know someone we should talk to? Email kheather@pantagraph.com.

Name: Robert Kahman

Position: McLean County supervisor of assessments

Kahman was recently awarded 2021 County Official of the Year by the Illinois Association of County Officials. Kahman is retiring from his position Feb. 22. Tim Jorczak will replace Kahman.

1. How does it feel to be named the state's 2021 County Official of the Year?

It was a surprise and it was a true honor. Really, it says to me its about all the people that Ive connected with over the years because I didnt realize how many people Ive made an impression on. The people that would come to me and say "thank you." One fellow came up to me and he said, "thank you so much for staying my friend" after something had happened. I didnt even realize anything had happened, and it was just some board stuff on one of the many boards Im on. It was just, hes my friend and Ive been that way with everybody. Ive had quite a few people say that to me, "Thank you for talking to me at that conference, I felt like I was all alone." Im just always astounded when people say that to me, but I enjoy people and I want to hear peoples stories  good times or bad times or whatever.

2. What do you think you did right to earn this award?

I must be pretty good at what I do. I was an instructor for a decade, Ive been the president of the Association of Supervisor Assessments of the state of Illinois, Ive been on various boards, etc. After 42 years in the government, if I didnt know what I was doing, hopefully they would have gotten rid of me before this, so I think its a recognition of both technical knowledge but also I just genuinely like people, and people like to be liked.

3. Why did you decide now was a good time to retire?

Im 66 right now and Ive always been a big proponent of moving on, so I think that moving on opens up a space for somebody younger to move up. Thats actually caused a ripple where more than one person is advancing because of me stepping aside and after 42 years, the biggest thing is that my term of office expires on the 22nd of this month, so thats the end of my sixth term which I never imagined, frankly, getting this far. The timing was right and everything fell into place.

4. What experiences did you have throughout your career, and what did you do in McLean County?

My career began with the Department of Public Aid, where I was a caseworker. That was a really humbling experience. While I was with public aid, during my 8 years, I moved up to something called medical quality insurance, which was really a Medicaid fraud investigation, so that gave me a lot of exposure that most people wont have to how things work. From there, I got a job as a deputy assessor in Highland Park, so I went from one of the absolute poorest areas of Illinois in the Garfield Park area to the absolute richest area of Illinois in kind of like a day. You want to talk about culture shock, one day I went to Max Factors house, as an example. It was just incredible going from the Garfield Park neighborhood, which was at that time a very dangerous neighborhood, to Highland Park, which is the wealthiest in the state. From there, I went to Addison township for a while as a chief deputy and then I went to Libertyville as a chief deputy, and then I liked the supervisor assessments up in Lake County a lot and so I thought Id like to try that. I started bidding on jobs and I was 42, and this job (McLean County) came along and they were kind enough to hire me.

When I got here, I was really thinking the job was something different than it was. I thought Id be the county appraiser and thats really not what it is. Im a clerk, really. Im a great middleman, is how I like to describe it, between the townships and the taxing bodies and the taxpayers, so everything flows through here both directions, and it ultimately results, after were done with all our work, in a tax bill. When I first got here, I had about 16 staff members and I want to say there were five phones in the office, and that was in 1998. I was just astounded. They had mailed assessment notices on Dec. 25, which might be a day that sticks out to you, of 1997. That was the date of the notice: Dec. 25. They hadnt begun board review that year. The first thing I had to do was to get phones for everybody, so we could serve the public. We were also able in that period of time to get off accelerated billing. We moved forward in just basic technology and in higher technology, so we all got PCs and were networked, moved from line printers to high-speed printers, we moved to a mailing service to get things out. Basically, what we did was advance the whole tax cycle. By advancing the tax cycle, getting tax bills out in a timely manner, we actually saved money and made money for the taxing bodies because they start receiving the tax revenue earlier, so its a win-win-win. What we spent on all the technology upgrades, etc., it came back tenfold in actual tax savings to the taxpayers because were so much more efficient and a completely different type of office now. I didnt do all those things, I was just was the one that shepherded this office to get that done.

5. What are some memories from your 24 years with McLean County that you will cherish?

All the people. Right now, I definitely have a staff thats as true of a family as you can have. Theyre just wonderful people and weve been together a long time, and you do grow on each other. When I first moved here  Im a Chicagoan and lived in the suburbs  my first couple of winters were dreary because I loved it when the crops were coming up and the fields would be green and theyd get harvested. The first couple of years, I had a real hard time with those bare fields, but over time, Ive come to just love every single season here and I just basically love living in McLean County. Its a great place to live; it was a great place to raise my family. Its just been the people. Most people just want us to be transparent and that was one of my goals when I got here, to make everything transparent. I did not want to charge for a copy of anything. When I first got here, for a property card it was 25 or 50 cents and I was like, why are we charging somebody for the record of their property of how were charging them taxes? That just didnt make sense, so I was big at pushing to give people as much information as humanly possible. There shouldnt be any secrets in this office, and thats how Ive done it.

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

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BLOOMINGTON  Black Lives Matter Bloomington-Normal and the YWCA of McLean County are hosting a virtual community conversation Saturday in defense of the Pretrial Fairness Act.

A public Zoom meeting is set for 10 a.m. Saturday. People must preregister online; the registration link can be found on the Black Lives Matter BloNo Facebook page.

A press release from BLM-BN said the online event will review the basics of the act, share stories from people affected by pretrial detention, and suggest actions people can take to defend the act.

The event is being held in conjunction with Not in Our Town Bloomington-Normal, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington-Normal, and the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice.

The measure was approved January 2021 by the Illinois legislature as part of the SAFE-T act, in the wake of a nationwide movement protesting racism and police brutality following the 2020 murder of George Floyd.

The Pretrial Fairness Act limits the use of pretrial detention based on the crime a person is accused of, their potential to skip court, and the threat they pose to the community if released.

Illinois House Republicans last month implored the legislature to repeal the SAFE-T Act, saying it would embolden people to break laws and endanger law enforcement.

Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison

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BLOOMINGTON  Fannie and Peter Duff are not in most history books. Ruth Waddells name, too, would be hard to come by. Eugene Gray Covington, Carl Samuels, Willis Stearles, Eva Jones  their stories are not squeezed into Februarys history lessons, but in Bloomington-Normal, they are remembered.

The Bloomington-Normal Black History Project began decades ago as the curiosity and hunger for knowledge about local Black history makers became evident. It was officially organized in 1982 and found the need for a resurgence in 2018.

The past helps us inform the present and the future, said Arlene Hosea, chairwoman of the project committee. When I think about the Bloomington-Normal Black History Project, I have a greater sense of pride for my community and also to know the history of those who came before me and the role that they played in shaping this community and providing opportunity for future Black Americans in McLean County.

In the 1960s and 70s, founders Caribel Washington, Mildred Pratt and others began collecting artifacts and conducting interviews that eventually would become the foundation of the Black History Project.

More than 80 oral histories have been collected and several transcriptions of those interviews are available on the McLean County Museum of History website. Additional resources are at bit.ly/MCMHblackhistory.

We cannot lose that process of storytelling, of telling our stories and passing those stories on from generation to generation, Hosea said. Thats the beauty of what Dr. Mildred Pratt, what she envisioned, is continuing to bless this community. She wanted to hear these stories in the original pursuit of what she was trying to do. She knew the value of capturing these oral histories, and today we are blessed to have those. Thats a treasure trove.

'Bring you into their story'

Around 2018, Jeff Woodard, director of marketing and community relations at the McLean County Museum of History, invited a group of people to revitalize the Black History Project, standing on the shoulders of those giants to carry on the work together.

Elaine Hill, a member of the BNBHP committee, said her focus in the last few years has been to collect as many stories as she can and the oral history that stands out most to her are the ones she has heard yet.

There is something about sitting with someone and watching their reactions and hearing their voices and they bring you into their story, she said. The one thing that I love about talking to these people is the tenacity, is not to give up but to just keep on just making one step at a time.

They were just jewels and they were just being polished and polished and polished and they just shine and shine and shine. We as Bloomington-Normal can so proud of the richness, of the creativity thats here in our community.

Woodard said collecting these stories is vital because sometimes they are the only accessible resource.

Sometimes the only known facts, if you will, can come from someone who was actually there or their parents remember it and they pass it down through the oral tradition, he said.

Willie Holton Halbert, former program coordinator for BNBHP and second vice president of the local NAACP, was instrumental in bringing a Juneteenth celebration back to Bloomington-Normal in 2019 with storytellers, skits, musicians, dancers, artists and even a fashion show.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we still could not let it die again, and the celebration went virtual for 2020 and 2021.

With the 2020 theme And Still I Rise in honor of Maya Angelous work, Holton Halbert said, it gives pride to young boys and girls of color to let them know you can achieve whatever goals and it is so important for our children to see people that look like them doing great things.

Though the projects roots spread over decades, new history makers continue join the ever-growing list of names to be remembered, including in the last 10 years and more recently, Meta Mickens-Baker, the first Black school board member and board president for McLean County Unit 5; Carla Barnes, the first Black judge in the 11th Judicial Circuit; and Mboka Mwilambwe, Bloomingtons first Black mayor.

The names etched into history go beyond firsts, though.

The whole goal is to gather up accurate information by interviewing the individuals and we tried to get as many individuals as we could before they actually passed away, Holton Halbert said. Through the oral histories, residents can learn about the accomplishments of African Americans within our community locally, to have that pride and for even our children to know that we have doctors, we have lawyers, we have people of color that have done an awesome job within our community.

'Make sure that legacy is not lost'

Holton Halbert recalled one story collected among the oral histories that touched her heart: Lucinda Poseys first shot at a typist job.

Williams Oil-O-Matic, which later merged with the vacuum cleaner company Eureka, asked Poseys professor at Illinois State University to send students for temporary typing work.

The woman in charge of hiring was impressed with Poseys record and asked her to come back the next day to work, but before Posey could leave, the woman stopped her. She had noticed Poseys race marked as Negro on her application.

She said, What race are you? And me with my flip tongue I said, I'm anything you think I am, Posey said in her interview for BNBHP.

The woman asked her to select anything except Negro.  I can't hire you if you are a Negro. Posey refused to change her application and walked out without the job, completely crushed.

Her professor told the company to never call for her help again, but Posey noted, That was my introduction to prejudice in this town.

Hers is neither the only story of discriminations nor the only of defiance spoken into the Black History Projects recordings and written into Bloomington-Normal history. Numerous Black figures in local history are woven throughout the exhibits at the McLean County Museum of History.

Its aligned with our mission which is to preserve, educate and collaborate in sharing the diverse stories of McLean County, said Julie Emig, executive director of the museum. We in so doing with the Black History Project were able to preserve their stories and share them and use them as educational tools.

Emig said since the museum has collaborated with the Black History Project since 1989, it has helped to ensure a broader, fuller history of the community can be shared.

For a long time we didnt always tell everyones story, and in this way we can be absolutely sure that they are integrated into the fabric of history of the community, she said.

Several of the projects biggest names have also been honored by the museum as history makers in recent years, including Henry Gay, who fought against redlining and the segregation of Miller Park Lake; Jeanne and Charles Morris, former ISU professors who helped Black students gain housing; and Merlin Kennedy, who landed in "Jet" magazine after he became known as the citys first Black Santa defying city officials who tried to have him removed from a Christmas parade.

It makes you feel good to know that we have soldiers that are still living and then those from the past that we can still pull from because we took the time to gather the history, Holton Halbert said. Thats so important to make sure that legacy is not lost, that we keep it living and breathing.

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

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NORMAL  Now 103 years after its construction, the former McLean County Tuberculosis Sanatorium is one step closer to rehabilitation.

Two years ago, Springfield-based Laborers' Home Development Corp. proposed flipping the old medical facility, which is now called the Fairview Building, into affordable senior housing.

Construction has yet to get off the ground, but last year the facility was added to the National Register of Historic Places, opening the project up to receiving more than $1 million in federal historic tax credits.

Now, the company is focused on applying for additional highly competitive tax credits through the Illinois Housing Development Authority. If approved, construction could begin in March 2023, said Tim Ryan, a marketing representative for LHDC.

"It's not uncommon for these projects to take applications two, three, four times to get approval," said Ryan. "That's not a reflection on the development, it's not a reflection on where it's being built, it might just be that there are more projects ahead of you that were funded."

He added, "We just hope people are patient with us and patient with the process. It just takes some time, unfortunately."

A proud history of serving McLean County

The Fairview Building, 905 N. Main St. in Normal, was originally built in 1919 to treat and house patients with tuberculosis. For 46 years the medical facility was a vital asset to McLean County's health care system.

At the time of its operation, tuberculosis was a deadly disease with no cure widely accepted prior to World War II.

After its closure in 1965, the sanatorium was converted to house multiple county agencies. The McLean County Health Department operated out of the Colonial Revival-style building until 2012.

"That building has a long and proud history of serving our county in a number of different ways," said McLean County Board Member Josh Barnett, chair of the property committee. "It's been a lot of things over the years, but each time its purpose has changed, there's been a new iteration of serving and providing services back to the citizens of this county."

The Fairview Building was among 15 Illinois sites added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2021. To join the list, sites must be at least 50 years old and be recommended form the State Historic Preservation Office of the Illinois Department of National Resources.

A new purpose

Over the years the county has explored various avenues for what to do with the building. In 2017, the county board briefly considered razing the structure, which has remained vacant since January 2012. It costs around $17,000 per year to maintain, said Barnett.

LHDC approached the county in November 2019 with a proposal to renovate the structure into affordable senior housing.

The company has built more than 1,000 housing units in the state, but one of its most notable projects involved flipping a 100-year-old high school in Paris into affordable senior housing.

After that, word began to spread about the company and the success of its project. The Paris development was similar to what LHDC proposed for the Fairview Building, and it was also granted state and federal tax credits.

Developers' current plans include renovating the Fairview Building to house a few living units as well as a manager's office, a fitness room and lounge areas. A three-story addition will be built to house the majority of the living units.

The new addition will be outfitted with solar panels, Ryan said.

At the time of the 2019 proposal, the project was anticipated to cost around $8.8 million, but developers say the project has grown and is now estimated to cost around $16 million.

"That's probably going to change," said Ryan. "Unfortunately, the pandemic has affected everyone's life in more than one way. In the construction area, it's really done a number there."

Once construction begins, crews will be made of a 100% local, 100% union workforce, said Ryan.

Once construction is completed, LHDC plans to enter a long-term lease with the county for the building and some of the adjacent land for expansion, said Barnett. The county anticipates signing the lease later this year. Once approved, LHDC would be responsible for maintenance and grounds upkeep.

Since the Fairview Building is next to the McLean County Nursing Home, 901 N. Main St., Normal, LHDC and the county hope the new apartment building can serve as an "age in place" facility. For example, if a couple were to move in and one would need to be transferred to the nursing home, they wouldn't be too far from each other.

Its always been my understanding that something needs to be done with the building, but they really couldnt find what to do," said Ryan. "So, were hoping by rehabbing it, keeping it here in the community, is a piece that the community is proud of. Also, it saves a historic structure in the community.

We hope we can continue its presence in town.

Contact Sierra Henry at 309-820-3234. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_sierrahenry.

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BLOOMINGTON  Police are asking to speak to anyone who has been in contact since December with Kimberlee A. Burton or her missing 7-month-old daughter, Zaraz V. Walker.

Walker was reported missing late Sunday when Bloomington police received a well-being check for an infant.

Burton, 29, was arrested Feb. 12 for retail theft in Bloomington.

After her arrest, the grandmother of Burtons two other children, ages 5 and 6, arrived to Burtons unlocked residence in the 300 block of East Wood Street, Bloomington, to find the 5- and 6-year-old children, but she did not locate Walker, authorities have said.

Walker is considered to be missing and endangered, and police describe her as a Black female infant with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone who has been in contact with Burton or Walker since December is asked to contact Bloomington Police Sgt. Detective Jared Bierbaum at 309-434-2807 or jbierbaum@cityblm.org.

It is imperative that we continue to leverage the appropriate resources in this investigation to locate Zaraz, Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simington said. No matter how small of a detail it is, we would like you to contact us if you have seen her since December 2021.

Authorities have learned that Walkers father may reside in Illinois or Florida. Bloomington police have called different areas and police departments where the father may be contacted, with negative results, police said.

Police also have conducted several neighborhood searches for Walker, authorities said.

Simington said Monday that police believe Walker was last seen between Feb. 7 and 9, and that she could be anywhere.

While in the McLean County jail on the retail theft charges, Burton was arrested again on child endangerment charges for the two children who were left at her residence without supervision. She remains jailed in lieu of posting $10,035.

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

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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.

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The Minority caucus in Parliament on Friday questioned the absence of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy) from the Business Statement for the fifth week ending February 25, 2022.



This comes days after the leadership of the Majority in Parliament disclosed that the government would no longer withdraw and re-lay the E-levy bill, as communicated earlier.



Mr Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle, inquired the Majority to declare its position on the levy to clarify any misconception.



"It is not even in our business statements this week. We want to know the direction of the government on that E-levy policy. If it is no longer a priority, please let us know," Mr Buah said.



Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, MP for Juaboso, said: May I know when the E-levy will be brought back to the floor of the House?



"I say that because some members of the honourable House are going round telling Ghanaians that some of us are secretly supporting E-levy."



Responding to the concerns, Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Majority Leader, advised the Minority to build consensus with the majority in passing the E-levy bill.



He said: "Yesterday, we considered the Sputnik report by consensus. Why dont we do the same for the E-levy?



Previous efforts to discuss the bill on the floor of Parliament had not been fruitful.



Presently, the nationwide conversation has been around the government pushing through the contentious 1.75 per cent E-levy estimated to rake in some $1 billion annually or sign up on the IMF programme.



While some analysts have proposed seeking an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Policy bailout as an adequate recourse amidst public disapproval of the E-levy, the government has not been in support.



Other schools of thought have also overlooked calls for the government to go under an IMF programme insisting that the options left for Ghana to consider are fiscal discipline, a reduction in wasteful expenditure, and the sealing of revenue leakages.



So far, the government has held three town hall meetings on the E-levy to get the citizens to understand the importance of the bill.



The fourth town hall meeting is scheduled for the Upper Wast Region on Monday, February 21, 2022, at the Regional Library, Wa.



The 1300 hours meeting would have Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister for Information, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister as some of the speakers.



The others are; Mr Ambrose Dery, the Minister for Interior and Mr Issahaku Hamidu Chinia, the Deputy Minister Sanitation and Water Resources.





Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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NPP Member of Parliament(MP) for Akim Oda constituency, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has condemned the coup allegation made by Abronye DC.



The Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC was arrested and put before an Accra Circuit Court over his claims that former President John Mahama is involved in a coup plot.



He was charged with two counts of publication of false news and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace.



According to the police, preliminary investigations showed that Abronye's claims against the former President, are untrue.



Meanwhile, he has been granted a bail of 100,000 with two sureties.



The Akim Oda MP, speaking on UTV's Adekye Nsroma programme, described the comments as "unfortunate".



"Abronye's comments are unfortunate but must not be trivialized . . . investigations must be made to find out why he made such comments. We cant say Abronye is one of us so we won't give any importance to what he says . . . Those of us enjoying the political and media space must watch our comments because coup is not something to toy with," he admonished.



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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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









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Former Head of Monitoring Unit at the Forestry Commission, Charles Owusu, has raised concerns about the character of the black person in dealing with situations.



According to him, it is extremely difficult for a typical black person to admit his mistakes, hence stressing this attitude is mostly the reason why there is so much hardship.



He was commenting on the fuel price increases in Ghana which have compounded the plight of the citizenry as transport bus operators warm up to increase transport fares.



Currently, fuel prices in Ghana have soared burdening vehicle owners and drivers as well as Ghanaians who board commercial vehicles.



Not only have fuel prices gone up, the prices of commodities have also jumped up aggravating the living conditions of Ghanaians.



Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Charles Owusu noted the African economies for which Ghana is included are struggling because of this ''not accepting mistakes'' behaviour.



"No typical black person admits his or her wrong, so we can't learn. A black person will never accept his wrongdoing . . . it's too hard for us to admit our mistakes," he said.



He argued that there will be a lot of improvement should the leaders in Africa, Ghana to be specific, begin to accept their fault, stressing, "if we admit our mistakes, I'm sure we can effect changes''.







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has come under intense criticisms not only because of the way he is administering Ghana's economic affairs which some Ghanaians strongly believe has made living difficult for them but also due to the recent arrests of some journalists and persons.



On Friday 27 July 2001, Ghanas parliament unanimously repealed the Criminal Libel and Seditious Laws, which had been used to incarcerate a number of journalists in the past.



Ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor, whose administration saw to the cancellation of the Criminal Libel Law, stated it was amended to expand the boundaries of freedom.



The amendment meant that any person accused of committing an offence under the repealed sections will be discharged.



Therefore, with the arrests of the media practitioners, some critics argue that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who played a pivotal role in the institution of the laws that gave people the freedom to express themselves, have rejected his values.



They believe the President is using the Police to terrorize people and also to gag the media which they claim is suppression of freedom of speech and press freedom.



Commenting on the recent actions by the Police, Kwesi Pratt, on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', made a sudden disclosure about President Akufo-Addo's impact on his life.



Sounding shocked that these arrests are happening under Nana Addo's regime, Mr. Pratt revealed one person who taught him a lot of things about fighting for people's freedoms is none other than President Nana Akufo-Addo.



Although not to hold brief for the media practitioners and persons arrested over their defamatory statements, Kwesi Pratt condemned the approach used by the Police in their arrest of these persons.



''When it comes to the rule of law, freedom of speech, Criminal Libel Law and so forth, I learnt a lot from Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during the time we worked together'', he said.





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.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Dr. Ma. Natividad Marian Castro. The health worker and human rights advocate is accused of being a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines. (Source: Karapatan/Facebook; Jun Castro/Facebook)

Authorities said health worker and human rights advocate Dr. Natividad "Naty" Castro is currently detained at the Bayugan City police station in Agusan del Sur, after human rights groups flag concerns on the doctor's whereabouts after her arrest.

"After proper documentation and booking procedure upon her arrest in San Juan City on Friday morning, she was immediately flown to Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur where she is presently detained," PNP-PIO chief Police Brigadier General Roderick Augustus Alba said in a statement.

A Bayugan court reportedly issued the arrest warrant on Castro. The detained health worker will be presented before the Regional Trial Court Branch 7 of Bayugan City for proper disposition.

Police arrested the health worker on Friday based on an arrest warrant that a human rights group says are trumped-up charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in Caraga.

Dr. Ma. Natividad Marian "Naty" Castro, who was repeatedly red-tagged for her work in Mindanao, was arrested by a composite team of police and military intelligence operatives in Barangay San Perfecto, San Juan City, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The police alleged in a report that Castro is a member of the Communist Party of the Philippiness (CPP) central committee and head of the New Peoples Armys (NPA) National Health Bureau. However, rights groups Karapatan said that she is a known human rights and health worker in Mindanao.

Dr. Naty is a known human rights and health worker in Mindanao, where she helped set up community centers and programs and trained many human rights workers for several years. She had led several fact-finding missions and assisted victims of human rights violations in the region, Karapatan said.

The human rights group said that in March 2016, Castro joined a delegation of human rights defenders in Geneva, Switzerland to participate in the UN Human Rights Council sessions. In meetings with UN Special Procedures, diplomatic missions, international NGOs and solidarity groups based in Switzerland, Castro discussed the plight of Lumad communities in Caraga and the whole of Mindanao.

Story continues

Castro was reportedly brought to the Quirino Memorial Medical Center and to the PNP Intelligence Group Building inside Camp Crame. When Karapatan National Offices team inquired with the said office, we were told that Dr. Naty is being brought to the airport to be flown to where her cases are pending, the group added.

The arrest was made through the orders of Fernando Fudalan, acting presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court of Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur who issued a warrant of arrest against Castro on January 30, 2020, the police said.

Caraga police alleged that Castro was involved in the kidnapping of a member of CAFGU Active Auxiliary unit, detained the victim in an unidentified location, and threatened him on December 29, 2018, in Barangay Kolambungan, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur.

Meanwhile, Karapatan called the charges trumped-up, denouncing the arrest and calling it as another form of attack against human rights defenders.

The group also called on authorities to respect the rights of Castro without denying the doctor access to her family, lawyers, doctors, and paralegals; against interrogation without the presence of her counsel of choice; and access to her medicines, noting that the doctor has hypertension and diabetes.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) on Saturday (Feb 19) expressed grave concern as to the whereabouts of the health worker.

In a statement, CHR said that Castro had been reportedly red-tagged for her work as human rights and development worker.

The human rights commission also highlighted that Castro initiated several health programs in Mindanao prior to the pandemic.

CHR has dispatched a quick response team in NCR and Caraga and is undertaking a motu propio investigation on the reports received that indicate possible violations of the Philippine National Police rules of procedure, among other issues, the agency added.

(UPDATE: New additional information made in paragraphs 1 to 3).

Pola Rubio is a news writer and photojournalist covering Philippine politics and events. She regularly follows worldwide and local happenings. The views expressed are her own.

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Elephant tusks are stacked in one of around a dozen pyres of ivory, in Nairobi National Park, Kenya on April 28, 2016. According to a report released on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, scientists found that most large ivory seizures between 2002 and 2019 contained tusks from repeated poaching of the same elephant populations. Credit: AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File

As few as three major criminal groups are responsible for smuggling the vast majority of elephant ivory tusks out of Africa, according to a new study.

Researchers used analysis of DNA from seized elephant tusks and evidence such as phone records, license plates, financial records and shipping documents to map trafficking operations across the continent and better understand who was behind the crimes. The study was published Monday in the journal Nature Human Behavior.

"When you have the genetic analysis and other data, you can finally begin to understand the illicit supply chain  that's absolutely key to countering these networks," said Louise Shelley, who researches illegal trade at George Mason University and was not involved in the research.

Conservation biologist Samuel Wasser, a study co-author, hopes the findings will help law enforcement officials target the leaders of these networks instead of low-level poachers who are easily replaced by criminal organizations.

"If you can stop the trade where the ivory is being consolidated and exported out of the country, those are really the key players," said Wasser, who co-directs the Center for Environmental Forensic Science at the University of Washington.

A Zimbabwe National Parks official looks over the country's ivory stockpile at the Zimbabwe National Parks Headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe on Thursday, June, 2, 2016. According to a report released on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, scientists found that most large ivory seizures between 2002 and 2019 contained tusks from repeated poaching of the same elephant populations. Credit: AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazh, File

Africa's elephant population is fast dwindling. From around 5 million elephants a century ago to 1.3 million in 1979, the total number of elephants in Africa is now estimated to be around 415,000.

A 1989 ban on international commercial ivory trade hasn't stopped the decline. Each year, an estimated 1.1 million pounds (500 metric tons) of poached elephant tusks are shipped from Africa, mostly to Asia.

For the past two decades, Wasser has fixated on a few key questions: "Where is most of the ivory being poached, who is moving it, and how many people are they?"

He works with wildlife authorities in Kenya, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and elsewhere, who contact him after they intercept ivory shipments. He flies to the countries to take small samples of tusks to analyze the DNA. He has now amassed samples from the tusks of more than 4,300 elephants trafficked out of Africa between 1995 and today.

Two young elephants play in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania on Tuesday, March 20, 2018. According to a report released on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, scientists found that most large ivory seizures between 2002 and 2019 contained tusks from repeated poaching of the same elephant populations. Credit: AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File

"That's an amazing, remarkable data set," said Princeton University biologist Robert Pringle, who was not involved in the study. With such data, "it becomes possible to spot connections and make strong inferences," he said.

In 2004, Wasser demonstrated that DNA from elephant tusks and dung could be used to pinpoint their home location to within a few hundred miles. In 2018, he recognized that finding identical DNA in tusks from two different ivory seizures meant they were harvested from the same animal  and likely trafficked by the same poaching network.

The new research expands that approach to identify DNA belonging to elephant parents and offspring, as well as siblingsand led to the discovery that only a very few criminal groups are behind most of the ivory trafficking in Africa.

Because female elephants remain in the same family group their whole life, and most males don't travel too far from their family herd, the researchers hypothesize that tusks from close family members are likely to have been poached at the same time, or by the same operators.

Thai customs officials display seized ivory originating from Nigeria and destined for China, during a press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. According to a report released on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, scientists found that most large ivory seizures between 2002 and 2019 contained tusks from repeated poaching of the same elephant populations. Credit: AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File

Such genetic links can provide a blueprint for wildlife authorities seeking other evidence  cell phone records, license plates, shipping documents and financial statements  to link different ivory shipments.

Previously when an ivory shipment was intercepted, the one seizure wouldn't allow authorities to identify the organization behind the crime, said Special Agent John Brown III of the Office of Homeland Security Investigations, who has worked on environmental crimes for 25 years.

But the scientists' work identifying DNA links can "alert us to the connections between individual seizures," said Brown, who is also a co-author. "This collaborative effort has definitely been the backbone of multiple multinational investigations that are still ongoing," he said.

They identified several poaching hotspots, including regions of Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana, Gabon and Republic of Congo. Tusks are often moved to warehouses in another location to be combined with other contraband in shipping containers, then moved to ports. Current trafficking hubs exist in Kampala, Uganda; Mombasa, Kenya; and Lome, Togo.

A herd of adult and baby elephants walks in the dawn light as the highest mountain in Africa, Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro, is seen in the background, in Amboseli National Park, southern Kenya on Monday Dec.17, 2012. According to a report released on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, scientists found that most large ivory seizures between 2002 and 2019 contained tusks from repeated poaching of the same elephant populations. Credit: AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File

Two suspects were recently arrested as a result of one such investigation, said Wasser.

Traffickers that smuggle ivory also often move other contraband, the researchers found. A quarter of large seizures of pangolin scales  a heavily-poached anteater-like animal  are co-mingled with ivory, for instance.

"Confronting these networks is a great example of how genetics can be used for conservation purposes," said Brian Arnold, a Princeton University evolutionary biologist who was not involved in the research.

Explore further DNA testing exposes tactics of international criminal networks trafficking elephant ivory

More information: Samuel Wasser, Elephant genotypes reveal the size and connectivity of transnational ivory traffickers, Nature Human Behaviour (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01267-6 Journal information: Nature Human Behaviour Samuel Wasser, Elephant genotypes reveal the size and connectivity of transnational ivory traffickers,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01267-6

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
This handout photo provided by NIST shows a strontium atomic clock, one of the world's most accurate time-keeping pieces in the lab of Professor Jun Ye at the University of Colorado, in Boulder.

Einstein's theory of general relativity holds that a massive body like Earth curves space-time, causing time to slow as you approach the objectso a person on top of a mountain ages a tiny bit faster than someone at sea level.

US scientists have now confirmed the theory at the smallest scale ever, demonstrating that clocks tick at different rates when separated by fractions of a millimeter.

Jun Ye, of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Colorado Boulder, told AFP their new clock was "by far" the most precise ever builtand could pave the way for new discoveries in quantum mechanics, the rulebook for the subatomic world.

Ye and colleagues published their findings Wednesday in the prestigious journal Nature, describing the engineering advances that enabled them to build a device 50 times more precise than today's best atomic clocks.

It wasn't until the invention of atomic clockswhich keep time by detecting the transition between two energy states inside an atom exposed to a particular frequencythat scientists could prove Albert Einstein's 1915 theory.

Early experiments included the Gravity Probe A of 1976, which involved a spacecraft 6,000 miles (10,000 kilometers) above Earth's surface and showed that an onboard clock was faster than an equivalent on Earth by one second every 73 years.

Since then, clocks have become more and more precise, and thus better able to detect the effects of relativity.

In 2010, NIST scientists observed time moving at different rates when their clock was moved 33 centimeters (just over a foot) higher.

Theory of everything

Ye's key breakthrough was working with webs of light, known as optical lattices, to trap atoms in orderly arrangements. This is to stop the atoms from falling due to gravity or otherwise moving, resulting in a loss of accuracy.

Inside Ye's new clock are 100,000 strontium atoms, layered on top of each other like a stack of pancakes, in total about a millimeter high.

The clock is so precise that when the scientists divided the stack into two, they could detect differences in time in the top and bottom halves.

At this level of accuracy, clocks essentially act as sensors.

"Space and time are connected," said Ye. "And with time measurement so precise, you can actually see how space is changing in real timeEarth is a lively, living body."

Such clocks spread out over a volcanically-active region could tell geologists the difference between solid rock and lava, helping predict eruptions.

Or, for example, study how global warming is causing glaciers to melt and oceans to rise.

What excites Ye most, however, is how future clocks could usher in a completely new realm of physics.

The current clock can detect time differences across 200 micronsbut if that was brought down to 20 microns, it could start to probe the quantum world, helping bridge disparities in theory.

While relativity beautifully explains how large objects like planets and galaxies behave, it is famously incompatible with quantum mechanics, which deals with the very small.

According to quantum theory, every particle is also a waveand can occupy multiple places at the same time, something known as superposition. But it's not clear how an object in two places at once would distort space-time, per Einstein's theory.

The intersection of the two fields therefore would bring physics a step closer to a unifying "theory of everything" that explains all physical phenomena of the cosmos.

Explore further JILA atomic clocks measure Einstein's general relativity at millimeter scale

More information: Tobias Bothwell, Resolving the gravitational redshift in a millimetre-scale atomic sample, Nature (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04349-7 Tobias Bothwell, Resolving the gravitational redshift in a millimetre-scale atomic sample,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04349-7 Related: Shimon Kolkowitz, Differential clock comparisons with a multiplexed optical lattice clock, Nature (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04344-y. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04344-y Journal information: Nature

 2022 AFP
While the city of Plattsburgh searches for a permanent chief of police, former Warren County Sheriff Bud York will be taking the reins of the department.

York, who is also a 30-year veteran of the New York State Police, was appointed as the provisional chief of police for the city of Plattsburgh on Thursday night.

The Plattsburgh Common Council voted 4-1 to approve Mayor Chris Rosenquests appointment of York, according to an article in the Press-Republican.

York noted that this will not be a permanent appointment.

Its just provisional interim, he said. Im not planning on staying there forever. Im just there to help them through the transition period.

The process was fairly quick, according to York. He said that he was approached earlier in the week, and the vote to appoint him occurred on Thursday evening.

Ive been retired two years as sheriff. This opportunity to come up and help them, Im good with it. I think I can help them. I certainly dont plan on being a permanent chief up there, thats not what Im looking for, York said. But Im looking to help and get them organized until their new chief comes in.

The city has been without a permanent police chief since December 2020, when then-Chief Levi Ritter was placed on administrative leave.

The mayors office noted that the appointment is temporary until the certified eligible list of candidates is released. At that point, a permanent police chief will be selected.

According to the states civil service law, a provisional appointment can stay on board for two months after an eligible list is released. A provisional appointment can last as long as nine months, unless there is an active certified eligible list as a result of a civil service test.

As much as this is a temporary appointment, Bud is the right person for the job in the short time we need him, Rosenquest said.

York, a resident of Warrensburg, doesnt know exactly how long he will be in charge of the department. He said he could be up there for three to four months, or more.

According to a news release, the city called for a police chief test in December in anticipation of hiring a new chief prior to the test being administered. That test is scheduled for March 19. The results of that test can take up to two months to be posted, according to the Clinton County Civil Service Office.

A major consideration for this provisional appointment is the length of time weve been without a chief and the fact that were waiting for a list. Mr. York will serve the city until we receive that list and proceed to select a permanent chief, Rosenquest said in a news release.

Jay Mullen is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls, Warren County and crime and courts. You can reach him at (518) 742-3224 or jmullen@poststar.com.

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LAKE GEORGE  The Lake George Volunteer Fire Department rescued a man who was trapped on top of his pickup truck in the flooded parking lot of the Howard Johnson hotel on Canada Street on Friday morning.

The National Weather Service had issued a flood watch for both Warren and Washington counties from Thursday at 1 p.m. through Friday at 7 p.m.

The Warren County Office of Emergency Services did not report any other instances of flooding in the county. The Warren County Sheriffs Office stated that there were a few reports of flooded basements, but otherwise things were quiet.

Drainage from the back streets in the village goes into the hotels parking lot, Lake George Fire Chief Brandon Combs said.

Combs said the flooding was a result of water runoff from Prospect Mountain that flows into the drainage portion of the parking lot. The drain isnt able to keep up with the amount of water coming in, leading to flooding.

The drain is not in a good location, Combs said.

That lower lot always floods every single year, he said.

The man, who police said was a tourist, was trapped on top of his Dodge truck in the parking lot.

Combs said that the Fire Department deployed an Achilles inflatable rescue boat. Two members from the department used the boat to rescue the man from his truck.

The rescue was completed at 8:06 a.m., and the man did not sustain any injuries, according to police.

The man was on top of his truck when firefighters arrived. Combs said no one knows how he got to his truck.

We just know that we got a call, he was on top of his truck when we arrived. We deployed our Achilles boat, two members went out, grabbed him off of the top of his truck and got him back to land, he said.

Combs said the rooms on the ground level flooded with water. He said there was roughly 8 feet of water in the parking lot.

Jay Mullen is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls, Warren County and crime and courts. You can reach him at (518) 742-3224 or jmullen@poststar.com.

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Warren County Health Services reported a death due to COVID-19 on Friday.

This is the countys 118th death since April 2020.

The deceased individual was in their 70s and was vaccinated, according to Warren County Health Services.

In Warren County, as of Friday, there are 33 new cases of COVID-19 infection. There have been 151 new cases over the last five days.

The seven-day rolling positivity rate in the county is 6.4%.

Glens Falls Hospital has 14 total patients with COVID-19, and there are three in the ICU, according to hospital spokesman Ray Agnew.

According to the state vaccine tracker, 75.88% of Warren Countys population, or 48,926 residents, have been fully vaccinated. A total of 53,864 residents have had at least one vaccine dose. The countys population is approximately 64,480.

Glens Falls Mayor Bill Collins announced Friday that the city has received additional free COVID-19 test kits from the Warren County Health Department. The public can pick them up in the Glens Falls City Hall lobby during 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. City Hall will be closed for Presidents Day on Monday.

Washington County

As of Thursday, there were a total of 79 active COVID-19 cases reported, according to Washington County Public Health. Of that 79, there are four who are currently hospitalized.

The countys seven-day rolling positivity rate has stayed at 5.4%.

The number of COVID-19 related deaths in the county remains at 84, according county health data.

COVID-19 test kits are available for pickup at these facilities in Washington County, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m.:

Washington County Municipal Center (Building B entrance)

Washington County Public Health Department

According to the state vaccine tracker, out of the 61,828 residents in Washington County, 40,181 are fully vaccinated.

Statewide

As of Thursday, 4,847 New York residents have tested positive from 186,104 administered tests.

There have been 3,718 new confirmed cases throughout the state.

Drew Wardle is a reporter for The Post-Star. You can contact him at (518) 681 7343 or email him at dwardle@poststar.com

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Chinese mainland offers support to HKSAR on COVID-19 control

Xinhua) 09:17, February 19, 2022

SHENZHEN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- A senior health official from the Chinese mainland has put forward instructive suggestions on the response to the latest resurgence of COVID-19 taken by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) at a video exchange meeting on Friday.

Wang Hesheng, deputy head of the National Health Commission, also introduced the mainland's experience in curbing locally-transmitted COVID-19 clusters at the meeting held between the mainland's work teams and HKSAR's anti-epidemic work team.

During the meeting, the five working groups from the mainland and their counterparts from the HKSAR briefed each other on the progress of their respective work.

They also coordinated their work on the most urgent tasks in HKSAR's fight against COVID-19, including improving nucleic acid testing capacity, increasing admission rates, reducing mortality rates, establishing makeshift hospitals, and providing medical supplies and daily necessities.

The current epidemic situation in Hong Kong is complicated and challenging, and both sides should maintain close communication, strengthen cooperation and act quickly to ensure that all anti-epidemic measures are effective, said the meeting.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
FORT EDWARD  The Washington County Board of Supervisors unanimously rescinded its mask mandate for on-duty county employees Friday, although with reservations about how the motion was introduced.

Hartford Supervisor Dana Haff, a frequent critic of COVID mitigation measures, introduced the resolution without co-sponsors. He did, however, have statements of support from all members of the state Legislature who represent Washington County, and U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville.

Haff said the board imposed the mask mandate in May 2020 as part of its plan to reopen county offices. The county administrator at the time said the county had to ensure its employees safety and comply with state and federal guidelines.

Why did we have to have our own mandate? Haff asked.

He criticized the May 2020 resolution for having no sunset date.

Masks, he said, are useless. He quoted from a recent Centers for Disease Control report on the effectiveness of masks, which found that loosely-woven cloth offers the least protection.

If your glasses fog up, theyre not working, Haff said.

Board Chairman Samuel Hall agreed to co-sponsor Haffs resolution, noting that the CDC is expected to reduce masking recommendations in the next few days and the countys infection numbers are dropping rapidly.

Argyle Supervisor Bob Henke said he supports the CDC guidelines and wasnt comfortable rescinding the mask resolution just yet.

I would have preferred a special meeting of the Health and Human Services Committee and consultation with Public Health, Henke said, adding that resolutions should go through the normal process.

A lot of things have changed since 2020, said Hebron Supervisor Brian Campbell. The masks kept the county operational. The mandate did its job. Its time to rescind the resolution.

Salem Supervisor Sue Clary said she supported state Assemblywoman Carrie Woerners, D-Round Lake, position that people who are more comfortable wearing masks should be encouraged to do so.

We have to respect each others comfort zones, Clary said. I wish this had been introduced differently.

Although the countys infection rate is declining, (COVID)s not gone, she said. Lets keep moving in the right direction.

After the vote, Haff quipped that this is the first time everyones agreed with me.

And it may be the last, Campbell replied.

Temperature checks for visitors to the county Municipal Building and other county facilities will continue until Public Health gives clearance, Hall said in answer to questions from Easton Supervisor Dan Shaw and White Creek Supervisor Jim Griffith.

As of Friday, Washington County was still considered high-risk based on the level of community transmission, according to CDC data on the countys Public Health website.

The county had 79 active cases and four residents in hospital care. The nonprofit Covidactnow.org rated daily new cases as very high, at 28.7 cases per 100,000, although the infection rate was low at 0.65 and the positive test rate was medium at 7%. Of the countys 61,000 residents, 74.2% have received at least one dose of vaccine.

In other business:

Supervisors discussed the pros and cons of continuing to offer Zoom options for meetings. Six of the 17 supervisors were attending remotely on Friday, and several who were present said they appreciated being able to attend committee meetings without the time and expense of driving to Fort Edward. Hampton Supervisor David OBrien said that more members of the public attend when the meetings are available online. On the other hand, were more productive and focused when were in the same room, Campbell said. Hall said hed refer the matter to the Government Operations Committee. Haff said the county shouldnt stop offering online options unless the state Legislature changes its Open Meetings Law, which currently allows government bodies to meet remotely.

Public Safety Deputy Director Tim Hardy said his department is continuing to offer COVID vaccination clinics, testing and masks, although demand has dropped. The department is working with county schools on plans to return to normal operations, he said. Haff asked whether the county can get the Novavax vaccine, which is manufactured by a well-established protein-based technology. Haff thought some people who have resisted vaccination with mRNA vaccines would be open to an alternative. Hardy said he didnt know when the Novavax product might be available.

The board agreed that the county would be municipal partner for a federal grant of just under $1 million to the Washington County Fairgrounds to improve its broadband facilities. The funds are part of the American Rescue Plan Acts Competitive Construction Grant program. Griffith said the fair will pay the required 20% match and the county will only serve as a pass-through.

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VENTNOR  Elizabeth Parsons spent last Saturday enjoying South Jerseys peculiarly warm February weather by walking on the beach.

She wasnt, however, expecting to have nearly 100 stranded horseshoe crabs accompanying her, especially with a looming frost that would have killed them.

It was an eerie sight, said Parsons, an Atlantic City schoolteacher. It made my heart sick.

With a freeze imminent, she decided to flip them over and return them to the ocean at the beach off Baton Rouge Avenue in Ventnor.

Parsons brother, Dale, is a partner in Stockton Universitys Marine Field Stations oyster restoration project. He put her in touch with Christine Thompson, assistant professor of marine science, who began searching for Stockton students to help.

Ian Jaworowski, a sophomore marine science major and treasurer of the Marine Science Club, was at the field station working on a coral tank for the Aquarium and Aquaculture Club when he got a text looking for volunteers to save the stranded animals.

Boo at the Zoo returns to Cape May County Park CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE  The peacocks werent the only creatures allowed to roam the Cape May 

I finished up quickly because I wanted to get down there to help, Jaworowski said in a news release from Stockton.

The warm weather was later replaced by cold, icy air fueled by strong winds throwing sand across the beach as the nearly 100 horseshoe crabs lay stranded in the water. Many, unfortunately, died in the frigid air, Jaworowski said, but some were lucky enough to be rescued.

One, rescued by Marine Science Club member Mackenzie Briggs, fidgeted its legs when she picked it up and found its way into the waves when she placed it into the ocean.

Jaworowski grew up in Ridgefield Park, Bergen County, but he discovered at an early age he had a passion for the coastline and its animals.

When I watched Jaws, instead of being terrified, I was intrigued by the character Hooper, the biologist, and I knew thats what I wanted to do, Jaworowski said.

Horseshoe crabs spend winter offshore on the continental shelf, in about 20-60 feet of water, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Jaworowski theorized that the high winter winds ignited a strong swell that pushed the animals ashore.

Quinn Whitesall, a 2012 marine science graduate and current student in Stocktons Coastal Zone Management PSM program, was reminded by her Facebook memories that horseshoe crab strandings are not an uncommon winter occurrence. She has seen this happen before along the Jersey Shore, she said.

Whitesall is a habitat restoration coordinator for the American Littoral Society and works with volunteers to tag and survey horseshoe crabs in May and June, during spawning season.

Storms off the coast churn up the water, the crabs get caught in the currents and then get stranded on the beach. They can stay out of the water for a period of time, Whitesall said.

She described their accordion-like gills as pages of a book.

The gills need to stay damp to get oxygen. They cant breathe when they dry, she said.

When crabs get flipped upside down, the sun can dry out their gills, especially in the summer.

Its beneficial to everybody: Preserving horseshoe crab population critical along Delaware Bay MIDDLE TOWNSHIP  Access to the Delaware Bay beaches is prohibited from May 7 through June 7

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says turning the animals over to help them back into the water is permissible, but that people shouldnt collect or survey them without a permit.

Just be careful and pick them up by the sides of the shell, not the tail, the agency said.

Contact Eric Conklin: 609-272-7261 econklin@pressofac.com Twitter @ACPressConklin

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ATLANTIC CITY  Now that police Officer Sterling Wheaten has been acquitted of federal charges in a use-of-force case, his status with the department may be decided in the next 45 days.

Wheaten, who has been on the police force for about 15 years, was suspended in 2018 following his federal indictment in a 2013 arrest outside a city casino.

Sgt. Paul Aristizabal, spokesperson for the Police Department, said Friday the department had no comment on Wheatens future employment status.

Mayor Marty Small Sr.s office did not respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon.

The department, by state law, must decide whether it will enforce disciplinary actions against Wheaten within 45 days now that the trial is over, said Louis Barbone, Wheatens attorney.

If no action is taken by the city within the 45-day period, Wheaten would be entitled to having his badge reinstated.

But he could return to the force before then if the city chooses to reinstate him before the 45-day period ends, Barbone added.

Wheaten was found not guilty Thursday of violating the Fourth Amendment when, as a police dog handler, he allowed to his K-9 to bite David Castellani in his chest, head and neck area outside Tropicana Atlantic City on June 13, 2013.

Wheaten, who became a city police officer in 2007, was also acquitted of charges he falsified the incident report to cover up the attack.

Barbone referred to the trial as a federal witch hunt on Atlantic City that nearly ruined a good life and a great, promising career.

What they were focusing on was the Police Department, or it was the supervisors, Barbone said. It was the belief that there was some culture in the Police Department about violating rights by excessive force.

The department suspended Wheaten without pay after the indictment. That decision led to Barbone filing a civil suit against the department, but his client ultimately lost, he said.

Wheaten, who did not comment to The Press of Atlantic City after leaving the courtroom Thursday, was greeted with cheers from his supporters, who flooded the third-floor corridor of the federal courthouse in Camden after the verdict.

Security video played during the trial showed several officers trying to subdue and handcuff Castellani, who admitted on the witness stand that he had been kicked out of a casino for underage drinking and was intoxicated and acting belligerently.

Wheaten was summoned by five other officers to help apprehend the then 20-year-old Castellani, whod been tackled by officers on South Morris Avenue after allegedly swearing and arguing with them. Officers testified they believed Castellani may have been concealing a weapon when they called for a K-9.

Wheaten unleashed his K-9 partner, Hagen, on the Linwood man, causing injuries that yielded a hospital stay, physical therapy and lasting physical pain, according to trial testimony.

Castellani, who is now an attorney with his fathers law firm, said he received about 200 stitches to repair the wounds. He was previously awarded $3 million by the city in a civil suit, New Jerseys largest civil rights settlement, four years after the incident, according to his civil attorney, Jennifer Bonjean.

Castellani did not respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon.

Contact Eric Conklin: 609-272-7261 econklin@pressofac.com Twitter @ACPressConklin

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HAMILTON TOWNSHIP  A local middle school teacher who was recently suspended over what he described as efforts to address student cyberbullying on social media was arrested Friday and charged with causing a false public alarm.

Shafayeth Syed, of Egg Harbor Township, is accused of posting threatening statements toward a Hamilton Township school on social media, police wrote on Facebook. His remarks distressed school administration, parents and students, the department said.

Calls to Syed on Saturday went to voicemail.

The eighth-grade science teacher at William Davies Middle School previously told The Press of Atlantic City his discipline stemmed from his efforts to report and end incidents in which he alleges some students were filming two classmates using the bathroom and then posting the videos on Instagram.

Hamilton Township middle school, teacher at odds over cyberbullying incident HAMILTON TOWNSHIP  A middle school science teacher says he has been suspended pending an in

The first-year teacher, who also raps under the name Sha Vlimpse (Man of Science) on YouTube, called on his followers and students to mass report the page where the bathroom videos were being posted, while he also reported the incident to school administrators.

But he also posted on the bathroom video the comment you gonna die. Syed said the comment was directed at the page, not any individual, since he didnt know who was behind the page.

Syed was sent to the Atlantic County jail pending court.
VINELAND  First District elected officials plan to announce legislation that would require the reopening of Department of Labor and Workforce Development unemployment offices as soon as March 1.

State Sen. Michael Testa and Assemblymen Antwan McClellan and Erik Simonsen, all R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, say there is a great need for in-person appointments to resolve outstanding unemployment claims.

They plan to announce the legislation during a news conference at 1 p.m. Tuesday outside the closed Cumberland County unemployment office at 275 N. Delsea Drive in Vineland.

The legislation would direct the commissioner of labor to reopen the facilities for in-person appointments or face financial consequences for the failure to serve the people of New Jersey, the lawmakers said in a Friday news release.

Unemployment offices, along with the One-Stop Career Centers, have been closed for almost two years, since March 18, 2020, by order of Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo.

Since then, New Jersey workers have complained to legislative offices across New Jersey, media outlets and others saying they are having difficulty accessing their unemployment benefits via the Labor Departments aged and inadequate computer and phone systems.

State Senate passes bill to put unemployment workers in legislators' offices A bipartisan bill to require the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development to assi

The constant failures have left many filers waiting months to receive any benefits while Labor Department employees are working from home, still receiving a check, the release said.

Last year, a bipartisan bill to require the state Department of Labor to assign unemployment claims handlers to legislative district offices and partisan offices during the COVID-19 pandemic passed the Senate and Assembly but was vetoed by Gov. Phil Murphy in November.

It would have required claims handlers to remain in the offices for six months after the end of the COVID-19 state of emergency.

The bill was introduced March 9  about a year after the pandemic threw record numbers of New Jerseyans out of work. From the start, residents reported great difficulty getting through to unemployment claims representatives, and many went months without being able to collect any funds.

Atlantic County was hit particularly hard as the closing of casinos put tens of thousands out of work and gave the county one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation  at one point exceeding 30%.

In May, state Sen. Troy Singleton, D-Burlington, asked the state to invest $50 million of its $1.8 billion in federal CARES Act funds into technology upgrades and increased staffing of the unemployment system, to resolve problems preventing thousands of people from getting the help they needed.

To date, a major financial commitment to upgrading the 40-year-old labor computer system has not been made.

REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-841-2895 mpost@pressofac.com

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The companies say they are ready and have been pressuring the fledgling New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission through the media since late October to let them get started. They say theyve boosted inventories and added hundreds of staff in anticipation of recreational sales starting by the laws one-year anniversary Tuesday.

But that doesnt mean the firms have met the requirements under the law  the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act  and the initial regulations that the commission issued in August. Key requirements are local permissions and adequate supply for the medical market.

Theres an effort to pressure us to move forward in a way thats not compliant with the law, and thats just simply not going to happen, said Jeff Brown, the cannabis commissions executive director, during the commissions Jan. 27 meeting, clearly annoyed and frustrated.

The tension reflects the drive of investors behind companies with locations in multiple states trying to build momentum and capture market share in the 18 states  including nearby New York and Connecticut  that have legalized cannabis for adults, with more expected. The market is moving fast, but it also takes patience because every state is different.

Brown said none of the eight companies that asked for permission to start selling recreational cannabis had provided all the required information. As of Feb. 15, the status of those applications had not changed. The next commission meeting is Thursday, when an update is expected.

Summit of Cape officials seeks options on juveniles SEA ISLE CITY  Set in the 1950s, the musical Bye Bye Birdie includes a musical complaint 

The commission started accepting recreational applications for cannabis cultivators, manufacturers and testing labs in December and has received more than 300, mostly for cultivation.

The industry also insists that the law gave the commission a Feb. 22, 2022, deadline to start recreational sales.

But that deadline is squishy at best because of other conditions in the law that are out of the commissions control and have to be met. They make a deadline unenforceable. The Legislature could step in but has shown no signs of doing so, observers said.

New Jerseys cannabis companies have expressed a wide range of expectations for when recreational sales will start.

Curaleaf Holdings Inc., which has three medical cannabis stores near Philadelphia, expected sales to start as early as last November. New York-based Columbia Care Inc., which has stores in Deptford and Vineland, predicted in November that recreational sales would start no sooner than April. Another firm said maybe this summer.

It goes beyond the cannabis commission

Local artist commemorates MLK Jr. at Tanger Outlets ATLANTIC CITY  The blacked-out windows of an empty storefront at Tanger Outlets at The Walk

The law says alternative treatment centers  the states official term for medical marijuana stores  must meet three conditions to start selling to any adult: They have to get written municipal approval to be in the recreational cannabis business, prove they have enough supply to serve patients without disruption, and demonstrate the capacity in their stores to handle an influx of new customers.

Eight of the 10 companies now selling medical cannabis have submitted requests to expand into recreational sales, Brown said. A frequent problem with the submissions is the lack of municipal approval in the form of a resolution approving a specific location, Brown added.

One industry view is that a municipality passing an ordinance that allows recreational cannabis should be enough.

One of the reasons companies didnt submit the approvals before that Jan. 27 meeting is that the towns hadnt granted them yet.

That was the case with Curaleaf, which has dispensaries in Bellmawr, Bordentown and Edgewater Park along with cultivation facilities in Bellmawr and Winslow Township. The $35 million Winslow Township facility had its first harvest last May, tripling the Wakefield, Massachusetts, companys growing capacity in New Jersey.

Bellmawr on Jan. 27 gave its blessing for Curaleaf to start selling recreational cannabis there when it gets regulatory approval. Winslow Township on Feb. 8 passed a resolution that would allow cannabis grown there to be sold for recreational consumers.

Can Atlantic City become Jerseys weed destination? ATLANTIC CITY  Even before New Jersey residents voted to legalize marijuana in 2020, suppor

Edgewater Park had not passed a resolution as of last week, according to Curaleaf. Bordentown hasnt even passed an ordinance that would allow recreational cannabis within its borders, the first step in the process.

Some companies are further along with municipal approvals. Ontario-based TerrAscend Corp. runs Apothecarium stores in Maplewood and Phillipsburg, as well as a cultivation facility in Boonton, in North Jersey. The municipalities have passed resolutions for all of its locations, including a store in Lodi that is expected to open soon. All but one of the resolutions was passed after Dec. 30.

Jason Wild, TerrAscends executive chairman, said the wait is exasperating. Weve spent so much money, weve been working our butts off for however many years since we won the license, and we wouldnt have imagined in a million years that it would be almost the middle of January and we still wouldnt know when the program is going to start.

Most of the other large medical marijuana firms with operations in New Jersey declined to provide information on their municipal approvals or didnt respond to a request for information.

The question of supply

Curaleaf and TerrAscend said last month they had more than enough cannabis in their warehouses to supply both medical and recreational consumers.

Officials shut down Atlantic City cannabis cafe, citing lack of permits ATLANTIC CITY  Described variously as a bar or a cannabis club, the Rekt Cafe on Bellevue A

But thats not all the commission is looking for when it demands adequate supply, which is not defined by the law or the regulations, leaving it up to the commission to make a judgment call.

The August regulations say the commission wont approve the expansion of a medical cannabis retailer into recreational products until it is convinced that statewide supplies and access are sufficient for patients.

Thats a tougher hurdle for an industry now made up of just 23 stores where patients can buy medical marijuana. By comparison, Pennsylvania had 138 stores at the last official count in the fall.

That works out to an average of 2,784 patients per store in Pennsylvania, compared with 5,299 in New Jersey. Brown said in December it would be better to have around 2,000 patients per store. To help bring down New Jerseys ratio, the commission in December approved 30 additional medical cannabis retailers.

The commission is not alone in its worry about the impact of recreational cannabis on patients.

If ATCs can barely serve and manage existing patient demand, Im not sure how they can handle the adult-use market, Chirali Patel, a New Jersey cannabis lawyer and entrepreneur, said during the commissions Jan. 7 meeting. I just want to make sure we set it up the right way even if it takes time because the medical market will crumble under adult-use if we dont keep it viable.
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."

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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.

Davenport Police officer found justified in shooting man who fired first on officers Scott County prosecutors have determined that a Davenport Police officer was justified in shooting a man who fired first on officers Feb. 18 in the parking lot of the Walgreens at 1720 W. Kimberly Road.

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.

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CHICAGO  A Chicago elementary school has unveiled a new sign letting people know it is leaving behind the name of a racist and will instead honor a woman known for helping Black people escape slavery, Harriet Tubman.

The sign comes about a year after a group of parents successfully pushed for the school  long named after Swiss American biologist Louis Agassiz  to change its name to the Harriet Tubman Elementary School.

Officials at Chicago Public Schools are letting other schools in the city change their names after the Chicago Sun-Times reported in late 2020 that 30 of its schools were named after slaveholders and others were named after racists such as Agassiz.

The Board of Education could vote on an updated policy for school name changes next week, the Sun-Times reported.

CPS said in a statement that the new name is "more inclusive and representative" of the district's values.

"The CPS Office of Equity is committed to a comprehensive review process to consider new school names when a school is named after individuals who do not represent the values of our students, families, faculty and support staff," CPS said.

Agassiz, was a biologist at Harvard in the 1800s and a proponent of scientific racism who sought to prove Blacks were inferior to other races. Two decades ago, a school committee in Cambridge, Massachusetts, voted to strip his name from a school there and rename it for Maria L. Baldwin, who years earlier was the first Black principal of the school.

The Harriet Tubman Elementary School on Chicago's North Side joins a long list of schools around the country to be named after the one-time slave who helped Black people to escape slavery in the South via the Underground Railroad in the 1800s.

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Feb. 21 will mark 50 years since U.S. President Richard Nixon visited Beijing and met with Chinese leader Mao Zedong in 1972. The moment was historic, particularly because it ended decades of alienation between China and the United States and symbolized a new start for the two countries and a shift from long-standing Cold War antagonism. Such a moment is seen as the foundation of the U.S.-China bilateral relationship, one which would be defined not by conflict, but co-existence, cooperation, and pragmatism. It was a moment of hope and progress.



Five decades later, it would be an understatement to say that the world has changed considerably since that famed meeting, and with it, there are risks like never before that the lessons of that historical moment may be lost, or for that matter, deliberately discarded. In fact, some U.S. politicians have sought to rewrite the legacy of the Mao-Nixon meeting as a fateful mistake. That shift was best symbolized by Mike Pompeo's speech last July at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, where he sought to self-define a new paradigm in U.S.-China relations summarized by hostility, suspicion, and Cold War confrontation.

It goes without saying that the United States now, in a perceived loss of self-confidence, treats China as a de-facto adversary, believing it is engaged in a zero-sum struggle for global hegemony. American politicians have weaponized hostile rhetoric on every front, have derided cooperation as a form of weakness or appeasement, and have incited paranoia, distrust, and bad faith allegations in every aspect of the relationship.

In doing so, the U.S. is not acting rationally or in its best interests, which is why the anniversary of the Mao-Nixon meeting should not be forgotten. One must contemplate the reality that at the time, Richard Nixon and Mao Zedong were of completely different ideological and cultural world views, and the United States and China as a whole were far more different than they are now. Yet, it was the utilization of diplomacy in an innovative, pragmatic, and forward-thinking way that ultimately made the establishment of a new bilateral relationship possible  one which brought much good to the world. That's not to say that there weren't differences or points of contention; the two countries were polar opposites, but means were established in order for them to co-exist productively.

Yet now, these mechanisms are in danger of slipping away, and there is widespread denial that the paradigm of engagement has been beneficial to the United States. The narrative created by the Trump administration that China's development and rise have come at the expense of America is a false one. For example, Chinese students contribute $13 billion to the U.S. economy by studying at American universities; prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese tourism was worth $27 billion; and before U.S. policy turned against China, foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country amounted to $50 billion. The Chinese people have never truly seen America as an enemy to be undermined.

Therefore, there must be a return to common sense and stability in the U.S.-China relationship. The Mao-Nixon meeting demonstrates a historical legacy that hope can against all odds help us turn away from the pursuit of a Cold War mentality and hostility, and instead make it work. The bilateral relationship between Washington and Beijing does not have to be a robust agreement, a sound endorsement, or even a declaration of friendship, but it should be something that is functional, mature, stable, and with basic respect for one's own interests. There must now be a call to reason and a return to the fundamentals and spirit set by 1972, and the communiques that followed must be the foundation of what everything else is built upon.

Tom Fowdy is a British political and international relations analyst and a graduate of Durham and Oxford universities. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/TomFowdy.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.
ST. LOUIS  A recent early morning Southwest Airlines flight from Chicago to St. Louis had some highly unusual and precious cargo. Boarding the plane at the last minute: a cooler containing a pair of lungs.

A three-member transplant team had left St. Louis in a small Mid-America Transplant plane just after midnight on Friday, Jan. 28. At the time, it appeared they could easily get the life-saving gift of donated lungs in Chicago and return before a threatening snowstorm hit.

Dr. Michael Pasque, a surgeon from Barnes-Jewish Hospital, procured the lungs around 4:30 a.m., which started the clock ticking. Blood flow must be restored to the organs within six to eight hours before they start to become damaged.

All appeared well right up until the team was about to climb back aboard the plane, which had been waiting to return them to St. Louis. The snow grew heavier, and a dangerous freezing fog had formed.

The plane could not take off, and they were unsure when conditions would be safe again.

Dr. Katharine Caldwell, in her sixth year of an eight-year combined clinical and research residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, found herself staring at the big commercial planes at Midway International Airport next to their small charter airstrip.

I am by nature a problem-solver, said Caldwell, 31. Someone tells me something cant be done, Im like: OK, what is the workaround? Are the big planes flying? Is that something we can do?

They pulled out their phones and started looking up flights. Those helping them back in St. Louis joined in the search too. The only option they could find that would get them back in time was a direct Southwest flight leaving at 6:20 a.m.

With less than an hour before the flight, they could not purchase tickets online. They decided to head to the ticket counter. Pasque stayed with the plane and let Caldwell and the transplant coordinator, Alex Benton, make a go for it.

In their medical scrubs and pulling a cooler on wheels marked Human organ for transplant, Caldwell and Benton marched past the line and up to the desk.

I just told them, I am a doctor. This is a set of human lungs  an organ for transplant  and you have a flight that leaves at 6:20 a.m., and I need to be on it, Caldwell said.

The employee simply said, OK, and Caldwell and Benton bought their tickets. That was around 5:50 a.m.

The security lane was not long, but they had to explain to the agents who they were and what was in the cooler. Not ever having faced this situation, the agents called their supervisors to look over their paperwork and credentials. They hand-checked the cooler instead of sending it through the X-ray machine.

Caldwell and Benton got through security shortly after 6 a.m. With just about five minutes until the gate would close, they ran the whole way, which their clog-like operating room shoes were not cut out for. Their gate was at the end of the terminal.

We got lots of stares, Caldwell said.

They arrived as the doors to the plane were shutting. The employees at the gate stopped them with the cooler, unsure how to safely send it in the air. It had to stay with the transplant crew, but it was too large to be a carry-on.

Can you talk to the pilot to see if theres any way around this? Caldwell asked. What can we do?

Benton, meanwhile, was calling to see if it was safe enough to take the bag of ice containing the lungs out of the cooler and hold them.

The pilot came out with the flight attendants and said they could make an exception. Luckily, the flight had several open seats. The flight crew was able to secure the cooler in a seat using several straps, Caldwell said. Again, she and Benton got lots of stares.

The team couldnt yet breathe a sigh of relief, however. The weather was also causing delays for the big planes, as they had to be de-iced. The plane sat on the tarmac for another hour, a torturous wait in the teams race against time.

Finally, the plane was about to take off. Caldwell told the surgical team in St. Louis to begin prepping the patient for transplant.

I thought, Oh god, we might make this, she said.

The pilot asked the control tower to clear the runways. He told everyone to stay in their seats and let the team off first. After getting off the plane, Caldwell and Benton were running again. An ambulance was waiting for them in the passenger pickup area.

Caldwell and Benton arrived at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at about 9 a.m. They completed the hand-off process, and the surgeons began sewing in the lungs.

By the time both lungs were in. It was right between that six- to eight-hour mark, Caldwell said. Just a half an hour later, they probably wouldnt have been able to use both lungs.

Nick of time

The surgery was a success. The 67-year-old recipient, Mitchell Reynolds, was recently able to leave the hospital and return home to Leroy, Illinois, without any breathing assistance, said his pulmonologist at Barnes, Dr. Ramsey Hachem.

Reynolds had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, where, for unknown reasons, the lungs progressively thicken and become stiff, Hachem said. He had been in the hospital for the past few weeks unable to breathe on his own and waiting for the transplant.

It was a truly life-saving situation that couldnt happen without donor lungs, and it happened in the nick of time, Hachem said.

Officials with Mid-America Transplant, which coordinates organ transplants for the region, could not recall a transplant team ever having to be diverted to a commercial flight. They praised the cooperation of airport and Southwest employees.

Sometimes obstacles hinder or even prevent a transplant from being completed on time, but with the support of these heroes, this story has a happy ending with a successful transplant, officials said. For families, this demonstrates what we mean when we say we are stewards of the lifesaving gift you and your loved ones provided.

Caldwell said she was so focused on staying calm and doing what needed to be done at the time, that thinking back on how it all worked out seems surreal.

A single individual and their family had chosen to do the most incredible, heroic thing in choosing to donate life, and my job was making sure we did honor to that, she said. Thats all I kept thinking about as I was trying to get through the airport  Im not going to let this not happen.

Michele Munz  314-340-8263 @michelemunz on Twitter mmunz@post-dispatch.com

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The battle over school mask mandates may be headed to the Illinois supreme court.

Late Thursday, the 4th District Appellate Court denied a file for appeal after a temporary restraining order was granted to hundreds of students and school employees that limited how schools could enforce certain COVID-19 safety mitigations. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued a statement Friday saying he will take the case to the state's highest court.

"The appellate court's failure to address the important legal issues in question has added to the confusion resulting from the circuit court's 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," Raoul said.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker's press secretery Jordan Abudayyeh also issued a statement Friday urging districts to maintain the mitigations.

"The administration is working with the attorney general to request an expedited review of this decision from the Supreme Court," Abudayyeh said. "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."

Sangamon County Judge Raylene Grischow granted the plaintiffs in two court cases temporary restraining orders on Feb. 4. One case was over mask mandates and close-contact quarantines for students, and the other was for school employees and the mandate to either receive the COVID-19 vaccine or submit to weekly testing.

The temporary restraining orders blocked school and state officials from enforcing those mandates for the named plaintiffs. Soon after, Gov. J.B. Pritzker filed the appeal.

In the weeks since Grischow's ruling, Pritzker announced that the indoor mask mandate will end for most locations at the end of the month. While he intended for school mandate to remain in place, he said that the mandate may be reconsidered in a few weeks, though he didn't give a more detailed timeline.

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A troubled Davenport apartment complex has failed another inspection as new management works with a new buyer with plans to completely renovate the properties.

The city of Davenport issued a 60-day notice Thursday that if repairs arent made to fix substantial housing code violations by March 18 at the Heatherton Apartments, the city will order the properties vacated by April 18.

The three buildings  3553, 3539 and 3547 Heatherton Drive  have 12 units each. A city official estimated half of the apartments were occupied.

It would mark the second time in roughly six months that city officials have ordered property owned by Minnesota-based real estate investment firm Rise Capital, doing business as Heatherton Apartments Cooperative, vacated because their apartments had become unlivable.

Dozens of Davenport renters and their families  many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are elderly or have a disability  were forced to find new homes this past August amid an affordable housing crisis and pandemic after the city ordered the Crestwood Apartments shut down. Now, more than a dozen renters  some of whom were forced to relocate to Heatherton from Crestwood this summer for similar code violations  must do the same.

"Escalating property deterioration and fines related to rental inspection failures caused both of these properties to change ownership," Rich Oswald, director of neighborhood services for the city of Davenport, responded in an email. "The city is merely performing due diligence and does not vacate properties unless there are systemic repairs required or life/safety issues present."

A city code enforcement officer documented more than 110 violations at the Heatherton Apartments following a Wednesday inspection, including fire code violations.

Deteriorating walls, ceilings and porch decks; broken or missing windows and doors; faulty plumbing and questionable electrical wiring and gas-fired furnaces; mold and standing water; and rodent and insect infestation were among the code violations listed in a Feb. 16 inspection report obtained by the Quad-City Times and Moline Dispatch-Argus.

Ryan Schmidt, managing principal at Rise Capital, did not return a message seeking comment Friday afternoon.

Arsenal Property Group, a private real estate investment firm based in Davenport, is in the process of purchasing properties owned by Heatherton Apartments Cooperative but had yet to close on the sale, according to online property records.

Chris Salazar, managing principal of Arsenal Property Group, did not return a message seeking comment Friday afternoon.

The property at 3539 Heatherton Drive sold in January to Israel and Adelina Robles of Livermore, Calif., for $300,000, according to county property records.

A Davenport city official said building permits had been pulled to remodel the buildings, and a new property management firm is working to relocate tenants displaced as a result of the sale and planned remodel.

"The city has offered extensive outreach, and the new owners have made many efforts to work with tenants to keep them in housing so long as rent payment is reasonably made and tenants are not causing damage to property," Oswald, the director of neighborhood services, said. "At last report, the new owner had worked with the majority of tenants, and only those who have failed to work with the new management or failed on rental agreements are still in limbo."

Matt McDonnell of McDonnell Property Management in Davenport said his company was brought on to help assist with the transition to a new owner.

That, McDonnell said, includes collecting rent, directing tenants to available financial assistance and getting those who are paid up into other rental housing it manages in the Quad-Cities with comparable rents "that will pass all the city regulations and standards for rental property."

The property management company provided tenants a 30-day notice in late January that month-to-month leases were being terminated on Feb. 28, which McDonnell said supersedes the city's most recent notice.

"The inspection failed. Im not sure anybody was surprised by that," McDonnell said on Friday. "We have relocated a few tenants and a few more that my company is working to relocate."

McDonnell said Open Door Crisis Assistance in Davenport recently met with and was working to help secure financial assistance for tenants who were being displaced.

A message left with Open Door seeking comment about available assistance for tenants was not immediately returned Friday afternoon.

McDonnell recommended tenants reach out to Quad-Cities emergency rental housing programs and housing nonprofits, such as The Salvation Army of the Quad Cities, Project NOW, Scott County Community Services, Community Action of Eastern Iowa, as well as Open Door.

"There are several buckets of money available (through local, state and federal COVID-19 relief program) people can be assisted out, but it depends on their particular situation," McDonnell said.

That means tenants may need to reach out to several places before they may be able to get the assistance needed.

While tenants were previously notified to be out by the end of the month, McDonnell said his company is "going to extend that.

"We're not going to be there on March 1 bringing the hammer down on people," he said. "Were trying to work with people the best we can to give them time to find reasonable accommodations and process paperwork (for assistance to secure new housing). That all takes time."

Asked why the city wasn't more forceful in compelling the owner to make ordered repairs, either by issuing a municipal citation and seeking court action or revoking their rental license, Oswald wrote: "Once the city was at this point with the owners, the ownership transition was occurring. The city felt it was in the renters' best interest to work with the new property manager to occupy a new unit as opposed to finding new apartments."

Davenport aldermen last month approved changes to the city's rental inspection program aimed at levying higher penalties against landlords who repeatedly fail to fix housing code violations and providing tenants more warning that they may be required to vacate the property if the owner fails to make ordered repairs.

City officials have repeatedly made statements since condemning the Crestwood Apartments over the summer about commitments to bolster the citys rental inspection program and hold bad actors accountable.

Asked if that is a sincere commitment given more renters face being displaced once again because of repeated failures to fix substantial housing code violations by the same negligent landlord, Oswald wrote "the change in ownership is a demonstration of this commitment and the city holding landlords accountable."

He added changes to inspection fees "would create a financial impact for bad landlord issues at a quicker pace."

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SPRINGFIELD  Gov. JB Pritzkers administration said Friday it will ask the Illinois Supreme Court for an expedited review of an appellate courts decision not to rule on a lower court order that invalidated COVID-19 mitigation measures for roughly 170 school districts that were parties in a set of consolidated lawsuits.

Late Thursday night, the 4th District Court of Appeals said it would not review the temporary restraining order issued Feb. 4 by a Sangamon County judge, calling the issue moot because the emergency rules issued earlier by the Illinois Department of Public Health have expired and a legislative panel in charge of reviewing such rules had declined to extend them.

But the court also said individual school districts remain free to adopt their own mitigation policies, independent of any executive orders or state emergency rules.

The administration is working with the attorney general to request an expedited review of this decision from the Supreme Court, Pritzkers press secretary Jordan Abudayyeh said in a statement Friday morning. 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.

Attorney General Kwame Raoul also issued a statement saying he too was disappointed by the decision.

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, Raoul said.

Timeline of cases

On Feb. 4, Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow issued a temporary restraining order blocking the enforcement of mask and vaccine mandates and the exclusion from school of people deemed close contacts with COVID-19 patients without giving those students and employees due process.

That order applied to the roughly 170 school districts who were named in the consolidated lawsuits. There are 852 public school districts in Illinois, plus numerous private school systems covered by the rules.

The cases were filed in various counties in September after the Illinois Department of Public Health issued emergency rules mandating that masks be worn in school settings, that unvaccinated school staff would have to submit to regular testing, and that students and staff deemed to be close contacts with people infected by COVID-19 be excluded from school buildings and events for a period of time.

Those emergency rules were issued in response to a series of Pritzkers executive orders.

However, while the administration was appealing that decision to the 4th District, the emergency rules that IDPH had issued in September expired, and on Tuesday, Feb. 14, the legislative Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted not to extend them, citing concerns about the restraining order and the pending appeal.

Were currently in a situation where the TRO says this rule is not enforceable, Rep. Michael Halpin, D-Rock Island, a JCAR member, said in voting for the motion to suspend the rule. Its possible, if not probable, that this might change on appeal, but as we now sit here, for that reason, Ill vote yes.

The 4th District panel, however, cited the JCAR action as its reason for not ruling in the appeal, saying the underlying rules covered by the restraining order were no longer in place.

Because the emergency rules voided by the TRO are no longer in effect, a controversy regarding the application of those rules no longer exists. Thus, the matter is moot, the court wrote.

The opinion was written by Justice John W. Turner. Justice Thomas M. Harris concurred in the opinion while Justice Lisa Holder White concurred in part, but said the issues concerning Pritzkers executive orders were not moot and the court should have ruled on them.

As it stands, the majoritys decision leaves open the question of whether the circuit court properly enjoined the enforcement of the executive orders, Holder White wrote.

Impact on other districts

It was unclear Friday exactly what, if any, state-issued mitigation mandates remain in place for schools in Illinois.

The 4th District courts opinion indicated that the Sangamon County restraining order also applied to the governors executive orders. But both Pritzker and Raoul have said they believe the executive orders remain in place.

While the Appellate Courts ruling does not affect the enforceability of the governors executive orders, the decision does fundamentally misapply important principles of Illinois law related to the issuance of temporary restraining orders, such as the order issued by the trial court, Raoul said in his statement Friday.

Meanwhile, the courts opinion also said individual districts that are not parties in the underlying lawsuit still have authority to adopt their own mitigation policies, independent of the governors executive orders or state agency emergency rules.

We note the language of the TRO in no way restrains school districts from acting independently from the executive orders or the IDPH in creating provisions addressing COVID-19, the court said. Thus, it does not appear the school districts are temporarily restrained from acting by the courts TRO.

Many of those districts, however, have negotiated the details of their mitigation plans with local teachers unions, and the Illinois Federation of Teachers said Friday that they should continue abiding by those agreements.

We continue to insist that school districts statewide abide by existing collective bargaining agreements that are in place to promote health and safety in schools and to follow our laws around safe schools and workplaces, IFT president Dan Montgomery said in a statement. As cases continue to decline, discussions about removing these mitigations must be based on good public health decisions. Medical science tells us that vaccinations, masking, and proper ventilation have been the best ways to maintain health in schools.

Mask policies elsewhere

The appellate courts decision comes the Pritzker administration is preparing to roll back the statewide indoor mask mandate on Feb. 28. Pritzker announced that plan on Feb. 9 but said he intended to keep the mandate in place for schools.

Meanwhile, the issue of mask mandates has become more contentious in the General Assembly where, on Thursday, House Democrats voted to remove nine Republican lawmakers from the chamber for refusing to abide by the Houses own masking rule.

State Sen. Donald DeWitte, R-St. Charles, a member of JCAR, issued a statement saying there should be more legislative involvement in crafting pandemic mitigation policies.

This appellate court decision is a clear indication that Gov. Pritzkers unilateral decision-making relative to COVID-19 must end, he said. We are well beyond the point when the Governor should respect the authority and processes of the two other coequal branches of government. Rather than one-man-rule, the three branches should be working together to create clarity, not chaos."
SPRINGFIELD  Lawmakers reacted swiftly after Illinois Department of Children and Family Services investigator Deidre Silas was killed on the job in January. In the first few weeks of session, multiple bills related to the state agency were introduced and sent to committee. For many lawmakers, the DCFS discussions are familiar.

Silas was fatally stabbed during a welfare check in Thayer on Jan. 4, becoming the second DCFS worker to be killed during a home visit in recent years. In 2017, Dixon investigator Pam Knight was attacked while attempting to remove a child from his fathers custody. She later died.

Now, with concerns about crime and public safety already dominating statewide campaigns, theres a bipartisan push to pass legislation aimed at protecting DCFS employees and extending benefits to their families  but many bills still face an uphill battle. A core part of lawmakers efforts at DCFS reform is a bill thats proven controversial in previous years.

SB3070, which lawmakers are calling the Knight-Silas Legacy Act, would amend the Criminal Code and increase the penalty for committing aggravated battery against a DCFS worker without the discharge of a firearm to a Class 1 felony. It would be classified as a Class 2 felony if the battery does not involve the discharge of a firearm and does not cause great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to the employee.

The bill would place DCFS employees into the same category as other first responders like police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians.

It was introduced by Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, and has a bipartisan group of co-sponsors, including Sens. Scott M. Bennett, D-Champaign; Steve McClure, R-Springfield; and Sally J. Turner, R-Lincoln, among others.

The bills contents are not new. Nearly identical legislation has been proposed multiple times since 2018 in both the House and the Senate.

Similar legislation has also been proposed in the House this year, though the House bill is less likely to pass than its counterpart in the Senate.

Introduced by Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, in 2021, HB3933 currently has only one Democratic sponsor, Rep. Michael Halpin, D-Rock Island. It stalled in various committees last year but was assigned to the Judiciary-Criminal Committee this month. It has yet to be read again on the House floor this year.

Doris Turner said she was moved to introduce the Knight-Silas bill after hearing of Silas death and talking to friends and family members who are social workers about how dangerous the field can be.

Truthfully, whenever a caseworker or investigator goes into a home, it's a volatile situation. I mean, you're not there because something good has happened, Turner said. We really want to make sure that we do everything that we can to protect these individuals.

- "Truthfully, whenever a caseworker or investigator goes into a home, it's a volatile situation. I mean, you're not there because something good has happened."  Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield

McClure, one of the Knight-Silas bills Republican co-sponsors, has in previous years co-sponsored various versions of the bill. He said if the bill isnt passed this session, the issue will surely come up again.

How many times do we have to go through this horrific situation where a DCFS investigator or employee is has been attacked or murdered? McClure said. It's horrible.

If the Knight-Silas bill were to pass both the Senate and the House and make it to the governors desk, it would almost surely be signed into law; Gov. J.B. Pritzker has already publicly backed the bill.

"These professionals do everything in their power to protect children, so it's time for the legal system to treat them like the first responders they are, he said.

'They have a punitive effect'

McClure said hes worried the bill is now stalled in the Senate. Although the bill made it out of the Criminal Law Committee last week, Turner agreed to hold it on second reading and will need to negotiate with other senators to get more of them on board before it can be read a third time and receive a full vote.

Turner was hesitant when asked about her plans to get the backing of progressives in her own party and other members of the Legislative Black Caucus.

I don't want to speak for my colleagues, she said. But I will tell you that being concerned about crime in our communities is not new. It's not new, and it's not different.

Shes aware theres pushback. In the past, it was blocked by members of the Black Caucus who didnt support penalty increases of any kind, largely due to concerns over mass incarceration.

Turner said she has also been in talks with the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois and the National Association of Social Workers, both of which oppose her bill in the current state.

The ACLUs main concern with the bill is that increasing criminal penalties wont automatically decrease crime, said Heidi Dalenberg, managing legal director at ACLU of Illinois.

Enhancing penalties, those measures don't have a deterrent effect. They don't keep workers safer, Dalenberg said. They keep people that commit attacks in jail longer. They have a punitive effect.

Knight-Silas bill co-sponsor Bennett said that while many of his colleagues are hesitant to embrace penalty increases, the bill has certain provisions preventing government overstep, such as an amendment requiring impacted offenders to be over 21 years of age.

I understand we don't want to see more people incarcerated. But we also have to consider, who are we protecting? Bennett said.

Doris Turner, Bennett, McClure, and Sally Turner are all also co-sponsors on a bill that would amend the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act to include DCFS caseworkers.

This would allow immediate family members of DCFS employees to receive health care benefits if those employees suffer a catastrophic injury or are killed while on duty. The changes would apply retroactively to one year before so as to include Silas family.

Her family no longer could be afforded the health care that was usual and customary to them because of what happened to her, because we put her out there on the line to do a job, Sally Turner said.

'What the families need is help, not pepper spray'

McClure on Tuesday introduced a bill that would allow DCFS workers to carry and use mace and pepper spray and provide training from the Illinois State Police to do so properly. The bill has 32 co-sponsors, a mix from both parties.

But Dalenberg said arming wont fully protect DCFS workers and the children and families under their protection.

In the vast majority of instances what the families need is help, not pepper spray, she said.

Most lawmakers and the ACLU can agree that theres still much to be done to protect DCFS workers.

Protecting DCFS workers will take a two-pronged approach of both legislation and administrative changes within DCFS, said Doris Turner. Some potential actions might be increasing training opportunities, addressing staffing shortages, and potentially partnering with local law enforcement in some ways.

I think that we have to use all of the tools that we have in our toolbox, she said.

Turner said she will continue to talk to her colleagues who arent yet sold on the bill in hopes to get it passed in the Senate and sent to the House.

I would encourage my colleagues to not try to turn this into a partisan issue, Turner said. Let's sit down and talk about what's good for every community throughout the state of Illinois.

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The Rapid Valley Volunteer Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire in the 2300 block of Bradsky Rd. in Rapid Valley.

Volunteer firefighters found a free burning fire in the roof of an occupied home. Firefighters faced darkness, snow packed icy roads, temperatures of 21 degrees Fahrenheit, freezing hose lines, and lack of an on scene water supply forcing water to be hauled to the fire in trucks.

The fire was contained to the home. No injuries to residents were reported, although one firefighter suffered a fall and was transported to Rapid City Monument Hospital for further evaluation, two domestic animals remain missing as of the time of this release.

The American Red Cross Serving Central and Western South Dakota, and the Black Hills Fire Chaplains Association is assisting the occupants.

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Finding a suitable location for the proposed South Dakota Shooting Sport Complex near Rapid City took nearly a decade to come to fruition through public and private partnerships, one of the key figures who supports the development told the Journal this week.

Rapid City businessman Jim Scull is an avid outdoorsman and president of South Dakota Youth Hunting Adventures, a nonprofit group that connects youth, mentors, hunters and conservation organizations.

"I've been wanting this for years, because I wanted somewhere for my kids to have some place to shoot that is not a junk pile or having to drive all the way to Hot Springs. I've been very engaged in it for a number of years," said Scull, who owns Scull Construction.

During this year's legislative session, Game, Fish & Parks has requested a $2.5 million appropriation from the state's general fund and authorization to spend $2.5 million from their "other" fund to build a comprehensive shooting range in rural Meade County. The proposed site is along Elk Vale Road approximately three miles north of the intersection of Elk Creek Road and within a 10-minute drive of Rapid City.

Officials from GF&P said the planned firearms range would have 175 shooting bays, including a long-range bay, an advanced range for competitive shooting and law enforcement training, and a hunter education building. Law enforcement and competition organizations would pay for use of those facilities. The general public would be able to access the shooting ranges with no admission charge, GF&P Secretary Kevin Robling has said.

The funding request from the Legislature is not the total cost of the project. Robling said an additional $7 million in donations from private organizations and individuals has been pledged, along with revenue from the federal government's Pittman-Robertson Act, which is funded by an 11% excise tax on rifle and ammunition sales and a 10% excise tax on handguns.

The excise tax applies to all commercial sales and imports of firearms and ammunition. It is administered by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which turns the Pittman-Robertson Act funds over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. GF&P will then use some of those dollars allocated to South Dakota for the proposed shooting range.

GF&P operates 20 shooting ranges across the state. However, the vast majority are centered only on archery skills. Only seven include facilities for guns  one of which is in Fall River County near Hot Springs.

Scull said he has spent a decade looking for a suitable location for a range that is closer to Rapid City. He said that West River residents have a distinct shortage of options to learn safe firearm handling and to hone shooting skills without having to drive long distances.

"I've been talking to people for probably 10 years about a range and GF&P was the logical choice to work with," Scull said. "I tried to work through the National Forest Service, too, but with the amount of bureaucracy, the Forest Service said it would be 15 years of process before we could even get to a decision, and that would only happen if they think it is reasonable to even do. That was a no-go."

The need for a closer facility to Rapid City and the Northern Hills became evident to Scull and GF&P as the population has increased and the ownership of firearms also increased. Scull said for the past three years, he and GF&P have been "actively looking" for a site.

"They've been working with me because I know the area and I know the people to talk to. They also know that I am passionate about this," Scull said of the partnership with GF&P.

Scull said he and GF&P officials seriously looked at a couple of locations that would have been within 30 minutes of Rapid City.

GF&P found one that it initially thought would work, Scull said. It was a 20,000-acre property that was for sale for $22 million, he said.

"That was also in conjunction with the military where they were wanting to do a big military operation, shooting 50 caliber weapons, moving vehicles and shooting 50s from them," Scull said. "I was just thinking that was way beyond what was needed and that eventually folded in because that was just too big."

Scull said GF&P approached him in the fall of 2020 and said they were having difficulty in locating a suitable site and requested his help.

"I told them I would try and I made a couple of contacts, but nothing ever came through," he said.

But then Scull, who owns ranch land off of Elk Creek Road, was heading to his ranch and happened to see what he called an area that was "almost perfect."

"I was taking some pheasants home and I was just looking around and I looked off and I see this bowl-shaped area with hills in the east and hills on the north, and I thought to myself, 'Wow, this would be a great place,'" Scull said.

Later in the week, Scull called one of the landowners in the area and asked if he would be interested in selling a half-section of land. The landowner agreed. The landowner had 4,000 to 5,000 acres of land and he and Scull drove all around the property looking at locations.

The search came back to the area just off of Elk Vale Road, with the natural hills on the north and east  a configuration that is ideal for firearms and archery because of sunlight in rifle scopes and predominant wind direction in South Dakota.

"I went to the GF&P and told them I found a willing seller with a piece of land that, to me, looks like it would really work," Scull said.

The next week GF&P went out and looked with a few of their engineers and they concurred it would be a good site.

Scull said the landowner's asking price was "probably twice what grazing land is worth," but because it would be used for a development instead of grazing land, it was fair.

"I took a purchase agreement with me, we sat at the table drinking coffee and he wanted $2,500 per acre, and I offered him $2,250 per acre," Scull said. "So before I left the coffee table, I gave him $10,000 up front and he signed the purchase agreement."

The purchase agreement was made out to James L. Scull or assignee, he said. Scull said he made the purchase personally because of time constraints and because land prices are skyrocketing near Rapid City.

"If the state does something like this, it would take them six months to do this because they don't do anything quickly as a governmental agency, and the price would have gone higher," Scull said. "I put my name on the line and if (the state) didn't want it, I would have been stuck with it."

Scull said he had discussions with GF&P and the South Dakota Parks and Wildlife Foundation about the purchase of the land. The Wildlife Foundation came back to Scull and told him they had the cash on hand and wanted to get the property into public land so they can "have real clear control" over what the land use would be.

Scull transferred the purchase agreement to the South Dakota Parks and Wildlife Foundation as an assignee and completed the transaction on March 25, 2021, records show.

"They bought it outright, paid me back my $10,000 and took over the contract," Scull said. "I didn't make any money off of the transaction at all."

The GF&P Commission is expected to purchase the 400-acres from the Wildlife Foundation in March, Robling said.

GF&P began the design process for the shooting range in summer 2021, with hopes to begin construction later in 2022. They also began receiving fundraising pledges from organizations and individuals. Robling said the South Dakota Shooting Sport Complex will be "revenue-neutral" because of the donations and expected funding from the Pittman-Robertson Act.

Because GF&P will be using federal dollars, the site must pass several environmental assessments before it can be completed. Robling said once the initial assessments are complete, they will go to a 30-day public comment session that will be published in the Federal Register and openly advertised by GF&P.

The legislative funding measure is awaiting a hearing in the full South Dakota Senate.

Contact Nathan Thompson at nathan.thompson@rapidcityjournal.com.

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STURGIS | Randy Bender grew up at Fort Meade in the 1960s and '70s, fascinated by the rich frontier lore seeping from every sandstone block, brick and board of the old cavalry fort east of Sturgis.

Bender inherited more than an appreciation of history from his father, Robert Bob Bender, who was a social worker for the Veterans Administration Medical Center at the fort, moving his family from Iowa in 1967.

Randy, a 1974 graduate of Sturgis Brown High School, also carried forward a talent for the theater from his father, who died in 2015.

Bob Bender was long active in local theater productions, even playing a minor speaking role of a railroad conductor in a 1979 TV movie Gunsmoke episode entitled Orphan Train, filmed in the Black Hills.

After 30 years of touring with the Covenant Players International Repertory Company, Randy returned to Sturgis with his wife Elvira and resumed his love of frontier history, serving on the board for the Old Fort Meade Cavalry Museum, and portraying history through song and spoken word.

He presented his latest one-man show, Stories and Songs of Old Fort Meade, on Friday at the Sturgis Public Library as part of the Sturgis Area Arts Council series History at High Noon.

Fridays show included frontier-era songs and brief vignettes of three men buried at the old Fort Meade Cemetery, located among the pines on a hillside just to the southwest of Fort Meade.

He opened with the tale of Peter Coleman, a cavalry farrier who died in 1899. The Black Hills Press newspaper, Bender said, reported that Coleman was admitted to hospital for repair of injuries sustained after contact with the business end of a vicious horse.

Donning an Irish brogue, Bender told the story of Thomas Keogh, a plain ornery civilian who died on New Years Day 1880 after first, severe frostbite which cost him both of his feet, then succumbing to a fatal case of typhoid fever.

The frontier army even gave me a place to rest me tired old bones, and thats what I call being downright neighborly, said Bender, speaking as Keogh.

Bender also spoke as Pvt. Charles McAnnich, a trooper with Company M of the 13th Cavalry Co., killed by a gunshot wound inflicted by a fellow trooper as they tried to stop a drunken barracks-mate in 1901.

In an interview prior to Fridays presentation, Bender said he based his portrayals on information from author and historian Phyllis Egge, who researched the 188 men, women and children of multiple races, military and civilian alike, interred at the old cemetery, which is administered by nearby Black Hills National Cemetery.

Its a one-man version of what we used to do on Memorial Day, Voices from the Hilltop, where we had re-enactors at the old cemetery, Bender said.

Fridays presentation concluded with Bender donning a cavalry officers long blue woolen coat and cap to portray Col. Caleb Carlton, 8th Cavalry commander at Fort Meade during the 1890s.

Carlton tells of the first playing of the Star-Spangled Banner during evening retreat and at the end of ceremonies and concerts at the fort, starting in 1892.

The Francis Scott Key poem, The Defense of Fort McHenry, was put to music and eventually ordered to be played at all U.S. military posts.

Congress unanimously approved The Star-Spangled Banner as the U.S. National Anthem in 1931.

It was that progression that started at Fort Meade. From there, other local militias and other commanders started doing it, Bender said.

Bender, also part of a rotation of summer presenters for the High Plains Western Heritage Center in Spearfish, said his portrayal of Col. Carlton is most requested because of the idea that a frontier post in the middle of nowhere could be the impetus for the start of the National Anthem.

Ive had people come up to me in tears and thanking me for reminding what that song means to our country, he said.

Bender also sang the second and third verses of the Star-Spangled Banner.

So many people are surprised to learn theres more than one verse, he said.

Fridays History at High Noon presentation can be found under the Sturgis Public Librarys link on YouTube.

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Rapid City, Custer and Edgemont YMCAs will participate in the nationwide annual YMCA Day of Giving on March 1. YMCA Day of Giving is an annual one-day event that encourages communities to support their local YMCAs. The Y is one of the nations leading nonprofits that strengthens communities through programs for youths, healthy living and social responsibility.

Donations on YMCAs Day of Giving will help ensure this work is able to continue in 2022. Donors can go to rcymca.org/give to make a donation to their local YMCA or learn more about their local YMCA.

All funds raised (locally) on the Day of Giving will allow the YMCA of Rapid City to continue to change lives, said Keiz Larson, CEO of the YMCA of Rapid City.

When you give to the YMCA, you can be why a child tries a new sport for the first time, why they learn about geology at summer camp, why a teen connects with peers through digital media, why an adult gets out of the house for the first time in months, and why a senior knows where their next meal is coming from. You can be why our community thrives, Larson said. Ys throughout our state create a sense of belonging, help people achieve their goals and form lifelong relationships.

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Every year, the Montana Weed Control Association picks two people in the state as their Weed Fighters of the Year.

This year that honor went to two brothers from the Bitterroot.

Chris Fillingham was selected for the work that hes accomplished battling weeds on national forest lands. His brother, Scott, earned the honor for his work managing noxious weeds mostly on private lands.

The two trace their weed-fighting roots back to their family run Gap View Farms in Pennsylvania where their dad put them to work at a young age keeping weeds at bay in the Christmas tree patch.

The brothers point to their father for steering them toward Montana back in 1988 when he first purchased property in the Bitterroot Valley.

After moving to Montana full time in 2000, the two soon found themselves with jobs that put them on the front lines of keeping weeds from getting a foothold in the wild places theyd both come to cherish.

There is always going to be weeds in the valley, Scott said. Thats a containment issue. Were trying to find those isolated farthest away spots and keep those clean.

As the owner of Accurate Outfitting, Scott Fillingham spends part of the year guiding hunters in the backcountry where his eyes are always searching for new patches of noxious weeds.

Ravalli County Weed District coordinator Kellianne Morris has always appreciated his work ethic and keen eye.

Most weed peeps are pretty good at spotting weeds along the road edges and in fields as youre driving along, Morris said. Its a special gift  However, Scott makes it a practice to spot a single rush skeletonweed plant while driving 70 mph along a major highway in a weed-infested field.

Whats unique about this is that the rush skeletonweed was in the middle of a tumble mustard patch, which ... can be nearly impossible to find even if youre standing on top of it  Its like the guy has superpowers for spotting weeds.

Bitterroot National Forests Range and Invasives Program Leader Diane Bessler-Hackett has seen the same tenacity from Scotts brother when it comes to ensuring that rush skeletonweed doesnt get a foothold in the backcountry.

With a tiny parachute-like seed, rush skeletonweed can ride the wind and show up in places that no one ever goes.

Bessler-Hackett said Chris Fillingham looked at maps and determined that a remote drainage in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness had likely been invaded by the weed.

To get to the Harrington drainage, you have to drive over Lost Trail Pass and then travel another 45 miles to the end of the North Fork where at Corn Creek you can either take a jet boat on the river to get to the bottom of the drainage or spend a couple of days on horseback or foot to get to the top.

Several years ago, Chris Fillingham and another weed manager backpacked into the trail-less drainage. Just as Fillingham suspected, they found the invasive weed.

Since then, Fillingham and others have made several trips back to treat the infestations.

If it was left untreated, it would go to seed and pretty soon youd have a monoculture like we see with knapweed, Bessler-Hackett said. I do believe that hes well-deserving of that award.

Both men urge the public to get involved and learn how to identify noxious weeds when they are out roaming about.

Early detection and knowing what you have is half the battle, Scott Fillingham said. A lot of people dont recognize weeds, especially the new invaders. They should come into the weed office (in Victor), get a weed book and educate themselves.

The more eyes on the ground the better for finding these new invaders, he said.

Chris Fillingham said theres a lot of satisfaction that comes from turning the clock back on a piece of ground and allowing native plants a chance to thrive again.

Its nice to see wildlife in an area that you treated in past years, Chris said. You can go back into those places and definitely tell that wildlife is focusing in on areas where youve treated the weeds.

This past fall, Chris Fillingham returned to a place in Gird Creek where he had treated a thick patch of knapweed using funding from the Wild Sheep Foundation.

There was a herd of sheep hanging out right in that same spot, he said. It was probably 90% knapweed before.

Morris said the brothers efforts are making a difference in the landscape.

Every single weed that is destroyed keeps thousands more from coming back but you have to stay on top of it, Morris said. You cant let it go.

We all have to work together and we all need help because weeds arent just a one-person show, Morris said. These guys are using mules, trucks, ATVs and backpacks  anything it takes to get to the weeds.

They are making a difference for everyone in our county, she said. It goes beyond our borders to into Missoula County, Beaverhead and Idaho. It's all about partnership and working together.

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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.
This year brings an important milestone in Virginia for craft beer lovers and craft beverage businesses.

It has been a decade since a change in Virginia law that sparked the states ongoing boom in craft breweries, cideries and distilleries.

The legislation  Senate Bill 604  may not be etched in the minds of the general public, but its a piece of legislation that most any craft beverage maker knows instantly. The 2012 bill undid some Prohibition-era rules in Virginia and allowed breweries to sell beer by the glass at their production facilities.

The legislation, which passed the House of Delegates and the Senate by wide margins and was signed by then-Gov. Bob McDonnell, set off a boom in new craft breweries.

It passed after a lobbying effort from what was then only about 11 members of the upstart Virginia Craft Brewers Guild. Now, there are close to 300 brewery members of the guild.

More than 40 breweries, cideries and meaderies now operate in the Richmond region, up from just a couple a decade ago.

Its been amazing how, since that law was passed, there has been an explosion, not just in beer, but the supporting industries, too, said Brad Cooper, co-founder of Steam Bell Beer Works, a family-owned and -operated craft beer maker in Chesterfield County. The family also owns Canon & Draw Brewery in Richmonds Fan District.

The food truck business has really exploded, too, in conjunction with the growth of breweries, Cooper said. Steam Bell, for instance, recently has started its own food truck business.

The legislation fundamentally changed the calculus for being able to start up and operate your own brewery, said Brett Vassey, president and CEO of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild and the Virginia Manufacturers Association.

Being able to sell beer in your own tasting room really changed the math on the cost and benefit of starting up a brewery, Vassey said. As long as you can attract people and you can retain those customers coming to your tasting room to buy either draft beer or beer-to-go, you can make a decent living that way.

I personally believe we would have less than 100 breweries [in Virginia] if we hadnt had SB 604, Vassey said.

***

After 10 years under the regulatory changes, Virginias craft beer industry is adjusting to a far more competitive marketplace, with retail shelf space for distributed beers becoming more and more crowded, and with numerous neighborhood breweries competing for customers.

On top of that, breweries have had to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many of them to consider new models of selling, including having curbside pickup and delivery.

The brewers guild lost only six breweries during the pandemic, two of which were expansions of existing breweries, Vassey said. That is remarkable, when you consider that states like Oregon have estimated they lost somewhere north of 20% of their industry because they kept everything locked down.

In Virginia, breweries were able to navigate the pandemic through curbside sales, deliveries and focusing on offering outdoor options for customers.

I have to give credit to our ABC, said Vassey, referring to Virginias Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority.

Our regulatory agency bent over backwards to find the safest way for these businesses to operate and not go out of business and not jeopardize public health, he said. They gave us a lot of latitude for curbside pickup, delivery and outdoor options, and it saved our bacon.

Last year, Virginia became the top state in the South for the number of craft breweries per capita. Overall, the state today ranks 12th in the nation for total number of craft breweries.

***

The explosion in craft breweries has definitely been very good for beer drinkers and consumers, said Dave Gott, vice president at Legend Brewing Co., the brewery and restaurant in Richmonds Manchester area that opened in 1994, long before the current boom in craft beers.

It has been a double-edged sword on our side of things because it has increased competition, Gott said. Competition is good but, when this all started, the opening of breweries outpaced the number of new people drinking beer.

As the pandemic has waned, the return of customers to Legend Brewing has been steady, he said. Obviously, if you want to try to compare the last two years to anything normal, it is impossible to do because the last couple of years have been so crazy, he said.

***

Hardywood Park Craft Brewerys founders in Richmond were among a handful of brewers around Virginia who lobbied for the legislation a decade ago.

Eric McKay and Patrick Murtaugh were joined by other brewers like the late Steve Crandall, founder of Devils Backbone Brewing Co. in the Shenandoah Valley, and Mark Thompson, co-founder of Starr Hill Brewery in Charlottesville that now also has a location in Richmonds Scotts Addition.

McKay and Murtaugh had brewed their first small batches of beer in a former warehouse on Ownby Lane in Richmond in 2011. Their goal, initially, was to distribute the beers to retail stores and restaurants, but they knew that their business, and the entire budding brewing industry, would need more than just distribution options to survive.

For us, we were only a few months into operating and the writing was on the wall that we were going to run out of money if something didnt change, McKay said. He recalls getting a lot of skeptical responses from lenders in 2011 about whether the Richmond region could support more than one or two independent breweries.

McKay said Hardywood had raised about $1.25 million to get started.

We did not plan to have a restaurant or taproom initially, and we planned to focus on distribution, he said.

I think we realized pretty quickly that it was nowhere near enough given how slim the margins were through wholesale, and given how much it cost to get the equipment installed, McKay said.

Hardywood joined a few other breweries in putting up money to hire lobbyists for the legislation.

It seemed like a no-brainer, Murtaugh said. We did not have much money to give at the time, but we knew it would be a worthwhile investment.

I think in our lobbying we emphasized that breweries can contribute positively to tourism and community development and job creation, McKay said. Fortunately, the majority of lawmakers listened and understood that what was happening in Virginia had already happened in a lot of other states.

The passage meant that Hardywood and other breweries could open a whole new channel of sales.

For us, the ability to have a taproom kind of immediately put us in a position of profitability. It really helped to find a lot of the investments we were able to make over the years that have helped us to grow the wholesale side of our business, McKay said.

It was huge from a marketing standpoint, too  to be able to bring people in for events and experience their first Hardywood beer at our taproom, Murtaugh said.

Hardywoods original building on Ownby Lane where McKay and Murtaugh brewed their first small batches of beer has been torn down to make way for part of a residential development. But the building next door  at Ownby Lane and Overbrook Road  has undergone a major renovation and now houses Hardywoods taproom as well as events space with a stage, additional indoor and outdoor seating, fire pits and a pizza kitchen.

Early in 2018, Hardywood opened its 55,000-square-foot West Creek brewery and taproom in Goochland County. Located on Sanctuary Trail Drive in the West Creek office park, that brewery produces Hardywoods flagship brands, while the brewery in Richmond focuses on more experimental styles of beer.

***

Other startup breweries in the Richmond region also were able to take advantage of the new law.

The change in the law came around at the right time for Trae Cairns, who opened Midnight Brewery in Goochland early in 2012, just a few months before the law allowing on-site sales went into effect.

Cairns said his goal at first was to get his beer into the distribution market for sale at retail stores.

There were not a lot of breweries around at the time. I think we were the third one in Richmond to open, he said.

Obviously, the change in the law allowed us to become retail, and with retail versus wholesale, there is a little bit more money in it. It really helped drive a lot of customers to us because they could then come by [the brewery] and sort of hang out for a bit and have a beer or two.

The model of success now in craft brewing is to build a successful neighborhood or regional customer base before jumping into distribution, said Chris Ray, who co-founded Center of the Universe Brewing Co. in Hanover County with his brother, Phil, in 2012.

The easiest and most successful model right now is to start small until you do get a following, Chris Ray said.

***

Is the industry saturated? Several brewers say there are still opportunities for growth.

I think craft brewing can grow in Virginia, said Phil Boykin, president and CEO of the Virginia Beer Wholesalers Association.

I think it has room to grow, and I hope it does grow. I think it is going to have to continue to evolve and mature to do that, he said.

About 15% to 20% of the beer sold in Virginia comes from craft brewers, but only about one-third to 40% of craft breweries in the state are distributing beer beyond sales at their own breweries.

You have to decide what you want to be as a craft brewer, he said. Do you want to be a good neighborhood brewer? Or a regional brewer?

The popularity of craft brewing also helped define neighborhoods, like Richmonds Scotts Addition, which is home to about a dozen breweries, cideries and distilleries, including Ardent Craft Ales, Blue Bee Cider, Starr Hill Brewery, The Veil Brewing Co. and Vasen Brewing Co.

***

During the pandemic, brewers had to adjust to some significant disruptions in their business models.

The Brewers Association, a trade group of about 5,400 small and independent American brewers, reported that overall U.S. beer sales volume fell 3% in 2020, the latest data available. Craft brewer volume sales declined 9%.

That reduced the share of the U.S. beer market sold by small and independent brewers to 12.3%. Retail dollar sales of craft decreased 22% to $22.2 billion, or just under 24% of the $94 billion U.S. beer market.

The primary reason for the decline in 2020 was the shift in beer sales from bars and restaurants to packaged sales of beer during the pandemic, the group said.

Overnight, almost all of our business dropped, said Cooper with Steam Bell Beer Works, which has its tap room on Oak Lake Boulevard off Genito Road.

So much of our business was based on people coming in here and having a glass of beer, and that was cut out. Another significant portion was kegs of beer going out to restaurants, but restaurants were closed, he said.

The majority of the business turned towards people going to a grocery store and buying a six-pack to take home, which led to a global aluminum can shortage, said Cooper, adding that the can shortage is starting to improve.

The Coopers also said they are investing with another couple to open a brewery to be called Hidden Wit Brewing Co. off Hull Street Road in western Chesterfield.

***

Even amid the ongoing challenges and increasing competition, other breweries, wineries, cideries and meaderies have opened or are planning to open in the Richmond region.

Dancing Kilt Brewery opened on Old Stage Road in Chester early in 2020 only to get shut down by the pandemic a few weeks later.

Founder Thomas Pakurar Jr. said the brewer survived by shifting to curbside sales, including selling to-go flights of beer in 8-ounce cans.

Originally, our plan was to open up the tasting room and then do canning later on down the road, said Pakurar, who was a home brewer for many years and now makes a variety of European-inspired beers.

Because of the pandemic, we had to rethink our delivery model and got a canning machine, he said. Two years later, and we are alive and kicking.

***

The latest entrant to the regions craft beer business will be Three Leg Run.

Steve and Melissa Clayton are expecting to open their new tasting room and brewery, winery and meadery at 4418 W. Hundred Road in Chester on Friday after two years of planning.

The couple are making their own beers, wines and meads to serve at the location. They have renovated a former drugstore space in a strip shopping mall to house their brewery, which is named for a pet dog who had the odd habit of running on just three legs.

While not fully ramped up, Three Leg Run expects to have five beers, two meads and four wines ready to go when it opens.

The Claytons say their main business goal is to become a popular neighborhood brewery before considering any kind of distribution.

I think a lot of people want to get out now, Steve Clayton said. People want to be out and about and get back to their normal life. I am hoping this is a good time for them to do that.

Customers sit at the bar at Legend Brewing Co. in Richmonds Manchester area. Legend opened in 1994, long before the current boom in craft beers.
Barbara Chapman remembers saving her pennies to buy egg custard during lunch at William Fox Elementary School. The dessert would only appear in the cafeteria every so often.

She also recalls getting Dixie Cup ice cream when she bought lunch and underneath every wrapper would be a picture of a movie star wrapped in a thin layer of wax paper.

Chapman, now 79 years old, attended Fox Elementary in the 1950s. Despite the decades away from her beloved elementary school, she recalls loving school and loving the cafeteria food.

William Fox Elementary, built in 1911, went up in flames on the night of Feb. 11. The blaze, quickly becoming a three-alarm fire, shuttered the doors of the Fan District neighborhood school for the foreseeable future.

Fox students and teachers, whose lives were already disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, resumed classes virtually last week.

After hearing about the fire, Chapman dug up her fourth-grade class photograph from an old chest of drawers in her home. She remembers Mrs. Carter, her teacher, and a few of her classmates names.

The picture, taken in April 1953, features Chapman and her fellow 27 classmates all seated at their desks with their hands folded together. Chapman has on a brand-new dress with a matching headband.

Years ago, she gave a picture of herself singing in the Fox school chorus to her alma mater, and it was put on display. It probably didnt survive the fire, she said.

Chapman cant bring herself to go to Fox, fearing it would only tear her apart.

***

John Ware, a father of four with two currently enrolled at Fox and one who has since graduated, watched his childrens school burn down through Twitter and Reddit posts on Feb. 11.

As someone who is not sentimental, Ware was brought to tears after seeing the first photos of Fox on fire.

After being a part of the Fox family for nearly a decade and seeing his children grow up inside the school walls, the fire gutted him.

Its been this huge part of my familys life in a way that really kind of dictated how we decided where to live [in Richmond], Ware said. [Fox] is a really strong, really tight-knit community, and that more or less kind of revolved around that building, location and history.

While Wares children have easily settled back into virtual learning, his third-grade daughter is still very upset over the fire at her school. Having been super excited to be back in school after not stepping foot in Fox for about 18 months due to COVID, Wares daughter and all other Fox students have for the second time abruptly been taken out of their physical classrooms.

For Wares first-grader, he had virtual kindergarten so that was his first year of education, sitting in his room on a screen and then he got halfway through this year in real life. Its definitely weird for him, [but] I dont think he really knows what hes missing.

***

The morning after the fire, Rick Plautz walked around Fox with his second-grade son who attends the school.

I think he was feeling things about it, [but] not sure how to vocalize it, Plautz said.

One thing mentioned was music teacher Robert Winslows penny collection. Plautz recalls a child saying the collection is now gone.

Things like that are the real loss, those sentimental pains that teachers have provided for kids to have [for] just a great school experience, he said.

Fan neighborhood staples are supporting Fox Elementary. Joes Inn and Shields Market have teamed up to provide students with free lunch at Joes and free candy from Shields until Friday.
While many of us have been focused this month on the Olympics and Super Bowl, another competition is underway that could make an enormous impact on our community and nation.

The Build Back Better Regional Challenge is a historic grant competition issued by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. BBBRC is the EDAs moonshot competition, searching for regions engaged in transformational work to build a globally competitive industry cluster. Some 529 U.S. regions applied, and 60 semifinalists were selected  including us, the Greater Richmond and Petersburg region.

The Virginia Biotechnology Research Partnership Authority, and a coalition of entities across the area, are busy rallying support and creating detailed plans to submit by mid-March. By summer, 30 winners will be selected. The prize: seed grants ranging from $25 million to $100 million per region to support multifaceted plans that accelerate cluster growth, workforce development, global competitiveness and equitable economic development.

The BBBRC aims to increase American competitiveness and build resilient local economies. This is best done through collaboration  a best practice built into the EDAs competition requirements.

Our regions proposal will help develop this new industry within Virginias life sciences sector, which is built upon regional research, innovation and manufacturing assets. Our goal is to build a world-class hub to research and manufacture essential medicines for Americans by leveraging our competitive assets. Its an ambitious one fueled by the disturbing fact that more than 80% of our nations medicines are sourced overseas.

But we can change that. We landed in the top 10% nationally by working together in nontraditional ways. We will continue working across every boundary to build a more inclusive, dynamic regional economy by serving the nations need for safe medicines.

Innovation is a team sport, and we organized a multi-jurisdictional, public-private sector team before BBBRC was announced. The effort began with the VCU College of Engineering tapping former Virginia Bio CEO Jeff Gallagher to lead a strategic planning process. The goal was to translate the impressive early wins by the VCU Medicines for All Institute (M4ALL) and Phlow Corp. into an industry.

More than 100 stakeholders from industry, academia, community colleges, trade associations and economic development groups created the plan. Twelve key organizations pooled their time and funds, forming Virginias first cluster accelerator to implement the plan. This came together at startup speed and with the help of GO Virginia, a business-led economic development initiative.

Our scale-up plan:

Ensures Petersburgs sewer and water infrastructure can best support the 200-acre manufacturing campus under construction by Phlow, AMPAC Fine Chemicals and Civica Rx;

Provides much-needed research and development lab capacity at the VA Bio+Tech Park and pivots it into a vibrant new Life Sciences Corridor, nurturing VCU and industry intellectual property and companies;

Constructs a first-of-its-kind scale-up and development center for these new technologies  speeding their transition from benchtop to the factory;

Develops a best-in-nation workforce training program through Virginias community college network to prepare people for high-paying jobs  starting with Brightpoint Community College;

Links Virginia State University and Virginia Commonwealth University curricula to create pathways for VSU students into VCUs world-leading pharmaceutical engineering programs; and to equip VSUs College of Engineering and Technology to support the industrys research, education and training; and

Equips the Greater Richmond Partnership and Virginias Gateway Region with additional resources to fill the supply chain gaps required for the industry to thrive.

Im no stranger to collaboration that achieves audacious goals. In June 2020, I relocated from Boston to lead the Virginia Biotechnology Research Partnership Authority (and dba Activation Capital, a political subdivision of the commonwealth, providing resources for industry clusters, entrepreneur support organizations and entrepreneurs). While living in the nations leading life sciences supercluster, I learned Massachusetts $210 billion-plus innovation economy results from intense connection and collaboration.

This type of collaboration is not accidental nor easy. Its darn hard. But we roll up our sleeves because our nation needs safe, affordable medicines; our region needs rewarding high-paying jobs; and we have smart, hard-working Virginians who can deliver on this promise.

Its a remarkable opportunity to reinvent the way medicines are made, reshore manufacturing to the U.S., secure the nations supply of essential medicines, reduce the cost of generics, improve access to health and create high-paying jobs. And its a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the Greater Richmond and Petersburg region to raise the flag for Virginia life sciences.

This opportunity is no chance encounter. Its the result of hard work and inventiveness. Its a story of years of investment by the Bio+Tech Park, VCU, M4ALL, VSU, the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing, the Community College Workforce Alliance, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the cities of Richmond and Petersburg, ChamberRVA, the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, the Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation, GO Virginia, Phlow, AMPAC, Civica Rx, VA Bio and many others. Its a story of knitting together our people and regional assets for a common purpose bigger than any one of us.

Transformational innovation like building an industry requires collaboration. Were playing as a team and planning for a win for Virginia. But we need more than cheering supporters. We need bold commitments from Gov. Glenn Youngkin, members of the General Assembly, university and community college presidents, localities, and civic and trade organizations to help the commonwealth become the No. 1 hub for essential medicine research and manufacturing.
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.

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Auto parts retail giant AutoZone plans to invest $185.2 million to build a new East Coast warehouse and distribution center in New Kent County.

The Memphis, Tenn.-based chain plans to construct an 800,000-square-foot distribution center and direct import facility in the New Kent City Center.

Autozone is the nations largest retailer of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories and the leading competitor of Advance Auto that was founded in Roanoke in 1932 but now has corporate headquarters in Raleigh, N.C. Advance Auto still employs hundreds in its Roanoke offices.

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 mid this year and be operational in 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 Virginiaabout 18 in the Richmond regionand 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, , we are very excited to be a part of the New Kent community and Greater Richmond region, Bill Rhodes, AutoZones chairman, president and CEO, said in a statement.

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 warehouse and distribution center in New Kent is the largest the chain has built, said Matt Smolnik, the countys s economic development director.

It also is the largest single economic development investment made in New Kents history, he said, after Colonial Downs race track.

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 County 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 also is eligible to receive benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program, and 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 count, Thomas Evelyn., chairman of the New Kent Board of Supervisors, said 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 Roanoke Times contributed to this report.
Even modest progress in the Middle East welcome

Stability remains a rare commodity in the Middle East. Thats all the more reason to welcome modest signs of rapprochement between Israeli and Palestinian leaders  and for both sides to build on them.

Admittedly, conditions hardly look propitious for peace. Israels fragile ruling coalition is split between hardliners firmly opposed to an independent Palestinian state, leftists, centrists and even an Islamist party.

The Palestinians are even more divided, with Hamas dominating the Gaza Strip and making inroads into the West Bank, where the deeply unpopular Palestinian Authority holds sway.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has its hands full trying to fend off crises from Ukraine to Iran, and has little bandwidth to broker a new Middle East peace process.

That doesnt mean incremental progress cant be made. In recent months, Israel has taken some promising steps. It has tentatively agreed to allow Palestinian companies to set up 4G mobile networks, which the World Bank has described as critical to developing a Palestinian digital economy.

In late December, Israeli officials promised to legalize the status of several thousand Palestinians and to provide more travel passes for Palestinian officials and businesspeople.

Most important, Israel has offered more than $180 million in loans so the PA can pay salaries and forestall a fiscal crisis.

While Israels government has taken flak for giving too much and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for accepting too little, these measures are good for both sides.

They shore up the PA  a critical security partner for Israel  against Hamas. They should also help ease mounting frustrations in the West Bank by removing some needless daily indignities.

Israel could further bolster the PAs fiscal position by following through on proposals to lower handling fees for fuel shipments and allow more expansive cross-border commerce with Jordan.

Palestinian leaders could unlock more aid by taking a few sensible steps of their own. First and foremost, they need to abandon their longstanding policy of paying stipends to the families of Palestinians, including convicted terrorists, whove been imprisoned or killed by Israeli security forces.

The payments have prompted Israel to withhold tens of millions of dollars from the customs revenue it collects on behalf of the Palestinians, and they prevent the U.S. from directly funding the PA.

Privately, some Palestinian officials have acknowledged the program needs to be overhauled and families offered welfare only according to financial need. Abbas should have the courage to act.

For their part, Israeli leaders should remember that piecemeal efforts are welcome but not sufficient. If young Palestinians are to resist the appeals of radical groups such as Hamas, they need to see some hope for political as well as economic progress. While it may be premature to envision new peace talks, Israel should at least not foreclose them with unilateral moves, such as building settlements in areas critical to a future Palestinian state.

The fact remains that there is no one-state solution that can guarantee Israel remains Jewish, democratic and secure. Its supporters should both applaud steps to stabilize relations with the Palestinians and press for more.

 Bloomberg Opinion

* * *

Freedom of the press neede more than ever

A jury on Tuesday rejected Sarah Palins libel claim in a lawsuit against The New York Times, but thats unlikely to be the end of it.

The former vice presidential nominee is almost certain to appeal, with an eye toward making this a test case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

It could become the conservative courts latest temptation to overturn important precedent that should be left alone.

Currently, public figures such as Palin must show not merely that a statement was false and defamatory to prove libel, but also that it was made maliciously and with reckless disregard for the truth.

The idea is that, when it comes to commentary regarding those at the center of societys big cultural or political issues, the standard for libel must be higher than mere honest mistakes. Otherwise, it would have a chilling effect on open debate.

Palin is suing over a June 2017 New York Times editorial that falsely alleged that the gunman who killed six people and critically wounded then-U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords in Arizona in 2011 was incited by an ad from Palins political action committee that showed crosshair targets on Democratic districts.

In fact, theres been no evidence that the political ad had anything to do with the gunmans actions.

It was a sloppy assumption inserted by an editor trying to punch up an editorial on deadline. The newspaper quickly corrected the error. It may sound like the Times should be held liable anyway, since the statement was clearly false and defamatory.

But under current law, public figures like Palin have to prove more than that. And for good reason.

The landmark 1964 Supreme Court ruling in New York Times v. Sullivan established that for public officials to win a libel action, its necessary to prove not merely that the statement was false and defamatory, but also to prove actual malice  that is, that the statement was made with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.

Thats a much higher burden than the private citizens standard of merely proving falsity and defamation. Such a higher standard for public officials is necessary, wrote Justice William Brennan, because debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open  and errors are inevitable in free debate. In essence, the standard is meant to ensure that journalists arent so afraid of making honest mistakes that they shy from addressing the important issues of the day.

At least two Supreme Court justices, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, have indicated they are open to revisiting that higher standard. That would be a terrible mistake in an age when public figures seem to feel increasingly free to spread blatant misinformation, making aggressive journalism more important than ever. Putting kid gloves on the free press is the last thing America needs right now.

 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
A business executive with a multimillion-dollar company recently lamented over dinner how tough it was to hire smart, highly qualified technical professionals and doctors to move to South Carolina.

Why wont they come? Because they dont want their kids to be educated in South Carolinas schools, which they complain are underperforming and ranked too low. Despite the fact there are good schools in pockets of the state they potentially could cherry-pick by moving to certain neighborhoods, South Carolinas reputation as a below-average educator is too big a hurdle. Sure, they like South Carolinas can-do business environment, but their children arent experiments in a state that cant be trusted to do the right thing on education.

So they stay in California or New York or New Jersey or the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina. They move on with their lives and they are successful. Their kids get good educations and the only time the parents may think about South Carolina is when theyre looking for a place to vacation.

And here in South Carolina? We continue to lose. Not only do we lose world-class talent, but the kids who are already here keep losing because our leaders wont make the big investment jumps needed to finally fix our public education system. So we stay in the cellar.

But oh, we will do one thing. Well follow any new shiny new ball in search of a quick fix, from charter schools and vouchers to technology or different testing, all in hopes of results that show our schools to be more impressive than they actually are. Well play around with standards and try to micromanage how teachers teach to eke out better results. But in reality, were still whistling Dixie on education, year after year, generation after generation.

The only long-term strategy that is going to make a difference to get South Carolinas public education system out of the basement is real and sustained investment in public education. (Remember, our state legislators dont even follow the current law on funding public education. Between 2010 and 2018, they underfunded public education by $4.4 billion by not adequately funding the base student cost.)

Fast forward to now. The state has billions of short-term surplus dollars as it zooms out of the COVID-19 pandemic. And what are state legislators talking about doing  despite long-neglected needs to reduce poverty, invest in education and improve access to health care? They want tax cuts. Gov. Henry McMaster and House Republican leaders are seriously pushing permanent income tax cuts of a whopping $600 million. Senate Finance Chairman Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, wants even bigger cuts.

Sounds nice, perhaps, until you realize that these tax cuts wouldnt be a one-time loss. That money would vanish every single year  and rise to $1 billion a year after five years or so. In other words, after about 10 years in a state that already underinvests in education, South Carolina would lose $8 billion  thats $8,000 million  in tax revenue it could use to dig us out of our underinvestment holes.

To put that in perspective, know how many brand-new schools we could get for $8 billion? Two hundred, which would serve 100,000 students.

So heres a policy choice: Invest in new schools all over the state  and particularly in rural areas with low tax bases that suffer from awful buildings  or cut our coffers during good times, ignoring that economics are cyclical and someday things wont be so good.

Does any of this sound smart? No. It sounds like the legislatures priority is to continue to underinvest and continue to keep our education system in the hole. And, quite frankly, its an insult to South Carolina residents. An income tax cut in a state wont benefit half of the people. But it will benefit people with more means. Is it a coincidence many of them support the Republican legislature?

For generations, South Carolina has had misplaced priorities. The General Assembly needs to get its act together and make solid, continuing, large investments in public education. More rainy days are ahead. Lawmakers need to think strategically, for a change, instead of playing the next generation for suckers.

Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Statehouse Report, as well as publisher of the Charleston City Paper. Have a comment? Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com.
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Argentine counterpart, Alberto Fernandez, on Saturday exchanged congratulatory messages to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic relations.

Noting that China-Argentina friendly exchanges enjoy a long history, Xi said since the establishment of diplomatic ties half a century ago, bilateral relations have seen remarkable progress with cooperation in various fields increasingly deepened.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the people of the two countries have stood together and helped each other, writing a new chapter in the China-Argentina friendship, Xi added.

Xi stressed that when he met with President Fernandez not too long ago after the Argentine leader attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, they have drawn up a blueprint for the development of bilateral relations, and announced the launch of the 2022 Year of China-Argentina Friendship and Cooperation.

Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Argentina relations, and stands ready to work with President Fernandez to lift bilateral cooperation to a new level so as to benefit the two countries and their people.

Fernandez said in his message that on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, he would like to express the joy of the Argentine people to President Xi and the brotherly Chinese people.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries' exchanges in the fields of culture, science and technology, as well as economy have grown ever closer, he noted.

The Argentine government and people sincerely appreciate China's assistance during their toughest times in the fight against COVID-19, he said, adding that he would like to work with President Xi to promote bilateral cooperation and further consolidate the friendship between the two governments and the two peoples.
And he said, Go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

I Kings 19:11 & 12 (KJV)

In todays lesson, the prophet Elijah is in a period of great discouragement and distress. Its in this time he experiences an encounter with God that changes the direction and perspective of his life.

God instructed him to stand and see three of the most powerful natural elements in the earth: wind, earthquake and fire. Each of these has tremendous sounds associated with them, but its the voice that makes the difference. Here is one of my many times I learned that not only hearing but obeying Gods still small voice changed the course of my life.

In June of 1992 while I was serving in the U.S. Air Force in Naples, Italy, my wife and I decided to come back to the states to attend our daughters high school graduation. We flew on a space available basis meaning we flew on a priority or first come, first served basis. The first leg of our trip took us to Rota, Spain, where we spent three days waiting for transportation to the United States.

We often heard people tell us that they had been waiting for over a week. In this wait time, we kept our baggage in a small storage area, only going there to get clean clothes to change into after showering in the base gymnasium. On our third day, we heard a loud call for passengers desiring seats for travel, report to the service counter. The agent told us that there was a plane leaving for Germany and that there would be a better chance of getting a plane back to the states from that terminal.

I left my wife at the counter and hurried to get our bags from the storage. I was the only person in the area when I heard a voice say to me not to get on this plane, it was not for us. I looked all around thinking someone else was in there with me, but there wasnt. Then I realized that it was the voice of The Lord saying not to leave yet. So, I returned to the counter and informed the agent that we would not be taking that flight. After telling my wife what I experienced with the Lord, we let the next people in line take our place. Subsequently we got a funny look and comment from the agent but we took a seat.

In about an hour after the plane left, we heard that same loud voice from the desk saying that another plane was returning to the states and all that wanted to leave on this flight come to the counter. Ironically, a passenger plane that had brought military and civilian personnel over to the Persian Gulf area was ending its crew rest there in Rota. The pilot and crew stated that the planes next destination was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and they were willing to take anyone who wanted to go. This just happened to be my hometown. There was enough space for everyone waiting in the terminal to leave.

Today, like the three natural elements, we live in some boisterous, loud, and roaring times. That day I learned the importance of listening to and obeying Gods still small voice. It blessed my wife, me and everyone needing to travel forward. His voice has the power to direct and keep us always, for His Glory.

Henry Badie Jr., the pastor of Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ, in Florence, is a member of the Morning News Faith & Values Advisory Board. Contact him and other board members at fvboard@florencenews.com.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Florence Countys state legislative delegation has opened an office for constituent services at Francis Marions University Place in downtown Florence.

Located on the third floor of 142 N. Dargan St., the office will serve Florence County residents living in the nine districts represented in the South Carolina legislature. The office, which opened this week, is staffed by an administrator who will assist all delegation members and their Florence County constituents on state-related matters.

This office will be a wonderful resource to the people of Florence County, and a great tool of service for members of the state delegation, said Rep. Phillip Lowe, chairman of Florence Countys state legislative delegation. Furthermore, it allows us to expand existing constituent service efforts throughout the county.

Lowe said the constituent services office is the first step in additional delegation outreach efforts. There are plans to hold annual listening sessions with county residents to hear their concerns and provide legislative updates.

Lowe said the delegation also plans to meet with county and municipal elected officials regularly to further build the spirit of collaboration and teamwork to keep the county moving forward as a united community.

The goal is the betterment of all communities throughout Florence County, Lowe said. The efforts taken by the state delegation are designed to bring us together and move forward in a positive way.

The office suite at University Place totals approximately 1,000 square feet and includes four offices, a meeting room, and access to a shared conference room. The office will be leased to the delegation by the Francis Marion University Education Foundation, which owns the building.

Lowe thanked Francis Marion for its efforts, as well as that of Florence County government, which will provide the office additional support.

The North Eastern Strategic Alliance regional economic development group currently occupies the adjacent suite on the third floor of University Place. The building also houses the University Place Gallery and the Kelly Center for Economic Development.

The constituent services office will operate Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 843-661-4662.

The states Florence County Legislative Delegation includes Chairman Lowe (District 60), as well as Sen. Kevin L. Johnson (District 36), Sen. Ronnie A. Sabb (District 32), Sen. Kent M. Williams (District 30), Rep. Terry Alexander (District 59), Rep. Jay Jordan (District 63), Rep. Roger Kirby (District 61), and Rep. Robert Q. Williams (District 62).

Senate District 31, formerly held by the late Sen. Hugh K. Leatherman Sr., is currently vacant and will be filled by the winner of a March 29 special election.

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The 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is home to the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 engine ever in a production vehicle. The 5.5-liter V8 produces 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, and its going to scream like an Italian exotic thanks to the flat-plane crankshaft.

After working on it since 2014, and knowing how special this engine is, the GM engineers who poured their sweat and time into it set aside an afternoon to go into detail about everything someone might want to know. From this, we give you the 9 coolest things about the LT6 in the upcoming Z06.

Race car (and Ferrari 458) learnings

Yes, Chevy initially let on that an exotic flat-plane crank engine was coming via its C8 R race car a long time ago. Since then, weve learned that the 5.5-liter V8 in said race car is hugely similar to the one going into the production Z06  they share the cylinder block, heads, valvetrain and fuel system. We all know the saying: Win on Sunday, sell on Monday. GM has taken this mantra quite literally, as the racing program has helped engineers develop the street car engine to a certain degree. What is perhaps even more intriguing, the Z06 street car engineers have helped the racing team improve their version of the Gemini, too.

The main benefit to the production car team was all of the validation data they were able to glean from the race team running the engine in competition over thousands and thousands of miles being pushed to the limit. Engineers got data on wear surfaces, heat management, operating parameters and more. The race and production car teams even shared parts at times, swapping between each other when one wanted to test something new that the other came up with. Even to this day, the two teams are collaborating to finalize what will ultimately end up in buyers driveways.

As for the Ferrari 458 learnings, youll enjoy learning that GM bought a wrecked 458 from Europe for $25,000 years ago, completely tore it down to learn what makes the Ferrari flat-plane crank so good, then applied that knowledge to its own V8. So yes, theres definitely some Italian flair hidden inside this American supercar. A modern 458, anyone?

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Cooling and oiling

If you recall the C7 Z06, Chevy had all sorts of cooling issues with that vehicle on-track. Engineers were determined to keep that from happening with the C8 Z06, as its cooling capacity looks over-engineered to the max. The total cooling capacity is increased by 50% over the standard Stingray with the Z51 pack, and it features five total radiators that are augmented by more powerful fans. The front bumper even features a removable aero panel that increases the front grilles opening by 75%  Chevy suggests you remove this panel for track use. The real kicker is that Chevy was able to add all of this cooling without reducing storage anywhere in the vehicle, including the front trunk.

Track rats will be happy to know that the Z06 has a new and bespoke dry-sump oiling system. It features an engine-mounted plastic oil tank, and the system ultimately provides 85% more cooling capacity than the one in the C7 Z06. It features six scavenge pumps, a bottom-mounted oil cooler and is designed for excellent scavenging even at the high lateral gs the Z06 is capable of pulling. Chevy claims the Z06 with the Z07 package can pull 1.22 g of lateral acceleration on a skidpad.

A mechanical valvetrain with high-tech materials usage

One particularly intriguing aspect of the Z06s engine is its use of a mechanical (not hydraulic) valvetrain that GM claims will never require maintenance or adjustment throughout the life of the engine. Its lashed at the plant, and the clearances are measured three times throughout the life of the engine build, but it should never need service. GM says this is possible through the use of todays modern materials. For example, the finger followers are highly polished with a diamond-like carbon coating and made of hardened steel. The exhaust valves are hollow cavity sodium-filled nitrided steel valves, and the intake valves are made of titanium. Everything is designed to resist wear to an extreme degree. Even in GMs high-mileage validation runs, engineers say that everything remains in spec.

This all goes to underline that while the Z06's engine might be an exotic design, GM says it won't require an exotic level of maintenance and short service intervals. It's been subjected to all the same GM validation tests that the Stingray goes through, so expect it to perform just the same in extreme conditions.

Of course, its a flat-plane crank design

Ultimately, the reason this Corvette will scream like an Italian exotic is down to its flat-plane (not cross-plane) crankshaft design. This gives you a different firing order and a balanced air and exhaust flow. Chevy says the crankshaft is made of forged steel, and its 33% lighter than the crankshaft in the Stingray's LT2 engine.

Every engine is hand-built by a single technician

Plus, each Z06 engine gets a plaque that is signed by the single technician who put it together. Chevy says that it takes approximately 3 hours to build a single engine, and all of them will be assembled at the Performance Build Center in Bowling Green, KY.

Once built, every LT6 gets shipped to a local dyno facility where its put through a 20-minute procedure that runs the engine under full-load and high engine speed. Similar to the standard Corvette, the break-in period is 500 miles long. Torque in first and second gear is automatically limited during this time.

The air conditioning system is track-rated

GMs target for its air conditioning system in the Z06 was to enable proper cabin cooling during track use with an ambient temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If that isnt the most American supercar target to hit, we dont know what is. To achieve that goal, Chevy had to engineer a new air conditioning system that is different from the C8 Stingray. To run the compressor when the engine is screaming at 8,600 rpm, Chevy used a lower pulley ratio. However, this slowed the pulley down too much at low speeds and at idle, so the team had to increase the A/C compressor size to make up for the change. GM suggests that the air conditioning in the Z06 is actually slightly better than the Stingray now because of this switchup. Plus, you can be nice and cool running on track in extreme conditions.

The exhaust system's adjustable valving is a first for GM

The exhaust of the Z06 is such a key factor to enjoying the car, and GM didnt overlook its importance. Instead of a normal adjustable exhaust where the valve has two settings, open (loud) or closed (quiet), the valving in the exhaust system is highly adjustable through many settings. The valves  found in the center pipes  are controlled by the engine ECU using patented software, and it allows GM to tune them in 2 degree increments. The outboard pipes are the Corvettes low-flow pipes and do not feature valves. In total, GM allows three different valve preset positions that are selectable by drive mode: Tour, Sport and Track. As expected, Track is the loudest setting, though GM says its loud enough that you may have to dial it back on racetracks with strict noise regulations.

As for the exhaust performance, GM says its new exhaust architecture results in a 21% backpressure reduction versus the C7 Z06, and the muffler itself is 20 pounds lighter than the C8 Stingrays muffler. Just as youve seen in the photos, it features a center exit that GM says was a last-minute change to drastically improve the sound.

54 Gemini rockets can be found throughout every LT6 engine

Chevys internal name for the LT6 project was Gemini, in reference to NASAs Gemini space program. The team sees this as a moonshot of an engine, so therefore it wanted to imbue it with some space tributes. If you look hard enough, youll be able to find a total of 54 Gemini rockets throughout every single engine. Happy hunting!

Chevy still calls it a Small Block

This ones weird. The only thing the LT6 has in common with the traditional Chevy Small Block V8 is its 4.4-inch bore centerline spacing. Also, its been engineered and designed by the same team responsible for the traditional Small Block V8. Besides that, this engine is a totally new, clean-sheet design. Formally, GM engineers say its a Gemini Small Block. In practice, theres nearly nothing similar between this advanced DOHC engine design and the old push-rod V8 found in the regular Corvette Stingray. So go ahead, get to the comments and give us your thoughts on whether this should still be referred to as a Small Block V8.

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A Vietnamese couple whose emotional story had gripped the country after their 12 pet dogs were killed by authorities over the baseless fear that they could have spread Covid have now adopted a new brood of puppies  some of whom were rescued from dog meat shops.

Pham Minh Hung and his wife Nguyen Thi Chi Em have adopted 15 puppies after they received an outpouring of support and donations from people following an outrage among over the killing of their dogs, reported BBCs Vietnamese service.

Mr Pham said they received 120 million Vietnamese dong (3,898) from donors who raised the money after their 12 dogs were killed by authorities who said the pets could have contracted Covid, despite there being no evidence for the claim.

Mr Pham said that, despite being busy taking care of the new puppies, he was still coping with the loss of his pets, recalling that he was despondent and cried a lot when his dogs were killed.

He also pointed out that he was suffering from Covid at the time, something that added to his torment.

We raised the dogs for six, seven years. I was very sad. During the Lunar New Year, we went back to the place where the dogs were killed and burnt incense for our children, he added.

It started with Mr Pham becoming a viral sensation on social media in Vietnam after photos and videos of him and his wife travelling with a pack of dogs on motorbikes went viral.

The pictures of the dogs, some of whom wore raincoats, were perched on top of their luggage and were widely circulated as they took a 300km-long journey to escape Covid restrictions from another area in the country.

However, the story, which many on social media said provided them with comfort during tough conditions amid lockdowns, came to a tragic end when Mr Pham learned their pets were brutally killed by government officials without their consent in October last year.

Vietnam dog owners rescue 15 puppies after authorities killed their dogs while they were getting treatment for Covid last year https://t.co/t3G8MDELEE @BBCWorld pic.twitter.com/xbVLuKUUny  Animal Watch (@Animal_Watch) February 18, 2022

The dogs were killed after the couple caught Covid during their journey to their hometown and were transferred to a hospital while the animals were taken to a quarantine centre.

Story continues

Mr Pham alleged the pets were caned before being killed and his wife told Vice News that some of the pets were first drowned and then burned.

Two men put my dogs in bags, submerged them in water and then threw them in fire to burn, Ms Nguyen told the news outlet, citing witnesses.

But Mr Pham is now trying to find solace by adopting new puppies, some of whom he bought before they would have been butchered for their meat.

Some of them looked so bad as they were locked up for their meat, so I bought them and raised them, Mr Pham said.

He is now looking for some bricklaying work and aims to sell lottery tickets to save some money and take care of the dogs he fondly refers to as his children.
    GDP4% Apple Car 78 550  7150.02  67% 10 13 Twitter  8%  -W443563 136%  18% :    8% 53 2021 :    2.50  7%  A 53  1020 30  4 0.77% 4.5%14% 5.08% 48 2021  THE HENLEY II 1.6 6300 805 Mark THE HENLEY II440 55
Although tile that looks like wood has been around for years, I don't think there is a home improvement store or tile distributor anywhere in North America that hasn't succumbed to this tile trend.

Advances in digital technology have made these tiles look as good as real wood floors. They come in a variety of finishes, from glossy to matte, and with the appearance of almost any species of wood. Initially designed for work areas such as kitchen and bathrooms and outdoor areas as well, there are good reasons to choose this type of tile, some of which might entice you to do your entire home.

First, there is the visual warmth that a wood floor gives. These tiles can be used in all rooms for a unified look, from the entry hall to the living room and dining room to bedrooms. These can eliminate transitions from dry rooms to wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and even basements.

Then, there is the ease of maintenance. The cleaning process becomes much easier...no wax or threat of scratches or dents on these "wood" floors. Since they are made of porcelain, these floors can be easily vacuumed or swept and then simply mopped with water. In addition, there isn't the routine sanding and refinishing every couple of years as there is with wood floors.

An additional benefit of this porcelain wood-like tile is temperature control. Porcelain is a great thermal conductor. It will pick up the air temperature whether you are heating or cooling it. If installing in a colder climate, radiant heat can be installed underneath the tile for a warmer experience.

The variety of tile sizes, shapes, color and textures makes wood-like tiles extremely adaptable to any style of decor. Some tiles have knots and patterns in the tile, which can make them more appropriate for a traditional look, more country looking or even for a beach-style decor. Sleeker, evenly colored tiles are more appropriate for transitional or contemporary decor.

Some would argue that these wood-looking tiles also have an environmental benefit. Since these tiles are porcelain, no trees are cut down, thus creating an added bonus. These are some of the reasons wood-looking tiles are so popular today.

There are some caveats when considering wood-like tiles. In kitchens and other areas where one stands for a long period of time, porcelain tile can generally be tough on your feet and back. To mitigate fatigue, gel mats or runners are recommended in the work areas.

Depending on the subfloor of your dwelling, the cost of installation can vary, sometimes even more than wood or other type of flooring. Some installations may require the addition of cement boards or self-leveling mix. Porcelain tile, although considered as one of the most durable flooring, is also susceptible to cracks and chips in heavily trafficked areas.

Finally, as is the case with most trends, wood-like tiles will one day be dated. As a friend, I only recommend these tiles in areas where nothing else will do. Namely water-prone areas and beachfront properties.

Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. His website is www.josephpubillones.com.

COPYRIGHT 2018 CREATORS.COM

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A Hopewell, Virginia 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."

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SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man accused of shooting a woman outside a Sioux City gentlemen's club pleaded guilty Friday to a federal firearm charge.

Rudy Johnson, 27, entered his plea in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after a presentence investigation report is completed.

Johnson, who has previous felony convictions that prohibit him from possessing firearms, is accused of shooting Krista Kruckenberg, 28, of Sioux Falls, outside Mavericks Gentlemen's Club, 416 Cunningham Drive, on Dec. 20, 2020.

According to court documents, Johnson fired eight shots into a group of people watching a fight between his girlfriend and Kruckenberg's friend. Kruckenberg was struck six or seven times, including in her jaw, shoulder, pelvis, foot and both arms. Johnson and his girlfriend then fled.

Johnson was arrested July 16 in Indiana.

He was charged in Woodbury County District Court with willful injury, going armed with intent, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, assault while participating in a felony, reckless use of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm. The case was dismissed after Johnson was charged in federal court.

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SIOUX CITY -- Agape Community Services sees potential in a long-vacant, red brick building at 722 Nebraska St.

The nonprofit is exploring whether the former Sioux City YMCA could be transformed into a faith-based restoration ministry for individuals struggling with addiction.

"We took a tour last Friday; and it's a disaster in there, but it's not impossible," Gene Stockton, lead pastor at Heartland Church, said Monday as he stood on the sidewalk outside the building with fellow Agape Community Services co-founders Rachelle Rawson and Teri Quintana.

Agape Community Services has an ambitious goal of opening its program in 18 months, whether that be in the old YMCA or another location in Sioux City. The group came up with the idea for the program roughly two years ago.

"It is devastating to watch the effects (of addiction) on the children and the other parts of the family, and not just the immediate family," said Stockton, who noted that methamphetamine and alcohol are the substances predominately being abused in Siouxland. "It needs to be addressed. It's often ignored. We want to be part of the solution."

Rawson said the nonprofit wants to "make a difference in the world" by offering a "therapeutic community."

The 9 to 12-month program would provide therapy and housing to individuals and also help them transition back into society. However, Stockton said it would not offer medical services. Initially, up to 20 men would be served in each of three phases. Eventually, the program would grow to accommodate 60 men, 60 women and 60 teens total.

"There's going to be cognitive behavioral therapy with a faith component on top of that. There's really nothing like it in Sioux City or nearby. You have to go to federal prison to get this kind of care," Rawson said.

Individuals struggling with addiction shouldn't have to become incarcerated in order to get the services that they need, according to Quintana.

"What happens is that they cycle through treatment so many times that they lose hope, because they're not getting the best treatment the first time," she said. "They're not learning skills and tools."

Stockton said the group's next step is doing some research to see whether renovating the Nebraska Street building is "financially feasible." He said the roof, windows and plumbing, as well as the HVAC and electrical systems need to be replaced.

"There is so much debris that has to be cleaned up and a lot of the inside has to be rebuilt," he said. "The structure, though, is phenomenal. Brick and concrete -- the bones are phenomenal. We just have to figure out how much money it's going to cost us."

The building has sat vacant since 2009, when the Siouxland YMCA sold it after moving across the river into the Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA building on the South Sioux City riverfront. It has changed hands twice since then, with conditions going downhill following gutting work that landed a former owner in prison for violation of Environmental Protection Agency asbestos removal standards.

The building was placarded in December 2016. The council issued a demolition order in April 2018, but then voted to stay demolition for 90 days. At that time, Residential Equity Partners, the Concord, California-based company that owns the property, had already provided the necessary documents and $70,000 required to postpone the demolition for three months. When Residential Equity Partners failed to perform, the matter went back to the council in January 2020 and they voted to reinstate the demolition order.

The city has set aside $750,000 in funding for the YMCA's demolition. An estimated $130,000 of that will go toward asbestos abatement. Demolition itself is expected to cost between $500,000 and $600,000.

At a day-long capital improvement budget last month, Mayor Bob Scott told the other council members that a "pretty legitimate" group approached him recently about renovating the building into transitional housing. Scott asked if they would consider giving the group that contacted him some of those funds to renovate the building, if they were "legitimate and bona fide." Councilwoman Julie Schoenherr expressed verbal support, as did Councilman Alex Watters.

Stockton said Agape Community Services' board currently consists of representatives from seven different churches. He said one church cannot complete this project alone, but that it needs to be "a whole community" effort.

"We're doing this because we care and we want to help. We've done our homework," he said. "We know that programs like this have been effective in other parts of the country. A couple of people on our board have experienced that."

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JACKSON, Neb. -- Siouxland Ethanol hit a milestone Friday, producing its billionth gallon of corn-based ethanol.

The plant, owned by more than 700 local investors, opened near Jackson, Nebraska, in May 2007. Since then, it's doubled its production capacity, with a series of expansions and improvements. Today, the plant has an annual capacity stands at 95 million gallons.

To produce 1 billion gallons of ethanol, Siouxland Ethanol has purchased $1.5 billion dollars of corn, paid more than $35 million in wages, and in tandem produced enough high protein livestock feed to support the equivalent of 1.25 million head of cattle.

Each year, Siouxland Ethanol purchases 32 million bushels of corn, and turns the kernels into a clean-burning, high-octane gasoline additive. The plant also contributes to the ag-based economy by annually producing 210,000 tons of distillers dried grains, a co-product of the ethanol process.

Much of the high-value feed is sold locally to cattle feeders, as well as poultry feeders.

Siouxland Ethanol also produces about 14,000 tons of corn oil each year.

The Dakota County biofinery currently employs 41 people, contributing an annual payroll of about $2 million.

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OMAHA -- 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.

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DES MOINES  Gov. Kim Reynolds private school tuition assistance and E15 ethanol requirements are still alive.

A restriction on the use of eminent domain is dead.

The first funnel  a self-imposed deadline designed to force state lawmakers stay on target and put aside proposals that dont have enough support  was reached this week.

Moving forward, only bills that have at least passed through the first two steps of the legislative process  a subcommittee hearing and full committee vote  can still be considered for the rest of the session.

Any bills that did not reach that benchmark are ineligible for the remainder of the year.

There are exceptions: budget and tax policy bills are not subject to funnel deadlines. And leaders can make legislative maneuvers if they truly wish to resurrect a proposal from the dead.

Here is a look at some of the bills that did survive this weeks funnel, and some that did not:

Survived

 Income tax cuts: Both the House (House File 2317) and Senate (Senate Study Bill 3074)

 Ethanol: Reynolds proposal to require the E15 ethanol blend at most Iowa gas stations, House File 2128

 School choice: Reynolds bill, Senate Study Bill 3080, would give taxpayer funds to families wanting to place their student in a private school. Last year, the bill faltered in the House over concerns from legislators with rural school districts in their district.

 School books: House Study Bill 706 is House Republicans proposal to address parents who want some books or other materials removed from school libraries or classrooms. The bill requires schools to post all educational materials online for parents to review along with the districts policy for how parents may challenge materials. The Senates version, Senate File 2198, goes further: it creates legal recourse for parents who disagree with a schools decision by allowing them to sue the district or teachers.

 Transgender sports: Both the Senate (Senate Study Bill 3146) and House (House File 2309) have advanced bills that would ban transgender girls from competing in girls sports.

 Vaccines: House Study Bill 647 would ban all businesses, schools and government agencies from requiring any vaccination for workers or students and prohibit them from requiring face coverings.

 Abortion: House File 2119 would ban the dispensation of telemedicine abortion drugs.

 Traffic cameras: Senate File 2078 would prohibit law enforcement in cities of 12,000 or fewer residents from ticketing speeders unless they are going 20 miles per hour over the speed limit or more. Senate Study Bill 3012 would outright ban all such cameras.

 Mobile devices: Senate File 30 would ban the hand-held use of mobile devices while driving. House Study Bill 561 calls for a partial ban in school and construction zones.

 Teachers: House File 2085 is a part of House Republicans plan to help schools find more teachers. It would create a temporary teachers license for anyone with a bachelors degree who completes an alternative teacher certification program and a praxis subject assessment. Groups representing teachers and school boards are opposed.

 Public assistance: Senate Republicans have been driving the legislation on increasing verification measures for individuals who qualify for public assistance, in House Study Bill 698 and Senate Study Bill 3093.

 Solar panels: Solar panels could not be installed on farmland deemed to be of high agricultural value under Senate File 2127.

 Bottle bill: Changes to the bottle bill are still alive, in House Study Bill 709. Is this the year legislators finally address Iowas recyclables law? Stay tuned.

Did not survive

 Eminent domain: A proposal to limit the states use of eminent domain  the practice of the government claiming private land for private business projects. (Senate File 2160)

 Classroom cameras: A proposal to require cameras in all K-12 classrooms in order to livestream instruction. (House File 2177)

 Vaccines: Insurance companies would have been prohibited from offering financial incentives for vaccinations. (Senate Study Bill 3037)

 Sports: Would have required Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa play each other. (House File 2039)

 Farm: While virtually all bills introduced by Democrats failed to advance  Republicans have agenda-setting majorities in both chambers  one noteworthy inclusion is the Democrats proposal to place a temporary moratorium on large-scale animal feeding operations. (House File 2305)

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As surging global temperatures alter the landscape of the Arctic, scientists are observing what's shaping up to be a record at the other end of the globe.

Preliminary data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center suggest Antarctica will likely set a record this year for the lowest sea ice extent  the area of ocean covered by sea ice. On Wednesday, sea ice around the continent dropped lower than the previous record minimum set in March 2017.

"What's going on in the Antarctic is an extreme event," Ted Scambos, a glaciologist at the University of Colorado Boulder and lead scientist at NSIDC, told CNN. "But we've been through this a bit."

What he means by "this" is a roller coaster of sea ice extent over the past couple of decades, swinging wildly from record highs to record lows.

Unlike the Arctic, where scientists say climate change is accelerating its impacts, Antarctica's sea ice extent is highly variable.

"There's a link between what's going on in Antarctica and the general warming trend around the rest of the world, but it's different from what we see in mountain glaciers and what we see in the Arctic," he added.

Satellite data stretching back to 1978 show that the region was still producing record-high sea ice extent as recently as 2014 and 2015. Then it suddenly plunged in 2016 and has stayed lower-than-average since.

"That kind of drop is pretty much unprecedented in the record," Marilyn Raphael, geography professor and director at UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, told CNN. "Antarctic sea ice does vary from year to year, but that was a bigger variation than what normally happens."

Scientists say the recent shift doesn't yet necessarily signify a change in the long-term trend. But Raphael said the sea ice is retreating earlier now, which can be concerning.

The rate of sea ice loss in the Arctic and the Antarctic differs in part due to their location and proximity to other continents. In the Arctic, surrounded by land, sea ice forms and extends throughout Europe, Asia, North America and Greenland. Meanwhile, the Antarctic is a large continent surrounded by a vast ocean where sea ice can stretch across the Southern Ocean.

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Q: When was the National Weather Service created?

A: While successfully prosecuting the Civil War against the Confederacy, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had learned that weather information  even if not in the form of a forecast  was extremely valuable for operations.

Then, in the years after the war, Dr. Increase Lapham, a Milwaukee scientist, lobbied Milwaukees congressman, Gen. Halbert Paine, to push for the establishment of a storm warning service for the Great Lakes. On Feb. 2, 1870, Paine introduced a Joint Congressional Resolution requiring the Secretary of War to provide for taking meteorological observations at the military stations in the interior of the continent, and at other points in the States and Territories ... and for giving notice on the northern lakes and on the seacoast, by magnetic telegraph and marine signals, of the approach and force of storms.

On Feb. 9, 1870  152 years ago last week  a sympathetic President Ulysses S. Grant signed the resolution into law and what is now known as the National Weather Service was born.

Thus, the service began its life within the U.S. Army Signal Services Division of Telegrams and Reports for the Benefit of Commerce.

Observations officially began on Nov. 1, 1870. Exactly a week later, on Nov. 8, Lapham issued the services first storm warning on the approach of a storm over Lake Michigan.

On Oct. 1, 1890, at the request of President Benjamin Harrison, Congress passed a law transferring the meteorological responsibilities of the Signal Service to the newly created U.S. Weather Bureau, which was housed in the Department of Agriculture. The Weather Bureau became the National Weather Service in 1970 with the creation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA.

"Weather Guys" Steve Ackerman and Jonathan Martin are professors in the University of Wisconsin-Madison department of atmospheric and oceanic sciences.

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In a remarkable statement late Friday afternoon, President Joe Biden declared that he is convinced Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade Ukraine. We have reason to believe that, Biden added. We have a significant intelligence capability.

Until that moment, over the past several weeks, Biden has said U.S. intelligence agencies assessed that the Russian president had not yet decided whether or not to attack Ukraine militarily. Bidens statement on Friday marked a major shift. Presidents and intelligence agencies dont make such statements so definitively unless they are very confident in their judgments.

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Nearly as dramatic, Biden also said that the attack, expected to take place in the coming days, will target Kyiv, Ukraines capital, with a population of 2.8 million people.

This too marked a shift. In recent days, Putin seemed to be preparing to attack just the Donbas region of southeastern Ukraine, under the false pretense that its Russian-speaking minorities are under attack and thus need protection. On Tuesday, Russias parliament, the Duma, passed a bill authorizing Putin to recognize the regions two districtswhich are dominated by pro-Russia separatists who call the areas the Donetsk and Luhansk Republicas an independent state. On Thursday, Russia filed a report with the United Nations falsely accusing Ukraine of committing genocide in the region. On Friday, Gennady Zyuganov, head of Russias Communist party and co-sponsor of the parliaments bill, said that Putin would make a major announcement about Donbas on Feb. 20. The sequence of these events suggested that Putin was getting set to recognize the breakaway republics, then send in troops to occupy the region.

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However, if Biden is right that Putin will also attack Kyiv, this would become a much wider warin fact, the largest war in Europe since World War II.

Putins allies in Donbas stepped up their pretexts for war on Friday, claiming that the Ukrainian army is preparing a massive military offensive in the region. Biden ridiculed this claim as defying basic logic. It would be absurd, eight years into the civil war in Donbas, for Ukraine to launch a major offensive at this moment, when Russia has mounted 170,000 troops on the Ukrainian border.

However, Biden stressed that war is not inevitable, saying, Russia can choose diplomacy, it is not too late. He also noted that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are planning to talk someplace in Europe next Thursday. However, Biden added that, if Russia invades Ukraine between now and then, they will have slammed the door shut on diplomacy. The U.S., as well as the nations of the European Union and NATO, would begin imposing the previously threatened package of severe economic sanctions.

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There is another possibility, though Biden didnt mention it. It is conceivable that Putin could decide not to invade Ukraine and start withdrawing his troopsas he claims he is doingprecisely to prove Biden wrong and to make all the U.S. warnings of war seem hysterical, as Lavrov recently characterized them. If Putin is still looking for a face-saving way out of this crisis, he could use Bidens confident prediction of war as the vehicle.

Washington and Moscow have engaged in campaigns of information warfare in the past weeks. Putin has issued a stream of disinformation; Biden has released highly classified information to reveal Putins plans for false-flag operations, thus preempting their impact if he put them in motion.

In this context, could it be that Bidens announcement on Friday was intended as a dare for Putin to prove him wrongand not invade? We will find out soon.
Things got really heated on Savik Shusters Freedom of Speech talk show on Ukrainian television when a journalist punched a pro-Russian politician in the face and put him in a headlock. All while the show was live on the air. The fight broke out when a lawmaker from the pro-Russia party Opposition Platform-For Life, Nestor Shufrych, refused to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin. At one point in the discussion, journalist Yuriy Butusov walked up to Shufrych and slapped him in the face. A few people in the studio appear to applaud when that happened and then the two then started brawling. Butusov even put Shufrych in a headlock at one point.

Small update: Yuriy Butusov punched out Nestor Shufrych and got him in a headlock for a minute. https://t.co/Rpf5Paewmn pic.twitter.com/hZbkkuElb4  Glenn Kates (@gkates) February 18, 2022

The brawl between Butusov and Shufrych lasted around one minute as people around them called on them to stop. They were eventually pulled apart and Shufrych accused Butusov of scratching like a girl, according to the Daily Beast.

Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and former President Petro Poroshenko were also in the studio. At one point before the brawl broke out Yatsenyuk asked Shufrych whether Putin was a murderer and a criminal and the lawmaker only said: Let Ukraines authorities deal with that. Poroshenko mocked the answer: Theres a Russian agent right here in the studio.
Elon Musk is having a terrible February. At the moment, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO is facing scrutiny from three different government agencies, an animal-cruelty scandal, a car recall, a failed satellite launch, and accusations of trivializing the Holocaust. This is the kind of pileup of scandals that it usually takes a resignation to resolve. But anyone whos followed Musks career knows that even all these simultaneous firestorms are likely to leave the executive barely singed.

On Feb. 9, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed a lawsuit against Tesla over alleged racial discrimination at its Fremont factory after receiving hundreds of complaints and conducting a 32-month investigation. The suit describes abominable treatment of Black workers at the factory, including an alleged practice of segregating them into areas that other employees referred to as the plantation and the slave ship. Regulators also say that Black workers were subject to slurs and racist graffiti at the plant that the company was slow to erase, and that they were given the most difficult jobs and denied equal promotion and pay opportunities. In a 2017 email that Musk sent to employees that seemed to concern a previous class-action suit related similar issues at the Fremont plant, he wrote that anyone uttering an unintentional slur should apologize, and that the victim should be thick-skinned and accept the apology. Tesla has claimed that it opposes discrimination and harassment, and asserted that the department was unwisely attacking a company that has done so much good for California.

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A day later, a nonprofit advocacy group called Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed a much-publicized complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture concerning experiments by Musks neurotechnology company Neuralink in conjunction with the University of California, Davis. The group says it obtained records indicating that experiments attempting to implant computer chips in the brains of macaque monkeys were plagued with a pattern of extreme suffering and staff negligence. Of the 23 monkeys involved in the experiment, 15 reportedly died. According to the group, lab workers used an unapproved substance called BioGlue that destroyed parts of some of the monkeys brains and also caged the monkeys alone. The workers allegedly did not give the adequate veterinary care to the monkeys, who suffered from seizures and infections as complications from their brain-implant surgeries, and in some cases the test subjects couldnt even be used in the experiments because they had to be euthanized. Neuralink, which is still conducting similar experiments, has confirmed that monkeys died, but denied the animal-cruelty accusations.

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At around the same time, SpaceX discovered that solar flares in a geomagnetic storm knocked out as many as 40 of the 49 satellites it had launched on Feb. 3 as part of its project to provide internet access from space. The incident potentially cost the company up to $100 million. Tesla also announced that it was recalling 578,607 cars after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration determined that the Boombox feature, which allows drivers to play fart and goat sounds on external speakers, was dangerous to pedestrians. (Musk called regulators the fun police for the move.) Then, this week, the NHTSA announced that it launched an investigation into Tesla in light of 354 complaints about phantom braking, an apparent glitch that makes the cars abruptly stop even when there are no obstacles present. To top it all off, groups like the American Jewish Committee are calling on Musk to apologize after he tweeted out a meme featuring Adolf Hitler with the text, Stop comparing me to Justin Trudeau. I had a budget, on Sunday. He deleted the tweet 12 hours later.

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The last time that Musk found himself in this much trouble was around 2019, when he was dealing with an entirely different set of disturbing and bizarre scandals that ultimately fizzled out with minimal consequences. NASA was conducting a safety investigation at SpaceX after Musk smoked marijuana on the Joe Rogan Experience, which somehow resulted in the agency paying the company $5 million for employee training and review. The Securities and Exchange Commission had also sued Musk for tweets that he sent about securing funding to take Tesla private, which didnt actually turn out to be the case. Musk did end up with a $40 million fine and entered a consent decree, which hes still fighting as of this week, though it doesnt seem to have had any major impacts on his wealth or success (or, crucially, his tweeting). At the same time, the National Labor Relations Board determined that Tesla was violating labor laws, though the remedy simply involved Musk deleting a tweet and the company hiring back an employee it had fired. Tesla still does not have any unions. Musk also won a defamation lawsuit that legal experts were sure he would lose, and that his advisers wanted him to settle, after he baselessly and publicly called a British cave diver a pedophile.

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How does Musk get away with it all? Well, it certainly helps to be the richest person on the planet (a distinction he holds because Jeff Bezos divided his fortune when he got divorced), and fines dont really seem to sway him. Hes also effective at marshalling his resources to bulldoze over opposition and ensure that his narrative wins out. The New York Times Ryan Mac, perhaps the worlds foremost Musk reporter, wrote about this phenomenon in a 2020 Buzzfeed piece about the defamation case, observing that the weeklong trial showcased Musks bending of reality, a skill thats part of his mythology but rarely seen outside his work. Its something he uses to convince an engineer to perfect a car part for days on end or push a public relations staffer to disappear a bad story, and its often rescued him from the brink of failure. As one former Tesla executive told Mac, Elon has an uncanny ability to tell a story he wants to be true, convince himself that it has to be true, and then convince others. Maybe this time around, one of these messes will stick. Perhaps years of litigation in California, being labeled an animal abuser, and dealing with dozens of defective satellites and thousands of recalled cars will hamper his ambitions and antics, even if it doesnt cost him his job. But based on his track record, it doesnt seem likely.

For more on the California racial discrimination lawsuit against Tesla, listen to this recent episode of What Next: TBD.
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/1991-doc-proves-west-did-commit-to-non-expansion-of-nato-eastwards-broke-the-promise--report-1093161024.html

1991 Doc Proves the West Did Commit to Non-Expansion of NATO Eastwards, Broke the Promise  Report

1991 Doc Proves the West Did Commit to Non-Expansion of NATO Eastwards, Broke the Promise  Report

The controversy over NATO moving closer to Russia lies at the core of tensions between Moscow and the West. The document reportedly mentions the 2+4 talks... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T01:56+0000

2022-02-19T01:56+0000

2022-02-21T12:45+0000

der spiegel

nato expansion

russia

german reunification

talks

security guarantees

vladimir putin

nato

russia-nato row on european security

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A formerly classified 1991 document retrieved from the British national archive shows Western states did commit to the non-expansion of NATO eastward, Germanys Spiegel reports.The document depicts the talks between high-ranking officials from the United States, the UK, France, and the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) in Bonne on March 6, 1991. According to the newspaper, it provides evidence that the Western states agreed that membership of Eastern European states in the alliance is unacceptable, meaning that Russias current grievances with NATOs expansion eastwards are totally justified.The US Raymond Seitz reportedly agreed with Chrobog, saying, We made it clear to the Soviet Union that we will not [capitalize on] the withdrawal of the Soviet troops from Eastern Europe...NATO must not expand eastwards neither officially, nor inofficially.For years, Russia has insisted that NATO states broke their vow not to move the military alliance toward the Russian borders. Whats more, at the NATO summit in 2016, Russia was  for the first time officially  declared a direct threat to the alliances security.The document has surfaced just as Russia and NATO states are in a row over what constitutes European security. In late December, Moscow shared its own security guarantee proposals with NATO and the United States, which specifically prioritize non-expansion of NATO eastwards and non-deployment of offensive weapons near the Russian borders, as well as shifting alliance forces in Eastern Europe to the positions of 1997.In 1997, Russia and NATO signed the Founding Act, under which the alliance pledged to carry out its collective defense and other missions by ensuring the necessary interoperability, integration, and capability for reinforcement rather than by additional permanent stationing of substantial combat forces. However, three former Warsaw pact members  Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic  joined NATO right away in 1999, followed by Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia, as well as Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Slovenia in 2004.Since the 1990s, that is after the end of the Cold War, NATOs expansion has been the largest to date, both in terms of the number of newly admitted members and in terms of the alliance's influence. Now, NATO is using the Ukrainian government's provocations and accusations of an allegedly looming invasion as a pretext to further boost its presence around Russia.

https://sputniknews.com/20220212/nato-expansion-since-putins-2007-munich-speech-pushed-russia-to-edge---peskov-1092953767.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220217/russian-foreign-ministry-releases-response-to-us-on-security-guarantees-1093115903.html

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der spiegel, nato expansion, russia, german reunification, talks, security guarantees, vladimir putin, nato
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/australia-accuses-chinese-guided-missile-destroyer-of-aiming-laser-at-its-surveillance-aircraft-1093171403.html

Australia Accuses Chinese Guided-Missile Destroyer of Aiming Laser at Its Surveillance Aircraft

Australia Accuses Chinese Guided-Missile Destroyer of Aiming Laser at Its Surveillance Aircraft

The incident comes amid strained ties between Australia and China over Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanding an international enquiry into the origins of... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T11:19+0000

2022-02-19T11:19+0000

2022-02-19T11:19+0000

australia

china

scott morrison

labor party (australia)

royal australian navy

people's liberation army (pla) navy

aukus

quadrilateral security dialogue (quad)

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The Australian Defence Department has accused a Peoples Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) vessel of aiming a laser at a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) maritime surveillance aircraft while sailing through the Arafura Sea.The Arafura Sea, which Canberra claims as its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), lies off Australias northern coast, between the Northern Territory and the Indonesian province of Papua.Illumination of the aircraft by the Chinese vessel is a serious safety incident, it added.Images released by the Australian Defence Department show the Yuzhao-class amphibious transport dock entering the Coral Sea on 18 February, a day after the incident. The Australian military has been closely monitoring the movement of both Chinese vessels.Lasers can potentially blind the pilot and may also damage equipment on board an aircraft.The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) reported that 10 Australian personnel were on board at the time of the incident. It further reported that the lasing incident was captured by HMAS Arunta, a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) frigate with warfare and surveillance capabilities.The incident comes amid a heated political debate between Prime Minister Scott Morrisons government and the opposition Labor Party on Canberras ties with Beijing.Morrison said that Beijing would prefer Labor leader Anthony Albanese to be the countrys next PM, as Australia gears up for a federal election in May.Labor, meanwhile, has accused the Morrison government of serving Chinas interests after a Chinese company was awarded a 99-year lease of Darwin Port in 2015.

https://sputniknews.com/20220218/australia-wont-hesitate-to-take-back-control-of-darwin-port-from-chinese-company-1093138796.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220219/avocado-drama-1093161849.html

Avocado Drama

Avocado Drama

Avocado Shortages

2022-02-19T01:04+0000

2022-02-19T01:04+0000

2022-02-19T01:13+0000

us

avocado

shortage

mexico

drama

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On Monday, the US authorities imposed a temporary ban on avocado imports from Mexico after an American official, who was inspecting avocado shipments to the US, received a "threat" over the phone.The call was said to have come from local cartels that have recently focused on the lucrative avocado market in recent years. US authorities at the time didn't specify how long the restrictions would last.But fortunately, the US Department of Agriculture announced on Friday that it was lifting the ban (God bless!)

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us, avocado, shortage, mexico, drama
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/donetsk-authorities-receive-anonymous-tip-about-mining-of-city-buildings-1093180236.html

Authorities in Lugansk Find Explosive Device on Bridge Used by Evacuation Buses

Authorities in Lugansk Find Explosive Device on Bridge Used by Evacuation Buses

The breakaway eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk have been placed on high alert amid reports of hundreds of violations of the Minsk ceasefire by... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T14:19+0000

2022-02-19T14:19+0000

2022-02-19T19:13+0000

donetsk

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https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/13/1093181318_0:141:3142:1908_1920x0_80_0_0_0e2bdd9f4581931e9cd3f37f2d3d5b10.jpg

Authorities in the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic have discovered an explosive device under a bridge being used by buses evacuating civilians from the region to Russia, a source affiliated with the security services has told Sputnik.The device was said to be found outside the town of Malogvardeysk, on the route toward the Izvarino border post. This information is being verified.Earlier Saturday, authorities in Donetsk reported receiving anonymous warnings about the placement of explosives in buildings in the northern part of the city, including two hotels and four residential neighbourhoods.On Friday evening, a UAZ jeep belonging to Donetsk People's Militia chief Denis Sinenkov was blown up in a parking lot outside the building housing the self-proclaimed republic's government. Investigators believe it to have been a deliberate car bombing, with the explosion powerful enough to have been heard across the city.Lugansk and Donetsk security forces have repeatedly accused the Ukrainian intelligence services of the use of explosive devices and car bombs to target republican leaders and civilians. On Friday, several hours after the car bombing in Donetsk, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence accused Russian security forces of mining social infrastructure in the city of Donetsk to give Moscow "grounds for accusing Ukraine of terrorist attacks." The same day, Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council chief Oleksiy Danilov claimed that the Donetsk and Lugansk militias could blow up buses evacuating civilians to Russia. Ukrainian officials provided no evidence to back up these allegations.Also Friday, Joint Forces Ukraine commander Oleksandr Pavlyuk announced that "not a single Ukrainian round fell on civilian infrastructure" in the Donbass, and insisted that the Ukrainian army "does not shoot at civilians."Pavlyuk made the claim following reports by the Donetsk and Lugansk militias that Kiev forces had engaged in massive shelling of the breakaway territories, including using 120-mm mortars prohibited by the Minsk Agreements.Authorities in the Donbass breakaways declared a general military mobilization on Saturday amid the sharp increase in Ukrainian shelling, fearing that the attacks may be followed up by a full-scale invasion. A day earlier, the republics began a mass evacuation of civilians to Russia. Russian authorities have promised to provide evacuees with food, shelter and medical assistance.On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Ukraine to sit down to the negotiating table with Donbass leaders as soon as possible to implement the Minsk Agreements. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, meanwhile, expressed "alarm" over Kiev's escalation in the Donbass, and the use of arms banned by Minsk in the region.The European Union has already swallowed hundreds of billions of euros in losses in successive rounds of Western sanctions against Russia and Russian agricultural countersanctions over the crisis in Ukraine, which began in 2014. The EU's US allies, who encouraged Brussels to implement the anti-Russian restrictions, suffered much smaller losses, owing to the negligible scale of trade between the US and Russia to begin with.

https://sputniknews.com/20220218/watch-first-moments-after-blast-in-central-donetsk-1093150270.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220219/rt-arabic-team-come-under-fire-in-donetsk-peoples-republic-1093176537.html

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Ilya Tsukanov

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https://sputniknews.com/20220219/dpr-head-orders-full-mobilisation-as-tensions-with-kiev-escalate-1093167641.html

DPR, LPR Order General Military Mobilisation as Kiev Continues to Shell Donbass

DPR, LPR Order General Military Mobilisation as Kiev Continues to Shell Donbass

On Friday, the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) announced the evacuation of their citizens to Russia's... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T06:05+0000

2022-02-19T06:05+0000

2022-02-19T09:44+0000

world

europe

ukraine

donetsk people's republic

lugansk people's republic

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https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/17/1092463891_0:0:3261:1835_1920x0_80_0_0_fdd93657ed5545d3b9b33bbc606c94c0.jpg

The head of the Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin, said on Saturday that he'd signed a decree on general mobilisation in the republic.The DPR has prevented Ukrainian special services from engaging in several acts of terrorism in the last several days, Pushilin added.He said that no matter how events develop, the DPR will be able to contain Kiev's aggression.The Armed Forces of Ukraine use mortars, grenade launchers, anti-tank missile systems during shelling, while the forces of the Donetsk People's Republic holds back the enemy with return fire, Denis Pushilin stressed.In turn, the head of the LPR, Leonid Pasechnik, said that he had signed a decree on general mobilisation in the republic and banned men aged 18-55 from leaving the region.The authorities of the DPR and the LPR started the evacuation of civilians to Russia on Friday, fearing military aggression by the Ukrainian government. The DPR head has warned that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could order a full-fledged offensive against the republics at any time.About 25,000 residents of the Lugansk People's Republic and 6,600 people, including almost 2,500 children from the Donetsk People's Republic have crossed the border with Russia as of Saturday morning.On 18 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Kiev needs to engage in dialogue with the Donbass republics and come up with a common solution to end the ongoing conflict.The situation on the contact line between Ukraine and the DPR and LPR has worsened in the last several days, as Kiev has intensified its shelling of the territories of the republics.

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2022

Maxim Minaev

Maxim Minaev

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en_EN

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Maxim Minaev

world, europe, ukraine, donetsk people's republic, lugansk people's republic
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/epstein-accomplice-jean-luc-brunel-reportedly-found-dead-in-french-prison-1093173309.html

'Epstein Accomplice' Jean-Luc Brunel Reportedly Hangs Himself in French Prison

'Epstein Accomplice' Jean-Luc Brunel Reportedly Hangs Himself in French Prison

Jean-Luc Brunel had come under scrutiny over his ties to the late convicted sex felon Jeffrey Epstein, with whom he worked from the early 2000s until 2015... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T10:36+0000

2022-02-19T10:36+0000

2022-02-19T12:52+0000

france

jeffrey epstein

jean-luc brunel

ghislaine maxwell

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Former French modeling scout and 'Epstein accomplice' Jean-Luc Brunel has been found dead in a French prison, reported AFP.Brunel, 74, who knew the deceased sex offender and US financier Jeffrey Epstein, was found dead by hanging on Saturday in his prison cell in Paris, a source was cited as saying.According to Le Parisien, he was discovered at around 1 a.m. during the night patrol. He could not be revived.The Paris prosecutor's office is cited by the outlet as having confirmed that the Frenchman had been found dead and indicated that an investigation into the causes of death had been opened, entrusted to the 3rd judicial police district.The founder of the MC2 modelling agency, which worked with Christy Turlington, Sharon Stone and Milla Jovovich, had been indicted in December for "rape of a minor" and "sexual harassment" as part of the Jeffrey Epstein probe. Brunel had met Epstein "pimp" Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted last December for recruiting and grooming teenagers for the financier, in the 1980s. After she introduced him to the businessman, it was Epstein's funds of "up to a million dollars" in 2004 that helped the French scout launch his modelling agency.Epstein and Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre claimed Brunel sexually trafficked girls for the tycoon, claiming in a 2015 affidavit that the pedophile bragged to her that he had slept with over 1,000 of Brunels girls.The Frenchman sued Epstein in 2015, claiming that he and his agency "lost multiple contacts and business in the modelling business as a result of Epsteins illegal actions".Convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein died in a New York jail cell in 2019 after being charged with multiple child sex offences. Officials ruled the cause a suicide, but this was challenged by his lawyers, with Epstein's death still surrounded by speculation and conspiracies.In September 2019, Brunel's Paris home and offices were searched by French investigators as part of the Epstein probe. On 16 December 2020, Brunel was intercepted by police at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. He was remanded in custody for charges relating to rape, sexual assault, criminal conspiracy and human trafficking.Brunel was formally indicted in September 2021 on a single count of rape, stemming from an allegation that he drugged a 17-year-old model at a nightclub and raped her in the 1990s.The Frenchman vehemently insisted he was innocent.

https://sputniknews.com/20220127/prince-andrew-demands-trial-by-jury-in-sex-abuse-case-denies-epstein-trafficked-girls-to-him-1092544925.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220110/can-ghislaine-maxwell-win-epstein-sex-trafficking-case-if-she-gets-retrial-1092163136.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211216/soft-as-a-pillow-epstein-told-inmates-in-prison-how-to-predict-womens-movements--media-1091577517.html

france

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2022

Svetlana Ekimenko

Svetlana Ekimenko

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Svetlana Ekimenko

france, jeffrey epstein, jean-luc brunel, ghislaine maxwell
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/ex-trump-admin-officials-report-suffering-havana-syndrome-style-symptoms-on-white-house-grounds-1093177767.html

Ex-Trump Admin Officials Report Suffering Havana Syndrome-style Symptoms on White House Grounds

Ex-Trump Admin Officials Report Suffering Havana Syndrome-style Symptoms on White House Grounds

Last month, the CIA concluded that Havana Syndrome  a set of symptoms suffered by US government officials and diplomats ranging from ringing in the ears and... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T12:40+0000

2022-02-19T12:40+0000

2022-02-19T13:05+0000

havana syndrome

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https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107339/36/1073393637_0:100:1921:1180_1920x0_80_0_0_b1e3c219f15866dafffd37b3341dbf26.jpg

At least two high-ranking Trump-era Department of Homeland Security officials have reported Havana Syndrome-style symptoms while working on White House grounds, an excerpt from an upcoming CBS News 60 Minutes investigation has reported.Hawkish former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton, whom Trump described as one of the dumbest people in Washington after firing him in 2019 on numerous policy disagreements, corroborated the officials stories and intimated that the syndrome may have been some kind of attack.If we were at war and an adversary could disable the president and his top advisors, or commanders in the field, it could render us extraordinarily vulnerable, Bolton said. We dont know that thats the threat were facing. But I would much rather focus on finding out the answer now, rather than finding out later when it may be too late, he added.Asked why US intelligence agencies have been unable to figure out the root causes of Havana Syndrome, CIA Chief William Burns told 60 Minutes that it was a very complicated issue dealing with a whole range of incidents that have different kinds of explanations for them as well.Nearly 1,000 US government workers have now reported experiencing Havana Syndrome symptoms, with at least one State Department officer from the Guanzhou consulate suing his employer for damages.US officials have been at a loss regarding whom to blame for the string incidents, which have at various points been ascribed to Russian sonic attacks or Chinese or Cuban malevolence. All three countries have dismissed the American allegations as an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory.In January, the CIA concluded that Havana Syndrome did not appear to be the result of any directed-energy attacks by a foreign power, instead citing environmental factors and medical issues of personnel involved. That said, the agency also indicated that it could not definitely rule out the possibility of foreign-actor involvement in some discrete cases.In early February, a separate US intelligence health panel reported that Havana Syndrome may have been caused by external stimuli, such as pulsed electromagnetic energy, but conceded that information gaps exist in this explanation. That probe did not identify any known device capable of pulsing electromagnetic energy at targets, but said technology to build such a device exists. The panel also found that some of the symptoms reported could have been caused by hypervigilance and normal human reactions to stress and ambiguity, particularly among a workforce attuned to its surroundings and trained to think about security.Federal agents began a probe on possible Havana Syndrome-style attacks near the White House last April, including one said to have taken place in November 2020 and a separate incident in October 2019 in a Virginia suburb. A National Security Council official was said to have fallen ill in the first incident, and a White House staffer and her dog suffered injuries in the second. The same White House staffer also reported suffering similar symptoms during a trip to London alongside Bolton in August 2019. Pentagon officials briefed Congress on the matter.

https://sputniknews.com/20200129/trump-slams-bolton-over-book-claims-says-if-hed-listened-to-him-wed-be-in-world-war-6-by-now-1078173914.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220203/us-panel-finds-some-havana-syndrome-symptoms-were-likely-caused-by-directed-energy-1092702715.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220121/global-conspiracy-to-impurify-bodily-fluids-snowden-mocks-media-hype-around-havana-syndrome-1092433776.html

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2022

Ilya Tsukanov

Ilya Tsukanov

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Ilya Tsukanov

havana syndrome
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/fsb-border-service-in-russias-rostov-confirms-two-shells-landed-on-russian-territory-1093180939.html

Two Shells From Ukrainian Territory Hit Russia's Rostov Region - Video, Photo

Two Shells From Ukrainian Territory Hit Russia's Rostov Region - Video, Photo

Earlier on Saturday, a law enforcement source said that two shells had exploded in Russia's Rostov region, close to the border with Ukraine. 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T14:40+0000

2022-02-19T14:40+0000

2022-02-19T16:51+0000

russia

ukraine

rostov

shells

volodymyr zelensky

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The border department of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has confirmed that two shells landed on the territory of the Russian Rostov region on Saturday. The FSB has shared a video and a photo showing the aftermath of the shelling. The Russian Investigative Committee has initiated criminal proceedings over the shelling of Russia's Rostov region from the Ukrainian territory. The committee noted that on Saturday morning unidentified persons on the territory of Ukraine opened fire on the border areas of the Rostov region, using a multiple rocket launcher. No civilian casualties were reported. An inspection of the incident site is still underway. The criminal case was initiated for an attempted murder committed by a hazardous means.According to an official at the Federal Security Service's border agency in Rostov-on-Don, one of the shells destroyed a building. Ukraine, however, has refuted the accusations of shelling Russian territory. President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is currently attending a security conference in Munich, said that reports about shelling in the Rostov region are not true. "What was shown yesterday on the temporarily occupied territory, they showed some shelling allegedly flying from our side and then they have shown something flying all the way to Rostov Region of Russia, this is a blunt provocation, these are pure lies," Zelensky said. Ukraine's President was echoed by the country's Foreign Minister. "We resolutely refute all accusations of any alleged Ukrainian shells falling on the Russian territory. Ukraine has never opened any such fire. We call for an immediate and impartial international investigation of the incidents reported by Russian media," Kuleba tweeted.

ukraine

rostov

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russia, ukraine, rostov, shells, volodymyr zelensky
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/hugh-grant-to-play-an-oompa-loompa-in-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-prequel-says-media-1093185630.html

Hugh Grant to Play an Oompa-Loompa in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' Prequel, Says Media

Hugh Grant to Play an Oompa-Loompa in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' Prequel, Says Media

The film bosses reportedly refused to cast actors with dwarfism as Oompa-Loompas to avoid causing offence. 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T18:58+0000

2022-02-19T18:58+0000

2022-02-19T18:58+0000

viral

hugh grant

film

casting

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Famous British actor Hugh Grant is expected to appear in "Wonka," the upcoming movie prequel to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," based on the 1964 novel by Roald Dahl.According to The Sun, Grant is going to play an Oompa-Loompa, one of the miniature workers employed at the factory, with the film bosses apparently refusing to cast actors with dwarfism to avoid offending "small people."While Dahl himself reportedly defended his writing, saying in 1973 that it did not occur to him that his "depiction of the Oompa-Loompas was racist," he revised his book that same year, making these characters "white hippies."As MailOnline points out, it's not immediately clear how Grant, who is 5' 11"tall, is going to portray one of these miniature workers.

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Andrei Dergalin

Andrei Dergalin

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Andrei Dergalin

viral, hugh grant, film, casting
Donetsk Says Ukrainian Forces Fired Over 400 Shells Towards DPR, Situation Remains Acute

Ukrainian security forces fired 424 shells and mines on the territory of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) on Saturday, with the situation on the line of contact remaining critical, the DPR people's militia said.



"As of 5:00 p. m. [15:00 GMT], the enemy opened fire 39 times on the DPR territory... launching 424 shells and mines. Areas of 21 settlements in the DPR came under fire. Various types of grenade launchers and small arms were also used. In total, more than 627 shells, mines and grenades were fired on the DPR territory," the militia said in a statement.



Furthermore, the DPR mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination on the ceasefire regime (JCCC) reported that the operation of a pumping station in the Vasilievka village was halted due to the transformer explosion after shelling on Saturday.



According to the statement, the Ukrainian security forces were aware about the presence of the JCCC representatives and media in the area when opened fire on the Vasilievka pumping station.



"The enemy opened fire on the area where the representatives of the JCCC, people's militia and media crews were present. A particular cynicism lies in the fact that the Ukrainian militants perfectly saw who they were firing at, as they used a drone to adjust the shelling," the statement read.



The DPR militia added that the facts of ceasefire violations have been promptly reported to the Ukrainian side in the JCCC.



"[The Ukrainian side] refuses to respond to our statements and take prompt action to ensure a ceasefire by the enemy," the militia added.
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/nara-confirms-classified-info-found-in-docs-that-trump-took-to-mar-a-lago-after-leaving-office-1093160435.html

NARA Confirms Classified Info Found in Docs That Trump Took to Mar-a-Lago After Leaving Office

NARA Confirms Classified Info Found in Docs That Trump Took to Mar-a-Lago After Leaving Office

The development comes as speculation grows that Trump could be investigated by federal authorities for suspected crimes related to his handling of presidential... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T00:29+0000

2022-02-19T00:29+0000

2022-02-19T00:29+0000

donald trump

us

florida

us national archives

document

investigation

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The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) announced on Friday that classified information was discovered in the 15 boxes of documents taken to Mar-a-Lago, Florida, by former President Donald Trump after he left the office in January last year. In a letter to Congress, the government agency stated that documents labeled "classified national security information" were discovered in the boxes confiscated from Trump's residence.The letter, which is a response to Maloney's inquiry, signed by NARA archivist David Ferriero, added that the Trump administration failed to capture and preserve "certain social media records."In response to a question of what steps NARA has already taken, and what it is currently doing to guarantee that any further records not turned over to NARA are not lost or destroyed, the agency said that it has "asked the representatives of former President Trump to continue to search for any additional Presidential records that have not been transferred to NARA, as required by the Presidential Records Act (PRA)."Instead of handing over 15 boxes of documents to the Archives, Trump took them to Mar-a-Lago after he stepped down from the presidency. Last month, the former president had to return those boxes to the agency.According to a report from earlier this month, the boxes contained "love letters" between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as well as a letter from former President Barack Obama.Officials at the National Archives reportedly feared that the former president had broken the law when it came to handling government documents, particularly secret documents, and urged the Justice Department to investigate.Representatives for Trump reportedly told the NARA that they were "continuing to search for additional presidential records that belong to the National Archives" in accordance with the PRA.

https://sputniknews.com/20220211/trump-took-top-secret-documents-to-mar-a-lago-new-claims-suggest-1092925504.html

florida

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Kirill Kurevlev

Kirill Kurevlev

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donald trump, us, florida, us national archives, document, investigation
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/one-student-dead-two-injured-after-stabbing-at-lincoln-university-in-pennsylvania--1093159994.html

One Student Dead, Two Injured After Stabbing at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania

One Student Dead, Two Injured After Stabbing at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania

The fight happened inside of the Thurgood Marshall Living and Learning Center, which is a student dorm on the Universitys campus, which investigators report... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T01:37+0000

2022-02-19T01:37+0000

2022-02-19T01:37+0000

crime

stabbing

pennsylvania

university

students

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A student has died after a stabbing at Lincoln University near Oxford, Pennsylvania on Wednesday night. Two other students were injured during the fatal event, and were rushed to Delawares Christiana Hospital. They have since then been treated and released. The student who died was 21 years-old.Arrests have yet to be announced.Eric Dickerson was reportedly one of those three who was injured. He was reportedly stabbed three times and survived, but his close friend, who has not been identified, died at the scene. Dickersons family is currently seeking help to cover his medical costs via GoFundMe.Students at the university held a vigil Thursday night to mourn the death of their fellow classmate.The Chester County District Attorneys Office says this was an isolated incident and that theres no immediate threat to the public. But still, no one has been arrested, the university added.The Chester County District Attorneys Office has requested anyone with information regarding the stabbing to aid them in their investigation.Lincoln University is a public four-year college that was founded in 1854. In 1866, it was renamed in honor of the recently slain president Abraham Lincoln, and was the first degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the country, according to their website.

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crime, stabbing, pennsylvania, university, students
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/protest-against-security-conference-takes-place-in-munich-1093173767.html

Protest Against Security Conference Takes Place in Munich

Protest Against Security Conference Takes Place in Munich

The Munich Security Conference offers a platform to discuss the issues of international security and usually brings together numerous high-profile political... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T12:16+0000

2022-02-19T12:16+0000

2022-02-19T12:16+0000

munich security conference

protest

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Sputnik goes live from Munich, Germany, where people are gathering to protest against the Security Conference which is taking place on 18-20 February.A human chain action is planned during the protest which was organised by the Alliance for Action Against NATO Security Conference and was titled "Stop the War Course of the NATO Countries".Days before the conference was about to begin, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced that "for various reasons", Russian officials wont attend the Munich Security Conference this year. *Follow Sputnik's live feed to find out more.

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Protests against Security Conference hit Munich Protests against Security Conference hit Munich 2022-02-19T12:16+0000 true PT1S

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munich security conference, protest, 
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/rt-arabic-team-come-under-fire-in-donetsk-peoples-republic-1093176537.html

RT Arabic Team Come Under Fire in Donetsk People's Republic - Video

RT Arabic Team Come Under Fire in Donetsk People's Republic - Video

On Thursday, the leadership of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics said that the armed forces of Ukraine opened fire on their positions... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T12:12+0000

2022-02-19T12:12+0000

2022-02-19T16:28+0000

ukraine

europe

donetsk people's republic

rt arabic

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https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105037/41/1050374189_0:221:2857:1828_1920x0_80_0_0_edbd8793ce651e10334a53aeaf9e56d5.jpg

The team of RT Arabic came under fire on the outskirts of Gorlovka in the village of Zaitsevo in the Donetsk People's Republic. The video showing the moment of the attack was later shared by journalists.Donbass militia leaders ordered an evacuation of civilians from the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics on Friday, 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.Earlier, DPR head Denis Pushilin said that he expects Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to order an offensive against the self-proclaimed republics in the nearest future.The situation on the contact line between Ukraine and the DPR and LPR has worsened in the past days after Kiev intensified shelling of the territories of the republics.

ukraine

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ukraine, europe, donetsk people's republic, rt arabic
https://sputniknews.com/20220219/ukraine-could-avoid-destabilising-region-if-it-was-more-independent-ex-us-state-senator-says-1093184432.html

Ukraine Could Avoid Destabilising Region if It Was More Independent, Ex-US State Senator Says

Ukraine Could Avoid Destabilising Region if It Was More Independent, Ex-US State Senator Says

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Ukraine could bring less instability to the region if it was more independent, former Virginia State Senator Richard Black said. 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T17:53+0000

2022-02-19T17:53+0000

2022-02-19T17:54+0000

russia-nato row on european security

ukraine

nato

us

russia

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"Ideally, an independent non-aligned Ukraine would provide stability and a buffer against war for both sides," Black said.Russia has been facing a wave of Western criticism in recent months over the build-up of troops along Ukrainian borders in alleged preparation of invasion. Moscow has repeatedly dismissed these allegations, pointing out NATO's increased activities near its own borders.Black underscored that Russia has legitimate concerns with the eastward expansion of NATO.Black went on to say that Europe is "not enthusiastic about hostilities with Russia.""Germany enjoys excellent relations with Russia and looks forward to opening the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would shield vital gas supplies from outside political interference," he explained.Black also noted that before the current tensions Germany saw no threat from Russia and practically eliminated its inventory of tanks."Starting in 1965, Germany built 4,744 Leopard main battle tanks. But by 2020, Germany slashed its inventory to just 236 tanks," he said. "That demilitarization wasnt because they relied on U.S. protection; it was because they assessed the probability of Russian invasion as zero."Germany is not the only NATO member that is lukewarm about the war in Ukraine, Black continued to say."French President Emmanuel Macron has tried to bridge differences between Russia and Ukraine," he said. "Hungary values its good relations with Russia and is unlikely to support Ukraine in the event of hostilities, and Croatia announced it would recall its troops from NATO if war broke out. Europe seems less sanguine about war than either the US or UK.""Russia would undoubtedly prefer to avoid military conflict," he said. "Since Russia is torn between the desire for peace and the need for security, it is impossible to assess whether war will break out with Ukraine."Black also stressed that it is most unfortunate that the United States and Western nations have poured advanced weapons into Ukraine."These are offensive weapons like anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles," he said. "At some point, Russia may be forced to take military action against the dangerous military buildup on their border with Ukraine. Peace cannot be achieved by dumping arms and ammunition at Russias front door."The former state senator said he found odd recent media reports - that cited US intelligence - suggesting that Russia would invade Ukraine on 16 February."The specificity of that assertion was strange," Black said. "Apparently, that date was specified by Ukrainian President Zelensky, a former comedian."Black said after President Joe Biden alerted the entire leadership of the Western world about the date, Ukraine indicated that the claim was simply a joke and that Zelensky was just being "ironic."Nonetheless, the genuine risk of war is substantial and Russian concerns must be addressed sooner or later.Black pointed as the source of the problem, the 2014 Western-backed coup that ousted the legitimately-elected Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. The revolutionaries installed a new government in Kiev at gunpoint, he said.Black went on to say they Russia did not initiate the hostile conditions in 2014, but the Russian Federation responded to dangerous events unleashed by the revolution in Kiev.However, Black went on to say, NATO needlessly advanced military forces eastward, "provocatively encircling Russia in a manner that rendered it vulnerable to a surprise attack by NATO.""The posting of NATO military advisers within Ukraine itself may now force Russia to advance militarily and divide Ukraine at the Dnieper River," he said.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220219/ukraines-nato-membership-not-on-agenda-wont-happen-in-foreseeable-future-german-chancellor-says-1093172855.html

Ukraine's NATO Membership Not on Agenda, Won't Happen in Foreseeable Future, German Chancellor Says

Ukraine's NATO Membership Not on Agenda, Won't Happen in Foreseeable Future, German Chancellor Says

Ukraine's ambassador to Germany has adamantly demanded membership in the Western alliance for his country, warning that Kiev may be forced to pursue nuclear... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T10:16+0000

2022-02-19T10:16+0000

2022-02-19T11:33+0000

ukraine

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Ukraine's bid for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is not on the agenda, and will not happen in the foreseeable future, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced."We Europeans and the transatlantic community have warned Russia that military aggression against Ukraine would be a severe error, and we do not want this to happen," the chancellor added. Scholz suggested that the deployment of "well over 100,000 Russian soldiers" near the border with its Ukrainian neighbour has no justification.The German leader said the West was willing to talk with Russia about its security proposals, but that it would "of course make a clear distinction between untenable demands and legitimate security interests...The fundamental principles of the OSCE [Organisation for Security Co-operation in Europe] are non-negotiable for us. Russia has agreed to them, and they include the right to freely choose one's alliances. At the same there are questions of security that are important for both sides, first and foremost transparency around weapons systems and exercises, risk mitigation mechanisms and new approaches to arms control," he said.Commenting on his visit to Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin last Tuesday, Scholz said he had made it "clear" to his Russian counterpart that "any further violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine would have a high price for Russia, in political economic and geostrategic terms." Scholz also insisted that Berlin and its allies remain committed to diplomacy, both on the Ukraine crisis and on European security in general. The chancellor expressed special gratitude to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his supposed "commitment" to the Minsk Agreements aimed at restoring peace to eastern Ukraine.War of WordsScholz's comments come amid a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Donbass, with the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk mobilising militia units and announcing an evacuation of the civilian population amid mass shelling by Kiev forces and fears that Ukraine is preparing to launch an all-out offensive.On Friday, Russian officials including President Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed "alarm" about the situation in the Donbass, and called on Kiev to immediately sit down to negotiations with the Donbass breakaways to implement the Minsk Agreements.Kiev's renewed aggression in the Donbass comes after months of now-debunked claims by Western officials and media that Russia is preparing to "invade Ukraine," and warnings by Moscow that NATO would use the "invasion" claims to justify a further buildup of troops and military equipment on Russia's doorstep.In December, in a bid to ease regional tensions and reverse the deterioration of relations with NATO, the Russian Foreign Ministry published a pair of security proposals calling on NATO to halt its eastward expansion, and for both sides to limit troop, missile, warship and aircraft deployments in areas where they could be perceived a threat by the other party. Moscow also asked NATO to limit the deployment of troops and weapons systems, including missiles, in Eastern European countries which joined NATO after the end of the Cold War.The Western alliance rejected Russia's proposals, saying that its 'open door' policy for joining will remain in place, and rejecting limitations on military deployments in Eastern Europe. The United States sent 5,000 additional troops to Poland, and redeployed 1,000 troops from Germany to Romania, and has threatened to send additional troops to Europe at a moment's notice, if necessary.Western officials regularly cite OSCE agreements signed in 1999 and 2010 regarding the freedom of member nations to join whatever security alliance they like. In an interview with Sputnik last month, Foreign Minister Lavrov said that Russia takes a broader, more comprehensive view of these treaties to include the principle of the indivisibility of security.Russia's firm insistence on halting NATO's expansion via formal treaties comes in the wake of built up feelings of animosity over the West's broken promises not to expand east following the end of the Cold War. In 1990, US Secretary of State James Baker explicitly promised then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev not to expand the bloc "one inch east" of a reunified Germany. Since then, NATO has incorporated every single member of the former Moscow-led Warsaw Pact bloc, three republics of the former USSR itself, and four republics of the ex-Yugoslavia. On top of this, the US has built components of a missile defence system in Poland and Romania. Moscow has expressed fears that these installations can easily be converted to fire offensive, nuclear-tipped Tomahawk cruise missiles deep into Russia with almost no warning time.

https://sputniknews.com/20220218/germany-ready-to-pay-high-price-if-russia-invades-ukraine-including-end-to-nord-stream-2-fm-says-1093155153.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220219/live-updates-ukrainian-forces-again-fire-mortars-prohibited-by-minsk-agreements-dpr-says-1093165740.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220219/1991-doc-proves-west-did-commit-to-non-expansion-of-nato-eastwards-broke-the-promise--report-1093161024.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220219/unhcr-condemns-deadly-attack-on-red-sea-afar-refugee-camp-amid-tplfs-new-offensive-1093162118.html

UNHCR Condemns Deadly Attack on Red Sea Afar Refugee Camp Amid TPLFs New Eastern Ethiopia Offensive

UNHCR Condemns Deadly Attack on Red Sea Afar Refugee Camp Amid TPLFs New Eastern Ethiopia Offensive

In late January, the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) launched a new operation into neighboring Afar state, claiming to be chasing down Eritrean-backed... 19.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-19T00:57+0000

2022-02-19T00:57+0000

2022-02-19T01:03+0000

ethiopia

tplf (tigray people's liberation front)

refugee camp

un refugee agency (unhcr)

afar

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Speaking at the UN offices in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Boris Cheshkirov said that an Eritrean refugee camp in Afar had come under attack by gunmen, who killed five camp residents and sent thousands fleeing to safety.The attack happened on February 3 at the Barahle refugee camp, a camp for ethnic Afar Eritreans that opened in 2009 amid Eritreas then-ongoing war with Ethiopia, Cheshkirov said. However, UNHCR was informed about the attack only after refugees fleeing it arrived in the Afar capital of Semera. Other refugees are believed to have fled in other directions, possibly towards the towns of Afdera and Dabure, more than 200 miles from Semera.In addition to the killings, the gunmen also looted the camp and stole both refugees belongings and abducted several women.Ahmed said he was missing two of his seven children, as well as one of his two wives, who got separated from the rest in the scramble after the attack began.A March 2018 profile of the camp by UNHCR identified more than 12,000 refugees living in the camp, 63% of whom were under the age of 18. It is located near the border with Tigray.The UNHCR report didnt mention the identity of the attackers. The region has become a war zone once again after the TPLF launched a new offensive into Afar in late January, claiming it was chasing elements of a group called the Red Sea Afar Force. According to the UNHCR, the TPLFs recent incursion into Afar has displaced more than 300,000 people.Kindeya Gebrehiwot, a spokesperson for the TPLF, told AFP that Ethiopian government officials were full of lies and that Eritrean refugees were not attacked.Interestingly, on January 28, just a few days before the attack on the Barahle refugee camp, the Red Sea Afar Human Rights Organization (RSAHRO) sent a letter to UNHCR Filippo Grandi expressing their fears about the safety of Red Sea Afar in the area."Our local sources have confirmed that TPLF forces are firing heavy artillery into the town indiscriminately in which the refugee camp has been hit and refugees are dispersed", the letter said, according to the independent outlet Ethiopian Citizen."It is historically known that the Afar in Eritrea call themselves Red Sea Afar people, and RSAHRO is deeply concerned that the TPLF will use this type of wordplay to cover up their military adventure in that specific area and commit massacres against unarmed refugees, the letter continued. Indeed, the TPLFs announcement of the Afar offensive claimed the Red Sea Afar Force was backed by Eritrea, which is allied with the Ethiopian government against the TPLF.However, the very real Afar Special Forces have been the primary group defending Afar from the TPLF. French radio station RFI spoke with several of the militia members, reporting on Thursday that they were fighting the TPLF without the help of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces.London-based human rights monitor Amnesty International published a damning report on Thursday accusing the TPLF of mass murder, gang rape, and looting, among other offenses, in several towns in Amhara that it occupied last year.The TPLF has been fighting the Ethiopian government since November 2020, when it launched a sneak attack on Ethiopian troops in Tigray. Last summer, the group invaded Amhara and Afar, making a drive on the capital of Addis Ababa, where it hoped to overthrow Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed with US endorsement. Since coming to power in 2018, Abiy has made moves to weaken the TPLFs once-domineering power over Ethiopian politics and earned the lasting enmity of Washington by ending a 20-year-long war with Eritrea started by the TPLF.The 15-month struggle has killed an unknown number of people in three Ethiopian states and driven more than 4 million people from their homes, according to UN estimates. The UN World Food Program estimates some 9.4 million Ethiopians are in need of food assistance.

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ethiopia, tplf (tigray people's liberation front), refugee camp, un refugee agency (unhcr), afar
There's an old adage that states if you do what you love, you never work a day in your life. Photographer Clive Cohen is the perfectly-captured personification of that statement.

Cohen, who has worked as the track photographer for Woodbine Mohawk Park for the last 25 years and recently won the Media Excellence Award for Outstanding Photography at the 2021 O'Brien Awards, is deeply grateful to make a living at his chosen profession  a profession in which he clearly excels.

"I love everything about it," Cohen told Trot Insider. "My day starts off here beautifully when I come in and everyone's warming up and I set up my files on the computer, hope for good weather. It's nice to work in your profession, just like I guess the horsepeople work in their profession, and I love taking photos and I love seeing them right away on the computer and then having people come in, and when they're great photos and they're excited people, it makes for a wonderful night and a wonderful year."

Cohen garnered his record sixth Media Excellence photography award with his 'Training Mile in the Fog' shot of Amasa Arion with trainer Patrick Rouleau, taken at Woodbine Mohawk Park on October 7, 2021 as the fog started to roll in. The photograph also won honours stateside, recognized as the best in the feature category as part of the 2021 United States Harness Writers Association Media Awards.

"So that was taken after one of the winner's circles at night, probably the second or third race off the top of my head," explained Cohen. "The fog was rolling in and people were warming up. I've shot stuff like that before but, by pure luck, the horse looked in the perfect direction, the light was perfect and there was another horse off in the distance to give you some depth."

Cohen told Trot Insider how he initially started in harness racing photography, his favourite subjects to capture on film and what's still on his professional bucket list. Watch the interview with Cohen below.

The interview with Cohen is the sixth and final feature in our post-O'Brien Awards coverage, sponsored by Horse Racing Alberta. Previous winner features included the following profiles:
RICHMONDLawmakers narrowly passed a bill this month that would allow people fired for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine to receive unemployment benefits if no other misconduct took place.

The measure advanced from the House of Delegates on a 5148 party-line vote and was assigned to a Senate committee on Feb. 10.

The bill was one of several introduced by Republicans this session to protect and defend workers who do not want to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Del. Kathy J. Byron, RForest, introduced House Bill 1201 to protect the unvaccinated from potential discrimination. The bill adds a line to the current unemployment misconduct law stating refusal to receive a COVID-19 vaccine does not hinder someone from obtaining unemployment benefits.

Byron said her bill is not an endorsement for or against the vaccine. She is a proponent of the COVID-19 vaccine but said vaccination is a personal choice.

There are many reasons why people have declined to take it, due to religious reasons and other reasons, Byron said in a February subcommittee meeting.

The bill preserves a workers right to make decisions about their own health, Byron said. However, she said the legislation doesnt prevent employers from requiring employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

They are not getting purposely fired so they can go home and collect unemployment, Byron said. We need to make sure they have the ability to have benefits until they find another position.

There is currently no explicit ruling as to whether refusing a COVID-19 vaccine without reason qualifies as misconduct, according to Norfolk-based employment lawyer John M. Bredehoft. Reasons to refuse the vaccine include medical injury, disability, or a sincere religious objection, he said.

Knowing what the rule is has a definite value independent of what the rule would be, Bredehoft said.

Generally, if someone gets fired, they get unemployment benefits and if they quit, they dont receive the benefits, Bredehoft said. However, the bill isnt clear enough, Bredehoft said.

Lets be clear. Nobody gets fired for refusal to get vaccinatedperiod, Bredehoft said. People get fired for refusal to be vaccinated when the company has a policy requiring them to be vaccinated.

Nicole Riley, deputy secretary of labor for Gov. Glenn Youngkin, spoke at the subcommittee meeting. She said the governors administration supports the bill.

Virginians have received over 15 million doses of various COVID-19 vaccines, and 71 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Over 80 percent of the adult population 18 and up is fully vaccinated. A person is considered fully vaccinated by the VDH when they received one dose of a single dose vaccine and both doses of a two dose vaccine.

Del. Don L. Scott, DPortsmouth, was the only person to question Byron during the subcommittee meeting. No delegates asked questions during subsequent meetings. Scott confirmed with Byron that Youngkins administration supports giving unemployment benefits to those who were fired for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine.

The Senate Commerce and Labor committee expected to read the bill meets on Mondays. The bill is one of approximately 70 House measures waiting for the committees action.

Capital News Service is a program of Virginia Commonwealth Universitys Robertson School of Media and Culture. Students in the program provide state government coverage for a variety of media outlets in Virginia
Harlan Vice Chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska system Nebraskas economy has made major gains thanks in great part to our states agricultural strength. Nebraska farmers and ranchers, along with food manufacturing and the array of ag-related financial and support services, generate some $88 billion in economic activity each year. Communities across our state depend on the continued good health of our vibrant Ag sector.

Our agricultural economy is the third largest in the country, and to keep it competitive and nimble, Nebraska must make sound strategic decisions. Nebraska lawmakers have an important opportunity to do so this session by approving Legislative Bill 703. LB 703 would enable Nebraska to maximize economic benefits from a world-class Ag-research center the U.S. Department of Agriculture is planning to build in Lincoln.

Under these plans, the USDA will place up to 42 federal research scientists and engineers, as well as over 100 scientific support staff, at the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture on the University of Nebraska-Lincolns Nebraska Innovation Campus. This major commitment by the USDA builds on the departments 120-year partnership with UNL and demonstrates their recognition of the university as a leading center of innovative discoveries in agriculture and natural resources.

Dozens of researchers and students from UNLs Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources will work collaboratively with federal scientists at the planned center to develop cutting-edge innovations to make agriculture more efficient, safe, resilient and profitable.

The technological advances the center will pursue are vital in maintaining Nebraskas competitive edge in agricultural production and food manufacturing. Research innovations empower our ag sectors continued growth, expand Nebraska food manufacturing, and enable our farmers and ranchers to thrive while protecting our most precious natural resource  water. Breakthrough innovations also bring opportunities for food sciences to play a larger role in human health and disease prevention.

To achieve full success, Nebraska must address two important questions: What is the best strategy to effectively convert these research findings into practical products and services for our states farmers, ranchers and food manufacturers? And how can we maximize our states economic benefits to nurture Nebraska startups, attract established companies and grow a skilled ag- and food-tech workforce?

LB 703 provides the answers. I want to thank Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg for sponsoring this legislation, which would appropriate $25 million in federal COVID relief funds to create a companion facility commercializing next-generation research and supporting Nebraska ag startups. The private sector would provide $25 million in matching funds for the project.

The first floor of this planned 80,000-square-foot companion facility will facilitate collaboration and provide supports allowing entrepreneurs to move forward with their business plans. This public-private initiative would include partnerships with venture capital firms providing a strong and efficient development process for products and services.

The buildings second through fourth floors will accelerate the development and deployment of those products and services. These floors will contain cutting-edge facilities  innovation maker spaces, laboratories, high-bay spaces  where scientists, engineers and students work with private-sector professionals to develop and test field-deployable prototypes for precision agriculture and other technological innovations.

UNL and USDA scientists will then collaborate, test and analyze the prototypes at fields across Nebraska, ensuring these new technologies meet real-world conditions. When services and products reach ultimate development, Nebraska Extension will provide statewide support helping farmers, ranchers and processors adopt these next-generation innovations.

Nebraska Innovation Campus currently provides business incubator space to about a dozen startups. An example is the Grain Weevil, a small robot designed by two Nebraska undergraduate students to improve grain bin safely. Another example is the student-developed Sentinel Fertigation, a company analyzing crop nitrogen content to determine fertilizer application through irrigation, a process known as fertigation.

Major resources and collaborations made possible by the USDA research center and the companion facility will raise Nebraskas ag-science commercialization achievements to a dramatically new level, facilitating a major boost to our states economy. In all, this new initiative has an estimated economic impact of $1 billion annually creating about 3,200 Nebraska jobs and generating $170 million in labor income for Nebraskans.

For all these reasons, LB 703 deserves support from our Legislature. The result will be major advances in Nebraskas economic strength and in our agricultural sectors competitiveness and long-term sustainability.
Western Nebraska Community College theater students are headed to ancient Greece for their winter production of The Furies by Aeschylus.

According to freshman Albino Canales III, the play is about a guy named Orestes, who kills his mom, and the main focal point of the show is these creatures called the Furies, and they are chasing him. Its kind of a duel between the gods protecting him and the theories wanting to kill and torment him.

Freshman John Plasencio described it as old law versus new law.

Both Canales and Plasencio, along with nine other WNCC actors, play the furies. For many of them, the play has stretched their acting skills and portfolios, especially because of the way the play was written.

I dont know if its just me, but a lot of the stuff that Ive been in were just, like, normal English, Canales said. So, this is the first time that Ive been reading weird stuff.

The Old English dialogue caused the actors to do a lot of research into the play, their characters and just the meanings of their words. It was almost like doing a play in another language.

At the very beginning of this, all of us needed to sort of translate the words that we were given to language that we understand first, Plasencio said, so that we can properly inflect on what the words are and everything.

Sophomore Adrianna Casias, who plays the Greek goddess Athena, said, Ive been part of a lot of shows, and this is the hardest show Ive ever been a part of just because  I thought Shakespeare was the hardest, but I think its classical Greek, only because of the language is so ancient and you have to get it right.

Still, the students, as well as director Violette Briggs, say that just because of their daunting task of translating the material, doesnt mean the public should be afraid of it as well.

I think the older plays like this get a negative stigma around them a little bit, because theyre harder to understand, Plasencio said, but Violette cut it down in a way (that) its more palatable for a modern audience.

Briggs said, The students have really taken the time to understand what theyre saying, and because they know what theyre saying, it makes it easier for the audience to understand what is being said. They also have committed to these roles so wholeheartedly that I think if you dont understand what is being said, youll understand the performances that are happening onstage.

Those performances require unique movements and facial expressions by the Furies to create an ensemble of eerie torment  something the cast is looking forward to showing off.

Im looking forward to seeing the way that people react to how we tell it and to the way that we do some things  getting all the Furies to act as one kind of unit and finding our different personalities within our Furies, freshman Marissa Wright said.

While the play is old and perhaps a bit difficult to understand, Briggs said its a play for the people.

If you like tragedy, theres some tragedy; if you like creepy scary movies, theres a little bit of that; if you like beauty, theres a little bit of that; if you like happy endings, theres a little bit of that, she said. So, I think theres something that will appeal to everyone.  Hopefully well see you in ancient Greece next weekend.

Performances will be next weekend, Feb. 25-27, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $5 for students, seniors and military, $10 for general seating, and $3 per person for groups of 10 or more.

The theatre department will also be hosting a food drive during their performances for the Cougar Cupboard, the food pantry on the WNCC campus. The department asks attendees to consider bringing non-perishable food items to support WNCC students.

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MOSCOW (AP)  Pro-Russia separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilization Saturday while Western leaders made increasingly dire warnings that a Russia invasion of its neighbor appeared imminent.

In new signs of fears that a war could start within days, Germany and Austria told their citizens to leave Ukraine. German air carrier Lufthansa canceled flights to the capital, Kyiv, and to Odessa, a Black Sea port that could be a key target in an invasion.

NATO's liaison office in Kyiv said it was relocating staff to Brussels and to the western Ukraine city of Lviv.

Meanwhile, top Ukrainian military officials came under a shelling attack during a tour of the front of the nearly eight-year separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The officials fled to a bomb shelter before hustling from the area, according to a journalist from The Associated Press who was on the tour.

Violence in eastern Ukraine has spiked in recent days as Ukraine and the two regions held by the rebels each accused the other of escalation. Russia on Saturday said at least two shells fired from a government-held part of eastern Ukraine landed across the border, but Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed claim as "a fake statement."

Sporadic violence has broken out for years along the line separating Ukrainian forces from the Russia-backed rebels, but the recent shelling and bombing spike could set off a full-scale war.

The United States and many European countries have alleged for months that Russia, which has moved about 150,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, is trying to create pretexts to invade.

"They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike," U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Saturday during a visit to Lithuania.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, opening the meeting by saying the world was at "a decisive moment in history." Full story here:

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Dozens gathered at Iredell Museums on Thursday as Christopher Skip McCall recounted his stories of growing up in a segregated Statesville.

The lecture, Growing Up While Black in Iredell County was part of the Our Region, Our History series at Iredell Museums, supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and North Carolina Humanities. McCall, former president of the Statesville NAACP, detailed his experience of segregated buses, restaurants, water fountains, schools and how his and other Black peoples lives were affected before and after segregation was abolished.

Even some of the stories he shared were new to current NAACP President, Todd Scott. He said seeing the younger people in the crowd react to the personal history lessons of McCall was what he noticed during the lecture.

I was just looking at those expressions on the kids faces, Scott said as they learned of the more personal experiences of McCall.

It wasnt just a history lesson, but the personal experiences of someone who directly experienced segregation.

What I loved and heard was his very personal perspective of being a Black boy and then challenges as a teenager and perseverance becoming a man with a loving family, Lisa Mozer said.

Those challenges didnt stop McCall from earning his degree at Winston-Salem State, having a long career, and serving his community, which was another lesson Scott said he hoped people took away from Thursday night.

For Emily Baker, the programs and operations manager, it was a chance for the public to not just learn history, but understand how it affected people on a personal level.

In a time when there is a movement to remove such stories from being taught, to erase stories that might make people uncomfortable, it is vital to provide a platform to make sure that never happens, and the museum is thankful that we can provide such a space, Baker said. If you ever get a chance to listen to Mr. McCall recount his life as a young boy trying to understand and navigate a world in which he was not given the same rights as white children, and then graduating from Statesville High School during the first year of desegregation in the public schools here, it is not to be missed.

Follow Ben Gibson on Facebook and Twitter at @BenGibsonSRL

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Hickory Mayor Hank Guess said last spring the arches over the City Walk would be a feature that is safe and itll be exactly what were supposed to have and itll last forever.

On Friday morning, Guess said he was grateful no one was hurt when the 40-ton arches fell onto the adjacent Main Avenue bridge around midnight.

Assistant City Manager Rodney Miller was among the officials assessing the scene Friday morning. As he was walking away, he would only say the investigation is ongoing.

When asked about the cause, Miller said: Have no idea.

Guess said a windy night might have played a role in the collapse of the arches. He added that taxpayers would not bear a cost because of the warranty on the arches.

Guess said the initial evaluation of the Main Avenue bridge showed it to be safe, but further assessments are needed. The city will be working with other experts and agencies, such as the N.C. Department of Transportation, he said. There was some damage to at least one side of the bridge.

We did the same thing with the arches, Guess said. We had everybody, all the professionals. There were multiple agencies that were involved in this and nobody anticipated this happening.

The arches were a centerpiece for the City Walk in downtown Hickory, a project that was funded through the $40 million bond referendum in 2014. At a cost of approximately $750,000, the arches accounted for around 5% of the $14.3 million City Walk contract.

They were up for less than a year. The official dedication of the City Walk and lighting of the arches was two months ago.

There had been problems with the arches before.

The installation of the second arch was delayed last year after part of the wood splintered. Hickory Communications Specialist Sarah Killian said then the arch was fixed using a combination of adhesives, clamps and screws.

The city did not say what adhesive was used. At one point, the manufacturer recommended using Gorilla Glue.

The City Walk contractor Neill Grading & Construction and engineering firm John Wood Group PLC are assessing the damage, the city said in a news release shortly after 11 a.m. Friday. An investigation is under way to determine the contributing factors that led to the fall of the arches. Until that investigation is complete, the debris cannot be removed, the release said.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has opened N.C. 127. The Main Avenue Bridge and the Rudy Wright Bridge remain closed until further notice, the release said.

On social media and on the blocked off street near the arches, there was frustration.

Hickory resident Kim Hudson, 55, was among those who came out to see the collapsed arches. She called it an embarrassment for the city.

Im really disappointed and Id like to have some transparency into how the city decided to spend the money for the bond referendum and why this is such a complete disaster, Hudson said.

When asked to respond to public concerns and questions regarding the arches, Guess said: I would tell anyone that we did everything according to the rules and according to the professionals, the architects, the engineers. I dont know what else we could have done that we didnt do.

He also said there has been no discussion of what might replace the arches.

Kevin Griffin is the city of Hickory reporter at the Hickory Daily Record.
Abigail Peden lies on a couch in Papua New Guinea moaning with pain as her father tries hard to keep it together.

But all Dan Peden has been able to do is wait and watch his nine-year-old daughter suffer for almost four days and hope she will be treated before the shattered bones around her elbow, caused by a fall, create a lifelong injury.

The Peden family, originally from Rotorua, are in Papua New Guinea as missionaries.

Unable to get the surgery Abigail requires in the lesser developed Pacific nation, they desperately applied for an emergency managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) exemption to fly her home to New Zealand, and are now waiting for a decision to be made.

A doctors report seen by Stuff from the New Tribes Medical Centre in Goroka states Abigail's young age means her condition is urgent, and she will need a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon in New Zealand to operate.

The next commercial flight out of Papua New Guinea to New Zealand leaves on Sunday, but Peden believes that will be too late.

He fears loose bone fragments will press on nerves and cause irreparable damage and has appealed to MPs and the prime minister to intervene.

If anyone knows Jacinda Ardern's number could you please call her and ask to show us some kindness.

Prepared to charter a private flight to get to New Zealand, Peden just wants a quick response from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, rather than waiting in the queue.

The family have been working alongside their private insurance company to find solutions and have been reassured if an MIQ spot opens up the company will help find a way to get them back.

Their predicament has also been exacerbated because they have not yet been vaccinated for Covid-19 after Peden, his wife Katie, and their four children, including Abigail, caught the virus last year.

Peden says they had intended to get the vaccination before they returned to New Zealand, but it has not been a priority until now.

The saga started when Abigail fell after climbing a fence on Tuesday and was in immediate pain. When Peden inspected her right arm he saw bumps over her elbow, and it looked grossly deformed.

After ringing Dr Earle Morton, Peden splinted Abigails arm and tried to keep her comfortable overnight until the pair could take the 75-minute flight from Wewak to Goroka.

Overnight it became clear that Abigails condition was serious, as her arm swelled dramatically.

X-rays confirmed she needed surgery in New Zealand as soon as possible to ensure she retained full function of her arm.

Katie Peden and their other children then flew to Goroka before the entire family took the 90-minute flight to Port Moresby.

They had hoped to get Abigail on the only flight that could get them to New Zealand on Wednesday, but quickly realised the MIQ system did not work that fast.

Abigail is in a lot of pain but unable to get to New Zealand for urgent surgery.

Now the bubbly intelligent young girl who loves writing and drawing lies limp and struggling with pain and her dad feels powerless to give her the help that she needs.

Every hour has become a lifetime.

If I start talking about it, Ill probably cry, Dan Peden says.

MBIE has been contacted for comment.

-Stuff/Nadine Porter.
Gaebel named to honor roll

Hannah Gaebel of Kelso has been named to the 2021 fall quarter honor roll at Spokane Community College.

Students who achieve a 3.0 or higher grade-point average are listed on the honor roll which ended in December.

SCC offers high-quality academic transfer, career-technical and eLearning degree and certificate programs; business and community training; and adult literacy programs throughout northeastern Washington, according to a press release submitted to The Daily News. Approximately 34,000 students a year enroll at the college.

Winlock resident earns recognition

Jacob Marley of Winlock recently was awarded the Recognition of Excellence in Communication by the Office of Academic Affairs of Dickinson State University based in Dickinson North Dakota.

He received the award after the fall 2021 semester.

The recognition is awarded to students who have exhibited a high level of achievement in communication-related courses at DSU, according to a press release from the university. Specifically, it is awarded to students who have received an A or a B grade in College Composition I and II (ENGL 110 and 120) and Fundamentals of Public Speaking (COMM 110) over the course of their collegiate careers.

According to the release, the recognition can be verified by employers looking for workers with good written and spoken communication skills and will be posted to the students Merit Pages accounts.

The mission of the university is to provide high-quality accessible programs, promote excellence in teaching and learning, support scholarly and creative activities; and to provide services relevant to the economy, health and quality of life for citizens of North Dakota, states the release.

Six named to SNHU presidents list

Six local residents have been named to the fall 2021 presidents list at Southern New Hampshire University based in Manchester, New Hampshire.

To be named to the list, full-time students must receive a minimum 3.7 grade-point average. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits. Undergraduate students must earn 12 credits in the fall or spring semester and online students must earn 12 credits in EW1 and EW2, EW3 and EW4 or EW5 and EW6.

Kalama: Daniel Neeley.

Kelso: Billie Rease.

Longview: Ariel Grisham.

Silver Lake: Karina Halverson.

Long Beach: Kathryn Lee and Lacey Berry.

SNHU is a private, nonprofit institution with an 89-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults, according to a press release from the university.

The school has more than 160,000 students worldwide and offers approximately 200 accredited undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs available online and on its 300-acre campus.

Recognized as the Most Innovative, regional university by U.S. News & World Report, the school also is one of the fastest-growing universities in the country, according to the press release.

Loya named to SNHU deans list

Winlock resident Breana Loya has been named to the fall 2021 deans list at Southern New Hampshire University based in Manchester, New Hampshire.

To be named to the list, full-time students must receive between a 3.5 and a 3.69 grade-point average. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits. Undergraduate students must earn 12 credits in the fall or spring semester and online students must earn 12 credits in EW1 and EW2, EW3 and EW4 or EW5 and EW6.

SNHU is a private, nonprofit institution with an 89-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults, according to a press release from the university.

The school has more than 160,000 students worldwide and offers approximately 200 accredited undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs available online and on its 300-acre campus.

Recognized as the Most Innovative, regional university by U.S. News & World Report, the school also is one of the fastest-growing universities in the country, according to the press release.

Asplund qualifies for deans list

Longview resident Darwin Asplund has been named to the fall 2021 deans list at Belmont University based two miles outside of Nashville, Tenn.

To be named to the list, a student must carry a minimum course load of 12 hours and maintain a 3.5 or higher grade-point average with no grade below a C.

Nearly 8,800 students from all 50 states and 33 countries attend the university consistently recognize by U.S. News & World Report for innovation an commitment to undergraduate teaching, according to a press release from the school. The university has more than 115 areas of undergraduate study, 41 masters programs and five doctoral degrees.

Fugere named to fall deans list

Adam Fugere of Rainier has been named to the deans list for the fall 2021 semester at Wheaton College based in Wheaton, Illinois.

To be named to the list, an undergraduate student must carry 12 or more credit hours and receive a 3.5 or higher grade-point average.

Wheaton College is a co-educational Christian liberal arts college noted for its rigorous academics, integration of faith and learning, and consistent ranking among the top liberal arts colleges in the country, according to a press release from the college.

 The Daily News

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Raymond Mitchell was well aware of the dangers that tow truck operators faced at crash sites.

Last May he took part in a memorial drive for Arthur Anderson, the owner of Affordable Towing in Longview who was one of three people killed in an accident south of Castle Rock. He and his wife, Kayla Mitchell, each wore shirts promoting the states Slow Down, Move Over law.

Towing was the latest in a line of high-risk jobs Ray Mitchell took on. Kayla Mitchell said he previously worked as a logger, a mechanic and a construction worker. He had been working with TLC Towing for about a year but felt it was the work he wanted to stick with for the rest of his life.

I guess it was the thrill of making sure people were safe, helping people out. It was never a dull moment out there, Kayla Mitchell said.

Less than four months after the memorial drive for Anderson, Raymond Mitchell was killed. He was responding to a call along the shoulder of I-5, only a few miles from his home in Kalama, when a semi truck trailer swung out and hit his truck. He was 33 years old and a father of two.

Kayla Mitchell said the death flipped our world upside down. It made her a more outspoken advocate for tow truck safety measures.

Everybody thinks that where they need to be is more important than the life on the other side of that small white line, Kayla Mitchell said.

Having two drivers killed on the job in Cowlitz County within a year also galvanized the push for reform. Tow truck safety bills introduced by local legislators passed this month in the state House and in the state Senate. Leaders in the industry hope to combine those with a broader awareness campaign about the Slow Down, Move Over law.

I dont think people understand what it means, said Mike DeSpain, co-owner of Carls Towing in Longview and a board member for the Towing and Recovery Association of Washington. Any time youre within 200 feet of an accident you need to slow down and, when safe to do so, move into the next lane.

Dangers facing tow truck drivers

A 2019 federal study of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found tow truck drivers had a workplace fatality rate 15 times higher than the average private industry.

A Vancouver operator had one of his legs amputated after he helped change a flat tire in January 2021. Another death was added to the list this week when a tow truck operator in Milton was struck and killed by a semi truck Tuesday. The Washington State Patrol said the semi driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

If an officer pulls somebody over, they can pick and choose where the car stops and get them off the road safely, TLC Towing owner Cory Wells said. We dont have a choice. Wherever the car is located is where we have to respond.

The current Slow Down, Move Over law took effect in July 2019. The Washington State Patrol held an initial set of patrols to remind drivers about what the new rules were, but its unclear how much awareness of the laws has seeped into the public.

More than 300 tow truck drivers from across the state and northern Oregon took part in a memorial drive for Mitchell. Along for the ride was Rep. Ed Oructt, the District 20 Republican who lives in Kalama. Orcutt was invited by Wells to let the dangers facing the business sink home.

The bills from Orcutt and Wilson

Orcutts House Bill 1709 passed the House 87-8 Feb. 12.

The bill allows tow truck drivers to use a flashing blue light while working at the scene of an accident. It also expands the use of the flashing red light when going through slow traffic on the way to a scene or accelerating back up as they leave a scene and specifies that drivers slow to 50 miles per hour or less when passing emergencies on roads where the speed limit is above 60 mph.

Orcutt said that years earlier, the Legislature allowed police to use blue lights at the scene because they needed additional protections. Orcutt supported the expansion in his bill and in House Bill 2033, which allows fire departments to flash blue lights at the scene of emergencies.

Its gotten to a point where we need that added visibility for our fire personnel, our ambulances and our tow truck operators, Orcutt said.

The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs testified in opposition to the blue light allowance in both bills, saying expanding the use of blue lights could cause confusion about whether or not police officers were at a scene. WASPC representatives also argued there was no data linking blue lights to a reduction in accidents.

On the Senate side, a bill introduced by Sen. Jeff Wilson (R-Longview) passed the floor unanimously in early February. Senate Bill 5907 includes the same details about blue lights and the lowered speed limit.

Equally as important is the reminder of the education of Washington states slow down and move over law. Its time that we re-energized that campaign, Wilson said.

Wilsons bill takes multiple approaches to the public awareness push. It asks the Department of Licensing to add a section about emergency work zones to future driver training classes. DOL and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission would cooperate to launch a statewide awareness campaign.

The bill orders the Washington Department of Transportation to substantially increase the use of mobile electronic signs and permanent displays to warn drivers about upcoming emergency zones. DeSpain said that AAA had expressed interest in helping fund those warning signs once the program got rolling.

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KALAMA  The Kalama City Council on Thursday directed the Planning Commission to review the multi-family housing code, specifically parking, in the wake of public concerns about a proposed apartment complex.

Mayor Mike Reuter said he brought the suggestion forward now that Kalama is on developers radar.

The lengthy timelines involved with evaluation and modification of land-use codes require us to look into the future to address possible concerns for the community, he said Friday. While any changes to the code will not affect projects currently in the permitting pipeline, we want to make sure future projects are the best fit for the city of Kalama.

Reuter said public concerns include parking, traffic, density, and greenspace/parks.

Any changes wouldnt affect the proposed Lofts at Kalama project. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the proposed 299-unit complex during its last three meetings. Commissioners and members of the public raised concerns about the proposal not providing enough parking, and its possible effect on traffic.

Kalama code requires one parking space per unit. The Lofts recently updated plan includes 468 parking spaces, for a ratio of 1.5 per unit.

City Administrator Adam Smee said some of the citys multifamily zoning is from 1996 when it appears to have been created and some was updated with current zoning standards in the early 2000s.

We havent had the market demand to make it cost effective to build multifamily housing in Kalama, Smee said. Apparently we have now passed that threshold and are now attractive.

Developers counter the challenges of building in Kalama  rocky terrain, steep slopes and stormwater  through price and quantity, Smee said. Housing prices have increased and now the market is turning to quantity, he said.

To help move the process along, Smee said the commission can first address parking and fix the most egregious pieces of code and come back to take a deeper look after addressing other things.

In other business, the council approved Gray and Osborne Engineering to design the 10th Street and Cedar Street sidewalk project.

In November, the city received a Transportation Improvement Board Small Cities Sidewalk grant for the project, with the state funding 90%, or $360,010. The city is responsible for 10%, or $40,000, to be paid out of the sidewalk capital improvement reserve fund.

Public Works Director Kelly Rasmussen said the city had to put out a request for qualifications for engineering services because the project includes state funding. The project will be designed in 2022 and put out to bid in early 2023.

The new sidewalk will continue from existing sidewalk on Cedar Street just east of South Eighth behind the softball field up to South 10th Street. There will be a crosswalk and the sidewalk will continue south on the west side of South 10th Street, tying into newly constructed sidewalk near Birch Street.

This project fills the gap between existing sidewalks in a high-density residential area near a school, improving safety for students that who to school, Rasmussen said.

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Climate change: One-foot rise in sea levels by 2050 threatens coastal cities including Miami, New York.

Oceans along the U.S. coastline will rise faster within the next three decades than they did in the past 100 years, bringing more flooding to coastal cities such as New York and Miami, according to the latest projections. Sea levels are expected to rise as much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) by 2050, according to a report led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While the amounts vary according to region, the inundation will lead to more coastal flooding and make tidal and storm surge more severe, the multi-agency report on climate change said.

Sea levels are continuing to rise at a very alarming rate, Bill Nelson, administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), said Tuesday in a conference call with reporters. And its endangering communities around the world.

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Rising waters are threatening coastal cities including New York, Boston and Miami, which already commonly experience flooding during high tides that occur with full and new moons. Homes, businesses, highways and other infrastructure along coastlines are vulnerable to damage from flooding and rising sea levels. Nearly 8 million homes, with a reconstruction cost of $1.9 trillion, are at risk of storm surges, according to a 2021 CoreLogic report.

Sea levels in Manhattan could rise by 2 feet as early as 2055 or as late as 2078, depending on the impacts of climate change, according to NOAA estimates. About 7,895 people in Manhattan live in low-lying areas that would flood with less than 2 feet of sea level rise.

High-tide flooding has more than doubled in New York since 2000 and now occurs 10 to 15 times a year, the report said. The annual frequency of flooding in Miami and Charleston, South Carolina, has grown from zero to two days in 2000 to about five to 10 days as of last year.

These increases will continue, further accelerate, and spread to more locations over the next couple of decades, said the report, which updates a sea-level projection from 2017. The U.S. uses satellites to measure ice thickness and the levels oceans are rising.This new data on sea rise is the latest reconfirmation that our climate crisis  as the President has said  is blinking code red, White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy said in a statement. We must redouble our efforts to cut the greenhouse gases that cause climate change while, at the same time, help our coastal communities become more resilient in the face of rising seas.

By trapping heat that melts ice sheets, greenhouse gas emissions will likely contribute about 2 feet of global sea level rise by 2100, according to the report. Failing to curb future emissions could cause sea levels to rise an additional 18 inches by the end of the century to reach 5 feet. The U.S. coast from around North Carolina up to Maine is a global sea-level rise hotspot.

Global warming above 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius) would spur on rapid melting of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, releasing that water into oceans. The exact damage is difficult to model because of ice sheet instability, the report said.

In addition to NOAA, researchers from NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Department of Defense, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency all contributed to the 111-page report.
Will you still Google in the future? The word Google is synonymous with browsing the internet, but with more search results being handed over to ads, will that last?

How many times do you Google a day? How about a year? Rough estimates put the number of searches that Google processes at more than 2 trillion per year and, worldwide, it has a search engine market share of more than 90%. We enjoy Google Search bar for free, but that doesnt mean there isnt a cost. It just means we are the product.

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Bloomberg Opinion columnist Parmy Olson spoke with former Google advertising chief Sridhar Ramaswamy on a Twitter Spaces about the companys ad model, the intrusive nature of browsing the web and why Google still rules internet search. Ramaswamy was at Google for 15 years, and for the last five years, ran the companys all important advertising division. He left in 2018 and has since co-founded a competing search engine, Neeva, which makes money through a monthly subscription. Here is a lightly edited transcription of their conversation.

Parmy Olson: You joined Google as a search ad engineer, and rose up the ranks to end up running the advertising division and a team of more than 10,000 people. The year you left Google, it cracked $100 billion dollars in revenue just from ads, and that numbers only gone north from there. You were clearly overseeing one of the worlds most powerful businesses. Why did you decide you didnt want to work on ads at Google anymore?

Sridhar Ramaswamy: I was fortunate to be at Google when I was, but after 15 years I wanted a change. I had worked on ads the entire time and helped create a very large and clearly powerful ecosystem. But there was a part of me that wanted to go back to my roots as a software engineer, as a thinker and creator.

There were also aspects of ads at Google that disillusioned me. All of us want to feel good about our jobs. With complicated platforms like YouTube, where theres all kinds of content  including an endless amount of objectionable content  ads were seen as directly or indirectly supporting that. In particular, 2017 was a year of controversy and towards the end of that year I decided that I really needed a clean break.

I started Neeva because I love the problem of search and wanted to create a simpler, friendlier product. Im proud that we have created the worlds first ad-free, private search engine.

Parmy: Why has it been that, for more than a decade, theres been no meaningful competition to Googles search engine?

Sridhar: First and foremost, its a very hard problem. It involves a scale that dwarfs any other technical problem that has been solved. Its really hard to crawl through all of the worlds web and sift through it meaningfully in an adversarial, open environment. Then theres the fact that the best result for a query is one that everybody says is the best result. So in some sense, its a popularity contest. That means the more users and usage you have, the more data you have to improve.

I think everybody acknowledges that when it comes to pure search, Google is still the the gold standard. But increasingly, things like ads and specialty places like Twitter and Reddit pose a challenge for how Google approaches search.

Parmy: Your point about how Google is arguably the gold standard, do you see that changing at all? Ive noticed ads taking up a lot more of the real estate on search results. Do you see any degradation to the quality of search at Google, either now, recently or in the future?

Sridhar: It is a slow but very definitive change for the worse. A big part of this is the ad load. Im sympathetic. I used to run that team and there is tremendous pressure to make money. Remember what happened to Facebook recently. All tech companies are defined not just by what they have accomplished but by their future prospects, too. There is pressure on Google to take up more and more space for ads, or play with an endless number of attention-grabbing maneuvers.

Parmy: If this is an issue that you see going forward, did Google ever entertain the idea of selling a premium tier subscription to weed out all of the ads when you were there?

Sridhar: Not seriously. Ill give you a rough, but stunning, stat. Almost certainly, Google makes more than $50 billion just in the United States. Thats more than $150 per person per year, just on Google search. You work that out to a monthly number and you realize not many people are going to pay for a product like that at that kind of price range.

The other thing that is vastly underestimated, especially from outside of Google, is there are large teams whose livelihood depends on the ad model. You can get away with introducing something like a subscription early on, but when youre very successful and there are strong economics at play, it becomes very hard. Also, within the company, a dramatically different way to approach something may just be rejected.

Parmy: If you actually look at the diversification of Alphabets business, 80% is in ads. Facebook is even more horribly undiversified: 98% of all their revenue comes from ads. Its just like a tanker kind of going in one direction, its just too difficult to pull in any other direction. Is that what youre saying?

Sridhar: These are incredibly successful companies and the ad model, in terms of its ability to monetize attention and extract value from advertisers, is just incredible. These people run incredibly efficient auctions, billions of times a day. Its a completely different ball game to start over with a different model in which you have to earn and keep one customer at a time.

Parmy: Speaking of the ad business generally, its an incredibly complicated business. When we talk about Googles ad business, were not talking about one monolithic organization, but many different divisions. Can you talk a little bit about the complexity of that business?

Sridhar: The simplest ad products are the owned and operated ad networks that Facebook and Google run. Early on, Google also got into the business of serving ads on third party sites. This was eventually expanded into DoubleClick, which is an incredibly complicated business. Google makes products for publishers. Google makes products for advertisers where an advertiser can say, I want to buy on the New York Times, on Google search, on YouTube, but also on Bloomberg and other sites. They also run something called an ad exchange, which is a way of bringing together advertisers, publishers, and other ad networks which aggregate demand from advertisers.

This ecosystem just gets more and more complicated. Now, every time we go to a website, there are literally thousands of companies that are collecting data about what we are doing and trying to figure out what ads to show. It makes for a very unpleasant experience. This rampant lack of privacy is one of the things that we wanted to address.

The split loyalty that the acquisition of DoubleClick entailed was vastly underestimated. Google makes products for users, advertisers and publishers or other companies. It also makes a browser and an operating system. Regardless of what it does, somebody is unhappy with the decision, because in some sense, Google is trying to be everybodys friend.

Parmy: You talk about a rampant intrusion on privacy. Did this bother you when you were still at Google?

Sridhar: 100%, this used to be a fairly constant argument. Another subtle point here is that, when you talk to one of these tool provider teams  lets say these teams represent advertisers and how they get clicks across the internet  they dont have a passion for the user because the user is anonymous.

These tool teams basically lose sight of the north star, which is the user and giving them a pleasant experience. You can easily end up in situations where youre just pulling levers at a very complicated system and saying: If I show Parmy the headphone ad 20 more times, theres a small chance that she will break down and click on one of those ads and go buy the headphones. Theres no cost to any of us. Lets just do it.

Parmy: Is the challenge for Google that its north star is advertisers or does it have too many north stars?

Sridhar: The company has too many north stars, but that does not take away from the very important fact that Google is all about search. Its the flagship product, the thing that makes the most money. If Google is driven by revenue, it has to keep showing ads on that search result page and it has to figure out how to keep making the money that it makes and how to make more money. There is a fundamental conflict of interest where, unless there are artificial and clear boundaries for whats okay and whats not, its just really hard to put the user first.

Parmy: Given that Googles flagship product is search, its what we all use Google for, how much money has Google been investing in the technology behind search over the years?

Sridhar: One rule of thumb that I have is that I think itll take about $500 million to $1 billion a year to run search at scale for every person on the planet. Youll likely need 1,000 to 1,500 people to do a really good job at this. And if you add those two numbers up, you realize that its a minuscule amount of money compared to how much Google makes.

Parmy: Your goals for Neeva sound like youre not aiming to be as big as Google has been. Do you expect Google to continue to have that 90% share of search for another 10 years or even 20 years?

Sridhar: Twenty years ago, would you have predicted today? Likely not. Its hard to predict that far out, but I think it is unlikely that search is going to exist in its exact current form for the next 20 years.

Parmy: Although it hasnt changed that much in 10 years.

Sridhar: Yes, but I think its very unlikely that the shares will remain constant. This is too important a problem, and there is enough innovation.

Parmy: Going back to the ad model, Apples privacy settings made it harder for Facebook to cross reference all our personal data. Google is preparing to phase out third party cookies in Chrome next year. Does it seem like online ads are moving in a healthier direction for our privacy?

Sridhar: Its a little early to say. The changes being contemplated do not affect Big Techs own flagships as businesses. So youll see, for example, Facebook do more within Facebook. This is the reason why theyre so keen on things like Facebook Marketplace, not to mention the big pivot to the metaverse. Similarly, Google with its incredible products in search and YouTube will continue to do enormously well. Therell be more and more resistance to this rampant proliferation of data, so I expect the smaller tech companies to have a more difficult time.

The well-off and the technically savvy install ad blockers, pay for premium versions of YouTube and other apps that they use. Theyre not subjected to ads as much. So even though this free, ad-funded internet has been such a meme for the last 20 years, I feel like well-off people have moved away from ads and its become a tax on the rest of humanity.

Parmy: The digital ad market grew by about 20% during the first year of lockdown, and then by 17% in 2021. Do you think this fast rate of growth for digital ads is just going to continue or do you see that petering out at some point?

Sridhar: Digital ads are growing because we are all doing more and more things online. Clearly that trend is accelerating, especially with the pandemic, but I think much of it will go to a few key players, like Google and Facebook and some of the other social media companies that can grab so much attention.

But for a product like search, there is no reason for anyone to search a lot more today than they did yesterday. So I think that growth will slow down. But what will continue unimpeded is the growth of companies like TikTok. Theres clearly a lot of innovation happening with shorts and videos. I see them conquering a lot of ad dollars. As long as there is innovation and growth in the time that we spend online, the ad dollars will follow because online ads are incredibly efficient.

Parmy Olson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. She previously reported for the Wall Street Journal and Forbes and is the author of 'We Are Anonymous.'
Three big asteroids just flew by near Earth yesterday and today another huge asteroid will approach our planet, according to NASA.

From one asteroid scare to the next, the week just keeps ratcheting up the fear factor! While astronomy enthusiasts are thrilled at teh prospect of watching asteroids approach Earth at mind-numbing speeds, for the rest of the population on Earth, they manage to generate fear. What if...? Just a day after three asteroids flew past Earth, including a giant 720 feet (210 mtr) wide asteroid, today another big asteroid is headed towards our home planet. Named 2022 CX4 by NASA, this bus-sized asteroid has been classified as a near Earth object or NEO. NEO asteroids are those which are so close to our planet that a slight fluctuation in its orbital path can lead it to crash straight into Earth, causing a global catastrophe. Although the asteroid is expected to pass at a distance of more than 10 lakh kilometers, in terms of interplanetary distances, this is too small for comfort. However, as of now, there are no risks of the asteroid hitting Earth, so make sure to keep an eye out for this space rock!

A big reason why we are able to calculate whether an asteroid can cause a potential risk to us or not, is because NASA has been very vigilant towards all asteroids around the Earth. The space agency also established the Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) in 2016, which identifies and assesses all NEO asteroids to ensure that none pose a threat to the blue planet. NASA also has an Asteroid Watch dashboard that tracks asteroids and comets that will make relatively close approaches to Earth.

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Bus-sized asteroid zooming towards Earth

The asteroid 2022 CX4 is a 28 feet wide asteroid, which is approximately the size of a large bus. While it may appear small, it can still cause catastrophic damage as it travels at a speed of thousands of miles per hour. This asteroid is revolving around the Sun in an elliptical orbit, tracing up to Earth on one elongated end, and Mars on the other. In fact, if Earth was in any other position in its orbit, the asteroid would not even come close to it as this is the only intersection point for both the celestial bodies.

If you want to know more about this asteroid, you can go to NASAs Small Body Database by clicking this link here.

Earlier, NASA wrote a 5-page letter to protest against the launch of 30,000 Gen 2 Starlink satellites by SpaceX. The space tech company run by Elon Musk has been criticized by NASA for congesting the lower orbit which can not only endanger its future missions and astronauts but also affect PDCOs ability to monitor asteroids and watch out for any potentially hazardous asteroid gunning for the Earth.
Several Bollywood celebrities' social media accounts were hacked in the past including Nora Fatehi, Amitabh Bachchan and Karan Johar.

Social media platforms have become a strong medium to share views, opinions, updates and establish connections across the world. They provide a great medium to communicate with society, family and others. Not only common masses but prominent personalities like politicians, actors, actresses and other celebs also use this platforms to connect with their fans and followers. Bollywood stars are quite active on microblogging sites and keep their fans updated about their personal and professional activities. Owing to their popularity, theyve also been attacked by many hackers and cyber criminals. From Nora Fatehi, Amitabh Bachchan to Karan Johar, here are 5 Bollywood celebs whose social media handles were hacked.

1. Amitabh Bachchan

Big B is one the the most active celebrities on social media. From Twitter to Instagram to Facebook, Big B has a massive fan following across the globe. The megastar keep sharing pictures, poems and his thoughts. However, in 2019, his Twitter account was hacked by a Turkish hacker who replaced Big Bs profile picture with that of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and tweeted several controversial statements. Big Bs account was restored after over 10 hours.

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2. Abhishek Bachchan

Like his father, Abhishek Bachchan's Twitter account was also hacked in 2018 by a Turkish hacker. The hacker changed his cover photograph with a missile that read Ayyildiz Tim in chalk and posted cryptic tweets of how they support Turkey with photos of soldiers and warriors attached. Abhishek later shared the info that his account was hacked and wrote, Yes, yes my account got hacked. Quite chuffed that they thought me interesting enough actually. All sorted out now and back to normal. Well. As normal as it can get. Thank you for your concern.

3. Shahid Kapoor

Popular Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor's Twitter account was also hacked a day after the actor welcomed his second child. The hacker posted outrageous posts in connection with Shahid's role in the movie Padmavat in the Turkish dialect.

4. Karan Johar

The filmmaker's Twitter account was hacked and the hacker started sending random DMs to his friends and followers. KJo later warned his fans about the cyber attack. His Twitter account was eventually restored.

5. Nora Fatehi

Dancing Diva Nora Fatehi's Instagram account too was unavailable for several hours a few days back on February 4 leaving her fans shocked. Her fans were curious to know if the actress had deleted or deactivated her account. However, the actress later revealed that her account was hacked by some miscreants. She wrote, "Sorry guys! There was an attempted hack on my Instagram! Someone's been trying to get into my account since this morning! Thanks to the Instagram team for helping me sort this out so quickly!."
American Airlines will cut flights to a variety of international destinations because of delivery delays with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

American Airlines on Friday said it would cut more international flights over the summer than originally planned as it deals with delays in deliveries of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner long-haul jet.

The plane has been plagued by major production problems after initial manufacturing flaws were discovered in the summer of 2020, and deliveries have been suspended since last May.

Boeing is in negotiations with US aviation authorities, and unwilling to commit to a date to restart deliveries.

American Airlines was hoping to have 13 of the jets in its fleet by this year.

But in an internal notice seen by AFP, American said it was "taking a proactive approach to reduce the negative impact Boeing's delays could have on our business and our customers."

The airline will postpone the launch of its Dallas-Tel Aviv route as well as temporarily halt the Seattle-London, Dallas-Santiago de Chile, and Los Angeles-Sydney routes. It will reduce Miami-Sao Paulo service to once per day.

The company had previously cut its flight schedule in December, giving up certain destinations such as Edinburgh, Prague and Dubrovnik.

Boeing has agreed to pay compensation to American for the losses caused by its delivery delays.

The manufacturer has estimated that the setbacks with the 787 will cost them $5.5 billion, between compensation paid to customers, additional work to be done on the planes and the slowdown of production.

Explore further American Airlines trims 2022 flights due to Boeing delays

 2022 AFP